Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"Fools? How dare you-!"

Alex's gaze sharpened as he took a step forward, his voice calm but laced with icy authority. "Didn't your Mother tell you? We're the ones who stopped the real invaders. The ones who saved your brethren, your town, your forest, and your world. The ones who saved your Queen."

The elder's expression darkened, his emerald beard trembling slightly as he scoffed. "Our Mother doesn't need the help of outsiders! She was the one who stopped those evils and protected us!"

Alex's lips curled into a subtle smirk, though inwardly he questioned the elder's intentions. 'Is this guy doing this intentionally?' he wondered as he knew this guy's self-righteous and haughty personality from the novel. 'It's only been five minutes since I parted ways with the Queen. That's more than enough time for her to tell them about me.'

He paused, observing the elder closely. 'Or maybe he wasn't there when she returned. That's possible too.'

He was an individual who wanted to protect his home, at all costs after all.

'Hmm?'

Before Alex could speak again, the dragonborn woman beside him crossed her arms and said sharply, "Why don't you go and ask your Queen?"

Alex chuckled softly, his gaze locking onto the elder. "No, you don't have to do that," he said smoothly. "She'll come on her own. After all, she's been watching us from the beginning."

The dragonborn girl's eyes flickered with subtle understanding, while the elvins bristled with indignation. Murmurs broke out among the warriors, and the elder's face turned red with anger.

"How dare you speak of our Mother like that!" one of the warriors hissed.

"Blasphemy!" another shouted, their weapons raised higher.

The elder pointed an accusatory finger at Alex, his voice trembling with fury. "You insolent outsider! You dare—"

Alex's patience snapped. His voice rang out loud and clear, silencing the growing uproar. "Either come out now, or you won't be seeing us again. As an ally, of course."

A tense silence followed his words, the only sound the rustling of leaves in the breeze. The elder scoffed, his confidence unwavering. "Don't play tricks with us, outsider. Your bluff won—"

Before he could finish, a powerful gust of wind swept through the clearing. The elvins staggered slightly, their weapons wavering as two figures descended gracefully from above, landing between the two groups.

The Queen stood tall, her form shimmering with an otherworldly presence. Her new height matched Alex's, and her multicolored eyes radiated authority. Beside her stood the leader of the elvins, her sharp gaze quickly assessing the situation.

The Queen raised a hand, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she gestured for her people to lower their weapons. "Be at ease, my children," she said softly. "There is no need for hostility."

The elvins hesitated, then slowly lowered their weapons, though their wariness remained. The Queen turned her gaze to Alex, and for a moment, their eyes met. His eyes conveyed a silent message: Couldn't you have appeared sooner?
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She chuckled lightly, amused by his unspoken irritation. "Thank you," she said warmly, addressing both Alex and the dragonborn woman. "For not acting rashly. And I apologize for my children's mistake."

Alex's expression didn't soften. "It's your fault," he corrected bluntly. "Don't lump it onto your children."

The Queen's smile didn't waver. She nodded gracefully. "You're right. My apologies again."

Her voice was calm, but her words held a quiet firmness that silenced even the elder's attempt to retort. Ethranel opened his mouth to protest, but the leader of the elvins shot him a sharp glare, forcing him into silence.

The Queen turned back to Alex and the dragonborn woman. "Shall we go inside?" she invited, her tone warm yet authoritative.

Alex nodded slightly, but before they could proceed, the Queen paused and looked at him with a hint of curiosity. "By the way," she said, "can you remove your mask and robes now?"

The clearing fell silent once more, all eyes on Alex. He stayed motionless for a moment, then gave a small nod. Slowly, he reached up and removed the black mask he had been wearing since the battle.

Beneath it was not his true face as Adrian, but the appearance of Mr. Lucien—the identity he had used in the past and chosen for this event.

The Queen's eyes glinted with a strange light as she studied him. She nodded, her expression unreadable but intrigued. "Thank you," she said simply, before turning to the leader of the elvins. "Please lead our saviors inside."

The elvin leader nodded with a silent gesture, stepping forward to guide them. The elvins, though still wary, fell into line behind them as they entered the heart of the elvin town.

The walk toward the council chamber felt longer than it was, with Alex and the dragonborn woman flanking the Queen, the elvin leader guiding them.

The town's inhabitants, both young and old, turned their heads to watch as the procession moved through the winding paths. Whispers rippled through the crowd—this was an event none had witnessed before.

No one had ever been welcomed by both their Mother and their leader in such a manner. Heck, they rarely gets to see their Mother in their whole lives. Te respect in the air was palpable, despite being a noticeable tension in the elvins' gazes.

As they made their way deeper into the heart of the elvin settlement, the path began to narrow, and the towering trees around them created a canopy that filtered the sunlight into soft beams.

"Wouldn't it be much faster if we just used a portal or teleported?" the dragonborn muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with impatience.

Alex glanced at her, a faint smile curling his lips. "I agree. It would be quicker." His tone was dry but understanding. "But this is their custom. We'll have to respect it."

She huffed in response, but the resigned nod she gave him spoke volumes. They both knew it would have been easier if the Queen had allowed them to bypass this process. But in the end, respect for their customs was important. They had to follow the elvins' way.

After what felt like an eternity of winding paths and murmurs from the elvin people, they finally arrived at the council chamber.

The elvin leader pushed open the door, revealing a vast hall that hummed with the energy of age-old traditions.