I Transmigrated as an Extra in a Trashy Dark Romance Game - Chapter 22

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※ This work contains depictions of coercive relationships, explicit language, and other graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

Desperate to escape, Edith pounded her fists against Carlton’s chest, but he didn’t budge an inch.

Fear began to creep in as she saw this changed, unfamiliar side of Carlton.

The movement of his jaw muscles and the thick line of his neck were laid bare. As if wanting to delve deeper into her mouth, he opened his wider, while his other hand groped her rounded b****t over her dress.

Squelch.

Startled by the feel of the large hand on her b****t, Edith finally reacted sharply, slapping the Knight Commander across the face.

In an instant, Carlton’s head snapped to the side, and the lips that had bound hers broke away, leaving a scratch. She was finally free.

“Get a hold of yourself, Sir Knight.”

As Edith, her hand trembling, breathed harshly and spoke in a cold voice, Carlton seemed to finally regain his senses. His face drained of color. The image of him, always so upright and orderly—the model of a chivalrous knight commander—was crumbling in real-time.

“What have I done… Forgive me, my lady.”

“It’s done. Please, just go.”

An order to leave, colder than any she had ever given, was issued. Carlton couldn’t bring himself to move, keeping his head bowed low in a final attempt at apology. But the sight of Edith reflected in his eyes left him no choice but to withdraw.

She was forcing herself to maintain a poker face, holding back tears of shame, biting her lower lip hard even as blood seeped from the scratch he had made.

As he turned and walked away, leaving her behind, his face was filled with regret and anguish.

Left alone in the second-floor hallway, Edith felt her emotions were about to erupt.

The aggressive, coercive side of a man she had never experienced before was utterly terrifying and shocking.

‘I didn’t know… I didn’t know it could be this frightening…’

She couldn’t even begin to imagine how much more terrifying the other male protagonists in this dark story could be.

Resolving more than ever to avoid getting entangled with them, she entered her room on trembling, nearly buckling legs and rang the bell for Marie.

She didn’t want to show this vulnerable side in front of Marie, who was always eager to tear her down. Forcing her trembling voice steady, she gave the order.

“I’ve suddenly fallen ill and cannot see them off. Please convey my apologies for the rudeness. Also, tell them that Lord Kai will see the Saintess off.”

She sent a message of apology to Serenity in the garden, along with a request that would give Kaidros and the Saintess time alone.

‘At least the tea time is ending, and they’ll have some time together. That’s something.’

Even though she had just endured something frightening, she felt a sense of relief that, for the first time in a while, a plan seemed to have succeeded.

As the tension left her body, Edith collapsed onto her bed.

* * *

Kaidros sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching Edith, who had been asleep since early evening until now.

Earlier, he had detected the faint trace of Edith’s energy clinging to that human knight commander, and it had put him in a foul mood.

Her energy was misfortune itself. The more one interacted with her, the more it seeped into them. As this energy accumulated, it could bring about unstable situations that affected the other person’s very life.

Ordinary humans likely subconsciously avoided her or felt a sense of rejection. But those with keen senses or extraordinary abilities—those who transcended human limits—did not feel rejection, even if the energy seeped into them.

‘For a being like me, such energy has no effect to begin with.’

But that wasn’t the reason for Kaidros’s displeasure. He could accept a faint trace if they were acquainted. However, the stronger presence of Edith’s energy on the knight commander, who had left the tea party with her, led to an unspoken conviction.

It seemed this lovely human was being audacious not just with him.

Stroking Edith’s torn lower lip, Kaidros’s gaze darkened as he pondered what to do with this small human.

* * *

A heavy, oppressive feeling in the air made Edith frown and groan in her sleep until the air lightened again, and she woke.

Outside the window, the scenery had turned to twilight, with darkness beginning to settle. For some reason, it was filled with a sense of longing that made her heart feel heavy.

Sitting up fully and stretching, Edith unconsciously glanced toward the chair where Kaidros always sat. But all she saw was the chair, empty and seemingly abandoned by its occupant.

“Where did that capricious dragon go?”

She had felt a presence nearby just moments ago, but now, with her eyes open, the spot that was always occupied felt empty, leaving her with a faint sense of loneliness.

* * *

The capricious dragon returned to the estate only after several days had passed.

Seated once more in his reclaimed chair, Kaidros took a small jeweled box from within his robes.

True to its name, the case was ornately crafted. When he opened it, nestled in silk inside was a ruby brooch that shone even more brilliantly than the box itself.

The ruby, a deep, blood-red yet cleanly transparent color, glimmered enchantingly.

Looking at the gem, Edith felt an almost bewitching sensation.

“Ah, you shouldn’t stare at it for too long.”

As if to stop her, Kaidros snapped the lid shut with a thud.

The strange captivation she’d felt a moment ago dissipated into the air like mist.

Having had the eerie experience of being almost possessed, Edith looked at him, her eyes filled with curiosity.

“What is this, Lord Kai?”

“It’s a gem called a Succubus Stone. It bewitches anyone who looks at it, making them lustful… especially toward s****l desires.”

Gulp.

“…Then why did you bring it here?”

Living too comfortably, she had forgotten that this dragon was also one of the male protagonists in this dark fantasy game. The truth served as another stark reminder.

‘Of all things, an aphrodisiac… Could it be…?’

Feeling an inexplicable tension, Edith’s throat went dry as she asked about the unknown object’s purpose.

“Didn’t you say you wanted revenge on that maid? You’ll know when you see.”

With eyes full of secrets, he chuckled softly, looking at the jeweled box. From his words, it seemed the dragon didn’t intend to reveal his plan. Edith simply nodded in acknowledgment.

Then, a question occurred to her.

“Oh, Lord Kai… If you use mental magic or something… can you see someone’s thoughts or memories?”

“Not to extract or sift through them. No such magic exists—unless it’s black magic. The memories I implanted in the humans of this estate will also fade if I’m away from them for too long.”

“Ah…”

A sigh of disappointment escaped Edith’s lips. She had recently realized she was quite curious about the secret concerning her father that the Crown Prince mentioned, as it kept swirling in her mind.

When the dragon asked why she wanted to know, Edith relayed the story she’d heard from the Crown Prince.

In an instant, the dragon’s languid expression vanished. He called her name with utmost seriousness.

“I think I understand now… Edith, a being like me cannot help with this matter.”

“Suddenly? What does that have to do with…?”

“Do you know about the Law of Causality?”

Saying something incomprehensible, he ran his hand roughly through his long red hair, then seemed to decide something and asked if she knew about the Law of Causality.

Recognizing the familiar term, Edith nodded.

Simply put, destiny, cause and effect, inevitability—these operate under the Law of Causality.

The previous dragon’s collapsed state in that specific location and situation was a preordained fate.

Originally, it should have been the Saintess, not Edith, who entered that alley, and the story should have progressed as destined. However, a transmigrator who entered Edith’s body unexpectedly intervened, creating a relationship between the side character Edith and the dragon.

One could say the Law of Causality was warped because of this.

‘But what does that have to do with this current matter?’

“There will come a time when you naturally learn about this matter. Until then, I cannot forcibly dig up destiny.”

Unable to fully comprehend the dragon’s words, Edith felt regretful but decided to set aside her questions about the Viscount’s secret for now.