Chapter 259: I love you, Dear
Crack, Crack…
Crack, Crack…..
Aria blankly stared at Aether’s face, which was cracking like broken glass.
There was no smiling face, no gentle eyes that always looked at her with love… just a face on the verge of shattering at any moment.
Tears rolled down her cheeks, her mind already on the brink of breaking. The only thing keeping her sane was the faint rise and fall of Aether’s chest, his slow, laboured breath.
Each exhale was a reminder that he was still clinging to life, but for how much longer?
Maelona hugged her daughter, her lips trembling as she tried to offer comfort. Her arms encircled Aria protectively, though she felt utterly helpless in the face of her child’s anguish.
Meanwhile, Liora blinked, feeling a strange heaviness in her heart. She didn’t understand love, never had. Her intentions toward Aether had been purely physical; she had only wanted to mate with him. And yet, for some inexplicable reason, her heart felt weak and heavy.
It was an unfamiliar sensation, one that hadn’t appeared even when she had killed her ex-husband.
Did she want Aether to live?
Of course, she wanted him to live. She wanted him alive, wanted to mate with him…. But a small part of her, buried deep within, wanted something more, something she couldn’t quite name.
This was a foreign feeling, unsettling and confusing.
[+4000 AP]
“M-Mom… What should I do now?” Aria’s voice was pained, desperation lacing her words. There were so many things swirling around in her mind.
She wanted to annihilate everyone responsible for this incident. She craved revenge, a burning desire to make them all pay….. And yet, without Aether in her life, she had no will to move forward. She felt lost, adrift in a sea of sorrow and rage.
Maelona’s lips trembled even more. She knew what her daughter was thinking.
Just a few days ago, she had seen Aria at her happiest, with a wonderful expression on her face. And now… it broke her heart more than anything. She looked at her own trembling hands. Her heart ached too!
Whenever Aether teasingly called her ‘Mother-in-law~,’ she felt a surge of happiness, though she never showed it. She secretly enjoyed his attention and loved the way he teased her. It was a small, cherished joy in her life.
Crack, CRACK…
“Awwwwwww,” Aria let out a pained, shocking cry when she saw a huge crack appear on Aether’s face.
‘Ba-Dump’
Maelona’s heart skipped a beat.
She was taken aback, Without waiting anymore, “T-There is one way to heal him,” she finally said, her voice trembling with the weight of her revelation.
“H-Huh? Mom? What do you mean? Is there a way?” Aria asked her face a mix of hope and desperation, rubbing tears from her eyes. Meanwhile, Liora sighed and thought, ‘Finally!’ as she seemed to know something that the others did not.
Maelona wore an awkward expression. “But I am not sure…”
“Mom, Please… Anything!!” Aria pleaded, “I-I want my smiling Aether… Please, Mom… I beg you, please give it a try, please!!” She almost kneeled before her mother, but Maelona caught her daughter and sighed. Her gaze turned stern, “Fine!”.
She then waved her hand, and Aether slowly and gently floated into the air.
Crack, Crack..
“M-Mom, careful!” Aria shouted in pain, watching every movement with bated breath, terrified that any sudden motion might cause Aether’s body to break apart completely.
“Now, remove everything from his body,” Maelona said with a serious face.
Aria blinked in confusion. “Aria?” Maelona prompted again.
“O-Okay, Mom!” Aria said before slowly and gently removing Aether’s clothing. She had to be extremely careful, as even the smallest movement might cause his body to break further. Her hands trembled, her heart pounding in her chest.
“Underwear too,” Maelona added, her tone leaving no room for hesitation.
“….”
“Aria?”
“Y-yes, Mother,” Aria mumbled before removing his underwear.
Then Maelona let Aether down on the bed. Aria gritted her teeth, feeling a mix of anger and protectiveness when she saw her beloved naked to everyone, especially noticing Liora’s reaction.
“He can satisfy me…” Liora’s voice trailed off into a quiet murmur, her gaze fixed on Aether’s crotch.
“!!” Veins bulged on Aria’s forehead, but she kept quiet. She didn’t want to harm their saviour, especially Liora, who had saved her beloved. She had to keep quiet… she would be fine.
Maelona stared at Aether’s body, ‘His body has cracked so much…’ Her eyes then fell on two rings on his neck and another on his finger. She moved to remove it, she took the chain ring and but just as she was about to remove the ring on his finger, Aether’s finger suddenly closed around it.
Crack, Crack.
“Hmm?” Maelona frowned, asking her daughter if it was important, but Aria shook her head, unsure herself.
“Anyhow, I need to treat him…. So…” Maelona forced herself to pull the ring off.
Crack, CRACK!
“M-Mom!!”
“Fine, fine,” Maelona clicked her tongue in mild irritation. Her daughter was worrying too much. She slowly and carefully pulled the ring out,
Sssssssssshhhhh
Everyone’s eyes widened in astonishment as they witnessed Aether’s black hair transforming into pure white, each strand shimmering with an ethereal glow.
“V-Victor?” Aria’s face reflected pure shock, her eyes wide and disbelieving. She looked as if she had just seen a ghost.
“Hmm? Has he been in disguise all this time?” Maelona asked, her frown deepening as she tried to make sense of the situation.
Aria took a moment to snap back to reality, her mind racing to come up with an explanation. “Y-Yes, Mom, he is a slave and so he needs to hide. You know, something like that…” She stumbled over her words, desperate to come up with any excuse that might sound plausible.
Maelona scrutinized her daughter for a moment, then nodded slowly, “I see…” She handed the rings back to Aria.
“Damn, he is hot now~” Liora whispered with an amused expression. She was clearly more turned on now by Aether’s appearance.
Aria shot her a look of pure disdain as if Liora were nothing more than horny filth. But Liora merely shrugged, unbothered by the judgmental glance. “What? Just stating the obvious,” Liora added with a mischievous grin.
Maelona, after examining Aether’s body, had a surprised expression, “His body couldn’t keep up with his strength, as if he grew faster than his body could handle. It’s like his power outpaced his physical development. I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
Aria didn’t care for the details; she only wanted reassurance. “He will be healed, right?”
Maelona hesitated before nodding. “I will try my best, Aria. I will do everything in my power.”
Aria’s face lit up with pure joy and happiness. “I LOVE YOU, MOM!! YOU ARE THE BEST!!”
“Ara~ Now I am the best?” Maelona asked with a teasing smile. She found it hard to believe her daughter was showering her with love only after she said she could help him. “What an unfaithful daughter I have, only loving me when I promise to help.”
Aria tightened her hug around her mother. “You are always the best, Mom! I just… I was so worried. Thank you for always being there for me.”
Maelona gently smiled and patted her back. “And you will always be the best daughter…” A small tear dripped from her eye, but Maelona quickly rubbed it away.
“Mom?”
“Ahem, I love you too, my dear… I love you until my dying breath. Please forgive this worthless woman who couldn’t help you when you suffered all alone,” Maelona said softly.
“M-Mom?” Aria felt a little uneasy now, but she replied, “I never hold a grudge against you, Mother. You are always the one I looked up to, and if anything, it should be me who apologizes for not supporting you. You’ve always been my strength.”
“Haha… What a lovely daughter,” Maelona mumbled before looking at Liora and nodding.
Liora took a moment to nod back, then gently but firmly dragged Aria out of the room. “Come on, let’s give her time”
“W-Wait! I need to se–”
“If we stay inside, she might not be able to focus,” Liora said with a strict face before closing the door and putting a barrier around it, “We need to give her space to do her work”
“Hmph!” Aria huffed but reluctantly agreed, her impatience barely contained. She crossed her arms and began pacing outside the room, every minute feeling like an eternity. The tension was palpable, and her mind was racing with worst-case scenarios…. Among them, ‘Aether is Victor… ah…’ she thought, a realization dawning on her. Everything now made sense…. Why she had felt a strange familiarity with both Aether and Victor, ‘So this is the secret?’ she wondered, but at that moment, she found herself uncaring of the intricacies.
All that mattered was Aether’s survival. Her singular focus was on him, and only him!
After an hour or so, Aria’s anxiety grew unbearable. She turned to Liora, her voice shaky. “I-It’s really taking a long time, isn’t it? What if something went wrong? What if she can’t save him?”
Liora glanced at Aria, sensing her growing panic, “You know… have you ever wondered why your father was forced to marry a Moon Elf tribe woman instead of someone from their own tribe?”
“Huh? Where is this coming from?” Aria asked, her thoughts still focused on the room and her mother’s efforts. “This isn’t the time for history lessons, Liora. I need to know what’s happening in there!”
“Just answer me,” Liora insisted, her tone more serious than before. “It’s important.”
“Sigh, it’s because the Moon Elf tribe was extinct… right?” Aria answered.
“Haha… just because of that? What about other races that went extinct…. Huh?”
“Well…” Aria sighed and asked with an annoyed face, “What does that have to do with anything right now?”
“It’s because Moon Elves were actually the first creation of this world… the closest to the Mother Root,” Liora’s face turned solemn.
Aria frowned, ‘Mother root? Does she know the gods?’ she wondered as if Liora knew what she thinking….. Liora said,
“Of course, most rulers know there are two gods, so there’s no need to be shocked,” Liora said with a smirk before continuing,
“Moon Elves were one of the direct creations of the Mother Root. Due to that, they were unable to mix with other bloodlines created by the Arcane or even produce offspring. Their purity was both their strength and their downfall.”
Aria blinked, “How did I not know? I mean there was nothing in the Elanthareil’s Archive about this?” She just read along with Aether just a few days ago.
“Hahah… Who knows… Maybe your mother didn’t want you to learn about that” Liora said with a small smile and looked up at the blue sky, her expression distant, “However, that’s not the only reason they went extinct. Since they were elves, they lived extraordinarily long lives.”
“Then what?” Aria asked, her frustration mounting.
“It’s because of their power… a power that everyone wanted but no one had… Equivalent Exchange,” Liora’s voice was almost a whisper.
Aria’s face turned to dread, her heart sinking. “N-No… you can’t mean…”
“Yes from the very beginning, Maelona was just a sacrificer for the Kaelith or more like High Elf tribe… That’s what this marriage to being with!”
Aria’s mind suddenly went blank.
“And now….”
Thud
“A life for a life…” Liora finished her words. She wasn’t particularly sad about this as she only wanted Aether nothing more.
“NOO!!” Aria shouted, slamming the door open with a force that echoed through the halls. Her heart pounded in her chest as fear and desperation overtook her.
Thud
Opening the door, Aria saw her mother looking pale and transparent, barely a shadow of her former self.
“He is fine, dear,” Maelona mumbled weakly as she gazed at Aether, who was peacefully sleeping without any cracks or wounds.
Her voice was faint, almost ethereal.
“M-Mom, P-Please…” Aria’s voice broke as she reached out, her hands trembling.
“I love you, dear~” Maelona’s figure began to dissipate into particles of light, each one shimmering softly before fading away… leaving nothing behind.
Aria collapsed to her knees, with lifeless eyes, tears streaming down her face. “N-No, M-Mom, no… this can’t be happening…..”
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