Aether appeared back in his room… an empty room, but now covered in scribbles—words scattered all around, chaotic yet… calculated!
His face was tense, brows furrowed deep as he scribbled and scribbled, fingers gripping the chalk tightly. His other hand clutched his head, his mind racing, searching for a way to win… this damn game!
“Master… that man cornered me without even realizing it,” Aether muttered, his voice low but serious.
The Master had truly backed Aether into a corner, without even knowing the full extent of Aether’s capabilities…. or even knowing who he was! And despite the unknown variables at play, the Master had executed his plan flawlessly, without making a single error.
“He’s different… unlike anyone I’ve faced until now… and far more dangerous,” Aether murmured, eyes narrowing as he stared at the points he had noted down about the Master.
From a chess perspective:
First… the Master had two pawns (Celestia and Aqualina) from Aether’s side. But more than that—he had stolen the Queen (Marisandra), turning her against Aether.
Second… he used his Queen (the first hooded figure) to infiltrate Aether’s side unnoticed, dismantling his troops from within and converting them into enemies.
Third… the Master made sure they believed they were winning, making it seem like they had him in ‘Check.’ And yet… he had already positioned a ‘Checkmate’ in the end. That meant Aether’s entire side had been dancing in the palm of his hand, reacting precisely how the Master had orchestrated… Like puppets!
Fourth… he adapted his strategy in real time, shifting plans according to the situation. The presence of Aether and Lia should have been a major disruption, yet he had adjusted effortlessly…. He didn’t hesitate to sacrifice his pieces either—losing his Bishop (Alaric) didn’t faze him in the slightest, as long as it served his greater goal.
“This man… Tsk,” Aether clicked his tongue in irritation, his grip on the chalk tightening. The more he analyzed, the more it became clear—his current chances of winning were laughably low.
No, worse than low!
And the last, most critical point…
If what the Prophetess said was true… well, he could already foresee the inevitable outcome.
Anyway…
The laws of nature themselves were against him. Ever since he had meddled with nature’s balance, the Law had turned against him… meaning, in this twisted game, even the chessboard itself had become his enemy!
Winning? Ha! Forget winning—Aether should be grateful he was even still in the game!
His frown deepened, “Well… that’s fucked up,” he muttered, shaking his head in sheer disbelief.
But then… Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire
“Hehe… I like the odds.” Aether’s lips curled into a wicked smile—sharp, dangerous, almost deranged. His eyes gleamed with something dark, something thrilling. “If the rules don’t apply anymore, then…” His grin widened as he began scribbling even faster, more aggressively.
Words filled the walls, ideas spilling out of his frantic mind—Poisoned Pawn, Smothered Check, Time Pressure, Decoy Sacrifice, Psychological Bluff… He scrawled more and more, some words struck out, others underlined, circled, emphasized…. His hand moved feverishly, possessed by sheer intensity.
Aether continued for nearly five hours straight…. The room smelled of chalk, sweat, and tension. Finally, he tossed the chalk aside, panting heavily as he stared at his finished plan.
His masterpiece…
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he let out a long, exhausted sigh.
“Well… even if everything goes accordingly… there’s always a butterfly effect. Every move I make has consequences. The game will shift, ripple… nothing is ever set in stone.” Then, a slow, dangerous grin spread across his face. “But if things were too predictable, where would the fun be? Winning too easily would be boring, after all.” His voice was thick with amusement. “One step at a time~” He chuckled darkly, eyes glinting with excitement.
This was a battle between… A man who had planned every single detail with perfect precision… vs. A man who knew the future!
At first glance, the one who knew the future should have the upper hand.
If you already knew what was going to happen, how could you lose?
But the man who had planned everything down to perfection… would never just sit there, sucking his thumb, waiting for his downfall.
No!
Aether had seen it with his own eyes—witnessed the terrifying nature of that man.
The Master was unstoppable! A lunatic!! A ruthless tactician who didn’t hesitate for a second.
He had tortured a child just to extract blood, all for whatever twisted scheme he had in mind.
Aether exhaled, fingers twitching slightly.
“…This is going to be one hell of a game.”
One thing was absolutely certain… the Master wasn’t doing all of this just for the so-called ‘Process’ he kept rambling about, nor was it solely to prevent ‘The Beginning.’
No… this was about a woman!
A woman?
Aether narrowed his eyes, “I need to know about that woman too…” he muttered under his breath.
‘Wait a second… I know I heard the Master’s name before… Celestia or Aqualina must have mentioned it at some point… Hmm… what was it again? I think it started with an S or something…’ Aether murmured, pressing his fingers against his temple, deep in thought.
Back then, he had been too overwhelmed, too caught up in the moment. His mind had been a mess, his senses blurred. He hadn’t been able to process everything clearly—he had only caught bits and pieces.
“Ah!” Aether’s eyes suddenly widened as a spark of realization hit him. “Master Snake!”
[….]
Noticing his log, Aether immediately gulped, his brows furrowing. He clenched his fists, focusing harder, trying to retrieve the right memory. “Wait… no, that’s not right. Master… Sex?”
[ I cannot believe you just said that… 😔 ]
Aether let out a chuckle, “Oh, come on, I was just messing around. Of course, I know his real name… Master Severus!”
[ … Please kill me!!! ⚰️ ]
Aether burst into laughter, unable to hold it in, shaking his head as he leaned back slightly. But his mirth faded just as quickly as it came, and his expression grew solemn once more.
He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts.
“Anyway… mistakes are bound to happen,” he admitted, his voice carrying a weight of responsibility, “That’s exactly why I need everyone’s help.” His voice softened slightly as he turned toward the window, his gaze sweeping over the empire that was closing inch by inch, “And there are a lot of mistakes I need to rectify…”
He wasn’t perfect!
He never claimed to be.
He was doing his best… giving it everything he had.
But he wasn’t almighty!!
He was just a human—a single man who had been thrown into this strange, chaotic world without a choice.
He was surviving!
That was all!!
Aether’s eyes drifted back to the scribbles covering the walls…. Among the chaotic writing, a particular phrase stood out, almost glaring at him. He stared at it, his pulse steady but heavy as he read the words: The Truth.
Taking a deep breath, Aether clenched his fists. “Keeping it hidden any longer will only cause more problems… I need to come clean with all of them,” he murmured with a serious, almost resigned expression. “That’s the best course of action… I cannot keep this secret anymore.”
…
…..
“Hmm… Hmm…”
Delphine lay sprawled on her bed, humming softly to herself, flipping through the pages of a book—something very intriguing.
Title: Bound to His Mercy: The Professor’s Punishment
Delphine swallowed thickly, her eyes glued to the words, completely engrossed in whatever sinful tale was unfolding before her.
The contrast between the title and the deadly serious concentration on her face… didn’t quite match the situation.
And yet—
“Haha… She really did that?” Delphine whispered to herself, lips slightly parted in surprise. A light pink blush dusted her cheeks before she quickly nudged her glasses up, regaining some composure.
But her fingers curled around the edges of the pages, gripping them tightly as her eyes darted across the text even faster, absorbing every word with an almost feverish intensity.
Her face was getting hotter… and before she realized it, she was fanning her neck with one hand, trying to cool herself down.
Just then—
“Del.”
“SH—!”
Delphine nearly jumped out of her skin…. A sharp gasp left her lips as panic shot through her. In a frantic motion, she slammed the book shut and shoved it under her pillow like her life depended on it.
As Aether stepped into the room, she quickly adjusted her glasses, tilting her head with a forced glare, doing her absolute best to act natural. “W-What are you doing here?”
There was a faint but very real pink hue dusting her cheeks, which, of course, did not go unnoticed by Aether. His gaze flickered toward the pillow she had very obviously shoved something under…. His brow creased slightly, curiosity creeping in despite himself.
Delphine tensed when she saw the way his eyes subtly narrowed.
The moment he took a step closer, she instantly flinched. “N-Nope! Nope! No, getting closer!” she snapped, holding up both hands like a warning, her voice a mix of strictness and nervousness.
Aether let out a small, knowing smile, but it quickly faded as his face took on a far more serious expression.
“I… I need to talk to you,” he said finally, his voice calm but firm.
Delphine pursed her lips into a tight line, ‘Can’t this wait until tomorrow?’ she grumbled internally. But seeing the weight behind his gaze, she held back any protests and simply nodded.
Just to be safe, though, she casually shifted herself and sat directly on the pillow—securing the hidden book beneath her.
Aether, completely ignoring her bizarre behaviour, took a deep breath before speaking.
“Yes… the rumors are true,” he admitted, his voice unwavering. “I kissed… Selene.”
“…What?”