After eating well and taking a few leisurely strolls around the Palace, nighttime gently settled in. Aether decided to finally take some rest. Now he was lying on the large, luxurious bed, gazing absentmindedly at the ceiling above.
It wasn’t like he really needed rest—three full days of peace had been more than enough for someone like him—but still… he figured, why not indulge in a few more days of quiet? Especially since he already knew what was coming.
Endless responsibilities, heavy decisions, complicated politics… a storm of things waiting just outside this calm.
Also, he had just received some troubling feedback from the puppets stationed across the Empires.
They too had spotted that tiny hooded figure—lingering near the Ebon Stones. Not just in Zephyr… but even in the Pyra Empire.
That made him frown, deeply.
No one, absolutely no one, should have been able to pass through the Empire’s barrier. It was foolproof, perfect, created by Palace’s hidden technology. And yet…
‘That figure… it’s really something else. I need to be careful,’ he thought, his brows furrowing slightly.
The hooded figure was becoming increasingly mysterious… Dangerous even.
But there was one thing consistent in all reports.
The figure never touched the stones.
It merely watched.
Silently.
And then vanished.
‘What is it trying to do? Why just watch?’ Aether’s thoughts tangled. As much as he wanted to contact the Arcane Hunter Organization, they were not attending to his communication.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t reach them.
He had no choice but to investigate on his own.
Just then—
Knock, knock…
Someone knocked gently on his door.
Given his VIP status here in the palace, he had been assigned a grand suite, the kind of room that came with thick velvet carpets, moonlit curtains, and a bed big enough for three kings. Quiet luxury.
Aether’s lips curled into a tiny smirk.
Without a word, he pulled the bedsheet up to his chin and quickly pretended to be fast asleep.
Knock, knock…
Aether lisp slightly curled up as he immediately closed his eyes, pulled his bedsheet and fell asleep.
Knock, Knock…
“…A…”
A soft whisper, barely audible, came from behind the door. Then—
Thud!
The knob turned. The door creaked open, slowly parting. A pair of glowing, curious purple eyes peeked from behind the doorframe.
“Aether…”
Her voice floated in, tender and hesitant.
When she didn’t hear a response, the door pushed open wider, revealing a beautiful woman stepping inside.
Her long, wavy purple hair shimmered under the pale light. She wore a delicate, nearly see-through lingerie that clung softly to her curves. Her bare feet made no sound against the carpet as she moved forward, cautious and silent.
Her bright, sparkling eyes scanned the room carefully before landing on the bed… and the tall, familiar figure lumped beneath the sheets.
“There you are~” she murmured with a mischievous smile, speaking more to herself than anyone else. She tiptoed across the room, pausing at the edge of the bed, her gaze playful, lips curling with amusement.
‘Sleeping so peacefully, huh? Must be nice…’ she thought, a mix of mock irritation and fondness swirling inside her chest.
Oh, she was definitely going to give him a proper scare tonight.
With exaggerated caution, she leaned in and slowly reached for the bedsheet…
“BO—!”
“HEHEHEHEE!!” Aether suddenly threw the bedsheet down and burst out laughing, his face contorted with a dramatic, mock-horrified expression. His lips twisted downward and yet he giggled like a child. His eyes bulged slightly as he gasped,
“KAAAYY!!”
Thud!
Aqualina let out a tiny yelp and fell straight on her butt, completely startled.
“Haha… ha ha ha…” Aether sat up, unable to stop laughing as he clutched his stomach. Her reaction was far too adorable, and her horrified face?
Absolutely priceless. ‘Oh my goodness… I can’t believe that worked again,’ he thought as he chuckled harder, tears welling in his eyes.
Aqualina’s cheeks burned bright red as she scrambled to her feet. “Hmph!” she puffed, turning away from him with a scowl. Her steps were heavy, dramatic. She wasn’t actually leaving—she just wanted him to know she was mad.
Aether, still chuckling, leaned slightly forward. “Hey… come on. I’m sorry,” he called out softly.
“Hmph!” she huffed again, refusing to turn around.
Aether smiled gently, his voice dropping lower, warmer. “Come on, my dear~ don’t be like that…”
He waved a hand casually, and the air around her shimmered. Invisible tendrils of wind softly wrapped around Aqualina’s body and began lifting her into the air.
“Wha—!” Her eyes widened as the gentle breeze picked her up and floated her toward the bed.
Aether reached out and caught her by the hips as if she weighed nothing at all, placing her gently on his lap.
“What? Angry already?” he teased, poking her lips softly with two fingers.
Aqualina slapped his hand away with a pout. Her brows scrunched as she glared at him. She was still fuming—he scared her again! And the worst part?
He enjoyed it! Treated her like some little child!
And he saw her vulnerable face again.
Ugh!
Aether grinned even wider. He leaned in and buried his face into her hair, inhaling deeply. “Mmm… you smell amazing… Did you just take a bath?”
His arms tightened around her, pulling her body even closer to his.
Aqualina’s cheeks flushed hot, but her glare didn’t waver.
She was still mad, okay?!
Aether let out a small sigh and ruffled her hair with a tender hand. “I’m sorry, my princess. I really am,” he whispered in defeat.
Aqualina’s lips twitched. She turned slightly, ready to forgive him when—
Aether tilted his head and grinned devilishly.
“But seriously… I didn’t know you were such a scaredy-cat~”
“You…!”
A vein popped on her forehead as she clenched her fists. With a growl, she slammed her tiny fists against his chest. Of course, not hard enough to hurt. But enough to make her point.
Aether chuckled softly, an amused glint in his eyes, before asking in a gentle tone, “So… what brings you here, hmm?” His voice was light, teasing, even though he already had a fairly good idea where this was going.
Aqualina snorted, crossing her arms before glancing away with a faint blush blooming on her cheeks. “I… I brought this,” she mumbled, holding out an old, slightly worn book.
“Hmm?” Aether tilted his head, intrigued, as he reached out to take it—only for her to suddenly pull it back.
“Nope!” she declared playfully, flashing a cheeky grin, “I’m the one who’s going to read it for you.”
Before he could protest, she lifted her hips and shifted around, settling herself comfortably on his lap. She leaned her back against his broad chest, wiggling slightly to adjust her position, and then flipped open the book with a small, satisfied hum.
Aether let out a quiet sigh, a smile tugging at his lips. He didn’t fight it. Instead, he wrapped his arms loosely around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, settling in to listen.
“This is the book you asked me to find… the one about our palace’s history.”
“Oh?… Right, yeah,” Aether nodded, growing more curious now. His eyes drifted over the pages as she began to read.
Aqualina smiled as she pressed herself deeper into his lap, getting comfortable while her eyes scanned the faded ink. The book wasn’t particularly thick—just a small collection of recorded facts and tales about the origin of their palace.
Nothing grand or overly detailed. But still, it held weight.
“So, long story short,” she began, her voice a soft rhythm, “this palace was built ages ago by the ancient people. Not just any people, though… like, literally, marine species from all around came together to help build it for their rulers.”
Aether blinked slowly, quietly listening.
“It was all out of devotion and deep respect,” she continued, “Love for their leaders. That’s what drove them. They built this place so the rulers could lead the world with both strength and kindness.”
Aether raised an eyebrow slightly, still silent.
“And, in return, the ancient ruler wanted to honor those who built it. So he/she had every single person involved—every craftsman, every creature, every helping hand—their art etched into the palace walls. Every surface. Every hall.”
Aqualina paused.
“That’s all.”
“Hmm… that’s it?” Aether echoed, leaning a bit forward in surprise. “The people built the place, and their ruler carved their names and faces into the stone…?”
He looked almost puzzled, like the simplicity of it caught him off guard.
“What a good ruler…” Aqualina muttered, nodding slowly. Her voice was calm, but inside she was squirming. Honestly, just reading it gave her this bitter taste in her mouth.
Sure, it was a beautiful story. Noble, even. But when she looked at the current people in power?
Backstabbers.
Greedy opportunists.
The kind who’d rather watch someone fall than help them rise.
She was just about to close the book and bring up something more serious (That’s her real endgame) when—
“Wait…” Aether reached out and gently halted her hand. His brows furrowed.
At the bottom of the last page, almost like an afterthought, there were tiny letters. Barely visible.
“Oh that?” Aqualina leaned forward a bit. “It’s probably just a signature. Maybe the ruler’s name or something.” She traced her fingers over the small, delicate script.
But then—
“My language…” Aether muttered under his breath.
He gently took the book from her hands and brought it closer to his face. The letters were incredibly small, almost microscopic.
But unmistakable.
His previous world’s language.
“You… you know that?” Aqualina turned to him with wide, curious eyes, watching his face closely as his expression darkened slightly.
“What does it say?” she asked, noticing the weight in his silence.
Aether’s eyes narrowed. He whispered quietly, “Only the blood-marked may claim the Throne… and the unworthy shall perish”
Aqualina blinked. “…That’s a pretty heavy phrase,” she said softly, leaning in closer. “Wait, does that mean… these words belong to you? Someone from your world left this behind?”
She tilted her head, clearly intrigued. “Could it be that… someone else, like you, came here long ago too?”
Aether shrugged, eyes still fixed on the tiny text. “I don’t know. Maybe… or maybe it’s just a coincidence. Or something older than even I can imagine,” he murmured. “It’s hard to say.”
Aqualina studied his face carefully, noting the seriousness in his eyes.
‘It’s weird…’ she thought to herself, heart beating a little faster. Her thoughts swirled in the silence before she pushed the book aside… She hadn’t come here just to read some old legends.
She now wanted something else!
She turned in his lap slightly and looked him straight in the eyes.
“Aether… close your eyes.”
“Huh?” Aether blinked, visibly confused. His frown returned.
“Just close them,” she insisted, voice firm. “And no matter what happens… you don’t move. Got it?”
Aether hesitated. He didn’t like being told not to move. Especially not when she sounded so serious.
“Aether,” she repeated. This time, her voice held no playfulness. It was sharp. Commanding.
He nodded, slowly.
And closed his eyes.
A small smirk curled on Aqualina’s lips as she leaned in close, her voice low and sultry near his ear.
“It’s time for your punishment, my dear~”