Chapter 122

"Looks like I missed a single one," Leon mumbled to himself as he snapped his fingers, his brow furrowing in mild frustration.

Aether's eyes widened immediately, reflecting a mix of surprise and apprehension, as he witnessed an air bubble materialize right before his very face. In the blink of an eye, the bubble burst with a resounding,

"BOOM!!"

"Hmm?" Leon's expression shifted to one of surprise as he watched Aether swiftly back off and dodge the explosive attack.

"Looks like we have a tough opponent!" Leon exclaimed with a smile, cracking his fingers in anticipation.

"W-Wait!" Aether raised his hand hastily, speaking hurriedly, "I'm not one of them. I was just walking along the path and saw the explosion, so I came here to see if anybody needed help."

"Hmm?" Leon frowned, sceptical, "Then.... why don't you remove that ugly head cover of yours?"

"...I can't," Aether replied reluctantly. Indeed, Aether was currently wearing a makeshift head cover fashioned from his old clothes.... a perfect mask akin to those worn by thieves and criminals.

It wasn't that he didn't want to reveal his face; rather, it was a precaution to avoid unnecessary trouble in his already fucked up life.

"Oh? I see... then I'll remove it along with your head," Leon said with a serious expression, once again snapping his fingers.

Numerous air bubbles swirled around Aether, each bursting in rapid succession like a festive cascade of fireworks.

"BOOM!"

"BOOM!"

"BOOM!"

"BOOM!"

As the explosions echoed through the air, Aether moved with agile grace, sidestepping each detonation with the precision of a seasoned dancer.

'It's fun~la~la~lala~' Aether thought, a grin tugging at his lips as he effortlessly evaded the cascading bubbles.

Leon's surprise was mirrored by the others, their faces registering a mix of disbelief and admiration as they watched Aether deftly sidestep each explosive bubble, moving with the fluidity of a seasoned performer.

Amidst the tension, a child in the arms of a woman nearby giggled with delight at Aether's unexpected agility.

"Hahahah...hehe...hehe" the child chuckled gleefully, finding entertainment in Aether's unexpected acrobatics.

"Hmm?" The black-dressed girl furrowed her brows as she looked at Aether.

While everyone else was engrossed in watching Aether's dance,

'N-No! No! No!.... Everyone is dead!!' The cart driver screamed inwardly, his voice drowned out by the tumultuous waves of panic crashing against the shores of his mind. His face turned a sickly shade of pale, his eyes darting frantically between the gruesome remnants of his fallen comrades.

Indeed, the cart driver was part of this bandit group.

They had been executing this scheme for quite some time, enticing unsuspecting visitors to their empire with promises of a comfortable ride in their cart. Instead of following the usual route, they would divert onto a long, decrepit path full of bumps and turns. In the midst of this journey, Cart Diver's comrades would pounce on their victims, robbing them of their possessions and ultimately....

Kill them!!

Their targets were typically those perceived as weak and lowly, avoiding entanglements with high-ranking individuals. However, circumstances had taken a drastic turn,

The cart driver looked at his remaining comrade, knowing that once his friend started to blurt out everything, the officials would come for him, ready to exact their punishment.

Feeling the urgent need to escape, he scanned the others who were engrossed in watching Aether's performance.

"Hehe..." Hearing that child's giggle, the cart driver's gaze shifted to the child in the woman's arms.

A sly smile crept across his features as a chilling plan formed in his mind.

"NO!!!" The woman's cry of anguish filled the air as she watched her child being forcefully pulled away from her protective embrace.

"Don't move!!" The cart driver's voice boomed, commanding attention as everyone's focus shifted to the unfolding confrontation.

"W-What are you doing? Let go of my son!!!" The woman's voice cracked with desperation and fear.

"So you are with them?" Leon's voice held a note of accusation, his frown deepening as he assessed the situation.

"Hehe... Let me go!" The cart driver's grip on the child's neck tightened, his fingers digging into the delicate skin as he issued his menacing threat.

"NOOO!!" The woman's scream echoed, a heartbreaking plea for mercy and salvation.

The crowd instinctively took a step back, creating a wary circle around the escalating conflict. However, one figure remained steadfast amidst the chaos.... the black-dressed girl.

"Don't move, miss!!" Leon's command was met with defiance as the girl stepped forward, her glasses locked onto the cart driver.

"Ha-Ha.. D-Do you think I won't kill this child?!" The cart driver's words quivered with a mixture of bravado and uncertainty as he contemplated the grim reality of his actions.

The memories of his friends, now reduced to mere pieces, flashed before his eyes, fueling his resolve to carry out the unthinkable.

Yet, despite his threat, the girl stood her ground and moved forward.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Leon shouted at the girl, his voice tinged with anger, as he moved to grab her hand to intervene.

"I guess that clears up my doubt," Aether remarked calmly before swiftly kicking Carter's head in a fraction of a second.

"SLAM!!"

With lightning speed, Aether caught the child in his arms, cradling the little one gently.

"..." Everyone present blinked in astonishment, stunned by the sudden turn of events.

"Hey, cutie~" Aether cooed as he gently pinched the child's cheek before returning him to his mother's embrace.

"T-thank you, sir, I-I am really grateful!! 'sob' 'sob'" The mother's voice trembled with emotion as she hugged her child tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"W-Who are you?" Her eyes held a mix of curiosity and gratitude as she looked at Aether, wanting to know the man who had just saved her son.

"I am just nobody...." Aether's voice trailed off as he turned away, walking slowly with an air of mystery, his movements reminiscent of a mysterious hero making a cool exit.

If not for the weird head cover, he might have looked even cooler!

However, before he could disappear into the shadows with a mysterious exit,

"SHLCCKKk!!"

"Shit!" Aether swiftly dodged the attack, narrowly avoiding having his mask cut off, and turned to face his assailant.

"I told you I am not one of them!" Aether's voice held a hint of frustration as he addressed the black-dressed girl, trying to reason with her.

Yet, undeterred,

"SHLLCCK!"

Once again, the girl swung her sword with incredible speed, this time almost slicing Aether's attire.

'Oh no! I cannot engage her head-on...' Aether quickly assessed the situation, realizing that her agility far surpassed his own.

Despite retreating to create distance between them, Aether managed to land a small scratch on her cheek, a testament to his agility and strength.

The girl, surprised by the unexpected turn, touched the cut on her cheek, her expression momentarily shifting as she rubbed her own blood, her lips curling in amusement.... She poised herself for another attack but,

"Yes, police officer! Catch them!!" Aether's voice rang out, drawing the attention of the onlookers.

'Police?' Confusion swept through the crowd as they turned to look, only to find.... nothing but an empty space. Then they looked back again at Aether, only to find... again nothing but an empty space.

"...." The black-dressed girl stared at the empty space.

"..... Hahahahaa" Laughter erupted from the crowd as they realized they had fallen for Aether's simple ruse.

'Who is he?' Leon pondered briefly before taking charge, securing the unconscious captives before resuming their journey.

Coming to Aether's side, who had already taken a different route than theirs,

"I guess saving the child didn't fill the Ethereal domain..." Aether muttered, his brow furrowing in contemplation. "What else could it be...?" His mind raced through various possibilities as he pondered the situation.

The sky started to dim gradually, and without any further problems, Aether continued on his path. Soon, he caught sight of a line of people attempting to enter the city.

As they entered, Aether observed people touching a crystal and saying 'Log In'.

'I see... they are registering,' Aether concluded to himself and followed suit, just like the others.

Once he said 'Log In,' only his name was displayed on the crystal to the guards stationed there.

"Ether?" The guard stationed at the city entrance frowned as he recognized Aether.

"Yes" Aether answered.

"Hmm," the soldier nodded. He was about to ask the purpose of Aether's visit, similar to officers in airports, but since Kai had already informed the guard, he simply said, "You can enter," stepping aside to let Aether pass.

Inside the city, Aether consulted the map and found the specific building marked by Kai.

Following the directions, he arrived at a grand hotel.

"You arrived faster than expected," Princess Aqualina remarked as she stood at the entrance.

Aether was surprised to see her waiting and couldn't help but ask, "Do you need something?"

"... No, I am just worried about you," Princess Aqualina replied with a smile.

'Yeah... Like hell, I believe that little girl,' Aether thought cynically. With a sly smile, he knelt down, took her hand, and said, "I am also worried to death about you, Princess Aqualina ~chu~" playfully kissing her backhand.

Onlookers nearby couldn't help but murmur at the unexpected display of affection.

"I-I-Is that so?" Princess Aqualina immediately jerked her hand away, her cheeks flushing slightly not from Aether's kiss but from onlookers who were giggling.

+10 Affection

"Come to my room!" Princess Aqualina quickly invited before walking away.

"Heheh..."