FSE

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Stepping into the virtual reality room, a sudden chill washed over me, making me shudder instinctively. I immediately spread my consciousness to block the cold wind. Although both Qana and Master Field had once set up shields to prevent heat radiation loss, I found the heat calculation formulas far too complex. Instead, I resorted to a simpler method of deflecting airflow around myself.

The surrounding snow even made me squint reflexively, despite the reality room not simulating the dazzling glare of sunlight on snow.

“Terminal, panel,” I called out, summoning the control interface to adjust the temperature. However, just as I raised my hand, a sudden force from behind knocked me to the ground. We rolled forward several times before coming to a stop.

“Surprise!” Aether perched on my chest, pinning my shoulders as he spoke.

“Oh,” I couldn’t help but laugh, meeting his yellow eyes. “I didn’t notice you at all!”

“The Shroud of Nix.” Aether leaned in closer, his prominent white teeth standing out starkly against his dark fur.

At first, I thought this was some kind of joke until I noticed a string of black symbols edged with gold flickering twice beside him before fading away.

“Teach me,” I half-seriously implored, wondering if acting cute might improve my chances of persuading him.

“No way.” Aether pressed his forehead against mine, letting our noses gently touch. “It’s a faction secret.”

As I pondered just how adorable I’d have to act to achieve my goal, Aether suddenly opened his mouth and enveloped the tip of my snout.

“You…” I squirmed, attempting to resist, but could only mutter incoherent words. My ineffective struggle turned into muffled sounds of protest as Aether increased the pressure, leaving me to emit faint whimpers.

His warm breath, soothing scent, and the sharp wetness of his teeth teasingly grazed against my fur.

No, no, no—I’m going to die, I’m going to die, I’m going to die...

I completely melted into a heap of organic matter on the snow, gasping for air once Aether released his grip. But as he licked my nose, my boiling brain felt ready to burst out of my tightly pinned ears.

What was the safe word again…?

“Why are you whining like that?” Aether nudged my face with his snout, laughing. “It’s like I’m bullying you.”

“Awuu…” Having lost most of my ability to think, I could only communicate with basic sounds.

“You’re just too cute,” Aether said, resting his chin on the top of my head and occasionally nibbling on my ears.

“Aw… aw…” I had already forgotten what I was originally planning to do—something that seemed important.

After a bit more nuzzling, Aether rolled to the side, and we lay together on the snow, staring at the gray sky.

“I was a bit worried you wouldn’t like this,” he said softly, tracing circles on my palm with his fingertips. “Not to pressure you, but I think you should attend the gathering.” He paused for a long moment before continuing. “You have the same right as all the Senate wolves.”

“Awuu, awuu.” I swallowed a few snowflakes, their odd taste making me immediately stop pondering how many times the virtual reality room’s material recycling system had processed them.

“Intentions matter, yes, but if you don’t enjoy it, wouldn’t that defeat the purpose?” Aether sighed.

“Awuuu… I still don’t like the cold, but snow feels different. I always manage to find some kind of meaning in it.” Realizing I had regained my ability to speak, I raised my right hand, feeling the airflow brushing through my fingers.

“And the gathering?” he asked again, not ready to give up.

“I… I’ll think about it,” I answered as earnestly as I could.

“Don’t force yourself if you’re really not interested. I just wanted to remind you that it’s your right. Besides, apart from the tedious agenda, it’s mostly just an excuse to gather and howl at the Luna—we can do that on our own, too.” He sat up, took a deep breath, and let out a long howl.

The resonant, profound sound echoed through the snow-covered valley.

As I marveled at the virtual reality room’s powerful capabilities, I felt even the tiniest hairs on my body standing on end.

No matter how much I tried to suppress it, the wolf within me—a wolf longing for connection and camaraderie—was undeniably present. It clawed at my chest from within.

When the echoes of the howl faded, Aether turned his head to look at me, patting me lightly with his tail.

“Join me,” he said, nudging my shoulder encouragingly.

“No way, it’s too embarrassing.” I avoided his gaze, feeling the heat rise in my ears once more.

Aether tilted his head, folding down his right ear, demanding more explanation.

"It's about my first time attending a gathering," I said with a sigh, beginning to recall the details. "The weather that night was clear, and the bright light made the snow look almost silver, a bit dreamlike." I scooped up a handful of snow from the ground and clenched it in my hand, the tiny, sharp edges of the ice crystals pricking my palm. "When everyone lifted their heads to howl at the full Luna in unison, I couldn’t help but join in, like I was compelled by something." I lightly touched my chest, as if I could summon that feeling again—the undeniable sense of belonging to something greater, to a collective whole. "But when the echoes faded, I realized everyone was staring at me. It took a while, but I eventually learned from their snickers what it meant to be 'off-key.'" The memory still carried a sting of discomfort. Just thinking about it made me want to curl into myself for some semblance of safety—but I resisted the urge. "See? I’m the only wolf in the entire Sol with no sense of pitch." Sitting up, I brushed the snow off my clothes and rested my chin on my drawn-up knees. "Though, honestly, after all these years, I don’t really care what people think of me anymore. It’s just that, every now and then, remembering it still feels... unpleasant. I guess it hit so hard back then because I was so young—it felt like the whole world was ending."

I heard the soft rustle of snow against fur as Aether hugged me from behind, resting his chin on top of my head, flattening my ears beneath its weight.

"It’s fine. It’s been so long, I can barely even remember it," I said softly, patting the back of his hand a few times. "Besides, it’s only after you brought it up that I realized I should attend the gatherings. Not because I’m a Senate wolf, but because I’m a psychic." Not because I wanted to, or even needed to, but because it was my responsibility.

The core of psychic abilities lay in understanding, though its mechanisms leaned slightly toward idealism. If I couldn’t even reconnect with other wolves, any attempt to “connect everyone” would undoubtedly fail.

"Why does being a psychic mean you have to attend the gatherings?" Aether asked, his voice rumbling in his throat, the vibrations passing through to me. "Networking reasons?"

"Well..." I hesitated. Though I would have to explain eventually, I didn’t feel ready to face how Aether might react to my choice. "Let’s talk about it later. There’s something else... more time-sensitive I want to bring up." I couldn’t help but feel a bit impressed with myself for remembering it now—perhaps my willpower truly was remarkable.

Aether let out a questioning noise and gently nibbled my ear.

"I spoke to Kotetsu— Ow!" A sudden sharp pain made me yelp and flinch, turning back to glance at Aether.

"Sorry!" he said quickly, pulling back and licking the back of his hand. "I didn’t realize I bit too hard."

"It’s fine." I rubbed my ear with mild annoyance, trying to regain my focus. "I spoke to Kotetsu about us. I wanted to hear his perspective."

"Why do you need to know his thoughts about us?" Aether asked, tilting his head stiffly, his movement almost awkward.

"This is what I wanted to talk to you about." I could sense the atmosphere taking a turn for the worse, so I tried to make myself appear smaller, more unthreatening. "I hope we can have... a polyamorous relationship."

Aether's yellow eyes narrowed even further. I needed to explain myself quickly.

"I’m not saying you all have to get along perfectly. What I’m envisioning is more of a me-centered—"

"I know what a hub-and-spoke polyamorous relationship is," he interrupted, exhaling sharply through his nose. "I just assumed your thing with that stag was... more casual."

"Well… maybe it started out that way?" I resisted the urge to scratch at some random part of my body, forcing myself to meet his gaze directly. "But..." I touched my neck, recalling the weight of a collar. "It feels like a bond, a connection that ties us together—"

Aether’s confused expression only deepened, so I stopped and decided to start over.

"Like I told you last year, back then it was probably just a mix of passion, the discovery of ‘Oh, this is possible,’ and ‘Wow, I like this.’" I couldn’t help but scratch my ear twice, feeling a little embarrassed to talk about kinks this openly, even with Aether. "Mutual respect through informed consent, the absolute trust and belonging in dominance and submission..." I shook my head vigorously, reminding myself I wasn’t trying to explain BDSM to him—and as part of a faction dedicated to preserving historical legacies, he probably knew more about it than I did.

"But over time, I realized it wasn’t just about physical compatibility or fleeting passion. There’s something deeper… a connection." For psychics, that word carried profound weight. Admitting it to Aether felt daunting enough; saying it outright to Kotetsu might have been impossible. "It’s like there’s something... truly special between us. And when you came to the Academy, that feeling only became clearer. I don’t know how this kind of thing works," I said, scratching my head furiously and avoiding Aether’s gaze. "But it’s what I genuinely feel. And I don’t want to lose my relationship with anyone..."

I covered my eyes with both hands, terrified of how Aether might react. I had prepared a whole list of things to say, but none of the words would come out. I hoped this was just a problem with expressing myself—something I could eventually overcome through practice.

The silence around us was so profound that the sound of snowflakes landing seemed loud, almost drowning out the erratic, anxious rhythm of my heartbeat.

"I didn’t realize that stag was so important to you," Aether finally said. "I thought you were just looking for a green light to continue your... activities with him."

I wanted to peek at Aether through my fingers, hoping to read his body language, but I couldn’t muster the courage.

"I won’t deny that I feel a little upset," he continued. "But letting you occasionally have fun with someone else—whoever it might be—is within my acceptable range. However, if what you want is a relationship on the level of partnership..." Aether hesitated. "When you started talking, I was even ready to step aside, but then you concluded with, ‘You don’t want to lose your connection with anyone.’"

I heard him sigh softly before he grasped my wrists and moved my hands aside, meeting my gaze directly.

"Before we continue, I need to clarify a few things." His yellow eyes bore into mine with an intense focus that made me swallow nervously. "First, you’re aware that this stag is a powerful psychic and a Federation citizen with military rank, correct?"

"Yes," I replied evenly, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Second, are you aware that the entire Academy is gossiping about him? Most believe he’s after something—like the secret to forging a complete adamantine weapon. Others speculate it’s something... more basic, like satisfying biological needs." Aether rolled his eyes, making his opinion clear. "I heard these rumors on my very first day here, but since you always stay out of social circles, I wanted to make sure you knew."

"I’ve heard about it, but I didn’t realize it was the entire Academy talking." Actually, only Tadao had mentioned it to me. Thinking about it, it made sense—no one would come straight to me to confirm such rumors.

"And finally," Aether continued, his tone matter-of-fact, "even with those two factors in mind, you’ve chosen to maintain your relationship with him, despite the risk of angering me?"

"Yes. This is how I genuinely feel and think. And I believe trust means letting down your guard and choosing to believe, even at the risk of getting hurt." I decided to answer honestly, resisting the urge to speculate or probe for hidden emotions in him. "Of course, in this situation, I should consider your feelings too. But I can’t keep suppressing my own. Even if it’s selfish... this is who I am."

Aether interrupted me by nudging my face with his snout.

"My concern has always been whether you would get hurt," Aether said, blinking slowly. "But if you’ve decided to trust that stag, then I think the three of us should at least sit down together and talk this through properly."

"Oh, sure!" I relaxed, laughing lightly. "Sorry—I wasn’t sure how to bring it up, but talking to Kotetsu first felt less stressful."

"So you’re saying I’m the more difficult one, huh?" The black wolf tilted his head, folding his right ear downward slowly.

"No, I just... um, well..." His piercing yellow gaze made me falter.

"‘You care more about my opinion’?" Aether said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Yes, yes, exactly!" I hurried to respond, glad not to stumble over my words.

"Adorable." He booped my cheek with his nose, making my ears flatten instantly. "But I’m still not happy, so don’t think you can brush this off so easily." He pushed me down into the snow, pinning me in place. "You’d better give me your absolute best effort to make it up to me, or there won’t be anything to discuss with that antler-flashing show-off." Aether snorted, his lips curving faintly upward. "I’d bet his manhood is tiny—that’s probably why he’s so insecure."

"Uh..." I had no idea how to respond, but thankfully, Aether didn’t give me the chance. He pressed his snout against mine, gently nibbling.

From that point on, words failed me entirely, leaving me to communicate with little more than a series of helpless sounds.