The Extra's Rise-Chapter 403: Four Pillars (1)

Time seemed to freeze in the Empress's garden. The four women stood at the entrance, expressions shifting from shock to disbelief to something deeper—emotions too complex to name.

Cecilia recovered first, her crimson eyes narrowing. "Mother, what is the meaning of this? Arthur was supposed to be with his family today." Her voice carried that familiar edge of imperial command, though it wavered slightly.

"He was," Empress Adeline replied serenely. "And now he's here. I thought you'd be pleased."

I rose from my seat slowly, acutely aware of how this scene must appear—having tea with the Empress while the four women who'd moved continents to find me stood watching.

"Arthur," Rachel breathed, her voice soft as always. The Creighton Princess stepped forward, her movements graceful despite her obvious emotion. Unlike Cecilia's fiery nature, Rachel had always been the calm river—gentle on the surface but with undercurrents of tremendous strength.

Her deep blue eyes searched my face, looking for changes. "You're really back," she whispered, reaching out hesitantly, as if I might vanish at her touch.

"I am," I confirmed, taking her hand. "I heard you led search parties into the Northern territory."

A faint blush colored her cheeks. "You disappeared. What else was I supposed to do?" Despite her gentle tone, possessiveness flashed in her eyes—the same quality that had once led her to isolate me during my recovery, keeping even Cecilia at bay. "I couldn't just wait while you were in danger."

Before I could respond, Rose stepped forward. The daughter of Marquis Springshaper had always been the composed one, her serene demeanor masking a brilliant mind and deep emotional currents.

"You've changed," she said quietly, her auburn eyes taking in the differences eleven months had carved into me. "But you're still you." Unlike the others, Rose's calm never wavered, even in crisis—it was what had first drawn me to her.

"Rose," I acknowledged with a small smile. "I'm told you nearly convinced the Emperor to deploy forces."

"It was necessary," she replied simply, her steady voice finally revealing a hint of the emotion she typically kept contained. "You were worth it."

She stepped forward with quiet grace and wrapped her arms around me, her movements deliberate and sure—so unlike the impulsive embraces others might give. "I knew you would return," she whispered against my chest. "But knowing didn't make the waiting easier."

Over Rose's shoulder, I met Seraphina's gaze. The Mount Hua elven princess stood slightly apart, her posture rigid, her clothes impeccable as always. Of the four, she had always been the most difficult to read, her expression schooled by years of sect discipline.

"Seraphina," I said softly.

She inclined her head slightly, a formal acknowledgment that contrasted sharply with the others' emotional responses. "Arthur. You look... adequate, considering your circumstances."

A smile tugged at my lips.

"Only adequate?" I asked.

Something flickered in her ice blue eyes—a crack in her carefully maintained facade. "You disappeared without adequate warning or explanation. Eleven months, three days, and approximately four hours of absence. And you expect what, precisely? Celebration?"

"Sera," Rachel chided gently.

"No," Seraphina continued, taking measured steps toward me. "He should understand what his disappearance caused. The political complications. The emotional distress. The resources expended."

With each word, she moved closer until she stood directly before me, her face tilted up to mine, jade eyes burning with emotions her voice wouldn't express.

"The Mount Hua Sect nearly broke two centuries of isolation policy," she stated flatly. "Because of you."

"I heard," I nodded. "Thank you for—"

The slap caught me by surprise—not for its force, which was considerable, but for the fact that Seraphina, ever disciplined, ever controlled, had allowed herself such an emotional display.

"That," she said precisely, "is for leaving."

Then, in a movement so swift I barely registered it, she stepped into my arms, her forehead resting against my chest. "And this is for returning." Her voice softened. "Never make me worry like that again."

She didn't cry—Mount Hua disciples rarely did—but the slight tremor in her shoulders told me everything her words couldn't.

I became aware of Empress Adeline watching the scene with undisguised interest, her silver eyes taking in every nuance of our interactions. For once, I didn't care about the imperial scrutiny. The four women surrounding me—each so different, each so essential—were all that mattered in this moment.

"You all knew I was back?" I asked, glancing between them.

"Cecilia told us last night," Rachel explained, her hand still holding mine. "We came to the palace immediately."

"Though some of us had other responsibilities to attend to first," Rose added with a gentle smile at Rachel, who had clearly dropped everything at the news.

"The sect granted me temporary leave," Seraphina offered, stepping back to regain her composure. "Given the... unusual circumstances."

Cecilia watched the exchanges with a complex expression—part satisfaction at seeing our reunion, part the possessiveness I knew well. She had been the first to find me, after all.

"We agreed to meet this morning," she explained, moving to stand beside me. "To discuss your return together." The slight emphasis on 'together' was meaningful—a reminder of the agreement they'd apparently made during my absence.

"And now you've found me having tea with the Empress," I acknowledged, understanding their confusion.

"A summons I arranged," Adeline interjected smoothly. "I needed to... assess certain matters personally."

The four women exchanged glances, understanding dawning in their expressions.

"Mother," Cecilia began, a warning in her tone.

"Don't worry, dear," Adeline waved dismissively. "Your Arthur passed with flying colors. Though I do recommend you all find somewhere more private to continue this reunion. The imperial gardens have more ears than flowers."

Rose nodded appreciatively at the Empress's discretion. "Your Majesty is considerate as always."

"There's a private reception room adjacent to the east garden," Cecilia suggested, her hand finding mine possessively. "We can speak freely there."

As we prepared to leave, Empress Adeline caught my eye. "Remember what we discussed, Arthur Nightingale. I'll be watching with great interest."

"I understand, Your Majesty," I replied with a respectful bow.

The five of us left the garden together, walking in a formation that had become natural even before my disappearance—Cecilia and Rachel on either side of me, with Seraphina and Rose flanking them. Guards and palace staff stepped aside as we passed, eyes lowered respectfully though I caught their curious glances.

The reception room Cecilia led us to was opulent yet intimate, designed for small imperial gatherings rather than formal functions. As soon as the doors closed behind us, the carefully maintained composure of my four companions crumbled.

"Eleven months," Rachel said, her voice finally breaking as tears welled in her eyes. "Do you have any idea what that did to us?"

"We thought you were dead," Rose added, her usual calm giving way to raw emotion. "Each day without word was another day of grief."

"Forget grief," Cecilia interrupted. "We nearly started wars. Plural."

Seraphina remained silent, but her ice blue eyes never left my face, as if memorizing every detail to ensure I wouldn't vanish again.

"I'm sorry," I said, knowing the words were inadequate. "I didn't have a choice."

Rachel stepped closer, tears finally spilling over. "You disappeared, Arthur. Without warning. Without explanation. Did you think our feelings for you would just fade away?"

"We love you," Rose said simply, her directness catching me off guard. "That doesn't change because you're gone."

"Do you understand what it means to love someone who might be gone forever?" Seraphina asked quietly. "It's like living with a sword suspended above your heart. Every moment, every breath, wondering if this is when it falls."

Cecilia said nothing, but her grip on my hand tightened almost painfully.

I looked at each of them—the four pillars that somehow supported the impossible architecture of my life. Different in almost every way, yet united in this one thing: their love for me. Feelings strong enough to reshape their lives, to risk war, to break isolation policies centuries old.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, knowing it wasn't enough but needing to say it anyway. "And I'm grateful. More than I can express."

"Words are inadequate," Seraphina stated flatly.

"Then what would be adequate?" I asked.

Rachel stepped forward first, wrapping her arms around me. "This is a start," she whispered, her head resting against my chest. "Just... being here. Being real. Being ours again."

Rose joined the embrace next, her calm presence a counterpoint to Rachel's emotional one. "We found a balance without you," she murmured, "but it was never right. Never complete."

Seraphina hesitated only a moment before joining them, her composure finally giving way to the emotion she'd been suppressing. "Don't ever make us go through this again," she ordered, though the effect was somewhat undermined by the tears she was finally allowing herself.

Cecilia completed the circle, her arms wrapping possessively around us all. "Mine," she whispered fiercely. "All of you. And no one—not the Academy, not the Northern border, not anyone—gets to take what's mine away."

Surrounded by them, I felt something I hadn't experienced even in the safety of my family home—a sense of completion. Of coming full circle. Four women, so different from one another, bound together by their feelings for me. And me, somehow worthy of that dedication.

"I won't disappear again," I promised, meaning it with every fiber of my being. "Not without all of you knowing exactly where I am."

"You won't disappear at all," Cecilia corrected against my shoulder. "Because next time, we're coming with you—whether you like it or not."

The others murmured agreement, and I found myself smiling despite the tears gathering in my own eyes. After everything—the Well of Miasma, the monsters, the darkness, the constant fight for survival—this moment felt like the true return.

I was home, in the arms of the women I loved.