Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1727: Goddess Arcane… showed us the truth.

Third Person’s POV

Young Aether quietly sat beside Jonathan, who sat on the couch, his vacant gaze fixed upon the ceiling.

The room remained silent except for the faint hum of the ventilation system, yet the silence between them felt heavier than any sound.

Aether wanted to say something, anything, but every word that came to mind felt hollow.

How could he possibly comfort someone whose entire world had already been buried beneath endless grief?

He had not been there when the world plunged into darkness.

He had not been there when cities crumbled, and people slowly starved to death.

He had not been there when desperation drove humanity to turn against one another simply to survive.

He had not been there when the monsters slaughtered Jonathan’s only family.

Most of all, he had not been there when the last flicker of hope had been extinguished.

The world looked peaceful now, but peace could never erase scars carved into one’s soul.

Time merely taught people how to carry them.

“I… I don’t know what I should say,” Young Aether finally muttered, lowering his eyes as his fingers unconsciously tightened together.

Deep inside, a single thought echoed through his mind.

‘I wish… I had been there to share your burden.’

Neither of them spoke again. Several quiet minutes slipped by before Jonathan slowly exhaled, his tired eyes finally shifting away from the ceiling toward Aether.

“After the Arcane Goddess descended… she… she gave humanity something we thought we’d lost forever,” Jonathan said softly, a faint smile mixed with lingering sorrow appearing on his face.

“Hope… She gave us another chance to live.”

“The earth had become dry and lifeless, yet wherever she walked, the land bloomed once more. Crops that should have taken months to grow flourished within days. Seeds spread across the barren soil, covering endless fields with green until there was finally enough food to feed millions. For the first time in years… no one had to sleep with an empty stomach.

It was… like a magic.

She… She was… I don’t know what words could say it, but I felt…. T-Thank god!”

Jonathan paused his trembling lips before continuing.

“A-And while we struggled just to stay alive, she stood between humanity and those monsters pouring out of the portals.

She protected us until we were strong enough to stand on our own. If she hadn’t been there when we needed her the most…” He shook his head slowly.

“None of us would still be here.”

His gaze wandered toward the glass wall where the bright skyline of the rebuilt city stretched into the distance.

“Everything you see today… these cities, this technology, this civilisation… all of it exists because of her guidance and her knowledge. In barely a decade, humanity rebuilt an advanced world that should have remained in ruins.”

Young Aether quietly listened, saying nothing. As much as he hated admitting it, relief quietly settled inside his heart.

At least… humanity had survived.

Arcane saved his friend.

‘Or… was that simply another piece of their scheme?’ he wondered bitterly and believed that was the reason that even Arcane came out—

“Wait…” Young Aether looked toward Jonathan. “Did you actually see Arcane?”

“Yeah… that golden-white ligh…”

“No, not the light,” Aether interrupted, leaning forward slightly. “I mean her. Did anyone actually see the goddess herself?”

Jonathan slowly shook his head.

“No… none of us did.” He smiled faintly, almost as if the answer were obvious.

“How could mere humans gaze directly upon their goddess? That would be asking far too much.”

Even so, every person alive had wished for just a single glimpse of the one they called humanity’s saviour.

Young Aether’s brows slowly drew together.

‘That’s impossible… Arcane should be in the Eternal Prison.’ His expression gradually darkened. ‘Unless… someone disguised themselves as her.’

It was the only explanation he could think of.

But that only gave birth to an even greater mystery.

Why?

Why would someone save humanity while using Arcane’s name?

No matter how he looked at it…

Nothing made sense.

Unless… they wanted to create friction between Mother Clara and Arcane.

The thought lingered in Young Aether’s mind before another question surfaced.

“So this Arcane Goddess… was she the one who told everyone about the Mother Root that destroyed the world?”

Jonathan tilted his head slightly before shaking it.

“No… it wasn’t her.” He paused for a moment. “It was the President who informed us. He’s also the only person who has ever gotten closer to the Goddess than anyone else.”

“Oh?” Young Aether raised a brow. “President… who exactly is he?”

Jonathan simply shrugged.

“Honestly… nobody has ever seen his face. Well, almost nobody. A few people claimed they saw him during the early Hell’s Gate expeditions, but even then, he was completely covered by a Mech Suit. No one knows what he actually looks like.”

“Hmm…”

Young Aether rubbed his chin thoughtfully. The more he learned about this mysterious President, the more intrigued he became.

Someone trusted by Arcane herself, yet hidden behind layers of secrecy… it was difficult not to become suspicious.

“Anyway…” Aether continued, “all of this technology… Arcane gave it to humanity?”

“Yes… but not exactly.” Jonathan shook his head. “She didn’t hand us finished machines. She provided the raw materials, the tools, and the blueprints of ancient technology. Everything you see today was built by humanity. We studied those designs, improved them, and adapted them to our own standards.”

“I see…”

Young Aether nodded several times. That explanation made far more sense than a goddess simply creating an advanced civilisation overnight.

A brief silence settled between them.

Then Aether asked the question that had been bothering him ever since he woke up.

“Then… Why are you waging war against the other Empires?”

The atmosphere inside the room instantly grew heavy.

Jonathan fell silent. Of course, he understood where that question was coming from.

Young Aether had been born in another Empire, so it was only natural that he would be curious. More importantly, Jonathan had no idea how deeply Aether was connected to those people or whether he harboured resentment toward his Empire because of the war.

That was precisely why he knew he had to tread carefully before answering such a sensitive question.

Jonathan slowly drew a breath.

“Aether…” he began carefully, choosing every word. “I’m not even sure how to explain it… but we’re only doing what we have to do. None of this is personal.”

He slowly raised both hands in a helpless gesture, as though surrendering before an accusation he couldn’t deny.

Young Aether frowned.

“‘Have to?ʼ” His voice became noticeably colder. “What the fuck do you mean by ‘have to?’ Millions of innocent people are dead… and all you can say is that it wasn’t personal?”

Jonathan instinctively flinched.

Realising his emotions had slipped, Young Aether closed his eyes for a brief moment before taking a slow breath.

He didn’t want to frighten away the only friend he had found.

When he spoke again, his tone had softened, though the frustration beneath it remained impossible to hide.

“Come on, Jonny… I’m not angry at you.” He sighed quietly. “I’m angry because all of this feels so unreasonable. Your people invaded other Empires, killing countless lives without even trying to speak with them first.”

His gaze remained fixed on Jonathan.

“Do you even know what was happening there? We suffered too. We lost our homes, our families… everything.

At a time when humanity and everyone should have been working together to rebuild the world, everyone started pointing weapons at one another instead.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“And sometimes…” he said quietly, “…I can’t help but wonder if you’re all dancing exactly the way someone else wants you to.”

Jonathan stared silently at Young Aether, his expression impossible to read.

After a long pause, he finally lowered his eyes.

“Let’s… not talk about this right now.”

His voice was barely above a whisper.

“Please.”

Young Aether frowned as Jonathan pushed himself up, clearly intending to leave. Before he could take a step, Aether reached out and gently caught his wrist.

“Why not?” he asked firmly. “This matters. I need to understand.”

His grip wasn’t forceful, but neither was it willing to let go.

“I need to know why your people keep killing them… treating them as though they’re nothing more than animals. As though the people living in those Empires aren’t even lives worth protecting!”

Jonathan remained silent.

For several long seconds, he simply looked into Young Aether’s eyes.

Then his expression slowly hardened.

“Aether…” he said, his voice turning noticeably colder. “I said let’s not talk about this right now.”

His tone rose slightly.

“I really don’t want our reunion to end on bad terms.”

Young Aether immediately noticed the subtle change in Jonathan’s tone, causing his brows to knit together as irritation flashed across his face.

“Oi, the fuck are you raising your voice for?” he asked coldly.

“Don’t use that fucking tone with me, cunt.”

Jonathan merely glanced at him without responding, but his expression grew noticeably more restrained.

Young Aether refused to back down.

“I only asked what happened to all of you,” he continued, his voice remaining firm. “What could have possibly happened to change you guys into monsters to treat my… those innocent people like garbage meat?”

Jonathan slowly tilted his head before staring at Aether for a few quiet seconds.

“What did you just call us?” he asked in an oddly calm voice. “Monsters? You think we’re the monsters?”

The corners of his lips slowly curled upward before he suddenly burst into loud laughter that echoed throughout the room. The laughter sounded neither joyful nor amused. Instead, it carried an unsettling bitterness, as though Aether had unknowingly told the cruellest joke imaginable.

“Hahahahaha!”

Young Aether’s expression gradually darkened as he watched Jonathan laugh without restraint.

“Is there something funny about what I said?”

Jonathan eventually forced himself to calm down before taking a long breath. The smile disappeared from his face, replaced by obvious exhaustion as he looked directly into Aether’s eyes.

“Aether…” he said quietly. “I only wanted us to enjoy meeting each other again after such a long time. Please… I’m genuinely asking you to stop pushing this conversation before it gets completely out of control.”

Young Aether remained silent for a brief moment while carefully studying Jonathan’s expression. The seriousness reflected in his friend’s eyes made it obvious that whatever truth Jonathan carried inside him had enough weight to destroy the friendship they had only just managed to rebuild.

Even so, Aether slowly shook his head.

“Our friendship has nothing to do with this,” he replied without hesitation.

“I’m asking because I want to understand the people living here.

Why are you attacking innocent civilians from the other Empires?

Why are you treating them as though their lives are worth less than garbage?

Answer me… not as a friend but as a person”

Jonathan didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he silently stared at Young Aether for several long seconds before finally speaking in a cold, unwavering voice.

“Because those things…” Jonathan said slowly, “…are nothing but monsters.”

“…Huh?”

Young Aether blinked several times, genuinely wondering if he had misheard those words.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Jonathan’s face remained completely emotionless.

“I’m telling you the truth. That place is filled with monsters, and they must be eradicated from the very root. That’s the mission entrusted to us if we want to save our people from complete destruction.”

Young Aether stared at Jonathan without saying anything. Several seconds later, he unexpectedly let out a quiet laugh, although there wasn’t even the slightest trace of amusement behind it.

“Haha…”

He slowly spread both of his arms before looking directly into Jonathan’s eyes.

“Monsters?” he repeated softly. “Us?”

He held Jonathan’s gaze without blinking.

“Look at me carefully, Jonny. Do I honestly look like a monster to you?”

Jonathan immediately shook his head.

“Come on, Aether… I’m obviously not talking about you. It’s just…”

“It’s just what?” Young Aether interrupted before Jonathan could finish.

“Huh?”

Young Aether slowly stood up from his seat, and the warmth that had filled his eyes since their reunion completely disappeared. The coldness in his gaze was enough to make Jonathan instinctively tense.

Jonathan had feared this exact moment from the beginning.

He already suspected that Young Aether still considered the people of the other Empires to be his own family. That was precisely why he had avoided discussing this topic until he understood where Aether truly stood.

Unfortunately, Aether had refused to let the subject go.

Knowing that continuing this argument would only make everything worse, Jonathan took a slow breath before speaking as calmly as possible.

“Aether… let’s stop talking about this for now. Neither of us is going to gain anything by continuing.”

However, Young Aether stepped forward until only a short distance separated them. His cold eyes locked onto Jonathan’s as restrained fury slowly seeped into every word that left his mouth.

“When did humanity lose its own meaning?… Human?” he asked quietly.

“When did people like you decide that other beings were no longer human?”

His breathing gradually became heavier as painful memories surfaced one after another.

“First, you sent your soldiers to kidnap my people. Then you sent entire armies to slaughter us as though we were nothing more than insects waiting to be crushed beneath your boots.”

His fists slowly tightened until the veins on the back of his hands became visible.

“Army after army marched into our lands, killing innocent people again and again without mercy. Children, families, ordinary civilians… none of them were spared.”

Young Aether never looked away from Jonathan’s face.

“And after all of that…” he said, his voice carrying barely restrained rage, “…you have the nerve to stand here and tell me that we’re the monsters?”

“With my own eyes…” Young Aether said, his voice gradually trembling with restrained fury. “I saw a woman… You know… a pregnant woman whose body had been c-cut apart.”

His breathing became heavier as the horrifying memory replayed vividly inside his mind.

“So tell me, Jonny…” he continued, locking his cold gaze onto Jonathan’s. “What the fuck do you mean we look like monsters? Look at me and say those words again.”

“WHO IS THE REAL MONSTER HERE?!!”

Jonathan remained completely silent as he stared into Aether’s furious eyes. The anger burning within them was unmistakable.

Jonathan had no doubt that if someone pushed Aether any further, he would lash out without hesitation.

Yet,

Something inside Jonathan finally snapped.

Without another word, he suddenly stepped forward until they stood face to face. Their foreheads were nearly touching as he looked directly into Aether’s eyes, his own expression twisting with emotions he had desperately tried to suppress.

“Huh…” Jonathan muttered bitterly. “So now we’re the monsters?”

Before Aether could react, Jonathan grabbed him by the collar with both hands and violently pulled him closer.

“YOU MOTHERFUCKERS KILLED MY PARENTS!!”

The roar exploded from the depths of his heart, carrying years of unbearable pain and resentment that could no longer be contained.

“…Huh?”

Young Aether froze.

The anger that had filled his mind moments earlier was instantly replaced by confusion.

Didn’t Jonathan tell him that monsters had killed his parents?

Then…

What the hell was he talking about?

Jonathan slowly loosened his grip, but his trembling hands never completely let go of Aether’s collar. A bitter chuckle escaped his lips, yet there wasn’t the slightest trace of amusement within it.

“Haha…”

“So…” he muttered hoarsely, “…you really don’t know.”

Young Aether could only stare at him.

Jonathan slowly lifted his head, his bloodshot eyes meeting Aether’s once more.

“The Rulers…” he said quietly. “The Sovereigns of your Empires…”

His jaw clenched tightly.

“…do you know what they did?”

Young Aether’s confusion only deepened.

Just moments ago, he had been consumed by righteous anger, convinced this Empire was nothing more than a ruthless murderers.

Now…

What do Rulers and the Sovereign do?

Almost as though Jonathan had read every question forming inside Aether’s mind, he answered before Aether could even open his mouth.

“Goddess Arcane… showed us the truth.”

Jonathan’s eyes remained fixed upon Aether without the slightest hint of hesitation.

“Those so-called monsters pouring out of Hell’s Gate…” he said slowly, emphasising every single word,

“…were once ordinary beings from your Empires.”

Young Aether’s pupils suddenly shrank.

“They were transformed into monsters…” Jonathan continued, his voice dripping with hatred.

“…and deliberately sent here to wipe us all out.”

“…”

Young Aether stood completely frozen, ‘What the actual fuck is going on here?!’.