Chapter 384: A place forged by the deaths of…
Inside Helena’s allotted room,
The faint scent of lavender lingered in the background. Helena fidgeted nervously, her fingers twisting the hem of her nightgown as she glanced up at Aether with wide, anxious eyes.
“H-How are you, Aether? I-I haven’t seen you today… Are you busy?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly. Concern laced her tone, but her eyes betrayed her unease…
Aether couldn’t help but smile at her attempt to hide her emotions.
She was so endearingly bad at it~
“Well, Yeah…. I was with Kai and Vesperine. They were on a date in the new city, enjoying themselves.” He replied.
“Oh!” Helena’s eyes widened in surprise as if she had never even seen such a thing.
‘Damn, this girl…’ Aether thought, watching her closely.
Then, Helena mumbled softly, almost to herself, “Date… ah?… What is it?” Her voice was filled with innocent curiosity, her head tilted slightly to the side.
Aether’s lips curled into a sly grin…. He had already explained the concept of love story and… love making the story, but seeing her ask again, he could only wonder…. did she forget, which seemed unlikely (Trauma!) or… did she want something more?
“A date is a special time for a man and a woman who want to be together,” Aether explained warmly, taking a step closer to her, “They share their love and interests, getting to know each other even better.”
Helena flinched slightly at his approach but didn’t step back. Her cheeks flushed as she repeated his words softly, “I see… Know each other… ah.” She shyly lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper as she mumbled, “T-Then… shall w-we go on a date?” Her words were so quiet that even the faintest buzzing of a mosquito might have been louder.
“I-I didn’t know much of you…”
Aether’s heart skipped a beat. Her shy yet hopeful expression was utterly adorable, and he wanted nothing more than to tease her…
But,
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…..
…
Her actions, her reactions….. so contradictory, so filled with raw emotion—warned him to tread carefully. If he pushed too far, things might escalate beyond control… Start the second stage: (Initiating unwanted conversations)!!
‘Wait a damn second…!! was she already in second stage?’ Aether had a horffiying face.
Aether decided to play along but with gentle affection, “Of course, I’ll take you to a lovely place…” Aether replied, his voice soft as he reached out.
Helena’s heart raced, and she closed her eyes in anticipation, expecting… something.
But instead of what she had in mind, Aether simply tucked a strand of her golden hair behind her ear and whispered, “Where do you want to go?”
Helena opened her eyes, a mix of disappointment and longing crossing her face. She pouted, her cheeks still flushed, and answered shyly, “A-Any place… As long as I learn more things about you”
Aether smiled at her innocence, but before he could say more, Helena’s expression suddenly turned serious. Her eyes narrowed with determination as she stammered,
“B-But no kissing!”
“Huh?” Aether blinked in surprise, his amusement giving way to curiosity, “Kissing? What are you talking about?”
He knew she wasn’t ready for a kiss, and truth be told, he wanted to take things slowly with her. There was no need to rush… no need to spoil the delicate balance between them before he could fully… corrupt her~ as he thought with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Because I saw Kai and Vesperine kis—mmff!” Helena immediately covered her mouth, realizing too late what she had just blurted out. Seeing Aether’s curious gaze, she quickly tried to backtrack, her face turning a bright crimson,
“I-I mean, I heard… from friends… yes, my friends told me! Yup!” Her cheeks were so red they could outshine a tomato…. and Aether found himself battling the urge to laugh or to simply bite those adorably puffed cheeks.
Aether bit back a laugh, the urge to tease her almost overwhelming. Her innocence, her naivety…. it was all so… tempting. But he forced himself to stay composed, “Friends, huh… I see,” Aether murmured, noticing the white neckband she wore. His eyes lingered on it for a moment before he returned his gaze to her.
Helena smiled at him, though there was a fierce determination behind it, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you!” she declared, her voice strong despite her obvious embarrassment.
She knew that power that Ather gave to her… she needed to protect herself until death!!
Aether’s heart swelled with love…. She was so earnest, so sincere in her desire to protect him, that it made him want to kiss her right then and there, ‘Control yourself, man…!’ he reminded himself sternly.
He turned to leave, needing to put some distance between them before he lost control. But just as he was about to step out, Helena moved in front of him, blocking his path.
“??” Aether froze, confused by her sudden action. He couldn’t stay in her room too long….. it might cause problems, others might notice this and now… especially considering the way his thoughts were drifting. If he stayed… he might do something he shouldn’t.
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Helena’s cheeks were burning as she struggled to find the words, “Y-You haven’t… haven’t…” Her voice was barely a whisper, her throat tight with nervousness. She glanced down at his hand, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and longing. Finally, she took his hand, her movements both furious and hesitant, and placed it gently on her head.
Aether blinked, not quite understanding her actions at first. But when he saw the relief in her eyes, the way she looked up at him with such pleading vulnerability, he finally understood. He shook his head with a soft chuckle before gently patting her head.
“Hmm…” Helena closed her eyes, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she relaxed under his touch. This… This was what she had been longing for from the very beginning… the warmth, the comfort, the sense of security that only Aether’s pats could give her.
It calmed her and made her feel safe, and…. cherished!!!
As she bathed in the warmth of his affection, Aether was barely holding himself together. His hands trembled with the effort it took to keep his desires in check, to not give in to the overwhelming urge to pull her closer, to claim her.
But then—
“B-But I-I will allow you to k-kiss me… on the forehead during our date,” Helena stammered, her voice strict yet trembling. Her cheeks were flushed, and her heart pounded furiously in her chest. She added sternly, “Only on the forehead, okay?!” Her cute yet determined expression made it clear she was serious about this boundary.
Yet, despite her stern warning, she looked even more adorable!!!
“….. Yup!” Aether’s voice was a low murmur, something inside him snapping as he was overwhelmed by her irresistible charm. Without warning, he leaned in and—
Chomp!
“KYYYYYAAAAAA!!!” Helena’s scream echoed through the room as Aether bit her neck!
….
….
Next Very Morning,
Victor and the others were flying in a grand, enchanted carriage, soaring over high mountains and deep valleys.
“It seems that place is really far…” Aqualina mumbled, her voice thoughtful as she gazed out at the endless stretch of rugged landscape…. the distance they had travelled from the Castle was almost unimaginable.
Everyone nodded in agreement, even they understood as they had been travelling for hours…
As the journey continued, the students watched the passing scenery with wide eyes, filled with curiosity and wonder.
Meanwhile, Raven’s gaze lingered on Aether, who was asleep beside Aqualina, his chest rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm…. Not only her but also Helena glaring at him with a flushed face.
“Victor?” Kyra’s voice broke through his thoughts….. She was slightly scared by how intensely he was staring out the window.
Victor didn’t respond immediately, his attention focused on the towering mountains that loomed in the distance….. Their peaks were shrouded in mist, almost resembling the small Arcanium mountain he had once seen.
“Arcanium Mountains…” Ashara mumbled, her voice filled with a mix of awe and recognition as she too noticed the mountains.
“Hmm… do you know them?” Victor asked, his surprise evident.
“Yes, it’s a known range in our empire, but this is the first time I’ve seen so many mountains together…”
“I see…” Victor nodded, a slow grin spreading across his face, ‘Hehe…’
…..
…
Soon, they arrived at their destination, and as they stepped down from the carriage, the atmosphere around them shifted drastically.
THUNDER!!!
PUFFFF!!!
“KKKYRRRRRRAAAAAAA!!!!”
The group stared in shock at the sight before them…
The sky above was a vast, swirling canvas of bluish-black.
Ominous clouds churned overhead, pulsating with a strange, otherworldly energy. Streaks of lightning, not the familiar bright white but a bizarre blood-red, arced across the sky in jagged, unpredictable patterns, as if the very elements were at war with one another.
The ground beneath their feet was scorched and cracked, the heat radiating from it so intense that it felt as though the earth itself was bleeding fire.
In the distance, a river of molten lava ran through the jagged terrain, its surface bubbling and hissing as it flowed slowly, inexorably, toward some unseen destination…. Strange, winged creatures circled above the lava, their leathery wings flapping with a sound like distant thunder.
And finally… The huge mountain…. or what they had thought was a mountain—that truly stole their breath away.
“It’s not a mountain?” Victor murmured with a frown as he felt something wrong with that mountain.
The Dragon Emperor, standing before them, let out a low, sinister chuckle,
“Yes, it’s not a mountain…
As I mentioned before, this is the peak forged by the deaths of millions upon millions of dragons…
Welcome to our… one and only Inferno-Pyremourn Summit,” he declared, his voice filled with a twisted pride that sent shivers down their spines.
THUNDER!!!
A bright red light suddenly blinded everyone, forcing them to shield their eyes.
When they could finally see again, what they saw left them speechless. The so-called “mountain” was revealed to be a grotesque, nightmarish pile of dragon corpses, their bodies rotting and decaying, the stench of death so overpowering it made their stomachs churn. The bones of these majestic creatures jutted out at odd angles, their once proud forms now reduced to a disgusting, decaying mass.
The air was thick with the smell of rot, the sight so horrific that it left them all stunned…
This was where the Second trial began….
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