Extra's Descent

Raven returned home.

The initial test had been a spar between him in Reinhard, ending in his overwhelming victory.

Well, not really.

"Haak…."

Raven bit his lip, feeling the scorch marks left on his skin. It would take a while to heal, hopefully, it wouldn't leave a scar.

Noticing that the lights were out in the living room, Raven sneakily entered, trying not to wake Reina up if she were asleep.

However.

Flick—

The lights suddenly turned on. Raven flinched.

"So—"

"...!"

A voice resounded. Raven reluctantly turned around. There, Reina was standing with her arms crossed.

"—What were you up to this late at night?"

"Uh…."

Cold sweat beaded from his forehead.

He didn't want to tell Reina. Not because of what the job entailed. But because he knew Reina would try to stop him.

Truth be told, they were currently facing some financial issues.

Raven, being the way he is, wanted to help Reina out to lighten the burden on their finances.

It was the least he could do. After all, he was practically leeching off her.

He was truly grateful for her.

"So?"

"Yes…?"

"Care to explain yourself?"

"Uhm…."

Raven's eyes darted around, eventually landing on the clock.

"Oh, look at the time. I better head to bed—"

"Hold it."

Before he could walk away, Reina grabbed the cuff of his shirt.

"I found this lying in the bathroom."

"Ah…."

Reina held out a small bottle. It was the anxiety pills he had bought recently.

'Shit….'

Because of the episode he had earlier, he had to rush taking a shower so he wouldn't be late for his meeting with Lianna. For that reason, he forgot to stow the pills away.

"I—"

"Listen."

Reina cut him off. Her expressions were soft, laced with a tinge of concern.

"You can talk to me, you know? I'm your guardian."

"...."

There was no way he could do that. He could barely remember the things he had seen.

They were all akin to a fever dream, yet at the same time, so vivid.

Just that….

Scratch. Scratch.

His neck felt itchy.

Looking at Reina's eyes, he had a hard time avoiding her gaze. She looked like a puppy.

Raven sighed and shook his head.

While he couldn't tell her about something he couldn't even explain for himself, he could at least tell her about the job to ease her worries.

"....Where do I begin?"

***

After removing the stuffy clothing, Lianna plopped down on the sofa.

It had been a busy day. She wanted to oversee Raven and Reinhard's match, but she couldn't due to other matters she needed to attend to.

Sitting up, Lianna fixed her bra strap and stared at the documents strewn on the glass table in front of her.

They were all related to showbiz—contracts, financial reports, schedules for upcoming releases.

While Lianna wasn't directly involved, the media company was under her name.

VN Entertainment.

Indeed, Lianna Venice was taking the business scene by storm.

She had only relocated to this country three years ago, but with her intellect, that was enough time for her to establish herself as one of the up—and—coming CEOs.

All of her experiments had been a success. Firstly, the bar she had established in Holy Britannia's entertainment district.

It became a hotspot for businessmen and wealthy males, precisely her target demographic.

That small venture sparked the beginning of her business empire.

Within months, Lianna expanded her influence.

A luxury lounge followed, attracting the city's elite.

Then came the fashion line, catering to both high-end clients and the mass market, balancing exclusivity with accessibility.

Her next move was a media company, VN Entertainment, which was steadily growing, producing films that were well received, and gradually, dominating the pop culture scene.

She didn't stop there. Lianna ventured into real estate, acquiring prime locations in the city.

Her luxury hotels quickly became a favorite for celebrities and politicians alike.

She also established a chain of fine dining restaurants, each offering a unique culinary experience tailored to the upper class.

But her boldest move? The casino.

Newly established, it catered only to VIPs, a playground for the elite where fortunes were won and lost in a night.

The greatest part of it all was that Lianna had managed to hide her identity, allowing her to live a normal life outside of her business empire.

How did she pull it off?

Lianna maintained a dual strategy when it came to her business ventures.

While VN Entertainment was directly under her name, this was a deliberate move.

By publicly associating herself with the media company, she created a smokescreen that drew attention away from her other, more discreet ventures.

She employed PR teams to craft stories around phantom CEOs.

Figures who took the spotlight while she remained hidden from the public.

Even the media couldn't trace her movements.

In any case, Lianna leaned forward and took out a pen.

Staring at the contract, Lianna nodded her head in approval.

[Raven Blackheart]

[Age: 17]

[Rank: A+]

[Position: Executive Protection Agent]

"He's qualified."

Lianna signed the documents with her signature, then leaned back on the couch, sighing.

Then, she glanced outside the window.

The moon hung high in the sky, casting an ethereal glow that penetrated her dimly lit room.

The sheer size of her condominium unit, vast, filled with luxurious furniture. Yet, at the same time, it felt empty.

She was the only one living here.

She began to imagine a certain scenario.

A loving husband—living with her, waiting for her return.

The moment she returns, her husband would express his affection for her.

Hugging her, touching her, kissing her…..

Slowly….

Slowly…. his hands shifting down…. inside.

Slowly, everything is off.

"Ehe~"

They lock in a passionate kiss….

All the way….

"Ehe~"

To the bedroom.

While there were several men trying to court her, Lianna would coldly reject their proposal for a romantic relationship.

Of course, she had no problems using her body if it meant getting what she wanted.

But romantic relationships were off limits!

However, recently, she had stopped sleeping with other men.

Because she had solemnly promised to herself her body belonged to only one person.

Yet, that person was taken.

Lianna frowned at the thought.

"I need some sleep."

Ziiip—

But not before she….

Squench. Squench~

Hands inside....

"Mmh~!"

***

"So you're going to be bodyguarding idols?"

"Yes…. that's basically the job."

Raven replied, leaning back in his chair, trying to seem casual about it.

Reina blinked, staring at him for a moment before folding her arms.

"But why? You should prepare for the second semester. Why are you looking for a job this early?"

Raven sighed, shifting in his seat.

"I know, but we need the money, Reina. I'm just trying to help out. And it's not like I'm slacking off. This job is good experience, and it'll help me in the long run. It's not just about the paycheck."

Reina's frown deepened.

"You didn't even tell me. I had no idea you were looking for work."

"I didn't want to worry you. But when the opportunity came up, I figured I should go for it. It's good on-hand experience, and having a work reference like this will help me in the future."

She stared at him, still not convinced.

"Bodyguarding idols…."

Reina pondered. The job sounded complicated.

Her mind wandered back to two years ago. When they had caught Francis Osborn, she regretted bringing Raven along.

Raven had insisted on being part of the mission to save his friend, Amy Ashfield.

He was determined and eager to prove himself. She couldn't say no. She had given him a chance to fight.

But that day, Raven almost died.

She didn't want to remember.

"It's not as dangerous as it sounds. Most of the time, it's just being there, making sure things don't get out of hand. Besides, it's a legitimate gig. It's not forever, just something to help us out."

He paused before adding,

"Just something to help us out."

Reina bit her lip, still uneasy, but she knew Raven wasn't the kid from two years ago. He had grown stronger since then.

Well, he had a point.

And money was a bit short right now.

It wasn't her fault to begin with. There was a lack of high–paying jobs for rankers these days.

There had been reports of a mysterious individual taking down Wraith cults, immediately after they were reported.

The only description they had was that the man wore a hood and a mask.

But there was one key factor that wouldn't leave Reina's mind.

The man used a sword, and had mastery over the [Ice] affinity.

But from the mana signature, it wasn't exactly the [Ice] affinity itself, but rather, an advanced version that derived from [Ice].

A sword and expertise over ice….

It almost sounded like Lucian Frost.

"So, Reina?"

"Hm?"

She was snapped out of her thoughts.

"Can I accept the job?"

Reina sighed and nodded her head.

"Fine, but be careful. The internet goes crazy around these idols. Almost everything that happens becomes controversial."

"Of course, I'm aware of that. Like I said, it's just a bodyguarding job. I probably won't even interact with these idols."

"Yeah, sure. A seventeen year–old, almost eighteen, around beautiful women his age."

Plus, Raven was definitely good–looking. If anything, it might be the women causing him trouble.

"...?"

Raven blinked his eyes, clearly oblivious of what she was trying to say.

Reina sighed.

"Just…. don't do anything crazy."