Chapter 35

Aether found himself staring into the enchanting purple eyes of the Empress, feeling as though he had somehow incurred her displeasure.

This silent exchange had persisted ever since he woke up in the empty storage room..... His room!

Finally, breaking the silence, the Empress's soothing voice resonated in the air,

"What's your name?" she inquired.

"...A-Aether," he replied, his voice betraying a hint of hesitation.

"Hmm? Aether? I heard your name is Ether, though," she remarked, tilting her head in curiosity.

".... I had amnesia, so I don't know... M-Madam," Aether explained truthfully, adding a note of respect as he remembered her esteemed position as Empress.

"Amnesia?" The Empress frowned as she processed Aether's response, her gaze thoughtful as she considered his situation.

Without a word, she gracefully settled herself on the ground beside Aether, causing him to flinch in surprise before instinctively moving a little away.

Aether couldn't comprehend why the Empress of the Nation would choose to sit on the ground.

And if it was just to inquire about his health.... Then that was total bullshit!!

He knew better; she wanted something, that much was evident from the gleam in her eyes and the subtle tilt of her head as she regarded him.

Yet, what perplexed Aether even more was the realization that he didn't possess a single fucking item or skill that could be of any value to the Empress of the Nation.

Despite wracking his brain, he came up empty-handed, feeling utterly inadequate in her presence.

'W-Wait, I do have something...' Aether's thoughts raced as beads of sweat formed on his brow as thought about his log.

"Hehe..." The Empress's melodic laughter broke through his reverie, her amused gaze fixated on his troubled expression.

If it were anyone else, they would either be overcome with joy at the Empress's attention or seek advantage of her favour for their own gain. However, Aether... his transparent demeanour betrayed his inner turmoil, revealing a man wrestling with hidden truths and buried secrets.

Nevertheless, the Empress was not one to resort to coercion or manipulation, unlike her dealings with Mortimer, whose stubborn refusal to divulge the truth had tested her patience to its limits.

"Could I see your Log?" she inquired, her tone gentle yet insistent, her piercing gaze never wavering.

Hearing her request, Aether flinched involuntarily, his heart pounding in his chest as he grappled with conflicting emotions.

Was this the moment his carefully guarded secret would be exposed?

'Sigh, Fucked up...sigh,' he inwardly lamented, his defences crumbling under the weight of her scrutiny.

"What's your name, madam?" Aether stammered, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness.

"Hmm? You don-- Oh! Right. You had amnesia," the Empress exclaimed, a playful twinkle dancing in her eyes as she teased him with feigned innocence before revealing her name,

"My name is Marisandra Naiadia"

"Okay... Log," Aether nodded, his expression a mix of resignation and apprehension. With a quick glance at the holographic display, he located the pertinent information and tapped the screen with a sense of reluctant resignation.

"Marisandra Naiadia"

Soon, a window materialized before the Empress, who scrutinized it with her keen eyes.

Name: Ether

Sex: Male

Race: Human

Level: 0

Title: Slave

Attributes:

Strength: -1

Agility: 0

Intelligence: 1

Magic Affinity: 0

Charm: 1

She frowned upon finding nothing particularly unique, but then her eyes flicked as the arcane energy around her seemed to tremble in fear.

The black transparent screen suddenly flickered like an old TV before stabilizing and displaying the information once more.

Name: Ether

Sex: Male

Race: Human

Level: 0

Title: Slave

Attributes:

Strength: -1

Agility: 0

Intelligence: 3

Magic Affinity: 0

Charm: 1

'Interesting...' she thought, noting the concealed increase in intelligence.

'So, the arcane itself is hiding something...' she pondered, her gaze returning to the skinny boy who stared at her with a mixture of worry and apprehension.

Before he could ask, the Empress interrupted with a curious inquiry, "But here it says you are Ether, though?"

'ESCAPED!!!' He screamed inwardly, maintaining a thoughtful facade.

"...." Aether paused, racking his brain for an explanation. Finally, he decided to assert himself, "I will decide what my name is, not some weird magical text... Madam."

The Empress regarded the boy with a peculiar expression before nodding in acquiescence.

'Sigh,' Aether inwardly sighed, realizing his response might have been a bit unconventional but he was happy that log helped him again to hide his secrets.

"You don't know your past?" the Empress inquired, her tone gentle yet probing.

"No, I don't know anything... Madam," Aether replied, shaking his head with a feeble smile. He truly was clueless about Ether's past.

"Okay," the Empress nodded before leaning in closer, catching Aether off guard.

Instinctively, Aether recoiled slightly, avoiding direct eye contact with her. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this Empress.

"Could you show me your...." She trailed off, placing a single finger on his chest.

"Show my...? 'Gulp,'" Aether's heart raced as he anticipated her next words.

"Arcane Card?" the Empress's enchanting purple eyes bore into Aether's blue ones.

"Arcane Card?" Aether frowned, not recalling anything of the sort.

His last memories were fragmented, hazy at best. All he remembered was a desperate struggle, a trying to bite the root, and then... nothing. Furthermore, he was taken aback to find that his once injured hands were now as good as new.

"Yes, touch your heart and call it!" the Empress instructed, guiding Aether's hand to his chest.

"Arcane Card?" Aether echoed doubtfully, his gaze fixed on the Empress.

... But there was no response.

"Not coming?" the Empress tilted her head, noting the lack of reaction from Aether's body.

Her gaze then wandered to his frail, stick-like figure. 'Maybe he isn't strong enough to wield the Card?' she wondered silently before deciding to step away.

With a defeated sigh, she rose to her feet, her earlier curiosity giving way to resignation.

As she turned to leave, Aether breathed a sigh of relief, finally feeling a moment of respite from the chaos of the day.

But just as she was about to depart, the Empress paused and looked back at Aether, her expression now indifferent. "You said my eyes were beautiful, right?"

Aether flinched at the sudden change in her demeanour, offering an awkward smile. "Yes, I apologize if I offended you, Madam."

The Empress regarded him with a piercing gaze before posing another question, her tone devoid of emotion.

"Do you still think they are beautiful?"

Her enchanting purple eyes seemed to lose their lustre and emotion, casting an eerie silence over the moment. But to her dismay, Aether found himself captivated by their ethereal beauty.

"It's... they look more beautiful than ever..." Aether muttered unconsciously, feeling himself drawn into the depths of her gaze.

He truly had a kink for eyes...

"... I see" the Empress responded before disappearing from view.

"Fuck!" Aether cursed in relief, finally releasing the breath he had been holding....

However, his relief was short-lived as he suddenly realized something alarming... Very alarming,

!~Ding~!

+1 Affection

Not because of that, but instead:

Survival rate= 0.19%?