What Aether did was actually a pretty simple and straightforward thing…
“M-Miss, can you help me?”
“Hmm?” An Elven woman turned and saw a white-haired, handsome boy clutching his stomach, his face twisted in apparent pain. His eyes were filled with a pleading, almost innocent look that tugged at her heart.
“C-Could you hold me for a moment?” The boy asked, his voice breaking as he stumbled forward as if he were about to collapse from some unseen agony.
The Elven woman hesitated, her maternal instincts battling with her cautious nature. She bit her lip, uncertain whether to help this stranger. But then,
!~Ding~!
[+2 Charm]
Her hesitation melted away as if by magic, and she instinctively reached out to support the boy.
“T-Thank you, Miss,” The body said with a lovely, gentle expression that tugged even harder at her heartstrings, invoking her maternal instincts in full force.
“I-It’s fine…” she murmured, her concern growing as she held him up. She felt a strange warmth emanate from him, something almost enchanting.
Suddenly, she stumbled for ‘unknown’ reasons, her balance slipping away. Aether immediately hugged her as they both fell to the ground, his arms wrapping around her tightly as if protecting her.
[+10 Affection]
“A-Are you okay?” the woman asked, scrambling to her feet, her heart racing with worry. She looked down at the boy in her arms, his face buried against her chest.
“I-I am fine…” Aether whispered before collapsing into her arms again. She caught him, hugging him tightly to prevent him from hitting the ground, her heart aching for this seemingly fragile boy.
“W-What’s going on?” An Elven man, seeing his wife embracing another man, felt his entire world shatter. His face contorted with a mixture of shock and anger, his eyes wide with disbelief.
“Hmm? Dear, it seems this boy was hurt and we need to hel….” The Elven woman frowned as she watched the white-haired boy dash away, her mind racing. ‘He is fine?’ she thought, confusion washing over her.
“HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON ME!!!!” The man shouted, his voice filled with anguish and betrayal, echoing through the air like a thunderclap.
Thus, began the adultery….
Now,
“My wife cheated on me!!! Sob, sob,”
“I cannot believe she hugged another man!!”
“S-She would never do this, and yet she slept with tha— OUCH!”
“Her boobs ‘sob’ Her boobs touched another man’s back… aaaaawwwww,”
“I want to die!!!”
“What about our family? How could you do this?”
Elven males shouted in cries of desperation and betrayal, their voices merging into a cacophony of pain and heartbreak.
Meanwhile, the women tried to explain themselves, their voices filled with frustration and desperation:
“I was only offering help when he stumbled.”
“I just checked his pulse when he fainted,”
“We’re taught to be kind to those in need.”
“I just held him closer since he was about to faint,”
“I thought he was a cute child!”
“Yes, he is cute! I mean, he is just a child to us. What’s wrong with hugging him for an old woman like us!!”
“I cannot believe my husband is calling me a cheater when he was practically sleeping with my friend’s mother!!”
“Even though my husband is incompetent, I never cheated on him!!”
“Even though that boy was so handsome…. I still love my husband!!!”
The women barged before the Elven court, shouting in anger and desperate pleas, while some harboured hidden agendas.
Maelona blankly stared at the chaotic situation unfolding within her tribe. Her heart ached with the confusion and pain surrounding her people.
Alaric gritted his teeth, his gaze fixed on Aria, who seemed to have a laughing face. ‘This bitch!! She really did something… didn’t she?!’ Alaric growled inwardly, seething with frustration and anger. He wanted to finish his trial first before dealing with these complications, his mind a storm of emotions.
“Why don’t we finish our trial first?” Alaric asked Maelona, his voice tinged with desperation.
“Well–”
“LET’S ASK THE EMPEROR, HE KNOWS WHAT TO DO!!”
Suddenly someone in the crowd shouted, the words cutting through the noise like a knife. The crowd turned to the Emperor, their eyes pleading for an answer, their faces filled with hope and desperation.
On one side, the males wanted a divorce, seeing the hugs/touch as an act of adultery. On the other side, the females wanted their husbands to understand that it was just a small, innocent touch.
Now, the Emperor was forced to make a decision. The weight of the situation bore down on him, his mind racing to find a solution that would satisfy both sides.
If he sided with tradition, the women would surely be judged and hanged to death…. or
Just let females die for the tradition and thereby incite the wrath of all women against him… a move that could potentially reach the Sovereign’s ears.
Alaric gritted his teeth, knowing he needed to postpone the situation for now. His mind raced, searching for a way to delay the decision and buy some time.
“My people, first we need to investigate–”
“LOOKS LIKE EVEN THE EMPEROR’S WIFE WAS LABELED A CHEATER, DESPITE ONLY HELPING A WOUNDED MAN”
Alaric’s lips twitched as his keen eyes searched the crowd for the source of the accusation. He spotted a white-haired figure, who vanished before he could identify him.
“Who is that?” Alaric shouted, jumping from his place and hovering over the people, his eyes scanning the crowd with intense scrutiny.
“Emperor’s wife committed adultery?”
“What? For real?”
“He’s been cuckolded—”
The whispers spread like wildfire through the assembly, casting a shadow of doubt and scandal.
Meanwhile, Aether, hidden in the chaos, whispered to himself, “Deactivate Clone.” As the crowd’s attention remained focused on the Alaric, he stealthily moved behind Aria.
“Ae—” Before Aria could call out his name, he covered her mouth and whispered, “Now, it’s a queen’s duty to break this old tradition!”
Seeing the determined and serious look in Aether’s eyes, Aria’s heart skipped a beat. She knew she hadn’t chosen the wrong man. She nodded, then stepped forward, her face calm and serene yet tinged with sadness.
“My fellow women, I understand your pain. Despite our dedication and care, we have worked hard and met their needs, these arrogant males label us as cheaters,” she began, her voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and strength.
Her words struck a chord, and the women turned grim and sad, their expressions mirroring their inner turmoil.
“W-We cannot believe they can go around and sleep with any woman they want, and yet here we are, accused of adultery for simply touching a man in need. What kind of discrimination is this against women? We cannot accept this double standard,” Aria continued, her voice rising with conviction.
“Yes, it’s unjust!”
“Why are women always blamed?!”
“What kind of discrimination is this?!”
“I’m not even allowed to touch my own elder son just because he’s considered too old!”
“This hypocrisy must end!”
“We demand justice!”
“These unfaithful males!”
“We want rights!!”
“We want answers!!”
The situation escalated quickly, and all eyes turned to the Emperor, demanding a response. The tension was palpable, the air thick with expectation.
Veins popped on Alaric’s forehead as he struggled to contain his anger. “We wil—”
“Let’s rewrite our tradition then,” Aria softly interjected, her words gentle yet powerful, stirring the hearts of the people.
Even Maelona frowned at her daughter’s audacity, ‘Rewrite tradition? What she was talking about?’, but the crowd was moved by Aria’s words.
“What are you all hesitating for? We need new rules…. We cannot continue to live under the rule of selfish males who decide everything. We need change,” Aria declared, her voice resonating with authority and passion.
“My fellow women! If we don’t change this now, never expect our future daughters to hold their heads high!”
“Call for an Elder Council meeting!”
Hearing this, Alaric frowned and glared at Aria, “Who authorized you to call an Elder Council meeting?”
Aria smiled inwardly, maintaining a sad smile outwardly, “See, My fellow woman, even now only males, the Emperor, have the right to call an Elder Council meeting. Not even the Empress or I, a queen, have that right.”
Those who heard her words bit their trembling lips, their anger and frustration building. They turned their glares towards the Emperor and shouted,
“Is this going to be a patriarchal society until the end?!”
“Is this the future we accept?!”
“Are we only meant to grovel before them?!”
“Is this how it’s going to be for the next thousand years?!”
“Call the Elder council!!”
“Call the Elder council!!”
“Call the Elder Council!!”
…..
..
The chants grew louder and more insistent, the demand for change echoing through the assembly…. Even males were taken aback by the situation.
They were supposed to be the ones shouting, not them!!!!
Alaric clenched his fists, his face a mask of barely contained fury,”Fine!” he finally barked, his words sending a shockwave through the Empire. “Tomorrow, the Elder Council meeting will occur. Every Elder must attend. We will discuss our traditional rules!”
He turned to Maelona, “The judgment is postponed until tomorrow.”
With that, Alaric disappeared.
Aria’s face broke into a smile, a wave of relief washing over her. The women around her, who had long been ruled by their husbands, also began to smile, their faces lighting up with hope and happiness for the first time in a long while.
Meanwhile,
‘What the fuck is going on?’ Aether had an incredulous expression. He just wanted to help her to escape not for equality rights to entire people… but looking at her happy face, Aether shook his head and shrugged.
As long as she was happy, he was fine!
….
….
Inside the Separate Chamber,
“Aether, I love you~” Aria exclaimed joyously, her voice filled with affection as she showered him with kisses. She glanced triumphantly at her mother, “See? He’s the best!!!”
Maelona’s lips twitched in annoyance. “The best? Are you serious? He just stirred up chaos in our once peaceful nation!”
“So What?…hahah” Aria chuckled softly, “But Mother, he did it all for me! He risked everything for my sake alone, JUST FOR ME!! ONLY!!” her eyes turned possessive.
[+8000 Affection]
Maelona shook her head, clearly frustrated by her daughter’s blind love. She looked at Aether, who was basking in Aria’s affection.
“You do realize that once things calm down, they will investigate who caused this chaos, right?” Maelona warned, her voice stern.
Aria flinched, but Aether responded with a smug grin, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
Aria’s smile widened as she kissed his face again, clearly enamoured with his confidence.
Maelona’s face twitched even more, a sly idea forming in her mind, “So, how many women touched you?” she asked, her tone deceptively casual.
Aria’s expression darkened as she realized she had overlooked this. She sniffed Aether’s body, her eyes narrowing.
“1, 2, 3, ….10….100…500…”
As her count increased, Aether’s face turned pale. ‘How in the world can she tell?’ he thought, panicking. He glanced at Maelona, who was watching with a satisfied smile.
“Total 756… women’s scents on your body, Aether,” Aria said, her voice dangerously low.
Aether’s mind short-circuited, ‘What the fuck?! Even I lost count of how many women hugged me… Is she a part hybrid dog or something?’ He quickly went through various possibilities before coming to one solution, with possessive eyes, “Then please, paint me with your scent, Aria~… I feel disgusted by others’ scent!!”
Aria blinked, her face returning to normal before blushing deeply, “C-Come on, Aether!! You can’t say that with my mother here!!”
‘SAFE!!’ Aether screamed inwardly, relieved.
“Tsk,” Maelona clicked her tongue, clearly displeased but momentarily defeated.
[+10 Affection]