"W-Who the fuck are you?!"

"..."

Silence... As if the world itself held its breath between them.

Aether was utterly and devastatingly hurt.

First, his wife said she loved her adopted mother at the same level as him, a confession that had already been carved deep into his chest, and now she was avoiding him when he tried to hug her.

And even more, she was asking who the fuck he was, as if everything they shared had been wiped clean.

It was worse than any nuke, a destruction that left no ashes, only emptiness.

He was so hurt that he wanted to kill that bitch who was responsible for these actions, a violent storm brewing beneath his skin.

"Nyx? Are you really avoiding me? Your wonderful husband?" Aether said as he stepped forward towards her, his voice strained yet trying to hold onto warmth, only to see her backing off another ten steps away from him, her body retreating as if he were something dangerous.

"N-Nyx?"

Nyx flinched as she tried to look at him, her face turning beet red again as she averted her eyes, her fingers curling slightly as if resisting the urge to run into his arms.

That was a final blow to his coffin, sealing something fragile inside him.

"..."

Aether almost felt like his soul was leaving his body, his chest hollowing out, until—

"A-Are you really my husband?"

She asked with flushed cheeks, still averting her eyes, her voice smaller now, uncertain, as if she feared both answers equally.

Aether blinked in confusion, his brows knitting slightly before he forced a faint smile.

"Of course, I am your handsome husband," he said, a little bit of narcissism slipping into his tone.

Nyx still couldn’t believe the thing standing before her was her husband.

To her eyes, he was sparkling like an angel, light clinging to his form, his presence overwhelming, so handsomely beautiful, so dangerously attractive, so... freaking hot!!

Sure, her husband was already the handsomest one, the one she had always known, but now... this man standing before her felt different, like something elevated beyond mortal limits.

As if he stood above the charts of anything, beyond comparison, beyond freaking reason!

She couldn’t help but feel her heart beating faster, each thump loud in her ears, and something hot coiling inside her body.

"P-Prove it!"

Aether frowned slightly, tilting his head. "Prove?" His voice dipped, confusion mixing with disbelief as he studied her trembling figure.

He wasn’t sure why she was acting like this.

’Oh, maybe she’s worried that Mary is disguised as me?’ he thought, before straightening a little, confidence returning to his posture as he spoke.

"I know every dirty secret of yours." As he pointed out everything one by one.

"You like grave garden flowers that are hinted with ash scents, the kind nobody else dares to touch.

You sleep on the ground whenever you feel sad, even when a bed is right there waiting for you.

You sometimes even eat ashes from the grave, like you’re trying to taste something lost.

You pout when nobody speaks to you, even though you never like to speak first.

You wait for everyone to eat together, quietly watching with happiness, and you hate when others don’t come to eat together... and you hate it even more when others fight each other."

"W-Wait—"

"And you sniff my clothes whenever you’re alone, like a little thief of warmth, and even when I was asleep, you sneak into my room and fuc—"

"OKAY!!!"

That voice came from the core of her heart, bursting out of her chest, as her face turned completely red, heat spreading across her cheeks and ears, not because of how absurdly handsome he looked now, but because of the shameless truths he had just thrown into the open.

"H-How did you know all of that?" Nyx muttered in horror, her voice shrinking, her body stiff as if exposed under a cruel spotlight.

Aether blinked as he smiled warmly, something genuine and steady breaking through the chaos.

"Is that even a question? I know because I love you, damn girl..."

His voice carried no hesitation now, only certainty, wrapping around her like something far more dangerous than desire.

In the next moment, those twenty steps instantly disappeared between them, and in the next moment, she was already in his embrace.

She didn’t know why, but for a moment, she felt like she wanted to hug him tightly, as if holding onto something she feared might slip away.

She sometimes worried if Aether would forget her. After all, she knew herself better than others... she barely talked and barely asked for anything.

Among the group, she was like a shadow, always present yet never noticed, and even Raven barely acted without a hint of shame if she wanted something from others... so she slightly worried she would be turned into a shadow completely one day.

But she knew he would not forget her... it was just a feeling she always had, just like when she was with Mary and her daughter... yet being a shadow sometimes still hurt her, quietly and deeply.

Yet again, he shattered everything.

’He is watching me...’ she thought, her expression softening slightly as she looked up and saw her husband smiling at her warmly.

But then—

’He is bright...’ she thought, and as soon as she saw his face clearly, her heart started to beat wildly, like a horse running without restraint.

"Come on, give your husband a gentle kiss~" Aether said, his tone playful as he puckered his lips and leaned towards her... only to be blocked by her hand pressing against his face.

"N-No!"

Nyx was blushing heavily as she averted her eyes from him, her body heating up uncontrollably. If he kissed her... she was sure something inside her would snap, and she might do something dangerous and daring without thinking.

Meanwhile, Aether... was cracked like a frozen ice stone, something fragile splintering within him.

’WHY?!!’

She hugged him, and he thought he was finally being loved overflowing... and yet... he was blocked again.

Veins popped on his forehead, not directed at her, of course. He would never get angry at her... so all that frustration shifted toward that annoying bitch instead.

"Achoo!" Inside the mansion, someone sneezed loudly.

But then he snapped out of his thoughts.

There was no way he would let that bitch have his woman... Nyx belonged to him.

"Let’s go on a date!" Aether said without hesitation, his voice suddenly firm as he held her waist tightly and walked out of the gates, not giving Nyx a chance to object or even process what was happening.

Nyx, of course, couldn’t say anything. His touch on her waist had already made her stop thinking entirely, her mind going blank under the warmth of his hand.

While they were walking, Aether tried to ease her. He told some weird, random stories, his voice lively, attempting to fill the silence between them.

Nyx couldn’t even dare to look at his face at all. Her heart was beating so fast as she walked closer to him, shoulder to shoulder, their proximity making her even more aware of him.

’W-What’s going on? This isn’t our first time walking... why am I unable to look at him?’ she screamed in her heart, her head lowering, caught between shyness and something far more dangerous stirring inside her.

She shot a quick glance at her beloved husband, who, for some reason, was making her heart race just by seeing his face as he continued telling her something.

"There is also this story... that time I was reborn as a sticky slime. It was a good show, you know... the main character was so badass that readers didn’t even know if it was a she or a he... until the end... the author cockblocked everyone... ahaha," Aether laughed, clearly amused by his own story.

But all she could hear was her own heartbeat... and his lovely laugh wrapping around her senses.

A droplet of drool slipped from her lips, as her gaze lingered just a second too long.

But she shook her head, shoving away whatever thoughts had entertained her just then. As her mind cleared, she noticed something else... the people around them were staring.

No, not at them.

More like... at her husband.

Everyone’s eyes, male, female, whatever they called themselves, were locked onto him without a hint of hesitation.

Their gazes clung to him shamelessly... lips slightly parted, some even drooling, faces flushed deep red.

A few girls trembled where they stood, transparent liquid drenched on their legs as their bodies reacted just from seeing his face.

Aether, of course, didn’t notice any of it. After all, this place was something out of the ordinary, and in his eyes, everything felt normal.

Shit! He had gotten used to this kind of thing.

Bro got used to these things!

He was slowly being cursed by this Empire... for sure!

However, Nyx didn’t like it one bit. Every woman was lusting after her husband. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

’How dare those filthy things...’

She never cared for her surroundings... but now...

Her expression darkened, a cold shadow passing over her face. Sure, she had allowed her husband to be close to Her Majesty before. That was something she wanted and needed to protect her husband.

But this... this was different.

Half of her body flickered with a chilling aura, faint bones almost phasing beneath her skin. Dark thoughts surged forward.

She wanted to strip their bodies bare, tear their flesh piece by piece, devour them without hesitation, and hang their bones in the grave... so they would never see her husband again.

Just as she was about to act, her killing intent rising like a silent tide—

"Looks like they’re rebuilding that café... I think this would be good..."

She flinched.

Her thoughts shattered instantly as she turned and saw Aether looking at her with a loving smile, soft and completely unaware.

’T-Too much, husband!’ she screamed in her mind, her heart jolting violently. That smile alone nearly made her lose control... and just as she feared, everyone around them was affected by it too.

Unable to control her overwhelmingly handsome, dangerously attractive, sexy husband... she reacted instantly.

She pulled out a skull face from a small portal and placed it on his face without hesitation.

Aether blinked beneath it. "What?"

Nyx quickly jumped a few steps away, her hands moving behind her back as she glanced at him again.

Then, with a shy yet beautiful smile, tugging her purlish black colour strands behind her ears, she spoke,

"Husband should not remove the mask until I say so~"

She winked at him cutely, her lips curling into a cheeky smile that didn’t quite match her usual quiet nature.

"..."

Aether’s heart skipped a beat.

When did his wife get so cheeky?

So cute~!!

And of course... he was absolutely loving this side of her.

"Haha... if that’s what my lady wants... so be it~" Aether said, adjusting the mask on his face properly before following after her, a playful smile lingering in his voice.

[Mutation Progress: 60%... 66%....]