“Tell me… did you sleep with Li—Wait! You… look different now?” Maelona’s stern face softened, a flicker of curiosity replacing her previous intensity as she studied Aether.
Aether scratched the back of his head, forcing a smile. “Yeah… I hit a growth spurt.”
Maelona raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying his explanation. “A growth spurt, huh?”
“And yes,” Aether suddenly added.
“Huh?” Maelona’s frown deepened.
Aether took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. “Yes. I slept with Liora… and I’ve decided to take her as my wife in the near future.”
Maelona blinked. Once… Twice…. His words didn’t immediately register until her eyes widened in shock. Her mouth opened, but no words came out as she processed the bombshell.
Aether stood still, watching her carefully. He was braced for the storm, prepared for the wave of emotions that might come—anger, betrayal, hatred. He was ready to accept any consequences.
But Maelona didn’t explode. She exhaled slowly, letting out a long sigh.
What she saw in front of her wasn’t a man smug with his decision… it was a young man carrying the weight of his actions.
The slight tremble in his voice and that faint, broken smile spoke of his own inner turmoil.
‘Sigh…’ she thought, shaking her head.
She had lived through enough pain and betrayal in her tribe to know when something was worth fighting over… and this wasn’t it.
It wasn’t betrayal.
It was just a disappointment!!
“Does Aria know about this?” she asked, her tone calm but stern.
Aether’s gaze faltered, his head lowering in shame. He couldn’t meet her eyes. “Not yet,” he admitted quietly.
Maelona rubbed her temples, letting out another sigh, this one heavier than before,
“Don’t tell her.”
“I will tell her,” Aether responded immediately.
Both of them froze, their eyes locking in surprise as they spoke at the same time.
“What do you mean by that?” Aether asked, his brow furrowing, confusion lacing his words.
Maelona’s expression grew serious, her eyes sharp as she spoke. “She loves you, Aether. If you tell her now, it will break her heart. I don’t want that for her.”
Aether nodded slowly, but “Still… she deserves to know—”
“Aether.” Maelona’s voice turned sharp, “For now, let’s keep this from her. I’ll handle it.”
“You?”
“Yes.” Maelona’s face was set in stone, her determination clear. She was protective, not just of Aria but of Aether too, “I’ll figure out how to break it to her. Let me deal with it.”
Aether sighed, shaking his head slightly. “I’m sorry, Mother-in-law… but this is something I should tell her myself.” His eyes, however, betrayed something else…. something hidden, a burden he hadn’t yet revealed.
Maelona could feel it, the heaviness of whatever Aether was carrying.
She didn’t press him further. Instead, she nodded. “Well, it’s your choice then.”
Aether offered a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes, before turning to leave.
As Maelona watched his retreating back, a pang of concern tugged at her chest. Something was wrong with him.
He wasn’t the same…. there was an underlying sadness that she couldn’t ignore.
Just then, Maelona called out, her voice lighter, “Where’s my hug from my favourite son-in-law?”
Aether halted, turning back with surprise in his eyes. He saw Maelona with her arms open, waiting for him.
For a moment, he hesitated, but then he slowly walked towards her, wrapping his arms around her tightly.
“I’m sorry… Mother-in-law,” he whispered, his voice trembling slightly.
That’s all Aether could say.
Maelona hugged him back, her grip tightening as she felt the warmth of his body. They stayed like that, in each other’s arms, for what felt like an eternity.
Maelona’s cheek slowly flushed as the moment lingered on, and she awkwardly cleared her throat. “Ahem…”
Yet Aether didn’t let go. Instead, he hugged her even tighter, as if seeking comfort in her presence, as if trying to anchor himself in the storm brewing inside him.
Maelona’s cheeks burned hotter, her heart racing. She could feel his body heat seeping through her skin, and for the first time in a long while, she felt flustered. “L-Let me go! I’ve got work to do!” she stammered.
Still, he didn’t release her.
Maelona sighed heavily, feeling his hold only grow tighter, “Okay, okay… you’re forgiven. Now let me go, alright?”
Aether finally responded, his voice soft and hesitant, “Really?”
[+1000 AP]
Maelona’s lips twitched at his question. She suppressed her thoughts and nodded, “Yes, really. Now let me go!”
But Aether shook his head playfully, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “No… I don’t want to.”
Maelona’s face turned a deeper shade of red, “W-What?” she sputtered, her heart thudding in her chest.
“You feel warm… Mother-in-law,” Aether whispered gently, his voice laced with a tenderness that made Maelona’s legs go weak unexpectedly.
His hold tightened slightly, and his breath brushed against her long elven ear, “I really need this before facing them…”
“I-You—” Maelona’s words faltered.
Realizing the intensity of the situation, she slapped a hand over her mouth, pushing him away with sudden force. Her face flushed, and without looking back, she stammered, “I-I’ll be leaving now!” She spun on her heel, practically fleeing down the corridor, but not before tossing a warning over her shoulder, “You make Aria cry, and you’ll pay for it, brat!!”
[+2000 AP]
Aether stood still, blinking in surprise before a chuckle escaped his lips. He had managed to diffuse the tension, for now at least, ‘She’s cooled down… for the time being,’ he thought, watching her retreat with a small smile.
He exhaled deeply, allowing himself a brief moment of relief before his thoughts returned to the looming task ahead.
As Aether made his way to his final destination, his heart began to pound in his chest, each beat louder than the last.
His breathing grew shallow. ‘You’ve got to face it, Aether,’ he told himself, even though his legs trembled, every step heavier than the last. His body felt sluggish, resisting him with every inch forward.
Just as he was lost in his thoughts, a voice rang out behind him, filled with amusement, “What’s this joker doing?”
Startled, Aether turned around and found himself face-to-face with an orange-haired boy wearing a smug grin.
‘Do I know him?’ Aether’s brows furrowed in confusion. He hesitated for a second before asking, “Who might you be?”
The orange-haired boy blinked, then burst into laughter. “First time I’ve met someone who doesn’t know an Arcane King,” he replied, his tone dripping with mockery as he walked in a slow circle around Aether, inspecting him like a curiosity.
“Arcane King?” Aether frowned, trying to piece together the strange puzzle. ‘What the hell is he talking about?’
The boy chuckled again, clearly enjoying Aether’s confusion. “You seriously don’t remember? I beat your ass in the Capture the Flag event!” He smirked, crossing his arms, “Thought you’d never forget that.”
Suddenly, something clicked in Aether’s mind, his eyes widening in realization, ‘There’s only one person who ever beat me (My clone to be exactly) —in that event…’ His voice wavered slightly as he spoke. “Jack Sparrow?”
The orange-haired boy’s grin widened, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction, “Yup! Yours truly, Sparrow… Jack Sparrow!”
The Orange-haired boy suddenly grinned with satisfaction, “Yes, Yours Truly, Sparrow.. Jack Sparrow!”
Aether’s shock only deepened. “What the hell happened to you?”
Jack tilted his head, a puzzled look crossing his face. “What do you mean?”
Aether was about to speak but stopped himself, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. He wasn’t sure what game Jack was playing, “Are you messing with me?” he asked, his voice colder.
Jack’s smirk faltered briefly, his expression growing annoyed. He couldn’t believe a mere servant was questioning him. “Oh, come on…” Jack muttered, but before he could say anything else—
“Jack!” A sharp voice called out from behind, breaking their moment.
Both Aether and Jack turned to see Nyx approaching with an impatient glare fixed on Jack. Her presence radiated authority.
“Well, see you later,” Jack muttered, his amused expression returning as he immediately walked back toward Nyx.
She looked irritated, her steps quick and deliberate.
“What were you doing, talking to a servant?” Nyx asked, her voice laced with disdain as she glared at Aether for a brief moment before dismissing him.
Jack shrugged casually. “Nothing much. Just ran into someone who didn’t recognize me.” He grinned, clearly unbothered.
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Nyx’s frown deepened as she glanced back at Aether. Her gaze lingered on him for a second longer before turning back to Jack, “Remember, Our Grace only called for me. You’re the one who begged to come along, so you’d better follow my lead.”
“Okay, okay,” Jack replied with a carefree tone, though inwardly he was already scheming. As they walked away, he spared one last glance at Aether, ‘My joker card… just wait. I’m going to use you in my perfect plan soon enough,’ he thought, his grin widening mischievously as he followed Nyx.
Meanwhile, Aether stood frozen in place, watching them leave. His mind was racing, trying to make sense of the situation, ‘What is going on? Jack… an Arcane King? But how…?’ His thoughts spiralled as he struggled to process everything he had just heard and seen.
‘This doesn’t make any sense,’ Aether thought, frowning deeply. He sighed heavily, frustrated at the lack of clarity, ‘Hey, Log,’ he called out mentally, ‘Mind telling me what the hell is going on here?’
For a moment, there was only silence, and Aether sighed knowing it wasn’t going to answ–
!~Ding~!
Aether was surprised to see the notification!