It’s Been 500 Years as an Extra, and the Original Story Still Hasn’t Begun - Chapter 86

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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 086

“What about Father?”

“Well. I think he said he was sorry.”

“Really…?”

“I did find something like a note he left for me much later, but it was too late. If only he had said even a word to me directly while he was still alive.”

“…Sorry, I guess I asked something I shouldn’t have.”

Getting caught up in the mood and clumsily trying to gather information about the original story, I ended up only touching Termion’s wounds.

‘…He doesn’t show it, but it must have been really hard for him.’

Just hearing that he was suddenly separated from his mother said it all. I suspected she had struggled to raise Termion alone before suddenly passing away from illness.

Feeling awkwardly embarrassed, I scratched at the innocent blanket with my fingernails, when Termion gently covered my fingers with his hand.

“You’ll hurt yourself doing that.”

I don’t know when he took off his gloves, but his hand was incredibly warm. Before the startled Ailesia could pull her hand away, his words continued.

“Thank you.”

“Huh…? For what?”

“For bringing me to this place.”

“Didn’t I just drag you here forcibly and make you suffer?”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to have this kind of conversation.”

“…When you say it like that, it makes me sound like I’m someone special.”

“You are special. To me, and to Elly too.”

The campfire had died down considerably from before. He picked up a few more pieces of firewood from his feet and added them.

“My life has always been like a bonus.”

“A bonus?”

“I’m nothing more than an unwelcome guest in Retis. The Family House would have been better off not knowing of my existence.”

“…Why did you think that?”

“Because it’s the truth.”

Termion had been blaming himself all along for the death of the Former Grand Duke Couple.

If he hadn’t existed from the beginning, Sister-in-law would have stayed at the Manor instead of attending the banquet, and Elder Brother wouldn’t have made unreasonable plans for territory inspections either.

It sounded almost absurd to anyone who heard it, but at least in Termion’s mind, such a cause-and-effect relationship was rooted like a tree.

“Originally, I planned to leave once I had the ability to live alone in the world… but I kept hesitating and ended up like this.”

“When did you become an Aura Master? With that level of skill, you could be an adventurer or anything.”

“I was fourteen. Actually, I thought about leaving right then. I did, but…”

Perhaps finding it absurd even to himself, Termion let out a hollow laugh.

“Uncle, where are you going?”

“Uncle, Elly kiss!”

“Uncle, let’s eat!”

“I love Uncle, hehe.”

Even though pronunciation must have been difficult, how she managed to call out ‘Uncle’ so clearly was still a mystery to me.

“That tiny thing had just started to speak a little, and she would follow me around calling ‘Uncle, Uncle.’ Even crawling when she got tired of walking.”

“…You definitely couldn’t leave.”

“Absolutely couldn’t leave.”

Elenora had been particularly fond of Termion even as a baby. She would only be calm if Termion showed his face at least once every two hours, and before sleeping, she always held one of Termion’s fingers tightly in her hand.

If Termion tried to pull his hand away before she was completely asleep, she would cry so pitifully that the entire Castle would echo. It wasn’t for nothing that the Former Grand Duchess cherished and adored Termion so much.

“At that point, isn’t Elly practically your daughter?”

“…Elly was born when I was twelve.”

“It’s a joke, a joke! Why is your aura suddenly flaring up!”

“I was just playing around a bit.”

As Termion shrugged his shoulders playfully, a brief burst of laughter followed.

Termion, who had laughed heartily, continued his story.

“There were various other incidents after that. Including the ones you know about.”

“So what’s the conclusion?”

“…It feels like a life I stumbled into by chance.”

The golden veil that had been showing off its presence in the center of the light had somehow scattered like mist and blended into the other aurora.

Termion thought that sight somehow resembled Ailesia.

Someone who stands out everywhere but knows how to get along comfortably with anyone. Someone who, when you come to your senses, is always naturally by your side.

And… someone he hoped would continue to stay by his side.

“But at least in this moment, I feel that I haven’t lived completely in vain.”

“Aren’t the years you’ve lived too short to say something like that?”

“The sun that rose in the morning becomes a sunset and scatters by evening, and in the dark night sky, such beautiful aurora ripples. Even that aurora hides like a mirage when the sun rises again.”

Everything in the world has an end. But at that end, there is always a new beginning.

Just as Elenora gave meaning to his life that he thought was futile, and when he was being crushed by the weight of that meaning, Ailesia appeared.

“Isn’t life like that too? Living day by day, I might come to realize something I didn’t know before.”

At the same time as those words, Termion truly came to understand that ‘something’ he had just spoken of.

It was only a short time of about three months, but it was enough to fall for someone who appeared like magic.

‘I like you, Ailesia.’

Words too embarrassing to reveal in this place lingered in his mouth.

For now, he could only use his young niece as an excuse, but someday there would come a day when he could confess proudly.

He was, as she said, a boy who hadn’t become an adult yet.

Until then, he would simply stay by her side quietly, cherishing this precious feeling he had finally come to acknowledge.

“From now on, I’m going to live a little more greedily.”

Hoping that only his reflection would be captured in those beautiful blue eyes, Termion gently squeezed Ailesia’s hand that was still touching his.

“I just press here?”

“Yeah. When light flashes from the cylinder, it’s working. You can adjust the distance by turning the dial too.”

Termion’s eyes upon encountering a camera for the first time were like those of a child discovering a new toy.

After using the camera himself following Ailesia’s explanation and checking his first photo, his reaction was pure amazement.

Termion compared the surrounding scenery with the photo several times before asking in an unusually excited voice.

“Can I keep making these?”

“If you just replace the photo paper?”

“…May I take a few more?”

“Here.”

Ailesia handed him the cartridges and small bag she had prepared in advance.

Though there was the inconvenience of having to replace the photo paper each time he took a shot, that amount would probably be enough to take dozens of pictures.

‘I didn’t know he’d like it this much.’

The first two or three shots seemed casual, but soon he was carefully choosing shooting locations and even considering composition, which looked quite professional.

“I’m glad you like it.”

Ailesia hugged the neck of Shaila, who was lying beside her, and leaned back leisurely.

The pure white snow field under the night sky filled with aurora, and a handsome man walking around taking pictures there. It was a scene that brought peace to the heart just by watching.

After taking well over twenty photos, Termion returned with a flushed expression.

“Did you take enough pictures?”

“We should head back soon. I’d love to bring Elly here too if I could.”

“Let’s come together when we have time later. It’s not like it’s difficult.”

“…Wasn’t this a place we shouldn’t carelessly enter?”

“What does it matter? It’s not like anyone’s guarding it.”

In the first place, if you were an ordinary person, there would be no way to reach this place. Climbing a barrier over 1,000 meters with bare hands in a location where magic couldn’t be used was practically impossible.

“According to what you said, this should be a place where great beings are sleeping.”

“It’s fine. They won’t wake up again to get angry, and even if they did, our Master would beat them all anyway.”

“Good heavens.”

Termion could only feel perplexed by her words, unable to tell if she was joking or serious.

He took one more shot of the lake below where the aurora was rising, then handed the camera to Ailesia.

“I used it well.”

“Huh? You don’t have to return it. Just keep it.”

“…What?”

“It’s nothing much, but it’s a token of thanks for coming all the way here with me. I have spares made anyway.”

“I cannot carelessly accept such a precious item.”

Though Termion tried to refuse adamantly, Ailesia forcibly placed the camera in his arms and grinned broadly.

“You can just take lots of pretty pictures with it and show them to me. Take lots of Elly too.”

“Even so.”

“Didn’t you say you’d live with desire from now on? It’s not even that great, what’s the big deal.”

Termion’s body flinched for a moment as he stared down at the camera in his arms. Now that he heard those words again from Ailesia’s mouth, he couldn’t lift his head due to embarrassment.

“I will… treasure it.”

“Good. Think of me a lot whenever you look at it.”

“…I will.”

“…Huh?”

Wait, what’s the reason for answering with that shy voice? And why is your face turning red like some pure romance manga protagonist?

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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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