“Hehehe… Come on, you are scaring the poor guy” came the amused voice again, a dark black-haired man injecting a touch of humour into the tense ambience of the room.
However, Aether, having witnessed the ugliness of the world with his own two eyes and experienced how people could change, saw through the fa?ade. He recognized the tone of the person who seemed to be supporting him for what it was….
…. A Fake Sympathy.
Despite the inner turmoil and the pressure he felt, Aether managed to control his emotions.
Pouring the tea carefully this time, he presented it with a professional demeanour to the dark black-haired man and the blonde-haired girl, whom he assumed were the guests based on their seating arrangement and manner of speaking.
He did work everywhere so he knew one or two things…
“Here’s your tea” he said with a calm demeanour, determined to carry out his role despite the unsettling atmosphere in the room.
“Have a pleasant day, Thank you.” Without waiting a second, Aether decided to leave, thinking, ‘Shit! I have to find out where am I and what is happening!’
“Hmm? Who told you to leave?” The same authoritative voice echoed, making Aether flinch involuntarily.
“Stay There!!”
“…Yes,” Aether nodded before standing near the door, just a few inches away, ‘Tsk, just a few inches away from the door, tsk, tsk’ realizing he was now at the mercy of the situation.
The dark blue-haired man scrutinized his slave’s new actions.
Both guests showed visible displeasure, but they soon concealed their emotions, leaving an air of tension hanging in the room.
The presence of a slave in such an important meeting was not just a breach of etiquette; it was a deliberate act of disrespect aimed directly at the other party. The room, already tense, seemed to vibrate with an added layer of unease.
Even though there was someone present in the room silently, he was better than a slave….
Anyhow,
“So?” The blonde-haired young girl asked as she sipped the tea, her tone softer than before.
Aether raised his eyebrows, hearing the same voice but noting the shift in demeanour.
Hearing the girl’s softened tone, the bluish-black-haired boy glanced at the dark blue-haired middle-aged man who gave him a nod of approval. Emboldened, he declared,
“I Like You” The words resonated from the bottom of his heart.
The blonde girl nodded in response, maintaining an air of composed indifference as she continued sipping her tea.
The boy, however, dropped a bombshell, “However, I cannot accept you as my first partner.”
‘ttrrr’
A ripple of tension passed through the room, causing a subtle tremor in the girl’s tea cup. Biting her lips, she fought to contain her emotions, unwilling to show any sign of vulnerability in front of a…. mere slave.
The girl, who had been barking like a dog before, now swallowed every bit of emotions in order to maintain her pride, honour and composure.
This was the very reason the dark blue-haired middle-aged man made Aether stay in the room.
“I-I remember we were engaged under our parents’ blessing when we were children… deciding I am your first partner, so what happened now?” The blonde girl trembled as she spoke, her voice revealing the pain she was trying to suppress.
Witnessing her distress, the boy, despite his earlier proclamation, couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness. He instinctively lifted his hand to offer comfort but,
“DON’T TOUCH ME!!”
The sharp scream reverberated through the room, and the boy immediately pulled back his hand.
Aether stole a glance at the distressed girl and couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness…no, not for her, but for himself.
If he had known it was just a ‘Lover’s Quarrel’ he might not have found himself in this predicament.
Cursing his misguided sense of justice that fucked up him too much this time, he eagerly waited for the unfolding drama.
Regardless,
Calming her emotions, the blonde shifted her gaze back to the boy, silently pleading for answers to her unspoken questions.
The boy remained silent, looking at the blonde with an awkward expression, unsure of how to respond.
“Ahem” the dark blue-haired middle-aged man seated beside the boy cleared his throat, gaining the attention of both the blonde girl and the dark black-haired middle-aged man beside her.
“I know it’s your mother and his mother who made that promise, but…” He pointed to the bluish-black-haired boy and continued,
“…but, my son, he is the chosen one, and for that reason, we cannot allow him to first marry a—”
Before he could finish his sentence, the dark black-haired middle-aged man motioned for him to stop, indicating that saying more would be unwise.
‘Drip, Drip’
In the midst of the tense atmosphere, tears began to drip from the blonde-haired girl’s eyes. Biting her lips, she looked at the boy….. her eyes reflecting a single lost hope.
“Listen, Lia, I am not abandoning you… I truly like you.
Trust me, I want to be with you just as much as you want to be with me.
What I am saying is that I cannot marry you first… That’s all.
Being second doesn’t mean my love for you will diminish.
Please understand me… Lia,” the boy pleaded, watching his loved one cry in pain.
“I-I see… O-Okay then. I understand… hmm… I understood…” The blonde girl nodded repeatedly while wiping her tears, her voice faltering,
“I don’t mind, b-but…
Tell me the truth, Kai
Is it because I-I am not talented enough?”
“…” The room fell silent as the boy grappled with the weight of her question, his silence revealing more than words ever could.
“I-I see…” The blonde bit her trembling lips, accepting the painful truth. Her eyes betrayed the storm of emotions within, flickering between disappointment and the lingering hope that perhaps the situation could be different.
Just as the boy was about to express his thoughts,
“I-If I trained more, I-I think I cou—” The blonde tried to voice her determination, hoping to change the inevitable outcome, but, the dark blue-haired man, interrupted her with an unyielding statement.
“I am sorry to say this, young lady, but…. It’s not possible” his words hung heavily in the air, closing the door on any possibility of altering their predetermined fate.
“Velc! You are crossi–” The dark black-haired man shot a heated glare at Velc, his displeasure evident in his sharp gaze.
“U-Uncle, let’s leave…” The blonde stood up gracefully, a mixture of pain and respect colouring her expression as she addressed Velc,
“I need some time to think.”
“Hmm” Velc nodded with understanding and added, “His engagement date is already decided, so please make your decision before that.”
“!!!” The blonde showed visible shock at the revelation of an imminent engagement, her eyes widening before she hurriedly left the room, leaving a resounding ‘thud’ as the door closed.
‘Thud!!’
“….” The dark black-haired man glared at Velc, his eyes piercing with a warning, “You will face the consequences of hurting my niece” his words hung in the air like an unspoken threat before he turned and left the room.
Velc, the object of the warning, simply shrugged off the impending consequences with an air of indifference.
‘Oh, shit! What the fuck just happened? And why was she glaring at me when leaving!!” Aether screamed inwardly.
Observing the departure of the guests, Velc sighed and turned to his son, who wore a sombre expression.
“It’s fine, son. She will definitely come around…..it’s just, that some girls just need time to decide what they really want,” Velc reassured his son in a soothing tone.
“Hmm,” his son nodded in acknowledgement, standing up and announcing his departure, “I am leaving, Father.”
However, he paused before passing Aether, turning to him with a gaze filled with curiosity and authority,
“Come with m-”
But Velc interrupted,
“No, My son. I need to speak with him.”
“…. Okay” his son acquiesced, leaving the room with a sense of reluctance.
‘Thud’
“….”
“….”
“….”
A heavy silence permeated the room, now occupied only by Velc, a bluish-black haired girl, and Aether…. who was sweating profusely.
‘W-What happened?’ Aether wondered why that man was scrutinizing him so intently.
After a minute, the girl spoke with a delicate voice, “Father.”
“Yes, Dear?”
“It’s about time the teacher will come” the girl said.
“Hmm… You can leave,” Velc said, and soon the girl left.
Aether didn’t even see her when she glanced at him.
‘Thud’
“….”
“….”
The room now echoed with an oppressive quietness, with Velc and Aether both engaged in an unspoken standoff.
‘What the heck is wrong with this man?’ Aether pondered, finding Velc’s gaze unsettling enough to send shivers down his spine.
It was then, a serious and ludicrous thought entered his mind, ‘Does he swing that way?’
Aether flinched, realizing the absurdity of his thoughts. If that’s what Velc was waiting for, then…
Aether was mentally prepared for suicide!!!!
No, it’s not that he didn’t want to fight; instead, the past delinquent Aether sensed something unsettling about Velc. Observing his posture and the way he exerted pressure on Aether, it felt like he was a mere ant standing before a true giant.
And if Aether was forced to do ‘something’ then…. it’s better to die than struggle.
“Ether?” Suddenly, Velc called Aether with a soft voice, as if the previous authoritative tone was a facade.
Aether’s face turned ashen. He didn’t understand what was happening, where he was, or even who he was. Yet, it seemed like his life was nearing its end.
“Ether?” The voice shifted abruptly, regaining its authoritative edge, making Aether sigh in relief.
‘I am thinking too much,’ he mused, looking at Velc and answering, “Yes.”
“Who are you?”
“….” Aether blinked his eyes for a few seconds, ‘I really fucked up…ah’ he thought.