Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1068: Exam of Thrones

Due to the throne-less state of the Zephyra Empire, Maelona had finally decided to initiate the long-delayed competition to determine the rightful heir. There was no room left for hesitation.

The Empire needed a ruler, and fast. So now, both Aria and Kaelen found themselves seated in a completely empty, stone-cold room. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional scratch of quills against parchment. They were undergoing one of the most gruelling written tests imaginable.

The questions werenʼt simple... No, they covered the Empireʼs complex history, tangled geopolitics, intricate economic theories, and a flood of competitive, logical challenges meant to push their intellect and problem-solving skills to the absolute brink.

There was no mercy in those exam sheets. No breaks, no second chances. Just... relentless questions. They had to answer every single one.

And it wasnʼt just for an hour or two.

This nightmare started at the crack of dawn and would continue until the following dawn. A full twenty-four hours of uninterrupted testing. No food. No water. No toilet breaks. Just an enormous bundle of worn-out papers placed before them, and a ticking clock that seemed both still and yet merciless.

They were expected to endure.

Expected to excel.

Expected to finish.

Even with an entire day, the sheer volume of questions felt like they had been meant for two days of writing. The pressure was real. It crawled into their bones. It clung to their backs. It weighed on their shoulders like invisible chains.

Now, in the highest room of the palace tower, sunlight streamed through the tall, narrow windows, casting golden streaks across the dusty floor. Aria and Kaelen sat side-by-side at a wooden table, their backs straight, hands scribbling feverishly.

Well… one was scribbling.

The other… was struggling.

ʼGulpʼ

Kaelen swallowed hard... And no, it wasnʼt because of the exam itself.

Not exactly. Sure, the questions were tough, some even made him question his own existence, but the true horror?

A pair of multicoloured eyes were burning a hole straight through his soul.

Liora.

The invigilator.

His mother.

Yes. Of all the people who couldʼve been assigned this role, it just had to be her. Liora stood at the head of the room with a posture so sharp she could probably slice air. Her role was clear—ensure the candidates didnʼt cheat, didnʼt whisper, didnʼt move even a fraction of an inch without permission.

She was the judge.

The observer.

The hawk-eyed enforcer of discipline.

But something was off.

Kaelen could feel it.

Her eyes werenʼt doing a general sweep of the room like a typical invigilator.

No.

They were locked. Glued. Nailed directly to him.

Right on his answer sheet.

Not blinking. Not breathing. Just... staring.

Kaelen could feel the sweat forming at the back of his neck. He was gulping down dry air, his hand trembling as he held the quill. Every time he tried to write something, he could feel that unrelenting gaze on the back of his head—as if any wrong letter would earn him instant death.

With a trembling voice, Kaelen whispered, ”M-Mom—”

”Invigilator,” Liora corrected him immediately, her tone colder than the floor beneath them.

Kaelen flinched, adjusting his quill like it would protect him. ”Y-Yes, Invigilator... but... um...” he paused, looking up at her helplessly. ”Arenʼt you... kinda staring at me too much? I mean... a little too much?” he whispered nervously, then tilted his head toward Aria. ”Sheʼs right there! Sheʼs writing like she already has the answer key. Maybe you should... I donʼt know... look at her too?”

He gave a weak smile, half-hopeful, half-dead.

Lioraʼs eyes narrowed into tiny slits. A dangerous glow flickered in her gaze, and Kaelen immediately regretted opening his mouth. Her voice dropped several degrees. ”Is that so?” she said softly, yet the words sent chills down his spine.

Kaelenʼs heart thudded. He swore he could feel killing intent radiating off her. For a brief moment, he wondered if this was how criminals felt when they realised the executioner was approaching.

Even the academy tests werenʼt like this!!

Liora finally stepped away.

Kaelen exhaled a breath he didnʼt know he was holding. His entire body slumped like a puppet cut from its strings.

ʼThank the heavens... now I can actually focus on these damn questions,ʼ he thought, shaking off the invisible pressure. He looked down at the paper again, scanning the next question.

ʼWhat does one truly need to rule the Empire?ʼ

He blinked.

His eyes narrowed.

Then... something sparked in his brain.

A sudden flash of confidence surged through him.

He gripped the feather quill like a sword, fire igniting in his chest, ʼBe a Man—!!!ʼ he shouted internally, pressing the quill to the parchment but,

Snap

His tail stiffened.

He could feel it again.

That scorching stare.

He slowly tilted his head.

And there she was.

Liora.

Still near Aria.

Still perfectly still.

Yet somehow... still staring right at him.

Her eyes were wide, glowing faintly, and filled with that particular look only a disappointed mother could master.

Kaelenʼs soul practically left his body.

ʼNo, no, no! I didnʼt mean it like that! Not a man—no man—NO MAN!!!ʼ he screamed inside, clenching the sides of the desk.

Meanwhile, Liora quietly sighed to herself.

The truth was, she didnʼt even want this invigilator job. She only accepted it because she wanted to see how her son was doing in such an important exam. She wanted to silently support him, be near him like a proud mother watching her child grow into something great.

But instead...

He was scared of her.

Terrified, even.

ʼAnd I didnʼt even do anything...ʼ she thought sadly, her tail dropping in disappointment. She shifted her gaze toward Aria, who was still writing, calm and composed, her face showing no stress whatsoever.

Liora tilted her head.

Suspicious.

Maybe too calm?

/Youʼre not cheating, are you?/ she asked with a quiet telepathic ping.

Ariaʼs body jolted slightly. She glanced up and frowned. /Of course not!/ she snapped telepathically, her expression serious. Then she turned back and resumed writing, faster this time, not wasting even a second.

Liora gave a small hum, her eyes flicking toward the tall window. Her expression softened. She could smell him—her husband—somewhere nearby. His scent was faint, lingering on the breeze that drifted in. But she couldnʼt leave. Not even for a second. Not unless she wanted Maelona to verbally flay her alive with one of those smug, condescending speeches that made even dragons curl up in shame.

So she stayed. Miserable. Longing. And slightly twitching.

Her eyes eventually drifted back to her son... at least she could support her son!

Kaelen froze mid-sentence.

”!!”

He felt that gaze pierce through his very soul once more.

ʼPlease leave me alone!ʼ he begged silently, tears nearly forming in his eyes.

Meanwhile, not too far away, inside Maelonaʼs stately home,

”Would you like to have a coffee?” Maelona asked gently, her voice soft and welcoming, a warm smile resting on her face as she looked at the four seated guests. Aether (Worn new clothes), Sandra, Sera, and Dora were all settled on a wide, lavish sofa—though each wore a very different expression.

Sandra and Sera nodded immediately, polite and curious, their postures relaxed. Dora, however, shook her head silently. Her eyes didnʼt even flicker toward Maelona; they were locked on Aether, watching him with quiet urgency—yet he hadnʼt once looked at her since they sat down.

Maelona nodded understandingly. With a quiet clap of her hands, a few maids swiftly entered, carrying a silver tray and porcelain cups. They carefully served the steaming coffee to Sandra and Sera with practised grace.

”Alright then...” Maelona trailed off, her voice lowering slightly as she looked at the group, her brow furrowing with hesitation. ”Can someone please explain what exactly happened out there?” she asked, her curiosity laced with underlying concern. ”Especially that fox woman... I never saw her before. Who is she really?”

Something about that woman didnʼt sit right with her. She suspected it might be connected to why Aether had suddenly asked Aria to research old Fox Tribe manuscripts.

Sera cleared her throat softly and began to explain, gently sipping her coffee in between words. She gave a general overview of what had happened, carefully summarizing the events without overwhelming detail. Meanwhile, Dora remained silent. Her eyes never left Aether.

Then, slowly, she leaned closer and placed her hand softly on his thigh, her voice small and hesitant.

”Are you... angry at me?” she asked.

Aether didnʼt respond. Not with words. He barely turned his head, casting a small, hollow glance in her direction before looking away again, his eyes settling on a far corner of the room.

He wasnʼt just ignoring her to be cruel. In truth, his mind was elsewhere—far away. While his body sat still, his consciousness was connected to his distant puppets, sweeping through shadows, searching every Empire for signs of disturbance near the Ebon Stones.

After all, everything activated correctly!

He was just cautious now.

Even though his clones had vanished the moment they teleported into the Umbra Empire, he had at least confirmed there was no major anomaly.

Doraʼs fingers tensed.

Then—suddenly—

/Come on, Aether... at this rate, sheʼs going to cry,/ Sandraʼs voice echoed clearly in his mind.

He flinched subtly.

His head turned toward Sandra, who was sipping her coffee with an oddly knowing look. But she wasnʼt looking at him directly. No... her gaze was aimed beside him.

Aetherʼs eyes followed her line of sight.

And there she was—Dora.

Her lips trembled.

Her eyes, wide and glistening, began to shake.

She looked like a child holding back tears.

Aether stood up without a word, grabbed Dora gently by the wrist, and walked out of the room.

No explanations. No glances back. Just... silence.

Sandra didnʼt even blink. She casually took another sip of her coffee like nothing had happened. Meanwhile, Sera and Maelona sat frozen, eyebrows raised in surprise, trying to process what had just occurred.

Breaking the awkward tension, Sandra spoke calmly, ”So... I heard youʼre planning a new Throne. Mind if I ask how thatʼs going?”

Maelona blinked for a moment, startled by the abrupt topic change, but then slowly nodded her head. ”Y-Yes... of course.”

On the balcony, Aether stood with his arms folded, staring out into the distance. The Morning breeze brushed through his white hair. Dora stood beside him, hesitating, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sleeves.

She sighed.

”Fine, fine... Iʼm sorry, okay?” she muttered softly, her voice quivering with guilt. ”I know I pushed you into that... and I know it hurt. I... I didnʼt mean to. I really didnʼt. Please donʼt avoid me like this... itʼs making me feel like I donʼt even exist to you...” she said, hugging herself, her tail curled tight behind her ankles.

Aether didnʼt speak at first.

Finally, he turned to her slowly, his face blank, unreadable. ”I told you everything about me, Dora,” he said quietly, but his words cut deeper than any shout. ”Everything. My fears. My past. My scars.”

He paused.

”But you... I know nothing about you. Nothing real. I donʼt even know how youʼre still alive. After I killed you... you didnʼt explain. Not a word. You just said ʼkill meʼ and disappeared”

He took a small step closer, his voice lowering.

”Give me one reason. One honest reason... and Iʼll accept your apology.”

Doraʼs lips quivered as she looked down. Her hands balled into fists. Her breath hitched slightly.

She bit her trembling lip, fighting the rising lump in her throat.

She had no answer. Not yet.

Aetherʼs eyes remained on her, cold but not unfeeling. He wasnʼt trying to be cruel. He wanted to understand. He needed to understand. But not with lies. Not with silence.

With truth.

And Dora wasnʼt ready.

Not yet.