Meanwhile,
“That place, Yes! Move it there!” Helena exclaimed, pointing eagerly at a specific spot as Aether struggled to move the heavy table towards the corner. Her enthusiasm was almost childlike, a stark contrast to Aether’s growing frustration.
Aether sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging with the weight of his exasperation. He couldn’t believe that Helena had once again lured him into her room, insisting that she needed his help.
And what was the help this time?
She had just asked him to move the table…. a task he had already performed the last time he was here.
‘She just wants to talk to me but doesn’t know how,’ Aether mused, a blend of amusement and irritation dancing in his thoughts.
He glanced at the golden-haired girl, whose eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and something deeper.
“That’s all… I’ll be leaving then,” Aether announced with a smile as he pretended to head for the door.
Helena snapped out of her reverie, a wave of panic washing over her features. She desperately wanted to know more about this boy who had managed to captivate not only the Archpriestess’s interest but… hers as well.
Ever since he had kissed her forehead, he had been an ever-present thought, haunting her every waking moment and infiltrating her dreams.
She wasn’t sure why, but she needed to understand these feelings that made her feel so sick! It was as if her body and mind were at war, and she couldn’t find peace.
She had tried using her holy power to dispel any trickery, but there was nothing to be found.
It was maddening!
And when he entered her room, her heart raced uncontrollably, as if he was the very cause of her ailment.
She had even confronted Finnian, but he had merely suggested she needed rest, though no amount of rest seemed sufficient to quell the turmoil inside her.
“W-Wait!” She called out, her voice laced with desperation and something akin to fear.
“Hmm?” Aether turned, his eyebrow arching in curiosity, a small smirk playing on his lips.
“I… I…” Her mind raced, scrambling for a plausible reason to keep him there. She squinted her eyes, the pressure mounting. Aether’s lips twitched, barely holding back a laugh, ‘What is she really trying to do?’ he wondered, his amusement growing.
“My… my bathroom water isn’t working… Please check it,” she blurted out.
“I’m not sure how to rep—”
“It’s fine… just check it!” Helena interrupted him, grabbing his hand with surprising strength and pulling him into her bathroom.
Aether wore an amused expression, his eyes twinkling with mischief, ‘Well, she is trying her best to keep me here… let’s applaud her for that,’ he thought.
As he entered, his eyes landed on a cute white pair of bras and panties, innocently left out. Helena snatched them up immediately, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment as she glared at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable, “D-Did you see anything?”
‘Ba-dump.’
Her heart pounded as if it were about to burst out of her chest, the sheer intensity of the moment almost overwhelming her!
“Nope, the white light is too blinding,” Aether said with a straight face, though inwardly he was chuckling at her naivety.
“Oh!” Helena nodded, as she looked around noticed the light was indeed too bright!
Aether looked at Helena, who had taken his teasing words too seriously, ‘Is she really this naive?’ he thought, both shocked and charmed by her innocence.
There was something endearing about her awkwardness, something that tugged at his heartstrings.
Upon inspecting the shower, he found that it was indeed not working. Then, he noticed a small palm-sized blue crystal embedded in the wall, similar to the Arcane crystals found in monsters. This crystal seemed to be the source of the problem.
This was an artificial crystal created by the Academy, designed to store predetermined functions activated by pouring Arcane energy into it. It was a complex piece of magic, one that required a delicate touch and a keen understanding of its workings.
He wasn’t entirely sure how it worked, but since she was trying so hard to keep him there, he decided to play along and act like a plumber….. like someone who was a jack-of-all-trades.
Meanwhile,
Helena watched him with growing curiosity, her admiration for him swelling with each passing moment, ‘He knows everything…’ she thought, nodding in awe.
[+200 Affection]
Aether touched the crystal a few times before it out, ‘Damn, it came out!’ he cursed inwardly, sweat forming on his back as he pretended to inspect the crystal.
He needed to maintain his composure, to act as if he knew exactly what he was doing.
Aether, pretending to be a professional plumber, rubbed the crystal a few times as if cleaning it… No one noticed the very minute spark that flickered inside whenever he rubbed it.
He then placed it back on the wall, touched the handle, and poured energy into it. Thus,
Sssssshhhhhh.
“It’s working!” Helena jumped in surprise, her eyes wide with delight.
Not only her but Aether was also taken aback, ‘So all it needed was just to be rubbed?’ he wondered, amused by his own makeshift professional act.
“But it’s not enough,” Helena murmured, frustration tinging her voice as she touched the handle and poured her energy into it.
The crystal flickered before releasing more water, the flow increasing with her arcane energy.
SSSHHHHH.
“Now it’s working fine,” Helena nodded in satisfaction, her smile radiant and her eyes shining with gratitude.
Aether smiled back, feeling a surge of pride, but then,
Crack
The crystal shattered, and
Splash!!!
The entire bathroom was flooded with water, the force of it drenching them both!
…..
…
Aether, drenched and dripping, looked blankly at Helena, who lowered her head in shame, her cheeks burning with a mix of embarrassment and guilt.
“Sigh,” Aether sighed deeply, his annoyance mingling with a strange sense of protectiveness. He took the towel hanging near the hanger, gently wrapping it around her shoulders.
“You’ll catch a cold,” he said, his voice softening as he rubbed her golden hair, the intimate gesture making her heart flutter even more.
[+300 Affection]
Her cheeks puffed like a squirrel’s, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
She knew it was her fault, but who could have expected the crystal to suddenly explode? She had always used it that way, so she was equally surprised by its failure.
Then Aether’s hand moved towards her face, gently rubbing her cheek as she looked up at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable like a child’s. There was something so pure and innocent about her, something that called to a protective instinct deep within him.
‘I feel like I’m taking care of a naughty child,’ he thought, though she looked undeniably cute with her annoyed expression whenever Aether’s hand rubbed her face.
“You know, you’re too cute… Ms. Helena,” he said, his voice husky and filled with a warmth he couldn’t quite explain.
He unconsciously lowered his head and kissed her forehead, a tender gesture that made her heart race uncontrollably.
Helena stared at Aether, her heart pounding wildly, her body tingling with confusion.
She was stunned by his sudden affection, the intimate gesture leaving her breathless.
‘I-I am really sick!’ she screamed inwardly, though she remained silent, her mind a whirlpool of conflicting emotions.
[+400 Affection]
Aether continued rubbing her face, inwardly surprised by his own actions.
His mind felt as if he were caring for a child, but then he noticed her lips, soft and inviting. He gulped, a surge of desire overwhelming him.
‘She is too vulnerable…’ he thought, his hands lowering even more, tempted to close the distance between them.
But then he stopped abruptly and said, “Ahem, take care of the rest…” He quickly left the room, his heart racing, his thoughts a jumbled mess of desire and restraint.
“H-Hey, wait! You’ll catch a cold too… KYAAAA!!!”
When she saw her nightdress drenched in water, clinging to her body and revealing her inner wear and curves, she blushed deeply, her hands flying to cover herself, her mind reeling from the sheer embarrassment.
[+500 Affection]
‘D-Did he see…?’ she wondered, her heart beating crazily again, her mind a chaotic mess. “W-What’s this feeling?” she mumbled before lowering her head, her face a deep shade of red. She really needed to visit the Archpriestess!
Meanwhile,
“Thank goodness!” Aether mumbled as he leaned against the wall. When he saw her seductive body…. which was completely in contrast to her childish act….. he was momentarily lost, his naive expression only heightening his inner desire to taint her.
Even though he wanted to, now was not the time. He had other plans for the day.
Knock, knock.
He quietly knocked on Aria’s door, hoping to slip inside before anyone saw him.
But the door didn’t open.
Aether thought Aria might still be in Aqualina’s room and was about to leave when,
Thud
In a fraction of a second, Aether was pulled into Aria’s room.
“A-Aria…”
“Why did you come from Helena’s room? And… why are you drenched?” Aria asked, her voice deadly and emotionless, her eyes piercing.
“….”freewebnvel.coɱ