Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"But that's not all, folks," she continued, her voice dripping with anticipation. "I have another juicy piece of information for you. Did you know that student Aurelia and student Adrian are—"

"Are..."

"Are...?" The spectators repeated wanting to hear it.

"They are f-"

"!"

Before she could finish her sentence, her microphone suddenly went silent.

The male announcer had discreetly disabled her microphone, cutting off her words mid-sentence. The audience, now left hanging on the edge of their seats, erupted in confused murmurs and questions.

The male announcer quickly stepped in, his tone apologetic and professional. "We seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties with our microphones. Please bear with us while we resolve the issue. Thank you for your understanding."

The female announcer, taken aback by the sudden cut-off, turned to her colleague with an indignant expression. "Hey, what are you doing?" she whispered fiercely, her eyes blazing with anger. "I was just about to—"

She stopped mid-sentence, her breath catching in her throat as she noticed a figure in the distance. Standing in the shadows just beyond the arena's edge was a cold, imposing figure, his eyes locked onto her with an intensity that sent chills down her spine. It was the vice headmaster, his stern gaze unmistakable.

The female announcer's eyes widened in realization. She had overstepped her bounds, and the vice headmaster's presence was a silent warning. She quickly composed herself, her face paling slightly as she nodded in understanding.

"Sorry about that, folks," the male announcer continued smoothly, covering for his colleague's abrupt silence. "While we work on fixing the technical issue, let's turn our attention to the next match. The battle between Aurelia and Aurelius will begin shortly. This promises to be an intense and emotionally charged duel, so stay tuned!"

The audience, still buzzing with curiosity and speculation, redirected their focus to the impending match. The tension in the arena was palpable, everyone eager to see how the former fiancés would fare against each other in the heat of battle.

The 5 minutes passed, and the time to start the match arrived.

However, only Aurelius ascended to the stage. The judge called for Aurelia, but one of the staff came over to the judge and whispered something in his ear. The judge listened and nodded.

"The winner of the match is Aurelius Avondale. His opponent has forfeited the match."

The announcement sent another wave of confusion through the crowd. Murmurs and whispers spread like wildfire as the audience tried to understand the reason behind the sudden forfeiture.

Aurelius, instead of leaving the arena, remained on stage and faced the onlookers. His expression was calm but resolute as he raised his hand to signal for silence. The crowd gradually quieted down, curious to hear what he had to say.

"I want to clarify a few things," Aurelius began, his voice carrying clearly across the arena. "First, it is true that Aurelia and I were once engaged. However, our engagement was arranged without our consent by my parents."

The spectators listened intently, their curiosity piqued by this revelation.

"Thankfully, someone intervened on our behalf, and the engagement was annulled. Now, Aurelia and I are close friends, studying in the same year and becoming the apprentices of sibling mentors. We support each other as friends."

Aurelius paused to let his words sink in, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "I ask that you do not think ill of us or spread baseless rumors. Our relationship is one of mutual respect and friendship, nothing more."

The audience began to murmur again, this time with a tone of understanding and acceptance.

Aurelius's expression then grew colder as he turned his gaze towards the announcer's booth. "And to the female announcer," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone, "your behavior just now was unacceptable. Spreading personal information and fueling unnecessary gossip is not only unprofessional but also disrespectful."

The female announcer's eyes widened, and she visibly recoiled at Aurelius's words.

"I demand that the academy take appropriate action and ensure that she receives the punishment she deserves for her actions. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated in any professional setting."

Aurelius's stern reprimand left the arena in stunned silence. The male announcer quickly regained his composure and addressed the audience, trying to smooth over the situation.

"Thank you for your honesty, Aurelius. We apologize for any misunderstandings and assure you that the matter will be dealt with accordingly. You can return now."

Aurelius gave a final nod to the crowd and stepped down from the stage, his presence still commanding respect and attention. The audience, though still buzzing with the unexpected events, began to shift their focus to the upcoming matches, eager to see what other surprises the tournament might hold.

____ ___ _

"He's grown up now, right?" Queen Seraphina asked her husband as she looked at their son who was leaving the stage. "To think he would openly challenge like this..."

"It seems having a master and studying here increased his self-confidence." King Edmund replied. "But... He is still a child."

"Right," Queen chuckled.

"By the way, were you the one to tell that woman that boy and girl's relationship? Since they aren't related to us, it would be difficult to explain if things had gone wrong." The King asked looking at his wife.

"...No, it wasn't me, Your Majesty," Queen replied sincerely. "I know when to take a risk and when not to. You were the one who taught me that after all."

"Hmm... Then... Who could it be?" King Edmund muttered, his brows furrowing. As far as he knew, they were the only ones to arrive from their kingdom. So nobody aside from them would know about Adriana and Aurelia's relationship. 'Could it be Cedric?

Or Isabella? Or someone from the academy...'

'Alas, it would be good to see that brat's expression if the woman didn't stop speaking...'

"Do you have any other plans, Your Majesty?" Queen asked while grasping her husband's hand.

"...No." The King replied. "Not for now."

"Understood," Queen nodded and turned her gaze to the arena.

The second years' matches was about to start after all.