The Extra's Rise

Chapter 284  Rose Springshaper (3)

'Wow, I never imagined you had that in you,' Luna mused in my mind as I walked with Cecilia. Her tone was half-amused, half-impressed. 'Is that what happens when you let go? Damn. I was worried your harem was going to drain you, but honestly? They might not even be able to keep up with you.'

'God, Luna, shut up,' I groaned.

'Jokes aside,' she continued, completely ignoring me, 'Now you can actually assert yourself. Dominate. Conquer. Expand. Take more harem members, Arthur—take over the world!'

'Luna, I swear—'

'My plan is solid,' she pressed on, undeterred. 'We've got Rose, Cecilia, Rachel, Seraphina, Reika, and—'

'Why is Reika even on the list?' I interrupted, exasperated. 'I don't like her like that.'

'She's pretty though, right?'

'So?'

'Don't you want her?'

'No.'

Silence.

Then Luna clicked her tongue.

'Tsk. Wasteful.'

I sighed, tuning her out as she continued to ramble about "missed opportunities" and "expanding my empire."

She had become a lot more talkative lately.

Before, she only ever spoke when something specifically caught her interest—usually battle-related. But now?

She initiated most of our conversations.

It was a sign. A sign that she was more comfortable with me. More attached.

Which was great.

But it was also very, very annoying.

"You seem distracted," Cecilia noted, her crimson eyes flicking to me with curiosity.

I sighed. "It's nothing."

That made me pause. I met her gaze, reading the unspoken challenge in it.

"No," I said simply. "If you want to know, ask me."

"Oh?" She arched an eyebrow. "Is it a secret you can't tell me?"

That made me pause. I met her gaze, reading the unspoken challenge in it.

"No," I said simply. "If you want to know, ask me."

Luna was a secret to the world—because right now, I was still too weak to handle the weight of being labeled the future Emperor of the World which everyone would assume since I had Luna.

But not to Cecilia.

Not to the three others, either.

They were the only ones I trusted with everything.

Cecilia tilted her head, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Then tell me."

"You really don't hold back, do you?" I murmured.

"Of course not. What kind of princess reigns in her curiosity?"

I shook my head but pulled her closer, lowering my voice as I leaned in.

Then, I whispered into her ear—words wrapped in mana, ensuring no one else would ever hear them.

Her body tensed.

Then, her eyes widened, flickering up to meet mine.

And then—

She grinned.

"No wonder," she mused, amusement laced with something sharper. "It all makes sense now. Are you planning to tell the others?"

"If they wish to know," I said. "This isn't something I want to hide from any of you."

Cecilia tilted her head, studying me. "You trust us that much?"

Her voice was quieter now.

"Thanks, Arthur. For trusting me... despite everything at the beginning."

I smirked. "Don't worry. I'll get my revenge."

Her eyes narrowed. "Oh? And how exactly?"

I leaned in just slightly, just enough to make her breath hitch.

"Wait and see, princess."

Before Cecilia could retort, a soft glow caught my attention.

Right between us, a blue rose sprouted from the ground, blooming with an ethereal shimmer. Its petals unfurled like liquid sapphire, glowing faintly against the ambient lighting of the ballroom.

I sighed.

"Of course."

I turned my head just in time to see Rose approaching, her auburn hair flowing behind her, her eyes—normally warm—now narrowed in playful annoyance.

She stopped right in front of us, crossing her arms as she pouted.

"Arthur."

"Rose."

"You've been hogging him," she accused Cecilia, flicking her gaze toward her before looking back at me. "I let you have the dance. I even let you disappear together—but now?"

She stepped closer, reaching out and taking my hand firmly, her fingers curling around mine.

"You're spending time with me now."

Cecilia exhaled in amusement. "Oh? Possessive, are we?"

Rose lifted her chin. "I share—but I also claim."

Cecilia smirked. "Fair enough."

I sighed again, but I didn't resist as Rose gently but purposefully pulled me away from Cecilia.

"Honestly, Arthur," she muttered as she led me toward the balcony, away from the swirling crowd. "You need to prioritize better. Me first."

I let her drag me along, my lips twitching into a smirk. "And here I thought you weren't the jealous type."

Rose glanced over her shoulder, her brown eyes glinting.

"I'm not."

Then, she squeezed my hand just a little tighter.

"But you're mine too, Arthur. So act like it."

"Don't worry, I didn't forget," I murmured, voice low as I leaned in just slightly. "You're mine, Rose. I will never let you go."

Her breath hitched.

For a moment, she just stared at me, her brown eyes wide, shimmering under the soft glow of the ballroom lights. Then, a warm flush crept up her cheeks, and her lips curled into something between a smirk and a genuine, unguarded smile.

"Looks like I got myself a possessive man," she teased, but there was no mistaking the happiness in her voice.

I squeezed her hand. "You're okay with that?"

She bit her lip. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

I grinned. "Then that's all that matters."

She exhaled softly before shaking her head, the amusement never leaving her face. "Anyway, the event is over."

I nodded.

"Then, let's go somewhere," I said smoothly.

Her brow arched. "My father's home, Arthur."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Relax, I'm not trying to get you in trouble. I just want to show you something cool."

"Cool?" The word sounded foreign on her tongue, a commoner's slang that didn't quite fit with her aristocratic upbringing.

"Ouroboros."

Her expression shifted slightly. Curiosity sparked in her eyes, brightening them with renewed interest.

"Your guild?"

I nodded, watching as she processed the invitation, weighing her curiosity against propriety.

Before she could respond, a familiar voice cut in, smooth as silk and just as luxurious.

"Wait, you're going to Ouroboros?"

Cecilia strolled over, her signature smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. She moved with effortless grace, as if the very air parted to accommodate her passage.

"You can come too, if you want," I said, extending the invitation naturally, watching as something complex flickered across Rose's features.

Cecilia sighed dramatically, the sound theatrical yet somehow sincere. "Tempting. But no can do. I've got some princess duties to handle—boring politics and all that nonsense." She flicked an invisible speck from her sleeve. "The Eastern Alliance delegation is pushing for renegotiation of the maritime treaties. Father expects me to smooth things over."

"Responsibilities, huh?" I said, understanding the weight behind her casual dismissal.

"Yeah, yeah." She waved me off, the gesture imperial and dismissive. Then, without warning, she grabbed my tie, tugged me down slightly, and placed a quick kiss on my cheek, the touch of her lips leaving a lingering warmth.

"Have fun with your guild, Arthur. I'll be busy keeping this Empire from falling apart."

Then, with a final wink, she turned and sauntered off, the crowd parting for her automatically, years of conditioning making them yield to imperial presence. She slipped into her sleek self-driving car, the door sliding shut behind her with a soft pneumatic hiss. The vehicle pulled away from the estate, disappearing into the cityscape, its lights blending with the thousand others illuminating Avalon's skyline.

Rose huffed beside me, a sound of mixed exasperation and reluctant fondness. "She's so dramatic."

"Takes one to know one."

She shot me a look, eyes narrowing dangerously, but she didn't argue.

Instead, she linked her arm through mine and leaned in slightly, her warmth a pleasant contrast to the cool night air. "Alright then, show me this guild of yours, Mr. Nightingale."

I smirked, feeling a surge of anticipation at the thought of introducing Rose to that other part of my life, that sanctuary away from imperial politics and noble machinations. "With pleasure."

We stepped outside, the grand façade of the Imperial Palace rising behind us, its spires reaching toward the star-studded sky. A few moments later, Rose's self-driving car arrived, its sleek design marking it as a luxury model reserved for the highest echelons of society.

The doors slid open with a soft chime, and we climbed in, settling into the plush interior. The car's AI greeted us with a respectful tone, awaiting instructions.

I glanced at Rose as the car took off, gliding smoothly into the traffic flow. She was watching the view, the soft glow of Avalon reflecting in her eyes, turning them into pools of liquid amber. The technological marvels of the city—the floating gardens, the anti-gravity platforms—all captured in her gaze.

She looked excited, her earlier possessiveness giving way to genuine curiosity. And as we moved deeper into the city, toward the hidden headquarters of Ouroboros, I found myself anticipating her reaction, wanting to share this part of myself with her.