Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1445: F-For everything... P-Please don’t leave me again... Please...

”Hey, careful!” Delphine shouted with a bright smile, sitting on the soft grassy land as she watched Aether toss their child upward.

The little body rose higher and higher, almost brushing the sky, before falling safely back into his waiting arms.

”Haha...” the child laughed loudly, her voice ringing with pure joy as she clapped her hands. ”Again, Papa,” she said eagerly, already bracing herself for another flight into the air.

”But Mommy is getting angry~” Aether said in a mock-defeated tone, glancing toward Delphine.

She blinked in realising she could not see his face clearly, nor his full figure, for some strange reason.

It was as if his presence itself was blurred, distorted, slipping just out of focus.

The child turned toward Delphine and pouted dramatically, her small lips trembling with exaggerated emotion. ”I hate you, Mommy!!” she cried.

Delphine chuckled warmly, her eyes soft as she shook her head. ”You hate me because I am a good mother who does not want her child to get hurt?” she muttered, then glanced at Aether with a teasing glare. ”And you love him because he is a bad father who throws his child into the air like it is nothing? What kind of logic is that, huh?”

”Hehe~” Aether giggled, clearly amused, as he leaned closer to the child and gently pinched her cheek. ”Tsk, tsk, look at you,” he said playfully. ”Your mommy is jealous because I am playing with you instead of giving her attention.”

Delphine’s cheeks flushed red instantly, ”Idiot... what nonsense are you putting into the child’s head?” she snapped.

The child tilted her head in genuine curiosity, her eyes wide and thoughtful. ”Does Mommy want to be thrown into the sky too?” she asked, as if seriously considering the idea.

Aether tilted his head in return, pretending to ponder the question carefully. ”Should we?” he said slowly, glancing at Delphine. ”Would that make her cry?”

The child’s face lit up with excitement as she grinned widely. ”Yay! Let’s throw Mommy!!” she declared, already imagining it.

Delphine blinked hard... The heck? She stood up abruptly, only to see two demons approaching her with identical smirks on their faces.

In that instant, she knew she had to run, because if she did not... she would definitely be crying.

She turned and began to flee, her heart light with love and happiness even as laughter bubbled inside her chest. But just as she took her first steps, everything changed.

The vibrant green around her dissolved, and a cold breeze rushed across her face.

She blinked again, and when her eyes opened, the warmth was gone.

Darkness surrounded her completely, thick black smoke curling and coiling around her body like living shadows.

”A-Aether?” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

No answer came.

Confusion crept into her chest as the sudden shift and unfamiliar place pressed down on her senses. Slowly, the darkness parted, revealing towering dark walls that closed in on her, as if she were trapped within a narrow, suffocating space.

”W-Where am I?” she muttered, her voice filled with fear and unease. ”Aether? Dear?” she called again, desperately reaching out.

Sshh~

The dark mist stirred violently, swirling and twisting until it took shape, forming two figures from the shadows.

One of them crawled across the ground, its movements weak and desperate, as though its body was broken beyond repair.

The other stood tall before it.

The wounded figure dragged itself forward with trembling arms, scraping against the floor in a futile attempt to escape what followed before it.

Step... Step...

The standing figure began to walk, slow and deliberate, savouring every moment as it followed its prey.

Each step echoed unnaturally through the confined space.

”W-What are they doing? I-I feel like I have seen this before,” Delphine mumbled under her breath, her voice barely audible as she watched the scene unfold before her eyes.

Every movement, every sound felt painfully familiar, as though this moment had already been carved into her memory long ago.

The walking figure... she felt an immense closeness toward it, a pull that made her chest tighten.

As if... she knew who it was.

As if... she knew what it was.

Yet despite that familiarity, a violent shiver ran down her spine..

A chilling threat formed inside her chest, spreading like ice through her veins.

Something dreadful lingered in the air.

Her body reacted before her mind could catch up, and she subconsciously stepped back. The crawling figure desperately tried to retreat, dragging itself away while looking up at the walking figure.

Delphine strained her eyes, but she could not see their faces. Everything remained shrouded in thick, suffocating darkness.

Just then, a cold and... familiar tone echoed throughout the space.

”How long do you believe... the dark will protect you from me?”

The voice was neither woman nor man, yet it carried an immense familiarity. It felt close, intimate, as if it belonged to her, yet at the same time... it did not.

The crawling figure trembled violently, but still tried to move backwards, desperate to escape. Before it could get far, the walking figure seized its head and lifted it effortlessly from the ground, forcing it to face the darkness above.

”Your path ends here,” the voice continued, ”Crushed beneath the same hands that shaped your first breath.”

Chucckk!

In the very next second, the sound of flesh being cut echoed through the darkness.

Delphine flinched violently, her breath hitching in her throat as she watched the crawling figure’s head tear free from its body and fly through the air.

It landed directly in her trembling hand with a sickening weight.

Thuck!

Her heart stopped.

The moment Delphine saw the severed head and the darkness began to dissolve, her eyes widened in unbearable pain.

”AETHERRRR!!” she screamed as agony ripped through her chest.

”You will...”

Delphine looked up sharply as the voice addressed her directly. Her face turned pale as she saw the black, misty figure standing before her, the darkness slowly curling away and revealing the truth beneath it.

It was herself.

But unlike Delphine, that woman... that thing... wore greenish-golden embroidered clothing that concealed her entire body, revealing nothing. A white ribbon was wrapped tightly around her eyes like a blindfold, hiding whatever gaze lay beneath.

As her lips curled into a sly, terrifying smirk, Delphine felt her heart seize painfully in her chest.

The figure leaned closer and whispered directly to her,

”...And shall kill him!”

”!!!”

”Arh!”

Delphine flinched violently, her body jerking as her eyes snapped open with painful trembling. A sharp ache throbbed behind her skull, and her breath came out uneven, as if she had been dragged back from somewhere far too deep.

”She is waking up again.”

A gentle voice echoed beside her, calm and soothing, as a warm sensation flowed into her head. Her vision fluttered uselessly at first, the world reduced to shifting light and blurred shapes.

”Hmmm...”

A soft moan escaped her lips as she tried to focus, her eyes slowly adjusting. The haze cleared bit by bit until she saw Sera beside her, one hand glowing faintly as she stared at Delphine with quiet concern.

”A-Arch...” Delphine tried to speak, but her throat seized painfully. ”Cough, cough...”

Sera reacted instantly, lifting a glass and bringing it to her lips. ”Easy there...” she said gently, tilting the glass just enough for the water to touch Delphine’s dry mouth.

The moment the water reached her lips, relief surged through her throat, as if it had been parched for an eternity. She swallowed weakly, then nodded, silently asking for more. Sera smiled faintly and offered the glass again.

Gurrp... Gurp... Gulp... Gulp... Gulp!

Each swallow came easier than the last, the tightness slowly easing as warmth spread through her chest. Her throat finally relaxed, as if it had forgotten what water even tasted like until now.

Sera gently pulled the glass back and watched her closely. ”Are you alright?” she asked.

Delphine nodded weakly and tried to sit up, but the moment she moved, Sera placed a firm yet careful hand on her shoulder.

”Please take some rest. Your body is still weak right now,” she said, easing her back down.

Delphine sighed quietly and nodded in agreement. As her breathing steadied, she noticed several figures standing behind Sera,

”Where are my glasses?” she asked in a slightly raspy voice, uneven but far better than before.

Sera turned around, and before she could speak, Xara silently stepped forward and handed over a pair of glasses before quickly retreating behind the others.

Sera blinked with a faint frown, then carefully opened the glasses and placed them on Delphine’s nose.

”Hm...??” Delphine blinked in surprise as her vision sharpened. She realised an entire group of women stood nearby, watching her with curiosity and quiet concern.

”H-Hello?” she muttered awkwardly, her gaze drifting from face to face as if searching for someone in particular.

But she did not find him.

”Where... is... A-Aether?” she asked, fear creeping into her expression despite herself.

Sera smiled softly and shifted aside, gesturing toward the bed beside them. Delphine followed the motion and froze when she saw Aether lying there.

Her heart skipped painfully. ”A-Aether...” she whispered, trying to move toward him.

Sera stopped her immediately, holding her back.

”Please calm down. He is fine,” she said reassuringly. ”He is only resting, just like you were.”

Delphine’s hands trembled, aching to reach him, to touch him and confirm he was truly real. Sera tightened her hold gently but firmly.

”Please, Delphine...” she said again, her tone calm but resolute.

Delphine nodded weakly and lay back, her eyes never leaving Aether.

”I-Is he alright?” she asked quietly, her voice heavy with fear and relief tangled together.

Sera looked at Delphine for a moment before nodding with certainty. ”Yes. He is completely fine. He just needs rest.”

Delphine’s lips trembled as her eyes slowly turned wet, tears pooling at the edges as relief finally broke through her fear.

”T-Thank God...” she whispered, swallowing hard as she rubbed her eyes with shaking fingers.

Her shoulders relaxed slightly as she leaned back.

No one spoke at first. There were so many questions to ask, yet none of them rushed her.

Delphine took a slow breath, steadying herself. She knew what they wanted to ask, and she knew what she herself needed to understand.

What had happened, how they were saved, and how she had ended up here.

”Where... should.. I... begin?” she asked quietly.

Before anyone else could speak, Dora leaned forward slightly. ”Only if you are comfortable,” she said gently, her tone warm and patient.

Delphine blinked and turned her head, noticing Dora seated beside her, wearing a soft and reassuring smile.

The sight made Delphine’s eyes tremble even more, emotion rising too quickly to stop.

”P-Principal...” Delphine murmured, her voice breaking as she leaned closer.

Dora chuckled softly and wrapped her arms around her in a gentle hug. ”Silly,” she said quietly. ”Call me Dora,” she added, patting Delphine’s back with calm affection.

Around them, several eyebrows rose in silent shock. It was the first time anyone had seen the Principal allow someone to address her so casually.

Even the Rulers had never received such warmth, despite using her name freely.

Delphine managed a small smile and nodded, meeting Dora’s eyes. ”I... I couldn’t do anything,” she whispered. ”I... I just lost. I just... I...” Her voice failed her as tears finally spilled down her cheeks.

”A-Aunt?”

Delphine flinched at the voice and turned, her breath hitching as she saw Selene standing there.

The girl’s eyes were filled with tears, her body trembling as if she was barely holding herself together. She looked at Delphine with desperate longing, as though she wanted to run forward and cling to her.

Delphine smiled weakly and opened her arms. ”Come here,” she said softly.

Selene stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Delphine’s neck, burying her face against her shoulder. ”Aunt... Aunt... I... I am sorry,” she sobbed, her words muffled as she clung to her.

”Sorry? Why, dear?” Delphine asked, her shoulders shaking as she returned the embrace.

”F-For everything... P-Please don’t leave me again... Please...” Selene cried, her tears soaking into Delphine’s robes, ”Please... never... I-I will never hurt you... so please... please”

Delphine’s lips trembled as she smiled through her tears, holding Selene close.

Look at her, a haughty and lovely girl crying for her... Delphine never thought it would happen.

”I... I will not” Delphine mumbled softly with tears.

In that moment, a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up to see Sandra smiling sincerely, her voice barely above a whisper.

”I am glad you made it back alive.”

Delphine’s eyes trembled again, emotion threatening to overwhelm her.

Aqualina stepped forward with a soft smile. ”Professor, you are strong,” she said simply, her words filled with quiet respect.

Thalia followed, cupping her hand warmly. ”Yes, Professor,” she added. ”It is rare for Dora to acknowledge someone like that. You are really something else. I am glad to see you again.”

Raven nodded from behind her sister, giving thumps up as she said, ”Professor... best,” she said with a small grin.

Emberlyn stepped forward last, smiling politely. ”My name is Emberlyn, in case you have forgotten me, Ms. Delphine,” she said kindly. ”It is nice meeting you again. Hope you get well soon.”