Trrrr!!
The path slowly closed before Aether and Xara, who stood there silently, watching the massive square block slowly descend back into the ground. It vanished beneath the earth as if it had never existed—no trace, no sign it was ever there.
Aether stared blankly at the spot, his eyes locked on the ground.
Xara noticed the conflicted look in his eyes, the way his jaw clenched subtly, and his brows twitched ever so slightly… But she didn’t say a word.
She simply turned around, her long hair swaying softly behind her as she began to walk away without a sound.
Aether quietly followed, his footsteps aligning with hers. Neither of them exchanged a single word. The silence between them wasn’t cold—it was thick with tension, with unspoken questions and lingering doubts.
And still… they walked. Slowly. Together.
Then, gently, Aether’s hand moved. It reached out, unsure but yearning, and slipped into hers, intertwining their fingers with soft hesitation.
“Do… you mind?” he asked quietly.
Xara flinched slightly at the touch, a small jolt of surprise flashing in her eyes. But she didn’t let go. She turned her head to glance at him, her gaze unreadable for a moment… then she looked forward again, saying nothing.
So Aether just continued walking—still holding her hand, still unsure what it meant, but not wanting to let go.
Xara didn’t understand what was going on inside his mind… but she could feel it. Something was cracking, shifting.
She had exposed her deepest self—raw, unfiltered, ugly—and that could have shattered everything.
She knew that much… She had gambled everything to be real.
Whatever image he had created of her… the soft-spoken protector, the maternal guide… she had destroyed it.
Torn it apart with the truth. And yet…
She knew her words and her actions must have hit him hard. Must’ve sunk deep into his chest like a dagger.
Aether was clearly overwhelmed—confused, hurt, torn.
She could sense it!
Yet,
Grippp!
She suddenly felt his fingers tighten around her hand, the grip no longer soft, but possessive. She shot him a quick glance—and froze.
He was staring forward, jaw clenched, eyes narrowed—not at her, but into the distance…
He wasn’t letting her go.
Xara blinked, startled, then slowly shook her head, her lips curving into a faint smile. ‘Stubborn man…’ she thought, amused despite herself.
She knew he was shaken—devastated even—by what he had learned about her. Her darkness, her past, the monstrous truth.
His logic, his morals, everything screamed at him that she was dangerous.
That she was wrong!!
And still… he couldn’t leave.
That kind of blind, stubborn love—so foolish, so beautiful—it filled her with a strange, aching warmth.
Her cheeks flushed faintly, a soft red blooming across her pale skin. ‘Is this… is this what love feels like?’ she wondered.
It was foreign to her. Strange. Her heart throbbed with emotions she barely understood—love, hate, longing, guilt, trust, hope, fear.
She had never felt them all together like this, never allowed anyone this close… Well, no one tried to get closer to her other than him!
Xara exhaled quietly, lowering her gaze as she gently squeezed his hand back, their fingers now fully locked together.
And so, in silence, beneath the quiet stars and the still air of the night, they walked.
Neither speaking… Neither pulling away.
Just walking… connected.
Eventually, the towering front gate of the mansion came into view.
Still, neither Aether nor Xara spoke.
The silence between them had changed now—it wasn’t heavy anymore.
It was gentle… Comfortable as they sneakily entered the gate,
Until—
“Oh… Father… aawwww!”
The sound echoed through the courtyard, and both Xara and Aether froze, their expressions twitching as they turned to glance at each other.
Their eyes widened slightly.
“Shit, we forgot!!”
“Shit, we forgot!!”
They blurted it out in unison, startled, then looked at each other again—this time with a quiet laugh and a smile that softened their previously tense faces.
And then, carefully, they stepped deeper into the mansion grounds.
There, in the yard—they saw the heartbreaking scene.
Timmy was crying, crouched beside Alfred’s dead body, which was preserved inside a solid block of ice. The frost sparkled around him like glass.
Several figures stood nearby, including Velc, their expressions sombre and hushed.
Aether and Xara silently slipped past them, trying not to draw attention. But Aether’s eyes widened as he caught sight of the body more clearly.
There was a hole—wide, clean—right in the centre of Alfred’s chest.
Aether stared, his voice low and stunned. “His heart… really gone?” he muttered, curiosity and disbelief in his tone as he turned toward Xara.
Xara frowned, crossing her arms with a huff. “Did you forget what I ate?” she asked sharply, raising a brow. Her tone was sceptical, almost accusing.
Was this man seriously forgetting something so visceral?
She started to wonder if Aether had a memory problem… Or was he just trying to process it again?
Aether gave a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck. “There’s no way I could forget… I mean… It’s literally etched into my brain,” he admitted awkwardly, laughing nervously. “I can still see it so clearly… the way you ate that bloody heart like it was nothing.”
He shivered slightly at the memory.
Xara smirked, her lips curling as if she were genuinely proud of what she had done.
Aether shook his head slowly, still trying to wrap his mind around everything. “Anyway… I meant, how was he even alive if his heart was in the bottle?” he asked, his brows furrowing in curiosity. “How in the world was Alfred able to walk around like nothing happened… without a heart?”
Xara’s smirk deepened, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Didn’t I say it already?” she replied knowingly. “Phantom Heart.”
Aether blinked, confused. “Yeah… yeah, you did say that. You called it a Phantom Heart or something… but what exactly does that even mean?”
With a wickedly sweet smile, Xara stepped a little closer, her tone smooth and filled with dangerous charm. “My curse… It’s not like I’m physically ripping hearts out and tossing them into jars. It doesn’t work like that,” she began with a slow, teasing voice.
“My blood curse… it has the power to form a replica of a person’s heart—something like a shadow of it. A perfect twin, hidden and connected to the original. Once that shadow connection is complete… it doesn’t matter where the real heart is. I can snap my fingers anytime, anywhere… and just like that—” she made a snapping gesture, “—the shadow becomes real, and the original heart is forcefully pulled from the body.”
She ended her explanation with a smug, wicked smile as if she relished every word of it.
Aether nodded slowly, visibly impressed and a little unnerved. “So that means… you could literally kill anyone… Even someone more powerfu—” he began, voice low and cautious.
But before he could finish that thought—
“Nope,” Xara cut him off, raising a finger with a dismissive air. “That’s not how my curse works. Everything has its own restrictions and requirements. Mine does too,” she said with a firm nod, clearly deciding not to explain too much.
There was a limit—even for her.
Once they quietly sneaked into the mansion from the backside, avoiding the others, Xara led him down the quiet corridor.
“You should rest now… you’ve worked hard these past few days,” she said gently, stopping in front of a new door—Aether’s new room, the one she had personally prepared for him.
Aether nodded, looking at the door. “And you?” he asked, his voice softer now.
Xara shrugged, trying to appear casual. “Well… a family butler just died, remember? I couldn’t just sleep after that, could I?” she said with a small, dry laugh, already turning to leave when suddenly—
Aether reached out and caught her hand, holding her back.
She paused, looking at him curiously. “What?”
Aether looked into her deep black eyes, his expression unsure but intense. “I… I… will ma—” he began, hesitating, his voice trembling slightly.
But before he could finish, Xara gently placed her finger on his lips, silencing him.
She stared into his eyes with a soft, serious gaze. “Aether… it’s not just about me,” she said firmly. “You need to think about yourself too. What you want… Who you are. And… don’t think you can fix me. Don’t believe you can change me into something better. I know who I am… and no matter what you do, that won’t change…. It’s I.m.p.o.s.s.i.b.l.e.”
Her tone was deep, steady… but carried pain underneath, like a truth she had long accepted.
Then, after a beat of silence, she leaned forward and gently kissed his forehead. Her lips were warm, and the kiss lingered with a strange, bittersweet tenderness.
“I’m happy,” she whispered softly, her voice carrying a touch of motherly love and sorrow. “Very happy… You loved someone like me”
And then, without looking back, she turned and walked away.
Aether stood there, staring at her retreating figure. He didn’t move. He didn’t call her back. He just watched in silence.
Eventually, he stepped into his new room. It was grand—filled with all-new furniture. A massive, polished bed, shining cupboards, sturdy tables, and luxurious touches everywhere.
But Aether didn’t look at any of it.
Not a glance.
He simply collapsed onto the bed. He covered his face with his forearm, eyes closed, his mind spiralling in silence.
He didn’t know how much time had passed. Maybe minutes. Maybe hours. All he could do was think… think about Xara.
Think about her words.
Her eyes.
Her secrets.
Until—
He disappeared from the bed without a trace.
Meanwhile, Aether suddenly appeared inside Xara’s secret place.
!~Ding~!
[Warning: 20,000 AP deducted for entering the Restricted Area]
Aether stood still, staring at the blood-soaked room, shadows dancing across the strange symbols and tools that surrounded him.
Then—
[… why are you here?]
His log asked with curious hesitation.
Aether’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning serious. His voice came out firm, low, filled with resolve.
“To find… answers.”
[🤔??]