Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1297: Calming Empires: Part-2

Aether folded his three fingers, leaving only two raised as his gaze drifted somewhere far beyond the screen. His tone softened, and the world seemed to hold its breath.

”What right do I have to tell you all this?” he muttered, his voice laced with quiet disappointment. His eyes lowered, shadowed by grief.

”Tell me... what right do I have over you?”

”Nothing.”

He let that word linger, cold and absolute, before raising his head again.

”I have no right over any of you... do I?

My Aurora people?” His gaze turned painfully soft as he whispered,

”You all decided to leave this Archpriest without hesitation... So eager to throw away everything, even your faith, to die as if your lives meant nothing?”

His breath hitched slightly.

”Am... Am I the one who made a mistake?”

The moment those words left his lips, the people of the Aurora Empire broke down.

Tears spilled uncontrollably, falling to the marble streets like rain. They clutched their chests, trembling as they watched their Archpriest—their savior—with eyes red and glistening.

His trembling lips mirrored theirs, his expression wavering between heartbreak and restraint.

Was he disappointed in them?

Had they failed him?

Aether sniffed softly, trying to hold himself together. His voice cracked faintly as he steadied his tone, wiping the invisible emotion from his face.

”Sure... arhm... sure. The Gods have abandoned us.

Our Mother has abandoned us...!!

But that doesn’t mean you can abandon everything too!” His voice rose sharply, shaking with fury and anguish as his fist clenched tight.

”Yes... There were two Gods governing our Empires Arcane and... the Mother.”

Hearing that, everyone... literally everyone, froze. Their eyes widened in horror.

What in the world was he saying?

Arcane... and Mother?

Who were they?

What did that mean?

Even the high priests of Aurora stumbled backwards, muttering prayers that refused to leave their lips.

Aether continued, his voice solemn, unwavering. ”The truth had been hidden by the Mother’s own will. Only the chosen ones knew this... because she wanted others to rely on Arcane, and Arcane alone.”

Gasps echoed across the cities.

The revelation spread like wildfire—every believer, every scholar, every elder staring in disbelief as the sky’s projection flickered with Aether’s calm, piercing eyes.

This caused even greater panic on their faces.

They couldn’t believe it.

What in the heavens was happening?

Maybe he was lying?

Maybe he had lost his mind?

Aether only shrugged lightly, though his smile held no warmth.

”It’s hard to accept the truth, I know. But as you can see... outside our barrier, you’ve already witnessed the disaster yourselves.” His gaze turned cold, reflecting the burning horizon.

”That storm... that chaos... that is the invasion of the Mother’s Energy—also known as Clarion Energy. And because of that, this disaster has fallen upon us all.”

The sky rippled faintly behind his image, and for a moment, it almost looked as though divine light and shadow warred above the world—Arcane’s remnants clashing with the Mother’s energy.... The crowd could only stare in silence, torn between fear and awe, as the Archpriest’s words carried across heaven and earth.

Their mouths widened in utter shock, struggling to comprehend what the hell they had just heard.

Aether continued, ”Because of that... I had no other option but to remove both Arcane and Clarion energy, so that your bodies wouldn’t be affected by it— with the help of my friend.”

Aether clenched his chest tightly,

”I... I did my best to save you all, and yet... yet... look at you!” His voice cracked with fury and grief.

”What are you doing now? Trying to destroy what was meant to save you? Huh?! Trying to abandon your Empire just because there’s no god watching over you?”

His eyes trembled; his fist clenched until his knuckles turned white, shoulders shook violently.

”Tell me... did... did I make a mistake protecting my people?

Was that... wrong?” His throat trembled, words coming out unevenly, breaking.

”Am... Am I not your family too? I thought we were one.

I thought we could face anything together...I... I believed my family would stay with me, even when there’s nothing left...

Did... did I expect too much from you?”

Aether’s hand pressed against his chest again as his whole body trembled. His lips quivered. His eyes glistened red—on the verge of crying—but he still tried to keep his composure, even as tears threatened to fall.

”NNNOOOOOO!!!”

The people of Aurora Empire cried out in horror.

Their legs gave out beneath them as they collapsed to the ground, trembling. Tears and snot streamed down their faces as they screamed and wept, clutching their hearts as if they could physically hold back the ache.

Aether gulped down his breath, throat dry and empty, before his expression turned cold—almost lifeless.

”Thank you... thank you all for making me realise... I could never truly be one with you...

T-Th-Thank you!”

”PLEASE, FORGIVE US!!”

”ARCHPRIEST... PLEASE DON’T FORSAKE US!!”

”WE MADE A MISTAKE... WE—PLEASE... OH GODS!! WHAT HAVE WE DONE!!”

Literally the entire Aurora Empire was on their knees, crying in horror as their Archpriest—their protector, their light—spoke as though he had given up on them.

They had seen him fight for them. They had watched him work tirelessly, shielding their homes, mending their broken land, and yet... they never even considered his heart.

They just turned their backs and left, without hesitation.

Just because their god had disappeared?

Abandoned them?

So, they decided to abandon the man who saved them?

Who had put his life on the line for them—again and again?

Just like that?

How could they do that to him?

Of all the people in the world, Aurora—his chosen family—was the last he would have expected to betray him. And yet... they had done it.

Sera watched, her hands trembling as her people broke down in horror and tears. As much as she wanted to comfort them, to reach out and stop their crying, she knew this was necessary.

They needed to feel this... They needed to remember what they had done.

For them to realise what they had done... sure, she could have made them see it herself, but if it was coming from Aether—a man who appeared from golden light like a god descending, the man who had saved them from the great collision, the man who had offered his life for theirs—then their guilt cut even deeper.

And when they finally understood that he had once been a slave, that he had crawled up from the dirt to reach this divine height... that he was the man from the ground—a nothing!—

To become... their Archpriest.

Their Saviour!

Aether’s lips parted, but no words came. It was as though everything inside him had shattered, locked behind his throat. His voice refused to emerge. He stood frozen, trembling—not with anger, but with heartbreak.

Betrayed, disappointed, and... utterly lost.

His hands shook violently. He bit his lip so hard that blood welled and slid down his chin.

Every breath hitched, as he struggled to contain himself.

Seeing this, everyone lowered their heads awkwardly, guilt spreading through the watching Empires.

But in the Pyra Empire, Nyx stared blankly at the image. She didn’t understand why... but she wanted to kill every single one of those who had betrayed him.

Her body flickered between flesh and bone, her veins pulsing with unstable form as something inside her shifted restlessly. Just then—

”Awwweeeee!!”

The cry pierced the silence. Nyx flinched at the sound and turned sharply—only to see Nightfire bawling her eyes out.

Nyx tilted her head. ”Are you... crying?”

”I’m not... aweee... it’s youuu aaahhh!!” Nightfire wailed, covering her face with both hands.

Nyx blinked; she was definitely crying, wasn’t she?

Nyx looked around. Others, too, had slightly teary expressions. She caught Raven’s eye—Raven wasn’t crying, but their gazes met, and something unspoken passed between them.

”Should we?” Nyx asked quietly.

Raven frowned, about to nod when—

”You all know he’s acting, right?” Xara interjected flatly, cutting through the growing emotion.

”Acting?” Nyx blinked in surprise.

Xara sighed, shaking her head as she glanced at her daughter, hoping she’d at least be the rational one—but hell no.

”The heck—you’re crying too!!” Xara shouted.

Selene sniffled, her eyes red. ”I... I know he’s a-acting but still... my husband’s so good at this!! Aweee...” she cried, voice muffled by tears.

”I never thought the Emperor had such talent... sniff, sniff...” Emberlyn muttered, trying to keep her composure but wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

Thalia, on the other hand, slammed her fist against the wall.

”I am not crying...”

BOOM!

”I am not crying...”

BOOM!

”I AM DEFINITELY NOT CRYING!!!” Her hair fell over her face, hiding the tears that betrayed her words.

Xara stared at her, deadpan, ’Girl... you’re definitely crying—but stop breaking the damn wall, you idiot!’ she screamed inwardly before sighing.

The only ones who weren’t crying—or rather, seemed not to be—were Raven, Nyx, and herself.

But Xara was sure of one thing: Nyx and Raven were crying too, just not on the outside. They’d locked those emotions deep inside, showing them only to Aether.

Xara sighed again, rubbing her temple. ”If they believe him like this... I don’t need to worry about the rest of the world,” she muttered. Then a smirk slowly crept onto her lips as she whispered under her breath, ”The carrot is done... now for the stick.”

She looked back at the video feed, where—

”Oh goodness... What’s with this emotional drama... bitches?”

A haughty, amused voice echoed from the screen.

Everyone flinched, their eyes darting upward. Behind the trembling figure of Aether, a white-haired man stepped forward—his expression sharp and unreadable, half of his face hidden beneath a mask fused to his skin.

”Hehe~”

That chilling laugh rippled across the projection, crawling under their skin. Every soldier, priest, and noble straightened instinctively, spines stiffening under that sound.