The Cursed Extra: Bloodline of Sacrifice-Chapter 122: Princess Heart [3]: The Flames of Obsession

I wasn't sure when it started.

At first, it was simple curiosity.

Then, it became irritation.

Then… something else. Something deeper. Something I couldn't name.

And now...

Now, it was like a fire that refused to go out.

I once believed that humans were beneath us—filthy, selfish creatures that brought nothing but conflict wherever they went.

It wasn't just what I was taught—it was what I knew.

But Ed…

He didn't fit that image.

He wasn't cruel or manipulative.

He wasn't arrogant like the nobles who came to our court, nor was he pathetic like the commoners who begged for scraps.

He was... something else.

Something that made me uneasy.

Because no matter how much I pushed him, no matter how much I tried to break him—

He refused to hate me.

.

The night of the banquet was supposed to be simple.

It was Zareth Birthday —there was only—dull speeches, forced smiles, and shallow conversations.

Ed was there too.

At first, I barely noticed him. He was just another face in the crowd, sitting stiffly at the edge of the room, trying his best to avoid attention.

But then—

"Who let that filth inside?"

The voice belonged to Lady Thasia, one of the most arrogant elves in court. Her gaze was fixed on Ed.

"How dare he bad mouth your daughter," another noble laughed.

I expected Ed to say something—to defend himself, to push back.

But he didn't.

He just sit there, fists clenched at his sides, his face calm but his eyes burning.

He wasn't weak. He wasn't afraid.

But he knew speaking up would only make things worse.

And for some reason…

I couldn't stand it.

"Is there a problem?" I stepped forward, my voice sharp.

The room quieted instantly.

Lady Tharia's expression twisted. "Princess Vynesaa," he greeted stiffly. "This human—"

"This human?" I interrupted.

"Will you dance with me," I asked to ed.

I took Ed's hand before he could react and pulled him toward the dance floor.

The whispers started immediately. I ignored them.

"Vynesaa," Ed muttered, "what are you—"

"Shut up and follow my lead," I hissed through clenched teeth.

I didn't know why I was doing this.

I just… couldn't watch them humiliate him.

We danced in silence. Ed's steps were awkward at first, but he caught on quickly.

I hated how natural it felt.

When the music ended, I pulled him closer, lowering my voice.

"Next time," I whispered, "if someone insults you like that, break their nose."

I expected him to laugh. Instead, he just smiled—a quiet, genuine smile that made something twist inside me.

"Thanks," he said.

And for some reason, I couldn't look him in the eye.

.

That night, I couldn't stop thinking about him.

I remembered the way his hand fit in mine—warm, calloused, steady.

I remembered the way he smiled—like I'd done something that mattered.

I hated it.

I hated how much space he was taking up in my thoughts.

But I couldn't stop.

---

I started watching him more closely.

When he trained.

When he studied.

When he walked alone in the gardens, staring up at the sky like he was searching for something.

I think it was just curiousity.

But curiosity didn't explain the way I felt when other girls tried to talk to him even teacher Arianna and my mother —sometimes Zareth aslo.

It didn't explain why I felt... angry.

It didn't explain why I found myself stepping in whenever someone tried to challenge him—sometimes before he even noticed.

He was mine.

That thought horrified me the first time it crossed my mind.

Mine.

I tried to push it away, but it clung to me like a curse.

Every time I saw him—every time I watched him struggle and refuse to break—I felt it growing stronger.

I wanted him to win.

I wanted him to lose.

I wanted him to depend on me.

I wanted him to know that no matter how strong he became, no matter how far he climbed—

I would always be stronger.

Because if I wasn't—

If he ever surpassed me...

Would he leave me behind, too?

Just like Zareth did?

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I pushed myself harder after that.

I trained longer.

Fought stronger opponents. Broke my body until I could barely stand—until I knew, without a doubt, that I could crush him if I ever needed to.

I had to stay stronger.

I had to stay above him.

If I didn't...

I might lose him.

And that terrified me more than anything.

---

I always thought I knew Ed.

But I didn't know him at all.

Not really.

.

The kingdom tour was supposed to be simple—a way for Zareth, Ed, and me to visit different provinces, observe trade routes, and interact with the people.

It was meant to prepare us as future leaders, to teach us how to command respect and manage diplomacy.

I was excited for it—mostly because it meant spending more time with Ed.

By this point, I had accepted that I couldn't push him out of my thoughts.

I didn't want to anymore.

Ed had a way of making things... easier.

Where I relied on strength, he relied on strategy. Where I faced problems head-on, he found ways to dismantle them quietly.

He wasn't just clever—he was calculating.

He thought ahead, planned around obstacles, and could talk his way through almost anything.

And yet...

Despite his mind, despite his instincts...

He was still kind.

.

It happened in a small town near the border.

The streets were narrow, the buildings old and weathered.

"Something's wrong," Ed murmured.

Before I could ask what he meant, we heard the screams.

We followed the sound, weaving through crooked alleyways until we reached a small courtyard.

And that's where I saw them—

Elves, their faces cold and detached, standing over a group of terrified humans.

The humans—men, women, even children—were huddled together like animals waiting for slaughter.

Blood stained the cobblestones. A man—his face twisted in agony—lay motionless on the ground. His body was still warm.

"This is what happens when humans forget their place," one of the elves sneered.

I clenched my fists. "We should stop this."

Zareth was confused his body didn't move.

But Ed didn't hesitate.

He moved before either of us could react.

It wasn't the way he moved that shocked me—it was the way he killed.

He reached the nearest elf in an instant, blade flashing in his hand.

The elf barely had time to scream.

Blood sprayed across the wall.

I froze. Zareth swore.

"Ed, what are you—"

"Stay back," Ed growled.