Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1655: Nyx takes everything seriously.

Within a few minutes, the once-empty cage transformed into something disturbingly comfortable. Soft carpets covered the cold floor, dark wooden furniture filled the corners, and a large bed wrapped in silver sheets rested near the iron bars. Pale blue ghost flames floated through the air.

”Move the bed closer to the bars... mm, there. Husband likes looking outside. Otherwise, he gets bored.”

Nyx’s voice carried a gentle warmth as she directed her ghost servants. Her long fingers lightly pointed toward the edge of the cage while the ghosts silently obeyed, lifting the heavy bed as if it weighed nothing.

Aether stood quietly nearby, of course, illusion covering his body to avoid triggering any more of Nyx’s possessive instincts.

His gaze shifted from her smiling face toward the open cage door.

The door remained completely unlocked.

It almost looked intentional.

Like she wanted him to try running.

Shouldn’t she have sealed him inside already?

Why leave it open after walking in herself?

Yet Aether didn’t move toward it.

Running now would only make things worse.

He understood that much. Nyx wasn’t acting out of cruelty or... being yandere.

She just worried about him and... scared.

If he ran, that fear would only grow sharper.

Better to face it beside her than leave her alone with it.

After arranging everything, the ghost servants silently drifted out of the cage one by one.

Their translucent bodies faded, leaving only Nyx and Aether behind inside the cage.

Nyx turned toward him with a soft smile that looked painfully normal for someone who had just imprisoned her husband.

”I prepared dinner for you,” she said quietly while brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

”Will you eat with me?”

Aether watched her for several silent seconds before finally nodding. He walked toward the bed, and the mattress sank beneath his weight with a low creak as he sat near the edge.

Nyx’s expression brightened almost instantly.

With a small wave of her hand, one of the ghost servants entered carrying a silver tray filled with steaming dishes.

The scent of roasted meat and warm herbal soup quickly spread through the room. The ghost carefully placed the tray into Nyx’s hands, bowed respectfully, and disappeared without making a sound.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Nyx quietly opened the tray before sitting beside him. She picked up a spoon and carefully brought it toward his lips, feeding him herself as though this simple act could somehow apologise for everything around them.

Aether accepted the food without resistance.

The moment the taste reached his tongue, his eyes narrowed slightly in surprise.

’Hmm... this is actually delicious.’

He stared at the soup for a moment before taking another bite. Her cooking had improved tremendously in such a short time that it almost felt unreal.

Before, her meals tasted good and perfect.

But now...

Now the flavour carried depth that one sooths heart and stomach.

Almost on par with Emberlyn.

Even stranger, every bite sent a strange sensation flowing through his body. The warmth from the soup spread slowly through his chest while the meat carried a faint energy that soothed his nerves.

It felt as if something deep inside him was finally resting.

Not his body.

His soul.

Aether remained lost in thought until Nyx suddenly spoke again while raising another piece of meat toward his mouth.

”You really shouldn’t tease her that much,” she murmured softly.

Aether glanced forward, where Starla stood with her back facing them. Even from this distance, her stiff posture made it obvious she was still embarrassed and angry.

He gave a small shrug.

”She looked cute when she got flustered. I couldn’t help myself.”

Nyx slowly narrowed her eyes at him before puffing her cheeks slightly.

”Bad husband!”

Despite the accusation, her voice lacked any real anger. It sounded closer to a jealous complaint than a genuine scolding.

Aether chuckled quietly before pulling her closer by the waist. He pressed a soft kiss against her forehead and let his fingers brush gently through her hair.

”I’ll be fine, darling,” he whispered. ”You don’t have to look so scared all the time.”

The moment those words left his mouth, the warmth in Nyx’s expression weakened.

Silence settled between them.

The spoon in her hand slowly stirred the soup, creating small ripples across the brown-golden surface while her reflection trembled within it.

Confusion, fear, guilt... too many emotions quietly hid behind her lowered eyes.

She knew this was wrong.

She knew locking him away like this wasn’t love.

But every terrifying possibility that existed beyond these bars felt worse.

What else could she do except protect him the only way her frightened heart understood?

She couldn’t go with him, and she couldn’t stay beside him there...

What if her husband did something reckless again?

What if he got hurt?

What if he died?

Just remembering those horrifying deaths he had already suffered through, only to claw his way back to life again and again, sent an icy chill through Nyx’s entire body.

Her fingers tightened around the spoon while her breathing turned uneven for a moment.

She quickly shook her head.

No!

She needed to stay strong.

If her resolve weakened now, then how could she protect him?

Even if it meant protecting him from himself.

Aether watched her trembling expression before letting out a quiet sigh. A faint smile appeared on his lips, gentle and helpless at the same time.

”Sometimes I know these things will be dangerous,” he said softly while leaning slightly closer to her.

”But like I told you before... I’ll be fine. And besides, you already know my powers. Even if I die... mmf!”

Before he could finish, Nyx suddenly shoved the spoon into his mouth with an angry glare.

”No dying!”

Her voice came out sharper than expected, almost cracking near the end.

Aether blinked before weakly nodding while swallowing the soup. The strange warmth immediately spread through his chest again, making his soul tremble faintly before settling into calmness.

’Seriously... what is this feeling?’

He pushed the thought aside and looked back at Nyx, whose cheeks were slightly red from frustration.

”You are my happiness,” Aether muttered quietly.

Nyx froze.

”When you said those words before...” His voice lowered further, softer now. ”Do you know how happy it made me? Back then, I thought I had already lost everything. But hearing you say that made me realise I still had all of you.”

Nyx’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

”That’s why...” Aether continued while holding her gaze steadily.

”Please. I want to protect our happiness, even if it means facing those things head-on.”

His eyes carried no hesitation.

Only resolve.

”Isn’t protecting his wife supposed to be a husband’s duty?”

Honestly, he had countless ways to persuade her.

He could tease her.

Trick her.

Tease her.

Seduce her.

Even Fucking her until she agreed.

There were many options.

Yet he chose none of them.

Instead, he chose honesty.

A simple heart-to-heart.

A quiet plea.

Because in the end, this wasn’t about winning against her.

It was about protecting the fragile happiness she had finally found.

Aether’s fingers slowly tightened around hers as painful thoughts surfaced in his mind again.

Sandra.

Every single day, seeing her unconscious body lying motionless on that bed made his chest tighten painfully. If only he had been stronger back then... if only he had his powers... maybe things would have been different.

But regrets changed nothing.

And this mission...

This mission was truly dangerous.

Aether wasn’t foolish enough to believe he couldn’t die there.

That place overflowed with unknown threats, and a single mistake could ruin everything instantly.

That was exactly why he refused to bring the women he loved with him.

Even Snowflake.

At the very end, he fully intended to trick her into staying behind.

He was willing to gamble his own life.

But theirs?

Never!

Aether fell silent as he continued holding Nyx’s hand gently between both of his. His eyes silently begged her to let him go this one time...

Even if death waited at the end of that path.

Nyx stared at him quietly.

His expression.

His resolve.

Those pleading eyes that still carried warmth despite everything...

It made her chest ache.

She could feel how badly he wanted this.

Her lips trembled before she finally lowered her head slightly.

”B-But...” she whispered weakly. ”You’ll get hurt.”

”Yes,” Aether answered immediately.

He didn’t avoid the truth.

He didn’t soften it.

Nyx’s fingers clenched tightly around the fork.

”Then no!”

The answer came out almost desperately.

Aether smiled faintly.

”Nyx...”

”I...” Her voice shook as tears slowly gathered in her eyes. ”I hate you.”

The words sounded fragile rather than hateful.

Aether’s gaze softened with painful tenderness.

”I love you,” he whispered gently before leaning forward and pressing another kiss against her forehead.

”...”

Nyx lowered her gaze before finally letting out a quiet sigh. Her shoulders relaxed with a defeated expression, as if all the determination she had built to keep her husband trapped safely beside her had instantly crumbled the moment he pleaded with her so honestly.

Still, she never actually said she would allow him to go.

She hated this idea.

Hated the thought of him walking willingly toward danger again.

So instead of answering, she simply continued feeding him quietly while worry remained tightly wrapped around her heart.

Aether smiled faintly as he watched her.

He didn’t push further.

After all, he already understood the truth.

None of his wives truly accepted him going there.

The only reason they tolerated this discussion at all was because of that single empty slot in their plans. Otherwise, they probably would have chained him down exactly like Nyx had done.

Just imagining it made Aether shiver slightly.

Locked away by fifteen obsessed lovers...

Honestly, part of it sounded strangely exciting.

The other part sounded absolutely horrifying.

As Aether quietly munched on the food that continued soothing his soul like soft feathers brushing against his existence, he suddenly looked at Nyx with genuine curiosity.

”I honestly didn’t expect your cooking skills to improve this much,” he admitted while taking another bite.

”Tell me honestly... did Emberlyn teach you?”

Nyx snapped out of her thoughts instantly.

A few seconds ago, she had been seriously considering several new ways to imprison her husband without hurting him.

Unfortunately for Aether...

She still hadn’t given up.

And unfortunately for her, he still hadn’t given up either.

Nyx nodded her head lightly.

”Yes.”

Then her eyes brightened with anticipation as she leaned slightly closer.

”Did you really like it?”

The question carried an almost innocent excitement, like a girl desperately waiting for praise after working hard for someone she loved.

Aether immediately smiled.

”Like it? I love it,” he said without hesitation. ”Seriously, it tastes completely different now. Before, your cooking was already good... but this?”

He took another bite and chewed slowly before pointing at the dish dramatically.

”This is ridiculously good.”

Nyx’s expression instantly bloomed with happiness.

”So that was the final ingredient the dish needed...” she murmured softly, as if a missing puzzle piece had finally fallen into place inside her mind.

Aether blinked.

”Final ingredient?” he repeated curiously. ”What ingredient?”

Honestly, he wanted to know.

The flavour felt too different.

Not only delicious, but strangely comforting on a deeper level.

Nyx lifted her chin proudly before answering with complete confidence.

”According to Emberlyn, cooking requires putting a soul into the food.”

Aether nodded naturally with a smile.

That made sense.

She must have poured all her love and effort into this meal for his sake. The thought honestly made his chest warm slightly. He almost wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her deeply for caring about him this much.

”Oh? So you put a soul into th...”

His words suddenly stopped.

Completely.

A single horrifying realisation connected inside his mind.

His smile froze.

Slowly...

Very slowly...

Aether turned toward Nyx with a stiff expression.

”S-Soul?” he repeated weakly. ”You mean... metaphorically, right?”

Nyx tilted her head innocently.

”What else would I mean?” she asked casually. ”Of course, real souls.”

”...”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

The problem with Nyx was simple.

She took everything literally.

If someone said blood, sweat, and tears were needed to create something amazing...

Then Nyx would genuinely believe actual blood, sweat, and tears were mandatory ingredients.

She who followed the book to every line without mistake... of course takes everything seriously.

Aether stared at her blankly.

Then, with terrifying slowness, his neck cracked stiffly as he turned toward the bowl in his hands.

Before, it looked normal.

Now?

Now his eyes suddenly noticed tiny translucent fragments floating inside the soup like pale drifting mist. Small distorted faces silently twisted within the liquid, their mouths stretched open in endless horror as faint illusory screams echoed inside his head.

His pupils shrank violently.

”OH MY GODDDDDDDDD!!!!!!”