Kira's wild grin felt like a death sentence. She turned back to her stone-smashing as if our conversation had never happened. I didn't wait around. I backed away slowly, slipped out of the dojo, and slid the heavy door shut as quietly as I could.
The moment I was outside, I slumped against the wall, my legs feeling like jelly. I'd done it. I'd actually managed to secure a duel with her. My stupidest plan yet had gone off without a hitch.
[Congratulations, Host. You've successfully scheduled your own ass-kicking. I've already set a notification for Sister Beatrix so she can prepare a bed in the infirmary.]
'Screw you,' I muttered with a grin. 'I have a chance, no matter how small. That's what matters.'
I glanced at the sky. The sun was getting higher. The welcoming ceremony was about to begin. My time was almost up. One target left. Isolde von Brandt. I had to get a single strand of her precious hair.
I broke into a light jog toward the Main Hall, my heart pounding for a different reason. It wasn't fear of Kira anymore, but the pressure of the clock. A crowd of students had already gathered in front of the magnificent hall entrance, all dressed in their neat black uniforms. Elves, Dwarves, Beastkin, and Humans all mingled together, chatting excitedly.
This was hell for an extra like me. I had to navigate this sea of people, find one specific red-headed noble girl, and provoke her without causing a massive scene.
I weaved through the crowd, using my skinny frame to my advantage. My eyes scanned wildly for that distinctive, fiery red hair. After a few tense minutes, I spotted her.
Isolde was standing near one of the giant marble pillars, surrounded by a group of other girls who were clearly her followers. She looked like a queen in the middle of her court, her chin held high, her laughter condescending as she listened to one of her friends gossip.
She seemed so untouchable, surrounded by her social shield. I couldn't just walk up to her.
'I need a distraction,' I thought, my brain working overtime. 'Something that will force her away from her group. Something that will make her focus solely on me.'
I looked around, searching for inspiration. And then my eyes fell on an academy attendant pushing a trolley filled with welcome drinks fruit juice in tall crystal glasses.
A plan even stupider and riskier than the last one formed in my head.
[I can see the gears turning in that perverted brain of yours, Host. Whatever you're planning, I suggest you reconsider. The probability of this plan's success is likely in the negatives.]
'No time for doubt,' I shot back.
I waited for the attendant to pass through the crowd near the pillar where Isolde was standing. This was my only chance.
I took a deep breath, then started walking through the crowd, pretending to be in a hurry. I timed it perfectly. Just as I was between the drink trolley and Isolde's group, I "accidentally" tripped over someone's foot.
I fell forward, not onto the floor, but toward the drink trolley.
Crash! Thud!
I hit the trolley hard enough to make it wobble wildly. A few glasses on the edge of the trolley fell and shattered on the floor, causing a small commotion. But that wasn't my goal.
One glass, the one closest to me, was sent flying through the air in a beautiful arc... and landed right on target.
Splaash!
The entire contents of the ruby-red juice glass spilled, drenching the side of Isolde's uniform, from her shoulder down to her waist.
Silence.
The entire area around us fell instantly quiet. The music, the chatter, the laughter it all stopped. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were now fixed on us. On me, still in an awkward position, and on Isolde, who stood frozen, staring at the sticky red stain that now ruined her expensive uniform.
Slowly, very slowly, she turned her head toward me.
Her beautiful face flushed crimson, not from embarrassment, but from pure, burning rage. Her ruby-red eyes seemed to glow from within. I could feel the temperature around us rise by a few degrees.
"You..." her voice trembled with restrained fury. "HOW DARE YOU... YOU FILTHY WORM!"
She didn't scream. She hissed, like a dragon about to breathe fire.
I immediately scrambled to my feet and bowed deeply. "My apologies, Lady Brandt! It was a complete accident! I tripped!"
"An accident?!" she snapped, stepping forward out of her group, now standing right in front of me. Her followers backed away in fear. "You think an apology can clean this?! Do you have any idea how much this uniform costs?! Your entire life's salary wouldn't be enough to pay for it!"
She grabbed the collar of my shirt, pulling me close until our faces were just inches apart. I could feel the heat radiating from her body. The scent of her expensive perfume mixed with a faint smell of ozone, a sign that her fire mana was gathering.
This was it. The moment I was waiting for.
While she continued to berate me with the most insulting words I'd ever heard, my free hand moved slowly behind her back. She was too focused on her anger to notice my movement.
Her red ponytail hung over her shoulder. So close.
My fingers carefully approached the end of her hair. I only needed one strand.
I managed to pinch a single strand between my fingers. It felt as smooth as silk.
"You will pay for this, worm," she snarled, her free hand beginning to glow with a faint orange light. "You'll pay with your skin!"
Now!
With a quick flick, I plucked the hair. There was a slight resistance, then it came free. Success! I immediately clenched my fist, hiding my precious trophy.
At that exact moment, the large bell in the main tower chimed, signaling the start of the ceremony.
DONG! DONG!
The sound seemed to break the tension. One of Isolde's followers dared to approach. "Lady Isolde, the ceremony is about to start! You can't cause a scene here!"
Isolde glanced toward the bell tower, then back at me with pure hatred. She shoved me away roughly, sending me stumbling back.
"This isn't over," she hissed. "I will remember your face. After the ceremony, you will learn what it means to anger a von Brandt."
She turned away in a fury, ordering her followers to help her clean the stain as best they could, then stomped into the hall.
I stood there, in the middle of the dispersing crowd, with my heart pounding like a war drum. I had almost died. But as I opened my fist and saw the long, shimmering red hair in my palm... I knew it was all worth it.
[Mission Objective 2/3 (Obtain a strand of hair from Isolde von Brandt) is complete!]
[Main Mission Progress: 2 of 3 targets secured.]
[Warning: You have made a mortal enemy of an S-rank target. Probability of retaliation: 100%. It is advised you start writing your will.]
The system panel popped up, providing confirmation and a completely unhelpful warning. I quickly pocketed the hair, along with Lyra's handkerchief. Two down, one to go. And it was the most dangerous one.
The great bell in the main tower chimed again, pulling me from my thoughts. The ceremony was really about to start. I was out of time. I had to get inside the hall.
I followed the flow of students. The Main Hall was even more magnificent than I had imagined. The ceiling was so high it disappeared into the shadows, decorated with slowly moving magical constellations. Giant stained-glass windows on both sides depicted heroic scenes from the Age of Calamity. Thousands of chairs were lined up neatly facing a grand marble stage, where the academy's teachers and important staff were already seated.
As a self-aware extra, my goal was the very back row, in the darkest corner. A place where no one would notice me. After a few minutes of slipping through, I found the perfect spot. From this "throne of extras" of mine, I could see the entire stage and most of the sea of students without drawing any attention.
My eyes instinctively searched for my targets. In the front row, in the special area for nobles, Isolde sat with a stiff posture, her face still red with anger. On the other side, among the Elves, Lyra looked small and nervous, clutching a book in her lap. And in the senior section, I could make out Kira's imposing silhouette. She looked bored, her arms crossed over her chest, her tail occasionally twitching restlessly.
They were all here. The three girls my fate was tied to. Two were "done." Only one remained. My final mission would take place right after this ceremony, in the duel arena, where I would likely end up as a pile of dust.
The ceremony began. The Headmaster, Alistair Valerius, an old man with a long white beard, stepped up to the podium. His speech was long, full of words about hope, the future, and the responsibility to protect the world. I was only half-listening, my mind busy trying to figure out how to survive a beating from a Beastkin.
'My strength is 4, my stamina is 5. She could probably break my bones just by looking at me too hard,' I thought bitterly. 'My plan is to get defeated quickly. But how quickly? And can I really grab that button in the middle of the chaos?'
As I was lost in my desperate strategizing, the Headmaster said something that made the entire hall rumble with excitement.
"And now, to represent all the new students of this year, let us welcome the student with the highest entrance exam score. A rare genius of swordsmanship and light magic. Please come forward, Damian von Elysia!"
The whole hall erupted in applause. The female students, especially, seemed very enthusiastic.
A young man rose from the front row and walked with a confident stride toward the stage. His hair was golden-blond, shimmering under the magical lights. His eyes were sapphire blue, radiating kindness and determination. His face was so handsome it felt unfair, adorned with a friendly smile that could make even a goddess blush.
I stared at him with my mouth slightly open. Of course. I knew him. The hero. The main protagonist of "Arcane Hearts." The man who was supposed to get all the girls, save the world, and live happily ever after.
He stood at the podium, radiating an aura of goodness so blinding I had to squint. He began to speak about friendship, hard work, and dreams. His words were inspiring, making many new students look at him with awe.
I could only smirk cynically from my dark corner.
'So, the main show... is finally starting,' I thought, a strange tension gripping my stomach.
The hero was beginning his journey on the stage, under the spotlight. While I, the extra... had to prepare to get my ass handed to me backstage for a single uniform button.