Read Novel Full Chapter 231: Christmas Special: Merry Luciusmas
Chapter 231: Christmas Special: Merry Luciusmas
[Note: This Christmas special takes place in an alternate world... basically an OVA stuffed with holiday chaos. Whether you bring Castles, Spacecrafts, or Gacha blessings as your Christmas offering, I’m not picky. Santa Lucius demands tribute. Have a very, very merry Christmas. Hohoho~✨]
Vanessa placed her hand on her waist while Emilia and Elara flanked her on both sides.
The Cryo Market section of the Northcrest City supermarket was freezing; cold mist curled under their feet, drifting from the massive frost-sealed refrigerators.
The air smelled of ice crystals and frozen poultry.
As for where the chicken was... it was literally everywhere. Dozens of transparent frost-coated doors stretched down the aisle, each one displaying different cuts, brands, and monster variations of chicken.
Some packages even had the creature still intact, frozen mid-motion. There was turkey on the shelves too, as well as exotic frozen beast meat labeled with little warnings like Consume only after anti-parasitic wash.
Vanessa pulled out her phone and scrolled through the list the head maid had sent. It was supposed to be Deli that was here but she had forced her to stay home.
"Well, we’ll need a lot of chicken. I think Lucius’s sister is visiting us tomorrow," she said, already feeling a headache.
She really didn’t like Elena, but she was Lucius’s sister. Besides, it’s not like we’re doing anything weird... she reminded herself.
Emilia licked her lips as she opened one of the fridge doors. "I can’t wait for you guys to cook this... I love chicken."
Elara placed a hand on her waist. "Master likes his chicken very crispy... Oooh, and turkey too."
That part was true. Lucius ate like a king whenever they cooked for him.
Just then, two women in their twenties walked past the aisle in bright winter coats, chatting loudly.
"Did you see Lucius’s new post?" one whispered excitedly. "He’s doing a Christmas delivery for everyone in the city since Northcrest won the lottery!"
"I can’t wait for him to come to my apartment," the other squealed. "He said he would deliver all the presents within five hours, right? One of his longest streams yet!"
They walked off happily.
Vanessa’s eye twitched.
Of course they’re excited... they don’t live with him. They don’t see the chaos this man creates every day.
It had all started on the 20th of December, when Lucius... naturally, in front of millions had announced a worldwide lottery. One city would be chosen to receive Christmas gifts delivered personally by him, acting as Santa for a day.
He insisted the selection would be fair and didn’t use Space to alter the result. And somehow... the wheel stopped on Northcrest.
Immediately, people tried to cheat the system by moving into the city.
Lucius threatened all of them on livestream:
"If you move into Northcrest after today, I already have the registered citizen list and I’m not giving you shit. And if I catch you trying to sneak in, the whole city gets blacklisted next year."
The panic had been loud.
After that announcement, he instructed every household to send one gift request.
Only one. It had to be something real, purchasable, and not absurdly large. Most citizens sent emails.
A minority didn’t, probably because they didn’t want to overload him. The Council had to help him sort the list because the requests stacked taller than the staircase of their mansion.
Vanessa sighed.
’At least he can spend Christmas with us too... if he doesn’t collapse from exhaustion first.’
She puckered her lips and turned to the girls.
"Alright, let’s do this and get going. We still have to hit Silkworks for the bikinis we ordered."
Emilia and Elara nodded enthusiastically.
"Let’s go!"
...
Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Lucius sat shirtless in his room while Alexia adjusted the finishing touches of his Christmas costume... specifically, the beard.
"Boss, you know you don’t have to do all this," she said as she fastened the white beard against his jaw. "You already got gifts for every household in the city, and you’re going to be extremely tired after delivering all of them... We can do it for you."
"No need," Lucius said, watching himself in the mirror.
The beard wasn’t the long Santa beard; he refused that. He looked too good to hide his jawline anyway. "Besides, I love this Santa suit... good thing I don’t have that gut though."
He absolutely refused to wear anything that made him look like an overweight old man. His version of Santa was slimmer, structured, and perfectly tailored to his physique.
The red coat hugged his torso and emphasized his shoulders. He looked like a war general cosplaying Santa.
"Besides." He placed a hand under Alexia’s jaw and tilted her face upward.
Her cheeks instantly turned pink. "You look cute... I wish I could keep you as my little elf."
Alexia looked anywhere but his face as her whole expression melted. "Y-you know I would, Boss... I’d wear anything you want me to. But Vanessa told me to help out."
"Yes, yes." Lucius flexed subtly at the mirror, admiring the costume. The red was deep and expensive, trimmed with white fur and enchanted thread. "You can get going now."
Alexia stood up, flustered, then puckered her lips. "A little Christmas gift... it’s already late evening, so you’ll start your stream now, right?"
Lucius walked past her toward the door. "Yes, I’ll be going now."
But just as he passed her, his palm landed on her ass with a sharp smack.
Alexia’s knees buckled instantly as she fell to the floor with her face red and her breath trembling.
"Thank you~ Daddy~"
Lucius adjusted his spectacles... the newest Meta-glasses for the P55 Drone stream.
"Good. Now, time to go." He took one step, then turned back briefly. "Oh, and Alexia... Merry Christmas."
He vanished in an instant.
Alexia lifted her skirt with trembling fingers, staring at the bright red imprint on her right ass cheek.
Heat pooled between her thighs embarrassingly fast.
’Boss owns me completely.’
...
Lucius overlooked the city as he adjusted his spectacles, the cold air brushing against his face as a light snowfall drifted lazily around him.
Snow blanketed the rooftops like soft icing, gathered on the paved streets below, and even rested in small mounds before neatly painted houses... each one with a brand-new chimney.
’Right, I think I said I couldn’t come through their front doors so they should make chimneys.’ He thought, exhaling as he rubbed his chin.
He had said it jokingly, just off-hand during a previous stream, but clearly the citizens of Northcrest had taken it very seriously.
Nearly every house he could see had installed a chimney within the past weeks.
"Well whatever, I want to be done by 12 or 1am." Lucius muttered to himself as he adjusted the sleeves of his fitted red coat.
This would be one of his longest streams yet, but for good reason... this world had given him a place to live, a purpose, and a life better than the one he had before.
Doing something meaningful in return felt right. "Though I’ve canceled the Hohenberg, Silverhain and Runenforscher households off my list... Yes I’m petty like that."
He slightly smirked.
Behind him hovered the new P55 drone, shaped like a glossy red ladybug.
Despite its size which was small enough to sit in his palm, it outperformed the P40 in nearly every category.
The material used to craft it was the same mysterious alloy from the gates of his mansion. It glowed like it was alive.
’Council scientists are definitely working overtime.’ He thought, amused at the lengths they went to over his tech preferences.
Lucius cleared his throat.
"Start stream."
The drone lit up instantly, rising into the air. The Meta-glasses over his eyes shimmered as the livestream interface activated.
[Stream has Started]
Viewers climbed rapidly in the upper corner. He had told everyone 8pm sharp, and even though it was now 8:04, 3 million were already online.
"Ho ho ho, and welcome to our Merry Christmas Segment." Lucius said as he faced the drone.
His red coat clung perfectly to his build, and the white beard was fitted neatly below his chin. "Tonight, I will be visiting about... 62,812 households this Christmas. Northcrest is quite a large city."
[@SnowBell: I WISH I LIVED IN NORTHCREST]
[@MerryCrush: Lucius come to MY city next please]
[@NorthcrestQueen: I’m literally waiting at my window rn!!]
"Now," he continued, "even though I’m delivering Christmas gifts across the entire city, I’ll be personally visiting the households with important requests... cases that need my attention. The rest of you will get your gifts through the chimney. I also have to spend Christmas myself, you know."
[@ColdSprig: He even LEAVES HIS HOUSE FOR US?? God tier streamer]
[@AlendrioFan: Meh he’s copying Alendrio]
└[@LordBricks: BRO, ALENDRIO DELIVERED 3 GIFTS AND FAINTED]
└[@DoryPops: LMAO roasted]
└[@Bluestreak: Ban that clown mod]
[Moderator banned @AlendrioFan]
’It’s nice to have a moderator blocking stupid people.’ Lucius thought. The guy had begged to be his mod through Stitch, promising to wipe trolls off the earth.
Lucius respected the commitment and let him handle it.
"Well, how does my costume look?" Lucius asked as he flexed subtly in front of the drone.
Compliment comments flooded in and he nodded in satisfaction. "Thanks, guys."
He looked over the rooftop edge.
"Well then, I’m going to visit the first person of the segment, since his situation is a very important one."
With that, he stepped off the tall building.
Snow rushed past him, but with a light tap of his boots against the wall, a colorful shockwave rippled outward... there was no structural damage, it was just pure motion control.
He launched himself forward like a crimson comet until he floated above a quaint blue-roofed home.
"This is the house of Alexander Alexson, and he will be our first visit tonight." Lucius announced. "Don’t go doxxing anything or whatever. This is on stream, so people already know the location. Just don’t visit."
[@BioBun: OMG I KNOW THIS GUY]
[@PheePhee: WAIT I KNOW HIM TOO??]
[@Alexxx: THAT’S ME WTF]
└[@GlazeKing: CONGRATS KING]
└[@SprinterSam: WIN FOR REAL]
└[@MimiMint: HE BETTER BE NICE TO YOUR MOM]
Lucius descended and knocked gently on the door.
It opened immediately.
A boy around sixteen stared up at him... he was wide-eyed, trembling, almost dropping his phone as he choked out, "M-mis... mister Lucius, I’m so glad you came today."
[@TearDrop: VALID REACTION TBH]
[@LuciSimp: If I saw him at my door I’d pass out]
[@ColdSnap: Protect this boy]
"Why wouldn’t I?" Lucius smiled and stepped in. "It was your Christmas wish."
Inside the living room, a frail woman lay on the couch. Her skin was charcoal-blackened, shriveled from mana burn... an effect caused when a dungeon break’s mana wave struck a non-Awakened.
Her breathing was shallow.
"You said your mother was hit by a mana wave and you needed a cure." Lucius said, kneeling.
A green vial appeared in his palm.
He uncorked it and gently tilted it into her mouth. For a brief second nothing happened then color burst through her skin, smoothing it. Her eyes brightened; her body regained mass and warmth.
Within seconds she looked like a petite model in her 30s.
’I see where Alexander gets his looks from.’ Lucius thought as he stood up.
The woman’s eyes welled with tears.
"Thank you... Thank you..." she whispered. "Goddess... please bless this man."
A long parchment-style list appeared in Lucius’s hand, stretching so far it curled around the couch like a red carpet.
He marked the first entry, and the entire scroll vanished in a small shimmer.
"Good." Lucius said, smiling as he moved toward the door. But Alexander blocked his way, clutching his phone.
"Mr. Lucius... can you do one last thing before you go?"
Lucius paused, softening.
"Ho ho ho~ What would you like?"
Alexander showed him a stitched-together profile of a pretty girl with a warm smile.
"I... I would like you to bless my relationship with my girlfriend. Please bless it to be fruitful and so we can end up in marriage."
[@HeartBurst: AWWWHHHH]
[@ShipThem: BLESS THEM KING]
[@WiseWalnut: Imagine getting Lucius’s blessing for your relationship]
[@GoddessReader: I’d NEVER wash my phone again]
Lucius chuckled gently.
"I hereby..." he started as he placed his hand in front of the phone. He couldn’t lie... he loved being treated like a deity.
...
"And that’s our tenth house..." Lucius muttered as he soared through the night sky, his boots tapping softly against the cold air as he drifted forward.
Delivering gifts house to house like this... he finally understood what that fictional Santa Claus must’ve felt, traversing the whole world to give children presents. "The cookies were good though."
He really did enjoy the cookies they left behind.
"Our next house is a special one." Lucius said as he hovered above a familiar rooftop.
The chimney was well-crafted... clearly made with the intention of receiving him. He stepped inside and let himself float down the shaft, landing silently on the carpet below.
Sprawled across the couches in awkward positions...
His entire team.
Raven, Trisha, Erika, Matthias, Grimm, Felix, Cyrus... every single one of them was knocked out asleep.
"Imagine being on my team and not tuning in to my livestream." Lucius shook his head slowly as he walked past them. "Well, I got the present."
In the center of the room, a neatly wrapped box materialized. Without a sound, Lucius slipped back up the chimney and vanished into the night.
[@SkyWatcher: What’s inside that box??]
[@FestiveNerd: Boss Lucius leaving stealth gifts is too cute]
[@Kimchi: Bro didn’t even wake them LMFAO]
[@MerryMint: Aww he’s spoiling them so much this year]
[@Tora: MY GUESS IS WEAPONS OR COAL]
The drone stayed hovering in the room, capturing everything.
The first to wake was Grimm... though "woke" was generous. He rolled off the couch and hit the ground face-first.
"Faah..." Grimm grunted, then spotted the present. "Wake up!!! Boss left us a present!"
Everyone jerked awake like soldiers under fire. Trisha jolted up and immediately shoved aside the pillow of Lucius’s face she had been hugging in her sleep.
The stream caught that clearly.
[@HeartSpark: TRISHA HUGS A LUCIS PILLOW LMAOOO IT’S REAL]
[@PinkSoda: Girl is DOWN BAD]
[@Basil: Can’t blame her tbh]
[@CrowClaw: Her face was so pink omg]
[@GoonLord: QUEEN TRISHA STAND UP]
Grimm reached the box first, the others clustering around him.
"Let me tear the wrappers," Trisha said eagerly, her brown hair bouncing as she ripped the wrapping off. She opened the lid...
And froze.
Behold...
Their gift was... Coal.
"Coal?!" Grimm stumbled backward in betrayal. "After all the work we did this year??"
[@OrbitKid: LMAOOOO COAL]
[@MoonSalt: Boss petty even on Christmas]
[@QuillSharp: No way he did them like this]
[@FrostedPeach: I’d cry]
Raven spotted a note inside and picked it up.
"It says to pour the coal into the pit and set it aflame," Raven read.
He dumped the coal into the fireplace and ignited it.
The coal burned hot filling the room with warmth and then the entire ceiling glowed. A massive package appeared above them, descending slowly.
Everyone stared up in awe.
"I hope it’s not more coal," Grimm muttered nervously.
The box landed and unraveled itself... there was no tearing needed. Individual items floated out, drifting directly into the arms of their intended recipients.
The first gift landed in Raven’s hands:
A Golden Gachapon Ticket, and a pair of heavy enchanted gauntlets.
A small voice recorder floated out of the disassembled box and activated:
"I know how much you talked about wanting a Golden Gachapon, so I got you a ticket. You can head to Skyline City and cash it in."
[A/N: If you get the reference, kekeke, drop a Gacha for this poor Author.]
"Thank you, Mast—"
"You don’t need to say thank you. As for the gauntlets... they’ll increase your fire by 50%. Have a Merry Christmas. Ho ho ho~"
The recording turned toward Grimm next.
A gleaming spear floated into his grip, the blue engravings on its body glowing like water.
"Grimm, your gift is next. That is the only prototype of the Hydro-Spear 360. It will help in our next raids... the monsters will be very strong. So use that. When you pour mana into it—"
Grimm poured mana into it immediately.
The spear whistled, the tip rotating rapidly as the shaft separated into four extended parts.
"Enter Combat Mode. Those four parts act as thrusters that will increase your thrust power. You were talking about something like this all last month, so I had the council make it."
Gifts kept floating into their hands.
Felix received a rare spellbook and a new pair of magically enhanced glasses.
"Merry Christmas, Felix."
Cyrus received a sword... and a massive book with a very questionable cover.
"I know you love reading porn, so I compiled an entire series for you. You like?"
Cyrus hugged the book like his soul depended on it.
Erika received a full set of professional mining gear... an equipment worth millions.
"My mining gear!!" she screamed, immediately dropping to her knees. "Now I can mine again!!! I LOVE YOU BOSS!"
"You’re welcome. That mining set cost about ten million, so you understand how expensive it is?"
Erika nodded furiously as she trembled.
"Yes Boss!! I’ll cherish it with my soul!"
Two final items floated out and they were going toward Trisha.
Trisha’s was a sleek sniper rifle with designs etched along the body.
"Trisha, that is the Spatial Lancer Sniper Rifle. It runs on a space controller I invented, which automatically replenishes ammunition. It also pierces barriers, locks onto signatures, stabilizes in freefall, and adjusts recoil based on your heartbeat."
Trisha’s mouth fell open.
"Now look behind you."
She turned...
And a brand-new pillow sat there, featuring a chibi Lucius giving a thumbs-up.
[It’s okay to goon to me]
She sat on it IMMEDIATELY.
"Thank you for the gift, Boss," she whispered, her face embarrassingly pink.
Matthias stepped forward nervously.
"Wait... what about my gift, Boss?!"
The recorded voice paused.
"Check your bank account."
Matthias saluted instantly.
"Yes sir!"
[@SnowBell: BRO LUCIUS IS ACTUALLY THE BEST BOSS EVER]
[@RuneWielder: These gifts are INSANE]
[@MoonDust: The way he custom-picked everything... cries]
[@Glare: He even remembered the small stuff??]
[@Kirin: I WANNA WORK FOR HIM TOO]
[@CherryPie: This is REAL Christmas]
[@Voidling: My boss could never]
[@FluffKnight: Lucius Daddy Claus arc goes crazy]
[@HexSalt: THE PILLOW WITH "GOON TO ME" IM SCREAMING]
[@LemonRush: 10/10 stream so far]
With that, the P55 drone flickered, the gift wrappings folded into themselves, and both vanished.
...
Liora looked into the sky from the yard of her mansion, her arms wrapped around herself as the cold breeze brushed her hair aside.
There were lights in the sky... countless streaks of gold drifting over the city, weaving through the skyline like gentle shooting stars.
"Lucius is being Santa, huh?" she muttered under her breath, shifting her weight on the garden bench.
Her nightdress revealed her bare shoulders, and she absently tugged her hair back, releasing a long sigh. "And he still doesn’t have enough time to go on a date with me..."
She lifted the tablet resting on her thigh.
Lucius’s stream covered the entire screen, broadcasting in crystal clarity.
The viewer counter sat at a ridiculous number... three hundred million and the digits kept rising, ticking upward like a slot machine.
’His streams always dominate the platform,’ Liora thought, biting her lower lip slightly.
He was always like that... effortlessly drawing eyes, effortlessly taking over the world. She scrolled through the comments without meaning to, just watching the endless flood of adoration.
’My name should be on the list... right? He didn’t filter me out or something... right?’
Her stomach twisted.
She wouldn’t blame him if he did. After all... she had practically ambushed him the first time they met, taking his number without permission, then ordering an absurd amount of drones just to force him to deliver to her doorstep again.
It was bold. it was shameless. It was definitely something the old Liora Romanoff would never have done.
’I’d be tired of me too...’ she admitted.
Just as her hope thinned into disappointment, a shimmer caught her eye. The lights in the sky... they weren’t drifting randomly anymore... they were gathering and coming toward her.
Her heart stopped.
She looked at the tablet and the drone had focused directly on her. The camera zoomed in, catching the stunned expression on her face, and she immediately covered her mouth in surprise.
She lifted her head and saw him.
Lucius descended slowly, his boots tapping the snowy ground as if touching nothing at all. His Santa cloak billowed behind him like a cape.
"Merry Christmas, Miss Liora Romanoff."
Her eyes shot to her phone’s clock.
12:00 a.m.
December 25th.
It was officially Christmas.
"M-Merry Christmas, Lucius..." she whispered, looking into his eyes. He stepped closer and pressed something into her hand... a card. A simple gesture, but it sent her pulse skyrocketing.
"I owe you a date," Lucius said calmly, as if the world wasn’t watching him through a 300-million-viewer stream. "Please stop by my residence for the Christmas party later today. It’s on the card."
Liora felt her heart thump so loudly she was sure the microphone picked it up.
"O... okay..." she said breathlessly.
Right now... this billionaire woman with a hundred companies under her name looked like a clueless high school girl. And honestly? It made her adorable.
Lucius chuckled lightly.
Then, in a blink, he appeared behind her, close enough that she felt his breath on her shoulder.
"Shall we get started on your Christmas gift...?"
She froze, blushing deeply, then brushed her hair back to try and hide her face. "Yes... I’m sorry that I am interfering."
"You’re not," he answered, settling behind her. His fingers slipped through her hair, gentle and methodical.
Her Christmas gift was... having her hair styled by Lucius personally.
[ @Stargazer: I can FEEL the romance through my screen ]
[ @MapleLeaf: Why is this lowkey intimate as hell ]
[ @Yuniverse: Bro’s bagging a billionaire ON STREAM ]
[ @SnowDrop: Liora is so cute rn fr ]
[ @Silklover: This feels like a dating sim scene ]
"I’m almost done for today," he said, stretching out a long strand of her hair between his fingers. "Turns out I finished earlier than I expected. After this, I have just one more house to visit."
"That’s good then." Liora swallowed softly, making sure he couldn’t see her face heating up. "That means you can give me your full attention now."
"Yes."
Lucius began tying the first section of her hair. "Do you want a waterfall braid or the twisted vine style?"
"The first one," she said immediately.
"Okay."
His fingers moved precisely... Liora could feel each careful pull, her heart beating embarrassingly loud. After a moment she whispered:
"I didn’t really think you could do this or... did you learn those two specific hairstyles to make sure you could do my hair perfectly?"
Lucius paused only long enough for a small smile.
"I know how to do hair. You forget I have an older sister."
’Even though I haven’t done her hair before and she’s not related to me...’
He didn’t say the second part.
"Though I didn’t know exactly what you’d want, so I learned. Yes."
Her breath caught.
’He learned... to do my hair personally...?’
Lucius tightened the knot gently and sighed inwardly.
’Not only her... about thirty other women asked for their hair done as well... I’m surprised it wasn’t more.’
He finished, smoothing down the braid and patting her head lightly.
"Good. Everything’s set."
He floated upward, ready to leave, but Liora quickly turned to face him.
"I’ll come later... I can come right?"
"Of course you can," Lucius said. "I did invite you."
Her heart nearly burst.
In the next instant, he shot into the sky, trailing those shimmering lights that marked his journey across the city... Santa was in motion.
...
"And we have the final place." Lucius landed on a quiet street, his boots clicking softly against the snow as he approached a familiar house. He squinted at the door.
’I swear I’ve been here before... back when I was delivering drones personally.’
He knocked.
Immediately, a younger boy grunted from the other side before pulling the door open.
"Welcome Mister—" The boy blinked, then smiled. "Or should I say... papa?"
Lucius ended the stream.
[ Your Stream has ended ]
[ You got 500m views ]
[ You have received One Million Royals in donations ]
’One million, huh?’
It was pretty average for him.
He stepped inside as the boy closed the door.
"You asked for a papa for Christmas... you know I’m busy, right?" Lucius raised a brow.
"I... I know." The boy’s hands trembled. "But my mama’s stressed. She’s been doing all this work by herself and I want... I want... I want to make her happy."
Lucius looked at the boy quietly.
His Santa outfit vanished, replaced by casual clothes.
"Let’s go," he said simply.
He didn’t know why... but this boy felt important.
...
"Lucius ended stream, huh?"
A blonde-haired, middle-aged woman tilted her head as her screen went dark. "He deserves the rest. He’s been a very good person so far."
She placed her hands on her hips, looking around the kitchen.
Going around helping people, talking to children, comforting families, gifting miracles... Ever since the day he had delivered her drone personally, Laura Wallman had become a serious fan.
She bought every piece of Lucius merch she could find including the Space Cereal which she and her son ate each morning.
"Besides... that kid he just attended to... he looked like my son," she muttered and laughed. "And even the door was strangely familiar. He couldn’t be coming here, right?"
When Lucius first announced the city-wide Christmas delivery, she felt bad for him. The stress alone was insane. She didn’t want to burden him, so she didn’t apply for a gift.
’I still feel bad about that...’
She opened her oven and slid in a tray of cookies shaped like Lucius’s chibi face. But as she withdrew her hand...
"Ow!"
The back of her hand burned bright red.
She hissed in pain... and then a blur of wind filled the kitchen.
"You shouldn’t use the oven without gloves," Lucius said as he took her wrist gently. Healing magic glowed softly as he ran a hand over the burn, restoring her skin instantly.
She looked at him.
He looked at her.
"Lu... lu... Lucius?"
And thinking she was dreaming...
Laura Wallman fainted on the spot.
...
"... Where am I?" Laura whispered as her eyelids fluttered open.
She blinked a few times, trying to orient herself before she realized she was resting on the couch in her living room.
Her apron was missing too. "I just had the craziest dream that Lucius was... holding me."
Her cheeks flushed immediately.
’His touch was so warm... and his face looked so amazing. I can’t believe it. I actually dreamed that.’
She pressed both palms to her face for a moment, letting the warmth of embarrassment settle in her chest.
Then she pushed herself upright. The living room was tidy and there was the smell of dough and sugar lingering in the air.
’Aiden?’ she wondered.
But before she could call for him, she heard giggling coming from the kitchen, it was unmistakably her son’s laughter.
She slowly stood, smoothing her dress automatically. That was when she froze mid-motion.
’The burn... it’s gone?’
Her eyes widened. She turned her hand around, palm up, palm down... nothing.
Not even a faint red mark. Her skin looked untouched and perfectly normal.
She had burned herself badly. She remembered the heat... she remembered the sting...
And she remembered...
Lucius.
His voice.
His hand over hers.
The glow of magic.
"No... that was a dream," Laura murmured. "I must’ve imagined all of it. And I haven’t even started making Christmas cookies..."
She shook her head and forced her feet forward, stepping into the hallway.
But when she reached the kitchen doorway...
She froze.
Lucius stood at the counter wearing her apron with his sleeves rolled up and his shoulders broad as he mixed dough in a bowl twice the size it should be.
On his shoulders sat Aiden... laughing, pointing at the shapes of the cookie cutters, completely comfortable as if this were the most normal thing in the world.
Lucius looked domestic.
Lucius looked perfectly at home.
And Laura... rubbed her eyes vigorously.
But the image didn’t fade.
"Aiden..." she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.
Aiden turned instantly. He hopped from Lucius’s shoulders but before he hit the ground, a ripple of space caught him midair, lowering him gently to his feet.
He sprinted across the kitchen and threw his arms around his mother’s waist.
"Mama!" Aiden beamed. "Look! Mister Lucius is making cookies with me!"
Laura stared at the scene, her heartbeat fluttering somewhere between panic and disbelief.
"What’s going on here?" she managed.
Lucius didn’t turn immediately... he finished shaping one last piece of dough, slid it onto the tray with precise finger movements, then finally looked her way.
"Your son, Aiden, requested a Christmas gift," Lucius said. His tone was calm, warm, and almost too casual for the situation. "He said he wanted a papa for half of Christmas."
Laura’s breath caught.
"And as Santa," Lucius continued, "I obliged. Unless you’re opposed to the idea? Then I can leave immediately. I understand this can be uncomfortable... suddenly having a stranger—"
"No!" Laura waved both hands frantically. "No, not at all! This isn’t... this isn’t what you think! Please don’t misunderstand... you’re not doing anything wrong! I’m not... I’m not like the people you normally deal with. I’m not trying to take advantage of anything. I’m just... I’m just too broke to afford things like this! I shouldn’t even be saying this!"
She covered her face, mortified.
Lucius studied her quietly.
’I finally recognize her and her son.’
The pieces clicked.
Her face, her son’s hair, the small house, everything. Their character designs in the manhwa. He had skimmed past them originally... he hated the final arc and its messy writing but now that he saw them in person, he remembered clearly.
Aiden Wallman was the series’ final boss.
And this woman... his mother was the reason the world had gone to hell.
Aiden had loved Awakened when he was young. He looked up to them, watched their battles on TV, even collected little figures of the strongest ones.
He genuinely believed they were the protectors of humanity. But everything changed the night a rookie Awakened messed up a mission.
His mother got caught in the fallout, and their house was burned down in the chaos. Instead of compensation, the report blamed "environmental backlash," and the entire debt... the medical fees, repair fees, everything was dumped into the name of a boy who wasn’t even old enough to drink.
From that point on, Aiden’s admiration twisted into pure hatred.
He awakened later in life, but instead of celebrating it, he despised what he had become. He didn’t want powers, he didn’t want hope... he wanted a way out.
But instead of dying, he did something worse. His element, which turned out to be insanely rare for some reason, connected him to the remnants of an alien race that had once tried to conquer Earth.
Aiden used his ability to power them, strengthen them, and in return... they listened to him.
Time flowed differently out there. He grew older, stronger, and far more dangerous than anyone on Earth realized.
By the time he returned, he came leading a massive extraterrestrial army that hit Earth with full force. A brutal war followed, countless lives were lost, cities were wiped out, and everything nearly collapsed until Elliot and his heroines managed to barely win in the final arc.
Lucius clenched his jaw slightly.
’I’m not letting his mother die. I’m not letting that future exist. I can take care of her. I can take care of him.’
It was mostly because he didn’t want any stress but it was still valid, Aliens?! Who wanted that?
He glanced around her kitchen.
Her home was humble and he could solve that instantly.
"Aiden," Lucius said as he wiped his hands. "Why don’t you go play for a bit? Your mother and I need to talk about grown-up things."
Aiden nodded eagerly and ran off after hugging Laura again. Lucius waited until he disappeared down the hallway.
Laura swallowed, suddenly very aware that she was alone in the kitchen with him.
"Money isn’t an issue," Lucius said softly. "I can move you both to a bigger apartment. Maximum security. Better neighborhood. You won’t have to worry about bills, about safety, about anything."
Laura shook her head instantly, flustered.
"No need... I can’t accept that. I’d feel like I’m using you."
"That’s not what this is," Lucius said as he stepped closer. ’It’s about you not dying and making my life hard...’
She looked up and went still as he placed his hands on her hips, pulling her gently into place in front of him.
Her back pressed lightly against his chest and her hips brushed against him. They stood together over the mixing bowl, his hands guiding hers.
"Come on," he murmured near her ear. "Mix it. I want to see how you made my face on your cookies."
She blushed so hard she felt dizzy and began mixing the dough.
She did smooth circles and even strokes. His breath brushed her neck.
"Thank you... for giving my son a good Christmas," she whispered, her voice trembling as she lifted the spoon and tasted the batter. "He hasn’t smiled like this in a long time."
"Aiden?" Lucius chuckled, leaning slightly so his lips nearly touched her hair. "I didn’t do this for him."
She stopped stirring.
He tilted his head down, his eyes were soft but undeniably hungry.
"I did this for the beautiful woman who seems to need some company."
Laura’s heart pounded against her ribs and her knees wobbled.
She tilted her head up, her voice was barely audible. A lot of single mothers would kill for a chance like this...
"Can I...?"
"Feel free," Lucius whispered.
Laura lifted herself slightly and their lips met.
It was soft at first.
Then deeper.
Her hands trembled against the counter as Lucius guided the kiss, his body heat pressing into her back. Laura felt her whole world shrink to a single point of contact.
Just as tongues brushed...
"Ew..."
Aiden walked in carrying a giant teddy bear.
They split apart instantly.
Laura’s entire face turned crimson.
’My son... saw me kissing another man... and the man isn’t even his father...’
She dared to glance back and nearly fainted again.
Lucius was still close behind her, and she could feel the outline of his member pressing into her backside... it was thick and undeniably real.
’Why does this make me feel so hot...?’
...
[December 25th, 9:30 AM... Lucius Household]
All the women were gathered in the kitchen, each doing something different... well, except Luna, who was sitting on a chair with her legs crossed, scrolling through her phone.
The girls had insisted on helping the maids cook, despite the staff repeatedly assuring them that this was their job.
But after living with Lucius long enough, everyone knew the girls didn’t like sitting still when something important was happening. Especially not on Christmas morning.
"We’re already late for breakfast," Luna muttered under her breath, narrowing her eyes at the time displayed on her screen. "I can’t believe he actually delivered all of those... and he still isn’t home yet."
Emilia was whisking something in a bowl, her ears twitching in irritation. "Azel is insane. Sixty thousand households? I’d be dead."
Vanessa, who was cutting vegetables with a little too much force, exhaled. "He should’ve been home an hour ago. I swear, if someone kept him outside—"
Elara opened her mouth to say something, but didn’t get the chance.
Ding...
The main gate’s doorbell chimed through the mansion, and a holographic screen shimmered into existence right in front of Luna.
She lazily raised her wrist, rotating the gauntlet slightly as the linked-display sharpened.
The moment she saw the visitor’s ID tag, Luna’s posture straightened instantly.
"It’s Elena," Luna announced.
Every girl in the kitchen froze.
The maids froze.
Even the damn pot boiling on the stove seemed to pause for drama.
Elara slowly set down the pan she was holding. "Lucius’s... sister?"
Vanessa’s grip tightened on the knife. "Why is she here already...?"
Emilia puffed up like a threatened cat. "Should we hide the bikinis first or pretend we weren’t planning anything?"
Luna sighed, stood up, and brushed off her skirt. "No time. She’s already waiting at the gate."
All of them exchanged looks.
No one moved.
Luna pointed at the screen. "Well? Someone open the gate."
And that was how the chaos of Christmas morning officially began.
...
Elena walked through the mansion, observing the fields.
She didn’t rush; her eyes scanned the vast front lawn, the trimmed hedges, the lantern-lit snow outlining the pathways.
Even though she tried to keep her expression neutral, her breath made small, visible fogs in the cold air.
She was wearing a formal pair of clothes... the kind someone would wear for a business meeting, not a Christmas breakfast and not only that... she was carrying a suitcase, so it made Luna, who was now the one taking her inside, quite surprised.
Luna blinked twice, her boots crunching lightly against the frosty path as she guided the newcomer.
’Did she really wear this to a family dinner?’ she thought, baffled.
Of all days, Elena still chose something stern and formal.
’Not a single festive atom in this woman...’ Luna sighed mentally before shaking her head.
Oh well. It wasn’t her business.
They reached the front door, warm lights glowing through the frosted glass, and just as Luna was about to open it, there was a buzzer sound from the gate behind them.
"Damn, another person?" Luna cursed... lightly and turned around. A holographic screen materialized from her gauntlet in front of her, displaying the visitor.
This time it was Liora Romanoff.
"Right... Lucius gave her permission to attend." Luna muttered, already resigning herself to more chaos.
"Please hold on, Miss Elena." she said as she sprinted toward the gate, using Momentum Shift to close the distance in seconds.
The snow kicked back lightly behind her as she slid the gate open. Liora stepped inside with elegant grace... she was wearing a stylish dress and also holding a briefcase.
"Thanks for welcoming me. Is Lucius at home yet?" Liora asked immediately, stepping in as the gate slid shut behind her with a soft click.
"No, we’re waiting... for now I guess you could help out." Luna replied, motioning for her to follow.
They soon got inside and into the dining room.
"Lucius will soon be back and he loves the table clean... how about we clean it and help the others set up?"
The moment both girls heard Lucius’s name, they perked up instantly like dogs hearing the treat bag open.
"Sure," Elena said, cracking her fingers as if preparing for a business negotiation with dust particles.
Liora smiled softly, setting her briefcase aside with delicate care. "Let’s do it."
The three girls grabbed three cloths and began wiping the enormous dining table.
Even though it was already spotless... the mansion maids were nearly supernatural in their efficiency, Luna insisted it needed to be extra sparkly for Lucius. And when Luna said "extra-sparkly," she meant clean enough to reflect divine light.
The maids coordinated with them afterward, placing tableware, warming trays, and covered dishes all around.
The festive scent of cinnamon, roasted turkey, honeyed chicken, and warm bread filled the entire dining hall, making everything feel homely, cozy, and ridiculously appetizing.
Within a few minutes, each of the girls was seated at the enormous polished table.
The food was all covered, waiting... untouched, and steaming beneath silver lids. Because no one ate before Lucius.
Luna called him, placing the call on speaker. He picked up almost immediately.
"Hey~" Lucius’s voice came through.
"Where have you been?" she scolded, raising her voice slightly. "You were supposed to be back hours ago..."
"I was sidetracked, but I’ll be there within three minutes." Lucius said. "Even lesser if I’m faster."
"Good, get here." Luna said, and hung up before he could tease her again. Then she turned to Vanessa with a mischievous smile.
"Shall we?"
Vanessa nodded and motioned subtly that the extra two... Elena and Liora were here. Luna turned to them with that same confident smile.
"We’re planning the best way to tell Lucius Merry Christmas... come on, listen in."
Both Elena and Liora straightened instantly, leaning in like honor students desperate to hear the correct answer first.
For the next few minutes, the girls huddled and whispered, planning the perfect Christmas ambush. The maids pretended not to listen while very obviously listening.
...
Lucius pushed the mansion gate open with a soft glow of magic.
He floated inside, his boots touching the pathway as snowflakes drifted lazily around him.
The sunlight reflected off his Santa-themed outfit.
He opened the front door, stepping inside with a relaxed sigh and found a maid standing stiffly there wth her hands clasped and eyes panicked.
"Chuu Chuu!!!" she blurted out randomly.
Lucius paused mid-step.
"...Do you feel sick or something?" Lucius asked, confused.
The maid shook her head rapidly, cheeks turning red. "N-no, Master! Just... just... WELCOME HOME!" she squeaked.
Lucius raised a brow.
’Weird.’
Then he heard shuffling... a lot of shuffling from the dining room.
"Hm?" he murmured, stepping inside. He walked toward the dining hall and then stopped dead in his tracks.
A shade of pink overtook his face before he could even process it.
All of them... every single one of the girls... Vanessa, Luna, Emilia, Elara, Trisha, Erika, Liora, and even Elena the emotionless iceberg herself were wearing Christmas bikinis.
Red and green Christmas bikinis.
Some had ribbons.
Some had fluffy faux-fur trimming.
All of them were festive.
All of them were revealing.
And all of them looked like holiday gifts sent directly from heaven.
Lucius’s jaw subtly tightened.
’I feel accomplished to gather so many beautiful women in one place.’ he thought proudly, his heart swelling just a little.
He took his seat at the head of the table, still stunned by the visual assault.
"Merry Christmas everyone." he said.
But they didn’t answer.
Instead, silently, simultaneously, every girl placed her hands together in prayer position.
Even the maids standing at the wall hurried to mimic them.
Lucius blinked... then followed along. He also put his hands together. Laura had taught him the prayer earlier that morning.
The girls recited together:
"Radiant Goddess who watches from above,
keeper of dawn and protector of all souls,
we offer our thanks on this sacred day.
May your divine light banish darkness,
fill our home with warmth,
and protect the one we cherish most.
Let joy settle in our hearts,
and may harmony walk beside us.
By your grace, we welcome this blessed Christmas morning."
A faint warm breeze brushed past Lucius’s ears like a whisper.
[The goddess has acknowledged your prayer and has wished you a merry christmas too]
Lucius lowered his hands slightly.
’Thank you goddess.’
Then the maids, perfectly coordinated, lifted the silver covers from every dish. Steam rushed out, fragrance filling the room instantly. It was heavenly... roasted meats, sweet spices, pastries, buttery dishes, fresh fruits, everything perfectly cooked.
"This looks so good." Lucius said, genuinely impressed.
Then the girls stood up... slowly and collectively. Like a synchronized ritual.
"Hey... what’s wrong?" Lucius asked.
Emilia stepped forward first, fists clenched dramatically.
"I CAN’T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!!"
She sprinted straight at him and launched herself like a missile.
She tackled him off the chair and within seconds, the rest of the women swarmed him.
Vanessa’s breasts smothered his face.
Elara wrapped her arms around his neck.
Liora hugged him from the back.
Luna clung to his left side.
Trisha hugged his waist.
Erika threw herself onto the pile with a yell.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS LUCIUS!!!"
"Me... merry... Christmas..." Lucius tried to say, muffled by Vanessa’s chest. He attempted to breathe but only inhaled Christmas-themed perfume.
At that exact moment, someone stepped into the dining hall.
It was Minerva.
She was holding a wrapped present. She stopped as soon as she saw the enormous pile of bikini-clad women suffocating Lucius.
She blinked three times.
"Did I miss something...?" she asked flatly.
Silence.
Then the dogpile wriggled.
Lucius tried to raise a hand for help.
Minerva stared.
"...Right. I’ll... come back later." she said.
The door slid shut behind her.
[THE END!]