Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1425: Sometimes... I cannot let you go even if you let me go.

Dora did not simply remain inside her academy while everyone else struggled and risked their lives to bring back Aether and Delphine.

She had sensed it the moment Aether and Delphine sounded from her cabin.

She should have looked at them.

At least once.

Instead, she had turned her back and listened to the old nurse.

Because of that single moment of ignorance, she had lost them.

Lost them inside her own territory.

How disgusting.

Aether already called her useless. He said it without rage, which somehow made it worse. If he added this failure to that silent list he carried, she knew it would not end with disappointment.

He would look down on her, which was way worse.

So she got the details from Liora about what’s happening in... Pyra Empire.

That was all Dora needed.

She prepared more than necessary. Far more. She knew she was not meant to involve herself in the trial, yet this had nothing to do with rules or standings or divine observation.

This was a rescue.

Delphine did not belong to the trial. And Aether had already suffered enough.

The Origin Pillars seemed to agree... They did not warn her back.

So Dora advanced.

She tore through every monster in her path without pause or mercy, ripping Origin Crystals from their bodies, gathering them.

By the time she stopped, she carried nearly three times the amount gathered by everyone else combined.

When she arrived in Pyra, Drakhairs was the first to notice.

With his help and a thunderous sweep of wings, he carried her toward the Palace.

And no, Drakhairs did know what was going on with their ruler, and he just accepted Dora’s words, considering she was a friend to Aether and also a Sovereign!

He simply hovered above the palace as he opened his mouth and released a deluge of Origin Crystals that Dora gave to him.

They poured down like luminous rain, crashing into the magic circle below, which devoured them instantly before they could strike stone, Nyx, or anyone else.

”Sovereign?”

Xara’s brows lifted as Dora landed, dust swirling around her boots. Her lips curved into a smirk, ”Is that enough?”

Xara turned toward the portal.

She exhaled and shrugged.

”Maybe...”

Dora stepped closer, her gaze moving from Nyx to the portal, then stopping on Sandra.

Their eyes met.

Sandra held the look for a long moment before slowly shaking her head.

No words passed between them, yet something unspoken settled.

Dora released a quiet breath and turned back to the portal.

The chains trembled violently, pulled forward, dragged back, shaking as if resisting an unseen force.

But still, no sign of Aether.

What is happening in there?

”Should I jump in?”

Aqualina stood at the edge, already leaning forward as if her body had decided before her mind.

Xara caught her wrist and shook her head firmly.

”If you enter, it might not send you to him. It might tear you apart or throw you somewhere you cannot return from. or even reject you!”

She released her grip slowly.

”It’s too risky.”

All they could do was wait.

Back inside the Eternal Prison,

Delphine clung to Aether’s shoulder, trembling, bracing herself for the inevitable.

The head-twisting pain she expected never came.

Still, she refused to open her eyes.

She did not want her last sight to be Aether dying for her.

Then a voice reached her.

”Del... a portal appeared.”

Slowly, fearfully, she opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Aether’s face.

Her heart finally found relief, a fragile calm spreading through her chest as a gentle, exhausted smile touched her lips. She followed the direction of his gaze, slowly easing herself from his embrace.

What she saw made her breath hitch sharply in her throat.

A portal stood before them.

White and black light intertwined, rippling softly as if reality itself struggled to hold the shape. It shimmered, unstable, yet undeniably real, tearing its way into existence within the prison.

Her eyes widened, disbelief locking her in place for a heartbeat before hope burst free,

”Aether... It’s a portal! Let’s go!”

She did not wait for his response. She grabbed his hand tightly and dragged him forward, toward the light.

She did not care where it led.

None of it mattered as long as she could leave this place with him.

As long as Aether was beside her.

As they drew closer... they noticed.

Black and golden chains protruded from the edges of the portal, half-emerged, frozen as if caught mid-motion. They did not lash or move, only screeched faintly, scraping against the air like metal dragged across glass.