I'm A Sucker For Extras - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

In fact, there was a way to escape.

Even in her semi-conscious state, Brody couldn’t help but think about it.

Using the “Dreamspot” leaf would do the trick.

But she kept pushing that idea out of her subconscious.

Realizing at some point what she was doing, Brody sighed.

‘Don’t you want to escape? ’

She wasn’t sure.

But one thing was certain—she was pondering.

In the meantime, she eventually missed the timing, and morning arrived.

“Ugh…”

Brody barely managed to get up. Though it was a bit cool in the morning, the bright sunlight scattered across the trees, which is typical of the southern region.

“Uh…”

As Brody looked around with dazed eyes, Aidan was nowhere to be seen.

Brody wrapped herself in the blanket and laid back down.

“Was it all a dream? From the moment he showed up, was it a dream shown by the Dreamspot leaf?”

However, a strange blue gem tied with a string caught her eye on her wrist, carelessly laid out in front of her.

“It’s an iceberg stone.”

“Iceberg Stone?”

Aidan, embracing her from behind, had put the bracelet on Brody’s wrist.

“If you go to the northernmost part, there’s a permanent glacier that never melts all year round. Among them, the Iceberg Stone has been living for over a thousand years.”

“A thousand years…”

“Humans can’t dig it up; it’s brought by spirits.”

“Spirits? Are there such things… Ah, right, there are. Ahaha. Then, isn’t it extremely valuable?”

“That is why I’m giving it to you. It will protect you in the northern lands.”

‘Wasn’t it a dream? ‘

Brody thought about the mysterious-colored bead called the Iceberg Stone while rolling it around in her hand.

“Are you awake?”

At that moment, a voice came from below.

Aidan seemed to have come up after boiling water. He had prepared sliced bread and fruits, cut for easy consumption, along with warm tea.

Brody observed Aidan, who was preparing breakfast, with a drowsy look.

“It’s a rare sight to see. I can’t believe the Duke prepared my meal.”

“That was what I was going to say.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a rare sight to see. Sometimes, you seem incredibly quiet and gentle, and other times, you appear incredibly free.”

Ah, so that’s what he meant by lying down like this. Well, it can be strange. I’m actually from a different dimension.

Brody, still lying down, looked at Aidan with both hands supporting her chin.

At that, he approached Brody with a tray full of breakfast.

“If you lie down and eat, you won’t be able to digest well.”

“I can’t get up.”

Aidan smiled awkwardly and handed Brody a piece of fruit, which she quickly ate.

“Oh, I might gain weight. I’m too hungry.”

Brody, who had eaten a few more pieces that way, got up groggily and grabbed a teacup.

As Brody sipped her tea with a ho-ho sound, Aidan approached and fixed a few strands of hair stuck to her face.

“It’s nice to see.”

“What?”

“The sight of you freely eating like this.”

“….”

Brody, with a fresh expression, silently drank her tea. It was too embarrassing to express it so openly.

At the time Aidan spoke, “It’s good to see you being so free.”

“….”

Brody drank her tea without saying anything. It was too openly expressed that it felt awkward.

By the time Aidan wondered if he had made something slip off the tongue, Brody opened her mouth.

“To me, freedom is important more than anything,.”

“……Yes.”

Of course. After all, her wish to Aidan had been, “Grant me freedom.”

Aidan silently nodded.

“I appreciate that Your Grace has kept the promise. Trying to persuade me means respecting my freedom.”

Brody’s words were sincere.

In a society with a rigid social hierarchy, it wouldn’t have been easy. If he had used his power and influence, convincing her wouldn’t have been such a challenge.

But he had come personally, asking for Brody’s opinion.

Yesterday, too, until the end. If Brody hadn’t yielded, Aidan would have respected her wishes.

There was trust between them.

Brody hesitated before saying, “I don’t mind becoming Your Grace’s wife.”

“…Ah! Brody!”

Aidan’s face brightened at Brody’s words. He approached her, almost tipping over the tray, but Brody gestured that she hadn’t finished speaking, calming him down. And then she continued.

“If Your Grace stays here…”

Aidan froze.

“Can you do that?”

He couldn’t say anything; he just stared at her.

If the people had demanded, “You are not qualified. Step down from the position of the duke!” he might have been able to relinquish his title more comfortably.

But now, the people of the North needed Aidan. The war had just ended, and the North had to survive beyond that. They had to prepare for the unknown three years ahead.

‘Without him… It wouldn’t work out well for the North. Everything changed with him surviving the poisoning.’

Brody sighed, sensing his struggle, and then spoke.

“I don’t need a position like a duchess or queen. No, I dislike it. It would only constrain me.”

“I won’t constrain you.”

“Isn’t taking me away a form of restraint?”

“…yes. You cannot protect your freedom to be in the South. But I can keep you from taking on the obligations imposed on your position. I will do my best to make you live freely.”

Would that really be possible?

Brody didn’t think the future looked very optimistic.

If she followed him, her past as ‘a person from the imperial palace, a Brody living in the duchy’ would make things challenging.

Her status, her origins—everything would be a hindrance.

There would be numerous obstacles waiting for her, and in the worst case, she could lose her life.

All these circumstances were urging Brody to oppose going to the North.

Brody looked at the man in front of her.

Aidan. Just looking at him, would it be a path they could walk together?

She sighed deeply with a gaze full of uncertainty.

“Can you give me a little bit of time?”

“Uh…?”

“I want to think. alone. I need time to organize my thoughts.”

If only she had rejected me yesterday.

If only she hadn’t been swayed by the atmosphere yesterday.

She kept repeating to herself as she decided to buy time.

To find a justification to refuse him somehow.

❖ ❖ ❖

Brody insisted on being alone, saying she wanted to think, and drove Aidan away.

Aidan, insisting he wouldn’t leave her, had to relent when Brody promised repeatedly, “I won’t run away.”

‘I won’t run away.’

Yes, she repeated that promise over and over again.

But still, the answer seemed to be ‘run away’! It felt like there was only one option.

If she couldn’t reject him directly by looking at his face,.

If she thought that even if she rejected him, he wouldn’t accept it.

Yesterday, she was caught by chance, but how long could such coincidences continue?

Brody might have been complacent, thinking Aidan wouldn’t search for her in this way. Now, she needed to hide herself deeply in the south.

He had the duty to return to the north, but Aidan, having that duty, wouldn’t wander around searching for her for a long time.

“And when he organize the situations that have happened in the north, he will eventually forget about me.”

Brody recalled the warm and thick arms that wrapped around her body.

They felt an unspoken sense of security when their body temperatures touched each other.

Suddenly feeling a chill in the endlessly warm southern weather, she shivered even though it was quite warm.

“But… I can’t exchange my life for it.”

Brody thought while packing the necessary items and looking around.

Even though she had carefully created the environment, Brody raised her head, discarding her thoughts.

She gave Aidan a mission to do in the village. It was a trivial task like going to the popular restaurant or buying dessert. Just in case he wouldn’t roam around too far and to deceive her, she cleverly came up with it.

Aidan understood and, on his way, said he needed to retrieve the sword he left behind. He left, and Brody waited until enough time passed to ensure Aidan was far away.

“Considering I asked him to come back tomorrow, this distance should be enough.”

Without resting, Brody moved for half a day. Her health wasn’t great, and she had used her abilities extensively, even after waking up tired from last night. Finally, she came down from the tree after struggling to move down.

“Brody.”

“Ah! You scared me!!”

In the late afternoon sunlight, Brody, startled, clutched her chest at the familiar voice she hadn’t imagined meeting here. Since she hadn’t anticipated meeting him here, it almost made her heart jump out of her chest.

Aidan was looking at Brody, his expression bitter.

‘How…? How is he here? ‘

Brody regained her composure. She couldn’t afford to be surprised here.

So, she asked with an irritated expression, “I asked for a day alone. What are you doing here so soon?”

Aidan, suddenly serious, started to look bewildered when Brody calmed down.

“But, you…”

“It’s my hobby to do activities like this when I have a lot on my mind. I planned to return in the afternoon since you will come in the morning.”

Brody closed her eyes and turned her face away.

It was like scolding Aidan, doubting if he suspected she was trying to escape.

‘Should I just let myself be deceived? ‘

Aidan seemed unsure of what to do, looking at her.

It seemed like he could reach out and grab her at any moment.

“Then, see you later at my house.”

Brody quickly turned around because he thought the situation would be unfavorable if they talked more.

It is said that climbing trees is a hobby of botanist Brody, but how will she explain the luggage she is carrying?

Brody, who turned around, covered her luggage with her body and hugged it tightly so as not to be seen as much as possible.

Then she heard a sharp voice behind her back.

“Brody, stop.”

“……!”

Brody stopped freezing at the voice.