Inside the room, the conflict seemed far from reaching any resolution.
Three very ‘important’ individuals were locked in an intense argument over the ownership of Aether, while he himself danced around the mansion, blissfully~
“Sigh… This isn’t going anywhere,” Empress muttered, her face marked with visible annoyance as her sharp eyes flitted between Selene and Delphine.
As much as she loved the idea of destroying this household and taking Aether away, it wasn’t as easy as it looked.
The battle where killing her own parents to secure the crown was something no one would dare question, for she had the blood of royalty.
But eliminating Velc and the others? This was a completely different matter!
Not that she had any qualms about killing a Duke or anyone else standing in her way. But this wasn’t just any noble family—this was the Frostblade household.
The Hero’s Household!
The intricacy of the situation was leagues beyond the politics of other noble families.
She needed to tread carefully, with precision and most of all… patience.
“Well then,” she began, her voice calm but carrying an edge of authority that made the room go silent, “We just need to ask Kai, don’t we?”
Everyone flinched at her words, Selene and Delphine included. They nodded in unison, the logic striking them immediately. Why bother reasoning with Velc when Kai was the real owner? Manipulating him would be far easier than trying to sway the stubborn Duke.
Velc’s lips curled into a sneer, “He’ll do what I say,” he snapped, glaring daggers at Delphine and Selene. He attempted to level the same glare at Empress, but one cold glance from her stopped him in his tracks.. and he looked away.
Empress smirked, her amusement barely concealed. She turned her attention to unconscious Kai, “It’s not like he has much of a choice here,” she said with a sly, “So, let me make this very clear—either He return the Arcane King’s power, or… hand over Aether’s ownership as for Enagment… My daughter will decide that!”
“I-I told you before, I—”
“Save it,” Empress interrupted with a dismissive wave of her hand. Her expression hardened as her gaze locked onto Velc,
“I’ll give you exactly one day to decide. No more, no less. If you fail to make a choice by then…” She leaned in slightly, her tone dropping to a dangerous whisper that sent chills through the room. “I’ll ensure the entire Empire knows what you’ve done. And trust me, once they do, you’ll have far bigger problems than me. They’ll come for me, yes… but I might just have to use that as an excuse to bring the Heroic Household that Mortimer so proudly built crashing down. Fu~Fu~”
With those ominous words, she flicked her hand and vanished.
The remaining group stood frozen… The Empress wasn’t bluffing—she was determined to take Aether, no matter the cost.
Delphine and Selene clenched their fists, anger simmering beneath their composed exteriors as they turned their glares onto Velc. Velc, on the other hand, scoffed and crossed his arms. “What?” he barked defensively. “I should be the one glaring at you! You’re the ones willing to throw away your Duke name for the sake of a mere slave!”
Xara’s lips twitched in irritation. “If he’s just a ‘mere slave,’ then why don’t you simply give him up?” she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.
Velc gritted his teeth, his frustration boiling over. There was no way he could hand Aether over to anyone.
He had sacrificed too much, and endured too many losses, to secure Aether under a slave contract…. And now, someone wanted to snatch him away so easily?
Fuck No!
“Fine,” he spat, “Kai will decide what he wants.”
Just then, a soft but raspy voice came,
“If the important topic is finished… s-shall we have a talk?” the Prophetess asked with hoarse tone.
All eyes turned to her. Leon, sensing the shift in focus and wanting no part in the impending family drama, quietly scooped up the unconscious Kai and slipped out of the room.
After a moment,
“S-So, you’re our mother?” Delphine asked hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Velc’s expression turned serious. Despite their frequent clashes, he and Delphine weren’t so different.
They were only a year apart in age and grown without mother and their father had always claimed that their mother died during Delphine’s birth.
They had never given much thought to their mother, but now…
“Hah… Indeed,” the Prophetess said softly, her tone tinged with faint happiness despite its hoarseness. “I am the one who gave birth to both of you.”
“T-Then why did Father say—”
Before Velc could finish, the Prophetess cut him off, “Because… your father didn’t want you to live with a sick, old lady like me.”
“S-Sick?” Delphine repeated, frowning in confusion.
The Prophetess nodded weakly. With trembling hands, she pushed aside a thick white layer of clothing, revealing her wrist.
The sight made everyone gasp…. Her skin was patchy and brownish, with dark pus oozing from the wounds. The flesh clung to her bones so tightly that the wrist bone itself was clearly visible.
Delphine, Velc, and everyone else stood in stunned silence. “W-What is that?” Delphine finally managed to ask, her voice shaking.
The Prophetess ignored the question, her voice cracking as she spoke. “I… I… couldn’t stop him when he took you away… because I knew… I feared that you might catch the sickness. S-So… p-please forgive me, my children.”
Delphine and Velc exchanged uncertain glances, their emotions in turmoil.
They had just lost their father, and now, out of nowhere, their mother had reappeared. The revelation was almost too much to process.
Xara frowned, her sharp mind picking up on an inconsistency. “But didn’t the old man mention in his final letter that he was going to reunite with his wife? Even though you’re still here?”
Suddenly, everyone frowned at the Prophetess.
“Haha… ah—cough, cough… ah,” the Prophetess let out a weak laugh, her voice raspy and frail as she thought, ‘Oh dear, that child really made things complicated for me… hmm.’ Then, she spoke, her tone trembling slightly. “T-To be honest… I-I promised him I’d never meet any of you. Perhaps he wrote that letter thinking I would never break that promise.”
Her words seemed plausible, even logical, yet a sense of unease lingered in the room.
There was something… off.
Was this a scam?
The thought crossed everyone’s mind.
Could she be someone trying to exploit their recent loss, using it to manipulate them for her own gain?
But then again, this was the Prophetess—a figure revered even more than the Empress. Why would someone with such respect and authority resort to deception?
What could she possibly gain by lying?
Questions swirled in their minds, doubt creeping in, and…. the Prophetess knew it too.
Offering a gentle smile, she tapped her stick against the floor, pointing towards the desk. “If you still doubt my words,” she said softly, “why not check your father’s desk? I am certain he kept at least one thing that mentions me.”
Velc’s frown deepened. He hesitated for a moment before nodding….
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the mansion…
“Come on, dance with me, Empress~” Aether called out cheerfully, his hands firmly gripping her hips as he swayed to a rhythm only he seemed to hear.
The Empress, however, stood rigid as a statue, her expression betraying absolute disbelief. Her narrowed eyes screamed, ‘What in the hell is this idiot enjoying?’
“You do realize,” she said in an icy tone, “that your life is hanging by a thread right now, don’t you?”
Aether nodded with a carefree smile. “Of course, I do. But there’s no point in worrying over things I can’t control. I’ve done my best, and now it’s time to enjoy life. Whatever happens, happens. At least I can say I gave it my all~,” he replied, his movements undeterred as he tried to coax her into dancing.
Finally, she relented, moving stiffly with him.
“The letter… you did?” she asked, cutting to the point.
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Aether winked at her, his grin mischievous.
The Empress raised an eyebrow before shaking her head, a faint sigh escaping her lips. “You really are dangerous,” she murmured.
Without warning, Aether pulled her closer, his grin widening as he whispered, “I’m far more dangerous than you think, my lady~.”
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A faint blush dusted the Empress’s cheeks, but her voice remained composed. “My daughter is watching us,” she mumbled.
“Let her watch,” Aether replied smoothly, his lips curving into a wicked smile. “Let her see who I truly belong to~.”
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The Empress arched an eyebrow, clearly amused yet mildly surprised. “And here I thought you were head over heels for my daughter. Are you planning to cheat on her, ‘my son-in-law?'”
Aether’s lips twitched. He could tell she was enjoying this, but the smug way she phrased it was really starting to piss him off. ‘Oh, you want to play games? Fine. Let’s play,’ he thought, a mischievous glint lighting up his eyes.
With exaggerated enthusiasm, he began, “Of course, I love Aqualina… her enchanting eyes, those long, fluttering lashes, her sexy hips. The way she smiles at me, the way she gets all shy around me—oh, she’s like a shy angel by day but a total demon in the be—”
Before he could finish, an oppressive wave of murderous intent crashed over him, silencing him mid-sentence.
‘Too much?’ Aether wondered as he quickly shifted gears. “So, uh… where is she now?” he asked, attempting to steer the conversation in a safer direction.
The Empress’s tone was cold as ice. “She’s attending a meeting with the Sovereign.”
“I see…” Aether nodded, observing her stern expression. Inwardly, he sighed, ‘This woman…’. Shaking his head, he asked cautiously, “Are you angry?”
“Why would I be?” she replied, her voice calm but laced with menace.
Aether stared at her blankly, his expression deadpan. ‘Yep, she’s definitely pissed off,’ he thought, inwardly bracing himself. He let out a quiet sigh before softening his voice, the teasing lilt unmistakable.
“And of course, I love… you more than anything else,” he began, his tone sincere yet playful.
“Your most beautiful eyes, your long lashes, your delicate nose, and those cute little lips. The way you smile when I tease you, the way you take charge and dominate me—it’s mesmerizing. I’ve seen the arrogant Empress, the untouchable ruler, but most of all…” His grin widened mischievously as he leaned in slightly. “What I love the most is the way you shy away when I’m the one dominat—”
Before he could finish, the Empress’s hand shot up, silencing him by clamping firmly over his mouth. Her glare burned into him, her face flushed a deep, furious red.
“I… I-I… I’ll kill you!” she stammered, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and embarrassment, her teary eyes refusing to meet his gaze and before… disappearing!!!
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Aether grinned to himself, ‘Ah, women~.’