It’s Been 500 Years as an Extra, and the Original Story Still Hasn’t Begun - Chapter 127

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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 127

 

“Ailesia?”

 

When I opened the door, Ailesia was standing there wearing a robe. She seemed to have just returned from going out.

 

“You came back early. What about dinner?”

 

“I hurried a bit because I wanted to eat together. I don’t know when the Grand Duchess Dowager will return, and eating alone is lonely.”

 

“…Would you like to come in for a moment?”

 

Termion asked while suppressing his pounding heart.

 

He was inwardly shocked when an unusually nervous tone slipped out without him realizing it, but Ailesia headed to the sofa without showing any particular reaction.

 

“What were you doing?”

 

“I received a report about Dusk Talon from the Chief Steward. Would you like to read it?”

 

“Is that okay?”

 

“I don’t know about others, but you should know.”

 

Ailesia took the report Termion handed her and opened it. Considering the period since the investigation began, there was more content than expected.

 

She was turning pages fairly quickly when she stopped her hand around the middle of the report and let out a sigh.

 

“What is this supposed to mean? Dark Mages do charity work too?”

 

“It seems unbelievable, but apparently so. Since Sigmund himself directly did this work, it’s probably not a lie.”

 

“But why?”

 

“That’s what puzzles me too. Isn’t it too elaborate for a disguise operation? Unless it’s an organization whose identity has already been exposed.”

 

“It’s not like they’re giving illness and then medicine… No, wait.”

 

Ailesia felt there was something contradictory about what she had just said.

 

Isn’t the order reversed in this case? It’s like giving medicine first and then the illness.

 

‘If I reverse the sequence…?’

 

Melbarik had definitely mentioned sacrifices for generating demonic energy before.

 

“It said that negative emotions, lives, and souls of living beings should be offered as sacrifices. I don’t know the exact method either.”

 

She still couldn’t know the exact method, but focusing on humans’ ‘negative emotions,’ there was a situation she could guess.

 

And if her speculation was correct, Dusk Talon was no different from a group of demons, beyond just an ordinary criminal organization.

 

“…Hypothetically speaking.”

 

Ailesia paused for a moment to think of a suitable analogy. Just starting to speak made her feel disgusted inside.

 

“Yes, suppose you had an argument with someone.”

 

“…Did something happen while you were out?”

 

What’s with his sharp intuition?

 

For now, the current topic was priority, so she brushed off the question vaguely.

 

“I’m just giving an example. Besides, Rebecca and I went out together, so if anything happened, you should be worried about the other party, shouldn’t you?”

 

“That’s… true.”

 

Why does his reaction seem so lukewarm? She glanced at him sideways and continued speaking.

 

“When you fight with someone you’ve always been close with versus when you get into a conflict with a stranger on the street. Which one would feel worse?”

 

“Isn’t it the former? You can just forget about strangers, but you have to face people you know again. They’d feel betrayed too.”

 

“That’s usually the case, right? Emotions naturally feel stronger when situations are contrasted. I suspect Dusk Talon’s charitable activities follow that same logic.”

 

“Emotions…”

 

Termion tilted his head and fell into thought for a moment, then slowly began to contort his face.

 

“You’re saying what those bastards are doing is to draw out more intense emotions from people?”

 

“That’s the only way I can figure it. You said negative emotions are also used as sacrifices to create demonic energy.”

 

No matter how much someone has, they would naturally feel bad when something is taken away. Let alone those who have nothing would feel it even more.

 

But what if someone who has nothing finally gets something, only to have it taken away again?

 

It would have been better if they had never known from the beginning. As long as you don’t expect anything, there’s nothing to be disappointed about.

 

Termion shuddered and barely managed to open his mouth.

 

“If that’s true… Dusk Talon is treating people like beasts, no, worse than beasts.”

 

Even livestock raised for meat receive care, so how could they do such things to fellow humans? It was disgusting just to imagine.

 

“Wouldn’t investigating the Kaif Duchy give us some leads?”

 

“It’s not a matter to decide easily. I’m at a loss as to where to start digging.”

 

No matter how much of an expert Baron Gavin was in this field, rashly investigating the Kaif Duchy’s background was dangerous.

 

Without a guarantee they wouldn’t be caught, they needed to be cautious for now.

 

“It would be easier to just wage territorial war. There’d be nothing to worry about that way.”

 

“Should we just attack them outright? How about going at night and secretly dropping a meteor or something?”

 

“How does that make sense? Really.”

 

“Why? Think it’s impossible?”

 

Ailesia tilted her head with an innocent expression. She looked ready to rush to the Kaif Duchy immediately if given permission.

 

Termion, momentarily speechless from the dizzying feeling, finally shook his head.

 

“I’m worried because it seems too possible, so please stop.”

 

“Tch, no fun.”

 

…Even amid all this, there was nothing he could do about his heart racing at Ailesia’s grumbling appearance.

 

* * *

 

Iolene returned to the manor a little past lunchtime. For having only been out for half a day, her face was full of fatigue.

 

“Have you had your meal?”

 

“I stopped by the Second Prince’s Palace and ate there.”

 

“The Second Prince’s Palace?”

 

“I’m his guardian in name, so while I was there, I had to check on him. He’ll be visiting the manor soon.”

 

“…Why is the Second Prince coming here?”

 

Termion’s hand paused as he was lifting his teacup.

 

Surely the result of her deal with the Emperor wasn’t taking the Second Prince hostage.

 

“Next month is Elly’s birthday, isn’t it? Under the pretext of inviting him to her birthday party, we agreed he would accompany us when we return to the castle this time.”

 

“It doesn’t seem like an occasion you simply created to help the children get along.”

 

“The First Prince has the Kaif Duchy, and the Magic Tower is behind the Third Prince. It’s good for us to clearly show our position at this opportunity too.”

 

“Will that be alright?”

 

Termion’s concern was about the Second Prince, not Retis.

 

Until now, the support had merely been about providing conveniences for daily life, but if he were to receive a direct invitation to the Grand Duke’s Castle, it would mean the Second Prince was clearly declaring his own faction as well.

 

Perhaps this incident would only intensify the checks against the Second Prince. Especially since it was impossible to predict how the First Imperial Consort would react.

 

“The First Imperial Consort won’t be able to rashly touch the Second Prince. If the Emperor properly understood what I said.”

 

“Did you go and intimidate them?”

 

“He’s not so weak as to be frightened just because I get angry. Since his past years were far from smooth, his nature of disliking bloodshed only appears timid.”

 

Still, when he was young, he was quite an endearing child in his own way, but how did he end up like this? Iolene’s eyes briefly filled with pity as she recalled old memories.

 

“Right, has there been any progress in the investigation? I heard the Chief Steward returned at dawn.”

 

“I actually received a report this morning. Please read through the details at your leisure.”

 

Termion summarized only the key parts of the information he had heard from Baron Gavin. This included the conversation he had with Ailesia just before lunch.

 

“If all of that is true, then this isn’t simply a problem limited to our family house. Unless they’re demons wearing human masks, how could they do such things…”

 

“The Chief Steward is making every effort. Lord Dayford and the knights will come down from the advance base soon, so we plan to begin the investigation in earnest starting in March.”

 

“Right. Having already scratched at the First Imperial Consort’s nerves once, it would be hard to see anything good come from provoking the Kaif Duchy as well.”

 

“I think so too. For now, we should only focus on preparing for the hunt.”

 

Having stirred things up outside, it was time to organize things inside. Thanks to Sigmund’s testimony, they had already identified who the traitor at Tillan Fortress was, and what remained were the people in the Grand Duke’s Castle.

 

“What happened to that maid from before?”

 

“Maid? Who do you mean?”

 

“The one who treated Ailesia and Hilda rudely. Was her name Sophia?”

 

“Ah, that insolent maid.”

 

As if the mere thought was unpleasant, Iolene slightly frowned.

 

She would have been more than justified in dismissing her on the spot, but the conversation from the phonograph that Ailesia had shared at the time seemed suspicious, so she had only changed her position and secretly assigned surveillance.

 

“I demoted her to third grade and sent her to the laundry room. The head maid probably chose someone trustworthy to handle the surveillance.”

 

“We should assign some knights as well. Now that things have come this far, she’ll definitely try to contact someone.”

 

“Do you think she’s a lackey of the Kaif Duchy?”

 

“She could also be someone the First Imperial Consort planted. From what we’ve seen so far, the alliance between the First Imperial Consort and the Kaif Duchy doesn’t seem as solid as we thought.”

 

From now on, it wouldn’t be a contest of strength but a battle of wits. The side that dug traps more meticulously and could see several moves ahead would emerge victorious.

 

“We’ll use everything we can. After all, they were the ones who crossed the line first.”

 

Termion muttered in a chilling voice as he stared at the empty teacup with indifferent eyes.

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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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