Aetheria stayed in the underworld for quite a long time. Sometimes she would return to the sky world, not long after she would go back to the underworld again. The Demon King and his people welcomed her warmly, to the point of forgetting that this was a world of darkness. Unlike a typical Demon King, Ethan was kind and did not care about status. He entertained guests without looking at where they came from.
Aetheria felt comfortable by his side. During her free time, she would go around with Lucifer through the footpaths where each side was lined with flowers, shaded by trees. The roar of the waterfall echoed. It could not be described further. The underworld was almost nearly like the beautiful realm of the Elves after undergoing many improvements by Ethan.
Occasionally Ethan would take Lucifer's place to accompany her, like right now. Walking leisurely across a pine wood bridge that stretched between fish ponds. Bamboo trees danced, the mist of dew created a wall as if entering an illusion, until there was an aroma like night-blooming jasmine spreading.
"Sorry," Ethan reached for a flower petal with a smile that was still the same as the sunset sun. "We're almost entering mid-spring, so there's a rain of flowers."
Aetheria covered her mouth to hold back laughter, "What on earth. A rain of flowers? You're making that up."
"Oh, then how about a sea of flowers?"
"That's even worse."
The two of them laughed, ignoring Lucifer who followed behind without a sound. Slightly amazed and strange to see the Demon King behaving like that. "I might like it. That's what it feels like..." Her heart murmured softly.
"Hey, Lucifer," Ethan turned around. "How long are you going to keep following me? Do you think I'm a fugitive? Huh!" His cheeks puffed up cutely with his hands folded in front of his chest.
"I am escorting the Goddess, please don't mind it."
"Not making friends?"
"Not with anyone."
"Lucifer is just like that. Forgive him." Aetheria interjected.
"Make friends. You can try talking with them," Ethan pointed at Karya and the others, who were slightly brawling under the guise of helping with repairs. "Well, you might catch an illness after getting to know them. Like forest apes, you know?" He added while waving back at the hands waving toward him.
Aetheria took Lucifer's hand, holding it gently as if asking him to comply. "Come on, let's go."
Lucifer sighed softly, changed clothes, tucked his white wings on his back until they disappeared. "Do I look strange?"
Aetheria and Ethan both put a finger on their chins, thinking, observing Lucifer's appearance from bottom to top before saying together, "You're not strange. Handsome. A prince from a fairy tale." That's what was said, perhaps, because their voices collided.
Lucifer turned away, walking off without uttering another word. Aetheria then broke the silence, "Since I met him at the Yohan River, Lucifer has been like that to hide his true emotions."
"U-um..." Ethan acted as if he didn't hear, cutting in awkwardly. His fault, he had already realized he was nervous with just him and Aetheria, and yet he even went and made Lucifer leave. "It's been a long time since the relationship between the Sky and the underworld was good. Does the Emperor of the sky... know... that you..." Before he finished Aetheria cut him off first,
"Father knows. Several times father was angry, but oh well. I enjoy every second of mine in this world, with them, and... you." Aetheria's earlobes could be seen turning red after saying it.
Ah...
The atmosphere grew even more awkward!
Ethan squatted down, burying his head between his bent knees, and chuckled to himself. What kind of feeling is this? Crazy person! Not sane! Even without looking at that radiant face, he could tell how beautiful she was.
A long time passed. The last flower of spring had fallen, and the first snow began to fall. A meaningful end of the year, full of stories. The construction of the underworld was finished, towers, buildings, and several shops filled the empty places and those that were destroyed.
It did look strange and impossible, but it was true that humans visited the underworld more often to buy materials such as herbal plants and food, and it was not uncommon to conduct research since learning that the relationship between the underworld and the sky was very close.
Like a big city in general, there was bustle. There were several children running around and Ladies carrying a basket full of flowers going around. Among the crowd, the couple who had just been hit by spring were holding hands while touring the city. Each of them blushed, awkward, and happy.
Several times they tried to start a conversation, but failed. Every time one spoke, the other would speak too. They didn't have another chance after that. They just walked among the crowd of humans, shining like light, the cold in this season felt like spring. Flowers bloomed all around the two of them.
Many people's attention was on them, whispering and pouring out hopes of happiness. A bond that connected light and darkness, ending a prolonged war. The strange Demon King who unfortunately had a broad heart, stopped the war by challenging his own father, severing ties and killing with a cold face.
Who would have thought that the child of the former cruel Demon King, who committed massacres and created a sea of blood, and killed his father coldly, would bring a peace that was unattainable by his predecessors. In the end, the hundred-year war ended well.
"How great you are." Aetheria finally started the conversation. "How will you maintain this going forward, Your Majesty?"
Ethan stopped, pulling that hand as soft as a cloud toward his face until its owner was facing him. "I've asked you to stop calling me Your Majesty." It was very clear that his face was puffed up in a pout, which made Aetheria unable to hold back her laughter.
"Alright, alright. What are your plans going forward, Ethan?"
Ethan lowered Aetheria's hand, turning to look at the sky that was no longer gray from the smoke of chaos. "Throwing away ego, ambition, and desire. I want to live an ordinary life, mingle and interact happily. No more ambition to conquer the world, to rule it, to the point of destroying it. Just let it be like this, forever, if possible."
"Will you do it alone?"
"Hm?" Ethan looked confused by Aetheria's question, "I have them, and ah..." He only then realized something after seeing the sparkle of light in the eyes of the beautiful woman next to him.
"Hm, I see..." Aetheria nodded in understanding, a little feeling of disappointment and dissatisfaction.
"No, no. They would be too troublesome to be my friends for life. How about you fill that position instead?" Ethan asked while looking at the beautiful face illuminated by the sunset light of Aetheria.
"W-what..."
Ethan cut in, "Accompany me. Since I was little I didn't have the chance to explore, to know the world. I just kept training, fighting, and killing. Because of that..." He took Aetheria's hand to hold tightly, "Accompany me. Take me to see the world, and be my guide. I love you."
Like spring occurring at the end of the year, flowers bloomed and fluttered beautifully as if they were dancing and singing. The east wind did not bring cold, but the warmth of spring. Her smile shone like the sun during autumn. How beautiful.
His heart was warm. Happy to the blood vessels, reaching the limit of sanity that was almost going crazy. Is this love?...
"How about it, Aetheria? There's no one better than you to be my companion on this journey that might be long. To be the most beautiful cover that binds the stack of pages from the story of my journey toward the end." Ethan spoke so sincerely, he could almost see the shimmer of a galaxy arrangement in his eyes that were colored like pomegranate.
"I have no other choice since you're forcing me." Artheria jumped into Ethan's embrace making him take several steps back, with a charming smile and laughter, "Ethan!" Without minding their status, Aetheria walked around spinning carrying Ethan along.
"Thank you." Ethan said sincerely.
"Let's make an Ethan junior!"
Ethan was surprised for a moment before nodding, "Alright. I suppose it's not bad to make a duplicate of me and you."
"Let's make a thousand!"
"One is enough, Aetheria."
"A hundred!"
"Aetheria..."
"Ten!"
"That's still too many."
"Alright, just one."
That day, it felt like the sun came to the underworld and set longer, and winter passed faster than before. A cold storm never happened, only occasionally a flower wind blew from the east bringing beauty.