The Extra of The Lunerra

"H- ha?"

"Fruit, Alysia. It won’t work."

Aiden pulled back the hand on my shoulder, but I couldn’t shake off my shock, nor my eyes locked on his.

"What the fruit does is allow the elves’ genetics to reach their maximum potential. And even if that potential is in your genetics, it’s mixed with another that is holding it back."

I continued to look at him with a blank expression.

I... knew what he was saying.

It wasn’t something I didn’t know.

But... wouldn’t it still work, that the fruit would bring this potential my genetics have to the fore?

"No, it won’t."

"It will increase the maximum level of power you can reach, maybe, but only by a few grades. You will remain a prisoner to your pills. Your elven side will pull you down as much as it pulls you up, for it is flawed. Your seizures will even be more severe because the amount of mana in your body will increase."

That was the real reason the fruit was risky. It’s not that... I hadn’t thought of that possibility, of course.

But, nevertheless... I thought it was worth a try.

So what if it aggravated my seizures? As long as there was a chance it might work, I wanted to hold on to it.

The life ahead of me couldn’t possibly be any more painful than before, after all, and as long as I took my pills, momentary pains and seizures weren’t a problem.

"And your lifespan will be shorter, as opposed to longer, as the complex balance in your body will become more complicated."

"A- Ah..."

I choked on the words, unable to do more than wear a blank expression.

Even then...

Despite this...

"H- how... do you know?"

It was a possibility, everything he was talking about.

He couldn’t be so sure.

He shouldn’t have been.

"Of all the things I know, is that the only thing you’re surprised about, the only thing you question?"

And that’s when I realized what I was doing.

The plans he made when he destroyed the Laute Family and after that whole mess, everything...

Really, I didn’t question any of it.

I believed it all, because that’s who Aiden Tenebra was.

Why was I questioning him now?

I clenched my fists harder, bit my lips tighter.

Because I was selfish.

I didn’t want to believe what he said.

I didn’t want to think that my... only chance... was actually nothing.

"I know what you’re thinking, and I’m sorry to disappoint you, Alysia."

When I refocused my still-shocked eyes on him... I couldn’t help but notice something strange.

If you’re sorry... why is your expression so dull?

As if you don’t care a bit?

I may be the last person to say that, but...

"But I can’t take it into my own hands to give you something that might shorten your life, that might make your illness worse just so you can get a little stronger. So... forget that fruit."

Even his tone was the same, emotionless and empty.

So, even though I didn’t think he was lying... what was going through my mind as he walked past me was a little different.

Does he... care about me as a person... even a little bit, really?

Or... does he see me, as his eyes and tone of voice imply, simply as a tool that he uses and wants to continue to use?

I...

I turned around slowly, looking at his back as he walked out the door of the room.

I just can’t be sure.

*******

In the three hours since Alysia and I spoke, nothing had happened.

Even though I had shattered a hope she was clinging to, she knew she mustn’t let her shock get in the way of her role in Eshaware.

Like I said, she was smart.

She wouldn’t let her emotions get in the way of her logic. Especially in such an important place.

She had the mental will to pull herself together. So I didn’t think much about her.

On the contrary, I focused on the upcoming meeting.

And finally... we ran out of time to rest.

Julian was the first to get ready and wait next to me for the others. Adrian came next, and finally Alysia.

And as I expected, even after the shock she had experienced in the room, she seemed much calmer and more focused now.

It was just...

"Adrian."

I looked directly into the emerald green eyes that suddenly turned toward me.

"Don’t be nervous, even if you are. You’re the key to the meeting, remember. As long as everything goes according to plan, there won’t be any problems. And as long as there are no problems, we will finish our work here as quickly as possible."

"I know."

He was serious, he knew what I was saying and he knew how important his role in the plan was.

"Are you ready? Because if you’re not, I can postpone the meeting for a few hours."

Everything has to be perfect.

We can’t have a single mistake.

"No, you don’t need to postpone."

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out. He repeated the same thing several times, and each time his expression relaxed; his heartbeat slowed down.

And, finally, when he opened his eyes... there was someone much calmer.

At least, someone who pretends to be calm and tries to suppress his emotions as much as possible.

"Then..."

I turned around, and the moment I did, Julian moved quickly in front of us and reached for the button on the side of the door.

"We’re leaving."

And the moment he pressed the button... the door to our room split open to the right and left.

It was an empty corridor, normally, behind this door.

But now...

"Are you ready to join the meeting?"

That ’empty’ corridor was filled with elven guards and our own bodyguards.

"Yes."

And after my promise... we started our walk to the place where the meeting would take place.

*******

The World Tree was on a large island in the middle of a lake specially created for its growth.

This lake, called the Lake of the World, was considered ’sacred’ by the elves. For this reason, even the royal family did not reside on this island.

Instead, they lived in a huge mansion-like structure they had built in an area right on the shore of this lake.

I say structure, because it was hard to name this... thing.

It was an asymmetrical construction, completely elvish in architecture, made of materials that gave it a mystical appearance.

It was as if it had not been built by the hands of elves but the result of a magical natural phenomenon, then carved out and arranged for the royal family to live in.

...

And, well, it actually was.

And the room we were given to rest in was in fact inside this structure.

Therefore, even though there were technological doors and walls inside, the walls in general had that ’mystical’ look. A structure that transmitted mana perfectly, full of the magic of the elves.

On top of that, it is a building that can be said to be right at the foot of the World Tree.

That’s exactly why it was difficult to walk smoothly in the corridors we passed through. Our room was specially designed for mana isolation so that we could ’rest’, so we didn’t have much difficulty there.

But now?

Although my mana perception was even worse than Alysia’s at the moment, even I felt like I could be crushed at any moment under the intense mana.

Still, we had to stay strong so as not to show any sign of weakness, and that’s what we did.

’They’re taking you on a detour.’

When I heard Sith’s voice in my mind’s eye, it was hard not to sigh.

’I know.’

Because they are aware that it is difficult to even take a step inside a place so densely packed with mana and elven magic.

It’s a strategy, because they want us to look weak in front of them.

’Leave the mana control to me, I can make sure you’re not affected by it.’

’Oh?’

Could he... do such a thing?

I wish I’d asked before...

’That would be nice.’

And as soon as I said that, the flow of mana in my body went out of my control, into the hands of Sith. And with that...

Indeed, the pressure of mana, under which I didn’t know how long I could stand without being crushed, suddenly disappeared. Not only that, but even the strangeness of the elven magic was gone.

’Can you do something for the others?’

Adrian didn’t look like he was having much difficulty.

The problem was mostly Alysia and Julian.

Well, actually... Julian seemed to be okay too.

The only person I can’t help but worry about is Alysia.

If I could extend Sith’s help to at least her, even though they had been working on it for days, we would have had a much smoother meeting.

’No.’

But the answer was no.

I didn’t press the issue, knowing there was nothing he could do. He could probably do it because he had access to my mana himself. Also... It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Alysia. Read latest chapters at NovelBin.Côm

And, so, continuing along the winding corridors... we finally came to a rather huge-looking door with guards standing in front of it.

It was not a straight, smooth door. Unlike the other doors inside this... structure... which looked a little bit modern, this one was like the structure itself.

As we stood in front of the door, the guards, who were obviously waiting for us, turned around, then placed their hands on the door.

The mana in their bodies suddenly moved, and with it the door.

As the two pieces of the massive door swung open on either side... it revealed the unnecessarily large chamber behind it.

It was a chamber filled to every corner with elven guards. In the center was a large table, and opposite it, forming a semicircle, were four... thrones... of grandiose design.

I didn’t even need to look at who the people on the thrones were.

The guards who had escorted us into this room did not enter, but instead waited at the door. We entered quietly, our guards unfortunately remaining outside, and as we approached the table in the center of the hall, we heard the door behind us close rather noisily, in contrast to its opening.

Before making eye contact with any of those sitting on the throne, I bowed first, despite my injured leg.

And the trio behind me did the same.

"I am Count Aiden Tenebra of the Cevilian Kingdom, greeting the Royal Bloodline of Aroniel."

After me, Julian.

"I am Count Julian Virhen of the Cevilian Kingdom, greeting the Royal Bloodline of Aroniel."

Except for our names, our greetings were exactly the same. But the important thing was not ours, but those behind us.

"I am Alysia Laute of the Cevilian Kingdom, greeting the Royal Bloodline of Aroniel."

"I am... Adrian Laute of the Cevilian Kingdom, greeting the Royal Bloodline of Aroniel."

Yes.

Not Adrian Caleo, but Laute.

The first of the steps we had to take for the future... no matter how uncomfortable Adrian was with it... was to throw away the Caleo surname, the only thing left of his mother.

He had to accept and take on the name his father had given up.

No matter how hard it was.

"You can stand up."

We stood up at the harsh, yet soft voice that echoed through the acoustic structure of the hall.

And that was the first time I made eye contact with the throne.

The owner of the familiar voice that told us we could stand up was the one sitting on the largest throne at the front.

Faelan Aroniel, who had all the signature looks of royalty, platinum blonde hair and pale yellow eyes, sitting with his chin resting on his hand.

As a king, he was expected to keep his expression and remain calm despite Adrian and Alysia’s situation. He, however, was quite the opposite. He was observing them with great disgust and hatred in his eyes. No matter how formal their greetings were, it was as if he would wipe them both off the face of the planet the moment he was allowed to do so.

He was not even trying to hide his feelings.

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