Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Aether bit his lip, deep in thought, staring quietly out into the distance. The wind brushed gently against his face, but his mind was far away, swirling with conflicted thoughts.

Honestly, he wasn’t sure what to say.

Sure, he could talk to Liora. He could sit her down, make her listen, and convince her to bend the rules just this once. He could make it easy.

But… this wasn’t just a rule. It was something she truly believed in—something she wanted for Kaelen. Aether wasn’t a fool. He knew exactly what Liora desired.

She wasn’t being cruel. She didn’t want a perfect daughter-in-law for her own pride. No… she wanted her son to end up with someone better than herself. Someone strong. Someone fierce. Someone willing to fight for Kaelen—not just once, but for a lifetime.

There was nothing wrong with that. Nothing selfish. Just the love of a mother who wanted to make sure her son wouldn’t be abandoned or broken.

Aether let out a slow sigh and turned his head slightly, just enough to glance at his son. Kaelen’s eyes were wide and filled with anxious hope. His hands gripped his own knees tightly, trembling just slightly.

“You can’t?” Kaelen asked, his voice small, laced with nervous tension. His expression was painfully soft, like a puppy begging not to be turned away.

Aether exhaled deeply, shoulders rising and falling. “Fine…” he said at last, voice warm but cautious. “I’ll talk to her.”

“YEAH!! Thank you, Dad!!” Kaelen shouted with joy, unable to hide his overwhelming relief. He threw his arms around Aether, hugging him tightly.

Aether chuckled faintly and shook his head, the corners of his mouth curling into a tired smile. “But listen… I can’t promise you anything. This isn’t just a whim of your mother’s. She made this rule not for herself, but for you. I will talk to her… but in the end, it’s her decision, not mine.”

Kaelen’s smile softened, but his expression remained grateful. He nodded, eyes full of appreciation. “It’s fine, Dad. That’s all I needed… just you talking to her is enough,” he said with a sigh of deep relief.

“What’s her name again?” Aether asked.

Kaelen smiled softly, “I will introduce her to you directly next time…”

Aether shrugged softly. He didn’t mind Kaelen keeping it secret for now… as he could see Kaelen wanted to prove something.

With a light-hearted grin of contentment, Kaelen leaned back and stared up at the sky. He felt weightless. The anxiety that had been crushing him for days seemed to finally ease. He was about to stand up and return to his training, mentally gearing up for the next round of tests when—

“Where are you going?” Aether’s voice turned sharp. “We’re not finished yet.”

Kaelen immediately sat back down, confused but obedient.

Aether raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, voice firm, “What’s your current level?”

“Well…” Kaelen looked away awkwardly, scratching his neck. “Around… 60?”

Inwardly, he winced. That was a stretch. He was only 51. But hey, technically that was still around 60… right?

Aether hummed thoughtfully, “Aria’s sitting comfortably at 90 now. You’re going to struggle to even keep up with her in a sparring match, let alone beat her.”

He shot Kaelen a sidelong glance.

Kaelen sighed in frustration. “I’m sorry, Dad. This… this is all I could manage with the time I had. I trained every day. I barely slept. I did everything I could.” His fists clenched tightly, knuckles white with tension.

Aether didn’t say anything for a moment. He understood. Of course he did. He knew all too well the cost of growth and how Aria had reached her level through circumstances that weren’t exactly… fair.

“Here.” Aether reached into his coat and pulled out a gleaming crystal—its surface shimmered with all the colours of the rainbow. An Origin Crystal.

Kaelen blinked at it, stunned. He stared in disbelief before slowly shaking his head. “I… I don’t need it,” he said firmly. “I want to defeat her with my own strength. My own effort.” His tone was proud, even defiant, hoping to impress his father with his integrity.

But instead of admiration, Aether’s face shifted to disappointment. He gave Kaelen a deadpan look, shaking his head slowly.

“My son… you need to understand something. Hard work is honourable, yes. And I am impressed. I truly am. But the world doesn’t reward everyone just for trying hard. This world is harsh. It doesn’t wait for you to catch up. It doesn’t care about fairness. When an opportunity comes, you take it. If you don’t… someone else will, and you’ll be left in the dust.”

His tone was sharp now—fatherly, but firm. “This isn’t a shortcut. This is your reward. For every ounce of effort you’ve poured in until now.”

He held the crystal out again.

Kaelen stared at it, conflicted.

He glanced at Aether, then back at the crystal glowing in his palm. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly reached out and took it with a wry, unsure expression. “…Are you sure this is safe?”

Aether nodded with confidence. “I’m one hundred percent sure it won’t harm you. Don’t worry—I’ve tested it on a dragon… and a human.”

Kaelen’s face twisted into visible concern. “…That second part didn’t exactly sound reassuring, Dad.”

Shrugging off the comment, Kaelen asked, “…So what do I do? Just absorb it into my Arcane card?”

Aether dusted off his pants as he stood up, turning to look at him seriously. “There are two ways. The first one’s easy. You absorb it into your Arcane card directly. That’ll boost your power, but you’ll only get around sixty percent of the crystal’s potential.”

“That much waste?” Kaelen looked up, taken aback.

Aether nodded, raising another finger. “The second way… is the hard one. Much more dangerous. But it’ll give you ninety percent absorption.”

Kaelen stared at the crystal, then at his father’s face. He knew Aether was giving him the choice… but the look in his father’s eyes said everything. He wanted Kaelen to choose the hard path.

To prove himself.

To push beyond.

Kaelen clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. “The hard way, Dad. I’ll take it. Ninety percent.”

Aether’s eyes searched his, and what he saw there made him smile. The boy was nervous, yes—but his gaze was unwavering.

Determined.

“Good,” Aether said, voice low and full of pride. His lips curved into a smirk. “Now then… shall we begin… your near-death trial?”

“Yes, Dad—wait. Wh–?”

BOOOOMMMMMM!!!!

…..

…

The sky had turned dark, painted in streaks of violet and deep charcoal as Kaelen staggered through the gate of his home. His breathing was ragged, his clothes torn, and his body trembled under the sheer weight of fatigue and pain.

“M-Mom…” he finally called out, his voice faint, broken.

Liora, who had been sitting quietly in the hallway, waiting anxiously for her son’s return, instantly turned at the sound. Her multicoloured eyes widened the moment she saw him—battered, bloodied, barely able to stand.

Her heart dropped.

“K-Kaelen?” she gasped, rising to her feet in a flash. Her initial panic stilled when she took a closer look. Despite the bruises, despite the visible toll his body had taken… she felt it. A shift.

A power inside him—deeper, stronger, matured.

He had changed.

Liora rushed to him just before he collapsed, catching him in her arms. She gently guided him down, easing his trembling body into her embrace as her lips curved into a soft, proud smile. “You worked so hard…” she murmured, brushing his matted hair back from his forehead and ruffling it with delicate fingers.

Kaelen gave a weak smile, eyes barely open, but glowing with genuine warmth. “I… I love you, Mother,” he whispered.

Liora blinked, stunned for a moment. He said it so naturally, so openly. No hesitation. No sarcasm. Just… raw, pure affection.

Something he hadn’t said in a long time—if ever.

She froze slightly, taken aback by the honesty in his voice.

And truly, why wouldn’t he be grateful?

In the past, Kaelen had always seen her as ruthless, harsh, unrelenting. Her training methods, her discipline—it felt like punishment. But now… after enduring Aether’s version of a “lesson,” everything had changed.

His father had redefined what ruthless meant.

Aether didn’t hold back. Not even for his own son. No gentle words, no pacing—just full-force, brutal, overwhelming trial-by-fire. That man had nearly killed him with a smile on his face and called it training.

Compared to that?

His mother’s training was nothing more than a firm scolding. A slap on the wrist. A mosquito bite.

Kaelen finally understood—his mother hadn’t been cruel. She had always held back. She had always trained him not to break him, but to shape him. And even in her strictness, there was love.

Liora gave him a soft smile… She already knew. Aether had told her everything.

And she was so proud of them—of both of them. Her man. Her son.

“W-Where is he?” Kaelen asked, voice groggy, but a hint of nervousness crept in. The last thing he remembered was Aether grinning with wild eyes and a dangerous spark of excitement. The memory sent a shiver down his spine.

Liora tilted her head, casually folding her arms as she replied with a shrug, “Well… it’s your father we’re talking about, isn’t it? He always believes in equality. He doesn’t go easy on anyone.”

Kaelen blinked, processing her words.

Then slowly, a strange chuckle escaped his lips.

“Oh-oh~oh~oh…” he began to laugh—awkward, uneven, slightly manic. “So… Aria too is suffering just like me?” he asked, eyes lighting up with a dangerous glint as he pumped his fist in the air. “YES!! That’s my dad!! Teach her a lesson! Show her the wrath of training!!”

He laughed, almost deliriously proud of the fact that someone else was going through the same torture he had endured.

Liora blinked at him, her expression flat.

‘Well… I’m not entirely sure about suffering,’ she thought with a slight pout and a twitch at the corner of her mouth.

Because, in Aria’s room, at that very moment—

“Ahh~ Ahh~ Aaetthherr~ h-harder~ Aahhh~ c-cummmminnnggg~”

__________

[Author’s Note: Well, guys, I wrote a new Novel. Give it a read and tell me your opinion.]

This Is Not F***

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