I'm an Extra, so What?

After all the grueling sets were finally completed—

The classes transitioned to laps.

Students jogged in uneven circles around the field, their tired breaths mixing with the steady rhythm of pounding feet.

At the very front of the pack was Arthur, drenched in sweat.

His face was flushed, his hair clinging to his forehead, and his steps were increasingly sluggish.

The sword strapped to his back felt like it weighed a ton.

Every bounce with each step made it more unbearable.

"Fucking hell…" Arthur muttered between ragged breaths, "I feel like I'm gonna pass out…"

Nike was directly behind him, barely winded.

Her steps were light, almost effortless, as though the physical activity barely registered.

She shot her childhood friend a deadpan look and rolled her eyes.

"Maybe if you hadn't stopped chanting like a moron, you'd have been allowed a break before the laps."

Arthur huffed, shaking his head with a frustrated scoff.

"I couldn't help it," he said, his voice still catching on every breath.

"It's like… my eyes are obsessed with the Second Princess!"

Arthur turned his head back over his shoulder—

Scanning through the line of his peers until his eyes landed on the very source of his distress: Luka.

Jogging casually, not even looking winded—

Luka ran beside the Second Princess.

Their pace matched perfectly, and worse, they actually seemed to be talking—smiling even.

Arthur's eye twitched.

His face darkened.

'Lucky bastard…!' he cursed inwardly, grinding his teeth so hard it was a miracle they didn't chip.

Nike let out a long sigh.

'Here he goes again…' she thought, completely used to this routine of her childhood friend obsessing over the unattainable.

And yet… something in her chest stirred—not quite jealousy, not quite frustration, but something that made her chest tighten just a little.

She wanted to say something.

A sharp jab, a sarcastic remark—anything to pull her childhood friend out of his delusional daydreaming.

But in the end, she said nothing.

Instead, Nike slowed her pace, letting the space between her and Arthur grow.

She didn't want to be near him while he was like this.

Not today.

Arthur didn't even notice.

He was too consumed by the sight of Luka beside the Second Princess.

Too far gone in his own head to realize his own childhood friend was drifting farther and farther away.

"Hmm?" Luka tilted his head slightly as the voice of the system resounded inside his mind.

[A Heroine's relationship with the Main Character has been damaged]

[500 Fate has been deducted from the Main Character]

[98,000 Fate remaining]

'Holy shit… this dumb bastard.' Luka thought to himself, as he showed a small smile.

"What? Did I say something funny?" Charlotte asked, as she suddenly saw him show a smile.

"No, no. It's just… Here, just look forward." Luka said, as he pointed.

Charlotte did as she was told and followed his eyes as she looked froward and saw the same old eyes that had been staring at her the entire time.

"Uh… What an annoying insect."

She then turned her attenton to her maids who all were behind her.

She clapped her hands together.

"Get in front of us," Charlotte ordered.

"At once, ma'am." The maids all responded in unsion, as they all picked up the paste and went a little faster as they got in front of her, and was acting as a private barrier.

In which ,Arthur who now couldn't see the Second Princess was disappointed, as he let out a sigh and turned his attention forward.

"That was smart." Luka glanced over.

Charlotte met his eyes. "I finally feel a little free from those eyes."

Suddenly—

"Excuse me…" a voice called out.

Both Luka and Charlotte turned their heads forward, spotting a young woman with a slightly awkward expression.

Nike.

Her steps slowed as she reached them, and her gaze settled on Luka.

"If you don't mind," she said, her voice tentative, "may I speak with you… for a moment?"

Luka blinked.

Of all people, Nike—a main heroine—was talking to him.

The surprise caught him off guard.

"Uh… sure," Luka replied, a little cautious.

"What's up?"

Charlotte stayed silent, a spark of curiosity in her eyes.

She leaned slightly to the side, clearly invested in whatever was about to go down.

Given Nike's history with Arthur, she half-expected something melodramatic.

But instead—

"Did you steal the last slice of pizza from Arthur?"

Luka blinked. "Huh?"

A second passed.

Then he let out a short, incredulous laugh.

"Are you serious right now?"

He wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye as he chuckled again.

"That's what this is about? He actually said that? What a fucking bastard."

Nike sighed, her shoulders falling just slightly. "So it wasn't true…"

"Nope. He was actually the one who took it."

"I figured," Nike said, shaking her head. "He's just been acting… weird lately."

She hesitated for a second, like she was debating whether to say more.

Her expression softened, almost guilty.

"Sorry to bother you. I just… wanted to make sure."

Luka shrugged. "No harm done. It was worth it for the laugh."

As Nike began making distance—

"Hey, why aren't you responding—…?"

Up at the front, Arthur wiped the sweat off his brow, panting heavily.

As he jogged, he threw a quick glance over his shoulder—and froze.

His childhood friend wasn't there.

His eyes darted around in confusion before he finally spotted her—running away from Luka and the Second Princess.

A thick vein pulsed on his forehead.

"What the fuck?" Arthur muttered aloud.

"She better not have been talking to him!"

He slowed his pace, letting several students jog past him, until he was next to his childhood friend.

"Hey!" Arthur said, out of breath but forcing himself forward.

"Why were you in the back?"

Nike didn't look at him.

Her eyes stayed ahead, her expression unreadable.

"It's none of your business," she said flatly.

Arthur blinked. "None of my—? I'm your childhood friend! Of course it's my business!"

"Please…" Nike sighed.

"You're just jealous I spoke to him."

Arthur's eyes widened. "So you did talk to him?!"

He bit his lip.

"Whatever he said—it's a lie. You know that, right? Also, did he force you to talk to him? Be honest. If he did anything weird—anything—I'll protect you."

"…" Nike turned to him then, and something about the look in his eyes made her uneasy.

There was a flicker of intensity there—almost manic.

"N—No," Nike said slowly.

"He didn't force me. I went to talk to him because I wanted to—"

Arthur cut her off—

"You don't have to say another word. I understand…"

But he didn't understand…

Not really.

In Arthur's head, the truth had already twisted into something else.

'That bastard really did force her to speak to him…'