A Background Character’s Path to Power

'!'

My entire body locked up, fingers freezing inches away from her face, my mind going utterly blank for a moment.

Then, thousands of questions crashed through my consciousness like a tsunami.

What is happening?!

Why is Cassandra here?

How did she get into my room?

Since when does she smile like that?

Since when does she call me 'honey'?

When did we-!

What did I-!

"Hon-Cas-L-Lady Cassie?!" I choked out, quickly retracting my hand like I'd been burned.

Her smile didn't waver. If anything, it only grew warmer. She tilted her head cutely, that loose strand of hair brushing my pillow. "Why are you calling me like that, honey?"

"!"

My heart hammered so violently that I could swear she heard it. But even as my body reacted, my mind started working overtime, desperately trying to piece together what was happening.

Was I still dreaming? That had to be it, right? But... this feels too real, too vivid to call it a dream. The morning light, her voice, the way she was looking at me...

Or did she find out who I really was? Was she now paying me back for lying to her? Messing with me in the same way that I might have unknowingly messed with her?

But that didn't make sense either. She'd been just as flustered last night. Unless... she was much better than I gave the credit for.

Or was all this just...

'!'

An illusion?!

My eyes widened as the realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. Without hesitation, I quickly activated Exorcist's Gaze.

The world before me fractured like shattered glass.

The lovely Cassandra before me flickered once, twice, then slowly began to dissolve like morning mist.

Her lips moved as if to say goodbye, leaving me baffled even further.

Her smile, her gentle eyes, her soft voice...

All of it faded away until only the empty room remained, morning light streaming through the window onto my rumpled bedsheets.

I... was alone.

...

{...}

{...Why did you do it?}

I glanced at the hovering ball of mist, the rime weaver.

{...I didn't do it, friend.}

The weaver replied, and I felt not an ounce of guilt in its voice.

{Y-You didn't?}

I was confused. If it is not the weaver, then who?

{...}

I felt Weaver's form wavering slightly. Was it hesitating?

{What's the matter?} I asked, sitting up fully now. {...Do you know something?}

The mistball contracted slightly, and yep, it was definitely hesitating.

{...I think,} it began slowly, {...you might have done it yourself, friend.}

{What?}

The word came out sharper than I intended.

{Unconsiously.} The weaver clarified quickly. {Your aura... it flickered strangely before you woke. Like you were pulling the threads to weave that illusion without realizing...?}

I went completely still.

I... did it?

The thought felt absurd at first, ridiculous even.

But as its words settled in my mind, I realized it wasn't entirely impossible.

The weaver and I shared a unique bond. We couldn't lie to each other even if we wanted to. So there was no need to doubt it. If so...

A cold dread began pooling in my stomach.

If this were true, if I unconsciously created that illusion, then this was a much bigger problem than I'd initially thought.

What if it happens again?

What if someone else sees it?

My shared ability acting without conscious control, creating vivid illusions based on my subconscious desires...

This needed an immediate solution.

{...Are you gonna ma..marry her then? Wouldn't it become... real then?}

{...}

{...Sorry.}

{Thank you for the hard work, but I am returning you back.}

I said with a blank face and unsummoned it.

"..."

I stayed like that for a while.

I didn't blame the weaver as it wasn't fully knowledgeable about human emotions or relationships. It understood concepts like marriage or love, but only in an abstract way, like a scholar studying foreign customs. It only asked that because it must have felt it was logical.

And I still felt that something wasn't right. Like...

Like there was a piece of the puzzle I was missing.

Because there's no way I could have created such a perfect illusion. I practiced a few times, and I knew how hard it is to create them. Because I failed every time. Heck, they were just the basic ones. While that... It was at least an intermediate level of illusion.

So, either the weaver hid something from me, although we couldn't lie, but we didn't have to say the truth either.

And there was another bigger suspect...

The system...

But anything involving it has always been a mystery, hard to solve.

...Alright, let's forget about it for now.

With a sigh, I stood up and made my bed. Took a hot bath and changed clothes. Then I left the room and locked it.

Staring at the opposite door, I hesitated for a brief moment before knocking on it.

"..."

I was met with silence. But I still waited. And I refrained from using the Pulse of the Unseen.

First, it could end up inappropriate, and she might detect it.

Besides, I was busy thinking about how I should face her.

"Who?"

Just then, I heard footsteps from the inside and heard Cassandra's guarded voice.

"It's me, Lady Cassie," I replied. "I wanted to check if you were awake."

"O-Oh, yes, I just woke up," Cassandra replied in a slightly awkward tone.

"Alright, then I will be waiting for you in the main hall. We will leave after breakfast."

"O-Ok, I will be there shortly. You can start eating without me if you'd like," she said politely this time. But I could still detect the awkwardness in her voice.

...I hope I didn't call her at the wrong time.

"Alright, take your time, milady."

I stepped back from the door, relieved that she didn't come out. Although I believed in my poker face and keeping cool, they somehow wouldn't work that well whenever I was around her. Even the background character's aura wasn't an exception.

"I'll see you downstairs then," I added and quickly turned away, before I could make the atmosphere even more awkward.

As I descended to the main hall, I noticed a few people already eating their meals.

"Hoho, did you have a good sleep, lad? Or should I say sweet dreams~?" Biron's teasing voice reached my ears before I even spotted him.

I felt my eyelids twitching, but held back. "Good morning to you, too, old man. And just give me my breakfast."

"Hehe, shy are we now, eh?" Biron chuckled but started preparing the order. "Take a seat, 'll be ready in a minute."

"Ok, thanks," I replied while moving to the corner empty seat.

And, with a fresh round of teasing, my new day began...

________

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