Chapter 34: Side Character x Mafia Boss (34)

The room fell dead silent.

Floating in mid-air, the System’s blue icon froze, its digital eyes popping out.

[ H-HOST...?! ] the System stammered in absolute, utter shock. [ HOW DID YOU DO THAT?! SINCE WHEN DO YOU HAVE REFLEXES LIKE A TRAINED ACTION HERO?! ]

Lyra stood there, frozen in place, still holding the empty syringe in her trembling hand. She blinked once. Then twice. She looked at the syringe, then looked at the knocked-out operative sprawling across the bed, and scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

"Ahem..." Lyra cleared her throat, her face turning bright red. "I... I honestly have no idea! I guess my body just really, really hates getting drugged!"

[ Host, you literally disarmed Gabriel’s elite operative with a butter knife! ] the System gasped, its interface glowing brightly.

"Never mind that!" Lyra snapped, tossing the syringe onto the table and kneeling down near the sleeping maid. "Look! She has a master key card and lockpicks in her pouch!"

Grabbing the small metal lockpick from the operative’s belt, Lyra jammed it into the cuff around her right ankle. With a sharp click, the heavy steel chain released, falling to the floor with a loud rattle.

Lyra rubbed her free ankle, a mischievous, triumphant grin spreading across her face.

"System..." Lyra whispered, stepping over the chain. "The Female Lead is stuck in the basement, the Male Lead is busy, and I am officially unchained. It’s time for a prison break!"

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Down in the estate’s command center, the security monitors suddenly began flashing bright red. Alastair had just finished issuing orders to his men when a guard sprinted up to him, his face completely pale.

"Boss! An unauthorized signal was used on the master suite’s private floor! Someone bypassed the security lock!"

The moment those words left the guard’s mouth, the temperature in the room plunged below zero. Alastair’s icy grey eyes dilated with absolute, terrifying fury.

He didn’t wait for a full report. He didn’t order a security detail to lead the way. He shoved past the guards, his heart was beating fast in panic as he took the stairs three at a time.

A chaotic storm raged inside his mind. He was boiling hot with pure rage. What if someone hurt her? What if someone touched a single hair on her head? What if his little mouse was taken away from him again?

If anything happened to Lyra, he would burn every syndicate in the city to ash and bury Gabriel Hart alive.

Alastair reached the double doors of his master suite and kicked them open with a BANG.

"LYRA!" he roared, his raspy voice laced with raw panic, his hand already gripping the pistol hidden under his suit jacket.

The guards behind him rushed into the room with their weapons drawn, ready for a bloody shootout.

However, the chaotic bloody scene Alastair had prepared for didn’t exist. Instead, something completely unexpected met his eyes.

The room was completely quiet.

Sitting comfortably on the sofa was Lyra. She was casually holding a feathered brass duster, gently poking the side of an unconscious, black-clad female operative who was currently sprawled face-down across the carpet like a discarded sack of laundry.

Hearing the loud entry, Lyra froze, slowly turning her head toward the doorway. She dropped the duster back onto the coffee table, cleared her throat softly, and offered a weak little wave.

"Ahem... hi?" Lyra squeaked out.

Every single guard in the room froze in absolute, speechless shock. The guns in their hands wobbled as they stared back and forth between the terrifying mafia boss and the fragile little girl who had somehow subdued an elite enemy operative by herself.

Alastair’s breath caught in his throat. The dark, chaotic storm in his chest instantly ground to a halt.

He didn’t care about the enemy operative. He didn’t care about the security breach. The only thing his dark eyes saw was Lyra sitting alive, unharmed, and breathing right in front of him.

Without wasting a single second, Alastair ran up to the sofa, shutting out the rest of the world. He dropped to one knee before her, his large hands immediately reaching out to check her arms, her neck, and her face, his broad shoulders tense as his thumbs traced her skin to ensure there was not a single scratch on her.

"Are you hurt?" Alastair asked, his raspy voice shaking with a rare edge. "Did she touch you? Speak to me, Lyra."

20 minutes ago...

The System had been floating near the ceiling, vibrating with pure excitement as Lyra unlocked the cold metal cuff from her ankle.

[ Host! The chain is off! The master key card is right there on the maid’s belt! ] the System had cheered excitedly, flashing green lights across the dark bedroom. [ The back kitchen exit is clear! Let’s grab the Female Lead from the basement and make our legendary getaway right now! ]

Lyra had stood up, rubbing her sore right ankle as her dark eyes flicked toward the large double doors. She stared at the quiet hallway, her chaotic mind running dozens of survival simulations in a fraction of a second.

Suddenly, Lyra stopped in her tracks.

"Actually... I think we shouldn’t leave yet," Lyra said, shaking her head.

[ WHAT?! ] The System’s blue icon glitched in sheer confusion. [ BUT WHY, HOST?! THIS IS OUR ONLY CHANCE! ]

"Think about it, System!" Lyra explained hurriedly, leaning over the sofa. "If I try to leave right now, I am pretty sure I will get caught. The villa is still completely filled with high-level guards, and the moment that security bypass went off, Alastair was definitely notified! He is probably boiling mad and on his way here right this second!"

Lyra shuddered, a cold shiver running down her spine as she remembered the unhinged, dark look in Alastair’s eyes earlier that morning.

"If I get caught escaping for a second time, he will definitely lose his mind completely," Lyra muttered, her voice dropping into a fearful whisper. "He won’t just lock me up- he will literally cripple my legs, put me in a golden cage, and double his darkened value to 100%! I won’t survive that!"

The System paused its processing routines, running a fast probability calculation.

[ ...Hmm, you are completely right, Host! ] the System agreed, its digital voice dropping into a solemn tone. [ If we stay, you can use this situation to prove your loyalty! You can earn his trust by showing him you didn’t run away even when you had the chance! ]

Lyra nodded vigorously, a sly, tactical grin appearing on her face. "Exactly! We play the long game. I knock out his enemy, stay right here like an innocent little victim, and make him believe I am totally devoted to staying by his side!"

Currently...

Looking up at Alastair’s worried, intense face, Lyra remembered her tactical plan.

She didn’t push him away. She didn’t act defiant.

Instead, Lyra leaned forward and wrapped both of her small arms tightly around his neck, burying her face into the side of his dark collar. Her small body began to tremble slightly- half from the lingering adrenaline of fighting off an operative, and half from her top-tier acting skills.

The moment her soft arms wrapped around him, Alastair froze.

His heart trembled violently inside his chest. The terrifying mob boss who ruled the city’s underbelly felt a sudden ache deep in his soul.

She’s shaking... Alastair thought, his dark grey eyes softening into pure devotion. She must have been so terrified...

He looked past her shoulder at the unconscious operative sprawled on the floor, noticing the empty syringe lying nearby. He knew instantly that Lyra had somehow managed to defend herself against Gabriel’s assassin, but the thought of how close he had come to losing her made his blood run cold.

Was she acting right now? Was this just another clever trick from his little mouse?

Alastair didn’t care.

Even if it was a lie, even if she was just seeking comfort out of fear or just pure act, she was in his arms. She was holding onto him tightly, seeking protection from him and no one else. That was all that mattered in his chaotic, darkened world.

With absolute gentleness, Alastair wrapped his broad arms around her waist, easily scooping her up into his lap. He pulled the soft duvet around her shoulders, holding her tightly against his broad chest as he stood up from the sofa.

He buried his face into her soft dark hair, inhaling her sweet scent while his long fingers gently patted her back.

"You’re safe now," Alastair whispered softly, his raspy voice filled with an intense, possessive warmth that echoed through the quiet master suite. "No one is ever going to hurt you again. I’ve got you, my little mouse."

Lyra kept her head tucked against his chest, her dark eyes flashing with secret relief as a bright blue interface popped up behind Alastair’s head.

Ding!

[ Character Status & Metrics Update ]

Alastair Voss - Obsession Level: 92%

Darkened Value: 74% (Stabilized!)

Trust Value: +15%

Yes! Lyra cheered internally, keeping her body shivering softly against his chest to maintain the act. Step one of Operation Trust-Building is an absolute success!

Alastair turned his head toward his guards, his soft expression instantly shifting back into an icy, murderous glare as he pointed down at the unconscious maid on the floor.

"Take her to the torture room," Alastair ordered coldly, his voice dripping with anger. "Find out everything Gabriel Hart has planned. And tell the men... the war starts tonight."