Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 331: Lyra’s Back

Chapter 331: Lyra’s Back

Aurelius shoved aside the guards closing in on him, using his antennae to fend them off.

He then grabbed Lucien and unleashed a series of punishing blows. He didn’t stop until Lucien was unconscious, finally tossing him aside like a discarded ragdoll.

At that moment, Aurelius sensed a surge of powerful energy rapidly approaching. Without hesitation, he leapt onto his hoverboard and sped away.

He navigated swiftly through the city, arriving at the restaurant where Lyra and her group were dining, and slipped inside without delay.

Moments later, the royal elite guards arrived at the restaurant, prepared to storm in and capture him. However, a shimmering green barrier appeared, sealing off the entrance.

They immediately recognized it as Lyra’s doing.

With no way forward, the guards reluctantly decided to report the situation to Edmund.

Breaking through the barrier would require his explicit approval, as it would risk open conflict with Lyra.

...

Meanwhile, in the palace, Lucien sat under medical care, his face swollen and bruised beyond recognition.

With tears streaming down his cheeks, he cried out, "Father, you must get Aurelius for me! That wretched trash assaulted me, the crown prince, in the palace!"

The queen hovered nearby, distraught and fussing over his injuries as though tending to a delicate, priceless artifact. She demanded the physicians heal him with the utmost care.

Edmund, however, sat on his high throne with a dark, unsympathetic expression. He asked coldly, "Lucien, do you know why I summoned Aurelius back here?"

Lucien responded without hesitation, "Because you want to use him to win over Lyra."

A loud crash shattered the tense air as a cup hit the floor, breaking at Edmund’s feet.

Startled, Lucien looked up, only to meet his father’s intense glare, filled with bitter disappointment.

"If you knew that," Edmund said icily, "why did you provoke him?" He didn’t wait for Lucien’s excuses—he already saw through his son’s actions. "He was leaving, and you couldn’t resist chasing after him, bringing this humiliation upon yourself."

"I didn’t—" Lucien began to protest.

"You didn’t?" Edmund roared, slamming his hand on the armrest as he rose. Pointing at Lucien, he bellowed, "Will you ever understand the situation we’re in? Us, the royal family, is on the brink of collapse!"

The weight of his father’s words hit Lucien like a cold wave. He opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words to respond.

The arrogance he had clung to wavered under the crushing reality of his father’s admission.

"Perhaps," Edmund muttered, "I should consider Aurelius’ proposal after all."

The implication was clear—Aurelius, if being the crown prince, could secure the royal family’s alliance with Lyra. In the face of their survival, blood ties and familial loyalty seemed unimportant.

Neither the queen’s tears nor Lucien’s protests could sway Edmund’s grim resolve.

...

Outside the restaurant, Aurelius glanced back at the royal guards standing helplessly behind Lyra’s green barrier. Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, he made his way to the private dining room he had reserved.

As he entered, Helion’s mocking voice greeted him. "Looks like the royal steak was too tough to chew. Back so soon?"

Lyra, who never drank alcohol, had already finished her meal and was seated quietly in the corner of the room.

Resting her head on one hand, she seemed half-asleep, her faint smile lingering as she listened to her subordinates’ lighthearted banter.

Her gaze briefly flicked to Aurelius as he stepped in, noting the satisfaction etched on his face with a fleeting glance.

"Ma’am," Aurelius said, stepping forward and saluting her. "I’m done with them."

She acknowledged him with a slight nod, prompting a moment’s hesitation before he added, "Edmund is considering removing Lucien as his heir."

The room fell silent as every eye turned to Lyra, waiting for her response.

Raising her head, Lyra locked her sharp gaze on Aurelius, her expression unreadable. Her voice, slightly hoarse, broke the stillness. "If you’re asking me whether I’ll intervene in royal affairs, let me make it clear: I won’t."

The surprise in his eyes made her lips curl into a faint, cold smile.

"If you want the crown, go ahead," she said, her tone flat and indifferent. "I won’t stop you."

Aurelius’ expression flickered with hesitation. If Lyra had no intention of supporting a conflict between the nobility and the military, siding with the royal family would force him to cut ties with the Legion of Everglow.

In the end, the royal family’s downfall would still be inevitable.

It didn’t take long for him to decide. "I will reject Edmund’s offer," Aurelius declared resolutely.

Lyra nodded slightly and stood, stifling a yawn. "Carry on, everyone. Have the manager send the bill to me." She stretched lazily, clearly ready to leave.

Having just returned, she’d spent the evening in this lively gathering, but other pressing matters awaited her.

As she stepped out of the restaurant and reached the front doors, a sleek Lev silently glided to a stop in front of her.

"Boss! You’re finally back!" Crag leapt out of the car, rushing to open the door for her, his wide grin flashing a row of gleaming teeth.

A faint smile touched Lyra’s lips as she bent down and slid into the car. "What are you doing here?"

"The news has been buzzing with your return all day. Morrison saw it and sent me to wait for you," Crag explained, his excitement evident as he glanced at her through the rearview mirror. The energy in his voice was unmistakable—their backbone had finally returned.

"And Morrison?" Lyra asked.

"Morrison’s still working overtime," Crag replied, his enthusiasm dimming slightly. "A lot happened while you were gone these past years. He even had to return from Wyrmtrace personally to manage things. Debbie is away on a business trip to Planet Nagano."

LE Energy had experienced rapid growth, thanks to Lyra’s exceptional talent for building connections.

On the surface, Cohen from the military protected her, and the East family from the Ministry of Finance provided financial backing.

Beneath the surface, Voidstar No. 2 handled external sales channels.

However, while her network expanded quickly, it lacked stability. Without Lyra at the helm, cracks began to show, and the web started to unravel.

When they arrived at the company headquarters, Lyra’s expression remained unreadable, as if the three years she’d been absent hadn’t happened.

Crag knew that this unflinching calm was the core of Lyra’s ability to maintain control in any situation.

In the CEO’s office, Morrison was hunched over his desk, engrossed in paperwork. At the sound of her footsteps, he looked up and greeted her with composed professionalism. "Boss, welcome back."

Lyra glanced around the room briefly before nodding. "You’ve done well."

A shadow crossed Morrison’s face. "We’ve withdrawn personnel from Wyrmtrace, and the Carrelton family has fully taken over New Central City. But they still haven’t paid the outstanding balance from the contract."

"Send them a message," Lyra said coolly. "Tell them to deliver payment in assets tomorrow, or I’ll collect it myself."

As Crag poured water for them, he listened intently. He was amazed—Lyra already knew everything. Then he realized that, Morrison must have briefed her before her return.

Their discussion quickly turned to the most pressing issues. Many stemmed from those who assumed Lyra had been lost in the black hole and tried to exploit the chaos.

Take the Carrelton family, for instance. With a Supreme Peculiar in their ranks, they suppressed LE Energy’s operations on Wyrmtrace.

When Cohen was reassigned, they escalated their tactics—not only intercepting shipments in secret but also attempting to eliminate the queen bee, throwing New Central City and LE Energy’s leadership into disarray.

Since a Supreme had acted, the military couldn’t gather evidence and avoided direct confrontation, leaving LE Energy to handle the fallout.

The Carrelton family even tried to coerce and bribe their way into buying Wyrmtrace assets.

Morrison countered by openly putting the properties up for sale. Rival buyers with similarly powerful backers emerged, eager to snap up LE Energy’s holdings.

This maneuver allowed Morrison to secure some funds.

But no one expected the Carrelton family’s audacity. After purchasing most of the assets, they stalled on paying the final amount—for two years.

Other opportunists who reneged on deals or sabotaged LE Energy’s operations only added to Morrison’s challenges.

But now, everything was different.

Their backbone had returned.