It’s Been 500 Years as an Extra, and the Original Story Still Hasn’t Begun - Chapter 89
—————
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 089
Termion carefully went through the personal details of the Knights he had memorized in advance.
“They wouldn’t be people with troublesome family relationships or financial problems either.”
The Knights stationed at Tillan Fortress and the advance base not only received generous salaries, but all their families resided within the Grand Duke’s Castle.
The only exceptions were those from provincial noble families with separate territories, but even they were all retainers of Retis. And they were people who had served loyally for at least three generations.
“There’s not much point in considering such things anyway.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you don’t necessarily need to bribe them with money or blackmail them with weaknesses. You can just manipulate their minds, so why bother?”
“Such detailed commands are impossible with mental manipulation. Teacher, don’t you know this well?”
Kubera immediately retorted as if it was nonsense.
It was common sense that carrying out someone’s orders while keeping one’s own ego perfectly intact was impossible. Truth serum, which turned people into idiots if overdosed, was a prime example.
“Besides, to leak information, you’d need to maintain the brainwashing long-term. Unless a mage is constantly stationed nearby, it doesn’t make sense.”
“Wouldn’t it be possible with dark magic?”
“…Are you saying that magic whose principles are unclear even ignores the laws?”
“I plan to uncover those principles soon, so don’t be too impatient. That doesn’t seem to be the most important issue right now, does it?”
“You’re right. Lord Dayford, how much supplies remain at the base?”
“If there are no major problems, we can hold out for two months easily.”
The heavy snow had passed, and there were no plans for major subjugation operations for the time being.
The advance base’s mission was simply to thoroughly guard the surroundings until spring arrived.
“Please minimize contact with Tillan Fortress for the time being. It’s fine to leak false information appropriately.”
“What shall we do with the disposal of the poachers?”
“Once the interrogation is finished, we’ll transfer them to the Grand Duke’s Castle prison. Ailesia, you’ll help, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Then let’s think about the rest tomorrow.”
Termion gently pulled Ailesia’s wrist with a slightly playful smile.
“Shall we have a late dinner? With some meat you like on the side.”
The next morning, the first person to welcome Ailesia back to the town house in the Imperial Capital was naturally Elenora.
And in a more intense way than imaginable.
“Teacherrrrr!”
For some reason, Elenora, who had been out on her room’s terrace, immediately jumped toward Ailesia as soon as she saw her at the entrance.
“G-Grand Duchess!”
“Kyaak! Elly, you!”
Ailesia, startled, quickly used magic to safely catch Elenora in her arms. Soon after, someone landed beside them with a heavy thud.
Thump!
“Grand Duchess, are you safe!”
“Wow… Sister Rebecca, so cool.”
“…Grand Duchess, please.”
Surprisingly, Rebecca had apparently jumped down right after Elenora while wearing armor. She was so shocked that her face had turned completely pale.
“…What is this as soon as I return.”
Looking at the child who was hugging her with such a bright expression, she felt like even sighing would be pointless.
Hilda, who had been out on the terrace together, was already sitting on the floor in a dazed state.
“Teacher! I missed you!”
“I… missed you too, Little One, but?”
“Yes?”
“You can’t jump down from there like that.”
“Why not? Teacher caught me with magic.”
“Even so, it’s too dangerous. Sister Hilda and Sister Rebecca were surprised too.”
It would be better if she threw tantrums instead; being oblivious to safety was absolutely not acceptable.
Not only could she get hurt herself, but the people around her wouldn’t have any heart left.
“It would be better if you told me first when you want to jump down, Grand Duchess.”
Rebecca, grinding her teeth, forced a smile as she spoke.
She clearly looked like she wanted to punch someone, but seemed to be barely holding back because of who her opponent was.
“Hm? I just need to tell Sister Rebecca first?”
“That’s not what I meant… Haa.”
Would beating around the bush work on a six-year-old? At this rate, Elenora would end up begging Rebecca to hold her and jump down.
“Elly did something wrong, so you need to say sorry.”
“Ehhhh?”
She was clearly scolding her, but moderate words weren’t getting through, which was frustrating.
But she couldn’t openly get angry in front of the other servants either.
“Teacher… Have you returned…”
Hilda, who had come down to the first floor, walked over unsteadily and greeted her weakly.
…What should I do about that. She clearly looks like she’s aged ten years.
“Y-yeah. Hilda, was everything alright?”
“Until a little while ago… there were no problems…”
Sliiiide.
Hilda turned her head, and the corners of her mouth curved to different heights. It was such an eerie smile that both Ailesia and Rebecca flinched simultaneously.
“Since I just finished cleaning the Grand Duchess’s room, why don’t you go up and have a talk…”
“I-is that so?”
Elenora was clearly the one who did wrong, so why am I getting nervous? I just came back with a light heart.
Sure enough, Hilda, who brought tea to Ailesia, began scolding Elenora with fierce intensity.
“Put your hands up properly! If you did wrong, you need to reflect!”
“Hiiing…”
“Pretending to cry won’t help, Grand Duchess. Goodness, jumping down from there? What if Teacher had made a mistake or couldn’t use magic? Both of you could have been seriously hurt!”
“I’m sorryyy…”
“As punishment, strawberry chocolate is banned from tonight’s dessert.”
“Uwaaaah!”
This is for real. While holding her teacup to her lips, she glanced sideways and saw Elenora crying her eyes out with an expression like she’d lost the world.
‘…And yet she’s still listening well.’
As Hilda said, the child’s raised hand held a large piece of paper.
It was a handwritten apology letter that read crookedly, ‘I will never jump from the terrace again.’
“Um, Rebecca.”
Ailesia brought her face close and whispered to Rebecca in a small voice.
“Since when has Hilda been scolding Elly like that?”
“…This is the third time.”
Rebecca explained that since Ailesia had been away frequently lately, Iolene had specially asked Hilda to handle the discipline.
Apparently, she had been causing quite a bit of trouble since coming to the town house?
“Before, she just made her write apology letters and gently admonished her, but today she really…”
A groan escaped from Rebecca’s lips as she held her head with both hands.
“Ahaha… She must have caused quite a bit of trouble.”
“I seriously considered whether hunting magical beasts might be better.”
“Th-that’s a bit too much.”
Rebecca’s answer contained considerable sincerity. Since Ailesia had no intention of blindly taking Elenora’s side, she responded appropriately while just twirling her hair with her fingers.
‘No matter how I think about it, something’s strange.’
Thinking about the behaviors Elenora had shown so far, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
This was a child who had never been a picky eater even once during meals. Though she had a fairly active personality and somewhat tomboyish tendencies, she had never once done anything that would worry the adults around her.
Even when she played excessive pranks or threw tantrums, Ailesia or Termion were always by her side. It meant she only let her guard down when she was with people who could handle her.
“Put your hand down, Grand Duchess.”
“Mmph, sniff.”
“Are you going to do something dangerous again?”
“I won’t do it anymore…”
Hilda wiped Elenora’s eyes with her sleeve end, then pulled the child into a tight embrace and began to tear up herself.
“You must never play such pranks again, sob. Do you know how shocked I was? Hmm?”
“Uh, uhhhh…?”
“If the Grand Duchess gets hurt, my world will collapse. You mustn’t get sick or injured, you must grow up healthy and beautiful.”
“…I, I was wrong! Waaaah!”
Seeing the two who eventually began crying loudly side by side, Ailesia asked in a dazed voice.
“By any chance, was it like this before too…?”
“It was similar… but today feels particularly worse.”
At first glance, it seemed like attention-seeking behavior stemming from lack of affection, but was that really the case?
That clever child couldn’t have caused such trouble from simple impulse.
‘Am I overreacting?’
Perhaps this was normal for a six-year-old, but you’d have to experience what’s normal to know, right?
Besides, since Rebecca said it was the ‘third time,’ she needed to hear about what the first two incidents were.
“Little One.”
“Teacher…”
Ailesia sat Elenora on her lap and patted her shoulders. Since this was her first time dealing with such a situation, she was completely at a loss for what to say.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————