The Calculating Extra
“You've reached 5-Star?”
“Yes.”
Astonishment flooded the swordsmanship instructor's face.
“That growth rate is absurd. No wonder the 1st Knight Order was begging so desperately to recruit you.”
Even I had to admit it was ridiculous. Lutera, hailed as the greatest genius in the history of that prestigious swordsmanship family, only reached the 5-Star realm after turning eighteen. Yet here I was, a 5-Star at seventeen. I would probably be called the greatest genius in imperial history.
'Though it's actually just the effect of my perks.'
The swordsmanship instructor tried to persuade me with a solemn expression.
“Go to the 1st Knight Order. You'll do just fine there.”
“I have no intention of doing so.”
“No, hear me out. If you distinguish yourself in the 1st Knight Order, you'll have a chance to receive a noble title within ten years. For a commoner, there is no greater success than this.”
He was right. It was true that there was no better path to success for a commoner. But...
Even if I spent ten years in the knight order and earned a title, the girls wouldn't wait for me. I couldn't let that happen.
“Ten years is too long. I plan to obtain a noble title within three.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“If I bring back a dragon's head, I should at least receive the title of Baron or Viscount. Or maybe even Earl?”
The instructor sighed.
“It's good to dream big, but you must also face reality. Slaying a dragon is something only the first Emperor Elois could achieve. And you would need a party capable of matching such a feat.”
A newly discovered commonality between reality and a fantasy world: teachers desperately trying to guide a student's career path. Don't they usually do this in the second or third year? I'm still a freshman.
“...I'll think about it.”
“Yes, think it over carefully. You need to ponder and feel for yourself what will truly benefit your future.”
“Then, if you'll excuse me.”
My career counseling session with the instructor was over. If it had been me right after my transmigration, I would have dismissed it as nonsense and let it go in one ear and out the other, but...
To be honest, I wasn't confident right now. Even if I had reached the 5-Star realm at the youngest age in history, looking at my current rate of growth, three years was too short to perform a feat worthy of a noble title.
I fell into deep thought. Surely, if I recalled the events of the original novel, there had to be an opportunity...
“Ah!”
One person came to mind. Someone with overwhelming power who could back me if I helped them.
Linet Estupina.
The Estupina Ducal Family, one of the four great ducal families, was a house of master alchemists. They were absurd people who could turn lead into gold, and gold into diamonds.
Lady Linet was currently searching for a plant called the Mandragora for her alchemy, and I was the only one who knew its location and how to harvest it.
It might affect the original plot slightly... but the original story was already twisted anyway. Telling her early what she would find in the future wouldn't cause any major issues.
Besides, she was one of the villainesses I had to save.
There was no problem up to this point. However, Linet was a rigid, meticulous perfectionist. And her fiancé was the Crown Prince, the 'Small Sun of the Empire.'
She would probably be the most difficult villainess to deal with out of everyone I had met so far.
But what choice did I have? For now, this was my best move.
I would go to Lady Linet.
When I arrived at Lady Linet's room, her personal knight greeted me.
“What business does a commoner have here?”
“I have business with the Lady.”
The knight glared at me sharply and warned, “The Lady is not someone just anyone can meet. Turn back.”
“Even if I possess information that the Lady absolutely needs?”
“...”
The knight furrowed his brow and began to glare at me. But after a brief moment, the door to the room opened.
“The Lady says to bring him in.”
The moment I stepped into the room, the Lady cut straight to the chase.
“You claim to have the information I wish to know?”
“Yes, but it is not information that can be spoken in front of just anyone...”
With a single glance from the Lady, the knight and the servants withdrew.
“Very well, speak. If it is false information or something not even worth listening to, you know what will follow, correct?”
“Of course I do. If you trust me, you will never regret it.”
Keeping my gaze steady, I continued.
“I know the location of the Mandragora you are searching for, Lady Linet.”
The Lady's eyes widened.
“Where did you hear that I was searching for the Mandragora?”
'Uh, I didn't think that far ahead.'
To deflect her suspicion, I quickly spun a fabricated story.
“I overheard some nobles whispering in front of the dormitory. They said you were buying up various pieces of information to find the Mandragora's location...”
“Was there such a rumor?”
“Yes. As an Aura user, my hearing is sharper than most. I happened to catch the nobles' conversation and came to inform you, Lady Linet.”
Judging by her furrowed brow, she hadn't completely let down her guard yet.
“And what is it you want, that you have sought me out?”
“I want the Estupina Ducal Family to become my backer.”
“A backer? Are you seeking a title?”
“Indeed. I desire a noble title.”
Amused, the Lady began to tap her fingers on the desk.
“Have you not already secured the backing of the Edelian Ducal Family? I heard the 1st Knight Order is making quite a fuss trying to recruit you.”
“That is not enough. I only have three years.”
“Three years? Is there a reason?”
“It is due to a personal promise. If you accept my proposal, I will bring you not just the information, but the Mandragora itself.”
Lady Linet abruptly stood up from her seat.
“Do you understand what it means to uproot a Mandragora when you say that?”
There was no way I didn't know. Anyone who uproots a Mandragora is cursed on the spot. The Mandragora, said to be capable of resurrecting the dead, carried a curse as immense as its overwhelming efficacy.
The curse's effect varied from person to person, but in the Lady's case, it was a curse that split her personality into three.
I replied calmly.
“Of course, I am aware of the curse. That is why I am offering to retrieve it in your stead.”
“Does a noble title hold that much value to you? Enough to bear a curse whose effects you do not even know?”
“Yes.”
A curse... Honestly, it didn't matter if I got cursed. A single sip of water from the Spring of Life in the Fairy Forest would cure it instantly. Naturally, I also knew the location of the Fairy Forest.
If it were up to me, I would head straight to the Spring of Life first, but sneaking in and getting caught would cause a massive headache. Therefore, I would get cursed first. That way, I'd have a plausible excuse later.
Lady Linet sat back down and spoke.
“I accept your proposal.”
“I will not disappoint your expectations, Lady Linet.”
With that final response, I left the room.
“Lady Micaris, would you like to have dinner together tonight?”
“If that is what you wish.”
Micaris always gave the same answer. 'If that is what you wish.' It was a pleasing response to hear, but not necessarily a good one. It meant she still couldn't voice her own opinions. Well, she would get better over time.
“What would you like to eat?”
“Are you buying again this time?”
“Because I want to treat you.”
As expected of Lady Micaris! She was so kind-hearted. Ever since the day we went to see the fireworks, Micaris had softened considerably. Did she enjoy our date that day? Her footsteps, which usually seemed so heavy, and her dark expression both felt like they had vanished.
“May I have the veal steak we had last time?”
“Sure. Order whatever else you want to eat.”
Wow! There were so many things I wanted to eat. Micaris ordered a simple course meal, while I ordered the veal steak and deep-fried beef from the cafeteria.
“I feel this every time, but the academy cafeteria's food is truly spectacular. I wish I could eat here every day.”
“Then eat with me from now on. I'll buy it for you anytime.”
“Really? Then I'm only going to eat with you from now on, okay?”
“Do as you please...”
The corners of Micaris's lips curled upward, looking pleased. I paused my fork and brought up the Mandragora issue to her.
“My Lady, I think I'll have to return to my family home next week for some business.”
Micaris stared at me with widened eyes.
“What? Why?”
“Something came up. But I'll be back soon.”
“What kind of business?”
“It's nothing major. You know my family is a family of adventurers, right? Think of it as a sort of family training.”
Seemingly reassured by the mention of my family, Micaris began to savor her food again.
“I don't need to worry, right?”
“Of course not. I'm going so that I can keep my promise to you, My Lady.”
“Wh-what...!”
Micaris's face flushed red. I loved that reaction, no matter how many times I saw it. It never got old.
“Actually, I made a deal with Lady Linet. She promised to help me obtain a noble title if I deliver on my end.”
“A deal? What kind of deal?”
“I just need to bring her a specific ingredient. I should be back sometime next week.”
“I see. As long as it's not dangerous, then it's fine.”
“But I'm worried about who you'll eat with while I'm gone, My Lady.”
Micaris's eyebrows twitched. Seizing the opportunity, I brought up Ronia.
“My Lady, why don't you try getting closer to Lady Ronia? You two did the Dungeon Practice together, after all...”
“I'm not very good at getting along with others... but if you say so, I'll try.”
“That's a great decision. By the time I return, I can look forward to us all having a meal together, right?”
“...Yes.”
Looking closely, Micaris's ears were red. Was she embarrassed? I wanted her to realize that I wasn't the only person she could rely on.
The women called villainesses in this world were actually all good people deep down. Just like the current Micaris.
I believed I had come to this world to make them happy.
“Shall we go if you're finished? I'll escort you to your room.”
“Yes. Let's go.”
Micaris naturally took my hand. She didn't say a single word during the escort. Her ears remained red, and I could feel her shyness radiating toward me.
“Then, please have a good night, My Lady!”
“Thank you for the escort.”
Micaris stepped into her room.
“Whew...”
I took a deep breath and steeled my resolve. There was no telling what kind of curse the Mandragora would inflict.
But my reason for going to retrieve the Mandragora despite the risk of being cursed wasn't simply to obtain a noble title.
Linet Estupina of the four great ducal families. As if being split into three personalities by the Mandragora's influence wasn't enough...
To make matters worse, the Crown Prince would attempt to assassinate her by serving her poisoned tea in order to break off their engagement.
She would barely survive, but the subsequent pressure from both the imperial family and her own household would drive all of her personalities completely insane. Utilizing her specialty in alchemy, she would go on to distribute lethal poisons, establish slave markets, and commit all sorts of crimes, eventually becoming a villainess known as the ruler of the underworld.
On top of that, kidnapping the original protagonist just because she didn't like him was a regular occurrence.
Honestly, it felt like the protagonist was the root of all evil, but I had no idea what the author was thinking when they designed this world.
I couldn't just stand by and watch the world fall into ruin.
'Only for the sake of the villainesses.'
“You want to request a temporary leave of absence?”
“Yes. I need to receive instruction at my family home, so I won't be able to attend the academy next week.”
The academy administrative official scratched his chin.
“Alright, I understand the reason, so have a safe trip. Ah, but make sure you're back in time for the exam period, okay?”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”
After visiting the administration office, I finished my preparations by packing my weapons and potions.
The place where the Mandragora grew was the Mountains of Howling. It earned its name because everyone who ventured there returned driven mad.
The reason was the Mandragora's influence. Harvesting a Mandragora induced severe hallucinations, triggering a person's deepest traumas and inducing intense terror—whether in the form of ghosts or magical beasts.
Because of this, there were neither humans nor magical beasts there, making it paradoxically safer than almost anywhere else.
As long as I kept my wits about me, there would be no problem.
And so, I set off for the Mountains of Howling.