The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

Through the halls of the Institution, Aeric and Celestia made their way, their voices had laughter and camaraderie. Aeric's hand was still wrapped around Celestia's shoulders, her golden hair shimmered over his arm as the glow of enchanted lanterns lined the walls of the Institution.

She was entertaining Aeric as she had promised with tales of the Dawn Region, and maybe later they would finally have that walk around the Region itself.

Her blue eyes were sparkling as she shared her story, while Aeric listened and watched her with loving eyes.

"You have very little idea, Aeric. She is my mother, I've seen much of her, " she continued with her daisy-like accent, her tone rich with a mix of affection and exasperation. "Even now, she insists on hosting these grand dinners every month. She says they're to maintain alliances amongst Regions, but honestly, I think she just likes an excuse to drink too much wine."

Aeric chuckled, his hand brushing against the silver embroidery of his cloak as he adjusted it. "She sounds delightful. I really must meet her someday. We can bond over tales of overindulgence."

Celestia laughed, nudging him playfully. "Oh, you'd love her. But you could also be terrified of her, I can bet a lot of gold on either, she's a surprise package, I think."

"Well," Aeric teased, raising an interested eyebrow, "These monthly diner, the Starlight Region is invited, right? My mother, my sisters and I?"

"I suppose so," Celestia said, thinking about it a little. "Though it's usually only your mother that comes."

Aeric lifted his eyes in thought. "I think I can convince her to let me come with her next time. That way I can find my excuse to see your home and your Region. We could have that walk."

Celestia smiled and looked down shyly.

They had a small laughter after that, one that eventually faded into a comfortable rhythm. Then, they arrived at the large oak doors leading to the Divine Quest classroom.

The room was known for its grandeur, unlike most of the other rooms, it had high ceilings designed with painted depictions of legendary Players and their victories. Information about types of Divine Quests were plastered all over the walls and some knight armor were around the wall edges.

His arm still around Celestia, Aeric was about to step inside when something caught his eye.

Out of the corner of his vision, he noticed a figure moving briskly down the hallway — a woman with a commanding presence and dark, flowing clothing.

That was Miss Lysandra he just saw. The Institution's esteemed headmistress. It wasn't like he could have mistaken her for anyone else. She was mighty tall and of course, those pair of ass cheeks that pulled the very fabric of her pitiful skirt like a slingshot as she walked with uncharacteristic urgency. The way she had sneaked away, her steps were almost silent against the marble floors.

Aeric frowned, his curiosity piqued.

'That's odd.'

Headmistress Lysandra wasn't known for discretion; her very presence usually commanded attention. Yet here she was, slipping through the hall as if trying to avoid notice.

'Well hello there, suspicious little headmistress,' Aeric thought with a raised brow.

"What is it?" Celestia asked, noticing his pause.

Aeric tilted his head toward the retreating figure. "I thought I saw someone I recognised."

Celestia glanced but shrugged. "Someone you recognised? Aeric we're all here because we recognize each other. You should be more worried if you saw someone you didn't recognize."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Aeric smiled. "Yeah, that's right."

But he looked again and gaze lingered. Something didn't sit right. He shook his head, focusing back on her. "What lesson do we have now?"

"Divine Quests," she replied, studying him with a curious expression.

"And after that?"

"Regional Studies," she said.

Aeric tapped his chin thoughtfully. Regional Studies was crucial; he couldn't afford to miss it, especially with his ambitions to lead the entire Realm of all five Regions. But the headmistress's behavior gnawed at him.

Something was up.

"Save me a seat," he said, stepping back from the doorway.

Celestia blinked in mild disappointment. "Where are you going?"

"I need to check on something," Aeric said cryptically, offering her an apologetic smile. "If I'm not back for the Quests lesson, I'll be back for Regional Studies, I promise."

She sighed but nodded. "Okay, but don't take too long. You'll miss everything completely."

Aeric watched her enter the classroom, her head turning briefly to glance at him with a tinge of disappointment. Beyond her, the Moonlight Daughters turned their sharp glares toward him.

He didn't regard them of course, brushing off their stares as he pivoted and strode down the hall, intent on following Miss Lysandra.

He cornered the corners and pushed through the main door moments after she did.

Aeric kept a cautious distance as he tailed the headmistress. The grounds of the Institution stretched wide, transitioning from the manicured gardens to the open plains that bordered the estate.

He looked back, spotting Sylver carefully stowed away with other Beast Companions in the stables before he turned around and continued ahead. Aeric stayed low, ducking behind hedges and stone walls whenever Headmistress Lysandra glanced back.

Once, she paused, turning around as her bouncy breasts spun with her, her sharp eyes scanning the area. Aeric quickly dived behind a tree and pressed himself against it, holding his breath. His heart thudded in his chest, waiting for her to carry on.

Finally, after a moment, when she saw that no one was following, she resumed her hurried pace.

"What are you up to?" Aeric muttered under his breath, slipping from one shadow to the next.

Aeric then noticed that the plains were giving way to the stone pathway leading to the High Priest's temple. The small scale castle like building, with spires and celestial symbols that glimmered faintly under the morning sun.

Aeric froze as he saw her ascend the temple's steps and push open the grand doors, slipping inside without a glance back.

'Huh?'

The Divine Priest's temple? Aeric frowned, a dozen questions swirling in his mind. What could she possibly need here, and why all the secrecy?

This was either juicier than he expected, or scarier.

He debated his next move. Following her into the temple wasn't just risky — it was outright dangerous. If caught, he could face severe repercussions, and since everyone was looking for the slightest slip up to tie him down to, he couldn't afford any mistakes.

Yet his curiosity burned brighter than his caution. He needed to know.

'I was already planning to meet with the Divine Priest today and talk to him about being prepared for my Declaration,' he thought. 'So that's a good enough excuse.'

However, to make sure there were no errors in this, he summoned his item menu and pulled out the Deadwatch. Everytime he remembered that the power allowed him to set an Anchor Point in time, giving him the ability to rewind if things went south, he loved the Item more and more.

"Better safe than sorry," he whispered, activating the Deadwatch and feeling a faint pulse as the Anchor Point locked into place.

[Anchor Point set to present time]

With that reassurance, he moved. The grass rustled faintly under his boots as he approached the temple, his steps careful and deliberate.

Once he reach the golden door, he looked down at it, frowning at the painting of his father once again.

"You stare too much, father," he said and pressed a hand to the heavy golden door, easing it open just enough to slip inside.