The face… the jawline… those sharp eyes… everything screamed the same person.
Except, of course, that man had stark white hair, while Aether’s was pitch black—clearly inherited from Xara, who also had black hair. Other than that one detail, Aether looked like a younger, perfectly miniaturised version of that man.
And that alone said everything Vesperine needed to know.
She had seen that man before. That handsome face—though dusty and shadowed back then—was unforgettable. He wasn’t as overwhelmingly magnetic as Victor, perhaps, but still strikingly attractive. And now, connecting the dots—Xara with that white-haired man who bore such a resemblance to Aether, and then presenting Aether as her so-called adopted son?
It all screamed a single truth.
Xara was not just a guardian. She was the real mother… The blood mother!
Aether was the product of an illicit affair… A child born from betrayal.
He was almost the same age as Kai and Selene, which meant Xara must have betrayed Velc long before any of this came to light. She had been with another man—maybe in secret, maybe recklessly.
But she had borne a child from that relationship.
And to cover her tracks… to mask the scandal, she must have first introduced Aether into the household as a mere slave. A pitiful outsider… A boy she could manipulate and monitor closely. Then, slowly—perhaps with calculated pity and softened emotions—she brought him in as her adopted son.
That explained everything.
It fit too well.
A Perfect story that nobody knew!
And Vesperine? She had figured it all out, every twisted detail, with just the fragments she had uncovered. She was smugly proud of herself, revelling in her own sharp instincts. She stared at Xara, expecting fear… devastation… shame.
But instead, Xara’s face remained utterly blank.
A deadpan expression, motionless and unreadable.
‘What…? Why isn’t she shocked? Why isn’t she falling apart?’ Vesperine frowned slightly but then realised Xara must have lost her senses.
“What? Already lost for words? Fu~Fu~” Vesperine let out a mocking, singsong laugh, tipping her head playfully as Xara stood there, still silent. The older woman seemed to be processing the entire tale she had just been presented with—a narrative she had never even considered.
It was all wrong. So much of it twisted and distorted.
But oddly… some parts felt strangely right.
Vesperine smiled again, more to herself than Xara, and nodded as she stood up from her seat with dramatic flair. “Anyway, you’d better acknowledge our love. That’s all I need from you. Otherwise… you’ll be facing the consequences of this little truth.” She flicked her twin tails with a dramatic turn and added with a cruel grin, “I’ll give you until tonight.”
Without hesitation, she strode out of the room, every step echoing her confidence and self-satisfaction.
Xara stood still, watching her go. The tension in her shoulders slowly melted. The fear, the panic… it all began to fade. A long sigh escaped her lips—quiet, but full of something else entirely.
Relief.
‘So… she doesn’t actually know. That’s not what she thinks it is. Thank the heavens,’ Xara thought with a rare softness in her chest. At least, for now, she didn’t need to worry about that terrifying possibility.
‘I guess that girl is really dangerous… I need to be careful with he—’
Before she could even finish her thought, the door suddenly creaked open again. Vesperine stepped back in, an eerie smirk playing on her lips.
“Oh… right,” she sang as if she had forgotten something trivial. Her eyes glimmered with amusement. “Since you’ve been so unfaithful to dear Mr. Velc… let me give you a little tip~ Give him some happiness today, will you? Do you fucking duty woman~”
Her voice carried a teasing lilt, but her eyes… they shimmered with an unnatural pink glow.
A strange scent began to fill the room—sweet, heavy, and oddly warm.
Xara’s eyes flickered as something shifted in her gaze. Her breath caught.
Then… her cheeks flushed red, slowly blooming with heat.
While all this was going on, Aether, inside his room, was being intensely stared at—by two beautiful women and one pouting little snake.
Aether blinked. “Why are you guys staring at me like that? If you want… I could take you both at the same tim—”
“OH MY GOD!! Stop thinking like that, you idiot!” Aqualina shrieked, her face beet red. She instantly turned to Selene for support but…
Selene softly blushed and lowered her gaze, her expression suddenly turning shy.
Aqualina’s eyes widened in horror. “Y-You’re okay with that?” she gasped, her face going redder than ever… Just the thought was too much for her innocent? brain to process.
Selene blushed even deeper, but then her expression darkened into something twisted and dangerous. With a wicked, forced smile, she said, “Of course… anything for my darling.”
“….” Aqualina felt a full-bodied shiver crawl down her spine.
‘T-That’s definitely a no-no, right?!’ she screamed inwardly.
Selene’s face was saying something very different.
Aqualina glanced at Aether, who wore a mildly amused smile—like he was enjoying every second of this absurd standoff.
Her lips twitched. “Are you doing this on purpose?” she asked, clearly annoyed.
Aether smiled lazily. ‘Honestly? I was hoping we could have some-some’ He really wanted to say it out loud, but he held back. Selene would definitely slit Aqualina’s throat… and that was a definite no-no.
Aqualina sighed, pulling something from her side pouch. “Anyway… here,” she said, handing him the document—the dissolution of their engagement.
Aether’s expression softened as he looked at it. He remembered teasing her about this before. He hadn’t really been angry—well, maybe a little. But seeing her take this step on her own… Oh, he loved this side of her.
She wanted to be clear about everything!
Aqualina caught that warm look in his eyes and felt her heart flutter a little, smiling back… but then she felt a weird stare from her side. Ignoring Selene’s death-gaze, she turned back to Aether and asked, “So… how’s it going?”
“Hmm?” Titled his head innocently.
“Oh come on, you know what I’m asking, right?” she said with a dramatic pout and a sly look toward Selene. “Seducing her mother?”
Of course, Aether had already explained to Selene, Aria, and Raven about his complicated relationship with the Naiadae family.
No point hiding it anymore.
Except for a few people… he was still working on those.
Aether let out a small sigh. “Well, I’m still working on it. She’s a tough nut to crack, you know?” He shrugged, looking a bit sheepish.
Aqualina nodded slowly, though her face twisted slightly. ‘I’m not sure any woman wants to hear that kind of line from her beloved…’ she groaned mentally.
“Haha… of course she’s tough—she’s my mother, after all.” Selene smirked proudly. “Unlike someone’s mother who fell for his handsome face without my hubby even lifting a finger.” as she glanced at Aqualina… clearly indicating something.
Aqualina’s lips twitched as she gave her a sharp look. “Oh? Is that so? Are you saying my mother would fall just from his sexy, hot, handsome face? Don’t be ridiculous! Unlike your mother, who’s out here trying to have an illicit relationship with him!”
Selene’s smile dropped. A vein popped on her forehead, “Illicit?! Bitch, please! He’s not even her real son! Are you fucking with me?”
Aqualina smirked back. “So what? The world still thinks he’s her adopted son, right? Hmm?”
Selene’s temple pulsed furiously. “That’s it, bitch… come at me! Let’s solve this the traditional way!”
Aqualina’s expression turned deadly. “Oh, fuck yeah, bitch. I’m gonna wipe your ass across the floor!”
Aether didn’t say a word.
After all… this was their bonding.
Well, maybe not a great start—but at least they were forming something. Eventually, this would help them sail smoother waters.
He held onto his fantasy, his dreamy smile forming at the corners of his lips.
In the near future… his bed would be full of beauties.
‘Hehehe~’
[…😏]
Suddenly—
“Aether… you said we could talk to each other using our eternal connection, right?” Aqualina asked out of nowhere.
Selene frowned…. He never said anything like that.
Aether flinched. He had just gone with the flow back then, telling the truth to Naiadae Family, ‘Oh well…’ He shrugged softly, then nodded.
!~Ding~!
[❗Notice: Do you wish to form an intra-connection between Aqualina and Selene?]
Aether nodded calmly.
Suddenly, both girls gasped as they felt it—another thread of connection forming, gently weaving into their minds.
When they focused on it… they could feel it. A link that allowed easy communication with just a thought.
It was rather easy for them to feel it.
Aqualina smiled as she focused:
/Can you hear me?/
/Oh… yeah./ Selene responded, her expression softening in surprise.
They both smiled at each other.
‘See? That’s how you start building the connection.’ Aether grinned to himself, pleased—until—
“Add my mother, Celestia too.”
“Aria too… and Raven.”
Aether blinked. Then sighed. ‘It’s not like anything bad will happen… right?’ he thought, helpless as he faced their sparkling puppy eyes.
He bit his lip hard and grumbled, “Fine…” He couldn’t resist those eyes…. so beautiful and heart wrenching… Too dangerous for his innocent heart.
[You have an innocent heart?]
Ignoring his snarky log, Aether created the new connections—only for those who already knew one another.
The rest could wait.
Aqualina and Selene, without exchanging a single word, stormed out of the room with furious expressions.
Their auras flared dangerously, flames of rivalry practically erupting from their bodies. The tension was thick enough to choke on.
Aether smiled weakly. ‘Well… I guess they’re going to get along eventually…’ he told himself.
‘Where’s Delphine?’ he thought, just about to connect with her through telepathy when—
Thud!
The door slammed open with a sudden force, banging against the wall.
Xara stood in the doorway, her face flushed, her breath ragged. Her chest heaved slightly as her eyes locked onto Aether’s—eyes wild, ravenous… predatory.
She panted softly, her voice husky, her smile sinful.
“Hehe… Let’s fuck~”
“Oh! Yeah– Wait! What?!!”