The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

It was —

"Misty?" Aeric lifted an eyebrow. His immediate older sister, who was nothing more than a year older than him, was standing there, shifting her weight from one foot to the other with an anxious expression.

Her gaze darted up, then down, avoiding his own, her brows slightly knitted, as if struggling with something unspoken.

Aeric also noticed what she was wearing. It was a light, soft-colored nightgown that draped loosely over her frame, a frame that he had not at all noticed before.

Slim, small hands, a firm bust and surprisingly thick thighs. But even with all that, she had a vulnerable look on her face. Aeric didn't care. He felt no sympathy stirring inside him. Not for her or any of his sisters.

He gave her a direct stare in her nervous scarlet eyes, waiting for her to say something.

What he didn't know was that Misty was gawking at his body. Aeric had forgotten that he was only putting on a pair of simple white shorts and a thin coat during the cultivation exercise.

He had walked to the door and opened it, showing his sweaty, chiseled body to his very impressionable sister.

Misty bit her lip, trying to drag her eyes away.

"What are you doing here?" Aeric finally asked when she couldn't say anything, his voice flat. Misty bit her lip again, glanced down the hall, and sighed.

"I tried… I tried to get Rosette to come with me," she mumbled, casting a fleeting glance at him before her eyes dropped back down to the floor.

Arching a brow once again, Aeric glanced out into the hall as if he could confirm her story. "Rosette's not here," he observed.

"Yes." Misty nodded, awkwardly clutching her arm with her opposite hand. "She… she didn't listen."

There was a small, awkward silence. 'What the hell is this about?' Aeric's patience was already wearing thin. "So, what do you want then? The night is here."

With fidgeting fingers, Misty shifted as she clutched the fabric of her nightgown. "I wanted… to apologize."

'Apologize, huh?'

She tried to look at him but failed once again. "I never thought… in the Veiled Maze, I didn't know things would go that far." Her voice trembled as she spoke, a crack in her usual air of nervous uncertainty. "I didn't expect for you to get hurt so bad, and I was terrified when you did. And I think Rosette was too. I think... She didn't mean—"

At first, his face was bland, not showing anything at all, but Aeric's expression darkened as she spoke.

This nervous show of remorse, her apparent regret — none of it moved him. Misty's guilt didn't erase her actions; it only highlighted her weakness. In his mind, her apparent guilt didn't make her innocent. It only made her naive and reckless.

She had chosen Rosette's schemes over her own brother — had followed along mindlessly because Rosette demanded it. What was he supposed to do with that? Just forgive her because she didn't have the capacity of creating an original thought of her own? Enjoy exclusive content from empire

'The two of them. They were meant to be my sisters in this world, my family. Instead, they have always been the ones to belittle me, to mistreat me. Ever since I was born. How does that all go away with a simple apology? How does what happened today change from these worthless words pouring out of her mouth?'

These thoughts burned in his mind as he fixed Misty with a hard, unfeeling gaze.

"You're wasting your time," he finally said, coldly. Misty stopped talking instantly and gazed at him, surprised.

"I'm not going to forgive either of you. Not Rosette, and not you. I don't care to forgive and I don't care to hold malice. You've both done enough damage for one lifetime. Sorry doesn't change that. So do whatever you want with the word but don't ever come throwing it on my face in hopes that I pick it, cherish it and take it like a street dog."

Misty's heart broke, and she felt her chest become heavy. "Aeric?"

"As for you, Misty," he continued. "You should stop fighting Rosette's battles and stop being her mouthpiece. If she has something to say, she can say it herself. I'm not going to listen, but it's still better that she's the one that says it."

At this point, the poor girl couldn't handle it anymore. Misty's face crumpled at his words, her eyes welling with tears, and her lip quivered. A small, choked sob escaped her.

Aeric rolled his eyes. "Stop that," he snapped. The last thing he wanted was to deal with her tears. He was not Rosette and didn't know how to control her and her fawning character.

It worked of course. Misty instantly withdrew herself, surprised at how commanding and stern Aeric was becoming out of nowhere.

'What has gotten into him?' she thought. 'Has he always being this mean?'

Sucking in the tears, she whispered, "Please," her voice breaking. "Please, Aeric… just… think about it."

First Aeric gave her a long glare, and then suddenly, out of nowhere, he laughed. Harshly and heartlessly.

"Think about it, you say? All I do is think, Misty. And guess what — I don't have space in my mind for two obnoxious, hateful sisters." He felt his anger rising, hot and blinding, and with a final scowl. "Never knock on my door ever again."

Slamming the door in her face, he crossed back to his bed, sitting down heavily on the plushness with his fists clenched at his sides.

'The audacity she has,' Aeric thought. 'How dare they? How dare they act like any of this was something I could simply forgive and forget? They've treated me like an outcast, like the abomination everyone calls me, for as long as I can remember.

'All because I am the only son, because I was born as an anomaly. Because I was strange. Now, they come to me with nonsensical apologies and nervous pleas, as if I would somehow ignore years of resentment and betrayal. Or ignore what happened on this very day. Treated always like an outsider, and now expected to welcome them with open arms?'

"Pfft. In their dreams."

[Ding!] The system's notification rang.

Aeric read the notification:

[Next exercise in 11 hours: 1- Divine Tortoise Method.

— complete Body Tempering for muscles and bones.

2- One Minute Plank]

[Rewards 25XP for completion]

'Hmm,' Aeric noted. 'A one minute plank sounds excruciating.'

He scoffed and threw himself onto the bed, attempting to calm the roiling storm of frustration in his chest. With a sigh, he closed his eyes, hoping for some rest to prepare himself for cultivating first thing tomorrow.

Another knock at his door. Aeric groaned, forcing himself upright. "Who is it now?" he muttered under his breath, glancing over to the door.

"It's your maiden, my lord. I've brought you dinner."

Aeric paused. He realized then just how hungry he was, and his hand instinctively moved to his stomach. "Oh. Yes… Thank you. I am a little hungry."