The Extra is a Genius!? - Chapter 376

Chapter 376: Chapter 376: Mother and Daughter
– Elyra POV –

The long dining hall glowed with golden light, chandeliers swaying faintly as the evening breeze pushed through half-open windows. Elyra sat at the table with her parents—her father towering as always, posture sharp, and her mother calm, elegant, still as if sculpted from marble.

Caeron’s voice cut through the clatter of silverware. “You did well in Tharvaldur, Elyra. Turning the chaos into advantage… that is what an Estermont does. But this boy—” his eyes narrowed, the weight behind them as heavy as iron. “—Noel. Do not mistake fleeting attachment for true strength. He is not—”

Elissabeth’s voice, smooth yet unyielding, cut across him like a blade. “Caeron.” She set down her cup, her gaze fixed sharply on her husband. “You will not speak of him in that tone.”

The room stilled. Even Elyra, who was used to her mother’s calm authority, blinked in surprise.

Elissabeth continued, her tone colder now. “You forget who it was that saved my life. Without Noel, I would still be wracked by illness—or gone altogether. Do you truly believe a man who saved your wife is unworthy of your respect?”

Caeron’s jaw tightened, though he didn’t answer immediately. His dark eyes shifted toward Elyra, then back to Elissabeth. The silence stretched.

Elyra leaned back in her chair, a sly smile tugging her lips. “Seems like Mother has the stronger argument, Father.”

Her father exhaled through his nose, the faintest sign of defeat. “You are still my daughter. And I will not easily approve of anyone standing at your side.”

Elissabeth’s gaze softened, though her voice remained firm. “Approval or not, the truth stands. Noel is not just anyone. Remember that, Caeron.”

Elyra’s smirk widened. Inside, though, her chest warmed. ‘You really have no idea how serious I am about him, do you, Father?’

The servants had already cleared most of the plates, leaving only a half-empty bottle of wine and the faint smell of roasted venison lingering in the hall. Elyra rested her chin on her hand, her gray eyes glinting with something sharper than her usual playful wit.

“Actually,” she said suddenly, voice cutting through the quiet. “I plan to marry Noel.”

The words hung in the air like a blade.

Caeron froze mid-breath, his broad shoulders stiffening as if struck. His gaze sharpened, studying his daughter as though searching for cracks in her resolve. He had seen her stubborn before—training, negotiations, even when facing other nobles—but never like this.

Elyra didn’t flinch. “I like him. Truly. I’ve never cared enough about anyone else to say that. But Noel… he’s different. I won’t let him go.”

Caeron’s brow furrowed, his usual mask of authority slipping for a heartbeat into genuine surprise. “You…?” His voice came out low, hesitant. “Elyra, you’ve never spoken of marriage before. Not once.”

Elyra tilted her head, braid sliding over her shoulder, lips curving in her usual mischievous smile. “First time for everything, isn’t it?”

Silence stretched. Caeron’s eyes dropped to the table for a moment, his fingers tapping against the wood. Behind that stern face, he wrestled with something he wasn’t used to: respect for a man he refused to admit worthy.

Elissabeth’s hand, pale and steady, touched her husband’s arm. Her voice was calm, but firm. “Forgive your father, Elyra. He isn’t always honest with his words. What he feels and what he says are not the same.”

Elyra’s smirk softened into something warmer, eyes flicking between them. ‘So even he… respects Noel, deep down. He just doesn’t want to admit it.’

The hall had quieted, the faint steps of servants retreating until only the crackle of the fireplace filled the silence. Caeron had excused himself earlier, muttering about unfinished correspondence, leaving Elyra and her mother alone.

Elissabeth sat gracefully, posture flawless despite her years. She poured herself a cup of tea, the fragrance of herbs filling the air. Her gray eyes, so much like Elyra’s, turned toward her daughter with a softness that few ever saw.

“So,” Elissabeth began, lips curving faintly. “You truly intend to marry him.”

Elyra leaned back in her chair, braid falling across her shoulder. “Of course I do. I told you, didn’t I? I like him.” Her tone was casual, almost teasing, but her eyes betrayed her seriousness. “And not just in the way people like each other for a season. I want him with me—always. I even… I even want him to give me an heir already.”

Elissabeth’s brows lifted, though her smile didn’t fade. “My, my… you sound almost impatient.”

Elyra shrugged, cheeks tinged faintly pink despite her bold words. “Maybe I am. Noel’s different. When I’m with him, I feel sharp, alive. He pushes me, teases me back, never bows his head the way others do. He sees me, Mother. Not the Estermont name, not the heir of a powerful house—just me.”

Elissabeth’s hand brushed across her daughter’s knuckles gently. “Then your heart is set. That much is clear.” She paused, eyes drifting toward the door where Caeron had left. “As for your father… don’t mistake his harshness for disdain. He does not know how to show what he feels. To him, admitting respect is a form of weakness.”

Elyra’s smirk returned, faint but sharp. “So he does respect Noel, then. He just doesn’t want to admit his little girl might have chosen well.”

Elissabeth chuckled softly. “Exactly that. He still sees you as the child who sat on his lap, tugging at his beard. Let him adjust. In time, he will accept it.”

Elissabeth tilted her head slightly, watching her daughter with quiet curiosity. “Tell me, Elyra. How did it start? When did you begin to feel this way about him?”

Elyra tapped her finger against the armrest, her eyes drifting to the fire. “Hmm… probably earlier than I admitted to myself. At first, I just… noticed him. He wasn’t like the others. The rest of the academy students stared at me like I was some prize to win, or a threat to avoid. But Noel? He was… focused, always doing his own thing. That caught my attention.”

Elissabeth’s lips curved in a faint, knowing smile. “And?”

Elyra’s cheeks warmed slightly, though she held her usual confident air. “I asked him for help once—in the library. Something small, but he didn’t treat me like I was above him. He just helped, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Then came the banquet… when he saved me.” Her voice lowered, sharper now. “No one else moved that night. Not one of them. Only Noel. That was when I realized—this wasn’t just attention. It was something more.”

Her mother’s hand rested gently on her wrist. “So he proved himself when others stood still. That alone speaks volumes.”

Elyra exhaled softly, gray eyes narrowing with a faint gleam. “Exactly. Since then, I can’t get him out of my head. Every morning, every spar, every word—it all adds up. And now? Now I don’t just want him at my side. I want to build something with him. A future.”

Elissabeth studied her for a long moment, then gave a slow nod. “Then your heart has chosen well. I only pray he understands just how deeply my daughter has set her eyes on him.”

Elyra smirked, her voice a soft murmur. “Oh, he understands it really well.”