Aether’s group moved cautiously through the dimly lit senior classrooms. Explore more stories at freewebnovel
But despite their vigilance, they encountered nothing…. no more monsters, no more eerie sounds.
Just the oppressive silence that seemed to mock their every step!
“There’s nothing here…” Raven muttered under her breath, her brow furrowing in frustration. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. If there was nothing here, then why had those strange, twisted creatures been lurking around? What were they guarding…. or hiding?
As Raven and Victor pressed on, searching every corner and shadow, Helena trailed slightly behind, still supporting Aether’s weight. The warmth of his body against hers was distracting, but there was something else…. something heavy weighing on her heart.
“I-I am sorry,” Helena’s voice broke the silence, trembling with the weight of her guilt.
Aether blinked, turning his head to glance at her.
Helena blushed furiously, her eyes downcast as she held Aether closer, almost as if seeking his warmth to ward off the coldness of her shame. “I-I’m sorry for running away when you tried so hard to help me.”
After speaking with the other girls, Helena had come to understand the magnitude of her mistake.
She realized how deeply she had hurt Aether, even if it wasn’t intentional. He had only ever wanted to help her, to be there for her, and she had turned her back on him in his moment of need. The thought of it gnawed at her, a pain that grew sharper with each passing day.
And then there were Selene’s words…. those devili– no, those ‘friendly’ words that had cut through her hesitation and laid bare what she needed to do.
Selene had been blunt, but she had made Helena see the truth!
Selene had done her best!!!
“A-Aether,” Helena stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Hm?” Aether’s response was casual because he was thinking about what kind of strategy he needed to make now, but his eyes flickered with a hint of curiosity.
“D-Do you really love me?” Helena asked, her voice laced with a mixture of curiosity and fear. Her face was as red as a ripe apple, and her heart pounded so loudly she was certain Aether could hear it.
Aether looked at her, at the innocence and vulnerability in her eyes.
He let out a soft sigh as if releasing the tension he’d been holding onto. “Hah… You even need to ask? I love you so much, Helena, that I want to corru—ahem, I mean, I want to help you through thick and thin,” he said, his hand slowly sliding down to rest on her hip, a sly grin playing on his lips.
“I-I see…” Helena’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, if that were possible. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, and she struggled to find her voice.
[+5000—]
“B-But you know, I am a Saintess,” Helena added hesitantly, her voice tinged with fear and uncertainty.
Aether’s expression shifted, a frown creasing his brow. “I see… So, you don’t want to love a servant, right?” His voice grew quieter, laced with an unexpected sadness, as if the very idea pained him.
Helena’s eyes widened in panic, realizing he had misunderstood her. She shook her head frantically. “N-No! That’s not what I meant!!”
“Then what is it?”
Helena averted her gaze, unable to meet his eyes as she mumbled, “W-Well, you know… I’m a Saintess and all…” She hesitated, her heart racing as she tried to find the right words. Finally, with a sigh of resignation, she admitted, “I’m not allowed to form a relationship with anyone! That’s against our Mother God’s teachings!”
Aether blinked, processing her words before asking, “Who… said that?”
“Of course, the Archpriestess!” Helena replied with a sense of pride, as if the Archpriestess’s words were law.
‘Of course, it had to be that woman!’ Aether screamed inwardly, gritting his teeth. That woman, the Archpriestess, was practically on the verge of raping him, yet her followers clung to her every word as if it were gospel.
“Fuck it!”
“H-Huh?” Helena stammered, startled by his outburst.
“I-I mean…” Aether quickly composed himself, his mind racing for a solution. Then, an idea struck him. “We could have a ‘pure’ relationship, you know?”
“Pure?” Helena repeated, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Aether’s lips curled into a sly smile as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear. “Yes, a pure relationship where only talking is allowed.”
[+5000—]
Helena’s eyes widened in surprise as she processed his words. ‘Yeah, why didn’t I think of that?’ she wondered, looking at Aether with a renewed sense of hope. Despite the chaos and the fear that had gripped her earlier, the thought of being close to him, even in a ‘pure’ way, made her heart race uncontrollably.
“Pure relationship… Ah,” Helena mumbled, her mind spinning with the possibilities. But then, a thought struck her, and she looked up at Aether with a mix of doubt and concern. “A-Are you fine with that? You won’t be able to hold my hand like other lovers do… Are you really fine with that?” Her voice trembled with uncertainty, fear creeping back in as she wondered if she was asking too much.
Aether smiled softly, a tenderness in his eyes that Helena had never seen before. “Yes, of course, for my love… I would do anything~”
!~Din–
[+5000 A-]
‘Tsk, What the fuck!!’ Aether clicked his tongue inwardly, frustrated by her Affection points. But when he looked at Helena, blushing furiously, her innocence and sincerity made him pause.
“T-Then I will call the Archpriestess to inform her of this,” Helena said suddenly, her voice filled with resolve.
“…” Aether blinked in disbelief, his mind racing to process what she had just said. ‘Call the Archpriestess? What? Why?’
“Aether?” Helena’s voice was soft, almost timid, as she noticed his silence.
“Pardon?” Aether shook his head, struggling to understand why she felt the need to involve the Archpriestess in this.
Helena blushed deeper, her shyness returning as she shyly explained, “I-I mean… I… I’m… fine, you know? I mean, I agree to form a p-pure relationship with you!” Her face was beet red as she added, “I’ll inform the Archpriestess about our pure relationship and get her permission too!”
“…” Aether stared blankly at Helena, his mind screaming in disbelief. ‘Get the Archpriestess’s permission? Fuck! She’ll kill us both! And… she’s lying, isn’t she?’ His mind slowly started to clear as the alcohol began to wear off, the reality of the situation sinking in. This was not going to be as simple as he had hoped.
Despite the sweet words and the blush on Helena’s face, there was something missing…. there were no affection points.
Aether had seen this before!
To be honest, Helena didn’t fully understand her own feelings. She was simply going with the flow, doing what she thought was right… or what Selene had pushed her to believe was right.
Helena had always been devoted to helping the poor, supporting the Archpriestess, and living a life of piety.
That had been her entire world!
While Aether had managed to stir her emotions, he hadn’t completely displaced her unwavering loyalty to the Archpriestess. In Helena’s heart, the Archpriestess still reigned supreme. She wasn’t ready to genuinely reciprocate his feelings; she was just accepting them for now, intending to consult the Archpriestess later.
It was all part of her plan to avoid hurting him!
As Aether observed her shy smile, he understood her intentions, ‘Looks like the final approach is different…’ he mused, a smile tugging at his lips. He leaned in, his voice soft and affectionate, “I love you~”
[+5000 A-]
Helena nodded, her face still flushed, but her heart wasn’t fully in it.
Aether’s mind churned. He needed to do something drastic, something that would etch him into her heart for good. His gaze shifted to Victor and Raven, who were ahead of them, meticulously checking every corner of the hallway.
“Tsk, did you guys not find anything yet?” Aether called out, his voice laced with irritation.
Victor turned back and shrugged. “There’s nothing here, Aether.”
Aether sighed, his eyes scanning the area.
The Senior classrooms, he didn’t notice before as he was busy with his other subject not now looking at he noticed, ‘Is that place near these classrooms?’ he wondered, a frown creasing his brow. “There’s a ladies’ restroom at the end of the hall. Have you checked it?”
Victor shook his head while Raven simply stared at Aether, her expression unreadable. They moved towards the restroom, their steps cautious, and as they opened the door…
“Welcome! Took you long enough, Mister Victor!” Kenley’s voice rang out, a small, chilling smile playing on her lips as she stood in the dimly lit restroom.
Aether’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Kenley. Something about her was different…. something unsettling.
He couldn’t quite place it, but his instincts screamed at him to be on guard.
He glanced at Victor who nodded quietly before preparing to act, but Kenley’s voice cut through the tension, “Oh! Oh! Don’t move, Mister Victor,” she said, her voice mechanical, her smile turning cold as she held up a small black crystal.
Helena and Raven’s eyes widened in horror. “So it’s you…” Helena mumbled, her voice dripping with disgust and hatred.
Kenley smirked, her gaze sharp and predatory. “Yes, yours truly~” Her voice was almost playful, but there was a deadly edge to it.
Suddenly, the room filled with the sound of metal scraping against the floor…
Tang, Tang, Tang, Tang…
Numerous severed heads with spider-like legs scuttled into the room, blocking the exit and forcing everyone to step back.
“Hehe…” Kenley chuckled, a wicked grin spreading across her face as she ruffled her hair, her eyes gleaming with malice. “A bitch… lick my foot!” she demanded, her voice echoing with arrogance, though her eyes were locked onto Victor.
Victor’s frown deepened, his muscles coiling as if ready to strike,
But Kenley’s voice sliced through the air once more. “If you try anything funny, I will fucking break this crystal, and those inside… their heads will go… Puff!! Hahahaha…!”
Dread washed over everyone like a cold wave.
“Now lick my foot, bitch!” Kenley’s words dripped with venom, her gaze never leaving Victor, daring him to defy her.