How to Survive as an Extra

Chapter 53

Structurally, the passage ran underneath the cadets’ seats.

Perhaps for that reason, as soon as I entered the passage, I could feel the movements of the cadets without any buffer.

This was a passage for instructors only, but no other instructors were in sight.

They probably intended to avoid getting entangled with Kim Shinwoo.

After all, there was nothing to be gained from catching the eye of a principal who was known to evaluate the instructors’ skills.

I soon spotted Kim Shinwoo and Do Minyeong standing there.

The distance between us was roughly thirty to forty meters.

The place where I hid was at the end of a fork in the hallway.

I then used Stealth, pressed myself tightly against a nearby waiting room door, and listened in on their conversation.

”So... please give me a chance.”

A desperate tremor could be heard in Do Minyeong’s voice.

However, that tremor was met by a firm voice that felt almost ruthless.

”By what right do you say such a thing?”

”As a... as a cadet...”

”How amusing. A mere cadet defying the decision of the academy’s head...”

With a short, humorless laugh, Kim Shinwoo continued.

”Why don’t you be honest? That you want consideration not as a cadet, but as a blood relative.”

”That’s not it...!”

”If not, then by what right do you say such a thing?”

”...”

Do Minyeong fell silent.

A moment later, Kim Shinwoo’s self-deprecating words flowed out.

”...In the end, nothing has changed, not then and not now.”

”Granduncle...”

”I believe I told you not to utter that word. Or have you already forgotten? That if you ever appeared before me again, you would surely come to regret it.”

”...”

”I still believe that you killed Kim Yuseong. I have only kept you around because of a promise I was forced to accept. If you desire any more consideration than this... I can think of no other way than to broadcast the truth of your birth to the world.”

I had expected a more passionate reaction.

However, Kim Shinwoo simply exited the hallway, maintaining a rather detached stance.

I watched Do Minyeong stand there blankly for a while, and as soon as she left through the exit, I muttered to myself.

”Did I follow for nothing...?”

Kim Shinwoo was Do Minyeong’s granduncle.

In other words, he was the younger brother of the Sword Saint, Kim Yuseong, and, as far as was known, Do Minyeong’s only living blood relative.

As an aside, the title ’Sword Emperor’, which referred to Kim Shinwoo, originated from the meaning ’the Sword Saint’s younger brother.’

Now, having proven his untouchable skill, it was used with its proper meaning, but it was still occasionally used as a term of contempt.

Well, anyway.

Do Minyeong had been unilaterally neglected by Kim Shinwoo ever since she could talk and run on two feet.

She did not face great difficulties in her daily life, as she was revered from all corners for being the direct descendant of the Sword Saint, but...

According to the lore, it was no exaggeration to say that her subconscious had been reassembled since then for the sole purpose of gaining Kim Shinwoo’s approval.

”The neglect began when she was informed of the fact that she was not the Sword Saint’s direct descendant.”

Even I found it difficult to accurately explain the position of ’direct descendant’ in Do Minyeong’s life.

In the first place, it was the Sword Saint, Kim Yuseong himself, who had revealed Do Minyeong as his granddaughter, and until his true intentions were known, she had no option to reveal the truth.

Even Kim Shinwoo was unaware of the context, which was why he remained her granduncle.

In the original story, Do Minyeong is saved by Lee Eunho.

Thanks to him, she transfers majors, gradually breaks free from Kim Shinwoo’s influence, and ultimately establishes herself as a heroine.

Therefore, there was no room for me, someone no different from an extra, to intervene in this complex character’s narrative, but...

”The problem, I suppose, is that this world’s protagonist is absent.”

I did not want to burden myself with the responsibility of saving her.

Considering the developments to come, it would be more beneficial to develop a moderate amount of strength and live with a wall between myself and the main characters.

But... would it really be a problem to give her a little help?

Something like ensuring Do Minyeong transfers to the Combat Division in the second semester as planned.

Yes, it would be better to call it a moral responsibility.

Placing the right actor on the stage.

Becoming the director who protects the play from a meddlesome investor.

”Well, it’s not a bad role to have.”

***

After Kim Shinwoo’s shocking announcement on Monday, the end-of-month evaluation week flew by in a flash.

I worked hard to avoid being expelled and achieved quite decent results in the written subjects.

Of course, I would not know the final outcome until my practical scores were combined.

”Phew... Hey, what did you write for the last question?”

”The one about neutralizing paralysis? That’s obviously mangul-cho herb.”

”Damn it! I wrote that you should spread a healing potion widely...”

The moment the final evaluation on Thursday ended, the cadets let out sighs of relief in the classroom.

The tense, unseen war of nerves with the competitors in the next seats from the morning was gone, and a sense of liberation began to bring them together.

”Getting one measly question wrong doesn’t matter. I’m a practical skills type anyway.”

”What are you talking about? No matter how well we do in the practicals, we’ll get crushed by the Combat Division kids.”

”Who said anything about competing with them? We just need to beat one person, right?”

”Who?”

”Who do you think? Is there any other first-year with the lowest practical score besides that bastard Ji Seokhyeon?”

”Ah...! True. Heh heh.”

The classroom became chaotic in an instant.

There were a few annoying conversations, but most of the cadets were chattering about the Spring Scholastic War, which was just a few days away.

”It can be said that the Spring Scholastic War, which favors the Combat Division’s activity, is the only opportunity for an Investigation cadet to shine. This isn’t a boast, but my uncle once turned the Scholastic War on its head by succeeding in ’Catch the Thief.’ It was such a legendary incident that people still talk about it whenever this time of year comes around.”

As I organized the writing utensils I had used for the evaluation, I listened to Gwon Chihun’s pretentious words from the back seat.

”Hero Prep, which always won, was about to lose for the only time when my uncle pulled off a reverse victory. The combat cadets at the time were worthless, so he had a tough time. The Student Council President has probably been elected only from the Investigation Division ever since then, right?”

”So you’re saying you’re going to catch the thief too, Chihun.”

”Of course. It’s a chance to make a good impression on the guilds. ...Well, I’ve already made my mark with the Special Affairs Division, so I don’t have much to be disappointed about, but.”

”But you keep talking about the Special Affairs Division these days. Do you have some kind of connection?”

”Huh? Uh...”

Gwon Chihun trailed off, tactlessly sending a glance my way.

”I just know someone who knows someone...”

”What, that’s it? How boring.”

Lying truly is a talent.

You need a face as thick as Cha Yeri’s to keep a secret.

I pretended not to notice and ignored his gaze, then left the classroom.

”Anyway, the Spring Scholastic War...”

The Spring Scholastic War was a sports festival.

It was an event where students from each academy competed to earn points and determine the best academy.

The difference from the general concept was that it was somewhat dangerous, violent, and accompanied by a blood-boiling tension.

For example, there were slightly unconventional sports like a survival game with bullets that would leave a non-awakened being in pieces, a race with life-threatening obstacles, or a contest to see who could last the longest against various types of monsters released in one place.

There were also ordinary events like running and swimming, but the Spring Scholastic War could be called the only sanctioned athletic festival in the world of the awakened.

This was because the Bureau of Superpowers restricted awakened beings from using their powers for the purpose of amusement.

The reason was that they could not manage and supervise the awakened, who were nothing short of human weapons to the ordinary people outside of Seoul.

”On the other hand, students confined to the 4th Scholastic District are an exception.”

Therefore, all sports in this world were academy club activities.

Clubs, circles, and societies.

The concept was that you became a professional upon joining and retired upon graduation.

At Hero Prep, the baseball club, for which the shooting instructor Oh Hyeokmin served as an advisor, enjoyed considerable popularity in the academy league.

Well, it had nothing to do with me, though.

”...”

Anyway, what I was paying attention to in the Spring Scholastic War was the ’Catch the Thief’ event that Gwon Chihun had just mentioned.

Catch the Thief was an extra game in the Spring Scholastic War for students not involved in combat, and it could be described as a type of deduction competition.

It was a simple game of finding one student from the 4th Scholastic District, randomly selected as the thief, before anyone else.

The academy that apprehends the thief could steal 10% of the points from every other academy.

It was no exaggeration to say that the Scholastic War practically ended the moment the thief was caught.

The same applied in reverse if the thief was not caught by the end.

It was a very simple concept where points were added to the academy to which the thief belonged.

The thief could not participate in the Spring Scholastic War.

Also, a condition for success was to complete a special mission to steal something within the period.

If they failed, their academy would receive a penalty even if they were not apprehended.

”Therefore, it’s impossible to hide without showing your face even once during the four-day sports festival.”

Furthermore, there was a high possibility of being discovered by the students from their own academy with whom they would form a team.

It wouldn’t be a problem if they joined forces to protect the thief, but...

”It would be spread all over Incry before that could happen.”

Secrets were like dust stuck to one’s lips, after all.

In any case, the Spring Scholastic War was a lavish event in the world of the awakened that an extra like me would have no connection to.

But in a world like this, uninvited guests were bound to appear at such events.

The problem was that I was the only one who knew the inside story, and...

”What are you muttering to yourself about?”

”Uh... Nothing...”

And that Do Minyeong, who had been openly waiting for me at the emergency staircase at the end of the hall, would run into danger while aiming for the thief.

Of course she would, since she had become a time-bombed existence who had lost her purpose now that transferring majors was restricted.

Therefore, she would try to prove herself somehow.

To Kim Shinwoo.

To prove her own worth.

”What is it?”

When I asked calmly, Do Minyeong hesitated a little before speaking.

”...Do you have time?”

”No.”

”You don’t? I bet you’re just going to sit on a park bench and drink a beverage.”

”I’m sorry, but I call that time ’healing.’ Getting all tangled up with people of a different class is quite exhausting.”

Do Minyeong glared at me without another word.

But soon, unlike her usual self, her shoulders drooped, and she revealed a disappointed expression.

”If that’s the case, then it can’t be helped...”

”...”

What was this?

Normally, she should have been laying out her logic point by point to drag me along somehow.

Was this the effect of her reunion with Kim Shinwoo...?

”What is it? What’s the matter? I’ll at least hear you out.”

”It’s... checking the wrong answers...”

”What?”

”I wanted to ask you to go over the wrong answers from today’s evaluation with me... You’re smart, even if your athletic skills are terrible. ...So, please.”

”...”

...Was this also a change due to the intervention rate?

No, it was a predetermined outcome that Do Minyeong would adopt a more desperate attitude.

The only anomaly was that I had suddenly inserted myself into that gap.

I moved my head to one side to refuse, but I ended up nodding.

”Well, fine.”

Unfortunately, I was not in a position to deny her efforts.

If I could not save her in this world where the protagonist was absent, it might lead to a development that would make even the Favorite Reader shake his head.

”If it’s just for an hour or two.”

***

The Main Building of the Hero Preparatory School.

The Principal’s Office, the place where Principal Kim Shinwoo sat in his chair, quietly reviewing documents.

Only the friction of paper being turned over by Kim Shinwoo and the sound of a diligently moving second hand occasionally flowed through this space. That silence had been pressing down on Vice Principal Park Cheolyeong, who had been standing silently in the center of the office for several minutes.

It was, in every sense of the word, a suffocating atmosphere.

In that atmosphere, Park Cheolyeong, who had been watching Kim Shinwoo’s work, was the first to break the silence.

”Ah, those are the cadets selected for each event in the upcoming Spring Scholastic War.”

”...”

”Thanks to the admission of outstanding talents, we will win without any trouble this year as well. Hahaha.”

A good-natured face and a hearty laugh.

However, it was not enough to lift Kim Shinwoo’s gaze, which was fixed on the documents.

”There is no need for idle talk. I did not call you here to hold you responsible. On the contrary, it is as I expected. It is rare to find someone as clean in their work as you.”

”...”

”If the roof collapses, you fix it, and if a thief breaks in, you fill what was taken. That is all. ...Even if what collapsed was Hero Prep’s reputation, and what entered the backhouse was a Demonic Being.”

The benevolent smile on Park Cheolyeong’s face froze in place.

Just like that, with the smile still on his face.

”Hehe, that is too high a compliment.”

”I am glad if you take it that way.”

”But...”

”Hm?”

”If you did not call me to hold me responsible, then for what reason did you summon me...?”

At those words, Kim Shinwoo closed the documents and cast his gaze upon Park Cheolyeong.

”I have a personal question.”

”I will answer to the best of my knowledge.”

”According to the report I received, there was a cadet who set foot in the restricted area on the lowest floor of the library.”

”...”

”Was it with your approval?”

”It was.”

”Then you must also know what happened in there.”

”That is...”

Park Cheolyeong trailed off as if it were an unexpected question.

As if he knew he would, Kim Shinwoo clicked his tongue.

”Well, if you had known, you would have reported it already.”

”...I apologize.”

”There is nothing to be sorry for. What I want to know is about the cadet who set foot in there.”

For a moment, Kim Shinwoo’s eyes narrowed.

It was a gaze that blindly pressured his opponent.

Park Cheolyeong’s Adam’s apple, hidden by his bushy beard, moved as he parted his lips.

”By that, you mean...”

”The cadet, Ji Seokhyeon.”

”...”

”Tell me everything you know about that child.”