Atheline watched himself from a detached distance. Seeing himself was unsettling not because the memory was unfamiliar but because it was so painfully ordinary.

He had no significance here.

No destiny.

No importance.

Just a role that would disappear if the story removed it. This was probably an off-screen part of the novel that was glossed over in favor of the protagonist.

It was a real world with real people but only one person held destiny in the world and was favored by the world itself. Everyone else was just background characters.

Atheline watched as he ran around the court, moving further down the rings until he reached the lowered ring where every illegal activity took place. He turned to a lonely hallway unfazed by the darkness.

He walked to the end but then, he stopped the moment he stepped out into the light.

In front of him was a dried fountain, the stones having cracked around its edges.

Atheline’s gaze widened just like the novel version of him.

Someone stood there staring at him. It was clearly Lilith since she didn’t have any form of disguise.

Atheline looked around but the alleyway seemed deserted. He could only wonder what on earth she was doing there. She seemed so lonely among the jubilation.

The novel version of him hesitated before bowing.

"Your Majesty."

She glanced at him briefly.

"What is a high elf doing in such filth?"

Atheline chuckled slightly. " I am looking for someone your majesty, i apologize for disturbing you."

His gaze went past her. That was when Atheline noticed the dead body just a few steps behind her, hidden by the fountain.

He went around to see it but he couldn’t recognise the half-mutilated man.

He glanced at the novel version of him. He looked calm but Atheline knew he was scared out of his mind. He chuckled at the similarities.

’It seems some things never change’

She stepped forward and came to a stop a few steps from him. Her gaze lingered.

"And who are you looking for in the lowest ring,"

His hands tightened around the documents.

"His highness the Crown prince. He went on a walk and has not returned. "

"Have you asked any one of my people for help?"

He shook his head. " I did not think many would be familiar with him."

"You would be surprised."

He blinked.

"Pardon."

She turned slightly without answering him. He thought she was about to leave but before he could breathe a sigh of relief, she spoke.

"What are you waiting for. I know where he is."

He stared.

"You do?"

"Probably."

"Probably?"

She started walking.

"Follow me."

He hesitated only briefly before obeying. Atheline followed them both. This was one of the forgotten moments. The one the novel barely mentioned.

They walked through the capital together, the loud noises accompanying them. No one seemed to recognise her despite her not having any disguise but the crowds parted instinctively for her presence.

Strangely enough, she did not walk ahead of him but matched his pace.

He spoke occasionally and she rarely responded but she listened. That alone felt unnatural especially in that timeline.

The Queen of the Dark Elves did not listen to most people, yet she listened to this irrelevant high elf extra searching desperately for a missing prince.

At one point, he muttered apologetically, "I’m sorry for inconveniencing you.:

She glanced at him then nodded.

"You are an inconvenience."

He laughed weakly.

"...Fair."

Silence settled between them again.

Atheline felt something uncomfortable settle on his chest. He knew it was jealousy and the twisted sense of possessiveness he had developed even though the situation below carried no sense of romance but it was also something.

Lilith has never walked with him in the market out in the open, so he couldn’t help himself.

It was at this moment that both Athelines noticed they were going back to the palace.

"Your majesty this..."

"Just shut up and follow me."

"Yes."

They walked through the palace. Servants shivered and bowed even lower as they passed while others changed directions before they could be spotted.

Lilith didn’t seem to care. They reached the eastern side of the palace.

Prince Solaris stood there waiting. The moment he saw Lilith, he bowed lightly with no other reaction.

"Good afternoon your majesty."

She shrugged lightly.

The novel version of him breathed a sigh of relief.

"I finally found you, your highness. Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?"

Solaris chuckled.

"Took you long enough," the prince replied nonchalantly.

"Thankfully, I was assisted by her majesty."

That earned a curious look. The prince’s gaze shifted to the queen.

"You escorted him?"

She shrugged slightly.

"He was lost."

"I was not..." the novel version started.

"You were," she said calmly.

The prince smiled faintly.

"Of course."

The moment should have ended there but it didn’t. Lilith lingered for a second longer than necessary.

He bowed.

"Thank you for your help, your majesty."

She didn’t respond immediately.

"You’re inefficient," she suddenly said.

He blinked in confusion.

"...I try."

"That’s the problem."

The prince called him away and she turned to leave. But just before she disappeared, she looked at him. Not the novel version but directly at him only for a second then she was gone.

The world blurred and he stood still in the fading memory because that was it. That was the entire relationship in this part of the novel which was still a surprise, he never expected they would meet.

One was destined to become a forgotten extra while the other was destined to become a villain queen. What are the odds?

The novel moved forward without him knowing if they would ever meet again.

Since he wasn’t taken to another memory, it means it was probably the end of it. The small version he had been given.

In the current timeline, everything had changed and he was glad. Lilith who was supposed to imprison her husband had married him instead. The extra who was supposed to disappear had become the man standing beside her on a throne.

The world tilted then the memory cracked and suddenly, Atheline woke up.