Aqualina… she was indeed drowning in confusion, lost within the haze of her memories… her past, her present… everything was so tangled and chaotic that even though Aether had managed to calm her down before, the storm inside her hadn’t truly settled.
She had decided to live as Sandra’s daughter—but still, her mind, in its fractured state, kept slipping into a place where she felt more like the mother… the one who was supposed to protect.
But the moment she realized that Sandra had already known about her… that painful truth shattered her all over again. The thin line between past and present snapped, leaving her heart trembling, her mind in shambles.
But now… now, everything had cleared up. The fog, the confusion, the fear, the guilt, the sense of loss and desperate longing… it all slowly lifted—like dawn breaking through after a stormy night.
All of it faded after just one thing.
A single talk. That’s all it needed.
A conversation that neither of them had dared to begin. Maybe out of awkwardness… or maybe it was fear—fear of losing what they had just found. Or perhaps they simply didn’t know what the other truly wanted.
That silence, that hesitation… it created the distance between them.
But now…
Aether and Celestia stood quietly, watching Aqualina and Sandra embrace each other tightly—so tightly, as if letting go would tear them apart forever.
Celestia turned her head slightly, glancing at Aether. He wore a gentle, proud smile on his face, but the corner of his lips twitched… ever so slightly.
She caught it immediately.
/…Are you jealous?/ Celestia asked through telepathy, arching an amused brow.
Aether flinched, quickly averting his gaze. /Of course not! Why would I be jealous?/ he replied, shrugging his shoulders like it didn’t bother him at all.
But Celestia knew better. She grinned playfully.
‘How cute~’ she thought to herself with an entertained expression on her face.
Just then, Aether’s voice came into her mind again, this time quieter, but more serious.
/Don’t you have something to say to her?/ he asked, his expression subtly shifting into something more solemn.
Celestia blinked as her grin faded. She let out a soft breath before replying, /I guess… even I can’t hide from you, huh?/
Aether just gave a crooked smile and gestured his hand gently toward Sandra and Aqualina.
Celestia sighed, then stepped forward, her gaze falling on the pair, “Hmm…” she hesitantly hummed, trying to find her voice.
Hearing that soft sound, both Sandra and Aqualina snapped out of their moment, turning their heads in sync. Their eyes locked onto Celestia, who was now quietly looking at Aqualina with a strange expression.
Sandra’s brows furrowed for a brief moment before she took a small step back, giving space between her and Aqualina.
Aqualina blinked, visibly confused. “Is something wrong?” she asked, her voice unsure.
Celestia inhaled deeply and, with a slow exhale, said softly, “I’m sorry…” Her head bowed deeply in a formal, respectful gesture.
Aqualina tilted her head, confused. “Sorry? For what?”
Still keeping her head low, Celestia spoke again, her voice tight with emotion. “That day… if I had just taken a moment to understand your emotions a little better… you wouldn’t hav—”
Before she could even finish her sentence, Aqualina suddenly stood from the chair and walked straight into her, wrapping her arms tightly around her in a warm, fierce hug.
“Thank you…” Aqualina whispered with trembling lips. “Thank you for taking care of my…” Her eyes turned to Sandra, softening even more as she continued, “…my mother.”
Celestia’s eyes widened in surprise before a weak, grateful smile formed on her lips.
“I do love you, Celestia… no matter what,” Aqualina whispered, holding her even tighter, not wanting to let her go too!
Celestia stood frozen for a second, then smiled, a tear threatening to fall, she shouldn’t feel this emotion and yet… for reason, her heart slightly felt something.. something that made feel this emotion for a moment before disappearing, as she turned her gaze to Aether… who was still standing with the same soft smile—only now, he was very obviously sulking.
‘What am I going to do with him?’ she thought, a mixture of fondness and exasperation flickering through her chest at the sight of his barely hidden jealousy.
Once the emotional wave began to settle, Aqualina let out a long, deep sigh… as if the weight of the years—the guilt, the pressure, the confusion—had finally lifted from her shoulders.
“Hah… Hahah…” Aqualina chuckled softly, her voice light with relief. For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt free. Her heart was calm, steady, and quiet. There was no lingering pain, no shame, no anxiety—only a peaceful stillness.
“I feel… tired…” Aqualina muttered, her voice fading gently as she slowly walked over with outstretched arms and collapsed onto the bed with a sigh of release… And of course, Aether, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, didn’t stand a chance—she grabbed him with one hand and pulled him along with her.
He let out a surprised grunt as he was pushed down beside her.
Aqualina tilted her head to the side, resting it on the pillow as she looked at him with a serene, happy expression glowing on her face.
Aether chuckled softly, smiling back at her with the same warmth.
They stared at each other quietly… letting the silence speak for them.
Seconds passed…. A whole minute maybe.
And then—
“Grrrrlllllll!!”
A violent stomach growl echoed through the room.
Aether blinked, then scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin. “Well… I have been out for three days…” he muttered, trying to laugh it off.
Aqualina burst into a soft laugh.
…
….
Dinning Hall,
Currently, the group was sitting inside the spacious Dinning Hall. The entire space was pristine and elegant, crafted from polished blue marble that shimmered under the soft glow of the chandeliers.
Every inch of the hall, including the massive dining table they were seated around, was intricately etched with designs of aqua-related organisms— like an underwater kingdom frozen in time, carved into stone.
“Hmm…” Aether mumbled, tracing his fingers across the delicate patterns on the table’s surface. He’d seen similar designs on the palace walls before, but this level of detail… it was something else entirely.
Each etching depicted a different sea creature, and none of them repeated. “Damn… whoever built this place wasn’t just talented—they were on a whole other level,” he muttered, his voice filled with both awe and disbelief.
Sitting beside him, Aqualina let out a soft chuckle. “Hah… beautiful, isn’t it? I remember being just as speechless the first time I saw it,” she said, placing her hand gently on his thigh, her fingers beginning to rub lightly.
“Do you know who created all of this?” Aether asked, curiosity lighting up his eyes, though he didn’t react much to her subtle touches.
Aqualina shook her head, her hand still resting on him. “Not really… but I read in one of the books in the Archive that the palace was built in ancient times. No name mentioned… just that it was passed down by generations,” she said, grinning softly while her fingers drew lazy circles on his thigh.
Aether hummed, his brows furrowed slightly. ‘Ancient times?’ he repeated in thought. “Do you still have that book?”
Aqualina nodded. “I’ll bring it to you later,” she said sweetly, her smile lighting up her face.
Unable to resist, Aether reached out and gently pinched her cheek. “You’re too adorable sometimes.”
“A-Aether…” Aqualina blushed, her voice a soft squeak as she looked away, flustered.
Aether chuckled at her reaction,
Cough, cough…
Sandra, sitting at the center of the table, cleared her throat with a mildly annoyed expression. “The food is getting cold. Eat,” she said.
No, it wasn’t a suggestion—it was an order.
Aqualina flushed even deeper, quickly lowering her gaze and picking up her spoon. She began eating while stealing glances at her mother. Sandra appeared calm, silently sipping her soup, but for just a fraction of a second… Aqualina noticed it—a brief glance toward Aether.
Aqualina bit her lower lip. Even though their mother-daughter bond had been repaired, this… this silent longing in her mother’s eyes—it stung. Aqualina believed that her mother was holding herself back… suppressing her own feelings for Aether, just for her sake.
Her thoughts momentarily drifted elsewhere… to Selene. The one who had gone so far to help Aether to seduce her own mother. Selene, who had done the unthinkable.
Aqualina felt goosebumps prickling her skin as a rush of complicated emotions swept through her chest.
Meanwhile, Aether’s gaze became distant.
A sudden update arrived from one of his puppets. The last trace of the small hooded figure had been near the Ebon Stone.
His expression subtly shifted into a frown. He had hoped that once the Master fell, the remnants of the organization would crumble.
But apparently, they weren’t finished yet.
“Hmm…” Aether murmured thoughtfully, eyes narrowing.
“Is something the matter?” Sandra asked with a slight frown, her spoon pausing in mid-air. Behind her, Celestia leaned in slightly, curiously.
Aether quickly shook his head. “No… it’s nothing,” he replied casually, even as his mind was already commanding his clones scattered across the empires to monitor the Ebon Stones more closely.
He couldn’t afford to let a single threat slip through. Not until Sandra was completely safe.
Sandra stared at him for a few seconds, studying his face… but then silently returned to her soup. As she stirred it gently, she suddenly asked, “When are you leaving?” Her tone was calm, but her eyes flicked toward him with pointed interest.
Before Aether could even open his mouth, Aqualina’s voice rang out urgently.
“Leaving? He needs rest first, Mom!” she protested with a serious look, her fingers clenching tightly around Aether’s thigh—tight enough to make him flinch. “He’s been pushing himself nonstop. Didn’t our Royal Healer say he needed to take proper rest?”
“Hmm…” Sandra responded with a vague hum, her tone unreadable, though her brows furrowed slightly.
Aqualina smiled sweetly, her expression suddenly innocent. “That’s why he’s staying here for at least a few more days, right?” She turned to Aether with hopeful, almost pleading eyes.
Aether blinked at her, caught between amusement and surrender. He couldn’t bring himself to say no—not when she looked at him like that. He nodded gently in agreement.
Unaware—or perhaps pretending not to know—what kind of devious little plan this girl was hatching behind that innocent face.
‘Hehe~’ Aqualina chuckled inwardly, her mind brimming with mischievous thoughts. –
Everyone around him was getting corrupted… by Aether himself!!