“I-Is something wrong?” Stella asked, her voice soft and uncertain as she noticed Aether staring at her with a frown after their kiss.
She shifted nervously under his gaze.
Aether snapped out of his thoughts, shaking his head as a grin tugged at the corners of his lips. He leaned down, his face inches from hers. “So?… Did you like it?”
Stella’s cheeks flushed a deep red, and she quickly averted her eyes, her heart racing. She couldn’t bring herself to respond, not with the way his intense gaze lingered on her.
Aether, sensing her hesitation, chuckled softly. He reached out and took her hand, pulling her closer until their bodies nearly touched, “You’re avoiding my question, Stella.”
“A-Aether…” Her voice trembled, her heart hammering in her chest as if it might explode at any moment.
“Should I book us a room?” he teased, his voice dripping with playful temptation.
[+10000 AP]
Her heart skipped a beat at the suggestion, her breath hitching in her throat. She shook her head shyly, her voice barely a whisper, “W-We can’t… Not yet.”
“Not yet?” Aether leaned in even closer, his lips hovering just above hers. His breath was warm against her skin, sending shivers down her spine, “So, you’re saying there’s still a chance?”
As much as Stella wanted to give in, to lose herself in him, something held her back.
A heavy, suffocating feeling pressed against her chest—something she couldn’t ignore. She had to tell him the truth about her true self, no matter how much it hurt. If she didn’t, things would spiral out of control, becoming messy and filled with regret.
And then, there was the constant, agonizing scream in her head, her Mother God’s voice raging within her, making it impossible to think clearly.
“KILL HIM”
Those words echoed relentlessly, drowning out everything else. It was becoming harder and harder to focus on Aether’s warmth, his touch, with that violent command ringing in her ears.
‘I have to do something about this… before it’s too late,’ Stella thought, swallowing hard. She gently pushed Aether away, her hands trembling as she spoke, “F-First, I need to get permission… from Mother God and my family. Then, after that… we can marry, officially.
And… and…” Her face turned scarlet, the words catching in her throat.
“And?” Aether’s grin widened, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he watched her struggle.
Stella pouted, crossing her arms defensively, her blush deepening, “Y-You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
Aether laughed softly, nodding in agreement. “Oh, I am… very much so,” he admitted, before swooping down and capturing her lips in another kiss, cutting off any retort she might have had.
Stella’s eyes widened in surprise, but soon, her body responded instinctively. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer as she gave in to the kiss.
With a subtle wave of her hand, she conjured a barrier around them, ensuring that no one would see what was happening.
“~hmm~”
It was a gentle kiss at first, but Stella couldn’t suppress her true desires any longer…. She wanted to taste him so… She parted her lips, pushing her tongue into his mouth.
She wanted to win, to dominate this moment.
Aether, surprised by her boldness, raised an eyebrow but quickly met her challenge. He wasn’t about to let her win so easily.
“~Hmm~”
Slurp
“~Hmm~”
Their tongues battled for dominance, neither willing to give up control. Time seemed to blur as they lost themselves in the kiss, their bodies pressed tightly together, every inch of them screaming for more.
After what felt like an eternity, Aether finally broke the kiss, pulling back just enough for them to catch their breath. Stella gasped, her chest rising and falling rapidly. A thin string of saliva still connected their lips, and their foreheads pressed against each other,
“I-I… ~ha~… I really need to go, Aether…” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She was struggling to control herself, to rein in the desire that was quickly consuming her. If she stayed any longer, she knew she would lose control… She might just drag him away with her!
Aether smirked, his voice dripping with a teasing tone. “Really? Are you sure you don’t want to stay… a little longer?”
Stella’s heart stuttered again, her lips trembling as she tried to suppress the smile that tugged at her mouth. “C-Come on, Aether… M-My sister will kill me if I keep ignoring my responsibilities.”
“Hmm.” Aether nodded, though the playful look on his face shifted to something more serious. His brow furrowed as he looked at her, his voice lowering. “Talking about your sister…. Did your sister tell you everything?… Are you really okay with all of this?” His concern was evident now, the teasing gone from his tone.
Stella blinked, confused for a moment. “What do you mean?”
Aether sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I mean… your sister, the way she’s after me, kissing me… And those strange family rules. It’s all a bit… weird, isn’t it?”
“Oh…” She lowered her gaze, a sad smile tugging at her lips. “You’ll still love me, right?”
Aether stepped forward, gripping her shoulders gently but firmly. His voice was filled with sincerity, “Of course. I’ll always love you.”
Stella smiled weakly, “Then… I think everything will be alright,” she said softly. Aether frowned slightly at her hesitation, but before he could press further, she quickly changed the subject.
With a nervous hesitation, Stella asked, “D-Do you… love her?”
She needed to know.
She had to know if Aether’s feelings for the Archpriestess were genuine. If they were not, it would complicate everything. If they were, perhaps there was still hope to salvage things.
But if Aether ever discovered the truth—that both the Archpriestess and Stella were one and the same… She knew she’d already messed up, and badly.
Aether wore a thoughtful expression as he spoke, “To be honest… I used to hate her.”
Stella felt like a sharp arrow had pierced her heart.
But it wasn’t over. One by one, with each word Aether said, it was as if another arrow stabbed her even deeper.
“She’s really pushy.”
“She’s dangerous.”
“She’d do anything to get what she wants.”
“And… she doesn’t care about anyone else’s feelings.”
Every word cut deeper than she expected. Stella could barely muster the strength to respond. “I-It’s fine, st—” she began, but Aether interrupted her before she could finish.
“Yet… she’s annoyingly sexy.”
Stella blinked in surprise.
“She’s cute when she gets that concerned look on her face.”
His words took an unexpected turn, and she felt her heart skip a beat.
Discover hidden stories at empire
“And… as much as I hate to admit it, she has a good heart. She takes care of others in her own way. I used to hate her, but now… I’m not so sure anymore.”
Hearing this, Stella’s heart seemed to stop for a moment, before it exploded in pure joy. Her lips curled into the brightest, happiest smile she had ever worn, her entire body trembling with excitement.
For a moment, she thought she might scream in joy, but she barely held it back.
“W-Well, if you’re okay with that, then… I-I don’t mind. As long as you’re happy, Aether,” she managed to say, her voice tinged with both nervousness and hope.
Aether stared at her blankly for a moment before a small smile crossed his lips, “It seems I’ve got myself a very understanding girlfriend.”
Stella grinned, her confidence returning. “Yes, you do! But you’d better treat her right… or else…” Her voice dropped to a dark, almost sinister tone, her eyes gleaming as her yandere side slipped out, “I can’t promise what might happen to Helena and othe~Hmmm~”
Before she could finish her threat, Aether quickly leaned in and sealed her lips with a kiss, silencing her playful menace.
Stella’s mind swirled as the kiss melted her darker thoughts away. She pulled back, her face now flushed and her tone shy. “A-Anyway, I really have to go…” She separated from his lips, reluctantly of course, before turning to walk away, her feet feeling light and happy.
As she disappeared from sight, Aether stood still, watching her retreat. His fingers instinctively brushed against his lips as he whispered, “Archpriestess…”
A kiss was never just a kiss. There was something unique to each one… how their lips moved, the pressure, the subtle emotional connection, and most of all… the taste!!
Aether sighed and facepalmed, “To think she was just playing with me the whole time… and I believed her story like an idiot.” He muttered softly to himself before a dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. “Seraphina Ashwood…”
Without another word, he turned and headed back to the Academy, his mind swirling with thoughts.
…..
…
Meanwhile…
In a certain restaurant, the atmosphere was tense.
Thunder!!
The thunder sound makes the windows shudder.
“Raven, I’m sure he’ll understand if you explain everything to him,” Thalia said in a gentle yet serious tone, her eyes fixed on her troubled friend.
“B-But I’m not so sure,” Raven mumbled, her voice shaky. She hadn’t been able to sleep since that fateful night. The guilt gnawed at her, and Aether’s painful voice still echoed in her mind, making it impossible to find peace.
Raven had been through so much in her life, constantly moving forward with a determined spirit.
But now, something was different—something felt off.
Why couldn’t she just forget about Aether and focus on her mission?
Why was this affecting her so much?
She didn’t have the answers, but there was one thing she knew for sure: she needed to clear her name. She wasn’t the type of woman who would give herself to someone just because they were a Phoenix.
She’d only agreed beca–
“Hey, it’s him!” Thalia’s voice suddenly cut through her thoughts, snapping her back to reality. Raven turned to the window and saw Aether, drenched from head to toe, standing in the pouring rain.
Raven shook her head, trying to dismiss the sight. “Must be another illusion…” she muttered under her breath, her mind still clouded by guilt and confusion.
“I don’t think so,” Thalia mumbled, her eyes wide as she watched Aether walking toward the restaurant.
Raven’s heart skipped a beat.