I'm A Sucker For Extras - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

“Duk, duk.”

Droplets of water fell endlessly from the edge of the table.

Brody silently gazed at the spectacle of iced coffee spreading on the dirt floor, intensifying the earthy color.

Standing under the blazing sun of the southern region, his entire body felt a chill, and goosebumps rose.

Behind the thin hooded cloak, a large and sturdy male figure could be sensed.

Whether from running or standing under the scorching sun, his entire body was soaked in sweat, and he breathed heavily.

His heart was beating wildly behind her back.

“Bree….”

He whispered her name again in a low voice.

No, her fake name.

“How long are we going to stay like this?”

Brody thought it fortunate that she had turned her hood inside out and slightly turned her head.

As she moved, he hugged her tighter, seeming uneasy.

As people’s eyes heated up, Brody put her hands between her body and her arms and said, pushing them away.

“Let’s leave here first, shall we?”

Finally, Aidan could see Brody’s face as she turned around.

Due to the deep hood, her expression below the nose was not visible.

Seeing her calm demeanor, unlike himself, he felt his heart grow colder.

It felt as if he were confirming how insignificant he was to her.

Brody guided him silently, and Aidan followed without a word.

At first, he grabbed the cloak, but eventually he couldn’t resist and grabbed her hand.

Fortunately, she didn’t pull her hand away.

‘Is this a dream? ’

On the surface, it was not obvious, but Brody was in a state of utter bewilderment.

Unconsciously, she seriously considered whether she had not accidentally brushed a “dreamspot” on her own face.

It seemed more credible than the fact that the Duke was in front of her.

The most embarrassing thing was that she was glad to see him.

She had chosen to leave his side on her own, but she was embarrassed when she felt this contradictory thought.

Brody stopped walking when she came to the entrance of the forest, a place where people would not pass by.

When she stopped, he did too.

Brody turned around, facing Aidan.

Worried that she might turn away without looking at his face, he felt a bit relieved.

‘If only you’d take off that hood….’

Barely visible under the hood, Brody’s lips moved.

Aidan, who had been staring only at her lips, tensed without realizing it.

He made an effort not to grip her hand tighter.

“Your Grace, what brings you here?”

“….”

‘What brings me here? Besides coming to find you, what other reason could there be for me to be here? ’

However, Aidan remained silent, unable to utter a word.

As he didn’t respond, Brody spoke.

“Isn’t the North at a crucial time now? You didn’t come here alone just to catch one escaped prisoner, did you?”

Aidan blinked.

It was as if a lecture, typical of River, had flowed from Brody’s mouth.

But the effect was stronger than when River spoke.

He replied with slumped shoulders.

“I’m ashamed of myself.”

Brody’s eyes, which were hidden by the hood, grew bigger.

‘What do you mean, ashamed of myself? Are you sure you’re not here to catch me? ’

Brody felt like she didn’t know if he was crazy or if she should be afraid to say that he was here to get her. Yet, there was also a strange feeling of happiness at seeing him again.

“Your Grace, you promised me my freedom. You are not going to break your oath, are you?”

“Of course not. There was a slight misunderstanding in meaning. Right now, you are not a prisoner; you are free.”

Huh? What? He’s admitting it so easily?

Then he didn’t come to capture her again?

If he came to capture her, Brody, who was preparing herself for a confrontation, would be left speechless.

A moment of silence passed.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting beautiful shadows on the ground.

Aidan reached out his empty right hand.

“Bree, show me your face. I want to speak while looking into your eyes.”

Brody kept her head lowered and didn’t move.

However, she didn’t stop him as he carefully removed the hood.

Soon, Brody’s face was revealed before his eyes.

Light brown hair sparkled with a soft golden hue in the sunlight.

Under the neatly tied-up hair appropriate for the hot weather, a graceful neck was exposed.

Instead of rough, thick, and monotone fabric, a light, bright, and flowing robe shimmered as it cascaded down from her shoulders.

Her face, previously shaded by an unknown cause, now had a slightly rosy complexion, appearing much more relaxed.

Her vibrant green eyes, filled with life, were not burdened by the cold and heavy air of the North but seemed to blend well with the warm, natural scenery.

And so, he felt a pang in his heart.

He cautiously reached out his hand towards Brody’s face.

Moving his sturdy thumb, he gently brushed against her soft cheek, almost as if touching it.

“You look good.”

Regret was reflected in his eyes.

His low voice, seemingly taking a break, trembled as if filled with moisture.

Brody’s facial expression, unconsciously looking up at him, turned unexpectedly reddish.

“Your Grace.”

She pushed Aidan’s hand away in confusion.

Then a glimmer of hope passed through his eyes.

“Bree, I am….”

“Hey!”

At that moment, a significant shadow approached from the direction of the village, and a loud sound echoed.

The peaceful forest, disturbed by the resonating sound, became lively as various birds took flight into the sky.

Aidan felt a sense of impending doom and touched his forehead.

❖ ❖ ❖

“Oh my! What’s happening?”

A well-dressed man with radiant, thick blonde hair dramatically approached Brody, shaking it. Brody looked at him in disbelief; it was a face she had never seen before, yet somehow familiar.

It was Jax McCarthy, the male protagonist of the original novel.

‘Why is he here? “

Brody’s initial impression of seeing him for the first time in person was that he resembled a prince character from a famous animation in her previous world.

Externally, that was the case.

Even when reading the novel, she didn’t particularly like him, and seeing him now didn’t change that sentiment.

‘A pairing of Aidan and Jax? What on earth is this combination? ’

Unintentionally, Brody wrinkled her nose.

Aidan, seeing Brody’s expression, felt a sense of relief he didn’t anticipate. Deep down, he felt relieved that Brody wasn’t showing any positive reaction to Jax.

“I was wondering where you were going. How the hell did you find her? Ahaha! My Lord! If you had asked me, I would have given you a great reward!”

He approached Aidan, excitedly trying to pat his shoulders. However, Aidan easily evaded his hand.

Brody took a few steps back, his sharp eyes focused on them.

“What’s going on with you two?”

“Brody, oh! Brody!”

Jax seemed ready to hug her in joy, but Brody skillfully avoided it, finding herself behind Aidan in the process.

This unintentional positioning made Aidan’s chest and shoulders block Jax, presenting a more threatening stance.

Jax, with a puzzled expression, looked at Brody.

The Brody he remembered was a girl who always wanted to please him. She would risk her life for him. That was the Brody he knew.

But now, she looked at him with clear eyes, questioning him.

“Brody, it’s all right. I know you’ve failed, and it’s hard to come back.”

Brody glanced at Aidan in surprise.

And in that brief eye contact, Brody understood.

‘He knows everything. Why I was in the Northern enemy territory and my real name. Did that rascal Jax blabber about it all this time?’

Frustrated, she bit her lips and bowed her head.

She couldn’t look straight at Aidan, even though it wasn’t what “she” did, but what Brody before tried to do.

Jax opened the long mouth again, thinking Brody felt guilty about her bending her head.

“I forgive you. I won’t hold you accountable. So let’s go back together.”

Feeling defeated, she sighed, suppressing the urge to imagine Jax hanging from a tree with vines.

‘Forgiveness? accountable? What nonsense. What’s good about chasing after that Jax? I really don’t understand.’

She looked up and faced them, her arms crossed and a determined expression on her face.

“Your Grace, Lord Jax.”

“Brody, why are you so formal? Just call me Jax like usual.”

However, Brody continued, emphasizing each syllable.

“Lord Jax McCarthy”

She continued, looking at the bewildered Jacks.

“You said you’d forgive me for failing my mission, right?”

“Yes, I won’t hold you responsible. It is more important that you come back unharmed.”

“Good then.”

“Huh?”

“If you’re not going to hold me responsible, I’ll go my own way. My Lord, please don’t trouble yourself further for this lowly girl. Go back to the imperial palace.”

With a polite gesture, Brody, while maintaining a formal demeanor, quickly bid farewell and turned towards the forest.

At Brody’s attitude for the first time in her life, Jax stared blankly at her back for a while, not knowing what to do.

“Wait! Brody!”

Jax soon moved after her, calling Brody’s name, as if she had come to her senses.

But his body was blocked by a fierce beast with black hair and a bone larger than that.

“Doesn’t she tell you to go back?”

But Jax did not care about Aidan’s words and tried to run past him and to Brody, taking a light step.

Then Aidan interrupted him again with a gesture that seemed to say, “Where are you going?”

But a short time later, Aidan was just as bewildered as Jax’s.

“Wait, wait, Sir Dan! You’re leaving! ”

Looking back at the words, Brody’s stride disappeared in an instant.

This wasn’t the time.

In an instant, he was also downgraded to a position where he had to chase Brody from the standpoint of protecting her.

As such, the two men began to run through the forest in search of traces of her, who had disappeared with a whisper.