Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

It has been more than three hours since Aurelius and his group have been searching for the endpoint. But there were no results, moreover, they spent more than one hour battling with beasts.

Everyone knew they wouldn't be able to find it if things continued like this.

Aurelius wiped the sweat from his brow as he looked around at his exhausted companions. They had been trudging through the dense forest for hours, and most of them lost the will to continue any longer.

"Let's stop for now and rest for a bit. Then we will continue." Aurelius, as the leader of the group, suggested, his voice weary but determined.

The rest of the group nodded in agreement, grateful for the chance to catch their breath and recuperate. They found a small clearing amidst the trees and settled down, taking turns keeping watch while the others rested.

As they sat in the shade, Aurelia looked at Aurelius, observing his expression.

"Hey, is something bothering you?" She decided to ask directly.

"Hmm? Oh, no." Aurelius replied. "It's just... I feel like we are being watched, that's all."

"Huh? Should we check our surroundings then?" Aurelia asked as she knew how high Aurelius's perception and intuition were.

"Ah? No need, I must have been imagining," Aurelius replied, as he already checked and found nothing suspicious.

"Alright," As Aurelia turned her head, a gentle breeze swept through the clearing, causing strands of her hair to fall across her face. With a delicate gesture, she reached up to brush the loose strands away, revealing the soft curve of her cheek and the glimmer of her eyes beneath.

Aurelius couldn't help but be captivated by the sight. In that moment, as she delicately tucked her hair behind her ear, she seemed to radiate a quiet beauty that took his breath away.

He watched, entranced, his heart pounding in his chest as he found himself unable to tear his gaze away from her. The warmth of the afternoon sun bathed her in a soft golden light, casting a halo around her that only added to her ethereal presence.

Aurelius felt a rush of emotions welling up inside him, a mixture of admiration, longing, and something else he couldn't quite name. It was a strange and unfamiliar feeling, one that left him feeling both exhilarated and terrified all at once.

As Aurelia glanced back at him, she caught his stare, and a blush crept onto her cheeks. She quickly looked away, her heart fluttering nervously in her chest.

"Um, sorry, I didn't mean to stare," Aurelius stammered, feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment. "It's just... you looked really beautiful just now."

Aurelia's blush deepened at his words, and she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his intense gaze.

"Ah!" Aurelius immediately realized what he said, and his own blush depended. Before he could say anything, he heard her voice.

"Th-thank you," Aureliua murmured shyly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Hearing her words, a smile tugged at the corners of Aurelius's lips, and he felt a warmth spread through his chest. Despite the awkwardness of the moment, there was something undeniably sweet about their exchange.

However, his smile stiffened as he felt a strange feeling all of a sudden. It was as if someone was looking at him with powerful murderous intent.

But it disappeared quickly.

'W-was it my imagination?' Aurelius wondered, shaking off the feeling. 'Yeah... Probably...'

_____ ___ _

'That damned protagonist!' Adrian looked at Aurelius through the dense foliage, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"A-Adrian?" Ardel who was beside him muttered baffled. He was honestly terrified by Adrian's look.

"!" Maybe Adrian sensed something the killing intent quickly dissipated from him, replaced by confusion and annoyance.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Ardel," Adrian quickly composed himself, offering an awkward smile. "I lost myself for a bit."

"Y-Yeah..." Ardel replied weakly. "B-By any chance... do you like her? Aurelia, I mean..."

"Huh? Why are asking th-! Ah, no, don't misunderstand." Adrian tried to explain as he understood what Ardel meant.

"O-ok, I-I understand," Ardel muttered and looked away.

"..." Adrian wanted to say something but no words came out of his mouth. He knew Ardel probably misunderstood him. But he couldn't say she was his sister, not now.

'Ah, whatever, it will be cleared up once the time comes.' Adrian thought to himself and a thought crossed his mind. 'But, why did I react that strongly? Is it because Aurelius is getting too close to her? Or maybe because he's getting too comfortable with her? No, wait? Why am having these kinds of thoughts again?'

Adrian's thoughts raced as he tried to make sense of the conflicting emotions swirling inside him. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in his chest, nor could he understand why he reacted so strongly to Aurelius's interactions with Aurelia.

It wasn't like him to feel jealous or possessive over someone else's relationships, especially when he knew that Aurelius and Aurelia would eventually end up together. But the sight of them together, the way Aurelius looked at her with affection, stirred something deep within him that he couldn't quite explain.

'Is real Adrian's personality overlapping mine? No, that can't be.' He quickly denied the idea.

'Because I lived as Adrian from the time I was born... Though I recovered my real memories a bit late...'

'Right?'

'...'

'Urgh...'

Before Adrian could delve any further into his thoughts, Ardel's voice broke through his reverie, pulling him back to the present.

"Um, Adrian?" Ardel's tentative voice drew Adrian's attention, and he turned to face his companion, trying to push aside his inner turmoil.

"What is it, Ardel?" Adrian replied, forcing a casual tone despite the turmoil churning inside him.

"I-I was wondering..." Ardel hesitated, his gaze shifting uncomfortably. "Why are we even stalking-I mean following them?"

"Ah, right. Well, it's... um... it's because..." Adrian hesitated, trying to come up with a plausible reason that wouldn't reveal his true intentions. "Because we can help them if something happens you know. And we were to show ourselves, they would surely question us and maybe even discover we already found the exit.

That's why."

"Ohh!" Ardel's eyes widened in realization. "You are indeed smart Adrian."

"Haha, don't flatter me..." Samiel chuckled awkwardly. 'Hah, fooled him again...'