It’s Been 500 Years as an Extra, and the Original Story Still Hasn’t Begun - Chapter 103

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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500 Years as Just an Extra,

 

The Original Story Still Won’t Begin

 

Episode 103

 

Between their meeting gazes, only cold silence filled the space.

 

Unlike Ailesia’s utterly indifferent expression, Melbarik’s mind was nothing but complicated as he looked at her.

 

‘…I simply cannot understand her.’

 

Even his master, who would be second to none in eccentricity, and the countless mages of the Magic Tower weren’t this difficult to read.

 

She suddenly appeared and stirred his heart to the fullest, then drew a line as if nothing had happened.

 

Yet he couldn’t bring himself to look away.

 

Even those coldly frozen eyes only looked so brilliantly beautiful that he wanted to hold them preciously in his embrace.

 

‘So this is why they say the one who falls in love first is at a disadvantage.’

 

He picked up one of the chocolates he had brought out. Right now, he wanted to soothe the bitterness lingering around his lips, even if just like this.

 

“I’ll help you.”

 

The first to speak was Melbarik. He drank the already cooled tea and cleanly washed away his restless feelings.

 

“If it’s for your happiness.”

 

“…There’s no need to put it so grandly.”

 

Ailesia also quietly lowered her eyes, showing a somewhat softened reaction.

 

‘I was a bit too harsh.’

 

Looking back, there was absolutely no reason to deliberately treat Melbarik coldly.

 

Acting rudely toward someone showing goodwill wasn’t proper etiquette as a person. Yet she had acted as if she was something special, only spitting out sharp words.

 

When reading other works, she would get irritated whenever characters appeared who bullied others with their emotions, but she had been doing the exact same thing.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

After recognizing her mistake, her heart felt bitter inside, but first she needed to apologize to him.

 

“You treated me with kindness, but I think I reacted too sensitively. If you were offended, I apologize.”

 

“Oh my, Lady Milenov.”

 

Melbarik looked a bit surprised as he raised his eyebrows, then soon burst into light laughter.

 

“I wasn’t offended at all, so please don’t worry. Still, hearing you say that makes me a little happy.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“It seems like you care about me at least that much.”

 

“…Don’t smile. It makes me feel attached.”

 

“However, I do have one question.”

 

Melbarik, who had put his glasses back on, fiddled with the frame with his left hand while carefully observing Ailesia’s face. His gaze was similar to that of a doctor examining a patient.

 

“When I first met you at the Banquet Hall, you appeared confident and composed. But today you seemed to be holding back irritation the entire time. Did something unpleasant happen during the day?”

 

“Pardon? That can’t be.”

 

During the daylight hours, she had only been having fun, hadn’t she? She had tea with Hilda and helped Rebecca with her Magic Training a bit.

 

Especially Elenora couldn’t stop smiling all day long.

 

It had been such an exciting day that Whitey and Blanky came after a long time and caused such a commotion that Lady Herman had to give them a slight warning.

 

“You said you slept wearing these pajamas at night, right? Perhaps the Demonic Energy affected your emotions.”

 

“Oh come on, surely not. That only happened briefly in the morning, and I was fine in less than an hour.”

 

“It’s not just a possibility. In the literature I mentioned earlier, it stated that the demonic energy of dark magic amplifies human negative emotions. If that’s true, then it would fully explain why you were particularly sensitive while talking with me.”

 

After hearing Melbarik’s words, something clicked.

 

Termion’s rampage that appeared in the original story.

 

Even if demonic energy had invaded his mana core, losing his reason to the point where he couldn’t even recognize Elenora of all people was certainly a puzzling aspect.

 

“If possible, please refrain from coming into contact with demonic energy. I think I’ll need to conduct more research to know the details.”

 

“Thank you for worrying about me.”

 

“Not at all. I’ll contact you as soon as I have results. Should I send a letter to the Retis Grand Duchy?”

 

“…You knew?”

 

“I heard rumors about the Grand Duke’s daughter’s tutor after the New Year banquet. I found out it was you when I went to other gatherings.”

 

Saying it like that made it feel like I deliberately deceived him. Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, I twisted my hair around my finger, and seeing this, Melbarik burst out laughing openly.

 

“What, why?”

 

“No, it’s nothing.”

 

He couldn’t very well answer that it was because she was cute. Melbarik got up from the sofa and headed to his desk to suppress the laughter that was escaping.

 

He wrote something on a palm-sized stiff paper. Then he pressed the ring on his right middle finger to stamp it before holding it out to Ailesia.

 

“What is this?”

 

“It’s a special access pass. In case I’m away when you visit the Magic Tower.”

 

“Why would I come here when you’re not around?”

 

“That’s even more delightful to hear than before.”

 

“Don’t deflect.”

 

“There are various research materials here. You’re welcome to come and browse them comfortably.”

 

Melbarik waved the paper in his hand back and forth. It was as if he was urging her to hurry up and take it.

 

Ailesia, who was about to unconsciously accept the access pass, clenched her outstretched hand into a fist.

 

The situation had changed from when she first received the ring. Back then, Melbarik had meant it as an apology to her, and there was a purpose of building friendship between them.

 

But this time, she had come to ask for a favor and had even gotten irritated. Yet Melbarik was just giving and giving.

 

“…Why are you being so kind to me?”

 

After biting her lips, she managed to utter those words with difficulty, but he gently opened Ailesia’s clenched fist, placed the access pass on it, and smiled softly.

 

“Do I need a reason? Between friends.”

 

* * *

 

Returning to the town house, Ailesia wandered alone through the garden where the lights weren’t even properly lit.

 

Things had gone so well that it made her preparations and resolve for the visit seem pointless. Melbarik had promised his full cooperation and she had even gained access to browse the Magic Tower’s materials.

 

‘…Is it okay for things to be like this when we’ve only met twice?’

 

She had nothing to give Melbarik in return. No, to be precise, she had no intention of doing so.

 

Though she had resolved not to treat him carelessly using his obvious affection for her as an excuse, her suspicion and wariness remained unchanged.

 

In fact, this research request was half like gambling. If it turned out that Melbarik was the First Imperial Consort’s confidant, it would be like entrusting a cat with fish.

 

However, Melbarik had maintained his courtesy throughout even in situations that would have been sufficiently unpleasant. Moreover, he had shown consideration for her until the very end.

 

“So this is how terrifying love at first sight can be…”

 

Finding a suitable bench and plopping down heavily, she muttered in a powerless voice.

 

She had always giggled whenever she read stories, wondering how people could fall for someone like that, but now that she was the target of such feelings, it was scary beyond just being awkward.

 

Did I know this would happen? I wasn’t even trying to seduce him or anything, I just suggested we chat a bit and be friends.

 

Continuing to meet someone she had no feelings for, especially someone who harbored one-sided affection for her, was subtly burdensome and exhausting.

 

But once she became aware of the situation, she couldn’t help but think of Elenora and Termion.

 

Elenora was still young, so she probably wouldn’t calculate things complexly when forming relationships. Though as a smart child, she seemed to distinguish likes and dislikes intuitively.

 

‘Elly aside…’

 

Perhaps Termion had felt exactly the same way she felt about Melbarik.

 

No matter how much of a benefactor she was for protecting Elenora, it must have been troublesome bringing her to the family house. Same goes for after she settled in as a tutor.

 

‘…No wonder he was always grumpy. That was separate from being shy around strangers.’

 

How burdensome it must have been for a woman he’d never seen before to not only dote on his niece but actively involve herself in family affairs.

 

On top of that, she had been playfully teasing and bothering him whenever she could under the guise of being a fan, so he must have been seething inside while unable to say anything.

 

‘Wow, thinking about it this way, I was such a troublesome character, wasn’t I?’

 

If they hadn’t had that deep conversation and opened up to each other in the Gardbale Mountains, they might still be distant.

 

“I feel sorry somehow. But apologizing would be strange too.”

 

“To whom?”

 

“Obviously to Termion… Huh?”

 

The moment she blankly gave her answer, Ailesia snapped to attention and stood up from her seat.

 

“Te, Termion?”

 

When did he come out? Unlike her with her eyes wide open, Termion merely tilted his head.

 

“I don’t know what you’re suddenly sorry about…”

 

He took off the cloak he was wearing and frowned slightly.

 

“Why are you doing this alone. In a garden with no fire lit.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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