The Extra's Rise-Chapter 87: Homecoming III

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After finishing our overpriced-but-delicious breakfast, Aria declared that we weren't heading home just yet. "We can't waste a perfectly good day in Avalon!" she said with a grin that told me I wasn't getting a vote in the matter.

And so began the whirlwind sibling tour of the capital.

First stop: a sprawling arcade that somehow combined cutting-edge virtual reality games with old-school classics. Aria insisted on challenging me to a few rounds of BattleZone Chronicles, a competitive VR shooter. I'll admit, her skills were better than I expected, and she took great joy in repeatedly sniping me from ridiculous angles.

"You're too predictable!" she taunted, her voice coming through the comms as her avatar did a victory dance over my virtual corpse.

"You've played this game before!" I shot back, ducking behind cover in the real world as though it might save me.

"Not my fault you're bad," she quipped, capping it off with a well-timed rocket launcher shot that ended our match.

After thoroughly humiliating me in the arcade, she dragged me to Avalon's Sky Garden—a massive, multilevel park suspended hundreds of meters above the city streets. It was a marvel of engineering, filled with lush greenery, shimmering fountains, and enough scenic overlooks to make anyone question why they didn't spend more time outdoors.

"This place is amazing," Aria said, leaning on the railing as we looked out over the city. The sunlight gleamed off the countless glass buildings, casting shimmering reflections that danced across the skyline.

"It really is," I agreed, taking a moment to appreciate the quiet beauty of it all.

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through the garden, stopping to grab ice cream from a food cart and taking the occasional sibling selfie—mostly because Aria insisted we document the day.

By the time we returned home around 4 p.m., the sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, painting the city in soft hues of gold and orange. As we stepped into the apartment, the familiar sound of our parents talking greeted us from the living room.

"Welcome back!" Mom called, looking up from her seat on the couch. She had her tablet in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, the very picture of post-work relaxation.

"How was work?" I asked, setting my jacket on the back of a chair.

"Busy, as always," Dad replied, stepping into the room with a glass of water. His usual aura of authority was softened by the small smile on his face. "We had a few new contracts come in. Nothing too exciting, but solid work."

"That's great," I said, sitting down across from him. Aria plopped onto the couch beside Mom, immediately diving into a recap of our day.

"And then Arthur lost—badly, might I add—at BattleZone Chronicles," she said with far too much enthusiasm.

Mom laughed softly. "Well, I'm glad you two had fun. It's nice to see you spending time together."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," I muttered, though I couldn't help but smile. Despite Aria's relentless teasing, it had been a good day.

The doorbell rang suddenly, cutting through the comfortable hum of our family evening.

"Were you expecting anyone?" I asked, getting up from my seat.

"No," my dad said, his brow furrowing. "And no one entered the complex according to security. Maybe it's a friend?"

I nodded, curiosity prickling at the edges of my mind. As I approached the door, I glanced through the peephole and saw a man I didn't recognize standing there. Cautiously, I opened the door.

"Surprise, Arthur~!" a familiar, sing-song voice chirped as someone launched themselves at me. Before I could react, Cecilia Slatemark had her arms wrapped around my neck, hugging me with the enthusiasm of someone who'd just reunited with a long-lost soulmate.

"Cecilia!" I exclaimed, taken aback as she rubbed her face against mine like an overly affectionate cat. Her crimson eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned closer, her voice dropping into a playful whisper.

"Don't forget what I said in front of that succubus, okay~?"

My face immediately went hot, and I was fairly certain my ears were about to combust. Before I could even form a coherent response, another voice broke through the moment.

"Cecilia, stop smothering Arthur," Rachel Creighton said, appearing behind her enemy with a disapproving glare. Her sapphire eyes narrowed as she folded her arms, radiating an aura of quiet authority that only Rachel could pull off.

Cecilia stepped back, grinning shamelessly. "Aw, you can hug him too, you know," she said, her tone teasing.

Rachel hesitated, her gaze darting from Cecilia to me. Then, to my utter surprise, she opened her arms and stepped forward, wrapping me in a soft, hesitant hug.

"I—uh—Rachel?" I managed to say, completely unprepared for this turn of events.

"Sorry about the unannounced visit," she muttered, her voice barely audible as she let go. Her cheeks were dusted with the faintest hint of pink.

"And sorry for tricking you with the peephole!" Cecilia chimed in, looking far too pleased with herself. "All thanks to Rachel's light magic."

"It was your plan!" Rachel retorted, rounding on her with a glare that could've frozen lava. "Don't blame me for your nonsense!"

Meanwhile, I was doing my best to keep up with the sheer chaos unfolding in front of me. Finally, I managed to gather my wits and turned back toward the living room. "Mom, Dad," I said, trying to sound as composed as possible. "These are the two princesses I mentioned—Rachel Creighton and Cecilia Slatemark."

For a moment, there was silence as my parents processed the scene. Then, my mother stood up, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Well, any friends of Arthur are welcome here," she said, stepping forward. "It's an honor to meet you both."

"Friends? Friends?" Cecilia said, placing a hand on her chest as if mortally offended. "Arthur and I are much closer than that!"

"Cecilia!" Rachel hissed, her blush deepening.

"Anyway, please don't bother with formalities," Cecilia said, flashing a smile that could disarm even the most stoic of parents. "We're just here to see Arthur because, well, we forgot to say goodbye to him."

"Of course," my mother said warmly, her hands clasped together like she'd been preparing for this exact moment her entire life. "Feel free to have fun while you're here."

My father gave a polite nod of greeting before my mother whisked him away, undoubtedly to discuss something important—or perhaps just to leave the 'youths' to their own devices. Meanwhile, Aria stood frozen a few feet away, looking like someone who'd just been told their favorite celebrity was standing in the next room.

"She seems to be a fan of both of you," I said, gesturing toward her. "This is my younger sister, Aria."

Rachel stepped forward, offering Aria a gentle smile. "Hi, nice to meet you."

The dam broke. "Wow, you're Rachel Creighton! The Saintess!" Aria gushed, grabbing Rachel's hand with both of hers as if she'd been waiting for this moment her entire life. "Oh my god, I'm such a big fan! You're soooo pretty!"

Rachel laughed softly, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "Thank you," she said, her tone bright and full of warmth. She matched Aria's enthusiasm effortlessly, which, honestly, was a feat in itself.

"Well, if you love Rachel, you're going to love this video—" Cecilia began, her grin as sharp as ever, only to abruptly clamp her mouth shut when a flicker of golden light shimmered ominously in the air.

"Hmmm, Cecilia?" Rachel tilted her head, her smile unwavering but now tinged with the kind of sweetness that could rot teeth. "I think you were about to say something very unnecessary. You know, like yourself."

It was like watching a perfectly rehearsed comedy routine, except I wasn't entirely sure Cecilia wouldn't actually end up turned into a pillar of light if she pushed things too far. Meanwhile, Aria stood between them, completely oblivious to the subtle power play unfolding, her attention still squarely on Rachel.

"Ohmygosh, you're Cecilia Slatemark!" Aria nearly squealed, turning to Cecilia with stars in her eyes. "It's such an honor to meet you! I hope my idiot brother isn't being too much of a burden or, like, annoying to you. I mean, I know he's really stupid, but please, please tolerate him!"

"Hey," I cut in, frowning. "Who are you calling stupid?"

"Nah, she's right," Cecilia said with a giggle, not even bothering to look at me as she ruffled Aria's hair. "You are stupid."

"Excuse me?" I said, half-offended, though I wasn't sure if it was worth the energy to argue.

"But it's fine with us, right, Ray-Ray?" Cecilia added, turning to Rachel, who simply sighed.

"Stop calling me that," Rachel muttered under her breath before turning back to Aria with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about your brother. He's... tolerable."

"Tolerable?" I muttered, crossing my arms. "That's the best you've got?"

Rachel's lips quirked into something suspiciously close to a smirk. "Take it as a compliment."

Aria, meanwhile, was still staring at both of them with the kind of wide-eyed awe normally reserved for actual miracles. I sighed and leaned back against the doorframe. This was going to be a long day.