The Extra's Rise - Chapter 510

Chapter 510: Hwaeryun Banquet (3)
The evening had settled into the comfortable rhythm of high-society mingling when chaos decided to make an entrance.

It started with a commotion at the main doors—not the respectful silence that had greeted Archduke Astoria, but the kind of confused murmuring that happened when protocol went out the window. Guards were speaking in hushed, urgent tones to someone just outside the hall, their voices carrying an undertone of “this really isn’t how these things work.”

I had just finished greeting the Archduke when the doors burst open.

Four figures strode into the banquet hall like they owned the place, completely ignoring the scandalized expressions of the doormen who had clearly failed to stop them. They moved with the confident ease of people accustomed to going wherever they pleased, regardless of invitations or propriety.

My glass paused halfway to my lips as recognition hit me like a thunderbolt.

Jin Ashbluff led the group, his black hair impeccably styled and his dark eyes surveying the room with calculating precision. He wore formal Western attire—a deep navy jacket with silver accents that somehow managed to look both elegant and vaguely militaristic. His expression was its usual mask of controlled indifference, as if crashing a diplomatic banquet was simply another item on his daily schedule.

Behind him, Kali Maelkith sauntered in with her trademark smirk, her black hair flowing loose around her shoulders in deliberate defiance of formal styling. Her dark eyes sparkled with mischief as they scanned the crowd. Her dress was Western fashion—elegant but practical, with subtle armor elements worked into the design that most people would miss. She looked like she was already planning to start an argument with someone, preferably me.

Elias Vance followed with his characteristic perfect posture, somehow making their dramatic entrance look organized and intentional. His dark hair was impeccably styled, his formal wear absolutely flawless, and he carried a leather portfolio as if he’d simply arrived for a scheduled meeting. Even crashing a party, he managed to look like the most competent person in the room.

And finally, Reika Solienne glided in with that serene grace that made her seem like she was floating rather than walking. Her long violet hair was arranged in an intricate style that probably required an hour of careful work, and her gown was a masterpiece of subtle elegance. But it was her eyes that caught me—those remarkable violet eyes with their unique flower-like patterns that seemed to bloom and shift in the light, immediately seeking me out across the crowded hall.

The banquet hall had gone almost completely silent, hundreds of pairs of eyes tracking the uninvited guests who had just violated every rule of diplomatic etiquette. Conversations died mid-sentence, wine glasses hung suspended in the air, and even the servants had stopped moving.

I felt Seraphina’s grip on my arm shift slightly, her diplomatic composure intact but her tension evident to me. “Jin,” she murmured quietly, recognition clear in her voice. After three years as classmates at Mythos Academy, she knew him well.

Rachel’s reaction was more immediate. “Kali?” she whispered, surprise coloring her tone. The senior student who had been their upperclassman at Mythos was the last person she’d expected to see crashing an Eastern diplomatic banquet.

And then, as if choreographed, all four of them turned to look directly at me.

The collective stare hit me with the weight of inevitability. Jin’s dark eyes held their usual cool assessment, though I caught what might have been the faintest hint of satisfaction at having created such a scene. Kali’s smirk widened into something approaching a grin, clearly delighted by the chaos she’d helped orchestrate. Elias maintained his professional composure, but there was definitely a “we need to talk” quality to his gaze. And Reika… Reika smiled with the kind of quiet joy that suggested she’d found exactly what she’d been looking for, those violet patterns in her eyes seeming to shimmer with genuine happiness.

‘Oh no,’ I thought, feeling Seraphina’s hand tighten slightly on my arm and sensing Rachel’s sudden understanding of exactly what was happening. ‘They’re here for me.’

The silence stretched for what felt like an eternity but was probably only a few seconds. Then Kali, because of course it would be Kali, broke the spell by speaking loudly enough for half the hall to hear.

“Well, well, Arthur,” she called out, her voice carrying that familiar tone of mock exasperation. “Fancy seeing you here. And looking so formal too. I barely recognized you without dirt and monster blood all over your clothes.”

The comment sent a ripple of confused murmurs through the crowd. Nobles began whispering to each other, trying to process this apparent breach of protocol and figure out who exactly these people were and why they seemed to know me.

I heard Seraphina’s sharp intake of breath as the pieces clicked into place for her.

Jin stepped forward with measured grace, inclining his head in the barest suggestion of a bow toward the assembled nobility. When he spoke, his voice carried the unmistakable authority of someone accustomed to being obeyed. “Prince Jin Ashbluff of the Western Continent,” he announced formally, though his eyes never left mine. “We apologize for the… unconventional entrance.”

That sent another wave of whispers through the crowd. A Western prince crashing an Eastern banquet was definitely not on tonight’s expected agenda. But I caught the way some of the nobles glanced toward Seraphina and Rachel with new understanding—if Jin was here, and they clearly knew him…

Elias, ever the diplomat, smoothly produced what looked like official documents from his portfolio. “We have proper credentials for travel within Eastern territory,” he said to the room at large, though his words were clearly directed toward any officials who might be considering having them forcibly removed. “Our arrival was… somewhat ahead of schedule.”

I could feel the weight of expectation settling on my shoulders like a heavy cloak. Every eye in the banquet hall was now fixed on me, waiting to see how I would respond to this unprecedented situation. I was acutely aware of Seraphina’s presence beside me, her diplomatic training probably working overtime to assess the political implications. Rachel’s other hand had found my arm, her expression showing she understood exactly who these people were and what their presence meant.

Across the room, I caught sight of Archduke Astoria watching the proceedings with interest rather than irritation. His violet eyes held a calculating gleam, as if he was filing away this information for future consideration.

Taking a breath, I stepped forward, gently disengaging from Seraphina and Rachel’s steadying presence. The crowd parted slightly as I moved, creating a clear path between myself and the four unexpected arrivals.

“Jin, Kali, Elias, Reika,” I said, keeping my voice steady and projecting just enough to be heard by the immediate vicinity. “This is… unexpected.”

Kali’s grin widened, and I could practically hear her mental victory dance at successfully ambushing me. “Unexpected? Arthur, you’ve been missing for almost three months. Did you really think we wouldn’t come looking for you eventually?”

I felt my stomach drop as several more pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. Three months. That’s how long it had been since I’d last made contact with any of them. Three months of war, of fighting vampires, of breakthrough revelations and near-death experiences. Three months during which I’d apparently forgotten that I had other responsibilities, other people who might be concerned about my whereabouts.

“We sent messages,” Elias added, his tone perfectly professional but with an underlying note that suggested those messages had gone unanswered. “Multiple messages, through various channels. When we received no response…”

“We decided to come collect our wayward guild master in person,” Reika finished softly, her voice carrying that gentle warmth that somehow made everything sound reasonable and caring rather than accusatory. The violet patterns in her eyes seemed to pulse with relief at finally seeing me safe.

Guild master.

The words hung in the air like a revelation, though for some in the crowd—particularly those who had attended Mythos—this wasn’t entirely surprising news. Seraphina and Rachel exchanged a quick glance, their expressions showing they’d been expecting this shoe to drop eventually.

But for many of the nobles and dignitaries present, this was new information that required immediate recalculation of Arthur’s political significance.

“Why exactly,” I asked carefully, very aware of my audience, “is Ouroboros here?”

The question was directed at my guild members, but it was really for the benefit of everyone listening. Whatever explanation they gave would become part of the official record, discussed in private meetings and diplomatic communications for weeks to come.

Elias stepped forward slightly, his professional demeanor never wavering. “Simply put,” he said, his voice carrying the patient tone of someone explaining something that should have been obvious, “we needed to meet with our guild master after nearly three months of absence. Certain… administrative matters require your personal attention.”

It was a perfectly reasonable explanation that revealed absolutely nothing while suggesting that there were important matters at stake. Classic Elias.

But as I looked at the four of them—Jin with his calculating composure, Kali with her challenging smirk, Elias with his professional competence, and Reika with her quiet, unwavering focus and those unique violet eyes that seemed to see only me—I realized that this wasn’t just about administrative matters.