The Life of the Despised Extra
In your average romance fantasy novel, there's always at least one character designed to be utterly disliked by both the protagonists and the readers. An extra character, created just for some side story that doesn't even tie into the main plot, saddled with a name that feels randomly generated by the author.
Unfortunately, that was me. Or more precisely, the original owner of this body in some romance fantasy novel was meant to play that role. Somehow, I'd ended up possessing it.
"Just once. I'll say it nicely."
And so I became exactly that—a being despised by everyone, just like the fate this body was originally meant to have.
"Don't ever... no, never show up in front of me again."
"..."
"Your face alone makes me sick."
It wasn't like I'd done it on purpose to stick to some historical accuracy. Unlike the original story, where the original owner constantly tormented the protagonist and other characters, I'd been helping the people in the novel however I could.
Sure, messing with the story like this would twist the plot pretty badly, but ever since I'd possessed this body, half of any "normal" progression had already flown out the window anyway.
Of course, knowing the story didn't make it easy, and I'd picked up a few scratches along the way. But I never stopped helping.
The reason was simple. I didn't want to see tears welling up in the eyes of Astria, the novel's heroine.
The novel I'd possessed, Academy's Strongest Mage's Romance?, wasn't exactly a bright and cheery academy romance fantasy. Maybe because the author had a severe case of main character syndrome and poured their ego into it, the story was dotted with brutally cruel events and horrific incidents.
Was I supposed to just sit back and watch the girl I liked in this world suffer through those? With my nosy personality that people always called out, there was no way I could let that slide.
So I'd stepped in before she could get caught up in those messes, helping out and even fighting in her place sometimes...
—You're the reason so many people got hurt...!
—Disappear! Just vanish!
—Please.
I had no idea my efforts would lead to this kind of treatment.
In the original story, it was his actions that made people dislike him—not his first impression or looks. Yet somehow, I was catching even more hate than the original.
What a shame.
So I dropped out of the Academy where the heroine and the others were.
It wasn't because I'd lost any affection for Astria due to her hating me. There weren't any major incidents scheduled for the next few years anyway.
It was just that being around her meant I'd have to see her in pain, so I made the call.
After ditching the Academy, I started wandering the empire's vast lands, hunting down fortuitous encounters.
Since I'd been isekai'd into a fantasy world anyway, it was fun messing around with interesting items. Plus, I needed money for all the trouble I was stirring up.
Fortuitous encounters were expensive relics, and collectors paid top coin for them. It was the perfect way to make a living.
"Hmm..."
The item I was after this time—on a commission, no less—was Goddess Adelia's Ring.
Some noble family had heard rumors it boosted the owner's mana capacity and asked me to fetch it...
BOOM!
"Kyaaak!"
Someone had beaten me to it.
"Please, spare me!"
Looking toward the screams and explosions, I spotted a girl being chased by the golem guarding the ruins where the fortuitous encounter was.
Judging by her outfit, she looked like an Academy student.
Why's she wearing her uniform on break?
It made zero sense, no matter how I looked at it.
Still, these days' students couldn't even handle something like that alone?
Back in my first year, I'd taken down dozens without breaking a sweat.
The Academy's really gone downhill.
No wonder people said the empire's military academy—400 years our junior—was surpassing us. With student levels like this, it was obvious.
"Alright. Let's go."
Shing—!
KABOOM!
I had to help her out.
One swing of my mana-infused sword, and the golem was bisected.
"So easy."
That's why being a Magic Swordsman rocks. Even a plain sword swing hurts, but add magic to the mix? No matter how tough that rock body was, it was gonna feel it.
Who the hell decided rear-line mages just spamming spells were better?
"Haa... haa... haa..."
"You okay?"
I brushed the dust off my bisected golem bits and turned to see a girl sprawled on the ground, catching her breath. Brown hair, blue eyes.
"Take it slow getting up."
She had total mage vibes. Mages were usually the ones you shouldn't save.
"Th-thank you. Thank you so much."
She grabbed my offered hand and barely pulled herself up.
"No problem."
Her gratitude put me in a good mood. In the last decade-plus of my life, hearing "thank you" was a rare treat—maybe once or twice.
"Elia! You okay!?"
"Hans sunbae!"
Of course, that was before this brown-haired goody-two-shoes showed up.
"Thanks for saving Elia, I really ap—"
"Ah."
The guy standing next to the girl called Elia spotted me, froze, and hardened his expression.
"You again?"
"Haa..."
That tone of his grated on me no matter how many times I heard it.
—Are you even human?
—...?
—Never show up in front of me again.
We didn't even have much overlap, but he was always picking fights.
And to top it off, he was a mage.
"Didn't I tell you never to show up again?"
That's why other people were fine, but this guy? He got under my skin.
"Yeah, sure. I'll be off then."
Mages were just the worst.
"Think about what you did to Astria for once."
Guys like him would provoke you even after you said you were leaving.
No wonder people called them shameless bastards.
Click!
"..."
The second Astria's name left that guy's mouth, my hand went straight to my sword hilt.
"Keep it up, and I'll deck you."
"Sunbae!"
That brazen face of his.
"Elia, hold on a sec."
A guy who couldn't take a single punch mouthing off like that? Natural reaction.
"Go ahead, try it. Isn't that your specialty?"
"Haa."
But I couldn't hit him.
Not because I was scared.
The guys behind that glasses-wearing punk were the issue.
Hold it in. Just hold it.
So I swallowed my boiling rage and walked away slowly.
"Coward."
Even as the insults flew.
**
The ruins were unpleasantly damp, moss clinging everywhere. Water droplets fell plink, plink as I pushed through, searching for Goddess Adelia's Ring.
"Hmm..."
But.
"Where is it?"
The spot where the ring should have been was empty.
That girl from earlier must've snagged it while fleeing the golem.
Nothing goes right.
Normally I'd shrug it off, but this time I'd taken a commission specifically to retrieve the ring. Headache incoming.
Failure meant another penalty fee piling onto my debts.
For someone already drowning in bank loans, it was the worst-case scenario.
"Haa..."
When was interest due again? Few weeks left, I think.
What's the point of a status window if it doesn't make money?
"Hmm..."
My head was a mess from all this. For now, I shoved it aside.
"Welcome!"
"Beer, please."
And headed to the nearby inn for a drink. No alcohol, no survival.
"Kyaah!"
As the fresh booze spread through my veins, my cluttered mind started to clear. Or rather, I was just dumping it on tomorrow-me.
Whatever. I was happy now, so good enough.
I sipped my beer, sitting quietly.
"Beer, one."
Then a woman sat right next to me. Familiar voice—I turned and saw the Academy student I'd saved earlier that day.
Elia, was it?
Couldn't quite recall.
"Hi?"
I was about to chug my beer, not caring much unless Hans tagged along.
"You're Karl, right?"
She suddenly addressed me.
"Yeah."
"Ah! Thank you so much for today."
"Eh, no big deal."
She bowed her head in thanks again.
"Um, are you... from the Academy...?"
"Dropout."
"Ah."
She'd asked cautiously, then trailed off apologetically at my answer.
"Sorry."
She had a personality uncharacteristic of a mage.
"Nah. Not like it's a secret."
"Still..."
"It's fine."
So I didn't give Elia any grief about it.
How's a junior better than her senior?
If anything, it just tanked my opinion of Hans further.
"Um, Karl?"
"Yeah?"
After some pondering, Elia spoke up cautiously again.
"You're a Magic Swordsman, right?"
"Yep."
"So you know a bit about magic."
"Sure do."
"Then, could you maybe..."
She trailed off, then asked me to teach her magic.
"Could you teach me some magic?"
And I.
"No."
Rejected her flat-out.
"Huh?"
She blushed and panicked at my instant refusal. Probably hadn't expected it.
Whatever. My mind was made up. With everything already tangled, adding side gigs was a hard no.
"Th-then."
Flustered, Elia rummaged in her sleeve and held out a ring.
"This! Isn't this what you need!?"
It was Goddess Adelia's Ring, the one I'd been after.
"If you get me to B-Class! No, just B-Class level, it's yours!"
"Ho ho."
Now that piqued my interest.
"One week."
"Huh?"
"I'll make you A-Class level in one week."
"Really!?"
Elia lit up like a kid at my bold claim.
I didn't love teaching, but that reward? Yeah, I'd do it.