“You feeling better now?” Aether inquired gently after Lia had cried for several minutes, his voice soft and caring amidst the tension.
“…” Lia remained silent, clinging to Aether’s coat, her face hidden in a mix of emotions and thoughts.
“You do realize I’m a slave, and I need to return to my master soon, or there won’t be any food for me,” Aether remarked with a feigned sad and hungry tone, trying to lighten the mood with a touch of humour.
“Hehe…” Lia’s soft laughter broke through her tears as she lifted her red and teary face, a faint smile forming as she gathered herself.
Aether noticed her eyes, once clouded with emotion, now clear like the sky, their crimson hue shining in the dim light of the corridor, reflecting both vulnerability and newfound strength.
“You truly have wonderful eyes,” Aether remarked casually before carefully lowering her to the ground, mindful of her trembling legs due to both physical and emotional strain.
“Are you feeling better?” Aether asked again, his concern evident in his voice as he scanned her expression for any signs of distress or discomfort.
“Hmm,” Lia nodded, her face still flushed but with a hint of tranquillity returning.
With Lia calmer now, Aether’s guilt began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of relief that he could solve it before getting worse due to his actions.
He glanced around, looking for any sign of Lia’s uncle or someone familiar who could take care of her in this fragile state.
“Who is Lily? Is she your ex?” Lia asked suddenly, her curiosity breaking the brief silence that had settled between them.
“Hmm?” Aether tilted his head slightly, momentarily puzzled by the question. ‘Ex… Lily? What is she talking about?’ His mind raced to recall any mention of such a person.
“I-I mean, you said my eyes looked like Lily… ahaha,” Lia chuckled awkwardly, questioning herself why she asked.
“Oh!… That’s a flower,” Aether clarified, a light smile playing on his lips as he caught her drift.
“A flower? I didn’t know there was a flower called Lily?” Lia’s frown softened into genuine curiosity.
“Well…” Aether shrugged, seeking to share a bit of unfamiliar knowledge with this little girl, “That’s a Red Spider Lily.”
“Red Spider Lily?” Lia’s curiosity was piqued, her eyes now reflecting a spark of interest beyond their recent turmoil.
“Yes, a poisonous flower that symbolizes death,” Aether explained with a touch of knowledge, though inwardly he thought, ‘those are the flowers anime always uses for dramatic scenes…. and pull some shitty stunt in the best Anime!’
“P-Poisonous? D-Death?” Lia’s reaction was a mixture of surprise and disbelief, her mind grappling with the implications of the comparison between her eyes and a flower symbolizing death.
“Hmm?…. ahaha,” Aether chuckled softly, amused by her reaction but also understanding her shock.
“W-What’s so funny?” Lia pouted, slightly annoyed by his laughter.
“Well, those poisonous flowers… I truly love them from the bottom of my heart,” Aether admitted his tone sincere yet tinged with a hint of irony.
“Even though they are poisonous?”
“Yes,” Aether confirmed, then glanced at her crimson eyes and added, “A poison for a poison,” his words carrying a deeper meaning.
“I-Is that so…” Lia averted her eyes, feeling a mix of emotions.
“Well, where is your uncle, little girl?” Aether’s tone carried a hint of impatience as he scanned the area.
“Snort, Who are you calling a little girl?” Lia retorted, her pride stung by the remark despite Aether being close to her age.
“… A girl who just cried?” Aether teased, his playful smirk evident.
“!!” Lia’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger, her gaze sharp as she glared at Aether.
Seeing her fuming in anger, “Be a good little sister,” Aether continued teasingly, patting her head in a way that irked her further.
“HEY!!” Lia’s voice rose in protest, her embarrassment turning into frustration as her face turned even redder.
“Call me a big brother like a good little sister,” Aether pushed the teasing a step further, testing Lia’s patience.
“Hell no! Brat,” Lia snapped back, her annoyance clear in her tone. Aether’s response was to pinch her cheeks firmly.
“I don’t like when someone calls me Brat, Got it?” Aether’s voice was stern, his gaze locking onto Lia’s with a serious intensity.
“You are pinching hard, Brat– ouch!!” Lia winced in pain, her cheeks squished between Aether’s fingers.
“G.O.T. I.T?” Aether reiterated, his tone firm as Lia nodded in response, her expression subdued.
“So, where is your uncle?” Aether redirected the conversation, his focus shifting back to their original objective.
“I am here, Slave,” Lia’s uncle emerged suddenly, his presence looming over Aether with a threatening aura and stared at his hands that touching Lia’s cheeks and said, “Remove your filthy hand!!”
“I am sorry, sir,” Aether apologized, releasing Lia’s cheeks stepping back respectfully and returning to the palace.
“W-Wa–” Lia attempted to bid farewell, but her uncle’s stern gaze silenced her.
“Your mother is really angry now, Lia,” her uncle’s warning sent shivers down her spine as he took her hand and whisked her away from the gate.
After leaving Lia, Aether swiftly made his way to the Hall, feeling the need to gain some affection points from the crazy girl who was crazier than her mother.
As he walked, a sudden voice disrupted his thoughts.
“You are truly a womanizer.”
“FUCK!!” Aether’s heart skipped a beat as he turned to see the source of the voice… it was the same sneaky maid.
“Why are you here?” Aether asked, slightly taken aback by her unexpected appearance.
“Empress told me to look after the girl who was running away,” the maid explained casually as she walked beside him.
“I see…” Aether nodded, realizing the maybe… just maybe Empress was as not bad as he thought.
The maid continued to stare at him intently, prompting Aether to inquire, “What’s on your mind?”
“You are truly a womanizer,” the maid repeated her earlier remark, her tone firm.
Aether raised an eyebrow, a look of confusion spreading across his face. “Me?” he pointed to himself, clearly puzzled by the accusation.
“Yes” The maid nodded without hesitation.
‘Look here woman If I were truly a womanizer, I wouldn’t have struggled so much with that fucked up plan earlier…’ Aether wanted to retort, but instead, he calmly stated, “Her heart is broken. I simply offered a shoulder to lean on… That’s all. I am not interested in anyone.” Aether said as a matter-of-factly.
The maid seemed surprised by his response but then shrugged it off, “You cannot enter with those dirty clothes,” she pointed out matter-of-factly.
“Seriously?” Aether was taken aback.
“Yes, come with me,” the maid instructed, leading him to a room where she provided him with another outfit, similar to the one he wore before but in a striking red colour.
“Looks good,” the maid approved of his new attire.
“You heard my talk with that girl, right?” Aether asked, noting the maid’s choice of a crimson outfit, which seemed intentional given their earlier conversation.
The maid offered a smile before they entered the hall, which suddenly…. transformed into a bustling scene of
“~~~hmmmmm~~~”
Dancing!!
“What’s going on?” Aether inquired, slightly bewildered by the sudden change.
“Well, it’s the final event a calm dance before the sto- ahem I mean, before the finale,” the maid explained with a serious expression.
‘Didn’t you just going to say storm? storm right? RIGHT?’ Aether screamed, but he pushed them aside.
He sighed in tiredness… He had been attempting to charm Kai’s future wife, not to tangle with the chaos that going to happen.
‘Damn, it feels like I’m stepping into NTR territory!’ Aether inwardly cringed at the thought, realizing how his actions were slowly altering him.
It was changing him slowly… but surely!!
His attention shifted to the dance floor, where Selene was surrounded by eager suitors, while Timmy hovered protectively.
Delphine and her friends formed a protective circle, resembling a flock of hens guarding their chicks.
Then, Aether’s gaze landed on Princess, who appeared bored, and Kai, who seemed hesitant about something.
‘Should I approach her?’ Aether entertained a risky thought but reconsidered when he recalled Princess’s earlier disdainful look and considering his status as a Slave… He could only ask the person who was at least the same as him.
He sighed and glanced at the maid, who was now eagerly watching the dance unfold.
‘Well, since we’re both servants, it should be fine, right?’ Aether reasoned with himself. He decided to have a bit of fun, hoping that maybe, just maybe, Princess would show some interest after seeing his dance.
“Would you care to dance with me, milady?” Aether asked, taking a dramatic stance as he kneeled on one leg.
“W-What?!” The maid was caught off guard, her expression shifting from excitement to horror in an instant.
!~Ding~!
[Survival rate: 0.7%↓]
‘What?’ Aether blinked, processing the unexpected turn of events with a robotic detachment, wondering how his innocent invitation had triggered such a drastic response.