The Extra's Role is Too My Taste (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
Aidan recalled the day he first met her.
It hadn’t been that long ago, yet it felt like a distant memory.
[This is the timeline separator]River began pushing the woman into his tent.
Was this already the fourteenth time?
‘I told him it was pointless.’
River must’ve thought Aidan looked too unstable and was trying—however clumsily—to do something about it.
Tired of arguing with him, Aidan simply gave in.
‘Holding a woman will somehow make things better? What a foolish idea.’
He figured he’d just ignore her and send her away later.
But “ignoring her” turned out to be harder than expected.
He glanced at the woman standing by the doorway.
Seeing such a frail creature trembling uncontrollably only worsened his mood.
Why couldn’t he just end this war that caused nothing but suffering for everyone?
On the fourteenth night, he hadn’t even lain down for himself.
With a woman inside, he couldn’t sleep carelessly—so he planned to stay awake seated all night.
Contrary to River’s intention, Aidan’s nerves only grew sharper and more tense.
The woman by the door, stiff from tension, eventually slumped into a crouch in the corner, exhausted.
He wanted to tell her to rest comfortably—but he couldn’t very well offer her his own bed.
If the soldiers saw him treating a female prisoner with kindness, it might hurt morale.
It’s only one night of discomfort—surely something she, as a prisoner, could bear.
Aidan deliberately ignored his unease.
On the fifteenth night, this meaningless psychological standoff continued.
Aidan had already decided: This would be the last night. Tomorrow morning, he would order River to stop this foolishness once and for all.
A woman entered.
‘So it begins again today.’
That night, weighed down by deep exhaustion, Aidan gave a quick glance toward the doorway.
He immediately looked away and returned his focus to his documents—but…
Something felt off. A sense of dissonance crept in.
‘Why?’
He tried to find the source of the unease—and discovered it.
The woman was calm.
She had thick, milk-brown hair and green eyes.
With a languid yet composed expression, she was surveying the room.
No—she was looking directly at him.
Studying him intently. Piercingly.
Though he wasn’t actually meeting her gaze, his sharp senses allowed him to feel her stare clearly.
Unconsciously, his body tensed.
His eyes kept slipping from the documents.
For some reason, he grew curious about this woman.
As if sensing his thoughts, she suddenly moved.
Though on edge, he pretended not to notice her and continued working as usual.
A moment later, she brought him a steaming cup of tea.
“…Aren’t you… afraid of me?”
He looked up at her—unaware that, as usual, his expression was stern and severe.
Normally, when he stared at women, they flinched and stepped back.
If even northern women reacted that way, surely a prisoner would be even more terrified—especially of him, the enemy commander nicknamed Grand Duke Icewall, who made even his own soldiers tremble.
But this woman merely handed him the tea indifferently.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar scent overwhelmed his senses. Was it from the tea—or from her?
“Just leave it and go.”
He spoke curtly, trying to hide his bewilderment. Even without meaning to, his voice sounded oppressive—and indeed, it rang out even colder than intended.
Yet the woman, seemingly unaffected, calmly placed the tea down and returned to the tent entrance.
After she left, since the scent quickly faded, he realized it must have come from her.
He brought the cup to his lips.
Something was strange. The moment he drank the tea, overwhelming drowsiness crashed over him.
“Damn it—I can’t fall asleep now.”
At the very least, he didn’t want to fall asleep while she was watching him so openly.
Determined not to sleep, he stood up—
Only to stagger clumsily. The woman immediately rushed over and steadied him.
That same scent hit him again, violently stirring his thoughts into chaos.
He wasn’t sure exactly when it started—but from that moment on, it was clear.
He wanted her.
[This is the timeline separator]Aidan looked at Brody lying beside him.
From that day until now—
Every day had felt new.
Instead of suffocating despair, he could feel tiny hopes taking root in the North.
‘If we win this war, I’ll give her everything a Grand Duchess could possibly enjoy.’
Surely… she didn’t truly hate him?
If she were truly repulsed by him, she wouldn’t lie beside him like this—after all, she’d never feared him, not then and not now.
Hoping she might at least feel a little happy lying next to him, Aidan held onto that small hope.
Thus, a week flew by.
The Grand Duke and his soldiers had finished preparations to march.
When the fourth star signaling the hour rose tonight, they would execute their plan.
Meanwhile, Brody had her own busy schedule.
Around ten o’clock, after everyone else had gone to sleep, Brody slipped out alone to the fields.
‘What am I doing? …Playing a little trick, of course.’
Since she needed results quickly, she’d been subtly accelerating the growth of the crops.
“You’re working hard.”
“Eek!”
The sudden voice nearly made Brody’s heart drop.
She turned toward the sound.
“Oh, sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you…”
“Y-your Grace!”
He couldn’t possibly have seen what she was doing, right?
Her heart pounding, Brody pressed both hands to her chest and nervously watched the Grand Duke’s expression.
“Amazing. Growing crops right here like this—you’ve really lifted the soldiers’ spirits.”
“You flatter me.”
Seeing the Grand Duke’s unbothered—no, rather pleased—reaction, Brody inwardly sighed in relief and gave a modest reply.
“What do you think? Will you meet the harvest quota set by the Chief of Staff?”
“As long as there are no natural disasters or other unforeseen variables.”
Such a crisp, confident answer. Aidan nodded approvingly.
“The hero of this war might be neither me nor the Chief of Staff—but you.”
“It’s embarrassing to hear that before any results are even in.”
They walked together through young grasses just sprouting to ankle height.
Bathed in soft moonlight and starlight so dense it seemed ready to pour down, the night glowed quietly.
Though Aidan, about to go to battle that very day, felt oddly out of place in this tranquility, he decided to fully immerse himself in it.
Amid the crisp northern air and the rustling grass, the woman’s voice suddenly spoke.
“Your Grace, I have a question.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Noticing Brody looked cold, Aidan gently draped his cloak over her shoulders as he asked.
Brody awkwardly accepted his gesture, bit her lip, then resolved to speak.
“If we fail to meet our goal… will you kill all the female prisoners?”
Aidan’s hands, fastening her cloak, faltered.
But he quickly steadied his breath and faced her directly.
After confirming the cloak was properly secured, he withdrew his hands.
Moonlight made his eyes shine with quiet resolve.
His voice rang calmly through the night air.
“I… trust you.”
“…”
Though Aidan had tied Brody’s curly hair back for work, some strands had come loose. As he gently smoothed them, he continued,
“I believe what you’re doing now will not fail.”
Brody, bewildered, raised one eyebrow and laughed.
“I do think it’ll work out. But… there’s always the chance it won’t, right?”
Amused by her strangely confident reply, Aidan also smiled faintly.
“Hearing such self-assured words from you leaves no room for doubt. But… if we truly must prepare for the worst—then… yes.”
“…!”
Brody was startled. Her gaze, fixed on the ground, suddenly met Aidan’s—
Because he had knelt before her.
“I swear on my honor: your courage and effort will never go to waste.”
Taking Brody’s flustered hand, Aidan raised it to his lips in a gesture of fealty—
The very posture a knight would take when swearing loyalty to a lady.
“Y-your Grace… my hands are dirty—from handling the plants.”
Brody quickly pulled her soiled hand away and hid it behind her back.
Seeing her delicate hand slip from his grasp, Aidan looked momentarily embarrassed—then smiled softly and rose to his feet.
“They’re not dirty.”
Backlit by slanting moonlight, his smile dissolving into the night air—
Thump-thump-thump. Brody’s heart raced wildly as her cheeks flushed red.
Trying to hide her blush, she turned away and asked,
“Why make such a promise already, before even knowing if I’ll do my job properly?”
“If you feared death from failure, you wouldn’t have stepped forward in the first place.”
“T-that’s… If you’re going to kill the prisoners, you’ll have to kill me too.”
Though her words came out flustered, their meaning was unmistakably a threat.
‘Is she threatening Grand Duke Icewall—with her own life—to save the prisoners?’
At Brody’s bold declaration, Aidan’s heart began to race.
He felt strangely awed—and overwhelmingly fond of her.
Desperately resisting the urge to pull her into his arms from behind, he answered,
“A knight’s oath isn’t something given lightly. You can trust it.”
Brody, too, was overwhelmed with emotion, her back still turned.
‘Why is my heart pounding like this? Seriously—that face, that atmosphere, and those lines… It’s cheating!’
She walked to the opposite side of the Grand Duke, asking desperately—
“Y-your Grace… when do you depart for battle?”
Aidan followed her slowly, looking up at the sky.
He seemed to be judging the time by the positions of the stars and moon.
“Very soon.”
Brody stopped walking.
It was war. Real war.
Originally, in the story, Grand Duke Icewall—this man beside her—would have died, so she didn’t know who would ultimately win.
Though she believed she’d survive whether he won or lost…
The mere thought that he might truly die left an unpleasant weight in her chest.
“Please win and come back safely.”
“Hmm? You, a prisoner, are saying that to me?”
Aidan looked genuinely surprised—as if he’d never imagined receiving encouragement.
“If Your Grace loses, do you think we prisoners will be safe? No—being lucky enough not to be cast out for ‘losing our virtue’ would already be a mercy.”
At Brody’s starkly realistic reply, Aidan’s expression darkened.
“So it’s actually better for us if you return.”
She carefully framed her personal wish for his safety as a general statement—
Because sounding like a lover celebrating his victory felt far too embarrassing.
“By the way… I suppose I won’t be able to serve you tea for a while.”
She looked at him with eyes asking, ‘Will you be alright?’
“Nothing to be done. You have duties here.”
Seeing Brody nod with concern, the Grand Duke replied briskly.
“Don’t worry. This pain has been my companion all my life, and it bothers me less when I’m fighting than when I’m idle.”
“Oh… Y-yes…”
Though she understood he was trying to reassure her, the word “fighting” brought the grim reality of war sharply to mind, deepening her worry.
Seeing Brody’s visibly sinking mood despite her efforts, Aidan broke into a cold sweat.
Just as he was wondering what else to say, Brody spoke.
“Your Grace… when you return victorious—”
“Oh… Hmm.”
‘When you return victorious’—what a pleasantly optimistic premise. Relieved that the awkward mood had passed, Aidan waited for her to continue.
“If I complete my mission safely, will you grant me one wish?”
“Yes—anything within my power.”
At those words, Brody’s face lit up.
“Really? You’re promising—or rather, swearing?”
“Yes. I swear it.”
Aidan had never seen her look so bright and joyful before.
Somehow, just watching her smile felt wonderfully pleasant.
He decided then and there that he’d gladly fulfill her wishes often—just to see that smile again.
Even though he still had no idea what she might wish for.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
MANGA DISCUSSION
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Chapter Comments (11)
Yes, I expected this. You shouldn’t make such a promise, Aidan, that you’re truly innocent.
Brody, you will drive Aidan to despair
Oh no, why did you leave him and run away? Poor Aidan
Inline Comments (29)
Reflecting on it, she hadn’t once thought about his headache during their journe
With all the events she went through, it’s very normal for her not to remember Aidan’s headache at all.
He was still kind, yes—but no longer showed that impatient yearning to have her
After the number of times she refused to marry him, now Brody was upset why Aidan changed! What exactly does Brody want?!
‘If you’ve lost interest in me, just say so—why not sleep properly? Are you avoi
Brody please don’t talk or think anymore! Her stubbornness is very annoying. Male lead, find another heroine, please! (⩺_⩹)
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Miioo
It’s really nice. I hope he wins the war. Aidan shouldn’t swear so carelessly; he’ll regret it.