It’s Been 500 Years as an Extra, and the Original Story Still Hasn’t Begun - Chapter 62

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

500 Years as Just an Extra,

The Original Story Still Won’t Begin

Episode 062

“…Who’s suddenly crying? Uncle doesn’t know how to do that sort of thing.”

“Elly knows everything. Uncle misses Mother and Father too, right?”

Whose mother and father was she referring to? Either way, it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“No, Uncle is fine.”

“Why do adults always say that? Is it wrong to say you miss someone you want to see?”

“That’s…”

“Elly misses Mother and Father. I wish they would appear in my dreams every single day.”

“…Is that so?”

Since taking charge of Elenora, Termion had never had this kind of conversation with the child.

Not only himself, but the entire Retis Family had tacitly treated the topic of the Former Grand Duke Couple like a taboo.

Termion carefully took Elenora into his arms and stood up. He slowly moved his steps, seeking the most secluded place possible.

“Wasn’t it hard missing Mother and Father?”

“Mm… A little? But I don’t feel really sad or want to cry.”

“Why?”

“Because if Elly just cries every day, other people get sad. Mother and Father too.”

“I see.”

“Mother said she was the happiest in the world whenever Elly smiled. So Elly likes to smile.”

Termion looked at his niece in his arms with newfound admiration. It was also a moment of self-reflection.

She was a child small enough to fit snugly in his arms, yet her heart had already grown beyond that of an adult.

‘But I…’

A niece forced to grow up too soon and an uncle who had to pretend to be an adult for her sake. Who was truly having the harder time?

Elenora was steadily moving forward.

Unlike himself, who was still trapped in the past.

“Uncle likes it when Elly smiles too. But…”

Unable to bare his true feelings, Termion let his words trail off gently.

He wished she would cry her heart out and come looking for Uncle whenever she felt like crying.

Only then could he find comfort in knowing he was a source of support for this child.

‘…How pathetic.’

Even knowing it was a future he would eventually face, whenever he thought about it, a vague fear would wash over his entire body.

To others, it might look like he was protecting Elenora, but the reality was the complete opposite.

Rather, he was the one clinging to her.

His position as Grand Duke, his sense of belonging as a Member of Retis—all of it was only possible because of Elenora.

If this child no longer needed a guardian, where would he find meaning in life?

“Don’t worry, Uncle.”

“Hm?”

“Elly wants to stay with Uncle forever. I won’t leave Uncle alone and go away like Mother and Father did, never.”

Termion couldn’t help but doubt his own ears.

No matter how mature Elenora was, those weren’t words that should come from an ordinary child’s mouth.

“Did Teacher say that? That Elly can do anything she wants to do. She said it was okay.”

“…What do you want to do?”

“I’m going to become a really strong person like Teacher! Then I’ll protect Uncle and protect Retis too!”

Before he knew it, Elenora’s eyes were sparkling. The child hugged Uncle’s neck tightly and whispered chattering words in his ear.

“So Uncle, you can’t go anywhere else. Don’t go anywhere and play with Elly, okay?”

“Where would Uncle go?”

“Anyway! Don’t go anywhere without Elly! You promised, right?”

“Yes, I’ll always stay with Elly.”

“With Teacher too!”

“…With Teacher too?”

Why Ailesia all of a sudden? Before his confusion could fade, Termion nearly dropped Elenora from his arms.

“If Uncle and Teacher get married, Elly will have a little sibling!”

“Pfft! Cough!”

What was this sudden talk about? The very Elenora who had dropped this bombshell was tilting her head with an expression that said ‘what’s the problem?’

“Why? Does Uncle dislike Teacher?”

“Th-that’s not the issue!”

“Teacher said she likes Uncle? If Uncle likes Teacher too, then it’s fine, right?”

He didn’t know when she had said such a thing, but it surely wasn’t in that context.

That woman who was always busy teasing him by calling him ‘boy’ couldn’t possibly see him as a man.

“…Even so, you shouldn’t use the word marriage so casually.”

“Uncle is handsome and Teacher is pretty, so Elly’s sibling will be pretty too! Right!”

“That’s why… Sigh.”

He couldn’t even grasp where to begin explaining. Only sighs poured from his mouth.

Of course, from Elenora’s perspective, who liked Ailesia, it was something she could easily imagine.

…Though wasn’t she getting a bit too ahead of herself?

‘At times like this, she’s definitely a five-year-old kid.’

Even earlier, when they stood side by side with Elenora between them, he had briefly thought about it.

Would it feel like this if he married someone and had a child later?

But it was merely a thought that naturally occurred because the situation fit, definitely not something he had considered with Ailesia in mind.

“Do you like Teacher that much?”

“Yes! You know, Teacher knows everything Elly likes and dislikes? And she always tells Elly she loves her!”

“Is that so…?”

“Teacher said she’ll do anything Elly asks for! She’ll protect Elly, protect Uncle, protect everyone! And, umm…”

Perhaps feeling a bit embarrassed as she spoke, Elenora blushed and squirmed in his arms.

“When she calls me Little One and hugs me tight, Elly’s chest feels all tingly and warm. I think Elly loves Teacher, hehe.”

“…More than Uncle?”

Even though he should welcome the fact that the child had somewhere to lean on besides himself, this petty jealousy made him say something pointed.

However, Elenora gave an answer that exceeded Termion’s expectations.

“I like Uncle, and I like Teacher, and I like Grandmother! So I wish Uncle and Teacher would get married and live together with Elly and Grandmother for a long, long time!”

“…Marriage is off the table, but I’ll try my best about living together.”

“Eeeh, what kind of answer is that! They say brave men win beautiful women!”

Of course, everyone acknowledged that Ailesia was a rare beauty.

But asking if he lacked courage was… no, rather, he was just puzzled about why Elenora kept saying such things.

Termion, who had been completely drained in that short time, asked in a deflated voice.

“Where did you learn to say such things?”

“From books?”

The books Elenora read should only be children’s fairy tales, so what kind of book had she read? Did it feature a protagonist overflowing with dreams and hope to an excessively progressive degree?

“Don’t say such things in front of Teacher.”

“Why? Does Teacher dislike it?”

“…If I say no, then you should know it means no.”

“Tch, Uncle is mean.”

It was better to be a mean uncle.

Even if she was a child, there were things that shouldn’t be said.

Moreover, Ailesia was the benefactor who had saved both his niece’s and his own life. Naturally, he had to maintain a minimum line of propriety.

Setting aside that fact, carelessly chattering about marriage and siblings to a young woman was far too rude.

‘…Is she actually young?’

Come to think of it, he had never once asked Ailesia her age. He had simply guessed from her appearance that she was probably in her early to mid-twenties.

Judging by her words and actions, she was certainly much more mature than him, but sometimes she showed surprisingly childish aspects.

Even that would be fine if it were just playfulness.

‘Surely she’s not actually a witch who’s a few hundred years old like she claims.’

It was an absurd thought. How could a person live for hundreds of years?

Besides, what would such a person lack that they’d be working as just a tutor?

Termion let out a light chuckle and dismissed the pointless imagination.

While the residents enjoyed the Holy Night Festival, Termion and Iolene moved busily.

Termion frequently traveled to the advance base with Ailesia’s help. He was rushing the fortification construction work in preparation for the heavy snowfall that would hit in early January.

Iolene visited temples within the Grand Duke’s Castle, attending worship services and various charity events. Sometimes she enjoyed brief outings with Elenora.

‘Somehow I’m the only one with free time?’

For the past few days, except for accompanying Elenora when she went out, there wasn’t much for her to do.

Thanks to this, Ailesia had time to reflect on the original story’s content after a long while.

‘Heavy snow falls for about a week starting in early January, and the Imperial Palace New Year banquet was mid-month?’

True to being a Korean work, the original story described events that seemed directly borrowed from Korean holidays.

Though called the Holy Night Festival, it was actually Christmas and New Year’s combined, and the New Year banquet held from January 14th to 16th was reminiscent of the full moon festival.

‘In the original story, only the Grand Duchess Dowager attended the New Year banquet.’

And that was literally just showing her face briefly before leaving. It was to save face for the Emperor who had sent the invitation.

Sure enough, at a dinner gathering where Retis’s family members had all come together for the first time in a while, Iolene spoke up.

“The invitation to the Imperial Palace New Year banquet has arrived.”

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