Inheritor of the Stars: Reincarnated as an Extra

Chapter 6: Return I

Ben and Luke rapidly ran in the opposite direction, trying to exit the massive forest. Luke quietly followed Ben's lead, feeling awkward inside. He wasn't the original owner of this body, so he couldn't muster up many feelings toward Uncle Ben, much less have a proper conversation with him.

"Prince Cassian, mind telling me the reason behind your recklessness, or should I say foolishness?" Ben sternly reprimanded, his tone slightly cold and angry. He couldn't understand why Cassian had recklessly entered the Mournshade Forest, knowing the consequences.

The Mournshade Forest was a forbidden zone, filled with powerful beasts capable of destroying kingdoms alone. Even Ben himself would have a hard time surviving the central layer of the forest.

Luke, now Cassian, remained silent, his mind racing for answers. The silence lingered for a while, only the gust of wind left behind by their speed resounding in the air.

sigh

A sigh escaped Ben's lips, filled with discontent and disappointment.

"I understand. You couldn't contain your excitement when you heard the solution to your mother's illness was inside the Mournshade Forest. I was relieved too, but recklessly charging inside a forbidden zone without any proper protection was foolishness. What would have happened if you'd died there?! Do you even understand the consequences of your actions?! Your mother… she wouldn't have been able to handle the shock."

Ben's words pierced through Cassian's heart, causing intense emotional fluctuations inside him. Sadness, regret, disappointment, and other emotions bubbled up inside his heart, confusing Luke.

'Is this body instinctively reacting to those words?' he thought, trying to suppress those emotions from leaking out.

He had accepted his new identity, but emotions were a different case. It would take time to completely accept his new identity as a prince.

"I-I'm sorry." He could only whisper those words in response. He understood a simple sorry wasn't sufficient, but there was nothing he could do since he wasn't the original Cassian.

Ben remained silent after hearing the apology. "You should know whom to apologize to."

Marking those words, he ended the conversation. He'd noticed the prince's behavior was different than usual, but he didn't question him.

Life-and-death situations could cause great changes in people; a coward could become a king, much less a prince.

The road to the exit was surprisingly peaceful and quiet, contrary to the forest's usual loudness. It seemed Ben's aura was keeping the forest monsters at bay, scaring them away from approaching.

The powerful monsters lived in the inner and central areas of the forest, making the outer area the weakest. Ben could roam freely within the outer area without any trouble. His aura alone would scare those weak monsters away.

At last, they exited the forest, arriving before a vast plain now covered with thousands of soldiers wearing silver armor marked with sun-shaped logos.

They were the soldiers of the Luminaire Empire, currently ordered to bring the young prince safely to the capital.

"Greetings, His Highness."

A massive man with rough brown hair and brown eyes, adorned in battle armor, approached Cassian with a smile stretched across his face. He had a long scar marked across his face, showcasing his experience and strength.

Cassian nodded, his face depicting the usual aloofness and indifference.

"I'm Trevor Vastor, the commander of the Blueshine Knights," the man replied, bowing his head deeply before him.

"Nice to meet you." Cassian shook hands with the commander, maintaining a cunning smile on his face. Releasing the hand, he lifted his head, gazing at the sight before him.

He eyed the massive army before him with a calm expression. His previous identity as a young master from a wealthy family helped him maintain his calmness, avoiding nervousness and restlessness.

The army bowed deeply, greeting the prince in loud voices. Loyalty was etched in their voices, mixed with respect and confusion.

Respect for the prince, who was heralded as one of the greatest talents born in this generation, while confusion arose because of the prince's decision to roam the forest without proper protection.

Cassian raised his hand, accepting their greeting with a charming smile. Ben, standing before him, was surprised by his movement. The prince usually ignored such greetings, viewing them as mere formalities.

'Interesting…'

"Let's go," Cassian ordered, exchanging glances with the army commander. After exiting the forest, the adrenaline rush within him had ended, leaving him tired and sleepy.

Entering the luxurious carriage prepared for him, he lay down and fell asleep. Ben stood beside him, a mysterious smile etched on his handsome face. 

"You've changed, dear nephew." He softly whispered, his eyes landing outside the window toward the royal capital.

"What changes will it create?... I'm looking forward to it." 

The army commander ordered the army to march forward to the capital. He was holding a crystal orb in his hand, speaking with someone on the other side. 

"The plan has failed." 

"Understood. Keep an eye out for now." A hoarse voice echoed through the orb, reaching Trevor's ears. 

He solemnly nodded with a serious expression. 

"Don't contact us until you've escaped Bernard's perception. Remember, All for the glory of the Lord." 

"All for the glory of the Lord." Marking those words, he stored the orb away and returned back to the army. 

The army moved swiftly, passing the vast plains in a day. They weren't called the empire's knights for nothing. 

The trip to the Royal capital took three whole days, despite the Knights' great stamina and resilience.

Luke had also woken up and was conversing about his family with Uncle Ben. Although, he had memories of Cassian within him, gaining more information never hurt. He could also check whether those information were true or not. 

Ben readily accepted his inquiries without much thought. The questions revolved mostly around royal families and the empire. 

Luke intended to gather as much information as possible about the empire before setting foot in the Capital. 

The more he gained, the more he sensed familiarity within them. Suddenly, an unbelievable question popped in his mind. 

"Could it be?!.."

His eyes widened as he thought of the possibility behind his reasoning. However, All the information from Cassian and Ben led to a single conclusion. 

"Did I reincarnate into the 'Voidstar Chronicles' novel?"