Path of the Extra

The grass was a deep, rich green, untouched by wild overgrowth. In the center stood a marble fountain, water flowing in smooth arcs, the steady sound adding a sense of calm.

Rows of crimson roses lined the edges of the garden.

And standing there in the same backyard were three people—Lumine, Yelena, and Mira.

Lumine and Yelena wore crimson military uniforms, surprisingly similar to Mira's.

The only difference was that they didn't have the black furred coat draped over their shoulders.

Both stood with their backs straight, clearly nervous in the presence of a grandmaster.

Lumine glanced at the grass, noticing how the blades seemed to lean toward Mira, as if drawn by her mere presence.

Even the trees, swayed by the wind, bent slightly in her direction.

'A grandmaster—someone no longer considered human… almost like a god.'

Her presence was overwhelming, even though she wasn't doing anything.

Just standing near her felt suffocating, making Lumine fight the urge to lower his gaze.

He glanced at Yelena, and their eyes met.

She gave him a small, wry smile.

"You must be extremely talented, Cadet Lumine, to rank above the Frost Princess and place second. And you too, Cadet Yelena, ranked sixth in your first year. Both of you have achieved feats you should be proud of. Word of how you protected the cadets from the skeleton stampede is already spreading."

It seemed Mira had decided to see them as highly talented rather than mere survivors of void creature battles.

Of course, that made sense.

Anyone looking into their records wouldn't find any official reports of them fighting void creatures.

Lumine and Yelena exchanged surprised glances as they noticed a faint smile tugging at Mira's lips, despite her usual stoic expression.

"Y-you… you know about us?" Lumine asked.

Mira nodded without hesitation.

"All the higher-ups know about you. Whether you realize it or not, both of you have the potential to be one of the great pillars supporting humanity's future. Your names are already well-known."

Lumine swallowed nervously.

'I had no idea we were being watched by such big names already...'

Though, on second thought, it wasn't too surprising.

Hero Academy was known for producing the best cadets, and the top ten of the first year were bound to draw attention.

"And..."

Mira's eyes narrowed slightly, or at least it felt like that to Lumine.

It was as if thousands of needles pricked his skin, drying his lips.

"It's only natural I'd find out everything about you two, especially since the prince went against the queen's wishes to have both of you join us."

Lumine blinked, startled, and looked at Yelena.

She shook her head slightly, just as confused.

'He did that? But why?'

Lumine couldn't make sense of it.

Even back in CASC, Azriel had supported him for reasons he didn't fully understand.

He never looked at him like he was crazy or dangerous.

'Is he really that good of a person? Or is there another reason?'

Doubts started to form in his mind.

"The prince has never been one to get close to others, not since he was young. So, it's surprising that he's protecting the two of you so much," Mira remarked, suspicion flickering in her eyes.

Lumine didn't have any answers.

He didn't understand why Azriel had helped them either. He was an enigma—so much about him didn't add up.

Yelena furrowed her brow slightly.

"Did Prince Azriel not have any friends? Is that why he isn't close to many people?"

Mira looked at her for a moment before sighing.

"If you were royalty, you'd know how difficult it is to form true friendships. People use you for their own purposes. But no, that's not the reason. No one really knows why the prince distanced himself. That's how rumors started."

'The unworthy prince...'

It was the label most had given him. They saw him as a prince without talent, without strength. A prince who couldn't achieve anything.

At least, that was until he came back from the dead.

"Whatever the case, unlike the two of you, no one will take the prince's words lightly once we enter SICVC. It's not just because he's royalty. Surviving two whole years in the void realm—alone—is enough to command respect. Being a prince is just an added bonus."

She looked at Lumine and Yelena with an intensity that made Lumine feel like he couldn't look away.

"Once you enter the void realm, your age won't matter anymore. No one will see you as children. You'll be adults from that point on—if you survive. So do your best to show why the prince was so determined to have the two of you with us. Prove that you belong."

Lumine felt a chill run through his fingers.

'The void realm...'

It was still hard to believe they were actually going there now.

Sure, he and Yelena had been there before, but that was only because of the system's quests.

The places they had gone were just random areas with void creatures to fight.

But this time... this time was different.

He was going to face the real horrors of the void realm.

They would become adults.

Age wouldn't matter anymore.

No one would see them as children.

Lumine released a quiet, shaky breath, while Yelena glanced down, clearly nervous.

Though they had already decided to go, the weight of that decision was still heavy.

Suddenly, something caught Lumine's eye—one of the walls in the backyard.

It looked dented.

A human-shaped dent.

'Did someone crash there?'

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind him.

Mira stopped looking at the two and bowed, thumping her right fist against her chest.

"My prince."

Startled, Lumine and Yelena turned to see Azriel approaching, a small smile on his face.

Like them, he wore the crimson military uniform, but his was adorned with a black furred coat, just like Mira's.

Walking behind him on his left was Amaya, and on his right was Nol, though only Amaya had a black furred coat—Nol looked disappointed to be left out.

Azriel stopped in front of them and glanced around briefly before meeting Mira's eyes.

"Lady Mira, has my sister not arrived yet?"

Mira shook her head.

"Her Highness should be here any moment, my prince."

Azriel furrowed his brows slightly.

"Well, girls do tend to take their time with makeup..."

Lumine and Yelena blinked at his comment, a hint of red creeping onto Yelena's face as she looked down again.

'He really acts like it's no big deal...'

Lumine thought, watching Azriel's calm demeanor.

Their eyes met, and Azriel's smile faded as he spoke in a more serious tone.

"Have you written the letters?"

Yelena looked up, her expression complicated, while Lumine bit his lip. Both nodded.

"Yes," Lumine said.

"We gave them to one of the maids, as you requested."

Azriel nodded, and the atmosphere grew solemn.

The letters were for their parents, a precaution Azriel had insisted on before they entered the void realm.

They were still children here, not yet in the void realm, but parents would always see their children as just that—children.

Azriel wouldn't take them unless they left something behind, should the worst happen.

Lumine clenched his fists.

'I'll make sure those letters never have to reach them...'

Azriel's smile returned, brighter this time, as he placed a hand on both their shoulders.

"Try to relax. Being tense and nervous won't help you. And don't worry—your parents won't need to read those letters. You're going with the Crimson Princess, a grandmaster, a master-ranked maid, a silver-blood devil, and, of course, the best part... me!"

At his words, Nol's face darkened comically, prompting Lumine and Yelena to take a step back in unison.

"My prince, even for you, how many times must I remind you to take things more seriously?"

Amaya scolded from behind, and Mira nodded in agreement.

"Lady Amaya is right, my prince. We're heading somewhere unknown. Anything could happen," Mira added.

Azriel's lips twitched as he glanced between them, still smiling, though his eyes were less amused.

"Have your social skills deteriorated that much?"

Both women widened their eyes, hurriedly apologizing.

'Oh...'

Lumine realized, feeling a tinge of surprise.

'He was just trying to lighten the mood, wasn't he?'

Azriel had likely sensed how on edge everyone was.

Though he wasn't the best at it, he was at least trying to ease the tension.

A small smile appeared on both Lumine's and Yelena's faces.

"Thanks," Lumine muttered.

Azriel glanced at him, smiling softly.

"Of course."

There was so much Lumine wanted to ask, so many things he was curious about, but now wasn't the time.

Perhaps after all of this, he would have a chance.

'This is an invaluable opportunity, and I can't let it go to waste.'

Glancing at Yelena, they both nodded with renewed determination.

Then, a voice came from the side.

"I see everyone is here."

Jasmine had arrived, dressed similarly to Azriel.

"Took you long enough."

Jasmine sighed.

"You're the one who ran from Mother, not me. Anyway, let's not waste time. Lady Mira, you're already anchored at SICVC, so if you would."

"Certainly, Your Highness."

Mira nodded, and everyone took a few steps back.

Then, a white cross appeared beneath Mira's feet.

The wind howled, roaring through the air, furiously whipping their hair as Lumine's breath caught in his throat.

He could feel the mana gathering in one place, pulling toward Mira.

Though he couldn't see it, he could sense it.

His heartbeat quickened.

Lumine squinted. In front of Mira's outstretched hand, a tiny black hole began to form, almost imperceptible at first. But it grew larger. And larger. Until Lumine's face paled.

'She actually created a void rift...'

Right before them was a swirling mass of darkness, a portal that sucked the air, making the grass and trees around them thrash wildly.

Somehow, Lumine knew Mira was protecting them from being pulled in.

Then, she turned toward them.

"Let's go."