CHAPTER 65: WELCOMING SOMEONE NEW

After Alaric was finished with Auralyne, the air between them softened into silence.

She closed her eyes, took a slow breath, and reached for her clothes—her fingers brushing the collar, her motions hesitant, but clearly preparing to undress.

Alaric blinked.

Then he chuckled, low and amused.

"What are you doing?"

He leaned back slightly, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Get your mind out of the gutter."

Auralyne froze, her hand midway to her sash. Her cheeks flushed instantly, blooming red like a flame set to silk.

But Alaric’s expression shifted. His gaze drifted toward the door, and he tilted his head, his voice dropping with casual clarity.

"You three as well."

Auralyne flinched.

Her eyes widened in horror, and she whipped her head toward the entrance—though the door remained closed. Still, if she listened closely...

Faint. Faint enough to be imagined.

But the whispers were there.

Then silence.

Red-faced and trembling slightly, she turned back to Alaric, mouth half-open to explain herself—only to see him already seated, calm, sipping again from a fresh cup of tea that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

Another chair had appeared before him. Elegant, shaped of dark wood and soft velvet. Waiting for her.

He gestured toward it with two fingers.

"Sit."

Auralyne did.

The warmth in her face hadn’t faded, but her posture straightened. Alaric’s gaze turned sharp, and with no transition, he spoke plainly.

"We need to talk about taking back your kingdom."

Auralyne’s expression shifted, the embarrassment bleeding away into focus.

Alaric’s voice was calm, but laced with iron.

"You see... I’m not doing this out of kindness. I’m not trying to make you queen with some noble dream of justice. What I want is control. Not just influence. Absolute control of that kingdom. And you—"

He pointed lightly at her.

"—you will be the key."

Auralyne didn’t blink.

"I understand."

Alaric studied her a second longer.

She continued, voice steady.

"Nothing in this world is free. Especially not power. I understand that much."

Alaric smiled.

"Good. You’re sharper than most of them."

He set his cup down.

"Now, let’s go over the plan. It’s not entirely mine, to be honest. There’s a man named Caldrith. He’s been planning a rebellion for quite some time now. I suspect that’s why the Velmorian royal family was so desperate to get their hands on the Grade 5 Mana Crystal."

A pause.

"They must have caught the scent of unrest—maybe not solid proof, but enough to panic. That would explain their insane offer."

He looked directly into Auralyne’s eyes.

"I’ve already offered Caldrith support—if he’s willing to cooperate. If not, I’ll handle the royal family myself. One way or another, they’ll fall. And once they do, I’ll send you in... as the heir."

Auralyne nodded. "But that’s going to look suspicious."

"Exactly."

Alaric nodded.

"The royal family vanishes. A girl they sold as a slave rises and reclaims the throne? Even idiots will sniff foul play."

"So we need to design a story,"

She said slowly,

"Something believable."

"Exactly. A generic rise to power story. Nothing too flashy. Nothing that directly points to me."

He smiled faintly.

"But in truth, the kingdom will belong to me. Whether through you or anyone else. You’ll help me secure that. And in return... I’ll help you get your revenge."

Auralyne stared at him, serious... then her expression changed.

She smiled.

Not a coy smile. Not a forced one. But something sincere, edged with fire.

"When I first came here, I expected nothing. I was ready to offer everything just for a chance to fight back. Even if it meant serving you forever."

She stood up.

Then, with fluid grace, she knelt—one knee to the ground, her head lowered, her right hand clenched over her heart.

"Your will is my command, Master.

I will move however you wish me to."

Alaric raised a brow, lips twitching in faint approval.

"Good,"

He said simply.

He looked toward the window, where moonlight spilled in like silver threads.

"Let’s wait for Caldrith to arrive. Once he’s here... we finalize everything."

*****

✢═─༻༺═✢═─༻༺═✢

✶ I Reincarnated as an Extra ✶

✧ in a Reverse Harem World ✧

⊱ Eternal_Void_ ⊰

✢═─༻༺═✢═─༻༺═✢

*****

The sky was overcast with a silver sheen, soft and serene, as if the heavens themselves had exhaled after the storm of the previous day.

The mansion annex built for Alaric and his companions stood quiet but not still. Laughter echoed faintly from the garden behind the estate—a light, feminine kind of mirth, gentle and teasing.

Alaric, of course, was seated in a reclining wooden chair under the pavilion roof, a cup of dark tea balanced on one knee.

Steam coiled upward, caught by the soft breeze. His gaze was distant, not vacant, as if he were observing things no one else could see.

Around him, four familiar auras moved like ripples in a calm pond—and one unfamiliar, still finding her rhythm.

"Master,"

Cellione’s voice chimed first.

"You’re awfully quiet this morning. Plotting something again?"

"Should I be worried?"

Virellen added, leaning over the table, her grey eyes glittering with mischievous suspicion.

Aurevia, ever composed, sat beside him with arms crossed.

"He’s always quiet. But when he smiles like that... something’s brewing."

Serineth peeked out from behind Cellione’s shoulder.

"He did have a long talk with Lady Auralyne yesterday."

At that name, attention shifted.

Auralyne—still wearing a formal but modest pale-blue dress—sat at the edge of the group, not excluded, but not quite immersed either.

Her hands were folded on her lap, posture disciplined, but her expression held that subtle uncertainty of someone... unused to this kind of atmosphere.

She glanced at them, then at Alaric, who finally moved.

He placed the cup on the stone table and stretched slightly, not lazily, but like a creature aware of the world folding to his pace.

"Hm? What were we talking about?"

He said, tone amused.

The girls leaned in.

"Yes,"

Cellione demanded.

"You were alone for quite some time. And now she’s one of us. So?"

"Come on, Master,"

Virellen grinned.

"You owe us at least one spoiler."

"Did you make her swear a blood oath or something?"

Serineth asked with almost-earnest curiosity.

Alaric tilted his head, smiled faintly.

"Nothing of the sort,"

He said smoothly.

"Just... conversation. That’s all."

Aurevia raised an eyebrow.

"You never have just conversations."

He chuckled.

"You’ll see soon enough. I assure you—it’s best when it’s a surprise."

There was a collective groan from the girls.

"You always say that,"

Virellen muttered.

"And it’s never just tea and cookies,"

Cellione added.

"I wouldn’t mind cookies though,"

Serineth said softly.

But the tension was light, playful, a well-woven rhythm of familiarity.

Auralyne watched, her features unreadable for a moment. Then, as Virellen nudged her with a teasing grin, she finally spoke:

"...Is it always like this?"

Aurevia gave a slight smirk.

"Yes. Unfortunately."

"You’ll get used to it,"

Cellione said with a wink.

Serineth added,

"It’s... actually kind of nice."

Auralyne smiled. It was small, still guarded—but genuine.

The morning rolled on like a drifting breeze. No strategy. No rebellion. Just five girls surrounding a man who always seemed three steps ahead of the world.

And in that quiet annex, the seeds of loyalty, trust—and perhaps something deeper—continued to grow.

***

It began with Cellione clapping her hands and declaring,

"Enough sitting around! We have a new sister—we’re taking her out!"

Auralyne blinked.

"Out? Where?"

Virelaine grinned like a cat who’d found a canary.

"Oh, don’t worry, Princess. We’re just going to initiate you into our little cult of chaos."

"You mean breakfast by the lake?"

Serineth asked softly.

"...Breakfast,"

Virellen echoed innocently.

"Yes. That."

Aurevia rolled her eyes.

"Just don’t push her too much."

"No promises,"

Virellen’ smirked, already pulling Auralyne by the wrist.

***

The lake behind the mansion wasn’t wide, but it shimmered with crystal clarity—enchanted, as most things in Alaric’s domain were.

A stone pavilion sat along its edge, with soft-cushioned benches and a floating table filled with fruits, breads, and chilled juice.

By the time they reached it, Auralyne had already been gently manhandled into sitting beside Cellione, who slung an arm around her with a bold grin.

"So,"

Cellione drawled, biting into a peach,

"what happened in there, hmm?"

Auralyne looked down.

"...We talked."

"Just talked?"

Virellen leaned in from the other side, eyes glittering.

"He looked like he wanted to devour you when we left."

"Nothing happened,"

Auralyne said quickly. Too quickly.

"Oho~"

Virellen gasped dramatically.

"So something almost happened?"

"No!"

She cried, red-faced.

"He said nothing like that!"

The girls burst into laughter. Even Serineth smiled behind her cup.

"He always does this,"

Cellione added, brushing hair behind her ear.

"Says something cryptic, then boots us out like misbehaving cats."

Aurevia, from across the table, said quietly,

"He’s planning something. He always is."

"And you’re just fine with that?"

Auralyne asked.

Aurevia shrugged.

"He lets us in when the time is right."

***

As the laughter died down, and the sunlight filtered gentler through the swaying branches, a softer silence settled among them.

It was Auralyne who broke it.

"...How are you all so strong?"

The question wasn’t flippant. Her gaze swept across them—then stopped at Cellione, Serineth, and Virelaine.

"I’ve been cultivating since I was six. Pushed by the best tutors in the royal palace. And yet... you three feel like walking hurricanes."

Serineth shifted in place.

"We had... help."

Cellione smirked.

"You could say we were tempered like blades. Bled, broken, sharpened."

"But..."

Auralyne frowned slightly.

"You’re all younger. Yet you feel like veterans."

"Not all of us,"

Virellen said with a wink.

"I’m still a delightful work-in-progress."

Auralyne chuckled.

"Enough of this. We will continue this in Bedtime"

"...Bedtime?"

Auralyne repeated, wary.

Serineth smiled faintly.

"Yes"

They let the moment settle.

Auralyne was content. For the first time in years, maybe... content.

The wind picked up. Virelaine splashed Cellione with lake water. The food disappeared one by one. And Auralyne laughed.

It was the first sound of freedom she had made since she was a child.

-To Be Continued