Extra's Abyss-Chapter 29: Thoughts [1]

Back at the royal palace, the guests were escorted out.

Adrian was looking down from the first floor as he waited for his younger sister Clara, reflecting on the event that had gone off without a hitch.

He didn't have to wait for long when he sensed a presence behind him; turning around, he smiled at Clara.

"I take it that everything went well with your friends." Leaning back on the railing, Adrian crossed his arms, staring at her.

"Yes, Brother, if there's nothing else, then I will take my leave." Informing her brother, she didn't bother to listen to his words before she walked away.

Adrian chuckled at his sister's cold attitude towards him; he shrugged his shoulders before feeling his watch vibrate once.

Squinting his eyes, he tapped his watch, bringing up a small screen.

[Your Highness, we have accepted the deal.]

His lips instantly widened into a smile before he frowned.

"Everything seems to be going very smoothly, and I doubt I am that lucky," he murmured under his breath, glancing towards where his sister had left, shaking his head before looking out through the window, letting out a deep breath.

"Besides, they aren't the only ones with transcended skills; now I have one too."

"I'm coming for your crown Caelus, and I hope you can satisfy me till the very end." His lips twisted into a wide grin as his sclera started to turn dark.

Adrian's eyes turned slightly red from his deep black eyes. Licking his lips, he spat out each word with a pause.

"You... will...be... mine... my... dear... sister!... Devour... every... one!"

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Clara was walking back to her room silently through the hallways; right now most of the maids were busy cleaning up the aftermath of the party.

Turning at the end of the corridor, she walked a few meters to her room on the left side, then stopped.

Heading in, she closed the door, and the next instant jumped onto her bed, rolling around excitedly as she let out muffled sounds on her pillow.

Clara rolled around for a few minutes, lost in her fantasy, before she snapped out of it, having remembered the gifts she had received.

"Let's see what they got for me!" She smiled brightly, taking 5 gifts out of her ring.

Choosing the largest wrapped in a white cover, it was from Ethan; she tore off the wrapper around it.

"A rapier? Oh, it's made of alloy with mithril and radiant crystal!" Her mouth opened slightly, surprised by such an expensive gift; she thanked Ethan in her mind, moving onto the others.

"She isn't called a battle junkie for no reason." Trisha had gifted her a set of lightweight black clothes with several enchantments engraved on them.

Clara could recognize a few enchantments, which reduced damage from both physical and magic attacks, suitable for an opponent facing a battle junkie.

Rain went with a normal type of gift, as he had given her different kinds of plushies with a note slid in at the top of the gift.

[I didn't know what to gift. I tried to ask Lena for help, but she kicked me away from her room, so I bought a lot of plushies. I hope you like them.

"Pfft, I kind of expected an unexpected gift , having known him for years." She opened the next box.

The instant she opened it, she guarded her face, knowing it was Lena's gift, but nothing happened.

Shocked that nothing had happened, she cautiously looked inside the small box, finding a small black notebook labeled "Lena's Cooking Expertise" with a photo of her sticking out her tongue and taunting her.

Her deadpan face just stared at her picture before letting out a sigh.

Clara kept that box aside, unaware that the black notebook was slowly turning white from the edge.

She looked at the last small black box, knowing this was from Noctis. She took a deep breath before she slowly opened it.

The small box contained a blue ribbon with a few almost invisible enchantments that shimmered like tiny stars; besides the ribbon, there was a note.

[You always let your hair free. How about a change of style- Noctis]

Staring at the blue ribbon, her eyes widened for a second before she smiled happily as her cheeks turned rosy.

"Thanks, Nox." Her quiet voice was heard in the room.

Taking the ribbon into her hands, she slowly held a few strands of hair, weaving them into a small knot, and used the ribbon to tie it up.

Just when she was about to walk towards her mirror to look at her look, a sudden noise startled her from behind.

Clara turned around instantly, only to see the once black-colored notebook from Lena had turned into a stuffed doll having the face of her friend Lena.

The next instant a loud noise came from the doll, echoing throughout the room.

Haha haha haha haha ha....

Clara covered her ears as she heard Lena's laughter echoing through the room.

The laughter kept going on, making her irritated as she shot a silver orb from her fingers. The orb flew towards the doll and isolated it, and the laughter vanished from the room.

A white orb manifested beside Clara as a voice came from it.

"I warned you."

Clara immediately glared at the white orb. "Shut up, bitch!"

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Ethan got into a black SUV. Inside, he noticed his mother had already taken a seat and was waiting for him.

He nodded his head to the driver to move while he sat next to her.

Gloria nodded her head, took a wine glass, and drank a few sips before she spoke.

"How did it go, Ethan?" Glancing at his mother, Ethan smiled slightly.

"He's doing well now." He kept his words short and simple.

"Hmm," Gloria nodded before she glanced outside; her conversation with her son was the same as always.

She didn't know when it started, but the distance between them had begun to drift apart for a long time.

Ethan made a new friend, which made her happy internally despite the problem between them.

She observed them for years, and slowly she gradually noticed the unusual protectiveness Ethan had for Noctis.

He did care for his other friends, but the way he looked at Noctis was way different.

"Mom, did we find any leads regarding the attack a year ago?" Ethan spoke suddenly, making Gloria snap out of her thoughts.

She thought for a moment before she answered, "Not yet," she lied without hesitation.

Ethan didn't doubt his mother, nor did he question her as he returned to silence.

'Please stay alive, Nox.' Closing his eyes, Ethan let his thoughts wander.