Third Person’s POV
After hearing the details of everything, Aether blankly stared at Xara with an almost confused and lost expression. His eyes seed to flicker between disbelief and dawning suspicion, lips parting slowly as if the words were dragged out of him against his will.
He wanted to ask more, to demand clarity, but his voice faltered, caught between the fragnts of what she said and the whispers of his own thoughts. What did she an... ’Mary had a baby?’... what exactly did she an... ’Master will notice?’
But the answer itself ca to him in a sharp, bitter realisation... they were doing it behind Master’s back.
That was the only explanation.
That was how they managed to get their hands on the liquid that Master had been working on, sothing he guarded so closely, and secretly used it for her own people... but for what purpose?
To uncover the truth of what Master was up to?
Or... to find the cure?
And beyond that... the liquid had actually been accepted into Alucard’s body?
Aether humd lowly before finally asking, "So in the end, you discovered the precise combination that allows blood to accept both Arcane and Clarion?"
Xara nodded with a small smile.
"Anyway..." she began softly, but her words wavered as if walking through mories that still unsettled her.
"After that, when the empire started to be restored under the rule of Mary, I noticed a strange, small plant flourishing in the blood sea that Mary caused. I was surprised initially before taking it into my hands and beginning research... and that was where I discovered the plant itself contained both Arcane and Clarion energy, living together in its veins."
Aether blinked in surprise, his voice dropping lower as he whispered, "So that’s how you found it now?"
Xara shook her head slowly, strands of hair brushing her cheeks, "No, that plant died the mont all the blood dried, and these ones... this was completely different. I didn’t understand at first. But when I saw it releasing Clarion energy like the plant had done before, I thought maybe they were related. That is why I insisted on cutting the Arcane energy too, to see if the truth could be revealed."
Aether humd thoughtfully.
And Xara continued, voice trembling only slightly, "After that, she used the sample to produce more, in greater quantities, and gave it to her people... secretly, always hiding it. I am not sure why she tried so hard to conceal it, but regardless, I was promoted from the underground and... I finally obtained my freedom while working. That was when I made my choice—to return and visit my family once more... and that was when I coincidentally encountered Velc and... the rest you already know."
Aether nodded in understanding, "Now that makes things clear... except," he leaned towards Xara, closing the distance with a sudden intensity that made her breath catch.
Xara coughed awkwardly, cheeks flushing under his stare.
She coughed again, this ti with a deeper blush staining her face as she hurried to explain,
"I am telling you, I didn’t reveal who you are... truly, I didn’t. It’s just..."
"Just what?" Aether’s voice cut in as his curious eyes pinned her.
Xara’s fingers tightened at her sides, and she coughed again, her face burning red as she stamred,
"I... I was busy testing your blood and sen... when Mary called back. She demanded I investigate a blood sample that she handed before... it was a type of mixture I had never seen in my life. But yours... yours drew deeper, held my focus. It beca sothing I could not ignore. And considering the new lab she forced into... I was reluctant to work under her again..."
Aether sighed, heavy and long, his expression darkening... surprised to know, Mary had the blood of Snape when he died... Man, this woman was really sneaky and dangerous.
Anyway... He knew where this was leading.
She was going to sink into another flashback again.
.... Xara Seraphine’s POV
"Fucking bitch!! You ungrateful woman! How dare you leave !!" Mary’s voice echoed from the orb, while my fingers tapped idly against the armchair with a slightly... amused and excited expression.
Look at her... so pitiful now... she seed to be begging to co back.
Fu~Fu~Fu~
But I only shook my head.
"Sorry, not sorry, but I got a better job now," I said with a proud expression, letting my gaze sweep across my pride.... this lab with countless functions and marvels. And hell... There was even a bloody analyser humming in the corner!!
There was no way in the abyss I could abandon this place.
Suddenly, Morgana’s figure flickered into view beside Mary, and she frowned at , "Where are you?" Her eyes searched the shadows of my background, trying to pry into my sanctuary~
Of course, she cannot find where I, bitch!
"Any guess?" I teased, my grin widening when I saw the faint twitch of irritation that crossed her face.
It seed to irk her for so reason.
"Last ti I checked... You ran away with your stepson, Bitch."
I flinched at that... How did she find out about that?
Well... it wasn’t as though it was so sealed secret or anything, but still, the fact she knew chilled . I coughed and forced myself to answer, "I didn’t run away... I am currently busy with sothing."
"Even more interesting than ours?" Morgana’s lips curled into a dangerous expression.
I smirked and answered with an excited tone, "Of course, bitch. I found sothing beyond anything I have ever seen before... it was blood itself, freaking not working!! I couldn’t test that damn thing properly... You know the one you gave to check? It was almost similar to that, haha!"
Wait...? Similar to that?
I blinked, my thoughts stumbling over themselves.... Holy shit!!
Were those the sa?
Aether’s blood?
When I lifted my gaze again, Morgana was already smirking, slow and wicked, like a predator circling prey.
"I see... so you found the source. Interesting... hmm... who might it be?"
My hand shot up, covering my mouth. No way in hell would I tell them the truth!!
No way!!
"Aether~"
I flinched violently when she said that particular na... FUCK!! She had noticed my reaction. Look at her... grinning wickedly, savouring the slip I had failed to hide.
Fuck!
Fuck!!
"So it’s really him, Sis... Aether was the one who managed to kill off Master Snape. That ans Sandra, Dora, and Sera had been working with him," Morgana said, while her gaze shifted toward Mary.
Mary, however, did not say anything. She only stared at with her cold and unblinking eyes, "I have every record of what we’ve done... do you want to hand it over to your children?"
I blinked... my breath caught. Was she... was she actually trying to threaten ?
Blackmail?
Oh Bitch, please! They already knew everything—
"Xara...!"
Aether’s voice echoed from the telecom!
My eyes widened in horror before I turned off the orb imdiately.
"YOU DARE CUT OFF, BITCH—"
I cut it off... of course, I couldn’t just let Aether see my dealings with her... who knew what kind of poison she would pour into his ears, what kind of lies she would weave to manipulate him.
I had already seen her at her worst... and I wasn’t going to lose any more.
"Xara... I have a bloo—"
Before he could finish, I moved quickly and imdiately snatched the blood from his hand, slamming the door tightly shut behind .
Panting slightly, I stared at the orb... the reflection of its dull glow almost accusing. Placing the blood Aether had given carefully to the side, I muttered to myself: I should talk to her.
She was the kind to ss everything up... she might pull sothing to get cornered.
I groaned under my breath before turning on the orb again, settling into the chair with forced composure.
Morgana’s voice was the first to pierce through, "YOU FUCKING BITCH!! How dare you cut us again!!"
I shrugged, forcing indifference into my tone, "Sothing important cam—"
Before I could finish, the sound of the door opening echoed sharply through the lab, and... Aether stepped inside. His expression was wicked, dark, carrying sothing both dangerous and teasing.
"Shit!!" My hand shot toward the orb, about to shut it down again, when Aether moved with sudden speed, catching by the wrist.
"Think you can escape now?" he said wickedly, before flipping around and...
SLAP!!
"HICKK!!"
H-He slapped my a-ass?
My face twisted in shock, horrified at the sudden sting, my whole body jerking as the orb rolled off the stand and hit the ground, tumbling away.
"How dare you ignore your handso husband!" Aether’s voice rang out, annoyed yet mocking, his eyes narrowing.
"W-Wait, Aeth—"
SLAP!!
"Do you love the blood more than ?... Looks like you still see as your child, didn’t you? Maybe I should show you what Victor would do when he gets ignored?"
As he spoke, the ring shimred, twisting and reshaping, transforming into a mask in his han—
NO WAY!
I imdiately escaped from his grasp using tickles, shoving him out with a furious expression. My chest heaved as I panted heavily, rushing back toward the orb, hands frantically searching for it until I finally found it...
Mary and Morgana... staring at ... blankly.
My face turned beet red before I smashed the damned orb, shattering it into pieces, forever cutting them off!!
Third Person’s POV
Aether blankly stared at her as he noticed the faint blush of embarrassnt colouring her face. He wanted to comnt, to say sothing... sothing that wasn’t really his fault.
Co to think of it... she had been acting strange that day, the day he ca to deliver Vesperine’s blood for analysis.
So... was he the one who gave away the truth?
And why in the hell did he even think of showing his Victor side that day?
He wanted to slap her again, maybe even scare her, just to remind her not to play with him.
Whatever it was... he knew he had been fucked up back then.
Still... it wasn’t entirely his fault. She should have explained things to him.
Aether sighed, shaking his head slowly, "What’s done is done..."
Xara pouted, glaring back at him. "That’s because you done, not ."
Aether coughed awkwardly, trying to deflect her glare, before finally asking sothing serious.
"You said... Mary had a child? Does that an..."
"I don’t know... in fact, when I was about to leave the Empire, I saw Mary for the first ti, showing her small child to . So honestly... I don’t know what happened, or how the child ca to be."
Aether humd in thoughtful expression. It looked like there were far too many things going on... Mary, Morgana, and even... Lia.
Aether then turned, his expression curious yet troubled. "The cure that you created... could it... be used for us too?"
A Hope?
However—
Xara shook her head, her voice grave. "With the help of Alucard’s blood that Mary took... a lot of it, in fact... I managed to refine the correct version and tested it on others. But due to the blooddawn situation, the liquid only works during the blooddawn. Otherwise... everyone turns into a monster."
Aether raised his eyebrows, "So the blooddawn is the key... that ans—" His face turned grim.
Xara nodded again, "Yes. It wouldn’t work on any other empires..."
Aether clenched his fist tightly... Lost again!
Xara smiled weakly,
"But don’t worry... I am not an idiot who would let my daughter die. Even ... I an, it could hurt too, right? I would definitely not die before finishing my research!!"
Aether blinked, looking up at her with a spark of hope returning to his expression. "You an..."
Xara’s lips curled into a wicked smile, "Ninety percent completed~" she teased, winking at him.
Aether blinked again before throwing his arms out dramatically. "Xara~ I LOVE YOU~"
"O-OH okay!" she stamred, caught off guard.
"Hmm~"
"O-Oi! Where are you touching!! N-Not my boobs again~ arrh~~mmm~"
________
Author’s Note:
Guys, do you feel any loss of quality here? Or unnecessary dragging? I’ve been dealing with so personal issues, so I couldn’t fully focus on the novel—that’s why the delays and fewer Chapters. Please tell honestly if you noticed those things.
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