Lyra was normally a blonde, blue-eyed busty woman. As far as beauties went, she was top, and she was also a bit of a sexual deviant. The first time I had ever met her, she had been trying to get sexually pleasured by a woman to help her restrain her sexual urges. Despite her sex drive, she was a virgin before I had her. Even then, the first time I slept with her, I wasn’t myself. She had folded quickly, but I never blamed her for that, she had been placed in an impossible situation.

“You’ve become a good actor. I never would have guessed,” I spoke wryly, thinking back to her attitude earlier, which seemed to be so different from her current attitude.

She was touching her fingers together, looking a bit shy now that she had already satisfied her lustful needs. She had a blush on her face and used the sheet left on the bed to cover her body, even though I had already seen and enjoyed everything.

“Mother always wanted me to take over the company. She was so obsessed about making sure I had a baby that she forgot to teach me anything about running one. She excommunicated me anyway after… what happened.” Her voice drifted off slightly. “I ended up in the theater.”

Unfortunately, I did know what she was talking about. I had been told about these events by my girls after visiting the mansion. One reason, other than Cornelia locking me down, was that I heard about her tragic fate after I had left. Before that time had come, I had gotten her pregnant. Normally, that would have been a joyous occasion, but apparently, the child was born as my son. This wouldn’t have been an issue, except that I wasn’t supposed to be the father. It was supposed to be Caleb, whose body I had been inhabiting.

I had also worried a bit whether the child I conceived with Lyra in Caleb’s body would be my own. Even though the body was his, the soul was mine, and thus the baby ended up being mine as well. Then again, the demonic blood that passed down seemed to not be necessarily genetic, so it was possible in this world, pregnancy had some kind of magical element to it that didn’t follow the rules of biology that I knew.

When Lyra had returned to Amaryllis pregnant with the child of the noble Prince Caleb of Matahari, she had accomplished just what her mother had wanted. The baby was supposed to be given up to Matahari, and Lyra would have taken advantage of the citizenship. In her mother’s mind, raising a baby was just an obstacle for Lyra, one that kept her mother from reaching the heights of success that she wanted when she was Lyra’s age. She was giving Lyra the opportunity that she had never had, to have the benefits of a baby without having to suffer the disadvantage of taking care of one, like she had to do.

After all, after she had Lyra’s older brother, there was no reason. It wasn’t so much that she saw Lyra as a mistake, but more that she was an inevitable consequence of the world they lived in. When our baby came out bule rather than the expected half-Matahari, they were not able to convince the Matahari that the baby was born from Caleb. This put a lot of stress on her mother, and the Matahari slandered Lyra and declared her a slut, breaking off trade agreements with her mother.

Naturally, her mother was furious with Lyra and ended up taking it out on her. She publicly disowned Lyra and the baby. Lyra had lost everything. However, she did still have the baby, which meant that she was able to receive government assistance. It was enough to live a comfortable life, but that money wouldn’t last. The baby had ended up being female, so the value to her was only just enough. Compared to how richly she had lived before, it probably felt like falling into squalor. Since that time, it appeared she had taken acting classes and started getting into acting, but since she didn’t remain in contact with my sister and aunt, this was information I hadn’t known until now.

“The theater says I’m the best male actor they’ve ever seen!” She pointed her thumb at herself proudly.

Naturally, my eyes fell on her bare breasts, which were not male. Her bust was exceptional, and even tapping them down wouldn’t be enough to contain her rack. Had it been Madison, I might have seen it as possible, but Lyra who had an extremely feminine body, this seemed like a joke. She noticed where my eyes were looking and immediately blushed.

“Th-that’s… suspension of disbelief! Given the shortage of men, it’s more important to be able to act like a man rather than look like one. Camera and outfit tricks can solve the rest,” she responded defensively, before giving me a coy look. “Besides, it’s because of you that I do so well.”

“Me?” My eyes widened.

“Mm… most girls have only seen a man once in a sexual manner if at all. As for me, I grew up alongside my brother, and then I had a lot of time with you. You could say when I act, I channel all of the best parts of you.”

“Your brother… Aaron, right?” I didn’t have very many thoughts regarding him.

I knew that for a time, he fancied his sister, but then she was sent off to a foreign prince, impregnated, and then declared a slut and disowned by her mother. Then, of course, there was the Male Protection Extended Act, which changed everything for men and how they lived.

“It was very hard after Mother kicked me out. My brother was there for me. I had no choice but to become his lover. We’ve had many babies.”

“What?” I stood up, shock exploding through my body.

Lyra burst out laughing, throwing back her head and letting her dyed-black hair fall back. She even laughed beautifully, and the lack of seriousness on her face quickly caused me to realize I was duped.

“Lyra, you…”

Still giggling, she reached out and grabbed my pant’s belt, pulling it towards her. “I can’t help being naughty. Clyburn looks so cute when he gets that jealous expression.”

As she spoke, she fished out my cock and hungrily licked it. Then she looked up at me with wide, wet eyes with my cock pressed against her lips.

“Do you forgive me?” She asked, hiding a mischievous grin behind my cock.

“You’ve changed,” I responded in disbelief. “Didn’t they used to call you the Ice Queen? When did you become so bold?”

She let out a laugh, but this time there was a certain amount of sadness in her eyes. “I grew up, Clyburn. We all did. I’m not the horny little girl scared to reveal her true side.”

“Now, you’re openly a horny slut,” I responded.

She laughed. “Only for you. Remember, I’m an actor. It’s only because it’s you that I can show my true self. Perhaps, Hannah has rubbed off on me.”

“She better not have!” I shot back, causing her to blink, and then grin.

“Oh? Well, Hannah is a bit naughty as well, and you remember how we met. After Clyburn went away, it’s just been so lonely…” She said those words filled with emotion, to the point my heart starting beating faster.

She was a good actor. With just those words, I already had a vivid scene in my mind of Hannah and Lyra wrapped up together, indulging in each other since I wasn’t around to meet their sexual needs.

“Hah… what do you know… I do picture Lyra as the ‘man’ in that fantasy, maybe your male method acting is top-notch,” I declared.

“Clyburn…” She playfully punched my leg as the pair of us laughed, breaking the barriers between us.

Lyra was different, and so was I, but it felt just like the old times, the two of us lying around naked in a bed as we played with each other and just enjoyed the feel of our bodies and the sounds of our voices. The laughter slowly died down, and the somber feelings returned once again.

Even as Lyra continued to smile, a single tear fell down her cheek. I fell back down to my knees, pulling my cock from her hands. My hand went up and I gently caught her tear. These years, I had selfishly acted like everyone should just wait for me. I had assumed they wouldn’t change, and would just be my little harem for the rest of their lives. However, they had their own lives to live, and their challenges to overcome. I had wanted to protect them, but because of circumstance, I hadn’t been there for the hardest times in her life.

Mako and Rose were already adults who had lived long lives, and Madison lived in her little world, protected in the nest that my mother had spent her life constructing. The same wasn’t true for the rest. Aiko had family and returned to Nippon. Hannah left as well, conflicted with her ambitions and desires. Then, there was Lyra, who had experienced a lot of pain on her own.

“Damn this world,” I said.

This was a world full of women, but it also meant it was a world where every woman had to walk alone. The support that many women might have had from spouses just didn’t exist.

“I don’t blame you.” She smiled weakly. “Besides, I’m fine now. I’m the overlord of an anti-fascist underground gang, it’s all good.”

“What exactly is going on, Lyra?” I asked, frowning.

Her smile finally dropped, and she let out a sigh. “I spoke the truth when I spoke previously, for the most part.”

“What? Rebellion? You want to bring down the government?”

“There are a lot of women who are unhappy with the way things are. Whether it’s their belief in the Holy Scriptures that men shouldn’t be controlled, or simply their love of the chase, this new order puts too much power in the government. Although they seem like they are strong and unshakeable, it’s only an act. The government is truly on the brink of collapse! Just look at that murderer who has been taking out men?”

“What does this have to do with the person killing men?” I blinked.

“Isn’t it a disgruntled person trying to punish the government?” She asked, cocking her head as if there was no other answer. “After all, if the information leaks, the public will lose all faith in the MPA. The entire reason this all started was because the government insisted they could keep men safe. As soon as it’s shown they are ineffective, it will only take a small push to bring them over the edge.”

“Lyra…” I shook my head.

“I’m not saying I agree with their methods!” She responded defensively. “However, results are results.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. After all, these methods had resulted in the death of at least one close friend, and two other men who probably didn’t deserve death any more than any other guy in this world. Lyra could immediately see that I was uncomfortable with this direction of the conversation and immediately tried to distract me. The manner for a girl like Lyra was to reach for my cock once again. She fondled me playfully, which contrasted with the worried look on her face.  

“It’s fine, I understand what you’re saying,” I responded, trying to relax my expression. “Alright, second question. Why is Hannah in prison?”

It was pretty self-explanatory at this point. The woman who had rejected me had been Hannah. Since Faeri was Lyra, it meant the Hannah had been herself. How could anyone but Hannah be so self-destructive as to shove me away so brutally like that? Even Lyra had broken down, and it was clear our time together in this room was not part of the plan, but her indulging herself after not seeing me for so many years. Now, I just wanted to know why Hannah intentionally tossed herself in jail.

“Honestly, her original plan wasn’t to get arrested. The man she was meeting with was a contact. She used the male catalog to meet with him in secret. He said she had some information to give to her.”

“What information?”

“I don’t know. She didn’t say. She just said it was important.” Lyra sighed. “When she got to the place, the man was already dead. That’s all I know.”

“So, she was set up.” I let out a breath of relief.

I knew it was a small chance, but for a moment I had thought that she might be the one killing men to force the MPA’s hand. I didn’t know how I would feel if I found out it was her. Would I be able to forgive her? Would I want her free, or in a cell? Hannah had always been a bit unhinged, but I didn’t think she would ever hurt me. Well, physically, at least. Hannah could be as emotionally poisonous as a snake. Only I truly understood that it came from her insecurities.

“I take it that you don’t know why she was arrested then?” I asked.

Lyra perked up. “That is something I do know about. I sent someone to meet with her about what happened. At the time, I didn’t know that Clyburn had appeared and even offered her freedom. At first, we were trying to help her break from prison, but she refused us. Ultimately, she claimed the reason was because of Noah.”

“Father?” As soon as I said it, I had already determined her reasoning.

“Yes,” Lyra bit her lip. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but the way your father was murdered…”

“It’s the same way that these killings happened.”

“Oh, you know.” She looked a bit surprised, but I could only shake my head bitterly.

I didn’t know when Hannah figured it out, but with her skills at ferreting out secrets, she must have learned about the nature of father’s death. Then, when she saw the death scene of this person, it must have rung some bells with the way he had died. There was only one piece to the puzzle I didn’t have.

“Why did she allow herself to get captured?”

To find your father’s killer. After all, she was captured and arrested.”

“You’re saying that she allowed herself to get arrested all so that she could talk with the woman who was arrested for murdering dad?”

“That’s what she said.”

“Couldn’t we have just used mother?”

“You think Hannah would?” She chuckled. “Besides, your mother got off easy. She’s in the city prison. That’s for light crimes. The dangerous people, those that kill men, go to the country. If your mother was in the same prison as the man who killed your father, do you think she could have lasted five years?”

I gave a dry laugh. “No, my mother would have torn her apart.”

It was the truth. As much as my mother was loving and affectionate, she was also brutal and unforgiving to those she didn’t love. She had killed Tinya all those years ago, but it had been her daughter she was aiming for. There was no way that Hannah would depend on Mother, and there was no way Mother could have contact with this other woman safely. I already had a lot to think about. I had already filled out a lot of the puzzle, but it just wasn’t enough.

“How do Mako and Brooke play into all of this?”

“Brooke was hired by Dia. She’s someone we believed we could trust. Mako was our informant. She could keep us notified about inside memos and communications within the MPA. She had a surprisingly high clearance to be able to look up medical records. We wouldn’t have even known about the deaths the last few days if she hadn’t been feeding us the information.”

“And me…” I responded.

“I didn’t lie before.” She didn’t meet my eyes as she spoke, a slight look of shame on her face. “You’ve been putting yourself in danger too much. You weren’t supposed to be there when Dia was shot, not to mention you’ve been at the scene of every other death. That doesn’t even begin to point out that whoever is doing this seems to be targeting you.”

“You know that?” I asked in surprise.

Her eyes narrowed. “How could it not? Done in the manner Noah died, to your best friend?”

“Right.” I took a breath.

She didn’t know about the demonic stuff. While it was true I had told her some of that story in the past, it looked like they hadn’t related it to this event. Lyra of all people would have been able to connect all the dots. After all, she was there on the Day of Wrath, and she had also been around in Matahari. Then again, she was also not the most observant person and was a bit self-absorbed.

No, that was a Lyra from years ago. She had changed from the woman back then. It was possible she hadn’t figured things out, but it was also possible that she had, and was deliberately hiding it from me. I let out a long sigh. What were things coming to? I was now at a point where I couldn’t even trust the women I had once dedicated my heart to. Things were so much easier when we were all teenagers.

“So, you’re just going to keep me locked up?”

Lyra stiffened. “When you got out, none of us thought we’d get the chance to see you. Given the MPA regulations, we thought we’d have to overthrow the government just to meet you again. It isn’t that we don’t all love you. Rather, it’s because we love you that we’re all afraid for you. Frankly, if Cornelia did her job properly, then none of this would have been necessary.”

I gave a bitter laugh. I had ended up just getting in the way. They had all expected me to be under a tight leash. They had committed their hearts to not seeing me for possibly years as I was used like a sex doll. They were all playing the long game with the eventual goal of freeing me. While I acted like a playboy rebel at the MPA re-education center, I still basically did whatever the government asked. Meanwhile, they were all out here being actual rebels and trying to find a solution to the system. It caused me to feel useless.

Because I acted so rebellious, I had ended up with Cornelia, who was trying techniques to reign me in. I had suspected I had been receiving plenty of privileges that other men didn’t get. It wasn’t until this conversation that I realized just how much slack Cornelia had been providing me, all while I complained about how restricted my life was. It gave me a new appreciation for how much she had put herself on the line for me, and how bad the other men must have it under this act.

I had truly only been getting in the way up until now and risking my life for no purpose. It was to a point where they had to take desperate actions just to prevent me from hurting myself. I had thought I was on top of things, but it turned out I was only reaching another all-time low.

“Hey…” She seemed to notice my expression, so she reached out and grabbed my face. “It’s okay, Clyburn. We’re here. Even though Mako was hurt, she’s alive, and I’m sure she’ll give us information soon.”

I blinked, hearing something that pulled at the knot in my chest. “What?”

“I said, we’ll handle it.”

“No…” I shook my head. “About Mako. She was your informant. She was hurt.”

“Yeah…”

“Why would someone suddenly shoot her?”

“To get to you?” She asked, but then her eyes flashed. “To stop information from spreading.”

Lyra and I both stood up, immediately grabbing for our clothing. Lyra grabbed a small device that resembled a walkie-talkie.

“Everyone! The government is making a move! They’re going to raid us!” She cried out.

“Are you sure?” A response came over the radio.

“Just listen. This is an order. Get everyone moving. We need to fall back to a secure location.”  

“Alright, If Faeri… wait…ah-“ The line cut.

At that moment, there was sudden shouting, and gunfire sounded off near the front of the factory. At this point, Faeri had already put her clothing back on hastily.

“What now?” I asked.

“We need to get you out of here,” Lyra spoke in the distorted voice of her identity.