Two Weeks Ago,
Kim, who had just returned from the Empire, stood before the Principal, his face pale and body worse than before, “Our Majesty, the mighty Dragon Emperor, graces you all with his pity. He has given you the time you need to repair the academy, Principal,” Kim said, his voice trembling slightly.
The Principal sat calmly behind her desk, observing Kim with a blank expression, “What happened to you now? Did he beat you again?” she asked, her voice even as she leaned back in her chair.
Kim gulped, sweat beading on his forehead, “N-Nothing, I just fell down…” He lied, only he knew the extent of his ordeal, how he had begged for his life and narrowly escaped death after delivering Victor’s message.
The Principal continued to stare at him, her face unreadable, before finally nodding. “I see…”
With that, she watched as Kim hastily left her office. Her thoughts drifted back to the situation at hand.
‘Something is happening…’ she mused, her frown deepening. Instinctively, she felt that everything was somehow connected to Aether. ‘
What am I going to do with him?’ she sighed inwardly, staring at the documents on her desk.
Her expression hardened, ‘Since I have time, why not catch the fish…?’ A smirk crept onto her face as she began to dive into the investigation surrounding Kennedy’s incident.
Suddenly, the sound of the bell ringing,
~Ding~Dong~Ding~
Snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked, looking up to see the massive bell finally installed on the tower, functioning perfectly.
Satisfied, she nodded before turning her gaze toward Liora and Maelona, “Thank you both for your help,” she said with genuine gratitude.
Both Liora and Maelona smiled awkwardly. “It’s fine,” Maelona replied. “This is our academy, after all.”
The Principal smiled back, then exchanged a glance with Delphine, who gave a knowing nod. “The compensation will be provided by the end of tomorrow,” Delphine said to both Liora and Maelona.
Maelona shook her head in polite refusal, “As I said before, this is for our academy. There’s no need for money.
The Principal, however, shook her head firmly. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do that. Please, take it.”
After a moment of hesitation, Maelona finally nodded.
Then, the Principal’s gaze shifted to Liora, who shrugged. “I’m doing it for my husb—ouch!” Liora yelped as Maelona elbowed her sharply, glaring at her.
Liora blinked, correcting herself, “I mean, I did it for my son. I don’t want him studying in a broken academy.”
“Liora!” Maelona glared at her even harder, her frustration clear.
The Principal couldn’t help but smile awkwardly before turning to leave, heading down the corridor with Delphine following behind her.
As they walked, Delphine hesitated for a moment before speaking, “Um… Principal?”
“Yes?” the Principal replied without slowing her pace.
Delphine fidgeted nervously, “I… I haven’t seen Aether for the past two weeks,” she mumbled, her voice filled with concern. “Do you know what happened to him?”
The Principal shook her head, “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him either.”
Delphine bit her lip, the worry on her face deepening. The Principal, noticing this, paused before asking, “Do you… really love him?”
Delphine’s cheeks flushed bright red at the question, and she lowered her head in embarrassment.
The Principal’s lips twitched slightly, amused. Unlike before, Delphine wasn’t denying her feelings this time.
‘Looks like he’s caught a few fish on his hook,’ the Principal thought, smiling to herself. She patted Delphine’s head softly, “Whatever happens… you better be ready for anything,” she said cryptically before continuing on her way, leaving Delphine confused by her words.
…
…..
Later that evening, the Principal returned to her house. As soon as she stepped inside, the sharp scent of melting iron hit her senses.
“He’s still at it…” she muttered to herself, following the smell toward the training hall.
Knock, Knock
She rapped her knuckles gently against the door, “Are you alive in there, Aether?” she called out, half-joking.
There was no response.
“Hmph, he’s alive,” she nodded to herself, knowing Aether was still inside.
Ever since he had returned, he had locked himself in the training hall, refusing to leave.
Not even the Principal was allowed entry.
As much as she was tempted to open the door and see what he was up to, she held herself back. She could feel it… whatever Aether was doing, he was preparing for something big.
Something necessary!
“Whatever it is… he’s preparing for the future,” she whispered softly, her hand lingering on the doorframe before she turned to leave.
Meanwhile, Inside the Training Hall,
Clang!
Ting!
Tang!
The sharp sounds of metal colliding echoed through the expansive training hall, where not just one… but three Aethers worked tirelessly. Floating iron rods, various weird metals, and intricate machines surrounded them, creating a chaotic yet productive atmosphere.
“Quench it!” one Aether shouted, directing the others as they plunged a glowing hot material into a barrel of water.
“Rim it!”
“Itch the crystal with explosive spells!”
As one Aether continued to issue commands, the other two diligently followed, working in perfect synchronization.
Meanwhile, the original Aether reclined in a chair, a satisfied smile gracing his lips as Snowflake gently wiped the sweat from his forehead with her tail.
“Everything is going well…” he murmured, taking in the sight of his creations.
After reaching level 60… his cloning ability had upgraded, allowing him to maintain two clones simultaneously—a significant improvement!
Just then, he made a mental connection to someone far away…. Far, Far away!
Pyra Fulgur Empire,
Celestia, dressed in a sleek black outfit that covered her from head to toe, stood observing the miners working on the slopes of a majestic mountain.
This wasn’t just any mountain; it was rich in Arcanium… the rarest of materials.
“Work faster!” Celestia commanded fiercely, her voice echoing across the site, “We need to finish by tomorrow morning!”
Suddenly, she felt a familiar presence in her mind.
/Celestia… how’s it going on your end?/
Her expression hardened.
/We’re almost finished mining the Arcanium mountain/ she replied, but her frown deepened, /Are you sure about this, Aether? We’ve only mined one mountain, and I’ve seen plenty more/
/Ha! It’s fine… it’s a small exchange. I gave him the details, and the Lizard let me have a mountain in return/
Celestia nodded, though scepticism lingered in her mind. She couldn’t help but think he could have negotiated for more.
/Don’t worry, Celestia. I’m not losing anything. If anything, he’s the one about to lose a lot~/
A gentle smile appeared on Celestia’s lips, /Exactly what did you trade him?/ Curiosity piqued; she wondered how the mighty Dragon Emperor had allowed her access to his empire without a hint of anger.
Explore more stories with empire
/Just a piece of information that even you don’t know/
Her curiosity intensified. Before she could ask further, Aether’s voice came through again.
/I’ll tell you once you return/
Celestia sighed, realizing she’d have to wait, /Okay, then/
….
…
Back in the training hall, Aether grinned, thinking about the many questions Celestia would have when she returned.
Just as he resumed his work, a sudden voice broke through his focus.
“Masterrr~ Timeee~”
Aether jumped, startled, “Oh, shit!” He quickly changed his clothes, his heart racing as he moved stealthily out of the training hall to meet his target.
Raven Noir!