The Extra's Rise - Chapter 358

Chapter 358: End of Inter-Academy Festival (3)
The final day of the Inter-Academy Festival was meant to be a joyous celebration—a day to unwind, revel, and build memories worth cherishing.

That, at least, was the idea.

Instead? I found myself entrenched in a scenario I wouldn’t have wished upon my worst enemy.

Rachel’s arms were wrapped around mine, her expression one of quiet triumph. Her sapphire eyes gleamed with possessiveness that somehow managed to be both endearing and terrifying. Cecilia stood nearby, arms crossed and glaring daggers at a rather pale and trembling Elara. Seraphina’s ice-blue eyes were fixed on the newcomer with cold assessment, while Rose stood slightly apart, her auburn hair catching the festival lights as she observed the tense standoff with quiet concern in her warm brown eyes.

So here I was, flanked by three princesses, a daughter of a Marquis, and a daughter of an archduke, caught in the midst of what looked suspiciously like a war council.

‘What’s next?’ I groaned internally, ‘Tomorrow’s headlines? “Arthur Nightingale: Young Genius and Prodigy, or the Heartthief Behind Five Nobles’ Obsession?”‘

Ridiculous. But news agencies, I reminded myself, had a unique talent for taking a modest fire and turning it into a roaring inferno if it meant headlines and profit.

I wasn’t naive enough to think Elara had fallen for me just because we shared a few dances or brief conversations. No, this wasn’t love.

But apparently, the four girls who had staked their claim on me saw even the faintest hint of interest as a threat, and they responded accordingly—like animals guarding their territory.

Or perhaps like cats, I mused, imagining them with ears and tails twitching in possessive defiance. The thought amused me enough to bring a slight smile to my face.

Back to reality, though. I had a tense situation to defuse.

“Cecilia, relax,” I said, reaching out to touch her arm.

She looked up at me, her crimson eyes flashing with a vulnerability that, for a moment, twisted my heart. Hurt? Cecilia? No way. I knew better than to fall for her innocent act again; I’d fallen once before.

When I didn’t release my grip, Cecilia clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed that her little attempt to unsettle me had missed its mark. Meanwhile, Elara’s violet eyes sparkled, her expression visibly brightening as if I’d somehow “rescued” her from Cecilia’s scowl. A smile crept onto my face before I could stop it. There was something undeniably endearing about Elara Astoria—the kindness and sincerity that set her apart in this world.

Truth be told, she was a favorite of mine even before I’d had a chance to meet her here. She was a character I’d looked forward to encountering, only to discover that fate had sent her to Slatemark Academy instead of Mythos. Still, it didn’t make navigating these unexpected dynamics any easier.

Elara shifted nervously, clearly sensing the rising tension. “I—I should probably get back to my academy’s gathering,” she said softly. “I just wanted to say hello, Arthur. Thank you for the dance earlier.”

Before I could respond, Cecilia stepped forward with an overly bright smile. “Don’t let us keep you,” she said, her tone pleasant but unmistakably dismissive.

Rose, ever the peacemaker, moved closer to Elara. “The northern pavilion has some lovely displays from your academy,” she offered kindly. “Perhaps we’ll see you there later?”

The soft suggestion had its intended effect—providing Elara with a graceful exit. With a grateful smile directed at Rose and a small wave to me, she slipped away into the crowd.

Seraphina was the first to break the remaining tension, casting a glance my way that I knew was meant to convey the impatience beneath her calm exterior. “Arthur, don’t you have plans with us today?” she asked, her tone polite but laced with subtle possession.

“You promised to accompany us to the Celestial Gardens display,” Rachel reminded me, her grip on my arm tightening ever so slightly. “They’ve brought in those rare luminescent flowers from the Southern continent.”

“I hadn’t forgotten,” I assured her, though truthfully, with the tournament and its aftermath, such details had become somewhat blurred in my mind.

Cecilia snorted, folding her arms. “Intrigue seems to be your natural habitat, Arthur. You don’t exactly discourage it.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been saying,” Rose chimed in, surprisingly firm despite her usual gentleness. “Arthur has a remarkable talent for collecting admirers without even trying.”

Rachel laughed softly, leaning a bit closer, her blue eyes twinkling. “Arthur doesn’t have to discourage anything. Trouble finds him on its own, drawn to him like iron to a magnet.”

For a brief moment, the tension dissolved into laughter, lightening the mood and the air around us. I was grateful, as ever, for their company—even if it sometimes felt like standing at the heart of a storm.

“Is it just me,” Rose questioned, her tone deliberately casual, “or does it seem like Arthur acquires a new admirer at every festival?”

“Don’t forget that girl from Redmond City, Reika,” Cecilia added with a dramatic sigh. “The one who came all the way to the Creighton estate for him when he was in a coma.”

“Or Kali,” Seraphina remarked coolly. “She went to his bedroom plenty of times.”

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but Rachel cut me off. “At this rate, we’ll need to establish a formal queue system,” she declared, tightening her grip on my arm.

“I’m standing right here, you know,” I reminded them, unable to keep the exasperation from my voice.

All four girls turned to me with matching expressions that clearly said, ‘Yes, and?’

I sighed deeply. This was my life now, apparently.

“Arthur!” a familiar drowsy voice called from behind me. I turned to see Clana making her way toward us, her navy blue hair slightly tousled as always, violet eyes half-lidded in their perpetual state of sleepiness. She moved with the languid grace of someone who had just woken from a pleasant nap, though I knew she had likely been up for hours.

“Clana,” I greeted her with genuine warmth. Unlike the complicated dynamics with the others, my friendship with Clana had always been refreshingly straightforward. “I thought you’d be sleeping through the festival.”

She shrugged, stifling a yawn. “I tried. Too noisy. Figured I might as well see what all the fuss is about.” Her gaze drifted lazily over my four companions, acknowledging them with a slight nod that held neither threat nor submission—just casual recognition.

Interestingly, none of the girls seemed particularly concerned by Clana’s arrival. Rachel’s grip on my arm didn’t tighten, Cecilia didn’t shift into territorial mode, Seraphina’s eyes remained neutral, and Rose simply smiled in welcome.

That was the thing about Clana—she somehow existed outside their competitive dynamics. Perhaps it was her perpetual state of seeming half-asleep, or the way she had never shown the slightest romantic interest in anyone, let alone me. Whatever the reason, the girls had long ago categorized her as a “safe” friend rather than a rival.

“We were just planning our route through the festival,” I explained to her. “Care to join us?”

Clana nodded lazily. “Sure. I heard there’s a cloud-walking experience near the central fountain. Might be interesting.”

“I’ve been wanting to try that,” Rose said, her eyes lighting up. “They use some kind of density manipulation technology, don’t they?”

“Mmm,” Clana confirmed with another yawn. “Something like that. The physics is probably fascinating, but honestly, I just want to take a nap on a cloud.”

Despite myself, I laughed. Trust Clana to find a way to sleep even on a cutting-edge technological marvel.

As we began to make our way through the festival crowds, I felt a strange sense of contentment settle over me. Yes, my life was complicated—filled with princesses, rivalries, and more danger than any reasonable person would willingly invite. But in moments like these, with Clana’s comfortable friendship and even the possessive but genuine care of the four girls around me, I couldn’t help but feel grateful.

“Arthur,” Clana murmured as we walked, falling back slightly to walk beside me as the others forged ahead. “You do realize your life is absolute chaos, right?”

I grinned at her. “Coming from someone who sleeps through most of her classes, I’ll take that as expert testimony.”

Her violet eyes, for once fully open, met mine with surprising clarity. “Just be careful. Hearts are more fragile than swords, and you’re surrounded by both.”

I nodded, sobering slightly at her unusual seriousness. “I know. But today—” I gestured to the festival around us, the lights, the laughter, the momentary peace between warring factions, “—today, I think we can just enjoy the calm before whatever storm comes next.”

Clana’s lips curved into a rare, genuine smile. “In that case,” she said, “I suggest we head straight for the cloud-walking and find out if you’re as graceful in the air as you are in battle.”

“Is that a challenge?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“More like a prediction of entertainment,” she replied, eyes already drooping back to their half-lidded state. “Nothing’s quite as amusing as watching the great Arthur Nightingale flail about like a startled cat.”

As the girls ahead of us turned back, calling for us to hurry up, I shook my head with a laugh. Perhaps chaos was simply the price of an interesting life—and all things considered, I wouldn’t have it any other way.