Exiled Prince: I'm the Unexpected Extra in the Novel-Chapter 159: The Victorious Prince

The War for The North [47]

Chapter 159 : The Victorious Prince

Cassian returned to the witches’ village. The perimeter of the village was surrounded by a 10-star barrier.

Cassian paused, placing his hand on the invisible surface of the barrier. He felt a slight tingling in his fingertips.

"These poor witches..." he muttered, frowning.

’Where did they find such a barrier? Or is it Lilith? No, she isn’t at full power yet.’

He didn’t waste time thinking about the answer. He placed his hand on the barrier and released chaos flames from his palm. The flames tore through the barrier, opening a hole just big enough for him to pass.

The moment he stepped through, the hole sealed up behind him, and the barrier regained its integrity.

At the same moment, Cordelia appeared in front of him. Her expression was cold and distant.

Cassian tensed his shoulders, expecting a scolding or perhaps a fresh punch.

But Cordelia said nothing. She simply reached out, gripped Cassian’s hand tightly, and began dragging him toward the village.

They didn’t speak a single word along the way. There were only the sounds of their footsteps on the snow and the howling of the wind.

When Cassian reached the village center, the scene surprised him.

All the witches, Zagna, and Lilith were gathered under the great tree in the village square.

Some of the witches were crying, while others were shivering from the cold or fear.

The moment they saw Cassian, they all froze. The anxiety in their eyes was replaced by sudden relief and admiration.

Lilith, on the other hand, stood with her arms crossed over her chest, leaning her back against the tree, wearing an arrogant smile of assured victory.

It was as if she had known from the very beginning that Cassian would return alive.

After a moment of silence, all the witches screamed and swarmed around Cassian.

"My Prince!"

"You’re back!"

"You’re hurt!"

Cassian sighed as he found himself trapped in the middle of this circle of affection.

"Ahh... Here we go again..."

When the next morning arrived, Cassian opened his eyes with a yawn. His hair was messy with sleep as he sat up in bed.

When he went out to the living room, the witch sisters were going about their business as usual. Eula was preparing breakfast, Roxy was reading a book, and Elina was mixing something in the kitchen.

But this time, there was a different tension in the air.

Cassian looked at Cordelia, who was sitting silently at the edge of the table with her arms crossed.

Yes, she was the source of the tension.

Her blue eyes were scanning every witch in the room one by one, as if she were barely holding herself back from tearing them apart right there for letting Cassian get kidnapped.

"Good morning, my Prince," Eula said with a gentle smile, ignoring the suffocating aura Cordelia was emitting.

Cassian approached the table.

"Good morning!" he said in a lively voice. Then he looked at everyone one by one. "Eula, Ivy, Roxy, Elina, and Olivia!"

He had counted their names one by one. For the first time, he was calling them by their own names, not "witch" or "you."

This was a sign that the ice between them had melted and that Cassian had finally accepted them.

Olivia’s ears perked up at the mention of her name. Her sad, timid demeanor vanished instantly, and she looked at Cassian with shining, admiring eyes.

Just then, Ivy suddenly jumped onto Cassian’s back.

"My Prince!!!" she shouted joyfully, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Cassian stumbled under the weight on his back but didn’t fall. "Get off my back, you naughty witch!" he grumbled, but there was no real anger in his voice.

"Come on, come on, don’t be a tsundere!" Ivy giggled, rubbing her cheek against Cassian’s. "You just called us by our names! I heard it! Come on, call me Ivy again!"

Just as Cassian was about to answer, Ivy suddenly went rigid on his back. She felt a deadly, ice cold pressure.

When she turned her head slowly, she saw Cordelia looking at them from the head of the table. Her blue eyes were blazing.

Cold sweat ran down Ivy’s forehead. She swallowed.

"My Prince..." she whispered in Cassian’s ear.

"Ever since that girl arrived, I have a feeling like she wants to kill us. I’m serious, that girl’s eyes are not normal! Do something about this!"

Cassian smirked slightly. "Maybe she’ll calm down if you get off my back?"

"Tch..." Ivy pursed her lips, reluctantly climbed off Cassian’s back, and ran to Olivia’s safe zone, standing beside her.

Elina placed a cup of hot tea on the table for Cassian.

Cassian thanked her, sat down, and took a sip of his tea.

He glanced at Cordelia out of the corner of his eye. The girl was still sullen, staring at her plate.

’I guess...’ Cassian thought. ’I need to apologize to her properly later, when we are alone. I shouldn’t have just left her like that.’

Putting this thought aside, he turned to Eula.

"Where is Lilith?"

Eula answered while slicing the bread in her hand.

"She’s starting preparations for the journey. I think we’ll be ready to set off for the Capital by this evening."

Then she stopped and looked carefully at Cassian’s face.

"My Prince..."

"What?"

"What’s the deal with that eye patch?" Eula asked, pointing to the black fabric covering Cassian’s left eye.

"You haven’t taken it off since yesterday. Are you injured?"

A proud, slightly childish smile settled on Cassian’s face. He brought his hand to the eye patch.

"This," he said, the timbre of victory in his voice. "This is a proof of my victory. I will never take it off as long as I live."

Then he grinned. "Besides... isn’t it cool?"

Eula smiled nervously. "Yes... I suppose so."

Roxy, who didn’t look up from her book, muttered, "You look more like an adolescent with Eighth Grader Syndrome. Giving off ’I sealed my dark power’ vibes..."

Cassian’s confidence wasn’t shaken. He shrugged.

"I knew a witch wouldn’t understand art and aesthetics," he said mockingly.

Just then, the door to the room suddenly opened, and purple haired Viola entered. Her energy filled the room.

"Ooh, you’re awake, Prince!" she said cheerfully. Then she turned to Olivia.

"Hey, runt! The old witch is calling you. By the tree."

Eula shot a stern look at Viola. "Be respectful to your elders in front of our Prince, Viola. She is your older sister."

"Yeah yeah, Mr. Nag," Viola said indifferently and stuck out her tongue.

Olivia left the fireplace and went after Viola.

Cassian left his tea unfinished and stood up. "I’m coming too. I wonder what Lilith is up to."

The moment Cassian stood up, Cordelia tagged along like a shadow. As soon as they stepped out the door, Cordelia reached out and interlaced her fingers with Cassian’s. She held on tight, with no intention of letting go.

As Cassian walked behind them, Olivia glanced back.

Her eyes caught on Cassian and Cordelia’s interlocked hands. She wanted to hold Cassian’s hand too, but the last time she did that, Cassian had gotten angry and slapped her. She bowed her head and continued walking.

After a while, they stopped in front of a huge tree in the middle of the village. The area was filled with cut logs.

Lilith was leaning her head against the tree, standing still. Her eyes were closed, as if listening to the soul of the tree.

"Hey, old witch!" Viola called out. "We’re here."

Lilith opened her eyes and pulled her head away from the tree. Her red eyes flashed.

"Who are you calling old, brat?" she said with fake anger. "I’m younger than you right now!"

Viola shrugged. "Whatever, I’m going. I need to pack my things. When you want something, go handle it yourself, I’m not your servant." She turned her back and left.

"What an ill mannered brat!" Lilith called out after her.

Cassian approached Lilith without letting go of Cordelia’s hand.

"Seems like not everyone loves you," he said mockingly.

Lilith grinned. "Yes... Unlike you, I am not their ’Prince,’ just a nuisance."

Then her gaze shifted to Olivia. Her face softened. Suddenly, she took a step toward Olivia.

Olivia tensed at Lilith’s sudden approach and took a step back. There was a mixture of fear and respect on her face.

But Lilith insisted on moving forward and suddenly, unexpectedly, hugged Olivia.

"Thank you," she whispered in Olivia’s ear.

Olivia was surprised by this sudden affection and tenderness. She went rigid, but then slowly relaxed and accepted the embrace.

Suddenly, Lilith broke the hug and pulled back. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. She began to inspect Olivia.

She ran her hand over Olivia’s stomach, then went down to her legs, pulled at her cheeks. And finally, she moved her hand to Olivia’s breasts and weighed them.

Olivia’s face turned bright red. Ashamed of being inspected, she froze. She couldn’t make a sound.

Cassian couldn’t take it. He grabbed Olivia by the scruff of her neck like a kitten and pulled her toward himself, away from Lilith.

"Stop messing with her, Lilith," he said sternly.

Lilith giggled. "I was just inspecting, dear. After all, she is a part of me."

"Anyway," Cassian said, changing the subject. "How are the preparations?"

"We’ll be done by evening," Lilith said, turning serious. "The Capital is quite far from here. So it will be quite a long journey." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Cassian looked at the logs around them. "And what are these logs? Are you preparing for something?"

"Ahh, this?" Lilith smiled. "I thought we should throw a party before we leave. To your magnificent victory, to my resurrection..."

Then she narrowed her eyes, looking specifically at Cordelia, and added:

"And... to celebrate us becoming lovers!"

Instantly, Cordelia’s hand holding Cassian’s squeezed so hard that Cassian thought his fingers would break.

Cordelia was looking at Lilith with lightning flashing from her blue eyes. If looks could kill, Lilith would have turned into a pile of dust right then and there.

Cassian somehow managed to survive until evening amidst these crazy women, these jealousy crises, and the rush of preparation.

When evening came, the sky was covered in stars and the air was freezing. Everyone had gathered around a massive bonfire lit in the village square.

Cassian was sitting on the edge of a log, watching the dance of the fire. Cordelia was right next to him, actually a bit too close, clinging to him; she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his.

The witches were having fun, singing songs, and drinking a strange smelling, purple colored wine of unknown origin.

The witches who wanted to approach Cassian and talk to him had to change their minds due to Cordelia’s murderous glare and the icy aura she emitted, settling for waving from afar.

Only Ivy... knew no boundaries as always. Drunk, with flushed cheeks, she approached Cassian and suddenly, without asking for permission, put her head on his lap.

"My Prince, My Prince!" Ivy whined, eyes half closed. "Why aren’t you drinking! This is so good!"

She poked Cassian’s cheek with the wine bottle in her hand.

"Come on, taste it! Just a tiny sip!"

Although Cassian was uncomfortable, he didn’t push her away. On the contrary, he brought his hand to Ivy’s green hair and stroked it.

"I don’t drink alcohol, Ivy," he said in a calm voice. "I prefer fruit juice."

"Ehh..." Ivy mumbled with disappointment. "What kind of prince doesn’t drink wine? You’re boring!"

Olivia, on the other hand, came to Cassian’s other side hesitantly and timidly. She sat a little distance away, playing with her own hair, not daring to look at Cassian.

Cassian sighed. This girl’s timidity saddened him sometimes. He motioned with his hand for her to come closer.

Olivia approached, her eyes shining. Cassian ran his free hand through the girl’s white hair. Olivia’s eyes closed peacefully.

Lilith approached Cassian with a wine bottle in her hand, laughing. Her walk was a bit unsteady.

"My my my..." Lilith said, pointing at Cordelia and Olivia. "You have quite a large harem, my Prince! Cheating on me, right in front of me..."

"Tsk tsk tsk."

"You are a bad boy."

Cassian frowned. "I am not your lover, Lilith!"

Lilith put her hand on her heart with exaggerated shock. "What a cruel man! How can you say that after sleeping with me?"

This sentence caused everyone around the fire to freeze. Cordelia growled.

Cassian said wearily, "Stop talking nonsense and move out of the way. You’re blocking the fire."

Lilith took a big gulp from the bottle and grinned.

"Anyway... I’ll punish you later, honey," she said, licking her lips, and returned to the other witches. She was about to get completely drunk.

"My little ones!" she shouted, opening her arms. "Shower me with praise! Your Queen has returned!"

Cassian looked at the crackling and sparks of the fire and smiled. This chaos, this noise... It was strangely peaceful.

Luin came to his mind. That silver haired bastard.

"I wonder what Luin is doing now?" he thought, giggling to himself.

"When he learns that Aethrax and Seralya are dead... his silver hair will fall out and he’ll go bald."

As Cassian giggled to himself with his sinister laugh, Ivy in his lap suddenly shot up. She opened her eyes wide and shouted to the others.

"Everyone! Run! Our Prince has gone mad! He’s laughing to himself! He’s doing the villain laugh!"

Cassian didn’t even hear Ivy’s shouting.

He was lost in his own happy moment, in the intoxication of victory. He fixed his single eye through the flames, onto the future.

"No matter what..." he whispered, his voice mingling with the crackle of the fire. "I will win. I will destroy them all."