Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Aurelius stood near the edge of the hall, his hands clasped behind his back. His gaze flickered toward Adrian and Aurelia. A faint smile graced his lips as he watched the two siblings interact, their playful exchange bringing a warm feeling to his heart.

It was rare to see Aurelia this carefree.

For months after their Awakening Ceremony and after the recent incident, she had carried a cloud of worry and hesitation, her usual spark dimmed. Yet now, she seemed to be enjoying herself and relaxing, and Aurelius felt a quiet satisfaction.

She needed this,

he thought, his chest tightening slightly.

Both of them did.

He didn't know where Adrian had been between his 'death' and 'return', so this would probably cure some of his loneliness.

"You seem rather taken with them, Brother Aurelius," a voice teased beside him.

Aurelius blinked, startled out of his thoughts. He turned to face Isabella, whose lips curled into a mischievous smile.

"Wh-what?" he stammered, straightening.

"What's this? Are you jealous?" Isabella asked, her tone dripping with mock innocence. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she tilted her head.

Aurelius shook his head hastily, his expression awkward. "N-no, of course not!" he protested, though a faint blush betrayed him.

Sibling relationships like that...

He glanced at Adrian and Aurelia again. A pang of longing flickered within him, but he buried it quickly.

It's not jealousy. Just... admiration.

Meanwhile him...

He just fought with his brother who probably hated him the most. His little brother... well, they didn't interact that much probably because of his mother. As for Isabella, she treated him well, but as an acquaintance and not a sibling. Still, he was grateful for that.

Isabella chuckled softly, watching him. "You misunderstood, as usual," she mused. "I wasn't asking what is in your head. I meant Aurelia. Though, come to think of it... you

are

jealous of their relationship, aren't you?"

Aurelius froze, his ears reddening further. "I-I don't think this is the place for such questions, Isabella," he said, trying to regain composure.

Her laughter grew warmer, less teasing. "It seems you haven't changed at all, my dear stepbrother," she said fondly.

Though perhaps the strange one is me, asking such questions at a banquet.

She tilted her head, her tone shifting. "So, when did you return? You didn't come home, and I wasn't even aware you were back in the capital."

Aurelius relaxed slightly, grateful for the change in topic. "We returned a week ago," he replied calmly. "I wanted to visit the castle, but then I heard about the banquet. I thought it might be a good opportunity to surprise you."

Isabella chuckled, her eyes sparkling. "Well, you certainly succeeded. But you didn't just surprise me—you surprised the entire hall."

Aurelius chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. He had caught the subtle looks and whispers upon them from the moment they entered but chose to ignore them. A useful skill he picked in his childhood.

"Ah, right!" Isabella said suddenly, her tone brightening. "My friend here wanted to speak with you after watching your fights. She's been quite... intrigued." She glanced toward the twin princesses, her gaze landing on the green-haired Alina, whose eyes lit up at the mention.

Aurelius followed Isabella's gaze, his brow raising slightly as Alina inclined her head, an eager smile on her lips.

"Of course," he said politely. "I'm free for now, anyway."

And I'm not quite ready to face Mother and Father yet. Just for today... I want relax.

Isabella clapped her hands together, her expression pleased. "Perfect! Alina, I'll leave him in your care," she said with a playful grin.
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Before Aurelius could process what that truly meant, Alina approached, her enthusiasm radiating from her like the sun. "Prince Aurelius, your combat skills were simply incredible! I've never seen someone move with such precision and strength!"

Aurelius offered a modest smile, bowing slightly. "Thank you, Princess Alina. I simply did what was required. Though I still ended up losing at the end."

"Yes, but you were more powerful than that guy. If only you could finish it faster... Anyway..." It seems she was just getting started.

For the next hour, she launched into a passionate analysis of his battles, her animated descriptions and endless questions leaving him struggling to keep up. Out of politeness, he listened intently, nodding and responding where appropriate. Yet, internally, his energy was draining at an alarming rate.

So much for relaxing,

he thought, suppressing a sigh. As the banquet wore on, he found himself glancing at the clock, silently praying for the event to end.

But it seems luck wasn't on his side. They parted their ways only when the banquet ended and guests started leaving. Heck, it was her twin sister who dragged her away. He was really grateful for her 'help', though it would have been better if she had done this much earlier.

'Anyway, now that I'm finally free, I want to go back and sleep. I barely slept for the past week because of the tournament...'

'Though I still lost to

him

, my training really paid off.'

Aurelius stood still for a moment, his mind wandering to the battles he had fought. The memory of his loss still stung, but instead of dwelling on it, determination flickered in his eyes.

'I'll surpass you soon, Adrian. Just wait.'

"Aurelius?" a soft voice called beside him.

He turned to see Aurelia standing there, her expression gentle, yet laced with curiosity.

"You look like you're lost in thought," she said. "Are you tired?"

"I'm okay," he replied, shaking his head lightly. "It's been a long night, but I've survived worse." He straightened slightly, his usual calm demeanor settling back into place. "What about you? Where's your brother?"

Aurelia blinked at the question, tilting her head in mild confusion. "Huh? He left with the King earlier. Didn't you see?"

Aurelius froze, his brow furrowing as he tried to recall. Then it hit him. "Oh..." he murmured, his expression shifting to one of realization. He vaguely remembered seeing his father walking toward the exit, Adrian following behind. Isabella had also left soon after, but in the whirlwind of Alina's chatter, he had completely forgotten.

"Now that you mention it... I think I caught a glimpse of them leaving." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I must've been too distracted by... certain things."

Aurelia chuckled softly at his awkwardness, amusement glimmering in her eyes. "Well, that explains why you didn't notice. Anyway, they probably went to discuss the rewards."

"Rewards?" Aurelius asked, his curiosity piqued.

She nodded. "Yeah, for the tournament."

"Ah, that makes sense," Aurelius said, nodding slowly.

'Guess I was worried for nothing.'