An Extra Who Wants To Escape The Obsessive Male Lead - Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Though the banquet was held in the territories of Argenta, it was not an exclusive event for the Argenta family alone. The three families had gathered, and as the atmosphere grew more relaxed, it prompted conversations among those who had long been apart.
Trivial chatter certainly filled the air, but the majority of discussions were aimed at getting to know each other. Regardless of their standing within the three families, everyone engaged in these exchanges on equal footing.
“At this gathering…”
“I heard about what happened in the desert.”
“Your complexion seems darker than the last time I saw you..”
Amidst the backdrop of amiable yet sharp exchanges, I seized a brief moment when their attention had momentarily wandered and nudged Diello’s side.
“Hey, you were quite impressive earlier—it felt genuine.”
As I spoke, Diello’s eyes shifted downward to meet my gaze.
“Of course, it was genuine.”
He smiled as his eyes surveyed the people around us.
Ah, perhaps he was being cautious with his words because we were at the banquet? Even if it were just the two of us, it seemed prudent to choose our words carefully, for we didn’t know where others’ eyes and ears were focused.
“I see.”
I acknowledged with a nod.
Yet, despite this understanding, I couldn’t help but inquire further.
Clack.
The collision of the jewels adorning my dress against his attire produced a crisp sound, amplified by our close proximity.
In a hushed whisper, I spoke softly.
“However, getting angry like that might make others more aware of your presence. Once they realize you’re capable of getting angry like that, they might remain on guard whenever you’re near.”
Despite the fact that I whispered quietly, Diello clearly heard them as he turned to face me. Staring into his piercing blue eyes, I found myself compelled to continue speaking.
“You got angry in a way that’s unlike you.”
I uttered, my surprise evident in my voice.
“….”
Yet, Diello remained silent, as if he could respond at any given moment but chose not to.
‘He has a beautiful eyes. They’re like the sea.’
I suddenly recalled his words from earlier.
‘It was like the sea seen from afar, right?’
For some inexplicable reason, that thought resurfaced in my mind. Perhaps the play of shadows had cast a darker hue upon his eyes.
“Do you know how long my wife laid down after she used the power of the source?”
I recalled his expression when he spoke those words—an eerily frozen expression.
…Was it genuine?
As confusion began to cloud my thoughts, Diello’s lips curved into a soft smile. He extended a glass he had surreptitiously filled and spoke.
“Did you say that’s unlike me?”
“…I suppose.”
As I replied softly, our glasses clinking together, and he whispered in a hushed voice,
“Then, let me put it this way.”
Tilting his glass mischievously, he continued, his voice dripping with playful allure.
“I’ve fallen so deeply for you that I’ve lost all senses.”
A slight smile danced in his expression as he lowered the glass, drawing me closer with his arm.
“Even in a place like this, I can’t see anything else.”
As he continued to murmur, a subtle, sweet fragrance teased my senses, lingering near my lips. In that fleeting moment, he pressed a tender kiss against the tip of my nose.
“In a way that’s unlike me, to the point of being bold.”
His whispering lips lingered on my upper lip before engulfing my breath entirely. Suddenly, the glass I had unknowingly been holding slipped from my grasp.
Slip.
With deft agility, Diello caught the falling glass, delving even deeper into our entangled embrace. It had to be an act, I reasoned.
Still, its intoxication surpassed that of any alcoholic drinks.
* * *
Following the conclusion of the banquet, Duke Alors and his eldest son, Pentas Alors, returned to their assigned chamber. Worry etched Pentas’ brow as he trailed behind his father.
Thud.
As the door closed, Duke Alors turned to his son, their voices resonating within the now-empty room.
“Did you sense it as well?”
He inquired.
“Yes, Father.”
Pentas nodded, his countenance grave.
Both of them had sensed it. While they hadn’t personally examined Diello Argenta’s body, it was undeniable that the presence of the lilies had significantly diminished. Furthermore, witnessing the composed Diello Argenta lose his composure in such a manner was a sight to behold!
A triumphant smile gradually blossomed across Duke Alors’ face, replacing his initial seriousness.
“Krua has succeeded.”
He exclaimed.
The plan had finally come to fruition!
“Once the lilies starts disappearing, it’s only a matter of time before Diello Argenta fails to awaken properly.”
Pentas Alors remarked, his tone laced with mockery.
Although the relationship between the three families was far from amiable, the enmity between Alors and Argenta stood out among the rest. Perhaps it was due to the elemental contrast of water and fire, but throughout history, they had perpetually found themselves at odds.
This longstanding tension had gradually permeated the emotions between the families, resulting in constant tearing down and comparisons.
Even the former Duke Argenta openly disregarded the Alors, fueling the flames of animosity.
“They are nothing but schemers, incapable of anything beyond their cunning tricks.”
He had once uttered at a gathering where conflicts were prohibited, exemplifying the deep-rooted sentiments between the two families.
However…
‘That wretch one is dead, and I am alive.’
Duke Alors muttered, a hint of bitterness in his voice. The former Duke Argenta, who had derided him, had met his demise due to his own machinations. Even the stigma of perishing in a mere carriage accident clung to his name.
A cold chuckle escaped his lips.
“The Argenta shall meet their downfall in this generation.”
He declared.
By eliminating all those who carried the blood of Argenta, they would obtain the ‘essence of Argenta’s power.’ If someone from the Alors family were to consume it, they would become the strongest family capable of wielding both water and fire.
In that case, surpassing Siette Cartiel, who was currently considered the strongest, would be a trivial task.
‘But…’
A disquieting thought plagued Duke Alors, explaining his earlier discontent. Pentas Alors appeared to share the same concern and voiced it aloud.
“No matter how much power she used, could Krua Alors have stopped the sea monster?”
The Krua Alors they knew was an inept person who couldn’t even handle a simple teacup, let alone execute any meaningful feats.
“It would depend on how much she could harness the power.”
Duke Alors replied.
The monster that had emerged in Cartiel was so formidable that even Siette would have struggled without a Ferro.
Yet Diello alone had defeated a similar creature, differing only in elemental attributes. It seemed unfathomable. Even with Krua’s assistance, it would have been an insurmountable feat. How could an inept person, unable to grasp even the basics of the power, make any difference by joining forces?
Even though Cartiel might have subdued the threat through awakened powers, Duke Alors found it difficult to believe that Diello could achieve similar results with his weakened lilies.
“How much power did she truly wield?”
Pentas Alors muttered.
Despite both of them having witnessed the bandages adorning Krua’s hand, they couldn’t discern the extent of her injuries, and doubts naturally arose.
In the end, Duke Alors made up his mind.
“Summon her”
He commanded the assassin, who silently entered the room.
“Ask Krua directly about the extent of her use of the power.”
“Yes, understood.”
The assassin acknowledged silently before vanishing from the room. Meanwhile, Pentas Alors spoke up.
“I need to confirm how much Diello Argenta’s lilies has diminished.”
Indeed, Pentas Alors, inheriting his father’s skepticism, remained as doubtful as ever.
‘Hmm, rely on Krua for information?’
Despite considering Krua Alors a puppet, obediently moving according to their plans, Pentas couldn’t fully place trust in all the information she provided, especially when it concerned crucial matters such as the disappearing lilies and the uncertainty surrounding Diello Argenta’s future.
‘No, considering what occurred during her time at the mansion, I find it hard to believe.’
Pentas Alors furrowed his brow.
Krua Alors, a foolish woman who only wielded weak water manipulation abilities and used her position for her own gain… He wondered if she was intentionally seeking credibility on their side and could be lying about the progress.
“Well then, how do you propose we find out?”
Duke Alors asked, to which Pentas Alors smirked cunningly.
“Wouldn’t it be as simple as stripping Diello Argenta of his attire?”
After a while, Diello’s attire arrived in the hands of the Alors family’s assassins.
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