Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 185: How Do You Sleep At Night?

Chapter 185: How Do You Sleep At Night?

Ansel eagerly worked on unlocking the stolen Space Button, convinced it held the key to saving Lyra.

He could almost taste the victory as he cracked it open, but his satisfaction was short-lived.

His face darkened immediately when he realized the button was completely empty.

Meanwhile, inside the medical chamber, Morrison quietly slid the real medicine through the metallic opening, then turned to the group waiting anxiously outside.

"Let’s give her some space," he said, his voice calm but full of anticipation.

He had a pretty solid guess about what Lyra was about to pull off—something so unbelievable that even he struggled to fully accept it.

A single Soul Spike could cripple a Master Peculiar, but Lyra had several embedded in her. The Shedd family’s cruelty knew no bounds, and it was a miracle she’d survived this long.

...

Hours later, when Lyra finally re-emerged, completely healed, everyone was left in stunned silence.

Leandro, usually stoic, was slack-jawed, unable to wrap his mind around the transformation.

She had been on death’s door earlier, yet now she appeared not only restored but even stronger than before.

...

On the other hand, Erin’s situation was bleak.

Her legs had been blown to bits, reduced to bloody stumps, and her right arm was barely hanging on.

When she returned to Elden Prime for her official debrief, she still hadn’t received her prosthetics. She was slumped in a high-tech wheelchair that made her look more like a discarded shell than a soldier.

Watching Lyra bask in the praise and admiration of the crowd, Erin’s heart twisted in pain and bitterness.

Her whole life, Erin had been overshadowed by Lyra’s brilliance.

Even as kids, during their superpower assessments, Erin had been praised as an A-class Strength user—an impressive feat for most. .

But Lyra? She had been branded an S-class, capable of wielding two powers. It was like the universe had decided that Erin could never shine as brightly.

In moments of frustration, Erin’s father would pull her aside, twisting her ear, and bark, "Why can’t you be more like Lyra?"

That refrain had haunted her for years.

Lyra was adored by their parents, loved by their classmates, and even the boy Erin once had a crush on had been drawn to her cousin.

Erin had never been seen for her own accomplishments—she was always in Lyra’s shadow.

People would ask, "Why is Erin so much weaker?" She was compared to Lyra at every turn.

The truth was, Erin’s A-class rating, with a score of fifteen, put her in the top seven percent of all superpowered individuals.

But none of that mattered when Lyra, with her perfect scores and radiant presence, stood next to her.

Jealousy had wrapped itself around Erin like smoke, creeping into every part of her life. No matter how hard she pushed herself, she could never catch up to Lyra’s light.

And now, after everything, it was Lyra who left her broken and scarred, while she stood tall, victorious, and whole.

Erin clutched the blanket draped over her, trying to push down the growing chill that crept through her thoughts.

She wasn’t going to give up. Not yet.

...

When Lyra’s flight touched down on Elden Prime, she and her friends were greeted by throngs of cheering citizens lining the streets of Central City.

It felt like a holiday parade, with flowers raining down from the sky and glowing banners swaying in the wind.

Zinnia scratched her head, bewildered. "Why’s everyone so hyped up?"

Thierry let out a soft chuckle, his smile knowing. "Leandro has quite the fanbase, like Cohen."

Suddenly, it all made sense to the group—it wasn’t just Lyra or the mission. Leandro’s good looks had earned him a dedicated following.

Just then, a figure pushed through the crowd—Phelixes, his face lighting up with joy. "Sis Lyra, welcome back!" he called out, offering Lyra a bouquet of flowers.

Lyra accepted them with a casual grace, and the crowd around them reacted instantly.

In a flash, the onlookers surged forward, clamoring for her attention. "Lyra, my idol, over here! Please, look at me!" one fan shouted.

"Lyra, take my flowers!" another yelled, waving a bouquet so wildly it nearly flew out of their hands.

Many had believed the "idol" of Elden Prime was too distant to accept such personal gifts. But now that she had taken one, they kicked themselves for not being bolder sooner, wishing they had been the first to approach her.

Lyra accepted the bouquets effortlessly, and when her hands were full, she flashed a polite smile to signal she couldn’t take any more.

The crowd didn’t seem to mind. They followed eagerly, walking alongside her and her group like they were part of a grand procession.

When they reached the end of the street, a large plaza opened up, and patrol guards stepped in, creating a barrier to keep the masses at bay.

The festive atmosphere faded as the soldiers made their way toward the Alliance Military Council building for formal recognition of their service.

For interns like Lyra and her team, this was more about appearances.

The real stars were the decorated officers receiving medals for their commendable actions.

While the interns’ efforts hadn’t gone unnoticed, their recognition was more low-key, logged in their files for future promotions once they graduated.

They didn’t yet hold the rank for public honors or to stand before the cameras.

As the ceremony unfolded, the two Vice Admirals were honored with medals, and the admiral gave a speech to the assembled press.

What caught everyone off guard was when the admiral singled out Lyra.

"I’m heartened to see such extraordinary young talent like Lyra in our ranks," he said proudly. "She is the future of our military, and I have no doubt the cadets following in her footsteps will continue to protect the Alliance and expand our reach in the stars."

The officers, including Leandro, burst into applause, but not everyone shared the same enthusiasm.

Behind the admiral, a few senior officers exchanged uneasy looks, one even frowning in disapproval.

The camera caught their reactions, ensuring that not all the higher-ups were happy with this new rising star.

After the ceremony, Lyra and her fellow interns were reassigned to the Legion of Rose so they could continue their internship.

For Lyra, this unexpected praise was a sign that her internship might go more smoothly from here on out.

Just as the group started chatting about grabbing a meal during their upcoming day off, the mood suddenly shifted.

Ansel appeared, his presence instantly turning the air tense.

"Kail wants to see you," he said flatly, his tone as cold as ever. "His trial starts this afternoon." Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.

Lyra, unfazed, didn’t bother replying. She simply turned to Zinnia and the others, her voice casual. "Let me know once you’ve booked a place for dinner tonight. I have something to take care of first."

She then slipped into the stream of white-uniformed soldiers and caught a Lev, disappearing from view.

Zinnia let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders sagging. "She still can’t let go of her brother, huh?"

Thierry, after a brief hesitation, explained, "Lyra and her brother have only had each other since their parents were executed when she was ten. You can’t expect her to just cut him loose."

He paused, the weight of Lyra’s past lingering in the air. Once a prodigy destined to rise alongside her brother in the Alliance, she had gone through hell to claw her way back to the starting line.

"Boss, back to the company?" Crag asked from the driver’s seat, snapping Lyra from her thoughts as they sped through the city.

With her head resting on her hand, she let out a quiet sigh, her gaze distant. "No. Take me to the military tribunal."

At that very moment, Kail sat alone in a holding cell, disheveled and defeated. His uniform was wrinkled and worn, a far cry from his once-proud appearance.

When Lyra entered, he looked up, his eyes bloodshot and filled with a mix of anger and sorrow. His voice, rough from days of interrogation, rasped, "It was you who took it, wasn’t it?"

He was referring to the crystal key.

"It was," Lyra replied, her tone cool and indifferent as she pulled out a chair and sat across from him.

The coldness of her response hit him like a splash of ice water.

Kail’s eyes reddened with disbelief. His voice cracked as he accused, "You... you’re working with space pirates?" The words seemed impossible for him to comprehend, coming from the sister he thought he knew.

"If Ansel can, why can’t I?" she shot back, her voice sharp and detached. "It’s just a tool. A method. Nothing more."

For the first time, Kail stared at his sister, truly seeing the unsettling change in her.

This wasn’t the rebellious but kind-hearted girl he had once known. This woman in front of him was someone entirely different—ruthless, calculated, and cold.

His hands, still cuffed, slowly rose to cover his face. His voice trembled with sorrow and disbelief. "How could you do that to me? I wish we were never siblings..." he murmured, his whole body shaking under the weight of the realization.

The sister he had once protected, admired, and loved was gone, replaced by someone he could no longer understand.

Lyra’s brow furrowed for a moment, but then a sarcastic chuckle escaped her lips. Her smile turned cold and mocking. "You really think Ansel handed you that key out of kindness? He knew I’d take it the moment he gave it to you."

Kail’s already clouded eyes darkened further as her words sank in. The realization gnawed at him, and after a long, heavy pause, he finally spoke, his voice subdued. "Don’t worry. I won’t turn you in."

That response seemed to satisfy her. Lyra straightened up, her tone brisk and dismissive. "Good. Then that’s settled." She turned to leave, her hand already on the doorknob when Kail’s voice cut through the silence, stopping her in her tracks.

"Nearly 100,000 people on Amaran," he said, his voice thick with the weight of their lost lives. "And the hundreds of Legion Skywalkers soldiers—you turned them all into victims of your conspiracy. SISTER, how do you sleep at night, REALLY?"

Lyra’s hand tightened on the doorknob, the tension visible in her grip.

She paused for just a second, then turned her head slightly, her voice cold and detached, devoid of any remorse. "There will only be more bodies piled on my path in the future."

Without another word, she stepped out, leaving Kail behind in a stunned silence, shattered by the realization that the sister he thought he knew was long gone.