A week before Aether woke up,
"What should I do?" Aria muttered in a weak, trembling tone as her fingers gently moved across Aether’s unmoving arm.
She and the others were struggling every day to restrain the panicking Elders, who kept pressing them for an audience with Aether. They feared Aether was breaking his promise, that he had decided to abandon the Empire without any official engagent.
Not only the Elders, but the entire Empire felt restless. Naiadae had ended more than a month ago, yet not a single word had arrived regarding what would co next. Worse still, Aether himself had not appeared, had not spoken, had not even offered a reason for the postponent.
That silence placed them in an impossible position. Telling the truth about Aether’s condition risked plunging the people into panic once again.
So Aria and the others clung to a single hope. They prayed Aether would wake up soon. Not just for their own sake, but for the countless lives depending on him.
He was their pillar, their symbol of Hope. If he fell and the truth leaked out, no one could predict what kind of chaos or horror would rise again.
The only thing barely holding everyone’s sanity together was the thought of him... Aether!
The door opened quietly.
Xara stepped inside, carrying a nutrient bag in her hand. The liquid inside was nearly depleted. Nightfire followed close behind, lazily sucking on a lollipop as she walked in. Her curious gaze lingered on Aether’s still form, and her expression slowly twisted into a faint pout when she realised nothing had changed.
She leaned beside Aria, licking the candy absently, while Xara focused on changing the bag.
Without looking away from her task, Xara spoke in a calm tone.
"Have you moved his muscles?"
Aria nodded, forcing a soft smile.
"Good," Xara murmured as she adjusted the tube and secured the fresh bag. When she glanced back, she noticed the tension carved into Aria’s expression. Her voice softened as she asked, carefully choosing her words.
"How’s... the engagent situation on your side? Are things under control at all?"
Aria clenched her fist, "What can I even say? Everything turned into chaos. The Elders cornered Kaelen again today. They demanded answers, demanded to see Aether themselves. So of them are starting to believe he abandoned the Empire... others think sothing far worse happened."
Xara humd quietly, "It was never going to be easy," she said after a mont. "Being the peaceful, reasonable ones always suffer the most." Her lips twisted slightly.
"If Sandra were in your shoes, she would have already beaten the fear out of them or killed a few just to shut those fools up..."
Before Aria could say anything,
Xara continued with a smile, "But Zephyra isn’t like that. It values peace, and the Elders hold too much power for brute force."
Kaelen, after all, was the Emperor, who could only restrain them verbally. He lacked the authority to crush them outright, and unless the Elders directly hard the Empire, his hands remained tied.
After finishing her checks, Xara turned toward Aria and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"It’s going to be hard," Xara said gently. "But please don’t let yourself lose hope."
Aria lifted her gaze... She nodded slowly.
At that mont, Nightfire stepped forward, her brows drawn together in genuine confusion.
"I don’t get it," she said slowly. "Why is it this hard? If they want to see him so badly, why not just show him to them?"
Aria shook her head imdiately, "That’s impossible. We cannot show him like this. Not when he’s unconscious and vulnerable."
Nightfire blinked, then frowned.
"Who said anything about showing him like that?"
Aria froze in confusion as she turned toward Nightfire.
Nightfire let out a long sigh, rubbing her temple as if disappointed.
"Co on," she said, her tone sharpening. "You can’t be this slow. You’re not idiots, right? You don’t need the real him." Her eyes glinted as she continued, "Just use an illusion. Show them a version of Aether standing tall, perfectly fine. Let them believe everything is under control."
She popped the lollipop back into her mouth and shrugged lightly.
Both Xara and Aria raised their eyebrows as they exchanged a slow glance... Neither of them had thought of it.
Nightfire noticed imdiately. An amused curve ford on her lips as she watched their expressions freeze. In her mind, she scoffed lightly, unable to hide her pride.
’Looks like I am the only genuine one here.’ A faint sense of pity followed, directed at both won who looked far too exhausted to think straight anymore.
However, Aria was the first to recover. She shook her head slowly,
"There are Elders among them," she said carefully. "Many of them would easily see through a succubus illusion. I don’t think it’s going to be possible."
Xara nodded in agreent, her expression thoughtful,
"So far, the only ones I know who can deal with illusions on that level were Morgana and Mary," she said quietly.
Seeing both won cornered by doubt, Nightfire could no longer hold back. A wide, amused grin spread across her face as she patted her chest confidently.
"Don’t worry, my pitiful sisters," she declared with dramatic flair.
"Here cos your BIG sister."
Before either of them could respond, a pink mist suddenly burst outward, swirling around Nightfire’s body in slow, twisting currents.
Xara and Aria instinctively stepped back, frowns forming as the mist expanded, then slowly began to disperse.
As the haze faded, a figure erged.
A naked, white-haired man stood where Nightfire had been monts before.
Aether?
Nightfire, now wearing Aether’s face and form, rolled her shoulders slightly as if adjusting to the body. A smug smile curved across her lips as she spoke in his voice, perfectly replicated yet carrying her unmistakable confidence.
"I don’t know about other succubi," she said proudly, placing a hand on her hip, "but I am different. My powers have transcended reality itself."
She exaggerated her pose deliberately,
"So unless it’s the Succubus Queen or a Sovereign, no one will find the flaw," she continued.
"And if you doubt my ability, our faithless husband personally tested it."
But then she frowned for a second,
"I’m not sure about Mary," she added. "But yeah... I am very good at this."
Xara and Aria blinked in unison. Slowly, matching sly smiles crept onto their faces.
Nightfire flinched.
For so reason, she did not like that smile. A strange feeling crawled up her spine, as if she had walked straight into a spiderweb she had woven herself.
That was what she thought.
Current:
Standing atop the ceremonial platform in Aether’s form, Nightfire smiled warmly and raised her hand, waving at the massive crowd gathered below. Their eyes shone with relief, devotion, and desperate hope as they witnessed the official engagent taking place.
"I am Aether," she announced with practised ease. "Definitely."
Beside her stood Aria, dressed in ceremonial attire that resembled wedding garnts more than formal wear. Pristine, silvery fabric wrapped around her figure with refined elegance, tailored to accentuate her curves without excess.
The gown shimred softly under the light, matching the pale sheen of her silver hair, which had been gathered into a careful bun adorned with pearl pins and delicate floral clasps.
Her dress was embroidered with intricate green leaves and blooming red flowers. Strings of pearls cascaded gently across her shoulders and neckline, each one polished to perfection.
Her long lashes fluttered as she glanced sideways at Nightfire in Aether’s form, weariness shadowing her gaze.
Honestly, Aria had only intended to use Nightfire’s illusion to restrain the Elders temporarily. She never imagined what followed.
The mont Aether appeared before them, the Elders fell to their knees without hesitation. Begging... Crying... Even Praising!
Never in her life had she witnessed such blind faith.
So intense that even Nightfire, wearing Aether’s face, ended up accepting the official engagent.
Aria hated it. Liora hated it even more. But Maelona convinced them it was for the best.
After all, it was only an engagent. Nothing serious.
For Maelona, the priority was clear. She wanted this finished as quickly as possible so the Empire could finally breathe.
Only then could they focus on what truly mattered next. The Elders were already panicking, and dealing with tallic figures that suddenly stopped and internal economic growth.
So she chose to end one problem cleanly.
Only then did the Elders’ hearts finally begin to calm. The tension that had been strangling the Empire loosened, even if only slightly, as the sight of Aether standing before them restored a fragile sense of order.
Of course, Liora was present on the platform as well.
Unlike Aria and Aether, who stood at the front greeting the crowd, Liora remained seated in her chair. Her posture alone made her displeasure obvious. She disliked this entire affair, every second of it.
Even so,
She wore her traditional ceremonial garnts, vivid and commanding. Layers of deep crimson fabric flowed around her body, long and flared, moving like flas whenever she shifted.
The texture of the cloth shimred faintly, woven with patterns known only to her tribe. Braided strands of rainbow crystals adorned her hair, each crystal catching the light and reflecting the sa fierce spectrum as her eyes.
Along the hem of her attire, an entire shadow wolf was embroidered in painstaking detail.
She leaned back in her chair with an openly annoyed expression, one arm resting lazily against the armrest. Those who caught sight of her could not help but wonder whether she truly wished to stand as a bride, or whether the Elders had cornered her into this role to preserve their crumbling stability.
Maelona, on the other hand, moved with composed grace among the Elders. She wore a magnificent ceremonial gown of crystalline blue, the fabric flowing like calm water beneath moonlight. The dress hugged her form with dignified elegance, neither revealing nor rigid, embodying authority softened by warmth. Tiny marble ornants rested delicately around her hips, chiming faintly with each step she took. The sleeves draped loosely from her arms, embroidered with subtle sigils of unity and prosperity.
Her expression carried a gentle, maternal warmth as she greeted each Elder. It was the smile of a woman who had borne the weight of an Empire, who had lost and endured, yet still stood tall for the sake of her people.
"Welco, Elder Fintorus, and Mrs. Flamigo Fintorus," Maelona said smoothly, bowing her head slightly as she greeted them.
Both nodded in acknowledgent, and Maelona guided them to seats in the first row, ensuring their comfort before moving on.
Kaelen sat among the most important figures in that very row. As his eyes drifted toward the platform and landed on his mother dressed in what resembled wedding attire....
’She looks... very pissed’
He swallowed and quickly made a ntal note not to approach her afterwards. After all, he had agreed with Maelona’s plan without hesitation.
Even now, he believed it was the right choice.
"Emperor Kaelen."
Kaelen flinched at the sudden address. He turned his head and straightened his posture as he replied calmly and with respect.
"Yes, Princess Aurelia?"
Aurelia Scarlet, Princess of the Void Empire and a close friend of Aria, had co to offer her blessing.
She tilted her head slightly, dressed in an adorable red outfit that was fluffy and cute at the sa ti. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she spoke.
"Why does Aria’s husband seem... kind of off?" she asked, pointing openly toward Aether, who was enthusiastically waving at the crowd.
"How are you? I am Aether," he shouted cheerfully. "But I don’t have dic—Ouch!"
A sharp strike landed on Aether’s head as Aria abruptly hit him, her expression tight and strained.
Several people frowned deeply at Aria’s behaviour, whispering among themselves about her treatnt of the man she was about to marry.
Disgusting!
Doubts and murmurs began to rise. So wondered whether Aether would be treated like a servant rather than a husband once the engagent concluded.
On the other hand, Nightfire felt nothing but delight. No amount of shouting through their connection, and no amount of pain from Aria’s strike, bothered her in the slightest.
This was her only chance to act as Aether in front of the entire Empire, and she was savouring every second of it.
"Hehe, I am Aether," she laughed again, deliberately pushing her luck. "But haha... I don’t have dic—Ouch!"
Kaelen gulped, cold sweat forming.
"M-Maybe... Da-ahem... Mr. Aether is just very happy about the engagent," he said hastily. "You know, marrying more than one person and all that excitent. That kind of thing."
Lia frowned slightly, her gaze never leaving Aether.
"Oh? For a mont there, I thought... what if he wasn’t really Aether?"
Kaelen stiffened imdiately, panic flashing across his face.
"O-Of course that’s Aether," he replied too quickly. "Who else could it be? Do you really think soone could impersonate him? This is the Empire’s sacred engagent!"
His voice rose despite his attempt to stay composed. Aurelia studied him closely, then raised her eyebrows with a soft chuckle.
"Please," she said calmly. "I wasn’t questioning your Empire. I just found it odd, that’s all." Her lips curved slowly as her eyes glowed faintly crimson at Aether.
"But impersonation, you say."
A sly, knowing smile spread across her face.
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