[Author''s Note: I know I have sometimes mtioned servants as attdants. This isn''t a mistake.... some characters have attdants instead of servants (I willter include those parts), so don''t get confused by the terminology.]
Aether''s eyes wided in surprise as he called out, "Ms. Delphine, what are you doing here?"
However,
''Step, Step''
Delphine ignored himpletely, her footsteps echoing down the hallway as she tered the ssroom without uttering a single word.
"...." Aether blinked, momtarily tak aback by her disregard.
"Hahaha..."
"Hehehe..."
"look at that clown!"
The others standing beside Aether couldn''t help butugh at his bewildermt, their amusemt evidt.
''What''s with her?'' Aether wondered, puzzled by her behaviour. But th,
[+ Affection]
Aether blinked again, seeing the notification, before muttering to himself, "I really cannot understand wom at all," as he leaned on Taylor''s shoulder.
"Hey!" Taylor eximed, startled wh she felt Aether leaning on her.
"Hmm? Sorry, I forgot you are a man now..." Aether replied with a fake smile. He th added, "But damn, you really hid those tits well," nodding appreciatively as he patted her chest.... Washboard!
''Bandages... You guys are really doing a good job!'' Aether thought to himself.
"!!" Taylor''s face turned bright red. In a fit of embarrassmt, she suddly punched Aether, covering her chest instinctively.
''Thud!''
Aether caught her hand just in time. ''Damn!!'' he thought, swiftly moving away from her.
"I am sorry," Aether said with guine seriousness, He knew he unconsciously touched her chest... though Taylor continued to re at him, her face still flushed with anger and embarrassmt.
As the ss continued inside, Aether and the others stood outside the ssroom, growing increasingly restless. Aether was truly bored and considered moving away to find something more interesting to do.
''Step, Step''
Once again, the sound of measured steps echoed down the corridor, drawing everyone''s atttion.
''Tsk,'' Aether clicked his tongue in annoyance, recognizing who it was.
It was other than ric Zephyr, the man who had previously made Aether kneel..... Every attdant and Servant bowed their head in respect, and ev Taylor lowered hers defertially.
"Is he some kind of big shot?" Aether asked, curious about the man''s significance... He knew he was Emperor or something but still, he wanted to know more information.
"Well, he is the Emperor of this empire as well as.... previous Arcane King," Taylor whispered urgtly in his ear, adding, "Now bow!He is a person who does not like if others disrespect him"
"Previous Arcane King, huh?" Aether nodded nonchntly, processing the information, but he did not bow like the others.
What would the child do if someone asked them to do not?... Of course, they do!!
Why would he not?Because he was an adult?... Fuck off!!
ric nced at the servants and attdants briefly, his eyes scanning the group. He th focused on the ssroom door, his expression turning into a frown as he recognized a familiar face among the servants.
''Tsk,'' Aether clicked his tongue visibly, his annoyance clear as he looked directly at ric, who was now standing before him.
The others watched with growing tsion, ssing a confrontation. Taylor, fearing something was about to transpire, whispered urgtly to Aether. Although she had followed him yesterday, she hadn''t tered the infirmary and was unaware of what had happed inside.
"Please, just bow," she urged, her voice filled with anxiety.
"...." Seeing him not responding, she turned to ric and said, "Your Maj—"
"Move aside," ric interrupted with an indiffert expression.
Taylor hesitated, but Aether moved her aside and faced ric with a stern look.
"You"
"Yes"
"You do know who I am, right?"
"A ruler of this Empire, I presume?" Aether replied, his tone calm.
ric simply smiled and stated, "Yes, but currtly, I am also the Vice-Principal of this Academy, as well as a revered Professor who deciphered a number of ancit s and discovered gbreaking sp—"
Aether interrupted, "I think you should ''show off'' in there to scare the ''childr,'' not out here," pointing towards the ssroom filled with studts.
''Come on, why the fuck would I list to his narcissistic build-up?'' Aether thought.
Taylor''s eyes wided. ''This idiot...'' she thought, realizing the gravity of Aether''s words. Not only she, but everyone else who heard Aether''s words was equally shocked.
ric''s lips twitched, and veins popped on his forehead, but th he asked with a forced smile, "I heard your master pped you for helping my wife?"
"H-How did you know?" Aether asked, guinely shocked.
"Heh... I have eyes everywhere, brat," ric said with a smirk, relishing Aether''s shocked expression while berating him in front of everyone.... He felt a sse of aplishmt.
But th,
"Yuck, Ms. Aria has a quiet stalker... I pity her for having a husband like you," Aether remarked with disdain, his words dripping with contempt. Thank goodness he didn''t have someone like that. Aether would be quite horrified if he knew he was being stalked.
Unbeknownst to him, the person beside them was actually stalking him, observing his every move with hidd intt.
"!!!" Everyone flinched at Aether''s bold and provocative statemt.
"How dare you call my wife''s name?" ric turned furious, his voice rising as he heard his wife''s name spok by a mere servant. He clearly didn''t like it.
''So... he isn''t going to dy the ''stalker'' part?'' Aether wondered, his mind racing with incredulity, and he smiled with a pitiful expression, further infuriating ric.
Seeing the smirk, ric felt as if Aether was mocking him for his wife''s indifferce. Just as ric was about to grab Aether''s cor,
~Ding~Dong~
The bell signalling the d of the first period rang, its chime echoing down the corridor.
The ssroom door oped, and Delphine stepped out, her sharp eyes immediately taking in the tse atmosphere that hung heavy in the air.
"It seems Ms. Aqualina Naiadia''s servant is not disciplined well," ric''s voice boomed, echoing into the ssroom and drawing the atttion of Kai, Sele, and Aqualina, who sighed in unison and made their way out.... though Sele had a worried face.
"Is something wrong?" Aqualina asked, her voiceced with frustration as she red at Taylor. Her silt question was clear: why hadn''t Taylor stopped Aether from causing trouble?
Aqualina knew Aether had a knack for getting into problematic situations. He had already irritated her on multiple asions, and she had specifically instructed Taylor to interve if he acted irrationally. Yet, here they were....
"Your servant... A MERE SERVANT dares not bow before me. I wonder who is at fault here," ric said, his piercing gaze fixed solely on Aether, who stood his g defiantly.
Aqualina sighed deeply, ncing at Aether who was ring at ric with unwavering determination, ''I bet he didn''t realize who he was standing before... If he had known... Tsk, I should have told him everything,'' shemted inwardly, recognizing the predicamt they were in.
Understanding that a servant''s misdeed was a reflection of the master''s failure, she had no other choice but to bow and ask for forgivess on behalf of her servant. She was just about to bow wh...
"Heh, so you''re worried ''A MERE SERVANT!'' isn''t bowing to you? Hahaha... You look like a pitiful childining to their mother," Aether said, his tone dripping with mockery as he looked ric directly in the eye.
The tire ce fell into stunned silce, everyone froz like statues in the face of such bold defiance.
Except for one,
"Pfft----" Aria suddly covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she tried to hide herughter. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to contain her mirth.
[+0 Affection]
"!!!!" Veins bulged on ric''s forehead as he saw his wifeughing at him, his rage escting to an almost palpable level.
''He really fucked up...'' Aqualina thought, her eyes wide with disbelief and horror at Aether''s audacity.