Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"Order those two to return quickly and guard both entrances. They should immediately report if they see anyone appearing in their sight." Selene ordered.

"Yes, Boss."

However, not long after the two started guarding, her subordinate rushed her side, anxious.

"B-Boss! We lost contact with both Black 5 and Black 6!"

"What? How?" Selene asked surprised.

"I-I don't know, it happened too abruptly." Her subordinate replied.

"..." Selene became silent. 'Do they have a stealth-detecting artifact or individual? Both of them were skilled at hiding and stealth...'

"Prepare for a battle, get everyone ready, and give the bandits their weapons back as well. We will use them to fight."

"Yes, Boss." Exclusive content from m,v lemp,yr

"Then, leave."

Selene watched as her subordinate left in a hurry.

'Damn it... Now I can't act rashly. This complicates things.'

Selene's mind raced as she considered her options. The enemy was clearly more formidable than she had anticipated, and she needed to adapt her strategy quickly. She couldn't afford to underestimate them any longer.

She took a deep breath and refocused. 'If there's a Lunar Tier Awakener among them, then we will just take the girl and leave. If not then we can manage them. Thankfully, Scout-X has already taken care of those three students. We don't want to mess with the Academy after all.'

'But, when are the 'receivers' going to arrive?'

It was already past lunch and only three hours before dusk.

Sighing once more, she started moving and went where the hostages were.

Selene's eyes narrowed as she watched the young man and the elf girl converse quietly. She couldn't hear their words, but the sight of their relationship stirred something within her. Memories of a distant past flickered in her mind, and she found herself muttering a name under her breath, her eyes closing for a brief moment. 'Don't worry, I will free you soon...'

'Daniel...'

"Boom-!"

"Whooosh-!"

Her reverie was abruptly shattered by the sound of loud voices, fire, and screams echoing from one of the entrances, where she had placed the bandits. Instantly, Selene became alert, her sharp gaze snapping to the source of the commotion.

"Put gags in their mouths, make them faint" she ordered, gesturing to two of her subordinates. "Quickly."

The subordinates hurried to follow her command, silencing Adrian and Rhea once more. The other hostage herbalists looked on in distress, their fear evident.

Selene's mind was racing. 'What now?'

She waited, tense and ready, for a report. After a minute that felt like an eternity, one of her subordinates rushed back.

"Boss! There are five enemies, all young people. They appear to be students from the academy," he reported breathlessly. "None of them are Lunar Tier."

Selene nodded, her expression hardening. "We'll act according to the plan. Everyone, get into position and prepare to engage."

Her subordinates dispersed, moving swiftly to their designated spots, their forms blending into their surroundings. Selene took a moment to steady herself, then turned her attention back to Adrian and Rhea. She couldn't afford to let her guard down now, not with the enemy so close.

She took off her hoodie and mask, then she sat down in front of one of the elderly herbalists, where she could see the young man and the girl. She put a gag in her own mouth and positioned her hands behind as if she was also a prisoner. She whispered to the elderly herbalist and the others who were conscious. "Act naturally, then we'll let all of you go. We only need the girl."

The herbalists nodded in a hurry, after all, they remembered who she was and what she did.

The elderly herbalist woman looked at Selene with both pity and empathy as if understanding what kind of situation she was in. She remembered how she killed the bandit leader who tried to lay his hands on one of the women's hostages.

Although she was ruthless, she knew she did it to save them from a fate worse than death. It was a complicated situation, and the elderly herbalist couldn't help but feel a mix of fear and gratitude towards Selene.

The noises of the battle grew louder, echoing through the cavernous space. Selene remained motionless, her eyes fixed on the entrance, her mind racing with strategies and contingencies. She needed to maintain control, not just over the situation, but over her emotions as well.

Suddenly, a figure stealthily entered, looking around. It was a young man with silver hair and blue eyes, much more handsome than any man she had ever seen for a while.

She watched silently as the young man glanced at his surroundings, and approached the hostages. However, he stopped when he looked at one of the hostages. Selene followed the young man's gaze and saw the elf girl and the other young man.

The silver-haired young man then shook his head and quickly ran over to their side. He first shook the brown-haired young man's shoulder waking him up.

"Adrian, wake up!" Selene heard the silver-haired boy calling him by his name.

'So, his real name is Adrian, huh...' Selene smiled as if she earned valuable knowledge.

Then, Adrian's eyes fluttered open, and he looked around in feigned confusion before his gaze settled on the silver-haired boy. "A-Aurelius? Is that you?" he whispered after the gag was removed.

Aurelius nodded with a reassuring smile. "Yes, it's me. Just hang on for a moment." He then turned to the elf girl, shaking her gently. "Miss Rhea, wake up. It's me, Aurelius."

Rhea's eyes slowly also opened, and as she focused on Aurelius, her expression shifted from confusion to pure joy and relief. "S-Sir Aurelius, w-why are you h-here?" She muttered shyly and awkwardly as Aurelius took off the gag from her mouth.

Aurelius gently smiled as he replied. "Of course, I came to rescue you, Miss Rhea."

Selene watched this interaction with growing surprise. The way Rhea's eyes lit up at the sight of Aurelius and the tenderness in Aurelius's actions spoke volumes. She had expected the brown-haired young man, Adrian to be the one the elf girl cherished, but it seemed the reality was different.