I'm A Sucker For Extras - Chapter 28

Chapter 28

‘To think that with ‘this ability’, I was determined to live in seclusion. How naive of me.’

Her thoughts felt painfully naive.

She wasn’t someone living quietly in an unknown rural area, but someone entangled with a duke, a princess, and now involved with the Northern Duke.

She had to accept reality.

Brody shifted her gaze towards Aidan.

Now she needed the Ice Duke and, therefore, Aidan’s power desperately.

‘After running so desperately… This is embarrassing.’

If Aidan didn’t help her, she would either be captured by Jax or killed.

And to get his help, she had to go north.

‘In the end, I have to go. To the north…’

Realizing that she had few options, Brody gathered her resolve.

She knew from her long experience of living in seclusion that it was easier to cope with the next steps after accepting reality sooner rather than later.

It was a form of pragmatic resignation.

Brody sighed and slouched her shoulders.

Then, she asked with a weak voice, “Your Grace, how was the magic on me lifted? I’m sure you did something.”

“Oh, that…” Aidan hesitated, and Brody gave him a curious look.

Was his ‘ability’ a secret? Was he hiding it like Brody hid her status as a ‘plant mage’?

It felt somewhat disheartening to know that he had something to hide, especially since Brody had already revealed her ability, but she understood.

He was the Northern Duke.

“If it’s difficult to explain, you don’t have to. I understand that it’s hard for you to reveal your ability to just anyone.”

“Anyone?!”

Aidan suddenly furrowed his brow deeply and made a slightly loud noise.

“No, absolutely not. You’re not just anyone to me. I wasn’t hiding it because I couldn’t trust you.”

Brody widened her eyes and blinked at his indignant reaction.

She couldn’t fathom why he was reacting like this.

Aidan puffed up his shoulders and made an aggrieved expression, seemingly wanting to convey that she was not just anyone to him.

Despite finding it somewhat amusing, Brody couldn’t read more into it as Aidan didn’t offer further explanations.

“Anyway, it’s certain now. The spell on you was lifted by the protection of an ice spirit.”

“Ice… spirit?”

Ah, now that she thought about it,. Aidan had given her an ‘Ice Spirit’ bracelet before.

Brody nodded as she remembered.

“The Imperial Family receives the protection of a sun spirit, which means they wield fiery attributes. Perhaps my power conflicted with theirs, and that’s why I could repel it.”

Brody nodded.

The sensation of cold and the expulsion of a warm aura from her body were not illusions.

“But can ice and sun oppose each other?”

“Each sun and each ice has its own characteristics. Fire cannot endlessly burn on ice, for example.”

He said it matter-of-factly, and a sly smile hinted at his confidence.

Brody, having experienced the collision of the opposing magical forces within her body, could better grasp the situation.

Anyway, it was now clear.

To avoid the princess’s magic, Brody needed Aidan’s protection.

‘But why did he hesitate to tell me this? He said it wasn’t to hide anything from me…’

Brody looked at Aidan with a puzzled expression, but he avoided her gaze, smiled again, and remained silent.

‘Ugh… Now it’s my turn. I have to say something. But what should I say?

As Brody was hesitating with an anxious expression, Aidan’s solemn voice echoed in her ears.

“Brody, I know you’re not fully recovered yet, but could you consider going north with me?”

“What?”

Brody was surprised, unable to answer directly, and blinked her eyes in confusion.

Aidan seemed to sense her hesitation and spoke with a slightly anxious tone.

“I know you may not feel like it. But now, any land other than the north is too dangerous. The person who you grew up with is ruthless, and I don’t think he would treat you kindly just because I gave up on you.”

Brody nodded.

It was natural. What kind of treatment would one expect from a person who only sees them as an object?

But Aidan had a misunderstanding.

Although it seemed like Brody had closed off her feelings now, hadn’t she cherished Jax, that man, for a long time? Enough to risk her life and infiltrate as a spy for him.

To be threatened with death by such a person, it was not well known how much hurt Brody must have suffered.

Surely, she wouldn’t want to go back to him just to seek his recognition.

Aidan lowered his head slightly.

Such a thing shouldn’t have happened.

“I know it can be daunting to leave your hometown and go to a strange and cold place. But I’ll protect you. I promise you won’t be touched by anyone from the North or the imperial family.”

In response to his passionate persuasion, Brody sighed.

He was thankful that Aiden spoke first, and that made it awkward for him to be the one trying to convince her.

Aidan’s words made Brody’s heart flutter. She seemed to swallow her saliva in tension.

Avoiding eye contact, Brody asked, “But… is it still okay?”

Aidan’s expression stiffened at the barely audible voice.

Although he heard it well with his keen ears, for some reason, he felt like he needed to ask again.

“What did you say, Brody?”

Blushing, Brodie answered, “Is it really okay….for me to be by your side?”

“No, it’s not about whether it’s okay or not. How many times have I asked you to come to the North? To come with me?”

“But… the situation is different now. It’s not just an ordinary person going; it’s me, the plant mage. Moreover, the princess knows my abilities. But if I go with you… there might be future problems.”

“We’ve been out of touch with the imperial family for a long time. You have nothing to worry about. We’ve practically won the war; there’s no need to be cautious.”

“…”

Brody sighed again and said, “Thank you.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

He spoke with a lively voice after a while, squinting his eyes.

Brody looked at his sharp and rough eyes, wondering how they could turn so soft. It was fascinating.

With a grateful smile, he kissed Brodie’s fingers, saying, “I’ll take care of you. I’ll do my best to make you the happiest woman in the world.”

“Ah.”

Brody, who still had something to say, sighed briefly.

She had to express her gratitude for his emotions.

Brody leaned in to gently push away Aidan, who was about to caress her cheek.

There was something she had to say before the atmosphere became too intimate.

“Um, I’ll come to the North with you, but…”

“?”

Aidan nodded, gesturing for her to speak comfortably.

She was coming to the North, going with him—what could be the problem?

Brodie, if she asked for fur, would catch the softest lynx to keep her warm. If she asked for a castle, he was ready to build the most splendid one the North had never seen.

With his active attitude of wanting to accept everything, Brody hesitated to speak.

“Um, I mean, it’s only for three years.”

“Huh? What are you talking about? Just three years?”

“Please protect me for three years, just three years.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean? Why only three years?”

“That should be enough time for me to find a way to protect myself.”

Aidan raised his eyebrows, creating a slight vertical wrinkle on his forehead, and tilted his head.

“But maintaining a marriage for only three years…”

“Oh, no. I mean, um, I’m not asking you to protect me through marriage. I’ll contribute to the prosperity of the North. With my abilities, I can be of great help.”

Brody’s calculation was like this: in exchange for three years of his protection, she would work for the North during that period. After three years, when the truce with the Empire ended, it would be good if the North had grown strong enough.

If Brody’s abilities were added during that time, the North could become prosperous and powerful quickly.

And it was good for her that the North was doing well. The prosperity of the North was a way for her to deal with the original protagonists who were attached to her.

Moreover, if she could discover a way to neutralize the magic controlling her body within those three years, it would be even better.

‘Three years. It should be bearable with some effort.’

Doyeon and Brody had lived fiercely all their lives. So, living like that for another three years was not so difficult.

But still, she didn’t want to give up on the ultimate goal of this life.

‘My ultimate goal in this life is to be a sloth. I’m going to work hard for three years, and I’m going to win a life of rolling around! I really, really, really want to rest without doing anything.’

If she served as a plant mage during the famine in the North for three years, it would be a fair deal.

At this level, people in the North would understand her existence.

“So… are you saying you won’t marry me?”

No, perhaps… except for Aiden among the people of the North.

“You won’t marry me…?”

As expected, he seemed shocked.

“So… what should I do?”

“If you give me a suitable position, I’ll serve you diligently.”

“So… you mean you’ll be my subordinate, not my wife…?”

“Yes, I don’t want to get married.”

Aiden felt a pang of hurt at Brody’s firm response without leaving room for negotiation.

“Why is that?”

He swallowed the question, ‘Is it because you don’t want to be my wife? ‘ that was rising up to his throat.

Brodie’s response came dryly: “As you said, maintaining a marriage for only three years is difficult.”

Aiden felt a sense of relief that she didn’t answer with ‘because I don’t like you.’ But it was still gloomy.

Three years later, she was saying she would leave.

“After three years, you’ll leave.”

She lowered her head and looked at the man’s hand, which she was holding tightly, trying to hide her apologetic feelings. Despite the intense emotion in his expression, Brodie nodded slowly.

“Your Grace, please understand my feelings. If I wanted that, I wouldn’t have left the Northern Army in the first place. Whether it was then or now, my desires haven’t changed.”

Aiden looked down at her hand, which he held tightly, and replied, “Freedom, is it?”

Brody nodded once again.

To that answer, Aiden sighed deeply, lowered his head, and rubbed his forehead.

The uncomfortable silence settled, but it didn’t last long.

A voice outside the window echoed loudly, a familiar voice with perfect rhythmic breath.

“Release her, release her!”

Aiden’s gaze sharpened as he lifted his head.

He covered Brody’s trembling shoulders with a white wall of deeply furrowed brows.

A growl escaped his lips as he gritted his teeth.

“Jax…?”