Reborn As An Extra : I'm gonna mess up everything

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Esdeath's sharp eyes bore into Maruti as she scolded her in a low, tense voice, making sure no one else passing by could hear. "What do you mean she didn't get kidnapped?"

Maruti threw up her hands, her tone defensive yet honest. "How should I know? I did my best to distract Ethan, but Violet was still there, even after all that time!" She huffed, clearly annoyed but trying to stay truthful.

Esdeath let out a long sigh, her frustration evident. "Whatever, whatever. There's still the evening, and then the night. Even if she doesn't get kidnapped, there's still a high chance the outcome won't change!" Her words were curt, but there was a hint of determination in her voice, as if she had already calculated the next steps in her mind.

Maruti opened her mouth, ready to protest or perhaps explain further, but Esdeath raised her hand sharply, cutting her off. "Enough. Let's meet at the arena later. I'm going first." With that, she turned on her shoes and strode away, her long hair swaying behind her as she left without another word.

Maruti slumped against the nearby wall, letting out a deep breath of relief. The tension that had built up during their conversation finally eased. "Really? What's the point of me doing all this nonsense if the outcome isn't going to change much anyway?" she muttered to herself, shaking her head in exasperation.

She lingered there for a few moments, letting her mind wander before stretching her limbs with a groan. "Not like I care," she said with a shrug, her tone dismissive. She pushed herself off the wall and made her way toward the weapons rack to grab her bec de corbin.

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Meanwhile, in the academy corridors, Kaelith walked with her usual air of confidence, but the whispers around her caught her attention. Students in small groups huddled together, their voices hushed but loud enough to carry. 

"You heard about it, right? Ethan lifted Maruti like a princess and carried her to her dorm room! Can you even imagine what might've happened after that?" one girl whispered dramatically, her voice dripping with excitement.

Her friend giggled, her cheeks flushed. "Kyaa~! I wish my knight in shining armor would sweep me off my feet like that! It sounds so dreamy!" 

Kaelith's sharp hearing picked up every word, though she kept her face carefully neutral. The rumor was spreading like wildfire, and why wouldn't it? Ethan had carried Maruti in front of the entire cafeteria—dozens of students had seen it firsthand. Both Ethan and Maruti were popular in their own ways, so the story was bound to become the talk of the academy.

Kaelith's mind turned over the information as her shoes clicked softly against the stone floor. "Is that true?" she wondered, a fleeting thought crossing her sharp mind. But she didn't stop or bother to confirm it with the gossiping girls. It wasn't worth her time.

Kaelith's pace quickened, the faint murmurs fading into the background as she turned a corner. Suddenly, a figure collided with her. While Kaelith remained steady, the other person stumbled backward, landing on the ground with a soft thud. 

The girl was none other than Maruti. 

"Who the fu—" Maruti's frustration flared, but the words died on her lips when she recognized Kaelith. Her expression shifted to an awkward smile. "Oh, it's you…" 

Kaelith extended a hand without a word, and Maruti hesitated briefly before taking it. As she helped Maruti to her feet, Kaelith's senses, sharp beyond human comprehension due to her unsealed abilities, caught something peculiar. 

A faint, unfamiliar scent clung to Maruti, one that stirred a strange sense of familiarity. Kaelith's brows furrowed slightly as her mind raced. "This scent… I've smelled it before, but where?