When Archpriest Aether was finally able to wield the holy flames… the high priests had no choice but to grit their teeth and shut their mouths in frustration, as they… at last, and very reluctantly… agreed—Aether was indeed the Archpriest.
A title that stood equal to the Archpriestess herself!
Especially among the common people, joy overflowed so intensely that it felt like the entire region under Aether’s care had erupted in celebration. His entire territory was alive with excitement, throwing an enormous, dazzling party!
It was as if the entire city was glowing, bathed in the warm shimmer of countless lights and blooming happiness—as though every single person believed they had become the Archpriest themselves.
“Look at them… everyone looks so happy…” the Archpriestess murmured softly to herself, standing on top of a tall building, gazing down at the glowing streets below, filled with laughter, music, and dancing.
For some strange reason, a soft ache settled in her chest… a subtle loneliness. A celebration like this… never happened for her when she was appointed Archpriestess. “Why am I feeling jealous now?” she whispered under her breath, her tone carrying a slight pout, before turning her head to the side…
And there he stood.
A man with hair as white as untouched snow, standing tall and poised. He wore flowing white robes threaded with golden embroidery that shimmered with their own quiet brilliance, reflecting the lights around him like he was carved from divinity itself.
Archpriest Aether slowly turned his calm expression toward her, catching her gaze lingering on him. He looked a bit uneasy as he spoke, “I swear… I never meant to steal your throne or authority or anything,” he said, his voice gentle but firm, like he wanted her to know this was never his intention. “I didn’t ask for this. I was just… pulled into it.”
He would’ve been content managing a small temple—even just as a priest.
The Archpriestess couldn’t help but chuckle softly. The way he spoke, so serious and sincere… it was adorable. She had only been teasing him a little, but he clearly thought she meant it.
She smiled quietly, then leaned gently against his shoulder. Archpriest Aether flinched in surprise, glancing sideways at her.
“W-What are you doing?” he stammered, caught off guard.
“Isn’t it obvious?” she whispered playfully.
“What is?” Aether asked, blinking, his voice laced with innocent confusion.
The Archpriestess let out a soft sigh as she turned her head to glare at him, her cheeks puffed with a cute pout. “Why do you act like you don’t understand anything? You know exactly what I mean, don’t you?”
Aether’s face flushed with red… of course he knew.
He let out a hesitant breath, “I… I really don’t—” but before he could finish, she lifted her hand and pressed her fingers softly against his chest.
“I know you’re not ready yet… but I also know you will be,” she whispered gently, her voice filled with quiet certainty. “You’re my flower… and even if I have to wait for a thousand years, I will…. You’re mine, Aether. No one else gets to take you.”
Then her tone shifted, sly and possessive, as she smirked and whispered near his ear, “That’s why I made sure to coat you in my scent. So no sneaky little cats can snatch you away.”
Her hand gripped his collar, yanking him closer until their lips were just a breath apart. Her gaze sharpened dangerously. “And don’t you dare fall for some other bitch. Just remember—this pathetic woman has been waiting, hoping, longing… just for your answer.”
Their lips nearly touched—just barely, almost—but she pulled back at the last second, pushing him lightly and flashing a mischievous, proud smile.
“I’m not going to kiss you, Aether. That kiss… will come from you. Got it—”
Suddenly, the vision darkened—blurring before flickered and,
“H-Hello? You doing okay?” a soft voice broke the silence. The Saintess stood beside him, her hands gently clasped in front of her.
Archpriest Aether blinked back into the present. “Yeah… I’m fine. What do you want?”
“N-Nothing much… I just came by to see what you were doing,” she said, her voice shy, cheeks tinted with a soft pink blush. She turned her gaze to the glowing city below. “So… when’s the party starting?”
“Tonight,” Aether murmured, eyes still distant. “They said it’s supposed to be a surprise.”
He wondered silently what kind of surprise his people were planning.
The Saintess hummed lightly, nodding as she shifted awkwardly, stealing a quick glance at him. Her cheeks grew redder before she turned away, mumbling, “O-Okay then… I’ll be heading out.”
“So soon?” Aether asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked up at the sky, now beginning to dark, “Why not stay and enjoy the celebration?”
The Saintess hesitated for a moment, then looked back over her shoulder with a small, uncertain smile. “Y-You… want me to stay?”
There was a quiet eagerness in her voice, like she wasn’t sure if she should be happy or just dreaming.
Aether blinked. “Well… yeah.” He couldn’t bring himself to admit he was only asking out of politeness.
The Saintess blushed even deeper, her cheeks glowing red as her heart raced, ‘So… he actually wants me,’ she thought, her chest fluttering with excitement. But then, the Archpriestess’s warning echoed in her mind—stern and commanding—not to approach him without her permission.
Her smile faded as she puffed her cheeks and let out a frustrated huff.
“Hmph! I can’t… I have a lot of work to do anyway!” she muttered, turning away with a pout. There was a slight bite of annoyance in her tone before she added, “Anyway… the Archpriestess told me to warn you. There’s something strange going on in the other empires. Just… be careful.”
Archpriest Aether narrowed his eyes. “Strange things? What kind of strange?”
The Saintess’s expression turned serious, “They’re saying some kind of new monsters are showing up… creatures that are eating people or worse. And even scarier—some people are turning into monsters themselves. It’s… not clear how it’s happening.”
She sighed, shoulders dropping slightly. “Ever since the Sovereign died, things haven’t been the same. It’s been chaos. So please… just stay alert, okay?”
Aether’s brows furrowed. He didn’t remember anything like this happening in his previous iterations…. Nothing about mysterious monsters… and especially not the Sovereign’s death?
That alone shocked him more than anything else. The Sovereign—gone?
But then, his eyes lowered to his pristine white robes, the golden embroidery gently glowing under the warm light. He wasn’t entangled in that chaos anymore.
He had made a deal with Mother, and ever since… things had been peaceful for him.
No struggles, no endless loops… Just quiet purpose.
“I understand,” Aether said with a soft nod. “I’ll be careful.”
The Saintess turned as if she was about to leave, but suddenly paused, her steps halting mid-motion.
“Hmm?” Archpriest Aether tilted his head slightly, curiosity touching his voice.
She stood there silently, fidgeting as she clutched the hem of her robe tightly. Her face turned an even darker shade of red. “I… I… I… L-Lo—”
Aether frowned, stepping forward with concern. “Are you alright? You’re stuttering—”
“W-WAIT! D-Don’t come any closer!!” the Saintess yelped, backing up quickly, her face now a full beet red.
Aether froze, startled by her sudden outburst. “I-I’m sorry! Please forgive me if I’ve done anything to upset you.”
“N-No! It’s not like that!” she cried out in a panic, waving her hands frantically. “Ahh—!” She sucked in a shaky breath, tried to steady herself, and then mumbled, “M-My heart… i-it’s beating… way too fast!” And with that, she spun around and bolted away in a full-blown flustered sprint.
“…”
Aether just stood there, blinking in utter confusion.
“…What… nw?”
Before he could make sense of anything, the vision blurred again, drowning into a haze of darkness before reforming into—
“WE LOVE YOU, ARCHPRIEST AETHER!!!”
A deafening cheer exploded from the massive crowd gathered in the streets. The echo of thousands of voices thundered through the city, rising like a wave of joy. Archpriest Aether stood awkwardly on a grand podium, a deep blush blooming on his face.
He wasn’t used to this… this kind of overwhelming affection.
He had never received this kind of love—not like this. Not from so many people.
As he struggled to keep his composure, his blush only deepened. The sight of his flushed face made the crowd grin wildly. Even now, even after rising to such a divine title, to them—he was still their priest.
That same gentle, smiling man whose warmth had once healed their pain.
And now, that same smile made them feel whole.
“Whoooo!!!! MY ARCHPRIEST!!” someone howled from the crowd, whistling loudly.
That single shout ignited the crowd like wildfire. One by one, voices joined in, whistles and cheers blending into a roar of adoration that only made Archpriest Aether more embarrassed.
He bit his lip, trying to control his flustered heart, before stepping forward and shouting out loudly, his voice echoing across the city:
“I WILL PROTECT YOU ALL WITH MY LIFE!!”
The crowd went wild.
“KKKYYAAAAA!!!!”