The Extra Wants Control

A while ago.

The clang of ice against metal echoed through the pristine courtyard as I parried the icd puppets' thrust. Sweat beaded on my forehead despite the chill emanating from my trusty ice spear. Sure, I couldn't manipulate aura, but years of rigorous training had honed my reflexes and speed. I prided myself on being a formidable force in close combat, even against intermediate aura users.

I should be decent.

"What's the meaning of this?...You dare start a war? Does the Royal Family seem like a joke to you?... I want a proper explanation! If it's not satisfactory…"

"Princess Eliana," I mumbled.

This was bad. Very bad.

My voice, crisp and clear, echoed through the training grounds. Orders flew, a whirlwind of activity erupting in the normally serene space. "Constantine, get Null's people and hide them. Mavis, go with Constantine. And bring me Kensington's daughter. Things have gotten complicated and the princess is getting involved."

A clean spell flickered, a wash of magic momentarily obscuring me from view. A moment later, I reappeared, clad in a fitted suit.

"Get me Alexei," I commanded, my voice tight with urgency. That woman must not find anything out of the ordinary.

A concerned frown marred Mavis' face. "Okay, but he's not… well. He doesn't look all too good, sir."

"I'll figure it out, just go. Quickly, and get me that man." My words bore no argument.

"Understood," Constantine and Mavis chimed in unison, their faces grim.

With a defeated sigh. "Haah," I breathed out, running a hand through my hair. "What am I going to tell that woman?"

Before I could formulate an answer, Alexei appeared. He looked tired, his usual lively demeanor replaced by a weary resignation. It was clear Mavis hadn't had much time to work her magic.

"I greet the…" Alexei began, but I cut him off, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. "We don't have time for this. Be prepared, the…"

My words were drowned out by a thunderous roar that seemed to crack the very sky. A fiery figure descended from above, her crimson hair a blazing halo against the darkening sky. Recognition slammed into me – Princess Eliana, her aura radiating overwhelming power. Her voice, amplified by magic, echoed through the mansion grounds.

"Stonegate Lord, get out here!" she boomed, her voice leaving no room for argument.

I glanced at Alexei, a desperate plea hanging in the air. "Get into character," I mouthed silently, hoping against hope that he understood.

This was a delicate dance, and Alexei, as much as I didn't like it had a big role in it, if this idiot didn't act well,then... Damn I hate this.

****************

Now.

"Princess Eliana," Alexei's voice rasped, a mix of relief and apprehension coloring his tone as he bowed. "Thank goodness you're here."

The air crackled with raw power as Eliana descended, her fiery eyes locked on Alexei. "Don't call me Princess," she snarled, the title dripping with disdain. "It's a childish title."

Alexei, visibly shaken, fumbled for a response. "What should I call…"

"I'm not here for a visit or idle chatter," she cut him off, her voice cold and indifferent. "I want answers."

I stood back, observing the scene unfold. To my surprise, Alexei, despite his nervousness, managed to maintain a veneer of composure. "Understood. Your Highness," he began, emphasizing the title, "how may I help?"

A hint of amusement flickered across my mind. This Alexei, for all his flaws, seemed to have an instinct for using his words strategically. "Hmmm," I thought, "not bad for an idiot noble."

"I want to know why there's a war happening," Eliana demanded, her voice a steely blade.

Alexei didn't miss a beat. "Your Highness," he said, carefully emphasizing each word, "the war about to happen was initiated by Lord Kensington abruptly for no valid. We didn't wish for things to reach this point. But we would have stopped it from getting too big and prevented and murder."

He leaned on " reach this point", framing Stonegate as the victim. For an idiot, I guess he is still a noble who stumbled through most social interactions, his performance was surprisingly astute.

"You bastards killed my…" Kensington sputtered before Eliana silenced him with a withering glare.

"Quite," she said, her voice dripping with icy calm. "I did not tell you to speak."

Kensington shrank back, fear a palpable presence radiating from him. Eliana turned back to Alexei. "Stonegate Lord," she began, her voice low and dangerous, "is it true you assassinated his child, who is also a student of the Academy?"

A flicker of fear passed through Alexei's eyes, but he managed to hold his ground. "Kensington's daughter is unharmed and is currently resting in my mansion."

Kensington's jaw dropped, his face contorting in disbelief. "But… but… she, I was told…" he stammered, his carefully constructed narrative crumbling.

Eliana's gaze narrowed, and the air crackled with barely contained fury. "So you mean to tell me that you let this escalate even though the child was fine? What were you trying to accomplish?"

The ground trembled under the pressure of her barely controlled power. Beads of sweat formed on Alexei's forehead, but he remained silent. I knew the answer, the truth we hadn't dared reveal. He wouldn't know how to handle the next question, and it was time for me to step in.

"If I may speak," I said, my voice cutting through the tense silence.

Eliana's fiery gaze finally landed on me. It was an intimidating sight, her crimson eyes glowing with barely leashed power. Yet, as I met her gaze, I felt a strange sense of calm. My past encounters with entities far more powerful had steeled me against such displays.

"And who are you?" she inquired, her voice sharp as a whip.

I straightened slightly, a hint of a bow in greeting. "I'm Ray Alistair, the acting manager of Babel, and I greet humanity's future."

Her skepticism stung, like a slap across the face. "Tsk... Merchants and their flattery," she scoffed. "What is Babel and what does that have to do with the situation?"

"I apologize if my words are..." I stammered, momentarily thrown off my stride. Her fiery gaze held me captive, daring me to lie or back down.

"Stop with the snake tongue, get to the point," she snapped, her voice laced with impatience. "I don't have time for this."

Taking a deep breath, I 'forced' myself to remain calm. "Cough... Cough... I understand," I conceded. "We were trying to get to the bottom of an organization that was conducting assassinations, kidnappings, blackmailing nobles, and even carrying out terroristic attacks."

My words hung heavy in the air. A flicker of surprise crossed her face, a hint that I might have piqued her interest. I pressed on, elaborating on my role. "In consultation with the City Lord, I discovered this organization and planned an operation to lure them out and destroy them."

"As for my involvement," I continued, my voice dropping to a lower register, "you see, the 'assassination' of the girl – Kensington's daughter – happened within Babel. It's cast a negative light on the business, and we're taking steps to rectify that damage."

Silence followed, tense and heavy. Eliana stood motionless, her fiery eyes seemingly peering through me, analyzing my words, searching for the truth. Finally, she spoke, her voice low and calculating. "How exactly were you planning on luring this organization?"

"Wait, you bastards dared use me?" Kensington roared, his face contorted with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "You manipulated me into starting a war based on a lie!"

Eliana ignored him for the moment, her gaze fixed on me. "Continue," she said, her voice devoid of emotion but carrying a subtle undercurrent of warning simultaneously shutting up Kensington.

Taking a deep breath, I continued my explanation. "We have already identified the organization behind the incidents. They call themselves Gorgon." Briefly glancing at Alexei, who discreetly nodded in agreement, I added, "We've captured one of their members, a tattooed terrorist with the number 011.

Additionally, the assassin involved in the… staged event with Kensington's daughter is also in custody."

I emphasized "staged event" with a slight weight, hoping the meaning wouldn't be lost on Eliana. "We've been intercepting more of their tattooed agents trying to infiltrate the Lord's mansion. Let me assure you, our efforts were solely focused on dismantling this organization, and we never intended for a conflict with Lord Kensington, and for it to escalate to this point."

Eliana's gaze remained locked on me, but a small flicker of something akin to skepticism played across her crimson eyes, it was well hidden too. "Is that so?" she drawled.

"Well, what about now? With your plans in disarray, what course of action do you propose?"

"We will, of course, return Lord Kensington's child unharmed," I said, my voice firm. "With the misunderstandings cleared, hopefully, things can return to a state of normalcy between Stonegate and the neighboring territories. As for the organization we'll seek help from others to try and find them."

A hint of a sigh escaped Eliana's lips. "Very well," she conceded, a sliver of tension leaving her posture. "I'll let this go for now. But let me be perfectly clear: if you ever pull a stunt like this again…" Her voice trailed off, the unfinished threat hanging heavy in the air.

Alexei and I both bowed slightly. "It won't happen again," we spoke in unison, our voices filled with conviction.

I added, "Moreover, as a gesture of goodwill, we'll offer Lord Kensington compensation for the trouble of assembling and marching his army."

Eliana's eyebrows slightly furrowed slightly at the unexpected offer. After a moment's consideration, she simply nodded. "Okay."

Without another word, she propelled herself upwards, ascending into the sky with incredible speed. She rapidly turned eastward, leaving a trail of crimson light in her wake.

Alexei escorted Kensington out of the courtyard. The noble lord grumbled the entire way, spewing curses under his breath. Despite his anger, however, Eliana's involvement ensured his compliance.

Once alone, I leaned against the courtyard wall, letting out a long sigh. A moment later, Mavis' voice echoed in my head, "Do you think she bought it?"

I chuckled humorlessly and said. "Nope."

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