The Extra is a Cult Leader

The sound of creaking wheels and wood swaying filled the uncomfortable silence inside the carriage. On one side, Ethan was lounging, one leg crossed over the other, his arm resting casually on the backrest like it was his temporary throne. His golden gaze shifted playfully between the two elves sitting across from him.

Aeris sat with her hands neatly folded in her lap, posture stiff, as if trying to maintain her composure at all costs. Next to her, Sylfie sat with her arms crossed and legs crossed as well, her gaze pointed away, clearly uncomfortable with the proximity but lacking the courage to actually complain.

Her turtle had been unsummoned as soon as they entered the carriage, partly for lack of space, partly for discretion.

The plan was simple: get to the nearest city and shamelessly lie to the adventurer’s guild. Forest fires happen, right? No one needed to know that a fire hurricane had been responsible for turning half the forest into ashes.

Ethan was the first to break the silence, lazily spinning his dimensional ring around his finger.

"Well... since we’re about to dress the truth up a bit... seems like a good time to catch up. Tell me... what are the biggest events happening lately?"

Aeris blinked, caught slightly off guard by the question. She glanced sideways at Sylfie but quickly answered, tucking a strand of her black hair behind her ear.

"Right now... the biggest topic among the kingdoms is the rise in monster activity near the borders of the Kingdom of Galvaris... and the civil war in the Empire of Svanholm."

"The Empire of Svanholm..." Ethan repeated, frowning, digging through his memory. "How long ago did that civil war start?"

Sylfie raised an eyebrow, glancing his way. "I’m surprised you don’t know. The news spread pretty fast. It started about six months ago."