Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Evangeline moved to Lucian's side, watching him from the corner of her eye, gauging every slight reaction. His silence persisted, but his body had grown tense, his muscles rigid beneath the composed exterior.

'Hehe.'

Evangeline smirked.

"And... in return," she whispered, her voice carrying a seductive edge,

"I showed you my work. My creations. You listened, intrigued, didn't you? You listened to my story, my purpose… my goal."

With every word, she stepped closer, until she stood directly in front of him. Her gaze locked onto his, a predatory and seductive gleam flashing within her eyes as she closed the gap between them. Her hands reached out, fingers brushing gently, almost tenderly, against his neck. Her touch was light but deliberate, and she could feel the tension in his body stiffen further under her fingers.

"You supported me," she whispered, her voice soft yet intense.

"You encouraged me."

"...You helped me."

Lucian's eyes narrowed, a frown forming on his elegant features, and his gaze turned cold, alarm rising within him. The once charming façade was beginning to crack. His body instinctively recoiled at her proximity, and the ice in his gaze was unmistakable now.

Evangeline's smile widened, her fingers trailing lightly across his skin as if savoring the tension coursing through him. 'You're alarmed, aren't you? Just as I expected,' she mused inwardly.

And then, with a sudden, graceful movement, her hands retracted—no longer touching him but holding something between her fingers. An amulet.

Lucian's eyes widened in shock, his breath catching in his throat as he stared at the object in her hand. "Y-you…" he stammered, his voice no longer smooth and composed, but filled with disbelief.

"Got you, darling," Evangeline smirked.

And, in an instant, the transformation began.

His once soft, girlish features started to shift, the smooth edges of his face hardening into a more masculine structure. His delicate, almost effeminate beauty faded, replaced by the sharper, defined lines of a mature young man.

Lucian's darker hair shifted to a deep brown, cascading in loose waves around his now more defined, mature face. His hazel-like eyes transformed into a warm, rich brown, the kind of gaze that exuded calm but masked an underlying sharpness. It was the fact that many people knew. That's right, Adrian's true face was revealed.

The face he had so carefully as Mr. Lucian, using the amulet's enchantment.

And now, this face—his true face—was laid bare before Evangeline.

Adrian blinked rapidly, his lips parting and closing as if to speak, yet no words came.

He was stunned.

Dumbfounded.

Never in his wildest thoughts did he imagine that Evangeline would remove the amulet. How did she even know about it? How had she known he was hiding something like this? Was she that smart?

He stared at her, mind racing through every possible explanation, but none made sense. Her actions, her words.

Sure, he had pitched a business idea to her and supported her venture, but everything else she'd just said—her lab, her creations, her insane goals—none of it had ever happened. She hadn't shown him anything like that, and he certainly hadn't listened to any of her twisted ideas.

So how?

How had she managed to remove the amulet with such precision? Like she knew where it was(not like it was super hidden), no, he had something like this...

Or… was she just toying with him this entire time?

Messing with his head?

Adrian's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to process the sudden turn of events. But he quickly composed himself, inwardly hoping that now that his disguise had been removed, Evangeline would stop toying with him and get serious.

At least he wouldn't have to pretend anymore, he didn't like that girly face anyway. Even if he wasn't that much handsome, he still liked his own face 1000 times better.

He lifted his gaze, expecting her usual composed demeanor, her calculating mind at work. But the look on her face gave him pause.

Evangeline wasn't looking at him with any cold calculation or frustration over his deception.

'W-What the?'

No.

She was smiling—no, grinning—in that way she did when she knew she had the upper hand. Her lips were pressed tightly together, as if she was holding back something—perhaps a laugh.

Her eyes, though… there was something far more dangerous in them. They gleamed with a mischievousness, yes, but there was also a predatory gleam, a seductive hunger that he hadn't noticed before.

'N-No way...'

Adrian's stomach twisted, a knot of uncertainty forming. He had expected irritation or even fury for keeping his true identity hidden, but this? This was something far worse. Something more intense.

'W-What is she doing?!'

Her gaze traced over his face, studying him with an unnerving amount of interest, her eyes tracing his newly revealed features.

Suddenly, Adrian felt the back of his neck prickle with heat, a wave of discomfort rising within him.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

He wasn't sure why, but there was something about the way Evangeline was looking at him, the way her lips curled ever so slightly, her body language becoming more relaxed—almost too comfortable in his presence.

Subconsciously, he gulped, feeling his throat tighten as her eyes lingered on him. The air between them seemed to thicken, the tension palpable, but not in the way he had anticipated. He had prepared for a direct confrontation(he would be beaten right away) or some harsh exchange of words if he was lucky.

But instead, there was… this.

Her gaze.

Her expression.

Her body language.

Was she… seducing him?

Adrian cursed inwardly, his thoughts scattering as his pulse quickened. He tried to maintain his composure, but the sheer intensity of her gaze made it difficult. He had been in tense situations before, sure, but Evangeline had always been more distant, more controlled.

This… was new.

This was dangerous.

"Why were you pretending to be another person?"

'...'

"Did you do it because I said I prefer cuter appearances?"

'?'

Evangeline took a step closer, her lips parting ever so slightly as she studied his reaction with growing amusement. She was enjoying this—watching him squirm under her gaze, watching him struggle to keep his guard up.

"I can say it now…"