It’s Been 500 Years as an Extra, and the Original Story Still Hasn’t Begun - Chapter 9

—————
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 009

After connecting two wolves to the rope that had been hanging in front of the carriage, Ailesia raised her staff with her eyes closed.

“Good. They’re nearby.”

Thud.

As she lightly tapped the end of her staff on the ground, suddenly two giant animals appeared with a flash of light.

“Polaris, Shaila. Sorry for calling you so suddenly.”

“Kuwoong?”

“Kyaang!”

A brown bear twice the size of an ordinary bear and a deer with silver-white mane whose shoulder height was even taller than Termion responded with welcoming cries.

“Kishishi…”

Yormu, who had poked his head out from the lake at some point, was also flicking his tongue.

Polaris the brown bear who lives in the mountain, Shaila the deer of the valley, Yormu the snake of the lake.

These three could be called the masters of the Western Forest, the apex predators.

“I think I’ll have to leave home for a while. Please take care of things. Elly should say hello too, right?”

“Polly, Shasha, Yor! Take care! I’ll come play again!”

Termion stepped back and blinked with a deliberately calm expression. Even while watching, it was hard to believe his niece was greeting those terrifying animals like friends.

“Kuwong.”

“Kyarreung.”

“Kishisit.”

Polaris and Shaila rubbed their noses, and Yormu gently brushed her waist with his tongue.

Elenora, thoroughly excited, was buried among the animals with her small frame.

‘…How long has it been since Elly made that expression?’

Before he knew it, Termion was watching that scene with a peaceful heart.

Elenora mingling with the animals and Ailesia smiling beside her. It was a warm and beautiful scene that seemed like it would only appear in fairy tales.

‘I’d like to draw it as a picture.’

Just as the corners of his mouth, lost in sentiment, were quietly rising, a cheerful voice rang out.

“Well then, shall we go? We’ll be back, everyone!”

As Ailesia lightly spun her staff once, golden light burst from her body.

“…Where is this?”

The lake and log cabin were nowhere to be seen, and Termion had been moved to a familiar place. The knights who were with them were also all looking around with bewildered eyes.

“You can see the village entrance over there, right? Just go get the horses.”

“Don’t tell me, you used spatial transfer magic?”

“Yeah.”

“…This many people, all at once?”

There was no incantation, no hand signs, not even the distinctive wavelength of moving magical power. It literally happened in the blink of an eye.

Termion made a dizzy expression as he felt his common sense crumble instantly.

“Ailesia, what exactly is your identity?”

“I know, Uncle!”

Elenora raised her arm high and shouted brightly.

“Teacher is a kind and super strong witch! And she’s the prettiest in the world!”

“…Is that so?”

At least it was certain she was an infinitely gentle person to Elenora. But…

‘What kind of witch is a super strong witch…?’

Anyway, if Elenora liked her, wouldn’t that be enough?

Termion showed his niece a slightly awkward smile.

Crackle crackle.

With a modestly burning campfire between them, Ailesia was having a conversation with Termion in low voices.

The return journey had been quite smooth. Thanks to running the shortest route and even using gates along the way, they were now about two days away from arrival. There was no need for Ailesia to assist with magic.

“It took over a month and a half to reach Chernil Forest, but the return trip is faster than expected.”

“Huh? A month and a half?”

Ailesia, who had been listening to Termion’s story, tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

“Yes. Even though I didn’t count the days precisely, it would be about that long.”

In the original story, it took about two months from when Elenora went missing until she returned. The timing roughly matched the current situation.

“Weren’t you tracking the mana wavelength of the pendant? And it still took that long?”

“Beyond a certain distance, I can only confirm the direction. Just because you know the direction doesn’t mean you can always move in a straight path.”

“What, it’s a defective product.”

I thought it was broken, but it was flawed from the beginning.

As Ailesia muttered complainingly, Termion made an incredulous expression.

“That one thing costs as much as a decent noble manor.”

“The price is inflated too? Is this country’s economy okay?”

“…”

As if wondering what kind of woman this was, Termion silently pressed his temples and continued the conversation.

He said he continued forced marches until he could pinpoint the pendant’s location.

His explanation was that he moved mainly on roads where horses could run for the fastest possible travel.

“I had to thoroughly search every expected location.”

“That must have been hard work.”

“It would have been nice to use gates, but I gave up. There was concern the tracking magic tool might break, and there was no way to measure distances.”

Including the places where he went on wild goose chases, he had actually traveled several times the shortest distance.

“Still, you’re really a good uncle.”

“Me?”

“You endured that hopeless journey with the single determination to find Elly, right? That’s amazing.”

“…Please stop teasing me.”

“It’s a sincere compliment.”

Snap- The tips of Termion’s ears, who had turned his head away, were tinged red.

‘How dishonest.’

They said he had no immunity to women, but maybe he just has a shy personality.

“Uung…”

Had their voices been a bit too loud? At the whimpering that had turned into sleep-talking, Ailesia reached out and gently patted Elenora’s shoulder.

Elenora was fast asleep using Ailesia’s lap as a pillow.

Even though they told her to sleep in the carriage first, she insisted on sleeping with Teacher and eventually couldn’t overcome drowsiness.

With a leather coat on and thick blankets wrapped around her, there should be no worry of catching a cold.

Blanky and Whitey, crouched behind her, were also serving as proper windbreaks.

“Ailesia.”

“Yeah?”

Termion, who had paused for a moment, asked her in a serious voice.

“What do you plan to do when we arrive at the manor?”

“What do you mean?”

Termion’s gaze was too serious to brush off casually.

Though he was traveling together because he couldn’t overcome his niece’s stubbornness, now that arrival was approaching, his thoughts seemed to have become somewhat complicated.

‘The prologue has definitely changed. It’s like I’ve torn off the first button.’

The second button would be chosen after arriving at the Retis Grand Duchy.

But first, I need to establish proper rapport with Termion.

“I will treat you as a benefactor and honored guest of the Family House. However, it would be better if we had a more solid justification, don’t you think?”

“A justification.”

It seemed Termion had been contemplating ways to bring Ailesia into the Family House.

‘So that’s why he’s been looking troubled these past few days.’

Apart from managing the Family House, he couldn’t help but worry about the relationship between Elenora and Ailesia.

What if Ailesia suddenly left after they had finally returned Home? Elenora might seriously run away from Home.

“I apologize to you, but I don’t want to leave even the slightest blemish on Elly.”

“Are you saying my being next to Elly would be a problem?”

“There are people who would create problems even where none exist.”

Hearing his response, Ailesia’s eyes widened as if surprised.

‘Not bad.’

Our young Grand Duke seemed to have excellent political instincts too. She couldn’t just dismiss him as immature simply because he was a teenager.

“Do you have a good idea?”

“I’d like to introduce you as Elly’s private tutor.”

“Private tutor?”

“I can’t be certain with my limited knowledge, but there probably isn’t a mage with your level of skill at such a young age. At least not within the Empire.”

Young age, when he didn’t even know how old she was. Ailesia let out a small chuckle.

“Of course.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m a witch, after all. Isn’t this level just basic?”

“…Could you please stop with that?”

Deep furrows formed clearly on Termion’s brow. Perhaps because Elenora was sleeping and he couldn’t raise his voice, his tone dropped even lower.

‘This has its own charm too.’

His frowning face had a certain unique appeal, but it wasn’t quite satisfying enough.

She had observed him carefully during their travels together. Termion was most attractive when he wore an impassive expression with just the corners of his mouth slightly raised in a smile.

“I really am a witch though. What’s the problem?”

“Why do you keep… Ugh?”

When Ailesia reached out her finger to gently massage his furrowed brow, Termion pulled back hastily with a bewildered look.

Gone was his attempt at stern composure, and his face instantly turned bright red.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Shh. What if you wake Elly up?”

“That’s because you…!”

Look at him getting all flustered. How adorable. This was definitely the reaction of an innocent teenager.

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