Inside the palace, in a grand bedroom adorned with luxurious furnishings, two figures lay on the bed, their forms intertwined…. Well, to be precise, one figure was tightly hugging the other, almost clinging to them like a lifeline.
“…” Sandra blinked, her mind struggling to process the sudden change in dynamics. Why was Aether suddenly acting so clingy? His actions were so out of character, so unusual, that… she actually felt an urge to spoil him.
[+5000 AP]
‘No, no, absolutely not! I am definitely not going to do that!’ Sandra mentally shook her head in defiance. No matter how irresistibly cute and handsome he looked, there was no way she would indulge him. She huffed and said, “Why don’t you go and hug my daughter instead?” Her tone carried a noticeable hint of annoyance, making her feelings on the matter clear.
Aether, however, seemed entirely unfazed by her words. Instead, he hugged her even tighter, as if her protests only spurred him on.
A fleeting image of her cutting his throat flashed in his mind, but it felt distant and irrelevant now. It was something that had happened in the past—back in a time when none of his previous iterations had cared about her in the slightest.
But this was different….. He loves her so.. he was fine… right?
‘Maybe that’s why he said I’m unique,’ Aether thought to himself, but the thought quickly passed as he tightened his hold on her.
Sandra, on the other hand, could feel the strength behind his embrace. If not for her own power, she knew this kind of force might have actually broken her. ‘Damn, what’s gotten into him?’ she wondered.
Aether’s voice interrupted her thoughts, soft and low. “If you don’t like it, then just push me away~,” he whispered into her ear, his warm breath brushing against her skin and making her ear twitch involuntarily.
Sandra’s eyes widened, her cheeks flushing red. She turned her head to glare at him.
“Of course, then…” Sandra nodded firmly, confident as she prepared to push him away…. Or at least, she tried. The truth was, the amount of force she exerted wasn’t even enough to move a pencil, and Aether chuckled inwardly at her weak attempt.
Sandra’s blush deepened as she realized how ridiculous she must have looked. She was trying her best to push him away, and yet her heart wasn’t cooperating. It refused to let her take control of the situation.
The truth was, she liked this—liked the way he was holding her, liked the way he made her feel—but she didn’t have the courage to admit it out loud.
However,
She was the Empress…. She could not, would not, allow this man to take advantage of her!!
If anyone was going to take advantage here, it would be her!
So,
Thud!
Sandra pushed him down onto the bed with unexpected force, her confidence returning in full swing. She straddled his hips, sitting firmly on his crotch, and stared down at him with a haughty expression. “Looks like someone forgot their place~,” she said, her voice dripping with playful dominance as she leaned forward, her warm breath teasing his nose.
Aether’s lips curled into a smile. “Oh, I haven’t forgotten my place, My Empress…” His voice was smooth and deliberate, but then he whispered, “But don’t think you’ll hold that position for much longer~.”
Sandra’s cheeks flushed a deep red at his words. “Oh~ look at you, talking like that… You do realize there’s a punishment for harassing the Empress, don’t you?” she retorted.
Aether chuckled, “I’m not entirely sure who’s harassing who here…” he quipped, and before Sandra could react, his hand shot out and gave her ass a playful pinch.
“HI!” Sandra let out a startled squeak, jerking in surprise before narrowing her eyes at him. “What do you want?” she demanded, her tone sharp but her composure visibly shaken.
Aether’s smile widened. “You,” he said simply.
“Tsk,” Sandra clicked her tongue in irritation. “Come on, Aether. It’s not playtime… I’m being serious,” she said, her tone shifting to one of sternness. And yet,
“You,” Aether repeated, his gaze unwavering and his voice just as serious.
Sandra froze, caught off guard by the intensity in his eyes. She could see that he wasn’t joking. He was utterly, completely serious. Her lips trembled slightly, the weight of his words sinking in…
[+6000 AP]
“W-What’s wrong with you?!” Sandra snapped, her glare returning in full force. Yet, despite her words, Aether’s eyes didn’t waver. His gaze shifted slightly, landing on her lips.
“Have you ever wondered what a kiss tastes like?” Aether asked softly, his voice filled with an almost hypnotic curiosity.
Sandra frowned, shaking her head. “No…” she replied curtly. However,
“I want to know… I want to know your taste, Sandra,” Aether murmured, his voice dropping lower as he leaned closer, the space between them shrinking rapidly.
Sandra’s breath hitched…. She knew she needed to move away, needed to stop this hypnotic bastard from drawing her in any further. But it was as if her body refused to listen. She could feel the magnetic pull of his presence, and it was dangerously clear what he was trying to do.
She wasn’t like her daughter or the other girls… She was an Empress, a figure of strength, elegance, and unshakable dignity, and yet,
The closer Aether got, the faster her heart raced for him. This was new, entirely foreign to her. Maybe it was because she knew tomorrow would be her last day. Maybe that knowledge was making her crave experiences she’d denied herself for so long. She wanted to feel this—feel him—and so much more.
She wanted to know what this felt like, even if it was only just once.
Her hands clenched into trembling fists as if trying to hold on to the last threads of her restraint. Slowly, her eyes fluttered shut, and her lips pursed, tentatively waiting as…
“~Hmm~”
Aether’s lips brushed against hers, soft and gentle. It was simply a kiss. Just their lips touching. And yet…
Drip…
Drip…
Something salty lingered on his lips, a sensation that felt oddly familiar and deeply moving.
Aether slowly pulled back, his forehead resting lightly against hers, his gaze dropping to her tear-streaked face. He noticed the glistening trail of tears flowing from her right eye, trickling down to her lips, glinting faintly in the dim light.
“Are you… crying?” Aether asked softly, his voice tinged with genuine concern as his thumb grazed her cheek.
Sandra blinked, only then realizing the tears streaming from his left eye, mirroring her own. They trailed down to his lips in the same way, blending their shared emotions.
“Why… are you crying?” she asked, her voice cracking slightly, her throat tight with unspoken emotion.
Aether chuckled softly, a bittersweet sound escaping his lips like a fleeting sigh. “Because I finally kissed my dream woman,” he admitted as his hand gently moved to wipe her tears away with tender care.
[+6000 AP]
Sandra’s lips curved into a soft smile. She reached up, brushing his tears away with delicate fingers, her voice lightening as she teased, “And I… I kissed a man who stole my daughter and my maid away.” Her tone was playful, an attempt to diffuse the emotional intensity sparking between them, trying to maintain her usual composure.
But Aether saw through her ploy, and as much as he appreciated her wit, he simply didn’t care.
All he cared about was this woman—this strong, selfless woman who was ready to sacrifice herself for the sake of those she loved. He knew she hadn’t told him everything because her daughter’s life was at stake. Sandra would rather die than let her daughter suffer.
Aether smiled, leaning in slightly, “So… how was the kiss?” he asked, his tone low and teasing.
Sandra sighed inwardly, realizing he wasn’t falling for her trick. “Well… it felt… weird?” she said, tilting her head as if unsure but wearing an almost imperceptible smirk.
Aether’s eyes widened, his heart pounding as he caught the expression on her face. It was the same look she’d had in her final moments, the one that haunted him endlessly. Without thinking, his grip around her tightened, and he leaned in again.
“~Hmm~”
He kissed her again, this time with more intensity and undeniable passion. Sandra was initially taken aback by the sudden kiss, but as the seconds passed, she felt an unfamiliar sensation blooming inside her—a mix of happiness and longing that she hadn’t allowed herself to feel before. Slowly, her hands moved to his head, pulling him closer as she kissed him back.
“~Hmm~”
“~Hmm~”
“~Hmm~”
The room filled with the sound of their soft kisses. Sandra, still seated on his lap, tilted her head repeatedly as she deepened the kiss, pouring out emotions she had buried for far too long. Her fingers tangled in his hair, gripping tightly as if afraid to let him go or let this moment slip away.
Aether, feeling her intensity, responded in kind, pulling her even closer. His kisses grew more passionate, their lips slick with saliva as they moved together like two souls that had been apart for an eternity, finally finding solace in each other and…
Drip…
Sandra cried, tears streaming down her face without restraint as she kissed him roughly. Aether could taste the salt of her tears, but instead of pulling away, he loved her all the more for it.
“~ha~ha~”
Sandra finally broke the kiss, gasping for air, her chest rising and falling with each heavy breath. Aether looked at her, his heart aching as he saw the tears still rolling down her cheeks.
Sandra instinctively tried to hide them, turning her head away. She didn’t want him to see her crying.
She was the Empress in his eyes, a haughty, untouchable figure he adored… She couldn’t let that image break.
But just as she began to pull away, Aether caught her, his hands cradling her face. He leaned in and kissed her softly, whispering against her lips, “Please.”
Sandra’s eyes widened at his heartfelt plea before they softened. A smile broke through her tears as she gave in, leaning into him and kissing him back with all the emotions she’d been holding back for so long.
“~Hmmfff~”
The atmosphere in the room turned increasingly passionate and romantic. The barriers between them melted away as their emotions poured out in a language beyond words, expressing feelings too raw and profound to articulate.
Meanwhile, outside the room, the empires stood on the brink of collision. Yet, in this moment, the two rulers were consumed by each other, caught in a rare and fleeting moment of vulnerability and love.
However, Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire
Aether wasn’t here without a reason. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for the Pyra Empire; in fact,
Meanwhile, in the Pyra Fulgur Empire…
“You want me to build a funnel?” Lyirrs asked, his face a mix of surprise and confusion as he looked at Raven, who nodded seriously in response.