Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1464: Activating Null-Return

After the talk with Xara, Aether slowly walked along the empty corridor.

Almost a month had passed since he had been unconscious.

So many things must have needed his attention, so many matters must have demanded his hand.

That was what he had thought when he first opened his eyes.

Yet now, as he walked forward, he realised most of that work had already been handled by his wives, completed quietly and efficiently without waiting for him to stand at the centre.

Honestly, he never expected them to shoulder everything without his help.

Aether let out a weak chuckle as memories surfaced, reminding him that they had survived and lived in this fucked world long before he ever entered their lives.

Of course, they knew how to move forward without him intervening, without him standing as their shield or guide.

The realisation filled him with warmth, and yet at the same time, a dull ache settled in his chest.

It was not that he wanted them to be helpless.

Somewhere deep in the corner of his mind, however, he believed he needed to be there for them, to protect them, to help them when the world pressed too hard.

He imagined himself as someone so important that they could not take a step without him, or at least that was what a selfish part of him wished.

He pictured them lost and trembling, waiting for him to wake up and decide the next move, clinging to the hope that he would appear and make everything right.

Thinking about it now, the thought felt embarrassingly honest and painfully selfish.

A selfish thought... after all, that was who he was, right?

If he lost them, he knew he would break apart completely.

There would be nothing left to hold him together.

After all, they were his life... They were his only future.

That was why the news that they were doing just fine without him struck him harder than expected. It shocked him, not because he doubted them, but because it forced him to confront his own dependence.

Aether shook his head slowly, his gaze lowering as his shoulders sagged.

”I still have so much to learn,” he murmured, his voice carrying a faint, painful edge. The image in his mind felt almost cruel, like watching small birds leave the nest he built for them, fluttering away on unsteady wings while he stood behind, unable to stop them.

His heart tightened at the thought, but he knew he had to accept it.

This was reality, not some fantasy born from his imagination, where everyone cried out for his help, and he arrived just in time to save the day like a heroic figure from a story.

As he continued down the corridor, his fingers brushed against the cold metal wrapped around his wrist. He glanced at the bracelet-like chains and spoke under his breath with a tired sigh.

”So I really cannot use my active skills anymore, huh? Not even a little.”

What should he do now? The question echoed endlessly in his mind.

Unlike before, there was no energy he could draw upon. He was completely human now, which meant vulnerability inside the barrier, weakness he could not ignore or escape.

And what about outside?

His log had already mentioned it... He could not manipulate energy there either, no matter how much he wished otherwise.

”I cannot even use magic outside?” Aether asked aloud.

!~Ding~!

[Affirmative]

Aether let out another long sigh, rubbing his face with clear exhaustion. The situation felt almost cruel. He was fucked up in every direction, not just inside but outside as well.

The Void Empire, once a place where he could walk with confidence and arrogance, now... nah!

The only comfort he could cling to was that his passive and unique skills were still active. His seal connection remained intact. Storage still answered his call. Fast Steps, resistance to poison, the ability to breathe and move underwater, and even Null-Return--His eyes widened slightly.

”Wait... I can actually use it now?” he muttered in genuine surprise. Until this moment, that ability had remained completely inaccessible to him, sealed away as if it never existed at all.

!~Ding~!

[Affirmative]

Aether’s eyes widened slightly as he said immediately,

”Activate Null-Return.”

Tik~

In an instant, the entire world seemed to freeze.

The wind carrying scattered leaves halted mid-air, each fragment suspended as if caught in invisible glass. Birds frozen in flight hung silently above, their wings locked in half-beats, chirps trapped before they could fade.

Even the subtle shift of air ceased.

Aether raised his eyebrows slowly, his breath catching as he took in the sight. Everything around him had stopped completely, as if time itself had been cut off from reality. Yet his body moved freely,

!~Ding~!

[❗Notice: Do you wish to use this Space-Your Time as your New Null-Return?]

Aether looked around once more... After a brief pause, he nodded with certainty.

”Yes.”

!~Ding~!

[⚠️Warning: New Null-Return has been created and saved. Upon death, the User shall return to this saved point. In case of death upon arrival, the User shall be sent back 24 hours prior to this saved point.]

Tok~

The world snapped back into motion. Leaves resumed their fall, and birds continued their flight.

Aether blinked, mild surprise crossing his face before a small smile formed at the corner of his lips.

”That’s... pretty good,” he muttered softly, a hint of relief slipping into his tone. With this, he no longer needed to worry so obsessively about mistakes or sudden death.

It really was a terrifyingly good skill.

Even now, he understood just how broken it could be. Retaining his memories, his strength, his accumulated power, all of it carried over without loss.

The only true condition was that he had to face death first.

Aether let out a quiet sigh.

”There’s always some kind of trade-off, I guess,” he said as he shrugged and started to move again.

Then he stopped.

His brows furrowed, his expression turning cautious as a troubling thought surfaced.

”What about Absolute Freedom?” he asked slowly. ”If my active skills are sealed, then wouldn’t that mean I’m basically a slave right now?”

!~Ding~!

[No. Your status remains unchanged. Nothing will interfere with it. Absolute Freedom is not entirely an Active Skill. Have you used it before?]

Aether frowned and shook his head lightly. As far as he remembered, the skill had always been there, never once he personally activated it.

”So it’s a passive skill?” he asked.

[No. It does not belong to Passive Skills, nor does it fall under Unique Skills.]

Aether’s frown deepened,

”Then what is it?”

[Unfortunately, I do not know. That skill has not achieved its full potential. Only fate will reveal its true nature. Not only that, some of your skills have yet to reach their full potential as well.]

Aether went silent for a moment, his gaze lowering as his thoughts tangled together.

”Hey, Log,” he said finally, his voice quieter now. ”You said I don’t have fate, right? That’s why I steal other people’s fate. But then... why did that Prophetess say I do have one? What did she mean by that? Do I actually have a fate to fulfil?”

[...]

”Log?”

!~Ding~!

[Negative. Unable to answer the User’s question without #### permission.]

Aether sighed deeply, shaking his head as a faint bitterness crept into his expression. Whatever lay ahead of him, it was clearly more complicated than he had ever expected.

Looks like his fate was far heavier than he originally thought.

Aether groaned weakly.

”Whatever... I’ll figure it out,” he muttered, forcing the words out before letting out a tired sigh. ”Eventually.”

Just then, his heart skipped a beat.

A sudden chill ran down his spine as his instincts screamed at him. Danger was approaching, and it was closing in far too fast. His eyes widened, breath hitching as his body reacted before his mind could fully process it.

Aether rolled to the side in one swift motion, crouching low behind a large vase. From there, he carefully peeked out and saw it.

A massive white snake slithered through the corridor, its body gliding smoothly across the floor. Resting on its back was an aqua-haired woman, her posture calm and familiar in a way that sent immediate dread through his veins.

”I can smell Master in this direction!”

Snowflake’s voice echoed cheerfully as she slithered faster.

Aether swallowed hard.

It was not the enormous snake that frightened him... It was what Delphine was holding in her hand... a preisten silver plate with a lid.

He fucking knew what it was!

”I-I need to leave. Now,” Aether muttered.

He slowly moved from his hiding spot. He desperately wished he could use teleportation, just this once, but no.

That option was sealed away from him. Gritting his teeth, he relied on his steps alone, moving like a shadow, light and silent, trying his best imitation of a clumsy ninja slipping through enemy territory.

While Delphine and Snowflake searched for him elsewhere, Aether slipped away in the opposite direction.

His heart pounded as a dark thought crossed his mind... What if everyone were involved in this madness?

But when he reached the dining room, it was completely empty.

Aether frowned as he advanced toward the kitchen with careful, measured steps. Slowly, he peeked inside.

”Hello~?”

And froze.

Horror slammed into him so violently that his breath caught in his throat. His beloveds were sprawled across the table, motionless, bodies limp as if life itself had been drained from them.

”Shit!! Sel, Raven, Thalia, Nyx... even Emberlyn?”

He rushed forward as he checked their pulses and breathing one by one. Relieved when he realised they were alive, though small trails of foam clung to their lips.

”What in the world happened here?” he muttered, his gaze darting around.

The kitchen was a complete fucking disaster. Utensils lay scattered, surfaces smeared, and the air carried a strange, unsettling smell. He did not need long to piece it together. Their pupils, their unconscious state, the small purplish piece of meat skewered on a half-melted fork told him everything he needed to know.

They ate Delphine’s food!!

”Why the hell would you eat it, you idiots?” Aether groaned, facepalming hard before pulling out a healing potion from his storage. Carefully, he fed it into each of their mouths, praying it would be enough.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then suddenly,

”Cough! Cough!”

They coughed violently, bodies jerking as their eyes snapped open in sheer horror.

”F-Fuck! I just saw my grandpa calling me over there!!” Selene cried out, clutching her stomach as her eyes shook wildly, terror still gripping her.

”I-I couldn’t feel my tongue... arrgh!!” Thalia screamed as she clutched her mouth. ”Do I still have my tongue?” Blood mixed with foam as it slipped from her lips.

Raven stared blankly at the melted fork, her face pale as she whispered under her breath, ”N-No... p-please...”

Emberlyn’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably as she stared at the ceiling with vacant eyes, as if she had truly faced death just moments ago and barely crawled back... A worst feeling!

Nyx, however, was different.

Even with foam clinging to her lips, she picked up the remaining piece of meat. The fork continued to melt under the greenish liquid dripping from it. Her hands shook violently, fingers trembling as her eyes quivered with fear.

”F-Family... s-support each other,” she muttered repeatedly, forcing the words out as if they were a lifeline.

”F-Family... encourage each other... Family... family... fa-fa...”

With sheer will, she tried to eat it again, forcing herself forward, convinced she had to accept Delphine’s hard work no matter the cost.

Family support each other, right?

However, the moment she tried to move the fork toward her mouth, another hand shot out and caught her wrist mid-motion, stopping her just in time.

It’s her other hand!

”N-No! Family... family!!” Nyx struggled desperately, trembling as she fought against the hand that was trying to save her life.

Both hands were fighting for each other! To prove Family or Life!

Her fingers shook violently around the fork, her eyes unfocused, caught between fear and obligation.

Aether let out a slow sigh and gently pried the fork from her grip, carefully placing it down on the table before it could do any more damage.

”Please... don’t force yourself,” he said quietly. His eyes moved across the room, taking in everyone’s expressions.

They all looked deeply traumatised, their faces pale as if death had brushed past them far too closely.

’Maybe I should have informed them...’

The thought passed weakly through Aether’s mind.

GRRRLLL!!!

GRRRLLL!!!

GRRRLLL!!!

GRRRLLL!!!

GRRRLLL!!!

A series of loud, violent growls echoed through the kitchen, rising from everyone’s stomachs at once. Each of them instinctively clutched their abdomen as if their insides were locked in battle with some unseen enemy.

Their faces twisted in pain, sweat breaking out as the sound grew louder and more aggressive.

Before Aether could even open his mouth to ask what was happening, the noise intensified.

”SHIT!” Thalia suddenly shouted, her face turning pale as she clamped both hands over her stomach and bolted toward the toilet.

The others followed immediately, staggering after her while holding their stomachs, expressions filled with panic and agony as they rushed out of the kitchen one by one.

Aether blinked at the sudden chaos, then slowly shook his head, an oddly amused expression appearing despite the situation.

Once the room fell quiet again, his gaze drifted toward the table.

That was when he noticed it.

”Huh?” he murmured softly. ”Not just Delphine? Everyone cooked?”

Plates filled the table, each dish clearly different from the others. The colours, arrangements, and even the shapes varied, each one reflecting a different hand and personality behind it.

Aether hesitated at first, his eyes flicking between the disastrous kitchen and the direction everyone had run off to. Then he looked closer at the food. The care put into the presentation, the effort in the details, and the small touches meant only for him.

His chest tightened.

A gentle warmth spread through his heart, and before he realised it, a soft smile formed on his lips. He could picture it so clearly, his wives working hard, each of them doing their best just for him.

If he could not even bring himself to taste it, how else could he acknowledge their effort?

He was not sure whether this was a good idea or a terrible one, but they had poured their work into it.

As a dutiful husband, it felt like his responsibility.

”Being a husband is... really something else,” he muttered quietly.

With that, he picked up his fork and took a bite from each plate, one after another, carefully tasting every dish.

”Hmm... not bad,” Aether hummed in mild surprise.

”There you are, Aether!!”

”!!!”

The fork dropped instantly.

He looked up and saw Delphine standing there, having just arrived with a huge smirk!