I'm A Sucker For Extras - Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Oh, strictly speaking, it hasn’t been that long to be this close. They even rode together when chased by the princess.

‘But…, back then, it was a life-or-death situation. It wasn’t the time for warmth or anything.’

Well, and even now!

‘He must be doing this from a medical perspective because of my poor health.’

‘I knew Aidan had given up on me.’

‘So…’

But contrary to Brody’s thoughts, her emotions continued to make her heart pound.

Honestly, it felt good.

Feeling his warmth like this. Feeling his kindness again.

So Brody relaxed, leaning on him, and opened her mouth.

“Your Grace, what happened after that? Was I unconscious for a long time?”

Brody’s voice trembled slightly as she asked.

Not because she’s still trembling, but… just in case he pushes her away, if she seems fine. In the desire to share more warmth, answering quietly seemed overly expressive.

‘Uh… what are you doing, Brody? Losing your composure.’

But Brody’s true feelings, in any case, seemed to have gotten through.

Fortunately, Aidan didn’t push her away.

He quietly began answering Brody’s questions while patting her shoulder.

❖ ❖ ❖

The day Brody fainted, the day Aidan clashed with the princess:

A huge fire engulfed them.

Facing the princess again, Aidan drew his sword.

Resonating with Aidan’s aura, the sword glowed a dark blue and hummed.

“Step back, Princess. Otherwise, I have no choice but to charge with the intention to kill.”

The princess smiled slyly in response.

The expression was the same as before, but the smile was not as bright as before.

A hint of madness in her eyes made it unsettling.

“Well, it’s inevitable anyway.”

The princess moved closer, disregarding the distance between them.

The white and black horses measured their distance, circle by circle, slowly turning around.

The princess spoke with a mischievous tilt to her beautiful lips.

“Don’t you think it’s a shame that a dog that’s been obedient for three hundred years can abandon its master in a single day and run to its death?”

Despite the content, her voice and tone were incredibly gentle.

Aidan didn’t move an eyebrow at the oddity of it all and spat out his answer with an ice-cold expression.

“If a dog that has followed for 300 years tries to kill its master, shouldn’t it reflect on its own mistakes? Of course, if you were a better person, you wouldn’t have let it get to this point.”

“The dog blames its master.”

“It seems better than the master blaming the dog.”

The princess stopped her turning words, shrugged her shoulders, and raised her hand to her chest.

“Well, I won’t deny that the situation in the Imperial Castle wasn’t fair, and if you think it proper to blame me for my father’s misdeeds, I’ll accept your rebuke.”

While Aidan silently stared, the princess raised her head gracefully, lightly placing her hand on her chest.

“I apologize.”

What difference does it make if the princess apologizes?

With just one word, it won’t melt the ice in his heart—the responsibility of the North’s leader.

Aidan responded with a gaze devoid of emotion.

“I’m not here to accept such apologies. Please leave now. Otherwise, attempting to take my wife will be considered a declaration of war. There is no more patience in the North.”

Myra’s hair rippled as she lifted her head again.

“Oh, take her away. I only wanted to ask her what her wishes were, but now that she’s knocked out like this, I won’t be able to hear them from her own mouth. It’s a shame.”

The distinct blond color seemed to ripple more deeply in the reflection of the burning flames.

A strange shade shook the princess’s face.

She looked at Brody with an elegant tilt of her head.

“But why did she lose consciousness like this?”

Turning. The princess continued her words.

Aidan, who had slightly retreated due to the sudden movement, quickly moved forward as if surprised, fearing the flames touching his tail.

Although the balance with the princess was about to break, Aidan reassured Kaiu’s and quickly regained stability, and the two horses began to circle again.

“Pale skin, blue veins popping, rigid body, and cold breath. Oh, her lips are turning purple and trembling. It’s as if she’s frozen.”

Gulp. Without realizing it, Aidan’s hand holding the reins tightened.

It was a very subtle movement, but the princess seemed to notice.

At an opportune moment, the princess spoke.

“Have you thought about what it means to take her to the North?”

Aidan felt the coldness emanating from Brody in front of him.

Though she was clearly breathing, she felt frozen.

The princess turned her head stubbornly, looking at Brody.

“Yes, the woman in front of you must be tempting. She’s a talent the North can’t afford to miss.”

“Funny you should say that. It was your people who pressured her.”

The princess smiled. It seemed to say, ‘So what?’

Again, Princess Mylara spoke.

“Did she say she would go to the North herself? Does she want to be the wife of the Duke?”

“…”

She did say that, but not quite.

If it weren’t for the pressure from the princess and Jax… Would Brody have come to the North?

The princess didn’t seem to be waiting for Aidan’s answer.

“What nonsense was that? Willing to give the position of Duchess to an orphan girl who grew up unloved? Make her descend as the Lady of the North? Or perhaps…”

The princess ran her tongue over her lips, scanning Aidan from head to toe.

“Will you love her day and night with that charming appearance?”

Luckily, there was no sign of embarrassment in her teasing, but Aidan felt his head starting to throb.

He strongly felt that he shouldn’t get involved in this conversation.

“I have nothing more to say to you. I don’t want to know that the princess enjoys unpleasant jokes…”

“But!”

Myra interrupted Aidan’s words.

Her voice lowered a pitch as she sharply uttered her words.

“Why did she run away to the South?”

The princess’s words turned into sharp knives, stabbing at Aidan’s heart.

Brody didn’t want the North.

“Why did she run away without looking back, despite numerous sweet promises?”

And…… doesn’t even want him.

Aidan unconsciously lifted his gaze, which was about to fall.

The eyes that had momentarily blurred became sharp again.

“She has chosen the North. At least it is clear she does not wish to return to the Empire.”

The princess didn’t give up.

“Can she be happy in the North?”

“That’s a problem for me to worry about, not for you.”

With those words, Aidan swung his sword.

Swish.

At a precarious distance, the tip of the sword cut through the air in front of the princess.

And a blue energy began to traverse between them.

Aidan, freezing the fire, opened the way back to the fortress.

The cold wind carried the agonizing screams intertwined with the flames.

As he tried to turn away from the conversation, the princess’s scream burst out, cutting through the screams.

“Are you going to repeat the mistake of 800 years ago?”

Aidan’s eyes, turned away, widened.

‘Mistake of 800 years ago? ‘

The legend of the North being subjugated by the Empire passed through his mind. It was the story of an ice spirit freezing his lover, a deer spirit, to death.

“It will freeze her body as if it’s icy cold…”

Why does that prophecy come to mind now? Aidan held the reins tightly to avoid shaking.

Phew!

In an instant, Aidan’s consciousness was abruptly severed by an arrow that flew in.

A downpour of a hundred arrows covered the sky.

The barrage passed Aidan and poured towards the princess.

“Your Grace! Are you unharmed?”

Ugh.

“Urk!”

One arrow pierced through the flames and stuck into the princess’s shoulder.

Then the fire noticeably flickered and diminished.

“Protect His Grace!”

Armed soldiers, over a hundred of them, came out of the fortress, shouting and advancing at a terrifying speed.

On the fortress walls, a hundred archers were seen preparing the next arrow.

‘Teddy must have entered safely.’

In truth, when Aidan sent Teddy in, he didn’t expect support from the North.

No, the Grand Duke himself, the leader of the North, was here, so the chances were fifty-fifty.

But after the war, he left his position as the Duke and left the fortress.

Everything was his responsibility, but the North was unlikely to look kindly on Brody for causing it.

So, expecting a warm welcome was out of the question.

Amidst the hail of arrows, Aidan ran towards the advancing Northern forces.

Somehow, the North was resolute in protecting the Duke and his lover, Brody.

‘River.’

Aidan squinted his eyes, trying to assess the situation.

River, the North’s chief of staff.

There was no doubt that he had done something.

❖ ❖ ❖

“Coming under such protection, the princess and her party had no choice but to retreat.”

He didn’t repeat the entire conversation with the princess, but it was enough to convey the gist of the situation.

Brody, having heard the explanation, tilted her head in confusion.

“The people of the North welcomed me?”

“…Yes.”

Aidan bit his lip, feeling Brody move against him, and her hair tickled his face.

He thought Brody would soon calm down and step away, but strangely, she seemed to have no intention of leaving his embrace.

Puzzlement, confusion, and, amidst it all, a feeling of excitement. Aidan tried hard to redirect his senses away from her touch.

‘I’ve held back so much. I can’t let myself crumble like this. Focus on the conversation. Focus on the conversation.’

Fortunately, Brody spoke.

“Isn’t it a good thing? I’ve been wondering how to gain the trust of people who dislike me.”

“Why would you worry about that?”

“Well, if I want to work for the North, shouldn’t I start by getting along with the people of the North?”

“…”

Aidan didn’t agree with that obvious fact. Despite Brody’s confusion, he maintained silence, seemingly lost in thought.

Just as she seemed to want to ask more, a knock suddenly sounded.

“…!”

Oh! Right! Aidan had momentarily forgotten that Mrs. Murphy would bring food.

The door creaked open.

Brody screamed inwardly, desperately pulling away from Aidan.

‘I can’t let anyone see me like this!

‘I’m too embarrassed to be seen like this, especially by someone I know!

Huddled. Luckily, Brody managed to get away from Aidan.

Unfortunately, it created a bigger problem.

Brody pushed Aidan as he stepped aside, leaving him in an awkward position on the edge of the bed. Brody was cowering with her back slightly turned to him.

“…….”

It looked like Aidan had tried to make love to Brody and been rebuffed.

The way Mrs. Murphy’s gaze flickered at Aidan confirmed the misconception.

It was a look that said, ‘It’s only been a while since she got up from her bed, but you can’t stand it anymore.’

Aidan froze in an odd position, then shrugged and got out of bed.