Xara was different… different from anyone Aether had ever encountered so far.
That much, Aether understood clearly now. And that’s exactly why he had changed his approach toward her.
He couldn’t treat her like the others—he needed to dig deeper, to peel back the layers, to truly understand what made her the way she was.
Whatever the façade she wore… whatever it was she was feeling inside… it wasn’t like the others he’d known.
There was something unique, something raw and mysterious about her.
Aether couldn’t just overlook that. So, after hours of searching through her secret base—digging through anything that might shed light on her heart, her truth—he pushed forward with a single goal: to find an answer… an answer for his own heart!
Yes, it was for him. As he’d said before, Xara wasn’t like the rest.
He couldn’t simply accept her without knowing her fully. Yes, he loved her—but love wasn’t always that simple, especially not when there were more women in his life. Love, in this case, had layers… complexities he couldn’t ignore.
He needed harmony… not a fucked-up, bloody mess dragging him into chaos.
He needed to know the women he gave his heart to, before truly getting involved with them. Especially a woman like Xara… who stood apart, carved from something entirely different.
After a long, silent night spent combing through her hidden sanctuary…
What was he searching for?
Honestly… he didn’t know.
But one thing was certain—it was her secret place. And that meant whatever was stored here… was something precious to her. Something that held meaning. If there was any place that could help him understand her better, it was this one. So he searched. He dug through every inch of that place with growing curiosity, with desperation growing inside him.
And after an entire night of searching, of silence, of solitude… Aether finally found something.
Something he never expected her to possess.
The very next morning, inside the Frostblade household…
Knock, Knock…
“Aether… we need to send off Alfred,” Xara called out, knocking firmly on the door of Aether’s new room. She waited for a response… but there was none.
Her brows furrowed as she knocked again, a little harder this time. Still, silence.
She clicked her tongue softly, lips pressing into a thin line. “…Come on now,” she murmured, her voice carrying a mixture of frustration and concern. “I know he harmed you… I know you’re angry. But as my son… we need to at least act like we care for our butler.”
Still, not a word. Not a sound.
Her frown deepened. Something wasn’t right.
Without waiting any longer, Xara pushed the door open—and was met with an empty room.
Just silence.
“…” Her lips twitched. The room was perfectly made, untouched since the night before. But he was gone.
Meanwhile…
Far away from the Frostblade manor, so much far away… Aether—through his illusion self—hovered silently over a distant village, one that lay close to the border of the Naiadae Empire.
His eyes, calm and unreadable, scanned the humble rooftops below. Wind tugged at his clothes as he descended gently near the forest edge. With a subtle flick of his fingers, a small portal shimmered open beside him.
And through it came Snowflake—yawning, stretching her serpentine body like she’d just awoken from the deepest sleep.
“Master~” she cooed, her voice lazy and affectionate as she launched herself into Aether’s arms.
Aether chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around her. “Looks like someone’s been sleeping a little too well lately… hmm?” His gaze dropped to her body—and then paused. Something felt different.
His brow furrowed.
“Did you… grow or something?” he asked, curious, running his hand along her slithering body. It felt softer, almost warmer. And her size… had she gotten bigger?
He tilted his head, thoughtful. “You’re feeling different. Older maybe?”
Snowflake gave a soft, sleepy purr, nuzzling against him as if she hadn’t noticed the change herself.
He exhaled. “Well… whatever it is, we can think about it later. Right now… Let’s go pay a visit to Xara’s family.”
Snowflake coiled around his neck gently, her eyes now alert and curious as she peeked ahead.
Yes… what Aether had discovered in Xara’s secret room was a set of detailed records—notes, drawings, memories. Information about her family. Where they were. What they were doing even now.
‘To think… her family was still here…’ Aether thought as he stepped quietly onto the village road, a deep seriousness on his face. From his storage, he pulled out a simple rabbit mask and slipped it on.
He walked in silence.
Not too far from him, just past the forest and a few ridges beyond the village—was the edge of the Naiadae Empire… And just beyond that?
The Pyra Empire’s border.
On the line of the border, where both sides of the empires had stationed their own guards in tight patrol…
“Miss, you cannot enter from here… it violates the rules. Please try to understand,” one of the Naiadae Empire guards said sternly, his grip firm on the arm of a twintail haired woman who was attempting to cross illegally into the Pyra Empire through Naiadae’s side.
“B-But… I have to go through! I know the Dragon Emperor—please, just let me pass!” the woman begged, her voice filled with desperation and urgency. Her eyes shimmered with a pleading look as she pushed against the invisible line she wasn’t supposed to cross.
The guards exchanged looks. Despite her emotional appeal, the rules were clear. This portion of the border was a restricted zone. Neither side—neither Naiadae nor Pyra—allowed casual entry or exit here, especially without permission or the proper protocol.
And to make matters worse, due to recent tensions and high alert, the Pyra Empire had suspended all teleportation travel for outside visitors. That meant anyone trying to enter had no easy option.
The twintail haired woman had no other choice but to try passing through the Naiadae Empire’s guarded border, hoping for mercy.
The Naiadae guard sighed deeply, his brows tightening. “If you really know the Dragon Emperor, then why don’t you go through the official teleportation channel?” he asked with suspicion.
“But it’s been shut down, sir! I tried, I really did…” Her voice cracked as her eyes welled up. “Please… just me… I’m not a threat, I swear… please…” she sniffled, rubbing at her eyes as she lowered her head in a broken tone.
The guards glanced at one another, clearly affected by her appearance. One scratched the side of his forehead in discomfort. “Miss… it’s really impossible. We’re under direct orders from Her Majesty, the Empress. Unless you have written permission from her or someone above… we’re not allowed to let anyone cross. No exceptions.”
For a moment, it looked like the woman would collapse to her knees in defeat.
But instead… she clicked her tongue softly.
“Tch… I can’t believe I need to use my powers on these damn meatheads…” she muttered under her breath, her expression twisting with annoyance. In the next instant, her eyes shimmered dangerously.
A subtle pink hue flickered across her irises.
Suddenly, the guards around her blinked rapidly. Their bodies swayed slightly as dizziness overcame them, cheeks flushed red as though they were under some strange, intoxicating illusion.
Their eyes unfocused, the momentary enchantment slipping into their minds.
With a slow, smug smile, the twintail haired woman stepped across the threshold, moving directly into Pyra Empire territory without resistance.
But her journey didn’t end there.
A few steps later, she was stopped again—this time by the Pyra Empire’s own border guards, their silver armor glinting under the morning sun.
“Halt! State your name and purpose for entering the Pyra Empire,” one of them demanded firmly, his eyes narrowed at the mysterious woman approaching from the forbidden line.
The twintail haired woman gave them a soft, almost angelic smile, her hands calmly folded in front of her. “My name is Vesperine,” she said with graceful confidence. “I’m here to visit your Dragon Emperor.”
The guards raised their eyebrows at that.
“Do you have an acknowledgement letter or proof of invitation from the Dragon Emperor himself?” one of them asked, frowning. “Without verified documentation, we cannot permit entry into the empire—no matter your claim.”
Vesperine’s smile did not fade. Instead, she brought one hand gently to her stomach, rubbing it with a tender, warm expression that stood in stark contrast to her earlier attitude.
“I… have proof of his love,” she whispered, her voice thick with meaning.
“….”
The guards stood frozen.
Then their expressions shifted—shocked, horrified, eyes widening as the implications of her words slowly dawned on them.
Meanwhile…
Unaware of the strange and escalating situation unfolding at the empire’s borders, Aether stood in front of a large wooden house at the edge of the village.
The home of the village mayor.
‘So this is the mayor’s house, huh?’ Aether thought to himself as he stepped forward.
Knock. Knock.
Thud!
A moment later, the door creaked open. An old man stood there, his brow furrowing as his tired eyes scanned the figure before him—specifically, the rabbit mask covering Aether’s face.
“Who are you?” the old man asked, his voice gravelly and cautious.
Aether dipped his head respectfully. “Good morning, sir. My name is Lackey,” he said calmly. “I’m a mercenary from Rosavere Private Company. I was hoping to speak with you about something important.”