The place was once teeming with people, the streets alive with the hustle and bustle of nobles and VIPs.
Being on the outskirts of the Empire, it was an ideal spot for illicit activities since nobody paid much attention to what went on there. It became a hub for selling slaves, a grim but thriving trade.
This place was infamous for its large-scale slave auctions, which had been operating for almost a decade.
The hotels in the area barely managed to accommodate the influx of VIP guests who visited regularly…. However, a few years ago, everything fell apart when an old man single-handedly destroyed the slave auctions.
The once-bustling streets fell silent, with people now avoiding the area altogether. The remaining slave traders, fearing for their lives, fled the place, and the hotel business suffered immensely as a result. Before long, everything collapsed, leaving behind only a handful of people who had no choice but to stay.
Among those who stayed was an old middle-aged couple. Unable to afford the higher cost of living in the main areas, they resolved to remain in their crumbling town.
One ordinary day, as the couple was quietly spending their evening, a sudden knock at the door startled them.
When they opened it, they found themselves face-to-face with several people cloaked in peculiar white robes that concealed their entire bodies.
“Ha… U-Um, do you need something?” the middle-aged man stammered, his voice trembling slightly. His eyes darted over the figures, noticing the unsettling, almost otherworldly aura they exuded. His wife instinctively stepped back, hiding behind him, clutching his shirt for reassurance.
The figure at the forefront uttered something incomprehensible,”!@$@!$%#@@#$%##.”
The man blinked in confusion, completely dumbfounded by the string of unrecognizable words, “P-Pardon me, but I didn’t quite catch that?” he managed, his voice faltering.
Another cloaked individual stepped forward, “Is there a city or a town nearby?”
The man hesitated for a moment before replying, “Oh… yes, there’s Village. It’s not too far from here… around 4 to 5 hours. But, uh… they don’t usually allow outsiders to enter their village.”
The cloaked figure nodded slightly and asked a few questions about their current situation and then turned to the others and spoke again in that strange, indecipherable language. After a brief exchange, the group departed without another word.
The couple exchanged nervous glances, relief washing over them as they hurriedly shut the door. They bolted it securely and retreated to their room.
As night descended, everything seemed to be fine but then…. the oppressive silence of the area was broken.
“L-Look at that… over there!” the man whispered urgently, pointing toward the horizon where flames erupted in the distance, near the twin mountains.
The woman’s face paled, “W-We should leave… We need to run away before something terrible happens.”
HHHOONNKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Suddenly, a loud, echoing horn blared through the night, its eerie sound reverberating through the air. The couple, driven by fear, scrambled to their basement, clutching each other as they hid, trembling in silence.
Hours passed, and when dawn finally broke, they cautiously emerged from their hiding spot, sighing in relief…. Yet the man felt an unshakable urge to investigate what had occurred.
“B-But… what if they’re still there?” his wife pleaded, her voice quivering.
“I have to see,” he replied, steeling his resolve. “We can’t live in constant fear without knowing what happened.”
There was no trace of the cloaked figures as he cautiously made his way toward the village. But when he arrived, he was met with a sight that left him frozen in horror.
The entire village had been obliterated…. Not a single soul remained.
There were no bodies, no blood—nothing but silence and destruction!
Present…
“To think an entire village could just vanish like that… or worse, be killed. Who knows what truly happened?” Aether mumbled aloud, his voice filled with disbelief. He lay sprawled on the bed, his mind replaying the harrowing story told by the couple.
He let out a deep sigh, his face still etched with shock and unease….. Turning his head, his gaze fell upon Sandra’s graceful figure lying beside him. Her delicate, beautiful back faced him, her breathing steady and calm.
Thanks to the middle-aged man claiming there was only one bed available, Aether had ended up sharing it with her. He couldn’t help but suspect the man had done it intentionally—like any sly, scheming man might!
Aether shifted slightly closer to her, his voice low as he asked, “What do you think of it, my wife?”
“…”
But there was no answer.
Aether sighed quietly. He knew she was still furious…. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was alive after meddling with her daughter—or was it her mother? Well, whoever it was, he had clearly pushed her too far.
Sandra’s anger was reasonable, and he couldn’t blame her for holding a grudge.
After all, he had pursued her relentlessly from the start, heedless of Log’s repeated warnings.
Still, tonight presented a rare opportunity—his only chance to mend things with this haughty Empress. The fact that she had agreed to share the bed with him, even in her anger, was nothing short of a divine blessing.
Aether knew he had to tread carefully if he wanted to turn this night around.
Aether softly sighed as his gaze drifted to the night sky through the wooden window. The moonless light bathed the room in a soft glow, casting fleeting shadows on the walls. He murmured, almost to himself,
“You might have forgotten, but… on a night like this, you—the Empress—sat beside me. Back then, I was just a slave… well still now but…. whatever, I am just a slave.. insignificant and invisible to most.
But you didn’t care about my status. You sat beside me as if I were your equal… as if I were someone worthy of your time.
For the first time in my life, I felt seen—truly seen—by someone…. And not just anyone. It was you. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire
Someone so far above me, someone I could never hope to reach. And yet…” He paused, his voice softening as a bittersweet smile tugged at his lips. “You looked at me, straight into my eyes, with those absolutely lovely eyes of yours.
“She was the reason I pushed myself to achieve what I thought was impossible. She gave me everything I never dared to ask for. She saw me as more than just a slave…”
His voice dropped to a whisper. “To be honest, she’s the reason I’m alive today, the reason I’ve reached such heights.”
Aether turned on his side, his eyes softening as they landed on Sandra… Her back had been to him, but now she had turned slightly, her front facing him. She was staring at him, her misty purple eyes peeking out from behind the loose strands of her hair.
Aether’s smile deepened, warm and genuine, as he whispered, “And now, that same woman is lying beside me… What more could I hope for?”
Gently, he reached out, his hand moving slowly, his gaze never leaving her face…. She didn’t flinch, her expression remaining unreadable as he tucked a strand of her silky purple hair behind her ear. His fingertips barely brushed her skin.
As her stunning purple eyes came into full view, Aether couldn’t stop himself from murmuring, “Your eyes… they’re breathtaking…. Haha” He chuckled softly, almost self-consciously.
Sandra’s lips parted, and for the first time, she spoke, her tone carrying a hint of annoyance laced with indifference. “What are you laughing at?”
“Hah” Aether chuckled again, his smile softening further. “It’s just… those eyes of yours. They’re the reason I fell for you….. Sandra.
Like a magnet pulling me in, I was drawn to them. And then, once I saw your character, your strength, and those fleeting moments when your lovely expressions shone through… Man, I was a goner.”
He laughed quietly, the sound tinged with nostalgia. “A foolish boy falling for a ruthless Empress… Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t help it. You were more than I could ever put into words. I saw you in a way that I couldn’t explain, a way that I could only feel….” as he mumbled with a mesmerising gaze.
Sandra’s blank stare lingered on his face, her expression unchanging…. Yet, deep within, her heart betrayed her.
Ba-dump!
The unexpected thrum of her heartbeat made her avert her gaze abruptly. She snorted, turning her back to him. “Sleep already, before your daydreams get even more ridiculous!” she snapped, though the tremble in her lips betrayed the smile she was struggling to suppress.
[+3000 AP]
!~Ding~!
[Survival rate: 87.8%↓]
Aether grinned mischievously, inching closer to her. Slowly, he rested his hand on her hip, testing her reaction…. Sandra flinched slightly at the touch but didn’t pull away or protest.
His grin widened as he sighed inwardly, relieved. It seemed her anger had finally cooled.
Temptation whispered to him, urging him to kiss her nape, but he restrained himself. He didn’t want to push his luck tonight.
Instead, he settled for holding her, his arm loosely draped around her hips in a way that felt both comforting and respectful.
Meanwhile, Sandra let out a quiet sigh of relief.
She had braced herself for him to try something bolder, something far more naughty…. But he didn’t. And after his heartfelt words, she wasn’t sure how she would have reacted if he had. Her heart was already softening toward him in ways she hadn’t anticipated.
‘Tsk. Now I understand why my daughter fell for this bastard! His words are too sweet! Even an innocent girl wouldn’t stand a chance against him. Ugh!’ Sandra thought, annoyance flickering across her face. Still, she couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh. For now, there were bigger things to think about—like their future.
Quietly, almost unconsciously, her hand moved to rest atop Aether’s. She guided it slightly, shifting his hand closer to her abdomen as if seeking comfort in the closeness.
‘Hehe…’ Aether’s lips curled into a sly smile as he drifted off to sleep, satisfied with his small victory.