A few moments earlier,
“I couldn’t quite catch what they were discussing, but…” Victor frowned as he observed the Archpriestess’s eyes growing cold and dark, her expression shifting ominously as if she were on the brink of taking some drastic action.
Aether glanced at his mission tab, the alert blinking furiously, signalling urgency. He felt compelled to intervene directly and was just about to stand up when—
“Here is your or–” Stay tuned with
Thud
The manager, balancing a cup filled with a vibrant red drink, collided with him, causing the drink to spill over Victor’s black coat.
The sudden splash drenched him, and before Victor could voice his displeasure, the manager fell to his knees, panic evident in his eyes.
“Please, forgive me, Young Master!” the manager pleaded, his voice trembling with fear. His outburst drew the attention of the nearby patrons, turning all eyes towards the scene.
“Tsk,” Victor clicked his tongue in irritation, glancing down at his soaked coat. He was in no mood to deal with this inconvenience and was about to walk away when—
!~Ding~!
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Victor blinked in confusion, momentarily distracted by the sudden notification. He looked at his mission tab, which had stopped blinking. His gaze then shifted to the Archpriestess, who was now smiling gently at him….. a smile that sent a shiver down his spine.
“H-How did she know…?” he mumbled under his breath, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events.
“Y-Young Master?” The manager’s voice quivered as he looked up, his eyes filled with hope and desperation, clearly seeking forgiveness.
Victor’s lips twisted into a faint, forced smile. He took a deep breath, removed his black coat, and spoke with a stern tone, “Since you have shown humility by kneeling, I will let this slide.”
The manager’s face brightened with relief, but Victor wasn’t done.
“However,” Victor continued, his voice cold, “you must ensure that the stain is completely removed from my coat. If not, there won’t be a restaurant here come tomorrow.”
“Y-Young Master?” The manager’s relief quickly turned to fear, his face paling.
“Here,” Victor said curtly, tossing the coat to the manager. The man hesitated for a brief moment, but seeing the serious expression on Victor’s face, he quickly sprang into action, eager to rectify his mistake.
Victor sighed inwardly, feeling the weight of the situation. He glanced towards the table where Helena had been sitting…. only to find it empty.
“Where did they—” Victor’s frown deepened, but before he could speculate further—
“Are you looking for someone?” The Archpriestess’s voice cut through his thoughts. She had taken a seat across from him, her face lit up with a small, mischievous grin.
Victor maintained his composure, masking his surprise, “What do you mean by that, Miss?” he asked, his voice steady.
“Miss?” The Archpriestess feigned a pout, her lips curling into an amused smile, “Come now, there’s no way I wouldn’t recognize my beloved!” Her foot tapped lightly on the ground, and for a moment, Victor’s shadow seemed to flicker and vanish, ‘It seems that bitchy Empress really has set her sights on my darling husband~’ she mused inwardly, annoyance flashing briefly in her eyes.
Victor’s frown deepened, “Beloved?” He kept his voice even, trying to mask the unease creeping into his chest. “What exactly are you insinuating, woman?”
The Archpriestess’s grin widened a hint of playfulness in her eyes. “Of course, it’s you, darling~,” she cooed, letting her leg brush seductively against his under the table.
Victor felt his pulse quicken. He glanced at her, taking in the sight of her small grin and the way she leaned forward, her cleavage prominently displayed. He swallowed hard and averted his gaze, sighing deeply.
“How?” he asked, struggling to keep his voice steady.
The Archpriestess struck a triumphant pose, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
“It’s because of my love—” she began, but Victor’s stern expression made her pause. She cleared her throat, pointing to his white shirt, “Those clothes are enchanted, crafted by my own two hands. Of course, I would recognize them instantly,” she explained but it was a half-truth because she indeed felt because of her love….
inexplicable connection to him as if fate itself had drawn them together….. or maybe because Aether visited the Mother recently.
‘Enchanted?’ Victor’s thoughts raced. He hadn’t realized that the clothes sent by Stella were enchanted by her sister. ‘Damn it!’ He rubbed his temples, trying to process this new information. Just then, a waiter arrived, interrupting his thoughts.
“Please forgive us, dear sir. This is our special dish for the day,” the waiter said, placing a beautifully presented plate beside Victor, “Enjoy it while we attend to your coat.”
Victor glanced at the waiter, noticing the beads of sweat forming on his brow. The man was clearly nervous.
Meanwhile, the Archpriestess watched Victor intently, her gaze softening. She marvelled at how much he had changed in such a short time. ‘He’s become… more manly~,’ she thought, a mix of admiration and longing in her eyes.
“Sigh, whatever,” Victor muttered, dismissing the waiter’s nervousness. He turned to the Archpriestess and said, “Bring another plate.”
“Sir?” The waiter looked puzzled, glancing at the empty seat.
“I said, bring another plate!” Victor’s voice held an edge of impatience.
“O-Of course, sir!” The waiter bowed quickly and hurried off, eager to comply.
“Haha…” The Archpriestess chuckled softly, her laughter carrying a melodic quality.
“And what’s so amusing?” Victor asked, slightly irritated by her lightheartedness.
“Well,” she began, her eyes twinkling with amusement, “even though you hate me, you still worry about my comfort.” Her tone was teasing, but there was a note of sincerity that caught Victor off guard.
‘Of course I worry,’ he thought to himself, ‘if I don’t, who knows what chaos she might unleash?’
The Archpriestess reached out, gently taking Aether’s hand in hers. Her voice softened, a rare vulnerability showing as she whispered, “I’ve missed you… so much.”
Aether blinked, surprised by the raw emotion in her eyes. It felt as though they had been separated for centuries, not just weeks or months. He almost smiled, caught up in the intensity of the moment, when—
[+10,000 AP]
‘Yep, that’s exactly why I’m on edge,’ he thought, realizing the implications. Those readings meant the Archpriestess’s feelings were genuine and intense, bordering on obsessive. If he gave her any sign of encouragement, she would surely take it as a green light to act on her desires.
She would be riding on him!!
Well, to be honest, he wouldn’t mind having a great beauty, but something about her was unsettling… What’s more, there was Stella, who was a weak girl, so he wondered how she would feel first… That’s why he was hesitating.
Victor pulled his hand away, trying to maintain a neutral expression. The Archpriestess’s face fell slightly, a shadow of disappointment passing over her features. Victor sighed, feeling the weight of the situation, and awkwardly said, “I… I also missed you.”
Hearing this, the Archpriestess’s eyes lit up, her smile growing wider. She knew he was only saying it to keep her from feeling too hurt, but even this small acknowledgement was enough to make her day.
Just then, the waiter returned, placing another plate before Victor. Victor frowned slightly and opened his mouth to speak, but the waiter quickly bowed and retreated, clearly wanting to avoid any further reprimand.
“Tsk, what a subpar establishment,” Victor muttered under his breath, pushing the dish towards the Archpriestess, who laughed softly, her eyes never leaving his face.
She was well aware that others couldn’t see her, thanks to the magical overcoat she wore.
But why could Victor see her?
Maybe it was love?
Hell No! it was the enchantment she had placed, allowing Victor to see her just as clearly as Helena and Finnian could.
The Archpriestess watched Victor eat quietly, her gaze lingering on his features. “What’s wrong?” he asked, noticing her not touching her food.
“Well… I haven’t seen your face… so,” she said, her voice trailing off, her expression hopeful.
Victor shook his head, indicating he couldn’t reveal his face since others might see him. But then the Archpriestess snapped her fingers, and a thick barrier appeared around them, cloaking them in privacy. The world outside seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them.
Victor sighed, resigning himself to the situation. He slowly removed his mask, revealing his face, and ran a hand through his hair, a small gesture that seemed to heighten his allure.
‘Kyu!’
The Archpriestess’s heart was pierced by a heart-shaped arrow.
Her grey eyes locked onto his piercing blue ones, and she felt a wave of heat wash over her. His handsome face had matured, becoming even more striking than she remembered….. She could feel her body reacting, her throat going dry, and a tingling sensation coursing through her.
She rubbed her thighs together, struggling to maintain her composure, fighting the overwhelming urge to leap across the table and—
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Victor, too, was feeling the tension. He knew she was a lost cause, but her affection seriously amused him…. He couldn’t help but smile slightly, and in that moment—
Snap
She lost control. Without warning, she reached out, grabbing Victor by the collar and pulling him close.
“~Hmm~”
Their lips met in a searing kiss, filled with all the pent-up emotions she had been holding back. ‘It’s his fault for being this irresistibly handsome!’ she screamed inwardly, savouring the moment before reluctantly pulling away, her eyes searching his face for any sign of response.
Victor sighed wearily, his expression a mix of exasperation and resignation. “It seems you truly do love me… ah.”
“H-Huh?” The Archpriestess was momentarily taken aback by his weary tone but felt a surge of happiness at his acknowledgement of her feelings. Yet, there was a part of her that hated how easily he accepted it as if it were a given…. She turned sad as if she lost something.
But then,
“If you truly love your little sister, could you please tell me whether she would be happy to share her husband?” Victor asked, his voice calm but serious.
[+10,000 AP]