Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Chapter 299: It's All Your Fault

Once they were gone, the oppressive silence lingered for a moment longer before Mrs. Rena collapsed into a nearby bench, burying her face in her hands. The workers and Irithel gathered around her, offering what little comfort they could, but the atmosphere was thick with despair.

Thankfully, her kids Mia and Finn weren't here and saw this.

"Everyone, please return to your work, I think Mrs. Rena needs some alone time," Adrian called out which the workers agreed and after offering encouraging and consoling words, they started to leave the aviary.

Only Miss Jenny, Irithel, and Adrian were left.

But, Adrian wanted to be left alone with Mrs. Rena. So he whispered to Irithel to take Miss Jenny and leave, he will take care of Mrs. Rena.

After seeing the tow off, Adrian approached Mrs. Rena slowly, sitting down opposite her. "Mrs. Rena, I'm sorry to say this, but..."

"This is all your fault."

Adrian said emphasizing the last phrase of his sentence.

Mrs. Rena looked up at Adrian, her face etched with shock and confusion, as if she hadn't heard him correctly.

"W-What?" she stammered, her voice trembling.

Adrian met her gaze, his expression calm, almost indifferent. "This is all your fault," he repeated, his voice steady and unyielding.

Mrs. Rena recoiled as if she had been struck, her eyes wide with disbelief. "My fault? How can you say that? I've done everything I could to keep this place running, to care for the beasts—"

Adrian leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. "I'm not saying you did nothing, but you didn't do anything effective to protect this place," he said, his tone sharp. "You knew there was something off, that there could be a traitor among the workers. But did you interrogate them? Did you investigate deeply and consistently? No.

You allowed this to escalate."

Mrs. Rena shook her head, her breath hitching as she tried to form a response. "But... but I couldn't just accuse people without evidence. I couldn't disrupt everything—"

"And look where that hesitation has gotten you," Adrian cut her off, his voice cold. "You let your fear of causing trouble blind you to the real threats. It could be one of the random workers, Miss Jenny, Irithel, or even me. Did you even consider that?"

"And there's our 'friendly' almost weekly visitor Mr.Hawke. You clearly know that he wants to swallow this sanctuary whole yet you just pretend you don't notice it. You either believe he won't do such things which I think only fools believe such things, or you are afraid to stand up against him. Ah, right you may console yourself by saying you are all ALONE, while he has support everywhere. Right?"

Mrs. Rena's breathing stopped for a moment as if Adrian hit the mark on the spot.

"But... Did you ask for help when things got out of control? No! What's laughable is that - you even refused those who wanted to help. You let your pride and your belief that you could handle it all on your own lead us here."

Mrs. Rena's face crumpled as Adrian's words hit her like a sledgehammer. It hurt, deeply hurt, every word...

Guilt, self-blame, anger, and other feelings flashed across her features, each emotion leaving its mark.

Her hands clenched in her lap, her knuckles turning white as she struggled to process his words. The realization of her failures, of how her actions—or lack thereof—had contributed to the sanctuary's downfall, seemed to crash over her like a tidal wave.

"I... I didn't realize..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked away, unable to meet Adrian's gaze any longer.

Adrian watched her silently, his heart heavy with a weird, complicated feeling.

He hadn't wanted to say these things, but he knew he had to.

She needed to wake up, to see the harsh reality before it was too late. If there was any chance of saving the sanctuary, she needed to understand the gravity of the situation. Explore stories at m,v l'e-NovelBin.net

'She can't live in her 'fake world' forever...'

After a moment, he spoke again, his tone softer but still firm. "Mrs. Rena, I didn't say this to hurt you. But you need to understand what's at stake here. This isn't just about the sanctuary—it's about everyone who depends on it, including the beasts and the workers. You can't afford to be complacent or hesitant anymore.

You have to take control, and you have to act decisively."

Mrs. Rena wiped at her eyes, her shoulders shaking as she fought to regain her composure. "You're right," she finally said, her voice thick with emotion. "I should have done more. I should have been stronger."

Adrian nodded, a hint of sympathy creeping into his expression. "It's not too late. We have a week to figure this out. But we need to be smart about it. No more hesitation. No more excuses."

Mrs. Rena took a deep breath, steeling herself. "I won't let this place go down without a fight," she said, her voice resolute. "Whatever it takes, I'll do it. I won't let my failures define this sanctuary's fate."

Adrian felt a small sense of relief. She was shaken, but not broken. There was still a chance to turn things around. "Good," he said, standing up.

"Then, tell me what your first step is."

Mrs. Rena wiped away her tears, her eyes now filled with determination and a newfound resolve. The despair that had clouded her features moments ago was replaced by a hardened expression, one that spoke of a woman who had finally decided to fight back.

She looked up at Adrian, her voice steady despite the lingering emotion. "The first thing we need to do," she began, "is to get in touch with Mr. Lucien. He's the only one who might have the resources and connections to help us turn this around. We need his support if we're going to stand a chance against people like Mr. Hawke."

"So... Can you please organize a meeting with him, if possible today."

"Hehe, a good decision." Adrian smiled at her, giving a thumbs up. "Consider it done."

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(Author: Hello readers, Webnovel Spirity Awards 2024 evaluation has started. I hope you will support the story by leaving feedback on the Event Page. You can find it on the Mobile App, Events. Thank you beforehand.

And, you can also read my new work - The Tale of two legendary Fools. There is already 20 chapters released by now. Give it a try, you won't regret it. Well, possibly :) <3)