TITLE: I was only an EXTRA but the Villain and Male Lead tries to pursue ME?!
WRITTEN BY: B_A_DG_R
COVER ILLUSTRATION BY: B_A_DG_R
...
CHAPTER 16
I need to slap him!!
..That's the only solution I can think of to wake him up!
I don't know if it will work but it's better than doing nothing!
I tried reaching my hand to his left cheek using my right hand. I can't breathe anymore...! I need to finish this quickly!
Here goes nothing!
Using my remaining strength, I raised my hand to slap his face as hard as I can.
"Wake up!!"
"!"
A small white glow abruptly was produced from my hand as I slapped him. It was a really quick and small flash and it seems that Kayle didn't notice the light and was instead staggered by me hitting the young master El Blanc all of a sudden.
What was that light?
After I slapped him, I can see his dark aura immediately fading away from his body and saw that his soulless eyes earlier brightens back with his left cheek that is now sore. It was quite painful since my hand is also in a bit of pain.
He suddenly lets go of me when he realized what he was doing which made me slide down the tree behind me.
I'm holding my neck since I can still feel the strong grip earlier.
I thought I'm going to die!
"Oh no...what have I done?"
I heard him mumbled looking down at me.
"...Ummm...?"
I stood up to try and talk to him but he moves away from me. He grabs his own head with both hands and punch it continuosly.
"Not again! Not again! Not again!"
He quickly runs away after shouting loudly and punching himself.
"H-hey!"
I stopped myself from going after him. He didn't even apologize to us! I know he didn't do it on purpose but he can atleast say 'sorry', right?
Aghhh..what's the point? He might lose control again and choke me.
It was the first time I feel terrified by someone especially a child like him. Just what is it with him?
"Delie!"
A familiar voice from behind me yelled for my name and saw my parents, siblings and friends heading to me. There are other parents too, it seems that the young boys earlier didn't just run after all and told them that we are in trouble.
"We heard something happened! Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
My mother quickly hugs me as soon as she went to me and examine my body for any wounds. She saw the bruise on my neck from the strong grip earlier.
"Oh no! What happened to your neck?"
Mother looks really worried when she saw the bruise from my neck.
"My daughter!"
Father also gave me a quick hug. My siblings and friends also went to me to give me warm embrace.
"Kayle! You too?"
Mother noticed Kayle who is trying to stand up, thankfully he can finally stand properly.
"Kayle!"
We saw the marquis An Theodore, Kayle's father ran to him and gives him a tight embrace soon as he reaches Kayle.
Kayle was a bit surprised by his father's sudden embrace.
"Father?"
"Thank goodness, you're alright! My precious son!"
I can see his father trembling. Kayle embraced him back.
Kayle looks my eye and gives me a grin which made me grin back.
See Kayle? Didn't I told you that your father loves you?
I told him to try and approaching his father more when I met the marquis, who is looking like he wants to greet his son but is too shy since the two of them are not really that close because his father is not a showy person.
Now I know where Kayle get his not showy personality, those two are really similar.
"Oh no! Your neck!"
My friend, Phia quickly went to me to as soon as she saw the bruise on my neck. She quickly puts her hand on my neck and close her eyes.
"It doesn't hurt anymore"
I can feel the pain from my neck losing. Phia had healed the bruise and it now looks like there wasn't even a bruise in the first place.
"Thanks Phia!"
I smiled at her and she smiled back to me. I'm happy that there are a lot of people worrrying about me, I feel so loved!
We were laughing after Anne tackles me with a tight hug that I can't almost breathe.
I noticed Arthur having an unusual expression on his face, he is usually emotionless but why does he look like that now?
He quickly looks away as he soon as he sees me staring at him.
Anyway, the party ended early after the incident. The duke El Blanc apologized for what has happen to the young lady.
"I terribly apologize for what my incompetent son had done!"
The duke looks really sorry for what his son has done.
"Empress, I am also deeply sorry!"
He has an uncanny look whenever he talks to the empress. He has the look of a young man who is in love.
I'm not a romance expert but I can see a feeling of attraction of him to her. Do they have a history together? His look is really suspicious.
The duke also gave his apology to me, Kayle and to the other young boys earlier. Cain also needs an apology since those kids also mocked and hurt him.
The duke is really handsome for an old man. The two really bear a strinking resemblance to each other.
"It's alright, as long as no one got seriously hurt"
The empress gave the duke a faint smile. The young master is nowhere to be found, where did he run off to?
The young lady Daphne was obviously annoyed because of the incident. I can see her smile is forced as she ends the party.
"Kayle!"
I went to my cousin who was about to head to their carriage with his father.
"Ah! I apologize marquis! May I please talk to Kayle?"
It was quite rude of me to shout at Kayle without greeting the marquis first.
He looks at Kayle before shifting his sight to me and nodding.
"Alright, you can take your time...I'll be waiting in the carriage, son"
The marquis patted Kayle's head before he went to the carriage.
"Yes, father!"
Kayle seems really happy. I decided to tease him and nudge my elbow into his arm.
"Someone looks happy~"
"Ah! Who's happy?"
He looks away blushing and scratching his head. Now, now...no need to be shy!
"What a tsundere!"
"Tsundere?"
Right. Tsundere is actually a Japanese slang term in my past life when someone is acting tough on the outside but is actually a soft cinnamon roll inside.
Come to think of it, brother is also like a tsundere. He and Kayle are more similar than I thought, well they are cousins too afterall.
"It just means that you are a cute cinnamon roll~"
He blushed even more which made his face looks identical to a tomato.
"What are you talking about?!"
I giggled.
"Told you, you just need to open up to your father!"
I whispered to him.
"Yeah...I went to his office after you left and asked him if he can let me come with him to this party"
"Well?"
"He was really shocked...like really shocked! Then he told me that he was really waiting for that moment when I finally asked him something, he even hugs me and he said that he was relieved to know that I'm interested in going out of the manor for once"
The marquis is actually a really caring father! I noticed it when he tried patting Kayle's head but hesitated. It seems that he was just shy.
He fake coughs.
"By the way, why did you call for me anyway?"
I know he is happy when his father and him are getting close but he tries to change the subject.
"I just want to tell you how brave you are earlier to save those kids"
I placed one of my hand into his head and mess his hair even though he is taller than me that I need to lean up.
"Hey! Stop treating me like a child!"
But you are a child! You're ten years old! I feel like I'm talking to my younger brothers!
...Wait! Younger brothers?
I remember! I do have two younger brothers in my previous life! But why am I remembering this just now?
And why is it only about me having younger brothers? Why can't I remember my own identity?
"Delie? Is something wrong?"
Kayle noticed that I'm in lost in thought.
"I just felt like an older sister talking to her younger brother"
"What? But we are at the same age!"
"I know...but I'm still a few months older than you!"
That's what aunt Illiana told me. I was already born back then but Kayle was still inside her womb.
I teased him before pinching his soft cheeks that looks like steamed buns.
"Ouch! Hey!"
He looks so cute! Don't grow up quickly! The kids in this world are really cute!
"By the way...I am sorry about earlier"
While scratching his head, he looks away from me and apologize.
"For what?"
"Well, I'm the one who told you to not intervene earlier but in the end...it was me who did and you go hurt because of me"
Ah! Is that when I blocked the attack that was supposed to be him?
"Nah...you did the right thing! And it's my fault anyway for blocking you!"
I attempt to brush off what happened.
"But..!"
"Look, it was my decision to do that so you don't need to blame yourself! Alright?"
"Alright...but don't do something like that again"
He lectures me pinching my cheeks back.
"Ow! Sure sure! You need to go to the carriage already! The marquis is already waiting long! Hurry hurry!"
I pushed him a bit while telling him to go to his carriage.
"Jeez! I'm going!"
He goes back to the carriage before the carriage goes out of the manor's sight. I went back to my family who was waiting for father talking to other nobles.
"Let's go home, children"
Father told us as soon as he finishes talking to them.
I saw Arthur still looking at my way like he wants to tell me something but I guess it is just my hunch.
"You little rascal! Didn't I told you to play in a corner? Do you know how embarassed am I?! Just when the empress went alone!!"
We heard in the corner outside the gate of the Il Viva manor the duke El Blanc.
"Let's go"
Father tried taking our attention away from them by heading to the carriage but I remained in the large bush peeking at the scene.
"...I'm sorry father"
I heard the young master El Blanc bowing to his father on the ground. His knee must be already red from the bowing, I think he was bowing there for a while now.
"Don't call me that! Don't think so highly of yourself just because you are the only heir! I can always have a replacement child! So don't embarass me anymore!"
"..."
"Do you know that the crown prince is a behaved child? The emperor kept telling about his son's achievement even though he didn't even unlock his gift yet he was said to be the brightest among the children his age! He is also an obedient child unlike you!! You two are at the same age and are cousins! Why can't you be the same??"
"I'm my own and he is his own-"
"Don't talk back to me!!!'
The duke punched his son in the cheek. Whoa! I think that's a bit overboard!
He was angry because he feels embarassed since the empress is there. I knew it! He has feelings for her! I saw him glancing to the empress earlier when she arrived and pulling his attention out of the other women surrounding him.
He also compares the crown prince to his own son! Telling him to be like the crown prince.
"Delie! What are you doing? Let's go back!"
Mother called for me when she becomes aware that I'm not following them anymore.
"Coming!"
I hurriedly went to them but I glanced at the El Blanc parent and child. My eyes widen when the young master looks my way glaring at me while his father is going back to the carriage.
I felt chills in my spine. Does he know that I've been eavesdropping them?! Better to ignore it!
...
We went home easily without worries.
My parents are still very worried about me and continuosly asked me if I still feel any pain.
I told them that I'm alright over and over again. What really bothers me is that young master El Blanc earlier, he glared at me hard like he was about to eat my soul. I was really terrified, imagine a ten-year old being so scary! I can still feel his glowing blue eyes at me.
And Arthur too, I can't forget his pained expression. What is he trying to tell me?
Not only those too...my hand earlier glows! Why?
I need to know why...
On my free day, I went to our manor's own library to find about that strange glow. I took a bunch of books containing the history of the three lands and the origin of gifts.
There are a lot of volumes of these books so I just sat on the floor and read each book after another.
I went to the library at morning but now I can see from the window that it is already dawn. I don't have any progress or any information regarding the strange glow.
These books didn't even help me find any useful information about it.
"Young lady, you are still here?"
Our mansion's private librarian asked me when he notices that I'm still inside the library with a pile of books scattered around me.
"Excuse me, can I ask where I can get more books? It seems that the one I was looking for is not here"
He thinks for a bit and suggested that I should go to Bogdan's Public Library.
"You might find what you are looking for there"
"Thank you"
He bows his head before leaving. I took the books that was scattered and place it one by one back but the librarian stopped me.
"Young lady! You don't need to arramge it back! I'll do it!"
"Alright..."
I gave him back the books. Are you wondering why I gave it back to him? It's because they have pride in their jobs.
When I tried helping a maid once, Sara pulls me away and tells me that when you took someone's job that should be theirs is like looking down at me, in short it is an insult to them.
As I was heading back to my room, Sara called out to me.
"Young miss! Where were you? I was looking for you!"
"I was in the library..."
"I see! Anyway, an important visitor came to see you!"
A visitor? Is it Anne?
"Who is the visitor?"
"It's...young master Vi Claross!"
What? Arthur Vi Claross? Why is he here?
"Where is he now?"
"He's in the living room!"
"Please tell him to come to my room and prepare some tea and some snacks too"
"What?! Inside you room??"
Why? Is there something wrong with that?...Oh! I'm a girl and he is a boy suddenly going inside a young girl's room all ALONE.
"Wait no! Please tell him to meet me in the garden!"
I forgot about that!
"Sure, young miss!"
She looks really excited that she's not even hiding it.
What does Arthur wants? I remembered the day of Daphne's celebration party, he was giving me an unusual expression.
And him visiting here alone without any notice, I'm used to him visiting only David. After these two years, the two of us somehow can talk casually when we need to and we also get to hang out because of Anne.
"Why am I preparing myself, anyway?"
I noticed that I'm unconsciously brushing my hair infront of my vanity's mirror.
Alright, deep breath! Let's go Delie!
...
"Is the tea good?"
I asked Arthur who just sips his own tea and nodding.
Come on, say something!
We are now seated on the table that was prepared on our own garden. I can hear Sara and the other maids behind me giggling even though they are a bit far away from us.
"I deeply apologize for coming here without any notice"
He finally spoke!
"It's fine, I'm not doing anything anyway! It must be something urgent"
Except that I almost spend my whole day in the library.
"It is actually about the other day in the Il Viva mansion"
"What about it?"
I asked him before reaching for a piece of chocolate cookie.
"I...I want to apologize!"
He bows infront of me while sitting on his chair. Both of his hands are in the table.
"Wha...?"
The cookie that I was about to bite has been paused. My mouth is opened waiting for the cookie but I halt since I was startled by his sudden apology.
"My family sent a proposal to you to be your fiance but how can I be your fiance after what happened to you that day? You got hurt and I wasn't able to protect you!"
My mouth is still open, I can't move on.
"...Wait! Why are you apologizing? You are not there so--"
"Yes, I wasn't there! I was supposed to be by your side!"
I am really really really confuse right now. Is that why he was giving me the pained expression that day? Since he thinks I'm his responsibility?!
"Listen...I know that your family sent us a proposal but that doesn't mean that you really want me to be your fiance right? Besides, you don't need to agree with them! We can cancel your proposal if you feel burdened!"
I stood up from my sit and put the cookie back in the plate.
I know Arthur has a crush on me and we do got closer these past two years but I don't think he would go that far thinking about engagement!
"Cancel the proposal...?"
He finally looks up to me with widen eyes. This is the first time I saw him with so much emotion.
"Yes! So you can propose to the girl you want to be engaged with!"
And you won't regret me being your fiance in the future!
"But..."
I was about to leave when he told me something that made me look back to him surprised.
"What if I told you that I was the one who told my parents to send a proposal to you?"
...What did he say?