"Yes, put it there!" Helena commanded with a hint of amusement in her voice, her finger pointing decisively to a specific spot in the room.
"Understood!" Aether replied, nodding as he hoisted the heavy table and moved it to the designated position.
[+1 Affection]
Why was Aether helping her? The question nagged at the back of his mind.
It wasn't out of goodwill or some newfound sense of duty.... Hell No!
It was because Helena had threatened to report to the Principal that he had entered Aria's room... a situation that spelt trouble not just for him but also for Aqualina.
So, he chose to comply with her demands, as long as they were within the bounds of reason. Still, he couldn't help but be perplexed by her actions.
Why was she giving him Affection points? And why was she even allowing him, a stranger into her private space?
'Do I know her?' Aether mused, his thoughts wandering as he methodically arranged the tables and chairs, the mundane task giving him time to ponder.
Helena's gaze was fixed on Aether's sparkling eyes, a mixture of curiosity and something deeper in her expression.
She and Finnian had been tasked by the Archpriestess to keep an eye on this boy.
Initially, they were reluctant, perhaps even disdainful of the assignment. But that was before they saw his astonishing defiance.... ignoring his Master's command and invoking the formidable chains of the Eternal Slave, managing to crack them even if only slightly.
Such a feat was unheard of, and it was then they realized why the Archpriestess might be interested in him.
This was not something any ordinary person could achieve. That's why they believed the Archpriestess's interest in Aether had a significant reason behind it.
But her peculiar behaviour—dancing with him, asking for shoulder massages.... was baffling, really baffling. These acts were borderline blasphemous, and yet she seemed unbothered by the sacrilege.
eads.
The moment when the Archpriestess almost traded Helena for Aether was still fresh in her mind..... Helena had been at a loss for words.
She felt devastated, the betrayal cutting deep. The Archpriestess, second only to the Mother God, was ready to give her away to another person. The sense of abandonment was overwhelming, yet Helena didn't voice her despair. She had unwavering faith in the Archpriestess, who had given her the life she desired. Questioning her was not an option.
Everything Archpriestess did was for the greater good! That's what she believed!
So, Helena's curiosity about Aether grew.... She wanted to understand why the Archpriestess placed him above her.
Even if he did the miracle, was it still worth trading herself... She wondered.
As she watched him working diligently, even though he was under duress, a pang of guilt hit her. She wanted to spend time with him, to understand him, but he always seemed preoccupied. When she saw him entering Aria's room, an idea formed.
She could use this as leverage to spend time with him, to learn about him.
She just needed to understand why the Archpriestess was so invested in him.
"Sigh," Aether exhaled, wiping the sweat off his forehead after placing the last chair. Just as he was about to end this free labour,
"What the!!"
Aether was taken aback when he turned and found Helena's face mere inches from his. Her breath was warm against his skin, and the proximity sent an unexpected shiver down his spine.
"Hehe.." Helena giggled, her eyes gleaming with mischief, "Sorry if I startled you!" she said, not retreating an inch. She continued to gaze into his eyes with her mesmerizing golden irises.
[+1 Affection]
Aether sighed again, this time with a mix of exasperation and amusement, "You do know that I am a man, right?"
"Hmm? Are you not?" Helena tilted her head, genuinely curious.
Aether's lips twitched at her naive question. It was both frustrating and endearing.
"I am, Madam Helena.... 1000% Man!"
"Then why did you ask that?" Helena leaned in closer, her curiosity intensifying.
'Does she not understand personal space?' Aether thought, feeling a mix of annoyance and fascination, "Because you're a girl and should not be too close to a man."
"Hmm? Why is that?" Helena frowned, puzzled. She was always this close to Finnian, 'Come to think of it, Finnian also said the same thing!' she reflected, now looking at Aether for an answer since Finnian had left her question unanswered.
'What the fuck...!' Aether muttered inwardly, looking at her innocent yet intense golden eyes. There was a sense of déjà vu, though this situation was quite the opposite.
Aether couldn't help but ask, "Do you know how.... babies are made?" he asked just to be sure. He wondered why he even asking this in front of a girl he just met.
Helena frowned, the question seemingly coming out of nowhere. But she answered with pride and a joyful expression, "Kneel before the Mother, beg before the Mother, and she will grace you with a child."
"...." Now it was Aether's turn to wear a 'What the fuck?' expression.
Helena smirked at Aether's surprise, giggling, "Heh~he~Don't tell me you don't know about this! What are you? A child?! ...hahahaha."
Aether's lip twitched. Who was the child here, he wondered? He never thought he would encounter a full-grown teenage girl so clueless about such things.
"Who told you that?" he asked, still bewildered.
Helena stopped giggling and replied with pride, "It was the Archpriestess."
"...." Aether's mind went blank. He blinked a few times before asking again, "Who? ...The Archpriestess?"
"Yes," Helena nodded with pride.
Aether remembered the time when the Archpriestess kissed him, 'N-No way, right?! If we're talking about that woman, she really knows what she's doing! There's no way she was innocent,' Aether thought, convinced the Archpriestess was teasing this innocent girl.
But then something clicked, 'Wait! If we remove the part 'Mother' and put 'Man' then...
Kneel before the Man, beg before the Man, and He will grace you with a child,' Aether's eyes widened in realization as he asked hurriedly, "When did your Archpriestess tell you that?"
"Hmm? That was..." Helena pondered for a moment before saying, "When I was eight years old."
'Sigh, thank goodness. The Archpriestess wasn't innocent at all; she was just being considerate. Also, that damn woman is really good at coming up with these phrases,' Aether thought, looking at Helena, who was staring at him with her captivating golden eyes.
"Acchoooo!!"
The Archpriestess, praying before the Mother Root, sneezed as a knowing smile spread across her lips, 'Aether must be thinking about me... hehehe~ I hope you love my gift... and me also!!!' she thought with a gentle, longing smile before turning serious again and continuing her apology to the Mother for disregarding her orders.
Anyway,
To be truthful, Aether didn't want to pursue this girl because his Log hadn't issued any missions related to her. But looking into her innocent eyes, Aether knew that if he didn't make a move now and apply the Admission form, someone else might register, and it would be much harder for him if his Log issued a mission involving her later.
Removing the registered person would be a real pain in the ass!
'Prevention is better than cure!' With that proverb in mind, Aether decided to teach this innocent girl some special lessons.
The thought of tainting an innocent girl brought an unknown smirk to Aether's face as he thought, 'Hehehe---Fuck! I am a gentleman!'