The Main Heroine and a Third-Rate Extra

The Autumn Magic Tournament, fraught with drama and incident.

I returned alive, without incident, and received further examinations through the doctor.

“Miraculously, there doesn’t seem to be anything amiss. No immediate signs of psychological aftereffects either.”

And following that, a clean bill of health.

I should probably thank the Saint and Saintess countless times.

‘Thankfully, I’d been focusing on masking the emotional deficiency, so it wasn’t caught.’

It was probably thanks to the doctor focusing solely on aftereffects.

It would be troublesome to cause unnecessary concern, so I should be careful going forward.

“You have meetings with the professors tomorrow, so keep that in mind.”

Afterwards, Iris, like a truly caring older sister, told me everything, piece by piece.

He was, without a doubt, their guardian.

“So, you two should let Hanon rest already.”

Iris warned Seron and Sharin one last time.

Both, it seemed, didn’t want to push me any further and remained mostly silent.

“Sweet potato Prince.”

Still, Seron seemed to have something left to say.

She approached me and whispered, so others wouldn’t hear.

“Re-remember the date.”

Ah, right, that was a thing.

I nodded, and Seron glanced at me coyly, before abruptly turning away.

Her face was that of someone who had resolved to fight to the bitter end.

I hate to admit it, but it was a little cute.

After many twists and turns, I finally made it out of the hospital.

‘Come to think of it, I didn’t get to ask about Isabel.’

With everything that happened, I completely forgot.

But I soon realized that wouldn’t be necessary.

On the path back to the men’s dormitory.

Far off, under the moonlight, a honey blonde head of hair gleamed.

A sun risen beneath the moon.

Isabel was shining beautifully, enough to bring that to mind.

She wasn’t the main heroine for nothing, after all.

“Isabel.”

She clearly looked like she was waiting for me.

When I called her name, Isabel turned my way.

Isabel’s eyes flickered for a moment.

I could sense several emotions passing through her in that brief instant.

But she quickly composed herself and opened her lips.

“I’m glad you woke up alright.”

“I’m a little tough.”

Isabel was silent after hearing that reply.

And then, she bit down hard on her lip and shook her head, back and forth.

“…Not strong enough.”

My strength, denied.

“You’re not steel, you’re a person.”

Not steel, but a person.

Me, who lost an arm and a leg, piece by piece, in that battle.

*The Dark Worm Shooter’s maxed-out physical penetration is something even I can’t handle.*

She had to take Sharin away.

“Then, I’ll just have to become stronger.”

“Why are you only thinking about becoming tougher?”

Rigidity is important, in all things.

“…I won’t say you didn’t need to struggle that much.”

I survived because of that struggle.

That much, I couldn’t deny.

“But… it shouldn’t be like this.”

Isabel stopped right in front of me.

Her eyes were already brimming with tears.

Her gaze fixed on the scars hidden beneath the shroud of bandages.

“If you keep going like this, you’re going to die.”

Her hand clenched tightly on my collar.

Both fists trembled, as if not wanting to lose anything more.

Dead leaves scattered along the dying autumn wind.

The lifeless leaves could no longer bloom green; they were fading.

She had already lost her own brother and Lucas before.

Isabel, broken down after losing those two, had been driven to the very brink of collapse.

I was the one who pulled her back up.

I know it too.

The fact that Isabel relies on me more than anyone else.

I hoped that one day she would become self-reliant, but that wasn’t something that could happen overnight.

“Isabel.”

I must make them understand.

“I have no intention of dying.”

It is true that I do not cherish my body.

The bandages of the Curtain, by erasing love and anger, sorrow, are truly erasing myself.

Leaving me unable to love, unable to rage, unable to grieve.

There is a stronger inclination in this towards myself than towards others.

But even as one emotion vanishes, and then another, I can still say it.

“I will never die until I achieve what I aim for.”

Even if I do not cherish myself, I will not deny my goal.

In reality, I have already experienced a devastating collapse once before.

At that time, my goal had already crumbled.

With the goal gone, all that remained was a sense of futility.

I despise that futility so much.

I never want to experience the futility that utterly destroys a person.

Moreover, I know the joy of moving toward a goal.

‘Even if the bandages of the Curtain erase all three of my emotions.’

I still have joy.

I have the strength to smile brighter than anyone.

The joy of rushing towards a goal.

With that one thing alone, I can push forward without ever giving up.

Therefore, I absolutely will not die.

Because if I die, the scenario cannot be completed.

“This world rebuilt me, and now it has become my goal.”

The day I was utterly broken by training.

My own little refuge, where I fled.

And now, it has become everything to me.

“Isabelle, you are included in that.”

Isabelle is the main heroine of ‘The Flame Butterfly’s Comfort’.

Even without Lucas, I would not allow her life to be destroyed.

If it were Lucas, he would have done anything to save Isabelle.

“So, Isabel.”

Isabel’s tear-streaked face swam into view.

She looked at me with such longing.

“I will not die.”

The me you lean on will hold that ground, no matter what.

Rain or snow, even a raging storm, I will stand steadfast.

So, Isabel.

Whenever you stand alone, it’s alright.

I will always be there to keep you from falling.

Tears streamed down Isabel’s cheek.

They kissed the fallen leaves.

Leaves already surrendered to death, beyond the revival of water.

But it’s alright.

The water seeping through those leaves will give birth to new life.

Her tears will be a compass pointing toward a new existence.

I smile.

I smile brightly, for joy is the one thing that will never fade.

“Why?”

Isabel asked, seeing that smile.

“Why am I included in your goals?”

Why I helped her so much, Isabel wanted to ask again and again.

She chewed on this question, enduring it.

She endured and endured again, waiting to ask after returning from the Demon Palace.

“I made a promise to you, remember?”

The night was fading, and the sky slowly began to stain itself with blue.

“To reveal my true self.”

Whether this will be the answer, I don’t know.

But perhaps the world intended for me to inhabit Vikamun.

Isabel, a person with a motive to save her.

That person is who I possessed.

“If ever you find yourself in dire straits, I shall aid you to the measure that you saved my life.”

It was a promise Vikamann had made to Lucas, once upon a time.

A vow from Vikamann, who sought to harm Lucas, yet instead, owed his life to him.

But that vow he could not keep.

For Vikamann could not save Lucas.

Nevertheless, that legacy I inherited.

Though Lucas could not be saved, a promise to at least save Isabel.

The pulled bandage unwinds.

My hair is dyed white.

Before I know it, I tower over Isabel, my frame larger, my eyes also changed to amber.

Scars, including the marks of lightning, littered my skin.

The fruits of my labor, all this time.

Isabel’s eyes widened.

This form, one she had seen before.

To her, perhaps, the foe who tormented Lucas so cruelly.

Vikamann Niflheim.

That was me.

The wheel of fate turns.

And tomorrow’s sun shall rise.

Following the rising sun, Isabel’s hair shone like the sun itself.

“It… it was you.”

Isabel declared, her voice brimming with emotion.

“Do you feel disillusioned?”

She gripped my clothes tightly with both hands.

As if, she never intended to let me go again.

“How could I ever?”

She looked up at me, tears welling in her eyes.

Before I realized it, she was smiling along with me.

“How could I be disillusioned with the one who saved my life?”

I trusted Isabel.

I believed that she, of all people, would trust me.

And so, I revealed my true self.

Thankfully, the Isabel I had come to know was indeed as I perceived.

Barely able to release a sigh of relief, Isabel exhaled.

“Your rescuing me, it was because of a promise to Lukas, wasn’t it?”

She already knew about the promise Lukas and I had made.

“Lukas told me once. He said you weren’t necessarily such a bad person.”

“A prickly person, though.”

“That’s right, truly prickly.”

Isabel agreed without the slightest hesitation.

It pained my heart.

Then, Isabel’s head fell, resting heavily against my chest.

“Truly, truly prickly.”

Tears streamed endlessly from Isabel’s eyes.

Amidst the scattering autumn leaves of the morning, I slowly stroked Isabel’s hair.

A commendation for the battle she had fought until now.

*

After learning that Hanon was Vicamann.

Isabel, ashamed of bursting into tears in front of him, fled in a flurry.

Vicamann did not particularly stop Isabel.

Isabel ran straight back to the dormitory.

Perhaps she had run too quickly.

Her heart felt like it was pounding a bit too excessively.

‘It feels like I can’t breathe.’

Isabel hurriedly drew water and gulped down a glass.

The cold water entered her body, but for some reason, her racing heart had no intention of stopping.

This is a problem.

Perhaps something went wrong during this battle.

“Beel, where were you?”

Just then, Sharin’s voice echoed from inside.

She peeked her head out of her room, watching Isabel.

Shalin had returned and she’d figured she’d be asleep long ago.

Isabel, never imagining she’d be awake, patted her cheeks, saying,

“Ah, well, I went to see that person. I needed to offer my thanks.”

Then it struck Isabel that she hadn’t actually offered any thanks.

Isabel’s eyes darted around.

Should she go back and at least convey her gratitude?

But he’s probably tired too.

She couldn’t detain him any longer.

And yet, why?

Isabel felt like going back to see him right this instant.

Her heart was acting up again, beating however it pleased.

Her face was flushing red, completely on its own accord.

The earlier incident was clearly mortifying her.

No wonder, a grown woman, crying her eyes out in front of a man.

“Bel?”

Just then, Shalin called out to Isabel again.

Isabel snapped her head up and looked back at Shalin.

Shalin was staring at Isabel with vacant eyes.

A complex emotion flickered within them.

Isabel couldn’t decipher its meaning, but her face grew hot, and she couldn’t bear to keep her head raised.

“S-Sorry, I’m going to go wash up!”

She needed to pour cold water on her head, at least.

With that thought, Isabel darted into her private bathroom.

Shalin, blankly watching her disappear, for some reason slowly began to puff out her cheeks.

“I’m gonna get you good.”

Soon after, only the quiet sounds of Shalin shadowboxing echoed softly in the room.