Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Outside the barrier...

"Why do we have to kill these things?" Kai asked with a confused expression as he arranged the dead metallic figures in order. He glanced at Vesperine, who calmly walked toward them with the same unbothered grace.

Vesperine stared at the dead metallic figures, "Because we need them," she said.

Kai, Leon, and Finnian frowned as they looked at each other with the same confused expression, none of them fully understanding why Vesperine acted as if this routine slaughter was part of a larger design only she could see.

Vesperine crouched before the metallic figures, her finger softly touching their chests one by one. When her fingers graced the cold metal, their chests glowed faintly before their origin cards rose, hovering like glowing tags above their bodies.

Kai and the others raised their eyebrows in mild surprise.

Vesperine summoned her card before tapping it against the floating cards one by one. As she gently tapped each card with her own, the cards trembled, shimmered into particles, and dispersed into the air like scattered fireflies.

Meanwhile, Vesperine's card changed; the top right corner value shifted upward by one point, glowing for a heartbeat.

"What are you doing?" Finnian frowned as he leaned toward her curiously, trying to peek at the card in her hand.

Vesperine smiled gently, almost lovingly. "A ticket to our calm future, darling…" She stood up and waved her hand, and instantly a soft pink mist swirled around the metallic bodies before lifting them and disintegrating them into glittering particles.

She then walked in a sensual way as her hips swayed seductively, her eyes fixed on her card. "We should go. The patrol soldiers are about to come," she said, her tone low and casual, as if patrol soldiers weren't a threat at all.

Kai and the others nodded before following her back. While walking, Kai asked,

"I am curious… why are we secretly doing this? I mean… what's the point of doing it secretly? If it could help us, I think it would be better for the world to know, right?" His voice carried honest confusion, the kind only Kai could make sound innocent.

Finnian nodded too with a serious face.

Vesperine just glanced at him and said, "Believe me, the moment the world knew… we would be falling back.

The game already began, dear… we need to get ahead of them. And don't worry, sooner or later, everyone will know what to do. This is a game of who moves first… the faster you move, the higher the chance of winning." She giggled inwardly, remembering the words of her Master Hunter.

"Winning what?" Leon frowned.

Vesperine shrugged lightly. "Anything… Let's just focus on things right now, okay? Since the patrol was spread around the Empire's barrier, it would be hard for us to sneak in and kill those metallic figures. But don't fret. As long as I am with you… I know when they come." She smirked, a confident spark flickering in her eyes.

The others smirked too. They weren't sure how Vesperine managed any of this — teleporting them outside the barrier, always knowing where the metallic figures appeared, finding them with zero effort while the rest of the Empire struggled to locate even one.

But one thing they did know… was that they would do anything for this beautiful, lovely and understanding woman.

Leon said with an amused tone, "Kai, I heard your ex-lover, the bitchy Princess, actually got engaged to that asshole of yours? Hahaha… are you lonely now?"

Kai snorted as he looked at Leon with a disgusted expression.

"No way… that's disgusting to even hear now. My heart solely belongs to my lovely Vesp… No one else could have my heart and my body!" He looked at Vesperine and added in a warm, eager tone,

"Please believe me. I am in no way interested in that sketchy bitch who only knows how to scam others… unlike you, my darling… I love you from the bottom of my heart."

Leon chuckled as he patted Kai's shoulder, "I am just kidding, man. There is no need to worry… I know you love her too."

Finnian nodded his head, patting Kai's other shoulder. "Indeed… no need to fret over the past. We have moved forward, and we were chosen by the best woman among women… no one would ever come close to our dear."

Kai's eyes turned gentle and teary. "G-Guys? I am so freaking glad to have you as my brothers…" He pulled both Finnian and Leon into a tight, emotional hug, squeezing them as if afraid to lose them.

Meanwhile, Vesperine, who heard Aqualina's engagement, felt her fingers clench. The image of a man flashed before her eyes… that handsome, lovely… dangerously irresistible man.

He looked cute, but he was a freaking dangerous one!!

Her lips trembled in frustration. She couldn't get her target because of the work she had to deal with now… otherwise, Aether would have been between her legs, begging for more without a second thought.

But for now, she needed to increase her powers through her husbands… only then could she face that dangerous man and truly rule him. Her lips curled upward slyly, and the thought of a trembling Aether beneath her legs made her flinch with excitement, heat blooming under her skin.

As they kept walking back toward the barrier, they saw Timmy standing inside it, tightly holding a bundle of items for them. His fearful expression showed how tense he was, as though he expected patrol soldiers to appear at any moment and cut him down. When his eyes finally fell on them, he let out a shaky breath of pure relief.

Vesperine waved her hand, and a white portal appeared with a soft crackle of energy. The group entered and instantly appeared inside the barrier, the air shifting from cold wilderness to the warmer inner zone.

"Thank goodness you came back faster… we need to leave now… the patrols are close," Timmy said with a serious tone, already glancing around nervously.

Meanwhile, back in the capital,

The function continued in full splendour. The nobles had finished presenting their elaborate gifts and congratulations. Next came the commoners—though not every citizen, otherwise the ceremony would take months. So, a carefully selected thousand people were chosen to step forward and offer their humble but heartfelt gifts to Aether.

"I… I have only rice…" a lady said with an awkward tone, unsure if she should even speak the words. Her hands trembled slightly as she held out the small bag.

Aether chuckled softly, taking the bag of rice from her hands, and said in a gentle tone, "Thank you for thinking about my health. I am very glad to accept your generous gift."

The lady blinked, startled. Aether didn't show even a hint of disappointment or condescension. He accepted it with the same grace he showed the nobles.

There was no partiality in his eyes, only genuine kindness!

Aether tilted his head, noticing the lady was utterly frozen, staring at him as if entranced. He snapped his fingers lightly before her, pulling her out of her daze. She snapped back to reality and muttered,

"Y-You… so handsome—"

"Next!"

Aqualina shouted as the guards immediately pushed the lady away. Aqualina elbowed him with an annoyed expression.

Aether blinked. "What? I didn't do anything."

She snorted… she knew he didn't do anything, but damn, she was pissed off seeing that woman drooling over her husband even after knowing he now had a woman by his side.

'Those bitches!' Aqualina thought with an annoyed expression as she stood for the next person who came forward. She smiled forcibly, "Thank you," she said as she raised her hand to receive the gift, but the man… just stood there, staring at her like he was utterly mesmerised.

It was his first time seeing a beauty so far beyond anything he could ever approach… he blankly stared at her—

"Next, please!"

An almost annoyed tone echoed as the guard flinched and saw Aether giving a dead glare at the man who was mesmerised by his wife. The guard gulped and took the man immediately, not even caring to take his gift properly.

Aqualina gave Aether a sidelong glance with a sly expression. Aether cleared his throat and said calmly,

"We cannot have the queue wait too long, right?"

Aqualina raised her eyebrows. "Oh? Right~" she nodded with a cheeky smile. Aether's lips twitched... It's not like he was jealous!

Come on… it was impossible for him to stop men or even women from staring at his wives!

So he wasn't jealous… he just… You know, worried about the queue.

Yeah… just the queue!

Believe him!

Aqualina giggled as she took the present from the next person while smiling with a bright, happy expression. Aether gave her a deadpan glance, but it only made her even happier.

She was enjoying his jealousy~

While Aether and Aqualina enjoyed their moment, among the crowd in the streets, crystals displayed the live footage of Aether and Aqualina accepting the gifts.

On one particular crystal, a hand touched the surface… especially the part showing Aether giggling happily.

The hand looked feminine... slender, trembling slightly as it slowly slid across the crystal. A streak of blood trailed behind the touch before the hand pulled back and disappeared into the crowd.

Leaving only the bloody smear on the crystal.

The image of Aether happened to appear exactly over the blood trail, his happy face now covered in that crimson stain.