Chapter 230: Eternal Seal
"Stand there, Ether! Hmph," commanded a 12-year-old girl with a tone of impatience, her face scrunched up in visible annoyance as she glared at a white-haired boy of the same age whose eyes appeared lifeless and devoid of emotion.
With a determined huff, she clambered onto a somewhat wobbly stool, stretching on her tiptoes as much as she could to reach for a jar placed high on the shelf.
'Tsk, I cannot believe my mother and aunt left us just because of a stranger! Hmph!!' the girl thought, her face reflecting both annoyance and a hint of longing as she felt her mother was being unfair, leaving her alone with her father, who only dotes on her older brother.
The sting of their absence made her resent the stranger even more, deepening her sense of abandonment and frustration.
"Hmm... where is it?" she muttered to herself, her hand searching blindly above the shelf, feeling the edges of various jars and containers.
Tuck, Tuck
The stool wobbled beneath her unsteady footing, but she ignored it, her stubbornness driving her to prove she could manage on her own without anyone's help.
"Aha! Got ittttt...!!!" she exclaimed triumphantly just as the stool gave way. She grabbed the shelf in a desperate attempt to steady herself, but it tipped forward, sending her plummeting toward the ground.
"KYAA!!... MOM!!!" she screamed. Her eyes widened in terror as she saw the items on the shelf tumbling down along with it, and she instinctively covered her face with her arms in fear.
THUD!!
However, nothing fell on her body... except for a strange dripping on her face. She slowly opened her eyes, and to her astonishment, she saw... shimmering blue eyes full of life staring at her.
The boy, with a gentle expression, asked, "Are... y-you al....right?"
She couldn't respond immediately because she was too shocked by the sight of the boy who was holding up the entire shelf, with blood flowing from the back of his head.
"E-Ether?" she mumbled in shock. Before she knew it, Ether's eyes turned lifeless again, and hearing the commotion, the other servants immediately arrived and helped their Young Miss.
After that fateful day, she never saw his shimmering blue eyes again...
Until,
.....Selene groaned softly as she slowly opened her eyes groggily, a faint smile spreading across her face as she remembered something sweet from the past, a memory that marked the beginning of everything.
"Ether?" Upon fully opening her eyes, she noticed there was no one below her or even to the side. Her face turned horrified as she feared everything had been just a dream.... Just as she was about to get up,
"Ouch!" Selene groaned in pain as she looked down at herself and noticed she was naked. Most of all, the white bedsheet was tainted with a small red spot. She blushed deeply, thinking, 'Not a dream... ah.'
"Oh! You're awake."
Hearing that gentle voice, Selene lifted her head and saw Aether holding a bowl and walking towards her. He placed the bowl beside her and looked into her teary eyes with concern. "What happened? Still feeling the pain?" he asked with a worried expression.
"Hmm... I am happy," Selene gently mumbled as she pulled the bedsheet up to hide her body, feeling a bit shy, you know!
Aether smiled warmly, kissed her forehead tenderly, and offered the soup he had prepared. "It will be good for the pain," he said, feeding her with care. Selene, without shying away, giggled before accepting the spoonful and eating it like a child.
"It feels delicious and warm..." Selene mumbled contentedly as she felt her stomach relax and a sense of ease wash over her.
Aether smiled at her affectionately before glancing down at his... log..... No, his broken log.
[Warning: Due to an unnatural amount of Affection Points, Causing the Imbalance... The Log has crashed down and is now under recalibration and reconstruction.]
[Warning: Until the Log functions again, no more Affection Points will be earned.]
[Warning: Only skills work.]
/
Name: AetheQ@#%!
Sex: !@#$%#
Race: #####
Level: 17
Title: The Lost ##, Slave [Eternal Contract to ########], The Only Holder of #!@# and Past-#$@@!$ Entity.
Skill: Freedom, Clone, Eternal Seal
Attributes:
Stre!@gth: 160
Ag123lity: 170
Intell%#igence: 160
Magic Affinity: 160
Charm: 160 !@#
Compatibility: 90%
[Survival rate: 3.!@$%]
Affection Points: 5#2####
Seduction:3/1@!
/
[Estimated repair time: 3 Days 6 hours 23 minutes 1 second]
'Just how much affection did she give me that even the Log is terrified and broke down?' Aether thought with an amused expression. He wasn't sure whether he should be happy about this unexpected development or if he should be concerned.
"Heheh..."
Hearing her giggling and seeing the joyful expression on her face, Aether thought, 'Well, everything is worth it!' Despite his satisfaction, he still couldn't understand why his Seduction skill didn't increase.
'Maybe it's a hidden mission and not a Log-selected one?' He guessed but wasn't sure whether his assumption was correct.
Selene felt her body unusually different.
She frowned, noticing a sudden surge of power coursing through her veins. Her body felt stronger, more energized, and even more alive than before. Frowning, she looked at her Log,
"What in the...?"
"What happened?" Aether asked, concern etched on his face as he watched her intently.
"L-Look," she said, showing her Log to Aether:
/
Name: Selene Frostblade
Sex: Female
Race: Human
Level: 14
Title: Daughter of Velc Frostblade, Brainy, Loves Aether to Death, Yandere, Stalker.
Attributes:
Strength: 130
Agility: 130
Intelligence: 130
Magic Affinity: 130
Charm: 130
/
Her level was actually 12 before, but now...
"Aether... what did you do?" Selene asked with a curious and slightly accusatory face. She believed he was... no, he must be the cause of this sudden change.
"Well... even if you ask me, I don't know," Aether answered, shrugging slightly. He wasn't sure himself. This was as much a mystery to him as it was to her.
Selene frowned as she thought of various possibilities before her eyes slowly lowered to his groin area... This was the only possibility, right?
'I mean, that thing is the one that entered me, so...' Selene thought and then voiced her thoughts to him.
Aether pondered for a second. "Cannot be sure about that..." he mumbled. He needed to test if he was really the cause. If he was, then who knows which insane woman would lock him up for that...
A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of being confined because of this peculiar ability.
"Why don't we test it?" Selene asked with a blushing, teasing face. She seemed eager to explore the possibilities, despite the her pain.
Aether simply shoved... the soup at her, interrupting her thoughts and actions!
Selene pouted, feeling slightly disappointed and a bit childish, before continuing to eat.
After feeding her like a child, Aether told her a few details about how she was his hidden mission...
"OH! So I am a hidden mission for you... Hmm," Selene nodded with satisfaction. Hidden meant she was special, right?
Aether nodded and looked at the skill he received, feeling a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
[Skill: Eternal Seal]
[Effect: The Eternal Seal is granted to bonded parties, establishing a permanent, unbreakable Soul connection. A distinctive mark appears on each female's body, symbolizing their eternal bond. This connection allows the parties to share emotions, feelings, and desires, fostering a profound sense of unity and understanding]
[Additional Benefits: The Eternal Seal accelerates the growth and development of the bonded female parties. It also establishes a telepathic connection, enabling instantaneous, silent communication]
[Limitations: The Eternal Seal is unbreakable once formed and cannot be dissolved by any means, not even by Arcane/Mother root/######## themselves.]
"Hmm... interesting, let's try it," Selene mumbled when she heard the details. Aether nodded and activated the Eternal Seal,
"Arrhh!"
Suddenly, Aether clutched his chest and groaned in pain. He felt a scorching heat sensation, as if something was itching inside his chest... no, deeper, like in his soul! The intensity of the sensation made him wince and clench his teeth.
"A-Aether?" Selene was taken aback, her concern growing with each passing second as she watched him struggle.
Soon, something itched on his chest... like a weird tattoo that felt alive and pulsating with otherworldly energy.
An infinity symbol (∞) was positioned at the centre of his chest, crafted to fit seamlessly and comfortably. Its lines were intricately adorned with delicate vine patterns, symbolizing both growth and interconnectedness. At the intersection where the loops of the infinity symbol meet, a small flower bud was delicately placed, poised as if on the brink of blooming.
Selene subconsciously touched the tattoo and felt an inexplicable emotion toward it, a deep sense of connection that resonated with her very soul.
Aether breathed heavily as he looked at the screen, his eyes scanning the new information displayed before him.
[Target?]
"Selene Frostblade"
Immediately, a screen appeared before Selene's eyes. She was taken aback by the sudden display, 'So this is what Aether was talking about... interesting,' she thought.
[Warning: You are entering the Eternal Seal Bond, which means you cannot break this even if you die... Your soul will always be bonded with Aether Forever to Eternity]
[Warning: Are you willing to proceed?]
Selene smiled gently. There was a little madness in her eyes when she saw 'Forever to Eternity.' This was more like a gift than a warning to her.
The thought of being bound to Aether forever filled her with an intense, almost overwhelming sense of joy and contentment.
"Yes," she replied without hesitation, her voice steady and filled with conviction.
[Where do you want the Eternal Seal?]
"Well... I..."
[Expect all over the body]
Selene pouted, seeing this rejection even before she said anything. Then she said, "I want it... near my heart."
[Initiating Eternal Seal]
"Arrrhh!!"
Selene clutched her chest as she trembled and groaned in pain. She was feeling exactly what Aether felt... something deeper, like in her soul! The sensation was overwhelming and consuming, making her feel as if her very essence was being intertwined with his.
Aether hugged her body tightly, offering what little comfort he could as he watched the tattoo form on her chest. It itched and pulsated just like his. Her tattoo was also the same infinity symbol (∞), except there was nothing at its intersection... yet.
Suddenly, both Selene and Aether's bodies glowed. Aether's tattoo flickered with blackish-blue light, while Selene's flickered with pure white before both settled down into a steady, calming glow.
"-ha-ha-" Selene panted heavily, then gently touched her tattoo. She could feel something... something entering her body. Her eyes widened as she felt love, possessiveness, happiness, and longing more intensely than ever before.
She looked at Aether, who was gently smiling. He was surprised to feel so many emotions from her, as if he were on the brink of madness. The connection was deep, raw, and powerful.
Selene now truly believed she become one with Aether... these emotions... she was really happy now!
Selene mumbled, "I love you," as she kissed him passionately. They slowly intertwined, their kissing sounds echoing in the room. Aether broke the kiss and stopped her since he knew she was still in pain and needed time to recover.
Selene giggled, saying, "Even though I can feel your lust toward me," before entering the bathroom. She enticed him with her movements, swaying her hips as if inviting him to follow her.
Aether sighed deeply, trying to control his raging hormones and the intense emotions coursing through him..... He threw her inside the bathroom!