The Extra's Rise

The moment the dance ended, Rachel reluctantly let go of my hand, and I excused myself to make my way through the crowd. There were still plenty of people to greet, and among them were my friends from Class 1-A.

Naturally, Rose Springshaper was here, dressed in a flowing emerald gown that complemented her features. Seraphina, ever composed, offered me a soft smile from a distance, her silver hair catching the chandelier's glow. Cecilia, on the other hand, had no such reservations.

I barely had time to brace myself before she launched forward and wrapped her arms around me.

"I missed you," she murmured into my shoulder.

I chuckled, patting her back. "It hasn't been that long, Cecilia."

"Long enough," she huffed, pulling back slightly. Then, with a wicked little smirk, she whispered just loud enough for me to hear, "I want to kidnap you."

I tensed.

Before I could plan an escape route, Rachel materialized at my side like a golden storm, expertly peeling Cecilia away from me with a practiced motion.

"Arthur is mine," Rachel declared, her sapphire eyes practically daring Cecilia to challenge her.

Cecilia, not one to back down, tilted her head with a smile that was far too sweet. "Oh? You wish, Saintess."

The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees as they locked eyes, an invisible battle of wills igniting between them.

I took that as my cue to make myself scarce.

Rose fell into step beside me as I slipped away. "Smart move."

"Never get between two girls fighting," I muttered, shaking my head. "That's a lesson for survival."

Rose laughed, her dark eyes twinkling. "Took you long enough to learn that. You'd be dead if you tried stopping those two."

I nodded in agreement.

She hesitated for a second, then tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. "By the way, I'll be at the Tower of Magic too. We can spend some time together there." Her voice softened, and a faint blush dusted her cheeks. "I mean, you're spending time with Rachel now, and that's fine, it's her birthday… but maybe we can have some alone time later?"

I met her gaze and smiled. "Of course, Rose. I'd love that."

She beamed at me, the usual cool composure of the elven princess cracking just a little, before quickly excusing herself back into the crowd.

I exhaled.

Rachel and Cecilia were still at it, Seraphina now caught between them like a very elegant hostage.

'Yeah… probably best to stay far away from that.'

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"Arthur, it's been some time," a familiar voice pulled me back to reality.

I turned, already recognizing the speaker before I saw him. Lucifer Windward stood there, his golden hair catching the chandelier's glow, his verdant eyes sharp and assessing. He looked the same, but he felt different. Stronger.

'He's already started the Integration process,' I thought. His mana had tripled in both quality and quantity, making the gap between us considerable. A few months ago, I'd beaten him, but right now? If we fought, he'd flatten me.

'Annoying,' I admitted to myself, but it was expected. Lucifer had always been ahead in raw power. I wasn't supposed to catch up until December. I schooled my expression into a smile and extended a hand.

"Good to see you, Lucifer," I said.

His grip was firm as he shook my hand, his smile far more genuine than it used to be. It seemed he'd stopped seeing people as puzzle pieces meant to fit into his grand heroic narrative. That was an improvement.

"This is my cousin, Lilith Windward," Lucifer introduced, stepping aside slightly.

The woman beside him was a mirror of Lucifer—same golden hair, same striking green eyes. But there was something more refined about her, something sharper. She carried herself with the ease of someone who knew exactly how dangerous she was.

Lilith Windward. In the novel, she would one day become a peak Immortal-rank swordswoman—one of the strongest beneath the Radiant level. And she would die protecting Lucifer.

Right now, though, she was merely mid Immortal-rank. Still leagues beyond me.

"My cousin told me quite a bit about you," Lilith said, her voice cool but not unfriendly. "You're the one who knocked some sense into him."

Lucifer sighed. "Must you phrase it that way?"

"Yes," she replied, not missing a beat.

I chuckled. "I wouldn't say I knocked sense into him. He was already figuring it out."

Lilith raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Humility's an admirable trait, Arthur, but I have no patience for false modesty. My cousin was unbearable before. Less so now. That's thanks to you."

Lucifer frowned. "I was not unbearable."

Lilith ignored him. "I owe you my thanks for that. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll let you two talk." She glanced at Lucifer. "Don't do anything stupid."

"I never do," he said dryly.

Lilith's expression made it clear she strongly disagreed. Then, with a graceful turn, she strode away, leaving me alone with Lucifer.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence wasn't awkward, just unfamiliar. The last time we talked, there had still been a thick layer of rivalry between us. Now? It felt… more natural.

"So," I said, leaning against one of the polished marble columns. "Integration process, huh?"

Lucifer nodded. "I started about two weeks ago. It's progressing smoothly."

"I can tell. You feel a lot stronger."

He smirked. "I am. If we fought now, I'd win."

"Enjoy it while it lasts," I said easily. "I'll catch up soon enough."

Lucifer chuckled. "I don't doubt it. You're unpredictable. Annoyingly so."

I grinned. "That's the goal."

Lucifer exhaled, glancing around the ballroom. "This kind of event still feels strange to me. Rachel fits in effortlessly, but I've never been comfortable at these things."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're a prince."

"And yet," he said, tilting his head, "I prefer a battlefield to a ballroom."

I understood the sentiment.

We lapsed into a comfortable silence, watching the party unfold. A few months ago, we were competitors, wary of each other, locked in an inevitable clash. Now?

Now, Lucifer Windward was beginning to feel like a friend.

The music shifted to a slower tempo, and the dance floor filled with couples swaying under the golden chandeliers.

Rachel had been my first dance, but the night was still young, and I had three more waiting for their turn.

I turned just as a familiar pair of violet eyes locked onto mine. Cecilia stood there, lips curled into a knowing smirk, her deep auburn dress hugging her figure perfectly. Her sapphire earrings gleamed under the lights as she extended a hand toward me, her posture relaxed but her gaze sharp.

"Well, well," she said smoothly, "my turn, isn't it?"

I took her hand, leading her onto the dance floor. The moment I placed my hand on her waist and she rested hers on my shoulder, she leaned in slightly.

"What exactly did you do to Rachel?" she murmured, just loud enough for me to hear over the music.

I blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," Cecilia said, tilting her head. "She's completely gone for you. More than usual. She even called you my Arthur earlier. My Arthur. Do you know how dangerous that is for you?"

I swallowed. "I didn't do anything."

Cecilia narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing my expression as if she could peel back my mind and look inside.

"Hmm," she finally said, drawing out the sound as if trying to decide whether I was lying or just stupid.

I sighed. "I really don't know, Cecilia. We just… talked last night."

"Talked?" Her smirk widened. "Is that what we're calling it now?"

I groaned. "Nothing like what you're thinking happened."

She tapped her chin with a single manicured finger. "Then I suppose Rachel just naturally decided she couldn't live without you."

"I guess?" I offered.

Cecilia let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "You really are dense sometimes, Arthur."

I frowned, but she just sighed. "Well, whatever happened, I'm sure I'll hear all about it from her later. For now, I'll just say…" She leaned in, her breath warm against my ear. "I'm looking forward to our time together in the Tower of Magic."

I didn't have time to reply before the song ended. Cecilia pulled back, flashing me a wink before stepping away.

Before I could even catch my breath, another hand reached for mine.

"Seraphina," I greeted as the silver-haired swordswoman took my hand.

She said nothing at first, simply leading me into the next dance. Unlike Cecilia, she didn't tease, didn't pry—she just danced.

Seraphina was always composed, always graceful, and this was no exception. Even though dancing wasn't her specialty, her natural elegance made up for it.

"You seem troubled," she finally said as we twirled together.

"Do I?" I asked.

She nodded. "I assume it's about Rachel."

I sighed. "Something like that."

"You don't need to worry so much, Arthur," Seraphina said softly. "You think too much sometimes. Just let things happen."

Her words were simple, but they hit deeper than I expected.

The dance ended, and before I could say anything else, she bowed her head slightly. "Thank you for the dance, Arthur."

I barely had time to step off the dance floor before the last of them found me.

"Your turn, huh?" I said as Rose approached.

She huffed, crossing her arms. "Finally. I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me."

"Impossible," I said, extending a hand.

She took it, and we moved into the dance.

Rose was different from the others. Where Cecilia was playful and Seraphina was elegant, Rose was straightforward. She followed the steps carefully, a small frown of concentration on her face.

"You're thinking too much," I teased.

"I just don't want to step on your feet," she muttered.

I grinned. "You're doing fine."

She let out a breath. "Good. Because I didn't come all this way to embarrass myself."

The dance continued, and by the time it ended, she was smiling.

"See? Not so bad," I said.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll let you have that one, Arthur."

And with that, my night of dancing finally came to an end.