Curse The Mainframe - Chapter 408

By the time Alec extracted himself from the wonderous state that he’d fallen into, it was already late at night.

The feeling lingered on his mind as he felt wonderfully refreshed, like he’d taken a breath of fresh air after having gotten used to constantly breathing in polluted air.

The night had faded into day outside of this place, but the space was untouched by the light outside, so Alec had no idea what time it was.

Ye Sha, Two and Three, along with his familiars, were already deep asleep. They were softly snoring on the hard cave ground, acting like it was just as good as a soft bed. None of them even stirred at all even though there were movements from him.

But they weren’t what caught Alec’s attention.

Alec’s eyes lit up when he caught sight of his mother that he hadn’t seen in so many years.

When he had gone back to find her, his uncle told him that she’d gone to find his father since he was on his journey. And now that he saw her again, she looked even more beautiful than he remembered her.

Her eyes were softly shining, and there was a deep love held in those eyes. When she smiled, she appeared so motherly and loving that Alec’s eyes couldn’t help but soften with familial affection.

He had not seen her in so long.

Compared to the early days when he remembered her having a tinge of sadness to her, his mother now appeared almost radiant. She was clearly happy and joyful in whatever he was doing right now.

There was no more unhappiness or depression that softly lingered over her magic.

For that reason alone, he could almost forgive his biological father.

“Alec,” Annalise said softly, drawing in her mostly grown-up son into a hug.

He’d already become a teenager when she hadn’t expected it for a few more years. She thought that she would still be able to see her childish son. Who knew that he had already become a teenager in the blink of an eye?

It made her ache that she’d missed her baby’s childhood growing up. Instead, he had been facing challenges outside in the world on his own without anyone being there to be his rock and refuge.

But he was still her baby boy, and he always would be.

Alec hugged her back hard, then it faded into something softer.

He was taller than his mother already, and she’d never felt so tiny in his arms.

In his memories, he was the one looking up at her. Now, she was the one looking up at him.

Alec smiled softly, and Annalise chuckled, remembering the time when he had to force himself to practice in front of the mirror in order to perfect his smile.

Annalise pulled herself back after a while, looking deeply at her son. He showed no signs of being a Sin, and by all accounts he appeared to be an Every.

She couldn’t even feel any bloodl.u.s.t from him. If it was there, it was indeed well hidden.

“You don’t have to hide your Societype anymore,” she said softly.

Alec’s eyes narrowed a little.

She continued to talk. “Originally, because in the Kaoriht continent, as well as in our clan, you being a Sin would have caused you to become hunted. However, after your uncle took care of the dissenters in the upper echelons, it’s safer for you. Also, in this realm…”

Alec smiled again. He had missed hearing his mother’s worry for him though he didn’t like worrying her. “It’s fine. I’m used to it already. Besides, it’s not like I’m doing much hiding. People just make assumptions on their own.”

Annalise looked at him with surprise.

Alec continued, “Even if I don’t say anything, I realized that humans will always judge you from how you act, according to what they think is true. The best way is just to act however you like. They’ll make their own assumptions. I’ll never be able to control everyone’s opinions, so I’ll just act however I like.”

Annalise looked deeply at her son. He had truly grown up now, and he was able to see everything so clearly. Her smile was bright and brilliant as she looked at the pride of her life.

Her darling son…

At this moment, there was an echo, as if someone had landed with a great force.

Listening closer, Alec knew that it was a single man who was coming this way at a quick pace.

Annalise heard it as well, and her lips quirked mischievously.

She hugged him tightly, squeezing the life out of him.

Alec’s lips twitched. He had a feeling that the person who was coming was ‘Aeden’, the person that he was named after.

And… his mother still had her mischievous streak, it seemed. The only thing that made Vincent happy about her leaving was that he no longer had to face someone scaring him at every corner.

Sure enough, his father rounded the corner and suffered a shock.

His figure froze in the distance as he watched his wife hug another man. Stunned, it wasn’t long that the blood rushed to his head, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. There was instantly a bloodthirsty air to him that was so special to the Sins. They seemed to be able to use it as naturally as breathing.

How dare that man seduce his wife?!

Growling, he stalked forward, and Alec’s eyes met his across the room.

His father’s eyes were a deep crimson, and his hair was the same shade of black that Alec’s was. A jet-black hair that looked as deep as the night.

Aeden’s eyes flashed, and he looked even more menacing.

It was the first time that Alec saw his father outside of a photo. Alec’s lips twitched. He could see where he inherited his looks, so to speak.

Even though he looked like he had in the previous life, his father in this life was like a carbon copy of him, only with differing eye colours. It was a bit eerie. His father just looked like an older version of himself.

Looking at him now, Alec felt like he was looking at himself in the past.

Aeden was thinking very deeply, but his magic was already lashing out before he could think deeper into it. He felt like something was wrong – like he was being teased by his wife again – but that wasn’t his son. His son wasn’t that old yet.

So, the Sin lashed forwards. A foot stomped onto the ground, leaving a deep impression in the rock, and his body flew forward.

Just as Aeden was about to make contact, Annalise pulled back and grabbed his outstretched fist, throwing him over her shoulder.

She glared at him. “Darling, what do you think you’re doing?!”

Aeden growled. “He–”

Annalise immediately pinned Aeden down with the angry look still on her face. Alec looked around long-sufferingly. He could see where this was going.

“‘He’? What do you mean ‘he’? How dare you call him that?!”

Aeden growled again, his eyes flashing. He wanted to take action, but with his wife’s soft body pressing him down with rather tremendous strength, he didn’t dare to hurt her.

“Wife, who–”

Annalise tutted, and Alec just spent this time while the couple were arguing crossing his arms.

“Why don’t you open your eyes wide and take a good look?”

Alec uncrossed his arms and smiled faintly at his apparent father. He didn’t really feel anything now that he’d seen him in the flesh. He didn’t consider this man his father at all.

After all, he hadn’t been there when he was ‘growing up’. Alec was already a whole person when he came into this world, and the man hadn’t had any buffering for Alec to get used to him.

There was just a sort of resistance inside Alec that rejected Aeden.

Aeden finally got a good look at Alec’s face, and he stared at him in a daze.