Step…. Step… Step….
A hunched figure, shrouded in layers of thick, white clothing, moved slowly, each step accompanied by a trembling body and the rhythmic tapping of a stick against the ground. [Image in cmt]
The figure’s movements were so frail and deliberate that it seemed a mere gust of wind might take them away~
Yet,
!~Ding~!
[Unique Mission: Seduce The Prophetess]
[Warning: In this mission, you are exempt from achieving a minimum of 10 AP per day as per the Seduction Requirement. However, you must seduce The Prophetess before the event known as ‘The Beginning.’]
Aether’s eyes locked onto the old figure, his expression frozen in a mix of shock and disbelief…. His mind struggled to process what he was seeing, let alone the absurdity of the mission notification. Beside him, Aqualina, sipping from her steaming cup of coffee, seemed oblivious to his inner turmoil as she spoke casually.
“That’s her,” she said softly, her gaze fixed on the shrouded figure, “She’s the one who gave the Oracle about the Chosen Ones. Honestly, it’s rare to see her outside the temple walls… I can’t imagine why she’d come here of all places.” Her voice trailed off when she noticed Aether’s unblinking stare, his face pale as if he were watching a scene straight out of a horror movie.
“Aether?” she called gently, giving him a light nudge.
He flinched, “This… this isn’t funny anymore…”
“Funny?” she echoed, tilting her head in confusion.
Realizing he’d spoken aloud, Aether quickly corrected himself, his tone more composed. “I mean, I was just thinking the same thing… Why is she here?”
Internally, however, his thoughts were anything but calm.
‘Are you fucking kidding me right now, Log?
Is this some kind of sick joke? Or am I joke to you?
Do you even realize what you just did?
And what the hell is this “Unique Mission”? Unique, my ass! Of course, it’s unique—for HER, it’s practically a goddamn miracle! She looks like she’d drop dead if I so much as proposed, and you want me to seduce her?! FUCK YOU, LOG!!!’
Outwardly, his expression remained serene, a perfect mask of indifference.
!~Ding~! Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire
[Log selects the woman under your preference!]
‘This isn’t even CLOSE to my fucking preference, you piece of shit!!’ Aether almost screamed but bit down his frustration to maintain his composure.
[😤]
‘What the hell is with that face?! Are you pouting now?’ Aether’s brow twitched at the childish reaction from the Log.
He sighed, forcing himself to calm down. His gaze shifted to the Prophetess, who was slowly making her way forward, flanked by an entourage of stunningly beautiful nuns. They moved in unison, their protective stance akin to bodyguards escorting royalty.
The Empress frowned as her sharp eyes landed on the Prophetess, ‘What is she doing here?’ she wondered, glancing at Velc and Delphine. Both seemed equally unsettled by the unexpected arrival.
All eyes were on the Prophetess as she approached Velc and Delphine.
“I… am… sorry for your loss,” came the raspy, fragmented voice from beneath the heavy layers of clothing.
Velc dipped his head respectfully. “It’s an honour to have you here during my father’s final moments, Prophetess. Your presence means more than words can express.”
Delphine nodded in agreement, stepping forward to gently guide the elderly woman toward the ice block where Mortimer’s remains rested.
Aether watched the Prophetess stand before the Ice block.
Aether’s palms turned sweaty as he leaned closer to Aqualina and whispered, “She… she doesn’t have the ability to see the past, does she?”
Aqualina raised an eyebrow, “Not as far as we know,” she replied, handing him the coffee she had been holding. “She’s known for her prophecies about the future, not the past. Why do you ask?”
Aether hesitated, taking a slow sip of the coffee to steady his nerves, “Oh, no reason. Just… curious,” he lied smoothly.. he almost thought the old lady might find out somethin–
“He… was killed”
“Pffft!!!” Aether sputtered, spitting out the coffee in a violent cough. Aqualina immediately reached out to pat his back, her voice laced with concern.
Everyone turned silent… the Prophetess’s words sank into the air like a stone dropped into still water.
Velc’s brows furrowed deeply, his voice measured as he addressed her. “What do you mean by that?”
Delphine’s expression mirrored his concern, her tone cautious. “Killed? Are you certain, Prophetess?”
The Prophetess’s head shifted slightly, the folds of her clothing obscuring her face entirely.
“By the curse…” she rasped.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the yard. Aether, however, exhaled so deeply it was almost theatrical.
‘Fuck, that nearly gave me a heart attack!’ he thought, slumping slightly in his chair.
It wasn’t the fear of being exposed that rattled him. No, it was the terror of his carefully constructed Victor/Aether being shattered—especially in front of Alaric and Kai.
The Empress slowly approached the Prophetess. Standing close, she softly asked, “I don’t recall you ever attending anyone’s funeral before… Not even when my parents died.”
The Prophetess shifted her gaze toward the Empress. After a moment of silence, her voice rasped out, “Ho? Oh… haha… My apologies, Your Majesty. I certainly didn’t mean to seem rude to the ruler of this realm.” Her head tilted slightly as she glanced at Mortimer’s photo, and her tone shifted to one of unexpected tenderness.
“How could I not pay my respects to him?
He is, after all…. My Ex-husband.”
“….”
The courtyard fell into stunned silence.
Velc and Delphine’s eyes widened in shock, their faces frozen as though they were struggling to comprehend what they had just heard.
Until—
“What the fu—–“
Someone shouted the words that everyone held back in their heart!!
Aqualina immediately clamped her hand over Aether’s mouth, her face flushed with embarrassment. “What are you doing?!” she hissed under her breath, glancing around nervously to make sure no one had noticed. Fortunately, everyone seemed too preoccupied with the Prophetess to pay them any attention. Letting out a sigh of relief, she released him.
But Aether couldn’t let it go. His thoughts spiralled into chaos as he tried to process what he’d just heard, ‘Are you fucking me, Log? Is this some kind of twisted joke? Both women are from the same family?! What kind of insane situation is this?!… Arrrrhhh!!!’
He groaned inwardly, feeling as though he was taking too much from the Frostblade family.
‘I mean, I said I’d take everything, but this… This is too much! MILF and… and GILF?! No! No, she doesn’t even fit into that category! This is a disaster!’
His gaze darted around the courtyard, scanning the faces of those present. To his disbelief, no one seemed to know what the Prophetess had just revealed.
“Nobody knew about this?” he whispered to Aqualina, his voice barely audible.
She nodded, her expression mirroring his surprise. “No. This is the first time we’ve ever heard of it.”
Delphine’s lips trembled as she forced herself to speak, her voice uneven, “W-What do you mean? The Prophetess…?”
The Prophetess turned her cloaked head toward Delphine, her raspy voice cutting through the tension. “That is exactly what it means… my daughter.”
“….”
Delphine’s mind seemed to grind to a halt, her lips parting wordlessly as she tried to process the revelation. Velc, too, looked as though he had been struck by lightning, his face frozen in disbelief.
The Prophetess, however, didn’t give them time to dwell on it. Her voice, though hoarse, said, “The sky is about to turn dark. Let us finish this farewell first. We will discuss everything after.”
Everyone nodded, setting aside their confusion and shock to focus on the task at hand. Velc and Delphine, visibly shaken but focused on Mortimer, stepped forward to prepare for the departure.
The ice block containing Mortimer’s remains was carefully loaded into the carriage. As they travelled through the streets, crowds of people lined the path, their anguished cries and wails filling the air. Many reached out as though to touch the carriage, mourning the loss of their beloved hero.
Eventually, they arrived at the edge of the land, where the sea stretched endlessly before them.
The sky was tinged with hues of deep orange and gold…
Standing at the shore, the Prophetess raised her head slightly. Her voice, though soft, carried a weight that silenced even the waves, “May you find peace,” she said, her hands hidden within the folds of her cloak and inwardly added, ‘But I know you were not…’
Velc and Delphine stepped forward, their hands steady as they pushed the ice block into the water. The frozen remains of Mortimer floated on the surface, slowly drifting further into the sea.
Aether watched the scene with a contemplative expression… Then he turned to Aqualina,
“Aqua, hold me, no matter what don’t leave me” he said, his voice low and urgent.
“Huh? What are you talking about?” she asked, startled, but instinctively wrapped her arms around him.
Aether smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “It’s time to put on a performance worthy of an Oscar~” he whispered, before dramatically shifting his expression into one of pure despair.
Without warning, tears streamed down his face like rivers, and he threw his head back, letting out a soul-crushing wail. “OOHHHHH!!! PLEASE, DON’T!!!! LET ME GOOOOO!!! I CAN’T LEAVE MY GRANDFATHER ALL ALONE!!! AWWWWWW!!!”
His heart-wrenching cries reverberated across the seashore, causing everyone to turn and stare, all eyes were now on a weak, lean boy with jet-black hair who was bawling his eyes out.