Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1293: I guess it’s time for it, right, Mom?

The new card... The Origin Card was different from before, and everyone had felt this sudden change wash over them.

It wasn’t just a small shift—it was literally a complete alteration in their Arcane card, which was now being renamed as the Origin Card. What’s more, their Log appeared strangely locked, sealed away as if some higher force was deliberately forcing them to remain exactly where they stood, chained to the same point.

”Was this meant... forced upon us as a weakness?” Aqualina muttered, her voice carrying both suspicion and unease.

Aether, of course, didn’t have an answer. He could only stare at the shimmering card in silence.

Maybe it was true, maybe it wasn’t... but the thought lingered inside him like a thorn.

”But levels... they’re supposed to be determined upon our growth, right?” His eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke, his tone both questioning and sharp.

”I mean... if we push ourselves, increase our energy by training, by pouring our effort into it... Shouldn’t the level naturally rise? How could locking the levels possibly stop growth itself?”

After all, he too once believed he couldn’t increase his level by pouring in affection points. Yet, he discovered the truth—it worked in another way. He could still learn by himself, refine his body and spirit, and rise further through his own strength.

Was this new change meant to mirror that... or was it something even deeper?

Just a little too confusing to grasp right now. The entire system felt like it was twisting around them, showing one face yet hiding another.

Aqualina hummed, thoughtful and low, before asking with narrowed eyes, ”Also... it’s not making sense when it comes to those attribute values, is it?”

Sandra gave a sharp nod, her lips pressed in frustration. ”Yeah... it feels like we’re not reading them correctly. Or maybe... we’re not meant to.”

Aether frowned, his hand running over the edge of his card as if touching it might reveal something more.

”Maybe we should all sit together and talk about this... seriously, the titles, the stars and... weird ’0’... we need to collect every data to understand it” he said at last with a heavy tone.

He muttered it as much to himself as to them, already planning that he needed to gather everyone in one place. It wasn’t only this situation—they also needed to know about the serum Xara was creating, the dangerous secret that could change everything.

”Aether...” Celestia’s voice broke the silence, softer yet cutting through the moment with curiosity, her eyes fixed on him. ”What about yours?”

Aether had not felt any kind of string or floating sensation like the others... in fact, his card had not even called out at all, so he wasn’t even sure if his card had changed.

Aether muttered softly, almost testing the air, ”Arcane...”

The card... didn’t come out.

”Origin.”

The card... still didn’t come out again.

Everyone frowned, their eyes settling on him in growing confusion. Aether blinked, baffled, before muttering under his breath,

”Aether?” Calling out his own name felt strange, almost ridiculous, yet...

The card didn’t come out again.

Aether was flabbergasted as he stepped back in sheer confusion, ”Why is it not coming out?” he muttered, frowning as he tried again and again. But his card refused to appear, as if sealed away by some unseen force.

”Was... something else needed?” Aqualina asked, frowning with a curious expression, ”How about pulling it out forcibly?” She glanced sideways at her mother.

Sandra’s face tensed with an awkward smile. She remembered that day—how she had once forced Aether’s card out by sheer will. And now... they were asking her to do it again?

Aether nodded firmly. ”Go on. I’d like to see it,” he said as he spread his hand outward, steady and ready.

Sandra hesitated, her lips parting before she muttered quietly, ”It will be painful...”

Aether’s mouth curled into a cheeky smile, his eyes glinting. ”You will soothe me later, right?”

Sandra shook her head with an amused expression despite herself, then slowly pressed her hand against his chest. For a moment, nothing happened—her palm simply rested there, warm against his heartbeat. But then... her hand began to sink deeper, slipping into him as if his body were turning into liquid shadow. A violent spark crackled around his chest, the air filling with sharp energy that burned against her skin.

Sandra’s fingers twitched when she felt it—something solid, unyielding inside him. Her brow furrowed sharply.

”It’s hard...” she murmured, her fingers straining but unable to reach deeper into his chest, as though something impenetrable was blocking her way.

”Do not resist,” she ordered firmly.

Aether only shrugged, ”I am not resisting...”

Her frown deepened as she tried to push her fingers further, straining against the barrier. The violent energy sparked out more fiercely, dancing in furious bursts of light against her skin.

And then—

”Arrhh!”

Sandra immediately yanked her hand back, gasping as pain tore through her arm. She stumbled back, clutching her hand. Her eyes widened when she saw it—her fingers, charred and broken, trembling as the burns etched black across her skin.

Aether’s eyes went wide in horror. He rushed forward without hesitation, his hand diving into his inventory. He grabbed a vial and thrust it toward her,

”Here! Drink it!”

Sandra gulped down the potion quickly, her lips trembling as the liquid shimmered through her veins. Slowly, agonizingly, her broken flesh healed—bones straightened, skin mended, the burns fading away until her hand returned to its normal state.

Aether sighed deeply in relief, shoulders dropping as the tension drained from him. But the confusion didn’t leave his face. He frowned at her, his voice tight. ”What happened?”

Sandra, after drinking the healing potion, sighed heavily. ”Something is blocking my hand... and if I try to push beyond that barrier, it hurts me...”

Aether’s eyes turned stern. Something was happening inside his body, something he could not understand, no matter how hard he tried to reason it out.

”What about your Log?” Aqualina asked curiously while checking her mother’s hand just to be sure.

Aether shook his head slowly. ”It’s still... processing. And I can’t access my details again,” he muttered with quiet defeat.

Sandra reached out and softly patted his shoulder. Her touch was warm, her words firm.

”Don’t worry... whatever it may be, we will face it together. That’s what family is for, right?”

Aether allowed a small smile to break across his lips as he looked toward Aqualina and Celestia, both of them stern yet silently nodding in support.

”Anyway, enough about me... let’s talk about the others. People... We need to address them as soon as possible,” Aether said, pulling himself back to focus. Sandra and the others nodded in agreement.

They contacted the rest through the link, and of course, Raven and Liora nodded as well. Except—

/It will be a bad one.../ Sera’s voice cut through, conflicted and uncertain.

/What do you mean?/

/Think about it... They’re already taken aback by the situation. So many things have happened in the matter of a few hours... If we force the truth onto them now, it might break them immediately,/

Sera said with a serious tone while having a thoughtful expression as she signed documents, while Helena arranged them.

Sandra hummed, and so did the others. What Sera said was not wrong. But—

/If we don’t... and announce it later, it will only irk them. It will feel as if we purposely hid the truth, and that could breed hatred and mistrust later on... which we cannot allow to happen, right?/ Aqualina spoke with a serious tone.

Everyone fell into thoughtful silence... Her words made sense, too.

The situation was unstable... balanced on a thin edge.

Every mind needed something to vent on, and if their rulers seemed to hide the truth, others would seize that excuse and twist it to their own advantage.

Sure, Pyra and Naiadae would not dare to stir up trouble.

The Pyra Empire had seen their Emperor fight with their own eyes, and none could move against his words.

Naiadae, ruled under the shadow of a tyrant, would accept the truth whether they liked it or not. Even if disappointment lingered, they knew their Empress would not care either way.

But... the same could not be said for the remaining two Empires.

This was a delicate situation. No matter which path they chose, the result circled back to the same outcome... hatred and mistrust.

Something had to be done...

Someone had to speak...

Someone different...

Someone unique...

Someone with charisma...

Someone with a gentle heart...

Someone skilled at acting...

Someone with the cunning words~

Where could they find someone like that?

Every pair of eyes slowly turned toward Aether.

”...What?” Aether blinked in confusion, caught off guard by the heavy silence and the strange way they were staring at him.

There was interest in their eyes.... A dangerous kind of interest.

They were planning... something.

Right?

”I guess it’s time for it, right, Mom?” Aqualina said with an amused tone, the corner of her lips curving upward.

Sandra’s lips twitched in annoyance, yet after a moment, she gave a reluctant nod.

Celestia pouted, lowering her eyes, but didn’t argue.

”What are you all planning?” Aether frowned... Something dangerous was about to come his way—he could feel it.