Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1540: Was he... reckless?

”So these are the things in exchange for the points?” Kaelen muttered, his fingers tightening around the edge of the parchment as his eyes moved slowly across the long columns of demands sent to his Empire.

The document was divided into two sections. On one side, carefully listed materials, resources, rare ores and artifacts. On the other side, the points assigned to each item, calculated according to quantity and so called quality standards required to reach the designated threshold.

Kaelen exhaled sharply. ”But... isn’t it far too low, Dad? Even if we empty our vaults and exhaust our mines, at this rate we will never reach the peak. We will be crawling...”

He turned toward Aether, who sat beside him in still silence, staring at the list with a blank, unreadable expression.

”Dad?”

Aether lifted his gaze slowly, as if returning from somewhere distant. He handed Kaelen the document without a word. When Kaelen examined that document, his brows drew together, then rose in disbelief.

”Wait... why is the required quantity doubled for you?” His voice dropped lower. ”These numbers are completely different.”

Aether clicked his tongue softly, ”Because that one is for Victor’s Empire.”

”...”

Understanding dawned across Kaelen’s face, ”Oh... ohhh....”

Aether leaned back slowly, staring at the ceiling.

There had been two reasons Aether sent Nyx to the Void Empire. One was obvious: to let her remain under the Blooddawn... The other reason to establish a bridge with the Pyra Empire.

That woman had never once mentioned Victor. Every word had circled only around Aether and his three Empires, as if Victor did not exist at all.

So he sent Nyx instead of him as his representative to make a deal.

And so when she handed Nyx the revised list, her eyes glowed in sweetness as she said to Nyx,

”For my lovely boy, this is my generous offer~”

What irritated him more than the offer was Nyx faithfully repeating the tone, the cadence, even the playful lilt of that woman’s voice.

It had taken restraint not to snap!

That bitch!!

Aria, seated close beside him, folded her hands neatly over her lap before speaking, ”The copies have already been sent to the respective Empires. Sandra and Sera are furious. Especially Sandra... She received the same doubled quota as Victor... all because of Aqualina’s behaviour toward Mary, and her daughter.”

Well, that was expected one... wasn’t it?

Maelona, seated on Aether’s other side, watched him carefully before offering her thoughts. ”Perhaps we should accept it for now. Refusal would only provoke her, and we are not in a position to escalate this conflict.”

Aether nodded slowly, though the motion seemed reluctant.

”We do not have many choices. If we resist openly, she tightens her grip further.” He leaned back into the throne, fingers tapping once against the armrest before going still.

”Begin preparations for transport. Send what is required and observe her response carefully.”

Around him, the group exchanged weary glances. Their Empires, powerful as they were, remained bound within Mary’s influence whether they wished it or not.

They were really stuck in a pickle situation.

After a moment, Aether turned toward Aria again. ”Have you spoken to Lia? She might have been able to help us, right?”

Aria shook her head firmly. ”I have not seen anyone besides Mary. And even if I could... I do not want to involve her in this. It feels wrong to pull her into this situation again and again for our gain... even though she is the reason we get this far”

Her voice softened at the end, revealing something protective and almost guilty.

Aether parted his lips, but chose silence instead. He gave a small nod.

”Very well. Then we proceed with this list, and let’s see what changes after that”

Everyone nodded in serious expression as Aria told the other ladies to do through their connections.

Maelona asked, ”Isn’t it time for you to go to Aurora? They must have prepared it all”

Aether nodded, ”Yeah, just one thing I need to finish before leaving”

Maelona hummed curiously... what could it be more important than his own engagement?

”Wait... what about Vesperine?” Kaelen asked suddenly, straightening in his seat. ”Are you truly going to answer her proposal today? You promised a response.” His fingers curled slightly.

”Y-You are not actually considering it, are you?”

Aether’s gaze shifted toward him, ”Yes. I have prepared my side.”

Kaelen swallowed. ”Prepared how?”

He needed to know what Aether intended. Kaelen feared Aether might accept her offer for the sake of strategy... or worse, try to break her to extract whatever she was hiding.

A faint curve touched Aether’s lips, though it did not reach his eyes. ”You will see soon enou-” Before he could reply, the large doors opened abruptly.

”Your Majesty!”

A guard entered quickly, bowing deeply before leaning close to whisper into Kaelen’s ear.

Kaelen listened, his expression tightening before he nodded once. ”Bring her in.” He turned toward the others.

”Vesperine has arrived.”

Aether gathered the scattered documents with deliberate precision, aligning their edges before returning them to his storage space.

Moments later, the doors parted fully, and Vesperine stepped into the throne room. Her heels echoed softly against polished stone. A haughty smile curved across her lips as her eyes swept over the chamber like a queen inspecting lesser nobles.

Aether raised a brow. ”You came alone?”

She tilted her chin slightly. ”I thought you didn’t like the noise before... so I came alone... just only us~” Without waiting for permission, she seated herself before everyone, crossing one leg over the other with elegant defiance.

Aria’s fingers tightened slightly over her lap. Maelona’s gaze sharpened.

Kaelen watched cautiously, ’Please don’t provoke father...’ he thought wryly.

Vesperine leaned forward, resting her elbow against the armrest. ”So, Ruler of the Three Empires,” she began smoothly, ”have you reached your decision? Will you accept my hand and secure your people’s safety? Or will you continue gambling their future on pride?”

Her eyes shifted briefly toward Aria.

”I genuinely do not understand what binds you to her beyond sentiment and pointed ears. I do not say this out of vanity, but simple observation.

I am more capable and undeniably more beautiful~

Is it my existing husband that troubles you? If that is the obstacle, I can remove it.”

”...”

Kaelen’s brows lifted in surprise at her bluntness.

Aether studied her carefully, noting the calculated glint behind her playful gaze.

He leaned forward slightly, resting his chin against his fingers. ”Before I answer you... Tell me something. Do you enjoy stories?”

Vesperine blinked, caught off guard, then gave a curious smile. ”If they are worth hearing.”

”Once,” he began, ”there was a small bird who flew without fear. It soared wherever it pleased, feeding where it wished, looking down at those who flew lower and believing itself sovereign of the sky.

Every creature beneath it appeared small... in.. significant!

It believed the world ended at the limits of its own vision.”

Aether’s words turned serious as he stood up from his seat, ”It enjoyed that feeling, the power of looking down upon others. It thought that as long as it remained above them, it would always rule.”

Vesperine watched him carefully now, her smile fading into concentration.

Aether stopped and lifted his gaze toward the high ceiling.

”But the bird never once looked upward. Not truly. It spent its life staring down.” His voice lowered slightly.

”And one day, when it finally dared to lift its eyes, it saw something beyond imagination.

A sky so vast it swallowed its pride whole.

Endless.... Expanding!

Not bound by the small circle it once believed was everything.”

He turned his eyes back to Vesperine.

”In that moment, its feathers trembled. Not from weakness, but from realisation.

It had never ruled the sky.

It... had merely existed within a fragment of it.”

Aether lowered his head and began walking slowly toward Vesperine, his footsteps measured, deliberate, each one echoing faintly across the marble floor.

”Seeing the vast sky above it, the little bird could not help but feel inferior... as if it had never imagined there was a sky beyond its own.

As if it had never considered that other birds might already rule higher realms than it ever dared to see.”

He moved closer... Everyone in the throne room felt it, that subtle pressure that made throats dry and hearts beat harder.

”The bird hated that feeling,” he continued, his tone sharpening.

”So it flew. It flew as fast as it could, chasing height... chasing supremacy!!

It wanted to reach the very top.

It wanted to know what it felt like to look down on everything and have nothing above it.

It wanted to stand alone in the heavens.”

His eyes never left Vesperine.

”So it poured everything into that ascent.

Sweat and blood mingled.

Its feathers tore in the wind.

Its wings burned, muscles screaming, bones cracking under strain.

It kept flying even when its body begged it to stop.

It ignored the pain.

It ignored the warnings.

It told itself that suffering was proof of greatness!!”

By the time he finished speaking, he was standing directly before her.

Vesperine’s earlier confidence had dimmed into a faint frown.

Aether’s lips curled, not warmly but with something faintly dangerous.

”Do you know what happened next?”

Vesperine swallowed. For the first time since entering the throne room, hesitation flickered across her face.

”L-Let me guess,” she said, attempting a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. ”The greater birds that ruled the sky devoured it?”

That’s how it usually happens to the small birds, right?

Aether let out a soft chuckle. He reached out and lightly nudged her cheek with his finger, almost playful.

”Of course not, silly~ That would be predictable. That would make the sky the villain.”

His expression shifted, warmth draining away as if a curtain had been pulled aside.

”No... it died by its own blood and greed.”

He leaned closer and coldly said,

”It should have waited.

It should have understood its limits.

It should have realised the sky shows no mercy.

Not every space belongs to you.

Not every..... throne waits for your name.”

He snapped his fingers and stepped back.

In the next instant, Liora materialised from the shadows near the throne... In her hands, she held something large and crystalline.

THUD!

A massive glass container slammed down around Vesperine before she could react, sealing her inside.

Chairs scraped against stone as everyone rose in shock.

Even Aria and Maelona stared in disbelief.

”D-Dad, what are you doing?” Kaelen shocked.

Aether ignored him. He stepped closer to the glass, staring at Vesperine through its transparent walls.

”How is it?” he asked calmly, ”If the little bird caged... it wouldn’t have thought of going up and... die, right?” he smirked wickedly, ”This will be your new residence. Reinforced crystal. Even a sword cannot pierce it.”

He tapped the surface lightly.

Behind him, Liora stood with a faint growl in her throat, her eyes fixed on the trapped woman.

Suddenly, pink mist burst from Vesperine’s body, swirling violently around her.

Aether laughed softly. ”Idiot. It is completely sealed.”

The mist struck the glass and curled back inward, filling the container with thick, rosy smoke.

Vesperine’s lips twitched as she glared at him.

”You made a mistake, Aether.”

He shrugged casually. ”I make many. That does not mean I regret them.” His smile sharpened.

”Listen carefully. The container is airtight. When the air inside runs out, you will suffocate. You do not have much time. Tell me the truth. How did you raise the points on your card? Confess, and I will let you live.”

Liora smirked coldly. ”You should have accepted our offer when you had the chance. Instead, you tried to act bitch... This is the result.”

Inside the container, Vesperine began gasping as the pink mist thickened. Her breaths grew shallow, desperate. She coughed violently, palms pressing against the glass.

”F-Father, stop!” Kaelen rushed forward, but Aether’s cold gaze froze him mid-step.

Kaelen bit his lip, anguish flashing across his face as he watched Vesperine struggle, her body trembling, her lungs fighting for air.

She did not speak... Not a single word.

Kaelen slammed the container and shouted at her to tell the truth, yet she weakly smiled, saying, ”So you do lov-cough, cough”

Kaelen gritted his teeth as he turned desperately toward Aria.

Aria lowered her gaze and shook her head. ”I am sorry.”

His eyes shimmered as he turned toward Maelona... his only hope.

”Ms. Maelona... P-Please. Please stop t-them. S-She is going to die... please”

Maelona exhaled quietly and stepped forward. She approached Aether, her voice gentle but firm.

”Aether, this is not right—”

Suddenly, laughter erupted from within the container.

”Hahaha... hahahaha!”

Everyone flinched. The smoke shifted, and through it they saw Vesperine’s eyes gleaming with something wild and dangerous.

”All this time,” she rasped between uneven breaths, ”I only admired your beauty. I only wanted to possess you.” As she looked him up and down like an object, ”But now... now I want you on your knees. I want you begging. I want you beneath me like a slave, worshipping my feet like they are sacred wine!”

Her fist clenched, a strange white light emerged from her fist and,

PUFFF!

The container was filled entirely with dense pink smoke.

”...”

”V-Vesperine?” Kaelen whispered in horror, then shouted, ”VESPERINE!”

”She escaped,” Aether said flatly.

”What?”

The smoke began to dissipate slowly, revealing an empty container.

Aether’s frown deepened, ’She still has powers?’ He clenched his jaw slightly as he didn’t expect her to have powers even inside the barrier.

Maelona stepped forward and placed a steady hand on his shoulder.

”Aether... that was reckless.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but she continued, her tone firmer now.

”She proposed a deal. You could have refused. You could have ignored her. But to imprison and attempt to break her in this manner... especially in front of Kaelen, who was... You know... that was not a strategy.

That was impulse.”

Liora scoffed. ”If it were your daughter in my son’s place, would you say the same?”

”Without hesitation,” Maelona replied. ”And I am not saying he is wrong to be cautious. I am saying he is being reckless. She didn’t harm our Empire, or she tried to destroy us... We need allies, not more enemies.

In this moment, we need answers, not more questions.

Have we not already placed ourselves beneath Mary’s influence? We are the ones seeking leverage, not the other way around.”

Her gaze softened slightly, ”You are Aether of the Zephyra Empire. You are loved because you are more than Victor... A human who loves them all. Set aside your ego and think as the Ruler your people believe you to be.”

Aether held her gaze for several seconds.

Slowly, his eyes lowered.

Was he... reckless?