Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Chapter 280: Meeting the Mastermind

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'This isn't a casual visit,' he realized. 'She's here for something important. But what could it be? There is still a lot of time till the event...'

Adrian's curiosity warred with his caution. On one hand, he knew he should leave before she or her guards noticed him. On the other hand, this unexpected encounter was too significant to ignore. Whatever had brought her to the Black Market could very well be tied to something much larger—and potentially dangerous.

'It could be connected to the upcoming event… or something else entirely,' Adrian mused, weighing his options. He could follow her, try to uncover what she was up to. But that would be risky, especially if her guards were as sharp as they seemed.

Adrian's mind raced, the pieces of a plan clicking into place as he observed the mysterious woman and her guards. His gaze lingered on her, and suddenly, an idea sparked—a daring one, but with the tools he had just acquired, it was well within his reach.

A sly smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he reached for the Face of Deception amulet. 'Time to put this to use,' he thought, holding the amulet close to his chest. He closed his eyes, focusing on the face he wanted to project—his old face from Earth, but slightly enhanced. More handsome, with a subtle hint of girlish charm, just enough to make him seem harmless(cute) and disarming.

With a silent command, the amulet's magic surged through him, wrapping him in an illusion. When he opened his eyes, he glanced at a nearby reflective surface, barely recognizing the person staring back at him. Satisfied with the transformation, Adrian activated the amulet, ensuring his new appearance was locked in place. But he still didn't forget to wear the simple ordinary black mask once again.

He took a deep breath and hastened his steps, weaving through the crowd until he was just a few paces behind the woman and her guards. "Hello," Adrian called out, his voice cheerful, yet carefully crafted to match his new appearance. "How are you?"

The woman stopped abruptly, turning around with a curious look in her eyes. Her expression was guarded, though her tone was polite as she replied, "Have we met before?"

Adrian's smile widened, and he closed the distance between them, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're pretending now, huh?" he said lightly, his voice laced with playful reproach.

Almost instantly, Adrian felt the sharp prick of killing intent from the two guards. 'Damn, at least try to hide it...'

They were ready to strike at a moment's notice, but he remained calm, his smile unfaltering. Instead of backing off, he leaned in closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Miss, you're being tailed."

The woman tensed slightly, her eyes narrowing as she processed his words. After a brief, tense silence, she subtly gestured with her fingers to her guards, signaling them to stand down—all without breaking eye contact with Adrian.

"I was just joking," she finally replied, her voice smooth but with an edge of caution.

Adrian chuckled softly, giving her a knowing look. "Of course, you were," he said, playing along.

'Haha, first step - success.'

The woman's gaze lingered on Adrian for a moment longer, as if trying to gauge his intentions. Then, with a slight nod, she turned and began to walk again, this time at a slower pace, as if inviting Adrian to walk beside her. The guards, now more alert than ever, kept their distance slightly far but stayed within striking range.

Adrian fell into step beside her, the tension in the air palpable. He knew he was playing a dangerous game, but the thrill of it only made him more determined to see where this encounter would lead.

'And, I'm playing it till the end.'

"Where are we going?" Adrian asked curiously. "You want to buy beauty potions again?"

"!"

The woman stiffened at Adrian's casual remark, her steps faltering as she turned to face him. Her eyes narrowed, suspicion flaring. "How do you know about that?" she demanded, her voice low and dangerous.

Adrian blinked, taken aback. "Eh?" he blurted out, genuinely confused. He had just been throwing out random words, hoping to continue the conversation and keep the act, but her reaction was far more intense and unexpected than he had anticipated.

A moment of tense silence passed between them, and Adrian quickly realized he'd accidentally hit on something real. Lowering his voice, he leaned in slightly. "You really came here to buy those things?" he asked, now genuinely curious.

The woman hesitated, her guard visibly dropping as she processed his question. A faint blush crept up her cheeks under her mask, and she quickly turned her gaze away, trying to regain her composure. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, her voice lacking the earlier edge.

Adrian stared at her, utterly dumbfounded.

'Was she… like this?'

He had always thought of her as composed and calculating, yet here she was, flustered over a simple question. It was so far from what he expected that he almost lost track of his plan.

'She was described as beautiful as my gf. Does that mean...'

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Adrian quickened his pace to catch up with her as she began to walk again, trying to act as if nothing had happened. "You don't have to be shy about it," he said, his tone light, though there was a hint of genuine curiosity now. "There's a saying from my hometown - 'The true beauty is found in the heart and is not with the looks.

It's their heart that makes them beautiful'."

The woman shot him a quick, almost annoyed glance but didn't say anything, her blush deepening slightly. It was clear she was trying to maintain her composure, but Adrian could see the cracks in her usual demeanor.

'Is he insulting me or consoling?' She thought after his words. '...'

'Then...'

'I must be ugly both in my heart and outside then, haha....'

Meanwhile, Adrian couldn't help but chuckle to himself. 'This might be more interesting than I thought.'

'I just discovered the hobby of the mastermind and her personality.'

As they continued walking, Adrian decided to ease the tension a bit, changing the subject. "So, what's your real reason for being here? I doubt it's just for beauty potions." He gave her a playful smile, hoping to coax more information out of her.

The woman glanced at him, her expression a mix of irritation and reluctant amusement. "And why should I tell you that?" she retorted, though her tone was less defensive now.

"Maybe because I'm someone who likes to help out," Adrian said smoothly, a hint of sincerity in his voice. "You never know when you might need an extra pair of hands, especially in a place like this."

She studied him for a moment, as if weighing her options. Adrian held her gaze, maintaining that same disarming smile, though his mind was already working out the next steps.

Finally, she sighed, a small, almost imperceptible gesture that hinted at her decision. "You're too nosy for your own good," she muttered, but there was no real bite to her words.

Adrian grinned, falling into step beside her once more, sensing that he had managed to worm his way a little deeper into her trust. Whatever she was involved in, it was clear that this encounter had just gotten a lot more complicated—and a lot more interesting.