Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1036 1036: I give myself to someone Mother deems worthy

In the end of the Game Date... neither of them won anything substantial—except for a chaotic bundle of joy, playful teasing, and running around like two overgrown children reliving forgotten memories of their carefree childhoods.

The endless giggles, sneaky cheating, and silly victories had drained them both, leaving their bodies tired but their hearts full.

And since there wasnʼt anything else to do...

They decided to rest.

Now they were lying in the middle of a quiet field, grass soft beneath them, sky painted in golden hues as if the sun were fading. Actually, it was Aether who was lying down, his head resting on Seraʼs warm, pillowy lap, while she gently sat cross-legged and played with the ends of his hair. Their eyes looked lazily at the empty plain stretching far ahead, where the only thing moving was the gentle breeze fluttering through tall grass.

Even though it was plain and empty, it held a kind of serene beauty—as if the whole world had paused just for them. Calm, quiet, like a secret spot that belonged only to their moment.

”Just so you know...” Aether muttered with a sleepy expression, his eyes half-closed as he stared up at the sky, ”I won... many times. And itʼs you who cheated. I saw you moving extra tiles, donʼt deny it.”

Sera pouted instantly, her fingers poking his cheek as she said in a playful tone, ”Excuse me? Just so you know, I won many times, and itʼs you who cheated. You were using your charm as a distraction.

Thatʼs psychological warfare!”

Aether frowned. Sera frowned. Their faces slowly turned to each other with matching stubbornness, eyes locked in seriousness.

Aether raised an eyebrow... Sera puffed her cheeks.

Neither of them backed down.

Finally, Sera smirked and said, ”Alright, alright. How about this… Letʼs make it interesting. You can ask me to do one thing, anything. And Iʼll ask you to do one thing too. Deal? That way itʼs fair and square—even though I did win our first match fair and square,” she added with a sly little jab, her voice slightly smug.

Aether squinted at her like she had just challenged his pride, but eventually sighed and nodded his head. After all, she did win the first game. And honestly, he couldnʼt bring himself to argue about it anymore.

Especially not while lying on her soft thighs that smelled faintly like roses and sunshine.

It was his loss. He had to accept that.

Sera beamed happily, a little too happy... only she knew how she was planning to use that reward~

”So...” she asked softly, her fingers trailing through his hair now with a slower, more sensual touch.

”Hmm?” he responded lazily, almost purring at her soft strokes.

”How was our date?”

Aether blinked at the question. He tilted his head in thought, then smiled, ”I had... a very unique date. Canʼt say Iʼve ever been ate a crystal or had my face stuffed with cotton candy while someone accused me of war crimes.”

Sera giggled, her laughter soft and sweet as she leaned down slightly, ”Thatʼs what I was going for. I didnʼt want a boring date. I wanted one youʼd remember forever. Like... forever ever.”

He looked up at her with an amused glint. ”You mean, a date to beat Helenaʼs, right?” with a knowing face.

Seraʼs smile twitched. ”N-No! Why would you say that? Thatʼs not... I mean—okay maybe a little but shush!”

Aether laughed as she turned away, clearly trying to hide her flustered cheeks. He was supposed to visit the orphanage after this, but watching her grinning like an excited child whoʼd finally stolen attention away from her rival... he decided to stay longer. She deserved it.

Sheʼd helped him so much, so many times, always selflessly, always without asking anything in return.

”Itʼs almost dark,” Aether muttered, glancing at the dimming horizon. ”Might as well head back.”

Sera nodded... then paused. ”We could teleport, but... what if we took a walk? Just one last stroll through the city before we go. As a couple... You know?”

Aether raised an eyebrow but didnʼt argue. He stood up and this time, instead of her pulling him up, he was the one who held her hand—firm and warm.

Fingers intertwined.

Protective and intimate.

He walked beside her with a slow pace, as if not in any rush to reach the end of the moment.

Seraʼs heart skipped. She smiled, then slowly leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked down the abandoned streets.

”You really okay with this?” Aether asked after a moment, his voice low and thoughtful. ”You, the Archpriestess... leaning on an outsider? What if someone sees?”

She just smiled. ”Youʼll understand once we return,” her voice cryptic and calm, like a woman holding a delightful secret.

Aether frowned, but before he could press her further, an old man walked toward them. He halted, bowed respectfully toward Sera, and with a gentle smile said,

”You two are a Heaven-made match. May the Mother bless you.”

Then he walked away like it was the most casual thing ever.

Aether blinked.

He turned to Sera.

”Heaven-made match?” he repeated with a raised brow.

Sera smiled, cheeks slightly pink, eyes pretending to look anywhere but at him. ”Donʼt you... want to be?”

Aether smirked and, without warning, wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer, his hand sliding gently along her hip.

Sera flinched and gasped, face exploding red as her heart jumped. She looked up at him with a mix of embarrassment and happiness and whispered, ”W-What are you doing?!”

”Making sure people know youʼre mine,” he said with a lazy grin.

They walked a little more when a middle-aged woman approached. She bowed deeply and said with conviction, ”You two are a Heaven-made match. May the Mother bless you.”

Sera blushed harder.

Aether blinked again, glancing at her.

”Okay now, this is starting to feel scripted.”

Sera giggled nervously, visibly sweating.

Aether tilted his head at her suspiciously.

ʼNah,ʼ he thought. ʼShe wouldnʼt...ʼ

As they walked a little more, an elderly woman stepped into their path. ”You two—”

”You two are a Heaven-made match... was that it?” Aether interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

The elderly woman blinked, then chuckled with a wise smile. ”Young man... You better control yourself. Otherwise, our poor, innocent Archpriestess wonʼt be able to handle you. May the Mother bless you,” she said, then winked at Sera before walking away.

Aether turned slowly to look at Sera, who was now furiously avoiding eye contact like her life depended on it.

”You know... itʼs getting real obvious now,” he said, smirking.

”I-I donʼt know what youʼre talking about...” she said, stammering slightly as her hand waved behind her back. In the distance, a suspiciously large group of people in a long line quietly slipped away after receiving her signal.

Aether saw it!!

And chose to pretend he didnʼt.

Chuckling, he said, ”Why are you worried? Didnʼt I already tell you I love you?”

Seraʼs face froze. Her heart did too.

Then slowly, her voice came out in a barely audible whisper, ”B-But... if you really loved me... then... why didnʼt you... touch me last night?”

Her voice trembled. It wasnʼt just teasing—it carried something raw, something soft, a tinge of insecurity and a shadow of longing.

Aether stared at her, expression unreadable for a long second before finally muttering under his breath, ”You do know that… you need to maintain your chastity, right?”

His voice was quiet—almost guilty—as they continued walking side by side, hand in hand.

Sera blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then she tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. ”Who told you that? And—hold on—wait just a second…” She stopped mid-step and turned to him, wide-eyed. ”Is that the reason you didnʼt touch me at all last night?”

She sounded absolutely flabbergasted.

Aether blinked too, visibly confused by her reaction. ”I mean… you are the Archpriestess, right? Like... next to the Goddess herself, right? Wasnʼt it obvious?”

Sera paused, staring at his face with squinted eyes, searching carefully for a hint of a joke—some smirk or wink or even a nervous chuckle.

But no.

He was serious.

Dead serious.

She blinked again.

Then again.

And then suddenly—

”Pfffft... AHAHAHA!” She burst out laughing, nearly doubling over from the sheer absurdity of it. Her laughter rang out into the quiet evening, echoing through the empty street. ”T-Thereʼs no need to worry, haha... about that... Aether,” she managed to say between chuckles, shaking her head as if she couldnʼt believe what sheʼd just heard.

He was holding back all this time. For her sake.

And she hadnʼt even realized it.

ʼIʼm such an idiot!ʼ she cursed herself silently. He had always been like this—from the very beginning. Even when they first met, he was always worrying about others more than himself.

Always selfless.

Always so careful.

ʼThat hasnʼt changed at all...ʼ

And that was exactly what she loved about him.

Aether scratched the back of his head, clearly awkward and slightly flustered. ”So… thatʼs not, like, needed?”

Sera shook her head gently, her smile turning warm, full of affection. ”Itʼs needed, yes... but only if I give myself to someone Mother deems worthy enough for me.”

And that was exactly what she loved about him.

Aether scratched the back of his head, clearly awkward and slightly flustered. ”So… thatʼs not, like, needed?”

Sera shook her head gently, her smile turning warm, full of affection. ”Itʼs needed, yes... but only if I give myself to someone Mother deems worthy enough for me.”

Aether stared at her, thoughtful, as if the weight of her words was just settling in. ”...Oh. So all this time…”

”Yes,” Sera nodded with a soft chuckle, ”Iʼve made sure everyone knew that you were Motherʼs chosen. That way, no one would question my chastity… or your worthiness.”

Her voice dropped to a loving whisper, lips curved into a smile that made Aetherʼs heart thump a little harder.

He blinked, still unsure. ”But… how would they just accept my worthiness like that?”

Inwardly, Aether recalled a memory—back in Iteration No.25, when heʼd been scrutinised and challenged by High Priests. Even when the Goddess herself had acknowledged him, theyʼd still questioned it.

Still doubted.

Sera, almost sensing his hesitation, suddenly reached into the folds of her clothes and pulled out a small glowing crystal ball. Its smooth surface flickered... and then glowed bright, revealing the scene of Aether stepping out of the sacred white flames.

Powerful. Divine... Unquestionable!!

Sera grinned proudly, holding it up like a child showing off their favourite toy. ”Tada~ Howʼs my darling now~? I showed this proudly to all the High Priests! Their jaws dropped~” she sang, practically dancing on her toes.

Aetherʼs eyes widened in surprise, ”...You little—”

”Kay~ My hubby is angry~!” Sera squeaked in mock fear as she tried to turn and run away. Her laughter echoed behind her.

But Aether was faster. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back, his arms strong and warm around her hips.

”Got you,” he whispered.

”No~ You canʼt do this here~!” she squealed dramatically, her voice full of fake protest even as her face lit up with joy, her grin stretching ear to ear. ”Iʼm the holy one, remember~!”

”And Iʼm the man who loves the holy one,” Aether murmured, leaning down, his lips inches from hers.

Just as his lips were about to seal the happiness on her flushed, laughing face—

”HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY ARCHPRIESTESS!! TAKE YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER THIS INSTANT, YOU HEATHEN!!!”

A furious, echoing voice thundered through the stillness.

Both Aether and Sera froze mid-motion. Their heads turned slowly in the direction of the voice.

And there, panting heavily, stood a very exhausted and very angry Finnian, his eyes wild with fury and righteous indignation as they zeroed in on Aether like a predator about to pounce.

Behind him, a golden-haired figure peeked out nervously from a corner… and then immediately ducked back behind the wall the moment Aetherʼs gaze met theirs.

Sera sighed.

Aether blinked.

”...Shouldʼve kissed you faster,” he muttered under his breath.