“Thank you,” Aether softly murmured, his gaze tender as he looked at the Archpriestess who had skillfully healed his injured hands, a gesture of gratitude and admiration in his eyes.
The Archpriestess, her brow furrowed with concern and her eyes reflecting a mixture of worry and pain, met Aether’s gaze steadily. Despite knowing that his feelings were not directed toward her romantically, she couldn’t help but feel a tug at her heartstrings, a swirl of emotions she couldn’t easily dismiss.
“You could at least remember to cover up before handling dangerous items,” the Archpriestess remarked gently, her voice carrying a hint of motherly concern as she carefully inspected Aether’s now-healed hand.
Aether’s eyes briefly stared at the woman before him, a fleeting moment where memories of Stella, with her own worried face, flashed through his mind. The similarities in their expressions were just the same.
“You asked my answer, right?” Aether’s voice held a touch of vulnerability, prompting the Archpriestess to meet his gaze once more.
“You see, this is my life, a life that holds no tomorrow… I cannot escape it, and if she were to enter my messed-up life… She would only hurt herself more, and it would only cause me more pain,” Aether said with utmost honesty.
The Archpriestess stared at Aether in silence.
“She… Stella is a good, naive girl, and I’m glad she loves someone like me. I am pretty sure I want her to be happy too” Aether said, smiling and then slowly turning sad, “But I don’t think my life holds any happiness.”
“So, tell her to face reality. I am not worthy of her… I am just a weak guy who was trying to prolong his pathetic life,” Aether said with a sad smile.
The Archpriestess’s eyes trembled as she finally understood. Aether had been thinking about her happiness, not his own…. She bit her lips not shouting at him that he was her happiness as long he was in her life she would be happy.
She could feel his pure heart shining like a light.
W-What should she do? She couldn’t control herself when she saw his genuine emotions!
However, inwardly, Aether thought, ‘Thank goodness, with this, I think her sister would knock some sense into Stella… I don’t need to worry about her raping me!’ just thinking made him shiver.
The Archpriestess’s heart trembled as she realized she was falling for this man even more. ‘I-I’m sorry, Mother, but this man… is too pure to kill him. Mother…. I will take care of him! You don’t need to worry about other things, Mother.
I-I will safely lock him up!!’ she asked forgiveness from the god.
‘!!’ Aether flinched for unknown reasons.
“W-What if… What if she still says she loves you? Will you be determined to live through every difficult day?” the Archpriestess asked with a trembling voice.
‘That would be painful!’ Aether couldn’t help but think, but then he masked his expression and said in a pained voice,
“If she still loves me,” he whispered hoarsely, his voice barely audible above the whisper of the wind, “then I-I will do whatever it takes to make her hate me… For I-I would rather live in darkness than condemn her to a life of eternal sorrow.”
‘Snap’
Archpriestess’s lips trembled as the final thread of sanity snapped, her mind engulfed in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
Thus,
“~Hmm~”
“!!!!” Aether’s eyes widened in shock as he felt a soft sensation on his lips, his body instinctively jerking back from the unexpected contact.
“W-What are you doing?!” Aether exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief and a hint of anger as he fixed a piercing glare on the woman who had just kissed him out of nowhere.
‘lick’
“You taste really nice,” Archpriestess remarked seductively, a playful smirk playing on her lips as she licked them in a teasing manner.
[+10000 Affection]
!~Ding~!
[Survival rate: 1%↑]
‘What the fuck?’ Aether screamed seeing his sudden increase in survival rate and looked at the woman who was breathing heavily like she was in… heat?
It was then… that a ridiculous thought crossed his mind.
“S-Stella?” Aether blurted out, his horror-stricken eyes locked on the woman’s face.
“Hmm?” Archpriestess tilted her head in confusion, her expression innocent yet tinged with a mischievous glint.
“Y-You are Stella, right?” Aether stammered while stepping back.
“What are you talking about? I am not Stella. I am Seraphina Ashwood, Stella’s Big sister!!” the Archpriestess replied, her tone firm and resolute as if to dispel any doubts about her identity.
“N-No, No, No! You must be Stella!” Aether protested, his gaze darting back to the large number of affection points. There was no way she could explain this unnatural amount of affection from her…. Unless she fell in love with him.
That was in no way happening!!
Yet,
“No!” Archpriestess shook her head adamantly, refusing to entertain the notion.
Frustrated by her refusal to acknowledge the truth, Aether demanded answers, “Then tell me, why did you kiss me?”
“W-Well…” Archpriestess suddenly grew bashful, her cheeks tinted with a rosy hue as she lowered her gaze, “O-Our family has a tradition… When sisters marry, they should marry the same person. S-Since Stella chose you, I-I also…” She trailed off, unable to voice the unspoken implications.
Aether’s eyes widened in disbelief at her confession, his mind reeling with shock. Without another word, he turned on his heel and bolted, his thoughts consumed by a desperate need to escape.
Aether was running at full speed!!
“Hmph!” the Archpriestess huffed indignantly, her lips curling into a sly smile as she watched him flee, “I suppose he’s not like other men, after all,” she mused to herself, a sense of satisfaction washing over her.
!~Ding~!
[Survival rate: 2%↑]
‘What the fuck!’ Aether screamed inwardly.
Archpriestess hadn’t merely spoken for the sake of hiding her identity instead…. she had tested his loyalty, and the result pleased her more than she dared admit.
Yup, When she kissed him, she wanted to check whether he would push her away or indulge in the kiss…. No one would avoid getting a Kiss from a gorgeous lady unless he was a eunuch!!
To her happiness, Aether pushed her without hesitation and even glared at her with hatred.
This solidified that he was loyal to Stella!
Even more, when she told him that he would marry her as well, Aether showed one of the most horrified expressions, as if he would rather die than betray his beloved Stella.
His beloved Stella!
This proves his strength, purity, and loyalty, and most of all…
“He loves Stella so deeply that he would rather suffer alone than see her cry,” Archpriestess muttered with deep pain and pleasure.
Archpriestess’s heart couldn’t help but flutter with happiness as if she had achieved enlightenment.
Aether might not know this, but if he had actually reciprocated the kiss and agreed to marry them…. his head would have already rolled on the ground.
He was somehow saved by himself!
“Aether loves me~ Aether loves me too much~ Aether loves me too too much~ Aether loves too too too much~ Aeth…” Archpriestess hummed a melody of her own thoughts, her heart dancing with newfound hope and understanding.
The archpriestess reappeared beside the Empress in the engagement hall.
“Where did you disappear to?” the Empress inquired with a furrowed brow.
With a coy smile, Archpriestess leaned in and whispered, “Do you mind if I remove some pests?”
If it were any other ruler, they might have reacted with anger or suspicion at the Archpriestess’s words. However, the Empress remained composed and simply asked, “Why?”
“Well…” Archpriestess’s gaze lingered on Delphine’s friends’ group, who had tormented Aether, before shifting to Kai, ‘If I eliminate him, Aether might end up as a stray slave and that will be hard for my transfer the slave contract… I need another approach to secure Aether for myself,’ she calculated silently before speaking, “Because you’re hiding something.”
“Hmm?” Empress tilted her head.
“Oh, come on, Bitch. Do you truly believe that no one from the five empires would notice the peculiar white and black energy that manifested a few weeks ago?” Archpriestess challenged, her tone sharp with accusation.
The Empress remained silent for a moment before finally murmuring, “And do you think I wouldn’t be aware of your clandestine entry into my territory, bitch?”
“…”
“…”
The air between them grew heavy with unspoken tension, each woman holding her ground with steely resolve.
“So, it’s him, isn’t it?” Archpriestess pointed towards Aether, who had just entered the Hall.
“I suppose there’s no use in hiding it any longer… Yes, it’s him,” the Empress conceded with a sigh, acknowledging Aether’s role in the mysterious phenomenon that had occurred on that fateful day.