Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Adrian felt the familiar rush as he halted his time compression, his heightened perception snapping back to normal. Landing softly a few paces back, he straightened, quickly resuming a nonchalant stance as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary. In a calm voice, he called out, "Be careful."

The girls turned, visibly startled by his sudden warning. The green-haired one stumbled slightly, nearly caught off-guard by a lunging beast. She regained her balance just in time as a ball of concentrated aether energy, which Adrian had deftly thrown, collided with the beast, sending it crashing to the ground.

For a fleeting moment, the two girls exchanged glances, a mixture of surprise and relief flashing across their faces.

They took the opportunity to catch their breath, noting the swift arrival of Adrian's guards and captain, who were already wading into the fray to help fend off the remaining creatures.

Adrian crossed his arms, watching the unfolding battle with a sense of calm detachment, observing his men's movements as they coordinated to subdue the beasts.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the green-haired girl's stare fixed coldly on him, a look that was as sharp as any blade.

Her gaze was unwavering, accusatory, as though she couldn't understand how someone with obvious power would stand idly by, appearing to watch as others fought on his behalf.

Adrian didn't react; he knew exactly what she was thinking. People like her, with strong-willed personalities and a rigid sense of justice, often saw restraint as weakness or cowardice, especially in moments like these.

The girl finally broke her silence, her voice cutting through the noise of the skirmish. "Are you just going to stand there, or do you plan on helping?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

He met her gaze with a steady, unflinching calm, saying nothing in response, only allowing a faint, unreadable expression to cross his face.

His silence seemed to stoke her frustration further, a faint flush coloring her cheeks as her jaw tightened. The white-haired girl beside her laid a gentle hand on her arm and spoke softly, trying to diffuse the tension. "Alina, that was rude. You don't know his role here."

But Adrian barely noticed the exchange.

Experience more on empire

He was far more focused on his subtle, unseen efforts to assist the guards—quietly compressing time at key intervals to slow the beasts' movements. This allowed his guards to strike more accurately and dodge with ease, keeping the danger level manageable for all involved. Yet to anyone else, it would seem like he was doing nothing, merely standing back and observing, detached.

The fight stretched on for several minutes, but with Adrian's silent support, the guards began to gain the upper hand.

Finally, after nearly nine minutes of steady combat, the last of the beasts collapsed, a weary stillness settling over the clearing. The guards and their captain took a moment to catch their breath, quickly assessing the situation to confirm all were unharmed.

The captain of the girls' guards approached Adrian, inclining his head respectfully. "Young master, thank you for your assistance. Without you, this situation could have been far more dire."

Before Adrian could respond, the green-haired girl, Alina, muttered under her breath, though her words were meant to be heard. "Assistance? He was just standing there."

Her voice held a sneering edge, her gaze cutting toward Adrian with an expression that clearly questioned his honor and courage.

Her captain turned, his face hardening as he looked at her, his tone a mixture of exasperation and reproach. "Princess Alina, this young man acted swiftly to aid us. He did not need to be standing in the thick of the fight to protect you."

Alina's eyes flicked to her captain, the faintest shadow of defiance lingering in her expression. "And staying back counts as protecting?"

Her captain's expression grew more severe. "Princess, this is not a matter to take lightly. That young man didn't stand aside to avoid helping; he stood back so that he could guard you two and assess the situation in case the beasts broke through."

She seemed to hesitate, her gaze briefly shifting to Adrian, as if considering the captain's words. But any inclination to back down was short-lived. She folded her arms, her expression remaining steely and unconvinced. It seems she couldn't bear to break her pride.

Ignoring the exchange, Adrian finally turned to the captain of the girls' guards, his expression remaining steady and unreadable. "It was no trouble at all," he said quietly, giving a slight nod. "Your men handled themselves well."

Beside him, his own captain and guards prepared for the journey to resume, their armor still bearing the fresh scrapes and smudges from the battle.

Adrian gave his guards a nod of approval, his silent acknowledgment for their dedication and skill. He then turned back to the two girls, meeting Alina's frosty gaze with an unwavering calm.

"I hope you will have a safe travel," Adrian said to his captain. He spared Alina one last glance, his tone polite but detached. "Perhaps next time, you'll see that actions are not always as straightforward as they appear."

"Take care."

Then, he left leading his men back to where his carriage was, ignoring the girls' stare: one icy, while one warm.

He stepped into the carriage, signaling the end of the encounter, but a lingering tension remained in the air.

"Let's go, we'll take a rest in the nearest town, and don't forget to give potions to those who received injuries."

"Alright, Young Master." The guard's captain replied with a hint of respect. Maybe, his opinion of him also changed greatly after this incident.

'Well, we'll probably meet with those two again, a lot and very soon actually...' Adrian muttered inwardly while their carriage drifted further from the other one.

He said those words because those two girls, twins, were friends of their kingdom's princess, and soon would become his juniors at the academy. Which meant, their chances of encountering would rise exponentially - given they were part of Aurelius's group.