“Miss Lia,” Aether called out to Lia Scarlet, who was sprinting through the corridors of the palace.
Not only had she endured a brutal humiliation, but she had also been brutally rejected by her lover in front of everyone.
‘Throw her out!’
Those words from her beloved still echoed in her mind, like a sentence of imminent death.
The fact that no one came to her support except the slave added more pain to her already wounded heart.
If only she had listened to her uncle, she wouldn’t have faced such humiliation.
If only she had stayed home instead of coming to see him just to convey her wishes, she wouldn’t have endured such heartbreak.
If only she hadn’t loved him so foolishly, she wouldn’t have experienced this unbearable pain, tearing at her sanity and reason like shattered glass.
The suffering she endured, both in terms of humiliation and heartbreak, clouded her mind, pushing her towards unreasonable thoughts.
“What if… What if I died?” she wondered.
Would he mourn for her?
Would he feel guilty for her demise?
Would he remember her until the end?
Countless thoughts swirled in her mind, clouding her judgment and pushing her to the brink of despair.
“YOU BITCH!!” Aether’s shout startled Lia, causing her legs to slip, and she fell to the ground with a painful thud.
“OUCH!!”
Grimacing in pain, Lia held onto her knees and glared at Aether, who had finally caught up to her, “How dare you call me a bitch!!” she snapped, her voice filled with a mix of pain and anger.
“Sigh,” Aether sighed deeply and knelt down beside her.
“W-What?” Lia was taken aback by his sudden change in demeanour.
“You truly are an idiot, you know,” Aether remarked, his gaze shifting to her scratched knees, blood seeping out.
“W-who are you calling an idiot?” Lia retorted, wincing as she covered her wounded knees.
“…” Aether stared at her crimson eyes silently.
“W-What?” Lia felt a pang of unease at his silent scrutiny.
Aether’s expression softened as he observed the faint light in her darkened eyes, “You have beautiful crimson eyes…”
“W-What?” Lia’s embarrassment was evident as a…. hint of clarity flickered in her eyes.
“Yes, you do have wonderful crimson eyes… just like Lily,” Aether said with a small, genuine smile, acknowledging her unique beauty amidst the chaos of emotions.
[+1 Affection]
“W-What are you talking about, you idiot?!!” Lia’s face turned crimson in embarrassment as she shouted in response to Aether’s compliment about her eyes.
“Nothing, show me your knees,” Aether calmly requested as he removed his overcoat.
Upon seeing this, Lia’s embarrassment escalated, “W-wait!! What are you doing!!!” she exclaimed, hastily covering her eyes.
“ttrr”
Aether tore his inner white shirt and focused on the task at hand, “Show me, we need to stop the bleeding; otherwise, you’ll get an infection.”
Lia stayed firm but getting stared at by him long time made her awkward.
With a hesitant nod, Lia reluctantly revealed her injured knees.
“Ouch!”
“It will be a little painful,” Aether warned as he skillfully tightened the makeshift bandage around her knees.
After finishing the bandaging, Aether inquired, “So, did anyone come with you?”
Lia remained silent, her thoughts muddled.
“Sigh, Listen, Little Girl, you’re vulnerable right now, You might break at any moment and there are some bastards who might take advantage of that. If there’s anyone you know here, tell me, and I’ll take you to them,” Aether spoke with a serious tone, emphasizing the need for caution.
“Some bastard… ah, you mean you?” Lia muttered sarcastically.
“…” Aether’s expression remained blank again not indulging anything.
Seeing him going to do the staring contest… Lia gave up.
“I-I called my uncle; he’s coming to pick me up,” Lia finally responded, sighing softly.
“Good,” Aether acknowledged, scanning the area near the gate and calculating the time it would take, ‘Well, it’s near’.
As he crouched down and prepared to lift her, Lia protested,
“H-hey, W-What are you doing?!!”
Ignoring her protests, Aether picked her up as gently as he could, adopting a princess carry. Though his initial inclination was to carry her differently… like a sack, he realized the need to rectify the situation he caused and opted for a more respectful approach.
“I am taking you to the gate,” Aether explained calmly, his tone firm.
“I-I can… ‘Ouch'” Lia winced in pain as Aether pinched her knees to discourage further objections.
“B-Bastard!!” Lia exclaimed, her frustration evident as she gritted her teeth, her weakened body struggling with the pain.
Aether continued walking slowly, casting occasional glances at Lia. Her silent demeanour and trembling eyes reminded him of his own brokenness during a past breakup, evoking a sense of empathy despite the current circumstances.
However, unlike him, who had at least matured enough to comprehend everything, Lia was younger and the guilt of using her weighed heavily on Aether’s adult responsibilities, adding to his worries.
“You know, love is truly an amazing thing, and each person experiences it differently…”
Aether’s words interrupted Lia’s thoughts, drawing her attention to him.
“This might be heartbreaking and all, but one day you will learn something from this heartbreak, so don’t dwell too much–” His words were cut short by a sudden action.
‘Thump, Thump’
Lia struck his chest as tears streamed down her face, “Y-You don’t understand! YOU NEVER KNOW MY PAIN!!” she cried out, clutching her chest in emotional turmoil.
‘Step, St–‘
Aether paused his steps, looking at Lia with a mixture of sadness and understanding, “Yeah, I can’t understand your pain, and…” he continued softly, “You cannot understand my pain”
“….” Lia fell silent, her emotions swirling. She didn’t need to see his face; his tone alone conveyed everything…. She felt he was the same as her.
Observing her silence, Aether was about to speak when she questioned,
“D-Did she left you?”
“Hmm?”
“The woman you mentioned, the one who fought for her love… did she leave you too?” Lia’s voice trembled like a whisper.
“… Yeah,” Aether admitted with a heavy heart.
“W-Why? Didn’t she love you? Didn’t she fight for her love for you all these years?” Lia’s questions revealed her inner turmoil as her body shook with emotion.
“…. Well, our status is a big factor… big enough to make her doubt her choices,” Aether confessed, his voice tinged with regret.
“S-Status…” Lia repeated the word, recalling Kai’s words about talent not being enough.
‘Drip, Drip’
“W-Why? W-Why do they care about status? Why do they focus on… t-talent? WHY?….. What about l-love?” Lia’s voice cracked as her mental barriers began to crumble.
“Because love often fades when faced with reality… Lia, Love can be like a fleeting shadow that vanishes when there’s no light… There are times you should let it go when it cannot be held it together” Aether spoke gently, his words finally piercing through her defences.
“awwwwwwww…..” Lia’s outburst was a release of her pent-up emotions, the dam of her suppressed feelings finally breaking down.