Chapter 278 | Tiny Victories

Chapter 278: 278 | Tiny Victories

Dexter continued to stare at her.

Her smile weakened slightly, and Dexter studied her as she clasped her hands together. "It’s getting late, everyone must be tired."

Dexter immediately understood. She wasn’t thinking about herself, she was thinking about them. Probably him most of all. Maybe she’d noticed more than Dexter realized. Selene might not know exactly what had happened, but she wasn’t stupid.

Dexter shook his head. "No."

Selene blinked. "No?"

"Don’t give up something you wanted because you’re worried about everyone else." Her expression softened as Dexter continued. "Today belongs to you three."

Mira raised an eyebrow. "Us?"

"Yes."

"What about you?"

Dexter thought for a moment. "I’m the handsome escort."

Mira rolled her eyes while Lyra immediately shook her head and Selene laughed. Dexter looked offended and he snapped.

"That received far too much disagreement."

Lyra nodded again.

Dexter’s lips cruled to a sneer. "Traitor."

Selene smiled. "Fine." Dexter looked toward her, and she nodded. "Let’s play then ."

Dexter’s grin returned. "That’s what I wanted to hear."

...

The paintball arena was much larger than it appeared from outside.

It had been designed as a miniature ruined town with artificial stone buildings throughout the field, wooden fences creating narrow passages, and large barrels, abandoned carts, broken walls, providing cover. A shallow artificial stream divided one section, elevated platforms overlooked several lanes, and colorful paint splatters covered almost every surface.

Dexter nodded approvingly. "This is actually impressive."

An attendant approached. "First time?"

"Yes."

The attendant looked at Mira’s wheelchair, then smiled. "We have adaptive equipment."

Ten minutes later, Mira’s wheelchair had been temporarily fitted with larger outdoor wheels and protective side panels.

Mira frowned as she looked down. "This is ridiculous. You guys can play, I will watch."

Dexter stared at her wheelchair, which now resembled a miniature armored vehicle and said in awe. "It’s beautiful."

Mira glared as Dexter tutted.

"I’m jealous."

Her lips curled up as she smiled. "Good." The thought of quitting temporarily left her mind.

The attendant explained that the arena had formations preventing participants from using abilities beyond ordinary physical movement, and Mira smiled. "Perfect."

Dexter looked at her. "Why are you smiling?"

"Because now you can’t cheat."

"I wasn’t planning to cheat."

Dexter stared, and Mira stared back. Neither believed the other.

They changed into protective gear, Dexter in black, Mira in red, Selene in blue, and Lyra in purple and each received a paintball marker.

The attendant divided them. "Two teams. Choose your partner."

Dexter thought for a while and immediately spoke before any of them could. "Me and Selene."

Mira placed one arm on her hip as she frowned. "Why?"

Dexter lips curled upwards.

"Because if you and I are on the same team, you’ll shoot me anyway."

Mira chuckled but didn’t disagree with him.

Lyra pointed at herself and Mira, and the attendant nodded. "Red and Purple against Black and Blue."

Dexter looked toward Selene as he clenched his fist. "We’ve got this."

Selene smiled. "You’re more excited than I am."

Dexter blinked his eyes. "I’ve always wanted to shoot someone."

Selene hovered her mouth as she giggled.

Across from them, Mira whispered to Lyra—well, Mira whispered while Lyra communicated mentally. Dexter narrowed his eyes. "What are you plotting?"

Mira looked up. "Nothing."

"Suspicious."

"You’re suspicious."

The attendant raised a whistle. "Positions!"

They separated, and Dexter helped Selene toward their starting area. "Remember, listen for movement."

Selene smiled. "You’re not supposed to use hero abilities."

"The formation only supress one of your talent, you should be able to use the second one."

Selene shook her head with a smile as Dexter grinned in return.

The whistle blew.

’FWEEEEET!’

Dexter immediately dove behind a wall while Selene calmly stepped behind a barrel.

’POP!’

A paintball exploded against the wall where Dexter’s head had been. He froze as red paint dripped downward. "Mira!"

Her laughter came from somewhere ahead. "You talk too much!"

’POP! POP! POP!’

Dexter ducked as three more shots splattered around him. "She isn’t even trying to hit Selene!"

Selene smiled from behind the barrel. "I think this may be personal."

"You think?"

Another barrage arrived, and Dexter rolled as a paintball narrowly missed his shoulder. His wound twinged, and he ignored it. "All right." He raised his marker. "War."

Dexter peeked around the wall but there was nothing.

The formation only supress one talent. The others have two which meant they could use their second talent!

While he couldn’t use Enhanced Hearing, which was annoying.

He moved carefully with Selene following. "Can you locate them?"

"Maybe."

Dexter stared. "Maybe?"

"I hear movement."

"Where?"

Selene pointed, and Dexter looked toward a ruined building. "Lyra?"

"Probably."

Dexter smiled. "Cover me."

Selene raised her marker as Dexter sprinted.

’POP!’

A purple paintball struck the ground. "Missed!"

’POP!’

Dexter ducked.

’POP!’

Another nearly struck his leg. "Still missed!"

He reached the wall, and then something red struck him directly between the shoulder blades.

’SPLAT!’

Dexter stopped as Mira’s laughter erupted.

He slowly turned to find Mira sitting behind a wooden barricade twenty meters away, her marker resting comfortably against the adaptive support attached to her chair as she waved.

Dexter looked down at the red paint and glared at her.

"Hmph!"

Lyra suddenly appeared above him on a platform, her marker pointed directly at his head. Dexter’s eyes widened. "Lyra."

She smiled.

’POP!’

Dexter jumped sideways as purple paint exploded against the wall, then ran as Lyra chased him with shots.

’POP! POP! POP!’

"This is bullying!"

Mira shouted from behind. "Stop whining!"

Dexter dove behind a fake cart where Selene was laughing. He looked at her. "Some teammate you are."

"I’m covering you."

"From what?"

’POP!’

A blue paintball flew past Dexter and struck Mira’s barrier. Mira ducked, and Dexter grinned. "Never mind. Excellent work."

Selene tilted her head. "I heard her chair."

Mira’s expression changed. "That’s cheating."

Selene smiled. "I’m blind."

Mira paused. "That’s..."

She couldn’t finish, and Dexter burst out laughing. Selene used the opportunity.

’POP!’

Blue paint struck Mira’s protective side panel.

’SPLAT!’

Mira looked down. Silence. Dexter stopped laughing as he recognized that expression.

"Mira?"

She slowly raised her marker. "Run."

Dexter blinked. "I wasn’t the one who shot you!"

’POP! POP! POP!’

"WHY ME?!"

He ran while Selene laughed so hard she nearly lost her orientation. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

---

The first round became chaos. No strategy survived longer than thirty seconds.

The second round became even worse. This time, everyone against Dexter. He hadn’t agreed to that. Apparently democracy had spoken. Three wives. One husband.

Dexter stood at one end of the arena while Mira, Selene, and Lyra stood opposite him. He stared at the attendant. "You’re allowing this?"

The attendant shrugged. "They requested it."

Dexter looked down at himself, paint covering nearly every part of his protective gear.

The attendant blew the whistle.

Dexter dodged immediately.

’POP! POP! POP!’

Paintballs chased him. "You women have no loyalty!"

Lyra’s mental voice reached him. ’’Surrender.’’

"Never!"

A blue paintball exploded beside his head. Selene.

Dexter peeked to find Mira holding center, Selene covering the right lane, and Lyra missing.

He narrowed his eyes. "Not this time."

He moved fast as he sprinted through the ruins. Mira fired, and Dexter ducked. Selene fired, and he slid behind cover. "Missed!"

Then purple paint exploded against his backside.

’SPLAT!’

Dexter froze as the entire arena became silent. He slowly turned to find Lyra standing behind him, her eyes widened because she hadn’t meant to hit him there. Mira saw the paint and burst into laughter.

Selene heard. "What happened?"

Mira could barely speak. "Lyra... shot..."

She laughed harder, and Dexter’s face became dark.

Selene tilted her head. "Where did she hit you?"

"Nowhere."

Mira wheezed. "His backside!"

Selene covered her mouth, then started laughing. Lyra’s entire face turned red, and Dexter pointed at her. "You..."

’Sorry!’ Lyra immediately apologized.

Mira rolled her eyes. "You’re still standing."

Dexter fell theatrically. "Tell my story."

---

By the fourth round, even the attendants were laughing. Several festival visitors had gathered outside the arena to watch, and Dexter had somehow become the villain. Every time he was hit, people cheered.

"This is ridiculous!"

A child shouted from outside. "Get him!"

Dexter pointed. "I don’t even know who you are!"

The child laughed.

---

After paintball, they tried the shooting gallery. Dexter expected to dominate. He did not.

Mira’s years as a Hero showed immediately. Even seated in her wheelchair, she calmly aimed the light rifle and hit the targets. Ten shots. Ten hits.

Dexter stared as Mira handed the rifle back.

"I underestimated you."

"Obviously."

Dexter tried. Ten shots. Nine hits. Mira smiled as Dexter looked at the missed target. "I was distracted."

"By?"

"The sun."

They were under a canopy. Mira stared.

Dexter cleared his throat. "Wind."

"No wind."

"Weapon calibration."

Mira laughed.

Selene stepped forward, and Dexter hesitated. "Want to try?"

"Yes."

She held the rifle, and the targets produced small sounds whenever they moved. Selene listened.

First shot. Hit. Second. Hit. Third. Miss. Fourth. Hit.

By the end, she’d struck seven. Dexter stared as Selene lowered the rifle. "How many?"

"Seven."

Her face lit up. "Really?"

"Really."

She smiled, and Dexter found himself smiling too.

Then Lyra stepped forward. Ten shots. Eight hits.

---

They played ring toss, and Lyra won. They played a ball-throwing game, and Mira won. They tried a ridiculous fishing game designed for children, and Selene somehow won.

Dexter stared at the small stuffed dragon she’d received. "How?"

Selene hugged it. "Talent."

Dexter looked toward Mira. "She’s becoming arrogant."

Mira nodded. "Your influence."

"Why is everything my fault?"

All three women looked at him, and Dexter sighed. "Right."

Later, they rode the giant observation wheel. Unlike the roller coaster, it moved slowly.

---

When they finally returned to the picnic field, evening had begun settling over the festival. Lanterns illuminated the area, strings of magical lights appeared among the trees, the artificial waterfall glowed blue and gold, children ran with luminous toys, and music softened.

Dexter spread the mats again. Mira chose to sit on one, and he carefully transferred her from the wheelchair and positioned her legs comfortably. Selene sat nearby, and Lyra dropped onto the mat with an exhausted sigh.

Dexter looked at her. "Tired?"

She nodded.

"Good."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Maybe you’ll stop trying to empty every food stall."

She threw a pillow at him, and Dexter caught it.

Mira leaned back. "Today was..." She paused, and Dexter looked toward her. "Terrible?"

Mira glanced at him, then toward the glowing festival. "Acceptable."

Dexter smiled. "That’s practically a glowing review from you."

She rolled her eyes.

Selene hugged the small dragon she’d won. "I liked it."

Dexter looked at her. "Even the roller coaster?"

She hesitated. "Especially the roller coaster."

Dexter grinned. "I knew it."

"But I’m still scared of heights."

"That’s okay."

Selene smiled. "I know."

Lyra’s voice entered their minds. ’Paintball again next time.’

Dexter stared. "No."

Mira smiled. "Definitely."

Selene nodded. "I agree."

Dexter looked betrayed. "Three against one again?"

Mira leaned back comfortably. "Marriage."

Dexter sighed. "Mistake."

Mira’s eyes narrowed. "What mistake?"

Dexter immediately corrected himself. "A wonderful mistake."

Selene laughed, Lyra smiled, and Mira nodded. "Better."

Dexter looked at them, his wives.

Hours earlier, he’d fought two Peak Ultra Realm experts and he’d nearly died. A man whose strength Dexter couldn’t properly comprehend had almost taken Lyra away. There were enemies waiting beyond this garden. Secrets, Aurelyx. The Eternal Winter Ice , the Nine Great Families, Violette’s inheritance, the Ashfords and hidden danger Dexter hadn’t accounted for yet.

But here? For tonight? None of it mattered.

Mira was laughing and Selene could see colors while Lyra could faintly hear the festival music beneath the muffled world surrounding her.

’Tiny victories.’

Dexter leaned backward on his hands and smiled.

"Worth it."

[A/N: This was a long one but I shortened it as best as I could.]