Chapter 318: My Patron God Thinks My Love Life Is a Hit Show

She wandered back out, probably to pass out on her bed.

The celebration wound down after that. People started drifting off to their rooms, exhaustion finally catching up with adrenaline. Marco clapped me on the shoulder one more time before heading upstairs with Malachi. Jaime announced he was going to do midnight pushups in honor of my recovery. Jacob scurried away when I made eye contact.

Eventually, only five of us remained.

Me, Natalia, Emi, Skylar, and Soomin.

The tension returned with a vengeance.

Emi stood by the sink, washing dishes with unnecessary focus. Soomin perched on a stool, playing with her hair. Skylar leaned against the refrigerator, examining her nails like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

Natalia sat beside me, radiating possessive energy.

Someone had to say something.

"So," I started.

Four sets of eyes locked onto me.

Abort. Abort abort abort.

"Thanks for waiting up," I finished lamely.

Emi turned, drying her hands on a towel. "Of course we waited. We’re a team."

"Right. A team."

"A team where the leader kisses multiple members," Skylar added helpfully.

I was going to kill her.

Natalia stiffened beside me.

Emi’s eyes went wide. "What?"

"Nothing," I said quickly. "Skylar’s just—"

"I kissed him on the balcony at Vortex," Skylar interrupted, looking directly at Emi. "Two days ago. It was... enlightening."

The room temperature plummeted.

Emi’s face cycled through several expressions. Confusion. Hurt. Then something harder. "You kissed Skylar?"

"It was complicated."

"How is kissing someone complicated?"

Soomin made a tiny sound. When I looked at her, she’d gone pale. "The Fox wants to know if you kissed anyone else."

Jesus Christ.

Natalia stood up. "This conversation is over. Satori needs rest."

"No." Emi’s voice, usually so sweet and accommodating, carried steel. "I want to know."

She stepped closer, her brown eyes searching mine. Looking for a lie. Looking for reassurance.

The Nectar hummed in my veins, responding to her proximity. I could taste her earlier kiss on my cheek, feel the ghost of her lips.

This was a nightmare.

"I kissed Skylar because she’s the only one who wouldn’t have misunderstood what it meant," I said honestly. "You deserve better than being used for something like that. And Soomin would’ve been terrified. So I chose Skylar, who I knew would understand it was tactical."

Skylar’s expression shifted. Something vulnerable flickered across her face before her mask reasserted itself.

"How romantic," she deadpanned.

Emi looked between us, her hands twisting the dish towel. "But you kissed her. And you kissed me. And Natalia."

"I kissed you on the cheek."

"It still counts!"

Fair point.

Soomin raised her hand like we were in class. "The Fox says she wants a turn."

"NO," Natalia and Emi said simultaneously.

The Fox could wait until I’d figured out how to handle her without causing an international incident.

Natalia grabbed my arm, started pulling me toward the door. "He’s going to bed. Now. Doctor’s orders."

"Since when do you care about doctor’s orders?" Skylar called after us.

Natalia didn’t respond, just kept dragging me toward the stairs.

Emi followed. So did Skylar. And Soomin.

We formed the world’s most awkward procession up to the second floor.

When we reached my room, Natalia planted herself in front of the door like a guard. "He needs sleep. Alone."

"I can keep him company," Emi offered. "Make sure he doesn’t have nightmares. Or complications. Or—"

"No."

Skylar examined her nails. "I don’t care either way. But the Fox is going to be insufferable if she doesn’t get at least five minutes."

Soomin’s eyes had started glowing faintly blue.

This was spiraling.

I stepped between them, raised my hands. "Everyone stop."

Surprisingly, they did.

"I appreciate the concern. Really. But I’m exhausted, everything hurts, and I’m one wrong move away from passing out." I looked at each of them in turn. "We’ll figure this out. Tomorrow. When I can think straight."

Emi looked like she wanted to protest, but Natalia’s glare convinced her otherwise.

"Fine," she said softly. "But I’m checking on you in the morning. Early."

"Sure."

Skylar pushed off the wall. "Don’t die in your sleep, Stray Dog. That would be anticlimactic."

"I’ll do my best."

She left without another word, her footsteps silent on the hardwood.

Soomin lingered, her eyes still carrying that faint glow. "The Fox says you smell different. Stronger. Like you died and came back."

"That’s... approximately accurate."

"She says she’s glad." Soomin’s voice softened back to her normal shy register. "I’m glad too. That you’re back. And safe."

She fled down the hallway before I could respond, her pink hair disappearing around the corner.

Which left Natalia.

She didn’t move from her position blocking the door.

"You’re not coming in," I told her.

"Watch me."

"Natalia."

"You almost died."

"I know. I was there."

I stepped closer, cupped her face in my hands. "I’m here. I’m alive. Because of you."

"Because I panicked and broke reality."

"Because you refused to let me die." I kissed her forehead. "You saved me, Natalia. Not the other way around."

She exhaled shakily, her hands coming up to grip my wrists. "I hate that you’re right."

"Get used to it."

She kissed me then, hard and desperate, her tongue invading my mouth with the same possessive hunger as the hospital. The Nectar flooded through both of us. Her knees actually buckled.

I caught her, held her up, and broke the kiss before we both collapsed.

"Tomorrow," I promised. "When I can actually move without wanting to die."

"Fine." She pulled back reluctantly. "But if I catch Emi sneaking into your room—"

"You’ll do nothing, because we both know she’s not that bold."

"Yet."

She had a point.

Natalia kissed me one more time, soft and lingering, then finally stepped aside. "Goodnight, my king."

"Goodnight, my queen."

She disappeared into the darkness of the hallway, leaving me alone at last.

I opened my door, stepped inside, and immediately collapsed face-first onto my bed.

Bartholomew’s terrarium glowed softly on the desk. The immortal snail was doing its immortal snail thing, munching on lettuce with the confidence of something that would outlive the heat death of the universe.

"Living the dream, aren’t you?" I muttered.

He didn’t respond. Snails rarely do.

I should’ve passed out immediately. My body certainly wanted to. But my mind kept churning, replaying the day’s events. Luka’s acceptance. Kimiko’s relief. The guild’s loyalty. The four girls who’d all staked different claims on me in different ways.

The System chimed softly.

Of course it did.

I groaned, rolled onto my back despite my protesting ribs, and pulled up the interface.

A new message waited.

[Message from Sponsor: Apollo]

My stomach dropped.

I opened it.

That was a hell of a show, darling. Ratings through the roof. The moment you took that hit for your healer? Pure gold. Aphrodite literally wept. Very moving.

But we need to talk about the key.

You opened a door you shouldn’t have. Asked questions that don’t have safe answers. The Director is watching now. Really watching. And when the Director pays attention...

Well. Let’s just say the difficulty is about to spike.

Keep the key safe. You’re going to need it.

Also, you’ve got one hell of a harem situation brewing. Natalia’s ready to murder anyone who looks at you. Skylar’s in denial. Emi’s developing concerning obsessive tendencies. And the Fox? She’s decided you’re her mate.

Can’t wait to see how you screw this up.

Kisses, Apollo