After some effort, Aethron finally managed to convince Lilveth.
He calmed her down and told her not to worry.
On the surface, she seemed to accept it.
But deep inside, Aethron felt something strange.
For some reason, he felt that Lilveth wasn't just jealous.
It seemed like…
She was genuinely worried about him.
Still, he quickly pushed that thought aside.
"I'm probably overthinking," he told himself.
"She's just jealous, that's all…"
…
After school, Aethron went straight to his internship without going home.
His family still didn't know that he was working.
He usually told them that he was spending time with his friends.
That small lie had slowly become a habit.
His mother, Jennifer, had been a little uncomfortable lately because he kept coming home late.
She had mentioned it several times.
"You've been coming home very late," she said worriedly.
"Is something wrong?"
But his father, Alex, always stepped in to ease the situation.
"He's young, just hanging out," he would say with a laugh.
"Let him enjoy himself a little."
Thanks to that, his mother gradually accepted it.
His father, however, was a different story.
Whenever Aethron said, "I was with my friends…"
Alex would look at him with a mischievous smile, as if he knew everything.
Like he was saying, "Yeah, right."
It always made Aethron feel slightly embarrassed.
After a few hours of work, he finally finished.
He packed up his things.
Checked out.
And left the building.
He glanced at the time.
Then remembered his promise to Lyra.
"I shouldn't be late…" he murmured.
He started walking toward the Moon and Sun Clock Tower.
Fortunately, it was quite close to his workplace.
Only a ten-minute walk.
The area around the Moon and Sun Clock Tower was usually a gathering place for the wealthy.
It was filled with luxury stores.
Branches of famous global brands…
Stylish cafés…
Expensive restaurants…
Everything reflected the word "elite."
In contrast, Aethron looked very simple in this environment.
He was wearing only a white shirt.
Black jeans.
And a plain white watch on his right wrist.
No expensive accessories.
No obsession with brands.
No flashy style.
And yet…
Even this simple outfit was enough to make him unbelievably handsome.
With his tall figure, well-built physique, platinum-blond hair, and natural charisma, he stood out easily in any crowd.
That was why, during just ten minutes of walking, at least eight people had tried to talk to him.
Some approached shyly.
Some were straightforward.
Some gathered their courage and openly asked him out.
But Aethron politely declined them all.
With a warm smile, he would say,
"I'm sorry.
I already have a date."
"I hope you understand."
After hearing that, they all walked away in disappointment.
Some sighed.
Some lowered their heads.
Some kept glancing back at him.
Meanwhile, Aethron…
Continued on his way, completely unaware of how impressive he truly was.
When Aethron arrived at the Moon and Sun Clock Tower, he checked the time.
It wasn't eight o'clock yet.
He had arrived a little early.
But surprisingly…
Lyra was already there.
She was standing beside the clock tower, waiting gracefully.
She was wearing a luxurious black dress decorated with subtle golden patterns.
The dress fit her perfectly.
She had on black high heels that highlighted her long legs.
In her hand, she held an extremely expensive handbag—one whose brand Aethron didn't even recognize.
Her hair was carefully styled.
Her makeup was light but captivating.
Every detail about her…
Made her look like she had stepped straight out of a fashion magazine.
Aethron, on the other hand, was her complete opposite.
He wore a simple white shirt…
Black jeans…
And an ordinary wristwatch.
No exaggeration.
No showiness.
No expensive accessories.
The simpler Aethron looked…
The more luxurious Lyra appeared.
When they stood side by side, the contrast between them was immediately noticeable.
One represented modesty and natural charm.
The other embodied elegance and magnificence.
Normally, such a scene would look strange.
It would make people turn their heads and stare.
But somehow…
When Aethron and Lyra stood together, the contrast didn't feel awkward.
Instead…
It looked strangely harmonious.
Lyra noticed Aethron the moment she saw him.
In fact, it was almost impossible not to notice him.
Even in a crowd, he stood out immediately.
Her eyes lit up for a moment.
A pleased expression appeared on her face.
"You look very handsome," she said sincerely.
Hearing that, Aethron blushed slightly.
He lowered his head a little.
"S-Sorry…" he said shyly.
"Did I make you wait too long?"
Lyra's smile grew even wider.
Warmth filled her eyes.
"No, sweetheart," she replied gently.
"I just arrived too."
Then she leaned slightly toward him.
"Come on," she said cheerfully.
"Let's walk around a bit."
Before Aethron could even react, Lyra grabbed his hand.
Her fingers were warm.
She began pulling him along decisively.
Lyra was slightly taller than Aethron.
So the sight of a tall, elegant woman dragging a shy boy by the hand was both strange and eye-catching.
But Lyra didn't seem to care at all.
She completely ignored the gazes around them.
Her eyes were focused only on Aethron.
She led him straight toward one of the most famous men's clothing stores in the area.
The moment they entered the store, Lyra began scanning everything with sharp eyes.
She looked over the shelves, displays, and hangers one by one.
Like a predator searching for its prey.
And soon…
She found what she wanted.
Without hesitation, she picked up a black shirt.
Then she selected a pair of slim-fit pants made from first-class quality fabric.
After that, she walked toward the display.
She grabbed a stylish wristwatch that looked extremely expensive.
And finally…
She added a pair of clean, white, modern sneakers to her selection.
Together, they formed a perfect outfit.
Before Aethron could even understand what was happening, Lyra turned to him.
"You're going to wear these," she said firmly.
And without giving him a chance to protest…
She grabbed his shoulder and pushed him toward the fitting room.
Almost threw him inside.
Aethron barely managed to keep his balance.
"L-Lyra?" he tried to say.
But the curtain was already closed.
From outside, he could hear Lyra's cheerful voice.
"Hurry up, sweetheart!"
"I'm curious to see how you'll look."
Inside the fitting room, Aethron stared at the expensive clothes in his hands.
His heart was pounding.
"Is this really a normal date…?" he thought helplessly.
Not wanting to keep Lyra waiting any longer, Aethron quickly began changing his clothes.
He took off his white shirt.
Carefully put on the black one.
Then he slipped into the slim-fit pants.
Fastened the watch around his wrist.
And finally put on the white sneakers.
He did everything carefully.
Afraid of making even the smallest mistake.
When he finished, he couldn't help but look at himself in the mirror.
And for a moment…
His breath caught.
His already god-level handsome face…
Combined with these clothes…
Created a sight that words couldn't describe.
Even "perfect" felt insufficient.
It was as if he had stepped straight out of a fashion magazine.
His tall figure, well-built body, platinum-blond hair, and sharp features…
All of them stood out even more with this outfit.
Even Aethron himself couldn't stop staring for a few seconds.
Just then, Lyra's voice came from outside.
"Are you done, sweetheart?"
Hearing her voice, Aethron snapped back to reality.
"Y-Yes!" he replied.
He took a deep breath.
Then slowly opened the curtain.
And showed her his final look.
The moment Lyra saw Aethron like this, she felt her breath catch.
It was as if her heart forgot how to beat.
Time itself seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
Throughout the countless trillions of years she had lived…
She had seen countless gods.
Beings who ruled stars…
Deities who created universes…
Ancient existences that transcended dimensions…
She had encountered them all.
And yet…
Not a single one of them came close to Aethron's level of beauty.
None possessed his pure, natural, and untainted charm.
Now, dressed in elegant and well-fitted clothes…
That charm had been fully revealed.
It shone like a hidden treasure.
As if all the beauty of the universe had been gathered into a single body.
Lyra's lips parted unconsciously.
She couldn't take her eyes off him.
The emotions rising within her…
Admiration, desire, possessiveness, and greed…
All intertwined.
But she forced herself to stop.
She took a deep breath.
And spoke firmly to herself in her mind.
"Be patient, Lyra…"
"It's not time yet."
"First, I need to free little Aethron from this fragile, weak, and temporary human body."
"I must guide him to his true potential."
"I must bring him to my level."
"Only then…"
"Only then can I share eternity with him."
"Only then can I live with him through countless ages."
"Without depriving him of anything…"
"Without sharing him with anyone…"
"Keeping him for myself alone…"
As these thoughts echoed in her mind, Lyra's smile grew deeper.
Lyra liked so many clothes in the store that…
She didn't want to choose between them.
To her, every single piece looked perfect on Aethron.
So she chose the easiest option.
She bought everything she liked.
Shirts…
Pants…
Jackets…
Watches…
Shoes…
Accessories…
The basket quickly filled up.
Meanwhile, Aethron watched everything with growing anxiety.
"T-This is way too much…" he thought nervously.
Finally, they reached the cashier.
The clerk scanned the items one by one.
Beep…
Beep…
Beep…
The number on the screen kept rising.
And finally…
230,000 dinars.
Aethron's eyes widened in shock.
His brain stopped working for a few seconds.
"T-Two hundred… thirty… thousand…?" he murmured.
He almost lost his breath.
He was about to protest—
When Lyra calmly handed over her card.
"Can I pay?" she said casually.
The cashier took the card.
A moment later…
Payment approved.
"Have a nice day."
It was that simple.
As if she had just bought a piece of candy.
Seeing Lyra casually spend an amount equal to more than half of Aethron's family's entire wealth…
Almost gave him a heart attack.
His face turned pale.
His hands trembled slightly.
"T-That's too much…" he whispered.
The cashier silently watched the whole scene.
It wasn't hard to guess what he was thinking.
He was probably thinking:
"I wish I were that handsome…"
"And had such a rich, sweet 'mom'…"
After shopping, Aethron and Lyra went to the cinema together.
They entered a large movie theater on the top floor of a luxury mall near the clock tower.
The hall was spacious.
The seats were comfortable.
Everything was modern and high-class.
At first, Lyra wanted to watch a romantic movie.
She carefully examined the posters.
"What about this one?"
"And this?"
"This looks interesting…"
But unfortunately, there wasn't a good romantic movie showing that day.
They were either old…
Or had boring plots.
After checking for a while, she reluctantly gave up.
A slight disappointment appeared on her face.
Then suddenly, one poster caught her attention.
"Final Confrontation"
An action movie filled with explosions and dramatic scenes.
Aethron's eyes immediately lit up.
But Lyra noticed something else.
The small text under the title…
"Genre: Action / Romance"
When she saw that word, her eyes sparkled.
"Romance…?" she murmured.
Without hesitation, she decided.
"Let's watch this one," she said firmly.
Aethron was surprised but didn't object.
A few minutes later, they bought their tickets.
Got popcorn and drinks.
And entered the theater.
The movie lasted exactly two hours.
It was packed with action.
Explosions…
Chases…
Fight scenes…
But there were also a few short romantic moments.
During those scenes, Lyra secretly glanced at Aethron.
Meanwhile, Aethron was completely absorbed in the excitement.
He didn't even notice how fast time passed.
Two hours…
Were gone in an instant.
After the movie, Lyra took Aethron to one of the most luxurious restaurants in the city.
It was the kind of place only the wealthy and influential could afford to visit.
Golden decorations…
Crystal chandeliers…
Soft lighting…
And an elegant atmosphere everywhere.
The moment Aethron stepped inside, he felt a little nervous.
"This place… feels way too expensive for me…" he thought.
But Lyra was completely relaxed.
She acted as if this were her own home.
As soon as the restaurant manager saw Lyra Moonshine, he immediately recognized her.
A respectful smile appeared on his face.
"Welcome, Lady Moonshine," he said with a slight bow.
Without wasting any time, he personally escorted them to her usual private table.
However, deep inside, he was quite surprised.
Because Lyra usually came alone.
She ate quietly and rarely brought anyone with her.
But this time…
She had brought an incredibly handsome young man with her.
That was unusual.
When they sat down, a waiter quickly approached.
"Madam," he said respectfully,
"Shall I bring your usual order?"
Lyra nodded slightly.
"Yes," she replied calmly.
Then she turned to Aethron.
A warm smile appeared on her face.
"Would you like to try the menu I chose?" she asked.
"I guarantee…"
"It will be the best meat you've ever had in your life."
Aethron was a little surprised when he heard that.
But when he saw Lyra's confident gaze, he smiled unconsciously.
"I-If you recommend it…" he said shyly.
"I'd like to try it."
After taking the order, the waiter quietly headed toward the kitchen.
An awkward shyness filled the space between Lyra and Aethron at the table.
But it mostly came from Aethron.
He didn't know what to say…
Didn't know where to put his hands…
Sometimes, he just stared blankly at the table.
Lyra, on the other hand, was the complete opposite.
She was secretly enjoying his awkwardness.
To her, his shy behavior was incredibly adorable.
Time passed slowly.
After about ten minutes, Lyra smiled gently.
"Sweetheart," she said softly.
"Wait here for a moment. I need to go to the restroom."
Aethron nodded.
"O-Okay…" he replied.
Lyra stood up and walked away.
However…
Once she left his field of vision, she didn't go to the restroom.
Instead, she headed straight toward the kitchen.
As she walked down the corridor, she passed several waiters.
But strangely…
None of them noticed her.
It was as if she didn't exist.
Their gazes simply slid past her.
Lyra entered the kitchen.
Without wasting any time, she found the tray prepared for her and Aethron.
The meat on it smelled incredibly good.
It was mouthwatering.
But it was impossible to tell what kind of meat it was.
Still, Lyra wasn't there to inspect the food.
She slowly raised her right hand.
Extended her fingers into empty space.
Suddenly…
It was as if space itself had been torn apart.
A dark void appeared before her.
Reality cracked.
Without hesitation, Lyra inserted her hand into it.
And when she pulled it back…
She was holding a small bottle, similar to a test tube.
Inside was a dense black liquid.
The liquid seemed to devour the surrounding light.
Its very existence felt unnatural.
Lyra opened the bottle.
And slowly poured the liquid onto Aethron's plate.
But it didn't behave like a normal liquid.
Instead of flowing…
It moved as if it were alive.
As if it had its own will, it seeped into the meat.
And vanished completely.
As though it had never existed.
Lyra stared at the plate in silence for a moment.
Then she closed her eyes.
And whispered.
"Aethron…"
"I'm so sorry…"
"I'm doing this for your own good."
"Today, you will suffer both physically and spiritually."
"It will be unbearable…"
"But after this…"
A faint smile appeared on her lips.