Step… Step…
Xara gracefully walked alongside Aether, their hands intertwined as they moved in sync.
They had been walking for a long time now, the silence between them comfortable yet oddly charged.
To anyone watching, they looked more like a couple strolling through the city rather than anything else.
Their contrasting outfits only enhanced this illusion, making them stand out even more amidst the mundane crowd.
Xara, draped in a pristine white dress that hugged her curves in all the right ways, radiated an almost celestial beauty—pure, untouchable, yet dangerously tempting. The fabric shimmered subtly under the city lights, outlining the perfect contours of her body, her soft curves emphasized with each graceful step.
Aether, in his dark attire, was her perfect opposite—a shadow beside a blinding light. His presence was striking, a dangerous allure wrapped in a body that held restrained power.
Together, they looked unreal, like a forbidden union of divinity and darkness.
His fingers twitched slightly within her grasp, an intense urge building inside him.
‘Fuck this!’ he screamed inwardly. If only he could cancel this illusion and reveal his true form, they would be perfect. No, not just perfect—undeniable.
Aether glanced at Xara, amused by her sudden action of holding his hand, but he didn’t mind. As long as she—
“I hate when someone calls me boring!” Xara muttered suddenly, her voice carrying a sharp edge.
“Huh?” Aether frowned, caught off guard by the abrupt statement.
Xara took a deep breath before turning to him with a firm expression,
“I said… I didn’t mean to wear this for you…. I want you to understand that I chose this outfit for myself, not for your sake! Do you get that?” Her tone was as unyielding as the look in her eyes as if she needed him to believe it even more than she did.
Aether studied her for a moment before simply nodding. He knew when to push her buttons and when to back off…
Xara exhaled, watching his reaction. Seeing that Aether didn’t press the matter, she decided it was time to head back. She raised her hand slightly, preparing to call for a carriage, but—
“Wait? Already?” Aether looked at her in disbelief. Just when he thought things were starting to get interesting, she was ready to leave.
“What else? Is there something else you need?” she asked, her expression unreadable as if she had only come here for clothes and nothing more.
Aether, however, wasn’t about to let this moment slip away. He placed a hand over his stomach and groaned dramatically. “I’m starving…” His voice carried a painful undertone as if he had been suffering in silence.
Xara hesitated, narrowing her eyes at him. After a brief pause, she sighed. “Fine… let’s find a restaurant and get something to eat.”
Aether’s lips curled into a grin as he followed her lead.
As they walked through the lively streets, he found himself secretly hoping for something more thrilling to happen. Maybe a thug would show up, someone reckless enough to try and pick a fight, giving him an excuse to play the hero and save the beauty. Xara looked absolutely stunning in her new outfit, after all…
But reality wasn’t a novel.
This was fucking real life!!
And anyone with half a brain wouldn’t dare cross Xara. The aura she exuded was untouchable—only a fool would provoke her.
Aether chuckled to himself, shaking his head at his own thoughts.
Xara noticed his amused expression and raised an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing…” he said, his grin widening.
Xara stared at him for a moment before looking away, a fleeting thought crossing her mind.
Was he… trying to spend more time with her?
She frowned slightly but quickly dismissed the idea, shaking her head. This boy was really something else.
Soon, they found a decent-looking restaurant and stepped inside.
After scanning the menu, they placed their orders and settled in to wait for their food.
As the moments passed, Aether quietly observed Xara, his gaze lingering on her face.
“…”
Starrrrreeeeeee
“…”
Starrreeeeeeeeee
Xara let out a deep sigh, rubbing her temples. “What are you staring at?” she asked, her voice tinged with mild irritation.
“Nothing… just you,” Aether replied without hesitation, his voice steady and unapologetic.
Xara exhaled sharply, rubbing her forehead again. “Aether… you really need to understand something.”
“Yeah, I know…” He leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable. “I am your ADOPTED son.” A small, knowing smile played on his lips.
Xara’s expression twitched at his words, a flicker of frustration passing through her features before she quickly masked it. Instead of responding right away, she pulled out a document and placed it on the table between them.
Aether blinked. “What’s this?”
With a sly grin, Xara pushed the document toward him. “Officially, we are mother and son.”
Aether’s frown deepened as he picked up the paper. He had a good idea of why she was doing this, but before he could say anything, she added,
“It’s been officially recognized by the Temple,” she said, her voice carrying an air of finality as if this alone would be enough to make him back down.
Aether’s eyes flickered to the document again. Sure enough, the signature of the Archpriestess was stamped at the bottom.
Then—
!~🔔~!
[📣 Received New Title: Aether Seraphine]
Aether simply nodded, setting the document back onto the table without much reaction. “So?”
Xara narrowed her eyes, “So? That means we can never be anything more than mother and son…. You understand what I’m saying, right?”
Aether shrugged again, completely unfazed. “A single piece of paper isn’t enough to decide my future, Xara.”
Xara froze for a moment, her gaze locking onto his.
Aether continued, his voice steady, “I may be powerless right now, just a servant in the grand scheme of things… but all I know is that this paper doesn’t change a damn thing for me.”
Xara stared at him, a complex mix of emotions flashing across her face.
And then, she let out a deep sigh.
No matter what she said, it felt like her words weren’t reaching this damn brainless idiot.
She leaned back against her chair, pressing her fingers against her temple as if trying to soothe an impending headache.
Seeing her disgruntled expression, Aether frowned slightly.
‘Maybe I’m pushing too much… I should step back for now,’ he thought, his gaze softening just a little.
Soon, the food arrived, and they quietly ate, neither of them speaking much. The clinking of utensils against plates was the only sound between them.
Aether gazed out the window, watching the bustling streets outside. For the first time in a while, he felt a strange sense of calm wash over him. His mind, which was usually filled with endless thoughts, worries, and calculations, felt unusually light.
It was almost peaceful—something he wasn’t entirely used to.
Xara, who had been eating in silence, suddenly glanced at Aether. Her sharp eyes lingered on his face, taking in the softened expression.
‘He looks… innocent.’
The thought unsettled her. She frowned, comparing this gentle look to the one he had worn earlier—when his gaze had darkened when his voice had turned possessive. That version of him had sent a different kind of shiver down her spine, one that she wasn’t sure she wanted to acknowledge.
Her body trembled for reasons she refused to understand. She preferred that look on him—the fierce, dominant one. Compared to this calm and almost peaceful expression, she found herself drawn more to the dangerous glint in his eyes from before.
Tang!
The sudden clatter of metal against the floor snapped both of them back to reality. Xara’s fork had slipped from her fingers, landing loudly on the marble floor beneath them.
She coughed awkwardly and quickly diverted the conversation as if trying to erase the strange moment.
“Hmm… So, what are you planning to do about Alfred and Timmy?” she asked, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Aether raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the question.
“So… you’re the reason they’ve been acting weird today?” he asked, his tone laced with curiosity… wondered what the heck she did that caused so much fear in them!
Xara didn’t answer immediately… just grinned that enough to create every possibility for Aether.
She continued eating, taking her time as if the question didn’t concern her in the slightest.
“So?” she finally spoke, cutting straight to the point. “What’s your answer? What do you want to do with them?”
Aether leaned back in his seat, contemplating for a moment. “Honestly? I don’t know…” he admitted, shaking his head. “I don’t feel anything toward them, even after everything they did to me.”
Xara frowned slightly, tapping her finger against the table in thought. “It’s your choice. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you,” she said, her voice firm yet calm. She wasn’t going to push him either way, but she would stand behind whatever decision he made.
Aether nodded softly, but his mind was already moving to another question—one he had been holding back.
He hesitated for a moment before finally asking, “What about my power?”
The reaction was instant. Xara flinched, her hand pausing mid-motion, the fork halfway to her lips.
Aether noticed, and a smirk played at the corner of his lips.
“Your power… ah…” Xara exhaled deeply. She had known this conversation was inevitable, but she hadn’t expected it to come this quickly. Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke, her voice measured yet filled with something close to regret.
“Aether… I… I will protect you!”
“Hmm?” Aether raised an eyebrow.
Xara bit her lip, her expression darkening, “Even though that power once belonged to you, I’m certain it has already shaped itself around him. Trying to take it back now would only backfire on you,” she said, her voice laced with a mixture of concern and hesitation.
Aether’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Backfire on me… or on your son?”
Xara’s lips trembled, her words catching in her throat. She wanted to help Aether—truly, she did—but the power in question now resided in Kai, her own flesh and blood. How was she supposed to take something from her own son, even if it had never rightfully belonged to him in the first place?
Aether sighed, leaning back. Honestly, he didn’t care much about that power. He never wanted to be some kind of chosen one, some special existence. His life right now was already more than enough.
Still, a part of him was curious.
‘Can I take back my powers?’ he asked inwardly, directing his question to his log.
!~🔔~!
[❗️Affirmative]
Aether’s eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. But then—
[⚠ Warning: However, the power has already adapted to its new host. Reclaiming it will only result in limiting your own abilities.]
Aether absorbed the information, his fingers lightly drumming against the table as he thought it over. He glanced at Xara, who was still biting her lip, struggling to find the right words.
He smiled. “It’s fine.”
“Huh?” Xara blinked, caught off guard by his casual response.
“As long as you’re here for me… I don’t care about those powers,” Aether said with a simple shrug.
He had seen all kinds of mothers—some who would sacrifice everything for their children, and others who abandoned them without a second thought. Xara, without a doubt, was the kind who would do anything for her children.
That much was clear!
Breaking that bond would only bring pain… And at the end of the day, all of this was Mortimer’s fault to begin with.
Well… he could break Kai’s and Velc’s mind later~
Xara let out a slow, quiet sigh as if a massive weight had been lifted from her chest. The relief in her eyes was unmistakable.
A small, genuine smile appeared on her lips. “Of course,” she whispered. “As long as I breathe, I will take care of you in my arms. No harm will ever come to you.”
She reached out then, taking his hand in hers. Her grip was warm, steady—filled with an unwavering determination that made Aether pause for a moment.
His lips curled into a smirk. “…Was that a proposal?”
“Huh?”
“I accept it,” he teased, his voice dripping with amusement as he leaned forward and pressed a slow, deliberate kiss to the back of her hand.
“!!!!!”
Xara’s entire body stiffened, her face instantly turning bright red.
She felt like she had just walked straight into the devil’s trap—one that had been set so flawlessly, so naturally, that she hadn’t even realized it until it was far too late.