An Extra Who Wants To Escape The Obsessive Male Lead - Chapter 31

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Chapter 31

“What? Fire?”

The news was brought by Vielle. Looking outside the window towards the annex, there were no flames, not even a trace of scorch marks.

“Yes. Fortunately, the fire didn’t spread to the entire annex.”

She reported.

I tilted my head slightly. Of course, that was to be expected. It would be ridiculous to hear that the fiery Argenta had burned down their annex. But then again, could there ever be a fire accident in the Argenta?

“Could there be a fire accident in Argenta?”

As I asked Vielle, she chuckled lightly in response.

“Even well-trained pet dogs can bite their owners, you know.”

It was a stern response with a peculiar atmosphere, reminding me of Mirta. A pet they raised… was she referring to someone who had betrayed them?

“It was an unexpected accident.”

Vielle spoke casually.

Certainly, unforeseen occurrences happen all the time. Some people were prepared for such events, while others used them to their advantage. If their deaths were to occur, it would probably be attributed to a random accident, skillfully exploited by Argenta’s intelligence department.

The thought of manipulating unexpected events sent shivers down my spine. It felt as though I was treading on thin ice over a lake, never certain when the surface might give way, plunging me into the deep waters below.

“Alright, I’ll go and see.”

I gestured to Vielle.

“Understood.”

Even if I were to leave Argenta, maintaining close relationships with Alors or Cartiel wouldn’t be easy. Naturally, I would still try to maintain a good rapport with Argenta. Still, it seemed necessary to strengthen my appeal to Argenta, being better prepared for any ‘unexpected events’ that might arise.

Once I gathered my anxious thoughts, I fell asleep.

* * *

And when I opened my eyes…

Crackle!

In front of me was a fire that seemed alive, devouring everything in its surroundings.

“Huh?”

Taken aback by the intense heat, I glanced at my surroundings.

Flames consumed everything—the walls, the objects, and the entire building. This place was unfamiliar to me, and I had no idea where the exit was.

Instinctively, although I attempted to control water to combat the inferno, it proved futile. Not a single drop of water was in sight, and if there had been any, it had long evaporated. The fire’s intensity was overwhelming.

Thud!

Something that had been supporting the ceiling fell right in front of me, creating a loud noise.

“….!”

Startled, I took a step back, and in the corner of the burning place, I saw someone.

A black-haired boy.

…Ah, it was a dream.

I knew this dream.

Soon, this building would collapse, and the boy would be buried in the burning debris. This boy was probably the same black-haired boy from Krua’s recurring nightmares.

The boy was trembling.

“Hey.”

As I approached the boy, my voice came out hoarse, just like Krua’s. This dream was undoubtedly the nightmare that she occasionally had in the original story.

“….”

The boy, crying and hugging his knees, lifted his head. His eyes were strikingly vivid.

“….!”

I hesitated for a moment before waking up.

* * *

“Ah…”

As I blinked, Diello stood right in front of me. His jet-black hair resembled the boy from my dream, and I imagined his eyes to be just as vibrant. However, this person was the head of Argenta, a master of fire.

I let out a brief sigh, realizing it was a dream. The restless pounding of my heart seemed to subside slightly.

Confused, I blinked again, wondering when he had arrived.

I was certain he hadn’t been here when I fell asleep. It was only when I glanced at the clock next that I realized it was time to wake up. Diello must have found me asleep while he was working and decided to rest beside me, holding my hand.

“I waited for you, but it seemed that I fell asleep.”

I muttered, caressing his cheek with my free hand. It seemed that using his abilities to interrogate the traitors during the day had tired him out.

“….”

I gazed quietly at the soundly sleeping Diello.

If he were to wake up now, his eyes would likely meet mine with clarity.

As I watched him, I thought to myself that I should postpone my preparations to leave for now since Diello might feel uneasy if I were to leave immediately.

Certainly, there were things I needed to arrange in the Daisy Forest. Building a house and tidying up the surroundings were essential since I couldn’t sleep on the road. However, it seemed better to put this man at ease first… otherwise, he might cast those sparkling, pitiful eyes upon me again.

Just then…

“…Krua.”

I heard his voice as he opened his eyes, and I was startled.

“Good morning.”

As he opened his mouth while smiling brightly, his voice, tinged with drowsiness, sounded oddly sweet.

“Good morning, Diello.”

He gazed at me and smiled softly.

“You woke up early. Did you dream something?”

How did he know?

I nodded my head.

“Yes.”

“A good dream, or?”

Diello prodded. In his eyes, blinking several times, a hint of sparkle returned.

“It was a nightmare.”

There was no need to hide it, so I casually answered.

“A nightmare…?”

His eyes widened before he gently touched my forehead with his palm. He seemed concerned if I had a fever.

“A dream where you were trapped in a burning house with a boy?”

When he asked in response after my explanation, I continued.

“I occasionally have this dream, but it’s not that scary.”

This was actually the first time I dreamt of it, though given how the original Krua Alors had been tormented by similar dreams, it was probable that these dreams would continue to recur. In the original story, she used to have nightmares and would seek solace by sharing them with her maids.

Diello blinked, then smiled once more.

“Well, in that case, I’m glad.”

Through the small opening of his shirt, I noticed three distinct white lilies.

Three lilies…

If they disappeared, he would lose the opportunity to awaken even if the real Ferro came so protecting those lilies became paramount, and fortunately, things seemed to be going well. The lilies looked as vibrant as they did on the day of the wedding.

“By the way, isn’t it time for the assembly soon?”

I asked suddenly, gazing at the lilies.

In response to my question, Diello gave a slight nod. It appeared that my memory of the original sequence of events was accurate, except for the timing of Ferro’s arrival. I couldn’t help but wonder if the beautiful sight of the wedding had made her hesitant to intervene.

Why was it only the timing of Ferro’s arrival that changed…?

Perplexed, I tilted my head slightly.

“Time to get ready.”

When I said so, Diello furrowed his brow slightly before standing up from the bed.

The assembly—a gathering of the three families, Alors, Argenta, and Cartiel, took place every three years. Its purpose was to discuss the protection of the places each family was pledged to guard. Although, in recent times, it has devolved into a mere display of power for each family, losing its true significance.

“Hmm…”

I gazed at the lilies on Diello.

Even though the Duke of Alors already knew I was a fake, it would be problematic if the lilies appeared as clear as this in front of Duke Cartiel. He would suspect that I wasn’t the real Ferro, so how should I erase them?

As I pondered, I suddenly heard a voice.

“It’s ticklish, Krua.”

Startled, I gazed at Diello, who had slightly blushed cheeks and was buttoning his shirt. At the same time, the lilies, visible through the gap in his shirt, were now hidden.

‘I’ve touched them…!’

“Ah, no.”

I quickly withdrew my hand as I came to my senses. It was evident that I had sent too fiery of a gaze towards this innocent man.

“I didn’t mean anything else.”

I reassured him quickly as my words continued, “I was just wondering if there was any way to obscure the lilies until the assembly.”

“Hmm…”

He seemed to grasp the seriousness of the situation immediately. During this assembly, there had to be some change in those lilies to put the Duke Alors at ease. Furthermore, Duke Cartiel would probably look down on him if the lilies disappeared without any significant changes.

“They’ll definitely want to see my lilies.”

Diello mumbled, looking thoughtful. They would spill something or undress him to reveal them if needed, so we would have to be the ones to blur them.

“Makeup won’t be enough…”

I mused.

Diello nodded.

“That’s right because even if the appearance is hidden, the lily’s power won’t be. Duke Alors and a member of our family will sense it.”

I, too, could feel the peculiar magic from his lilies. It was the ancient power that acted as Ferro’s strength and also blocked Duke Diello Argenta’s power. If anyone from the three families saw it, they would recognize it instantly.

Then, how could I conceal that power?

“…Ah! I have an idea.”

At the thought, I got up from the bed abruptly. I knew someone who could hide the power. It was a person who could conceal small issues, and he was currently with Alors.