Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1194: Victor, The violent storm and Aether, The gentle light.

”I guess... they would be ready for anything now,” Aether muttered, his voice calm, but his expression unreadable—something lingered in his eyes, and he paused.

”Except...”

His tone lowered, trailing into silence.

Celestia, standing nearby, narrowed her eyes at him, finishing his thought in her own way.

”Except the Void Empire,” she said sharply, crossing her arms with an irritated little pout on her lips. ”I don’t see you doing anything about them so far—other than... playing with a succubus!”

Her eyes darted toward the sleeping Nightfire, and her face scrunched a little.

To be fair, she hadn’t minded it much at first. She’d even joked about it. But now, seeing Nightfire lying there with such a... deeply satisfied expression—it ticked something in Celestia.

Just a flicker... A spark of something unreasonable.

Jealousy?

Even if she didn’t want to admit it.

She wanted that too. The pleasure. The attention. The look of complete satisfaction that Nightfire wore like a crown.

Aether noticed the faint twitch in her face, the tightening of her lips, the way her eyes refused to meet his. He chuckled softly under his breath.

Without saying a word, he reached forward and gently pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in his warmth.

”Come here,” he murmured, leaning down and stealing a soft, teasing kiss from her lips. His hand slid up, tangling gently into her hair as he tugged it just enough to make her gasp. ”You know,” he whispered against her skin, ”I still have a little bit left in me~”

And then he bit her neck.

”Ahh~”

A breathless moan escaped her lips before she slapped her hand over her mouth.

”W-Wait! Not now!” she yelped, her face bright red. ”We need to focus! We have something important to discuss first!” Her voice was high-pitched, rushed, and trembling slightly with restraint.

Aether pulled back slightly, his lips forming a pout, his expression turning wide-eyed and innocently wounded.

”But what could be more important than pouring love into my beloved wife?”

Celestia rolled her eyes, though her cheeks still burned.

”That’s not going to work on me, darling~” she replied, her voice slipping into a sly, teasing lilt. She wasn’t falling for his puppy-eyes trick anymore.

She’d grown up.

Bastard needed to try harder now.

”Anyway, the thing is...” she continued, her tone shifting to something more serious, though a faint blush lingered on her cheeks. ”Sister Sandra and... Sister Sera... they want you to officially go through with the engagement to Aqualina and Helena.”

Aether raised a brow, a knowing smirk forming on his lips.

”Sister, huh...? Oh? Look at you...” he leaned in, grinning like a devil. ”Blushing while calling them that... haha~ how cute.”

Celestia flinched like she’d been stabbed, her blush exploding across her face. She glared at him immediately.

Of course, she felt weird calling them ’sister.’ The whole situation was strange, awkward, and complicated. But he was the one who caused this entire mess in the first place!

So many sisters... in her own blood!

Fuck it!!

”Focus on the matter, you bastard!!” she snapped, flustered beyond measure.

Aether laughed louder, clearly enjoying her reaction. She was seriously too cute when she got mad. And somehow, seeing her like this only made his already overworked heart throb harder with affection—and a little something else.

He leaned in again and kissed her, unable to resist. Her lips tasted like fire and frustration.

He was hopelessly in love.... he wanted to slap that soft ass.

And yet...

’P-Please... no more...’ his poor shaft was practically crying now, if it had a mouth.

It wasn’t ready for another round. Not after the wild, monstrous ride that was Nightfire.

But Aether ignored its silent cries.

Turning serious again, he frowned. ”What about them? Sandra and Sera... I know it’s unusual to marry family, but honestly... I don’t give a damn what others think. I’ll marry whoever I love. Family or not.”

Celestia shook her head gently. ”We know how you feel... and believe me, we all talked about it already.

The decision isn’t just yours anymore—it’s ours. Everyone is on the same page. Right now, the situation across the Empires is too delicate. If you were to marry everyone at once... especially with the way things look... people will start to talk. Not just talk. They’ll be disgusted and disappointed and might even lose hope.”

She exhaled.

”And the one most likely to react is the Aurora Empire.”

Aether’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Celestia continued, her voice calm but firm, ”Since you’ve gotten involved directly with their people and their leaders, this needs to be handled carefully. Their citizens... many of them are still confused, scared, holding onto hope that you might be something... bigger. Something better.”

She looked him in the eye.

”You need to take the first step by marrying the next generation of Arcane Queens.

That’s what Sandra and Sera believe. The people need a symbol, not scandal.”

She paused, then smiled softly.

”Sandra didn’t mind, honestly. She was the first to say she wanted to marry you. But it was Sera who stopped her. She said... let the younger generation go first. Let them be the future.

Let the people believe in Aether—their symbol of hope.”

She pressed those final words like a seal.

”Only Aether”

Aether fell silent, letting her words sink in. Slowly, he nodded, the weight of her meaning finally meaning him.

He was entering a relationship so unconventional it could shatter entire belief systems if handled poorly. In those worlds filled with rules and judgment, forbidden love could look like sin if not wrapped in something bigger.

He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking deeply.

’Marrying the Arcane Queens first... maybe it sets the stage. If I gain the support of their people, build a foundation... then maybe, eventually, the others could follow. It’s not what I wanted... but given the Aurora Empire’s fragile state, this might be the best path for now.’

He opened his eyes, locking them onto Celestia’s.

”And... ’Only Aether’—that means...?”

Celestia nodded.

”Yeah. Sera doesn’t want you revealing your Victor side. Not during this time. Just Aether. The soft one.

The one the world sees and trusts.”

Aether tilted his head, frowning slightly.

”Why?”

Celestia gave a dry chuckle and scratched the back of her neck, embarrassed.

”Well... you know how people see Victor. The Aurora citizens, especially. They know him as... cheeky, smug, selfish, Handsome, Horny—”

”Ouch!” she winced, yelping as he pinched her ass sharply.

Celestia gasped and turned red.

”I-I meant... Victor is the violent one!” she said quickly, waving her hands. ”Too aggressive. Too ruthless. Sera said it’s better for you to approach them as Aether. Calm. Steady. Hopeful.

They don’t need a devil.

They need a saviour.”

Aether fell quiet again, tapping his chin with a thoughtful hum.

”Victor... the violent storm. Aether... the gentle light. I see.”

He still wasn’t sure how to feel about splitting himself that way. But he knew one thing—he needed to talk to Sera directly. Understand their plan. And maybe, just maybe, trust in the path they were paving for him.

”Alright. I’ll talk to them.”

Celestia nodded in approval.

But her expression changed. All teasing melted away as something much colder passed through her eyes.

”Now... the data I’ve collected so far... Vesperine.”

The moment the name dropped, Aether’s entire face shifted.

Gone was the smile. The casual teasing. Even the playfulness in his voice.

His eyes sharpened.

This... was something far more important.

He leaned in, his voice low.

”Tell me everything.”