Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"I don't like you."

The arena fell into a stunned silence, the weight of Rowan's admission hanging heavily in the air. The crowd's initial shock soon turned into a hushed murmur of speculation and curiosity. Adrian remained composed, his expression impassive as he nodded. "Thank you for your honesty, Senior," he said, his voice steady.

Rowan's expression remained solemn, but there was a hint of mystery in his eyes. "Your turn, junior. Truth or Trial?"

"Truth," Adrian replied, his gaze unwavering.

Rowan took a deep breath, clearly considering his next question carefully. "I said I don't like you, junior, right? Then, let me tell you why I don't like you. My question is, do you love your fellow freshman, Junior Aria?"

"..." The whole arena fell silent, wanting to hear the answer not thinking how Rowan even did know about it.

Adrian's expression tightened for a moment, the crowd's anticipation palpable. He knew the implications of the question and the impact his answer would have. He hesitated, then spoke. "I refuse to answer."

Rowan's lips curved into a slight smile. "Very well. Then I choose a trial for you," he said, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction. "But even if you refused, we all know the answer now, you know. What a waste of trial."

The crowd murmured in agreement, the air thick with speculation. Rowan continued, "Hmm... Let me see... Here it is. Your trial is to balance on one foot on top of that pillar for five minutes without using any magic to assist you."

A pillar rose from the arena floor, and Adrian nodded, moving towards it. He stepped onto the pillar and carefully balanced on one foot. The crowd watched in silence as the seconds ticked by, the tension mounting with each passing moment. Adrian's focus was unwavering, his determination evident.

While he was doing the trial, the crowd was already whispering about Adrian's feelings for Princess Aria. Could it be he really loved her but didn't want to tell it in public? Though they were right, there was no one to confirm their suspicions.

Many eyes fell on Aria who was watching the event in the front row with her classmates. Seeing her beauty and temperament, many could agree she was indeed someone worth admiring. Aria didn't react even under the weight of the crowd's gaze, she maintained her composure, her eyes fixed on Adrian as he continued his trial.

As the five minutes came to an end, Adrian stepped down from the pillar, the crowd erupting into applause. He returned to his position, ready for his turn. "Truth or Trial, Rowan?" he asked, his voice calm but with a hint of challenge.

Rowan replied. "Truth."

Adrian's gaze locked onto Rowan's. "Do you hate your brother, Emeric?"

Rowan's smile stiffened for a moment, the question clearly catching him off guard. He knew if he lied, the spell would activate. After a tense moment, Rowan made his decision. "Trial."

Adrian nodded, having anticipated this choice. "Your trial is to solve this 5-star labyrinth puzzle within ten minutes."

A complex, three-dimensional labyrinth appeared before Rowan, its intricate pathways and traps a daunting challenge. The crowd watched with bated breath as Rowan approached the puzzle, his mind racing to find the solution.

The crowd was surprised that he chose a trial. Emeric was his little brother, right? Or could it be he hated him? Wait, they said they were half brothers, same father but different mother. Could it be because of that?

Minutes ticked by as Rowan navigated the labyrinth, his concentration unwavering. With just seconds to spare, he placed the final piece, completing the puzzle. The crowd erupted in cheers, impressed by his skill and determination.

They didn't voice their opinions about him hating Emeric since they didn't want to offend the head of the Ironheart family watching one of the VIPs.

But there was one person who was affected the most by this. Obviously, it was Emeric who came to watch his admirable brother defeating his enemy - Adrian. But, what did he just hear? Does his brother hate him? He refused to believe it since he didn't say it. But wasn't refusing to answer the same as telling him he hated him...?

Not noticing his little brother's turmoil, Rowan returned to his position, his expression serious. "Your turn, junior. Truth or Trial?"

"Truth," Adrian replied, his eyes steady.

"There is something I heard going around about you. Tell me, junior. You don't have an affinity with either of the seven elements, do you?" Rowan's lips curled upwardly, confident he caught Adrian off guard.

"..." Adrian silently looked at Rowan stopping himself from laughing out loud. After taking a deep breath, he replied.

"That's right, I'm affinityless, I don't have any affinity with either of the 7 elements." Adrian's honest reply echoed through the arena causing many faces to turn into shock and surprise. "I'm surprised you didn't notice it till now. I haven't used any element from the start of the tournament, have I?"

The spell didn't react, meaning Adrian was telling the truth. The arena was immediately in uproar.

"He was affintyless? Doesn't that mean he can't even advance to Lunar Tier?"

"Isn't he basically a trash?"

"But he is so strong even without an affinity? Isn't that incredible?"

"Yeah, he even defeated the boy with seven affinities!"

"But, his future is limited, alas, such a good seedling..."

The crowd's mixed reactions echoed through the arena, a cacophony of shock, admiration, insult, and pity. Adrian stood firm, unaffected by the swirling opinions. His resolve and strength were evident, and for him, this revelation was just another step in his journey. It was gonna be revealed soon anyway.

"Haha, I didn't expect you to tell the truth, Junior." Rowan chuckled both satisfied and displeased by the stir Adrian's answer caused. "And now we know the reason why I don't like you junior, you don't have an affinity, meaning you have no future, yet you still pester our bright Aria, hindering her from reaching her potential-"

"Senior, you can talk later, it is my turn to ask now." But Adrian cut him off, his voice cold.

"Haha, sorry, sorry, I was just telling the truth you know. No need to be so cold, Junior." Rowan said his eyes scanning the crowd, reading their expressions.

"...Truth or Trial?" However, Adrian wouldn't let him do as he wanted.