Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1169: Restarting The Grenthollow: Part-1

Nyx Shadowfall’s eyelid fluttered slowly, her breath escaping as a soft, weary groan. A faint tendril of purplish smoke slipped from her lips as her lone visible eye cracked open, glowing dimly. Then, with a subtle flicker, the hollow socket beside it flared to life—burning with a familiar purplish fire. The very moment she regained awareness, her blurry vision cleared just enough to see... Starla’s face hovered over hers.

”Welcome back, My Lady,”

Starla whispered gently, her tone calm but edged with concern.

Nyx realised she was lying in Starla’s lap, her head supported carefully. As she attempted to sit up, a pained groan escaped her again. Her limbs felt sluggish, heavy, as though something vital had been drained from her very core. Her breathing grew steadier, and that was when the memory came flooding back—what she had been trying to do before her consciousness slipped.

”Aether!”

She burst out, her voice sharp with fury.

Her glowing eyes widened with a dangerous glint as the anger surged. That man... He had stopped her. He had interfered, prevented her from merging with the essence of death itself... He dared to deny her that path.

How dare he?

Her hands clenched as her body tensed, preparing to rise, but then—

Splash...

A sudden splash echoed across the chamber, startling her. She flinched, turning sharply toward the eerie purple crack little far away—where the water rippled unnaturally. From that strange rift, Aether emerged, soaked head to toe. Droplets of water slid down his face, yet oddly, not a single thread of his clothing appeared wet, as though untouched by the same liquid.

Her fury, already burning, the crack that she almost managed to close was full open again!

She opened her mouth to lash out at him with all her wrath, but before she could even speak—

”Why can’t you wait... and just watch for a moment?” Starla interrupted softly from behind her. ”He’s been doing this... for quite some time now.”

Nyx blinked, her anger momentarily stilled by confusion. Her gaze flicked back to Aether. Of course she was furious— But as she focused, her eyes caught something odd.

Aether’s hand held a long, thick rope—a purplish, smoky thing that shimmered strangely. It slithered back into the crack like a living serpent, and Aether gripped it tight, tugging with a slow, steady motion, like a man reeling in a catch from deep waters.

”What in the worlds... is that thing? And what exactly is he doing?” Nyx muttered, her eyes narrowing with suspicion and curiosity.

Aether gave the rope one final pull, and with a wet, echoing splash, something emerged from the crack.

It was a soul.

A translucent, pale form, nearly weightless, its body wrapped in the smoky rope like a captured spirit being drawn from beyond. The glowing essence was ghostly, almost childlike in form. It landed on the stone floor with a muted thump, and Aether gently began dragging it forward.

”H-How... is he even doing that?” Nyx murmured under her breath. ”And where is he taking that soul?”

She turned to Starla again, eyes demanding answers.

Starla simply lifted her shoulders in a half-shrug. ”I don’t know. I’ve been right here with you the whole time.”

Nyx’s gaze lingered on her for a second before she narrowed her eyes, shifting them back to Aether. Quietly, without a word, she stood and began following him in the darkness... Starla fell into step behind her.

Aether pulled the soul across the wet floor and approached something massive floating in the air—a colossal feather, suspended midair in a constant soft swirl of purplish energy.

He placed the soul before the floating feather and stepped away.

The moment the soul touched it, the feather responded, pulsing with a flicker of purple flames. Nyx’s eyes widened as she watched. The fire danced along the feather’s edges and projected the soul’s memories outward—like a series of reels flashing before their eyes. Each scene played a fragmented piece of the soul’s life... until it slowed, flickered, and dimmed.

The soul itself began to shift.

Its ghostly body flickered, twisted—its limbs drawing in, curling, until the entire form compressed into a small orb of purple fire.

The memories, the identity, everything that once made it someone was erased. And then, with a faint whirling sound, the orb of flame floated upward and joined the other tiny flames that lingered near the feather—souls purified, emptied, and made whole again.

Then the flame was absorbed by the feather.

Aether gave a quiet hum as he rewound the rope, coiling it tightly around his arms once more, preparing to fish out the next soul. But as he turned—he stopped.

Nyx stood right in front of him, arms crossed, her expression unreadable but undeniably intense.

”What are you doing?” she asked, her voice low. ”And that thing... what is it really?”

There was a sharp edge to her voice, her fury barely contained. After all, he had struck her down, stopped her without permission. He dared to defy her path.

But Aether didn’t answer right away. Instead, without warning, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her in a firm embrace.

Nyx froze in place, her entire body stiffening.

”W-What are you—”

”Thank goodness...” Aether whispered, his voice cracking slightly as he held her tighter.

”Thank goodness... nothing happened to you.”

Nyx blinked, startled by the warmth in his voice. He sounded... shaken.

”You know... I thought I’d lost you for real this time,” he added, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder.

”....”

”Please... don’t ever do something like that again. Don’t throw yourself away like that. Don’t harm yourself.”

”....”

Nyx felt something strange stir in her chest—something unfamiliar and uncomfortable. Her rage, her sharp tongue, her icy exterior—they all suddenly felt out of place. A warmth flushed through her body, and her lips twitched in a strange, almost reluctant smile.

She didn’t know why... but something inside her softened.

Shaking her head quickly, she shoved him away gently, awkwardly clearing her throat as she turned her face aside.

”Don’t get so sentimental all of a sudden,” she muttered, voice less cold now. ”Just tell me... what exactly are you doing?”

Aether smiled—genuinely, openly.

”I’ve found a way,” he said. ”A way to close the crack... without needing to sacrifice your life for it.”

”Huh?” Nyx blinked, completely taken aback. Her expression shifted from irritation to pure surprise.

Could that really be true?

Aether nodded confidently, eyes shining.

”Turns out all I had to do... was give the machine a little guidance.”

”...Pardon?” Nyx tilted her head slightly, utterly puzzled by that explanation.

Aether muttered softly as he recalled what Grace had told him back in the domain—

”You see... all you need to do is guide the souls back to my divinity...”

”Divinity?” Aether had tilted his head slightly, confusion clear in his tone.

Grace gave a calm nod. ”Indeed. That purplish feather you see—it’s a representation of my divinity and authority. Even if I’m not there, it still functions. It simply needs someone to activate it... give it a small spark to begin its work.”

Aether hummed with a thoughtful expression, ”So... you want me to guide the souls to it? Just like that?”

”Exactly,” Grace confirmed with a slight smile.

”But... how?” Aether asked, brows furrowed. ”I can’t even touch those souls... and more than anything—if I go near the whirlpool again, my brain feels like it’s catching fire!”

Grace chuckled softly before gesturing cage, ”Then put your finger inside it again.”

Aether looked at her, then, without any hesitation, did exactly as asked. No suspicion, no resistance. He reached out and placed his finger into the bars.

Grace blinked in mild surprise, frowning slightly. ’He’s way too trusting... one day, he’s seriously going to get betrayed because of that. Maybe... by me,’ she thought with a dry smirk.

With that thought, she touched his finger gently. Aether flinched as a stream of purplish energy surged into his body like a jolt of lightning laced with whispers.

!~Ding~!

[New Skill Acquired: Pasa Rope]

[Effect: This skill summons a spectral rope, crafted solely to capture and restrain wandering souls. A piece of the Soul Guider’s divine thread.]

Aether stared in surprise at the glowing rope materialising in his palm. Grace grinned at his reaction, clearly pleased with herself.

”Now go,” she said with a firm nod. ”Capture the soul. Bring it to the feather.”

”Wait—what about my brain getting fried again?!”

Grace shrugged nonchalantly, her expression turning smug. ”Well, that part depends entirely on you,” she replied, waving her hand like she was brushing off the question.

—Back in the present—

Aether didn’t tell Nyx every exact detail, but he gave her a rough explanation—enough for her to grasp what he was trying to do.

”Okay... I understand that part,” Nyx said, nodding slowly. But her brows pinched into a frown. ”But how do you even know all of this? You still haven’t told me where that rope came from.”

Her voice dropped, both curious and suspicious as she studied his face.

For the first time, Aether’s expression shifted. He glared at her,

”I don’t think I need to share everything with you,” he said flatly. ”I have my own space. My own boundaries.”

With that, he turned and walked away, heading back toward the crack—toward the next soul.

Nyx stood still, stunned.

That glare... those words...

It was the first time he’d spoken to her like that. Assertive. Drawing a line. She blinked, caught off guard by the strange feeling stirring inside her chest. Her stomach twisted with a fluttery sensation as she stared at Aether’s back, her arms slowly uncrossing.

Aether approached the edge of the crack again and raised his hand. In an instant, the suction pulled him in violently—like a puppet yanked by its strings. He disappeared into the crack with a forceful tug, sucked into the purple whirlpool like a monster spitting out its prey.

Inside, his body spun underwater. Cold, crushing pressure surrounded him as he swam upward with the rope clutched tight in his hand.

The moment he broke the surface—he gasped.

But that breath brought pain.

Aether’s mind shuddered as if a hammer was slamming into his skull. An invisible force wrapped around him like a coiled beast, pressing down on his head, crushing him from within. He clenched his teeth hard, holding his breath, sweat mixing with the water around his face.

Ignoring the pain, he swirled the rope like a lasso above his head. He focused, eyes locked on the cluster of drifting souls—gray, aimless things flickering beneath the surface. He threw the rope.

The smoky thread danced in the water like a serpent and latched onto one of the souls.

Got it.

With no time to lose, Aether dove back into the deep, pulling the captured soul behind him. He swam furiously toward the crack. The soul screamed—though no sound echoed in the water.

Then—just like before—the crack pulled him.

His body and the soul were yanked through space again. Moments later, they landed hard on the damp, ashen ground outside the rift. Aether groaned, rolling over, soaked and breathless.

Still holding the rope, he pulled the soul across the floor, dragging it toward the feather without a word.

Meanwhile...

Nyx stood a short distance away, arms limp at her sides. Her expression was unreadable—somewhere between awe and disbelief.

She watched every movement of his body.

”You’ve got a wonderful husband, My Lady,” Starla murmured softly from beside her, her voice light but warm with amusement.

Nyx blinked, turning her head just slightly, still staring at Aether.

She didn’t say a word.