Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1029 1029: Archpriestess/Stella: Part-4

Her scream echoed through the quiet room... sharp, raw, and torn from somewhere deep within. Her fingers gripped the crumpled sheets with desperate force, knuckles turning bone-white as she sat up—heart pounding violently, throat tightening like a noose strangling her from the inside out.

”He... left...?” she whispered in disbelief, voice trembling, barely more than a breath. It wasnʼt a question.

It was fear speaking aloud.

The room was dark, still.

No sound.

No warmth beside her.

Just silence... Suffocating silence.

She slowly dragged her knees to her chest, curling into herself as if trying to shield her heart from breaking further. Her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, and her shoulders began to shake violently and uncontrollably.

”No... no no no...” her voice cracked, fingers clenching tighter, ”he said he loved me... he said...” she gasped, choking on her own sobs, ”He said he wouldnʼt leave... he promised... he said...”

Her words collapsed into broken whimpers, her breathing turning erratic, shallow, like she couldnʼt find enough air to stay conscious.

Her hands dug into her bare arms, nails pressing against her skin as if hurting herself might keep her from shattering completely.

She knew sheʼd messed up... bad. She should have just told him everything from the start. She should have confessed instead of lying again and again, even while tears stained her face.

She could see it now—her dishonesty, her fear—it only pushed him away.

Heck, he even told her about his past and his missions.... how could she hide it after he told her everything?

ʼI messed up... I ruined it... I fucking ruined everything…!ʼ

Her thoughts spiralled like a storm she couldnʼt stop.

ʼW-Why would he stay? Why would he l-love someone like me? I lied.

I toyed with him.

I played with his trust.

I tricked his heart, and now—now heʼs gone—heʼs really gone—ʼ

Thud!

A sound. A jolt. The door.

Her head snapped toward it, eyes wide, heart skipping. The bedroom door creaked open just as her heart reached the point of no return.

And there he was.

Aether.

Shirtless. Bare-chested. Breathing slightly heavy like heʼd rushed. His black hair was damp, sticking slightly to his forehead as he blinked at the sight before him—her curled up on the bed, crying like a child lost in the dark.

”Archpriestess?” his voice was soft, startled, filled with uncertainty and concern.

Her whole body flinched, her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him like a ghost had appeared.

Her tears fell even faster now—relief, disbelief, everything crashing over her at once. With a desperate cry, she threw herself off the bed and into his arms, clutching him tightly like he might disappear again if she let go.

”Aawwww... I-I... I thought you l-left me alone... awwwww!!” she sobbed, her face buried against his bare chest.

Aether blinked again, caught off guard by the sheer intensity of her reaction. ʼSheʼs... really acting like a child,ʼ he thought, surprised. He hadnʼt expected her to be this fragile.

Itʼs new to him!

Still, his arms instinctively wrapped around her, strong yet gentle, holding her close. One hand softly patted her back, the other securing her against him as he slowly walked them to the bed. He sat down with her in his lap, letting her cry into him without rushing her.

”Itʼs okay... Iʼm here,” he whispered against her hair.

Minutes passed—her sobs slowly quieted, her trembling softened. She finally rested her head against his warm, bare chest, eyes closed—not asleep, just breathing him in like she needed him to keep existing.

”Howʼs my crybaby doing now?” Aether asked with a small, teasing smile, glancing down at her.

Her cheeks flushed a deep red as she pouted, refusing to meet his eyes. She mumbled under her breath, ”I am not a crybaby... Itʼs you who left me... without even saying anything... all of a sudden...” she added, voice thick with both hurt and longing.

Aether chuckled softly, brushing his fingers through her messy hair, ”I just went to rinse off my stained shirt, you dramatic little storm cloud... I didnʼt mean to vanish on you.” He looked down at his chest, raising an eyebrow, ”Besides, look at me. My chest is completely soaked with your tears... and... is that snot too?”

She gasped, her eyes darting to his chest, and she blushed furiously with embarrassment. A soft light flared from her hand as she shyly waved it over his skin, making the moisture vanish with a spell. ”I... Iʼm sorry...” she mumbled.

Aether shook his head fondly, chuckling, ”Youʼre such a mess...” he wrapped his arms tighter around her, pulling her snugly against him. ”I never knew you could be this... crybaby,” he added as he pinched her nose playfully.

”Stop that...” she hummed and pushed his hand away with a half-annoyed, half-relieved look. ”I told you... Iʼm not a crybaby!” she protested, this time with a firmer tone, though her expression betrayed how much she needed this moment.

”Alright, alright...” Aether grinned. ”So if I leave again, you wonʼt cry then—”

”NNOOOO!!!” she cried out before he could finish, throwing her arms around him in another sudden, fierce hug, clinging like he was the only thing keeping her together.

Aether burst into laughter, the sound echoing warmly in the room. The Archpriestess pulled back slightly, flustered beyond measure, cheeks blazing. She pouted as she looked up at him shyly.

”I... I used to be a crybaby...” she confessed under her breath, surprising even herself.

”Hmm?” Aether tilted his head, still smiling.

She shook her head quickly, ”N-Nothing! Forget it!” Then her voice softened, eyes shimmering again, but this time not from despair. ”Anyway... Iʼm just happy youʼre here... and Iʼm scared of what wouldʼve happened if you hadnʼt come back...”

Aether gazed at her quietly, then reached up, brushing his thumb along her cheek. His smile faded into something softer, more serious.

”Now... tell me the truth,” he said quietly, but firmly.

Her heart froze.

She knew what he meant. The lies. The guilt. The reason behind her panic. All of it hung heavy in the air between them.

Her lips parted, but no sound came out.

He didnʼt pressure her.

He just held her.

Waiting.

”I... I am Stella.”

Her lips trembled as she lowered her gaze and muttered in a quiet, fragile voice.

Aether gave a soft nod, his expression gentle.

She blinked in disbelief. ”You... you already knew?” Her voice cracked slightly, stunned at how calm he looked—like nothing had changed.

Aether smirked, reaching out to pinch her cheek. ”Who do you think I am? Of course, I knew the moment I laid eyes on you. Youʼre not exactly subtle, you know.”

[Tsk, liar.😑]

Aether ignored his Logʼs sarcastic comment and focused on the woman—no, the woman curled against him. Archpriestess—Stella—was staring at him with wide, disbelieving eyes, her mouth slightly parted.

Her face turned ghostly pale, ”S-So... all this time... you knew it was me?” Her voice grew smaller, her eyes losing their confidence. And then came the blush—hot and overwhelming—spreading rapidly across her cheeks.

Without another word, she buried her burning face into his bare chest, hiding from his gaze like a child caught stealing sweets.

She clutched onto him tighter.

All the teasing, the seductive games, the confident smiles sheʼd thrown at him... All while thinking he didnʼt know her true identity. Now, it was like every moment replayed in her head in flashing lights, exposing her silliness.

ʼOh Mother, I want to dig a hole and die...!ʼ

So much embarrassment. Too much!

Aether couldnʼt help but chuckle. He reached up and ruffled her soft, grey hair, fingers combing through the strands with tender affection.

Then, without warning, she pulled back slightly, her eyes wide, ”T-Then... today... when you... You just...”

Aether winked. ”I just wanted to see how long you could keep pretending. Honestly, I was impressed. You put up a hell of a performance pretending you were someone else.” His voice was warm, teasing, but sincere.

Hearing those words, a long, shaky breath escaped her lips. Her shoulders slumped, as if years of pressure and fear had suddenly lifted. All the weight she had been carrying—the anxiety, the guilt, the confusion—it melted away like frost under sunlight.

The warmth of his presence began to seep into her.

Her hands unclenched. Her body stopped trembling. Her thoughts, once swirling in panic, started to calm.

After what felt like forever, she finally felt... peace.

Still, a seed of doubt remained.

Her voice wavered as she asked, barely louder than a whisper, ”A-Are you not angry at me... for deceiving you... for playing with your heart with a false identity?” Her lips quivered, and even though she feared the answer, she still wanted to hear it from him.

Aether stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

Yes... a part of him had been angry. Angry at being tricked. Angry at being played with. But the deeper truth was... his love for her had always burned brighter than that anger. Even now, looking at her vulnerability, he couldnʼt hold on to that feeling.

Even earlier today—his teasing, his cool distance—it wasnʼt because of anger. It was because he wanted her to come clean on her own.

To stop hiding.

Though... he hadnʼt expected her to cry like that. That had hit him harder than he expected.

A small pang of guilt stabbed at his heart.

Aetherʼs tone shifted, serious but not cold. ”Honestly... I was angry.”

Her body tensed immediately. Her hands tightened around his back, clutching him as if afraid heʼd pull away now.

But he continued, voice softening with each word, ”At first, yes. I felt betrayed. Like you didnʼt trust me enough to tell me the truth.

But then... as I learned more about the world, as I began to understand the pressures you face, the dangers... I realised it wasnʼt just deception—it was survival.”

His arms wrapped more securely around her.

”And that anger slowly turned into... disappointment.”

”Disappointment?” she whispered, lifting her head, eyes filled with worry and curiosity. Though the word hurt a little, she was clearly relieved he wasnʼt rejecting her.

Aether nodded slowly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her cheek. ”Not at you. More like... I was disappointed... You know.. Stella. Your fake one...”

He chuckled a little at the memory. ”To be honest, I fell for the character of Stella first. That idiotic, Hardworking, mysterious girl with an innocent glint in her eyes. And yeah... it might sound stupid, but I loved her before I ever knew she was the Archpriestess.”

She blinked up at him, lips parting in disbelief. Her expression shifted—quiet, solemn—as a soft, broken smile crossed her face.

”Itʼs not fake... Aether.”

He paused, confused. ”Huh?”

”I am Stella. That wasnʼt an act. Not entirely... I used to be her. Once...” Her voice trailed off, eyes darkening with distant pain. ”...and everything changed... when I met...”

”...Raven.”