The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 221

Not much was ever revealed about Selah Einer Kroel.

InAct 4, she was merely a character created to heighten the tragedy that unfolded at Rothstaylor Mansion, deepening the player’s sense of immersion.

Chasing after power, revering authority, and obsessing over one’s noble lineage—there was little about her that players could find endearing. When recalling how she was later devoured by the Evil God Mebula’s power, screaming as her life faded away, it was easy to understand why she had been portrayed that way.

Watching her abuse those beneath her through sheer authority, revealing a sly smile while pursuing overwhelming power… all of it was meant to give players a certain satisfaction when she was ultimately consumed by Mebula.

However, Princess Selah had survived.

The role meant to emphasize Mebula’s cruelty was no longer necessary. By failing to exit the story when she was supposed to, Princess Selah remained on the stage.

Regardless of perspective, she was a figure designed as a villain, as if painted onto a canvas.

Her role had been to reveal her dark side and then leave the scene with a horrific cry of despair.

By not leaving when she should have, she remained at the center of power within the imperial household, becoming far too great a variable.

That meant I couldn’t ignore her. At the very least, I had to ensure she wasn’t someone who would interfere with my plans.

“Forcing me to find you on my own. You should know that it’s a great honor.”

Her bluish hair, pale like frost, fell past her sharp jawline. Her cold, authoritative tone alone sent a chill through the air.

“It is an honor to see you again, Princess Selah.”

“You did something rather amusing.”

I slowly bowed my head to show respect for her personal visit.

Tanya, who had been staring at her shyly, bowed at the same time. Lucy, however, couldn’t have cared less.

Lucy Mayreel had stood head-on against an Evil God. There was no reason for her to back down or show respect toward a villain who had openly tried to tear me apart.

Seeing Lucy behave that way, Selah let out an alluring smile.

“Lucy Mayreel. I still remember how arrogant you were when you were summoned to the imperial household for investigation. You’re acting surprisingly tame now. Is it because of the man beside you? That’s hilarious.”

Just what had Lucy done in the imperial household for Princess Selah to criticize her so openly…?

I had heard that Princess Penia somehow managed to persuade Lucy to return to Acken Island with her. Before that, though, I’d only heard rumors of Lucy and Princess Selah engaging in an intense battle of nerves.

Even Lucy knew that deliberately harming a princess of the empire would amount to treason.

She must have been aware that force alone wouldn’t resolve anything.

That said, it didn’t seem like she had simply endured it either. Just as she had gone all-out against the Evil God Mebula, throwing spell after spell without hesitation, she must have run rampant through the imperial household as well. Seeing Princess Selah’s exhausted expression gave me a clear idea of just how much trouble Lucy had caused.

“Having Lucy Mayreel and Tanya Rothstaylor by your side, with Penia backing you… you’ve accomplished quite a bit for a boy your age. I had no idea you were so impressive back at Rothstaylor Mansion.”

On one side of me sat Lucy Mayreel, a genius magician. On the other was Tanya Rothstaylor, head of House Rothstaylor and the young student council president of Silvenia Academy.Hidden behind me was the support of the Princess of Benevolence, Penia.

From Princess Selah’s perspective, my actions must have seemed highly suspicious.

After all, there was no reason for someone as influential as myself to openly exalt Princess Selah’s name.

More than that, she was openly hostile toward House Rothstaylor, having established her political standing through opposition to its power.

So it was only natural for her to feel sharp suspicion when I was the one to extend a hand toward reconciliation.

“Thanks to you, I was able to save face today. It seems Father has begun to view me as more qualified for the position of monarch. You have helped me greatly.”

She began with those words.

“But you didn’t think I would gladly thank you and reward you right away, did you?”

As Princess Selah looked down at me with an intimidating posture, there wasn’t even a shred of goodwill in her voice.

An impregnable princess with an unshakeable sense of pride.

Many must have bowed at her feet, kissed her toes, and begged for her favor—but none could ever change that cold gaze.

To her, people were merely tools for success. Anyone she treated kindly was simply someone useful to her ambitions.

Natural talent, noble lineage, and utility—those were her measures. She didn’t despise those who flattered her; rather, she trusted those who lived by pleasing others even less.

With that thought, I slowly closed my eyes, then opened them again.

I had seen countless people like her.

Selah had lived her entire life near the pinnacle of power within the imperial household. She must have encountered every type of person imaginable.

Because of her arrogance and authority, there were surely those who bowed eagerly for a chance to share her power.

And since she viewed people as tools, there must also have been righteous individuals who opposed her, driven by burning ideals of justice.

Rewarding those who admired her and making those who opposed her regret it—that was likely how she ruled.

Controlling such people wasn’t as difficult as one might think.

However, for those who lived by controlling others, the thing they feared most was the unknown.

A person with clear intentions was easy to deal with.

But someone who could be either ally or enemy—someone whose difficulty, loyalty, and motives were uncertain—such ambiguity unsettled those in power.

“Of course not. I was merely paying my respects to Princess Selah.”

I spoke calmly, keeping my head lowered.

Even though I was certain she wore an arrogant expression, I could also sense her vigilance.

There was always suspicion in the gaze of someone looking down upon a subordinate.

After all, those in power constantly had to decide whether the people beneath them would be assets or poisons.

Bringing the wrong person under one’s command only planted seeds of chaos that could destroy everything they had built.

“Why did you openly support me? I was openly hostile toward you and your house.”

“When I make judgments, I don’t consider emotions, nor do I dwell on politics. There is only one basis for my decisions.”

Humans were deceitful creatures, driven by a desire for what they could not possess.

“Who deserves to be emperor? I simply judged that you, Princess Selah, are the right person for the position.”

“You certainly have a way with words. You’re exactly the sort of person people would want beside them when they wish to hear something pleasant.”

Her sly smile made the hidden meaning clear—anyone could say such things.

“But if you truly believed that, you wouldn’t have supported Penia in the first place.”

“If that’s what you believe, then I have nothing more to say. Whether you trust me or not, I will continue to act according to my own convictions.”

“Well, I never expected you to say that. Still, thanks to you speaking my name, my standing has risen considerably. For that alone, you have my gratitude.”

For someone with such overwhelming pride, even expressing gratitude was a major concession.

That was all, however.

“Still, if you thought you could win my favor this way, you are gravely mistaken. I never accept favors whose motives I do not understand.”

“Is that so? Then that’s unfortunate.”

After our brief exchange, Princess Selah folded her arms and regarded me with clear dissatisfaction.

She showed no unnecessary emotion. Regret, anxiety, resentment—none of those would serve her here.

And so, that was that.

I had formally praised Princess Selah and dedicated the honor of the duel to her. She saw no reason to probe any further.

Thus, our battle of intentions came to an end.

***

“You are always working so hard, Young Master Ziggs.”

“Not at all. Miss Bell, you are the one who works tirelessly managing Ophelis Hall.”

Bell disliked being spoken to so respectfully by the person she directly served. Ideally, she wished he would speak more casually.

However, Ziggs merely smiled politely, seemingly unaware of her feelings.

After the intense war of nerves with Princess Selah, the pursuers finally arrived once the remaining duels concluded.

Ziggs had been watching the matches, while Bell was already an unrivaled expert when it came to chasing Lucy.

When the two crossed paths while pursuing Tanya and Lucy, they exchanged looks of strange camaraderie.

I had no idea why everyone around me kept forming bonds for such pointless reasons.

“I assume you’re here for Lady Tanya.”

“And you’ve come for Lucy, Miss Bell.”

They exchanged sympathetic looks, finished their greetings, and proceeded with their respective duties.

I nodded and handed over the missing items—Tanya and Lucy.

“What happened?”

Bell asked as she grabbed Lucy, sensing something was off. Normally, Lucy would allow herself to be dragged away blankly, but today she was clearly irritated.

“Princess Selah spoke with me briefly. She sat beside me the entire time.”

“…That must not have been pleasant.”

“Well, politics rarely are.”

“…I don’t like that girl. I hate her.”

Lucy pouted openly. Given our opposing political positions, mutual wariness was inevitable.

“After you won your duel, I was surprised to see you dedicate your victory to Princess Selah.”

“That’s understandable.”

“…I’m not sure how you’ll take this, but I’m not convinced that approach will work on Princess Selah.”

Ziggs hesitated before continuing.

“She’s full of pride. Rather than repaying a debt, it might look like you were positioning her to owe you instead.”

Speaking so boldly about the imperial family was dangerous, yet Ziggs trusted everyone present.

“Wouldn’t it come across as you judging her worthy—rather than the other way around?”

“I had my doubts as well, but Princess Penia insisted this was the correct course.”

I answered while trying to lift Tanya off the bench. She clung stubbornly, clearly unwilling to move.

“At the very least, she understands Princess Selah better than I do. I decided to trust her judgment.”

“I see. If that’s your decision, then I understand… President, let’s go. There’s still plenty of festival work left.”

“But… Ziggs, do you know how much is left?”

“I’m sure Anise does. Besides, that’s irrelevant.”

“W-What? Why?”

“Because no matter what, you won’t finish it all today.”

Tanya froze as Ziggs grabbed her hand. I felt as though I were handing my own sister over to the devil—but it couldn’t be helped.

“Well then, I’ll be heading out too. The festival’s still ongoing, so do your best.”

I hadn’t been able to enjoy much of it myself. Still, I hoped to savor the ending.

Princess Selah might remain at Silvenia for some time. If she did, she would surely gather information on me, analyzing my motives.

“You don’t need to do anything. If you simply remain still… my sister Selah will handle the rest.”

It was rare for Princess Penia to speak so firmly. Perhaps I should trust her completely.

Even so, I didn’t understand what she meant.

I bid farewell to Bell and Ziggs, who departed with Lucy and Tanya.

Left alone, I sat quietly in the waiting room hallway. With time before the emperor’s arrival, it was a perfect moment to rest.

Just as I was about to lie back, Bell—who had been leaving with Lucy—turned around and re-entered the room.

“Ah, Young Master Ed. I forgot to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“Well, actually—”

Thud!

The waiting room door suddenly flew open.

***

“They’re not here…!”

Yennekar’s complexion drained of color.

The arena was packed with people eager to catch a glimpse of the emperor and princesses.

The academic staff and student council struggled to maintain order.

Cheers praising Emperor Kroel echoed everywhere.

Yennekar had planned to bring her parents to see the emperor from afar after spotting Ed Rothstaylor.

Yet in the blink of an eye, Orte and Saila vanished.

They wouldn’t wander off on their own. They barely understood Silvenia’s layout.

Anxiety surged through her chest.

Her energetic countryside parents, unable to restrain themselves from meeting Ed Rothstaylor at last—

They had traveled all this way with gifts. Surely that alone wouldn’t stop them.

Realizing the gift boxes were gone as well, Yennekar knew her fears had come true.

***

“Young Master Ed! What an honor to meet you! I’m Yennekar’s father, Orte! We live in Pulan! We couldn’t let your kindness go unthanked!”

“H-Honey! Where are your manners?! Please forgive him, Young Master Ed! He milks cows all day and knows nothing of noble etiquette! I’m no better myself…”

The couple, Orte and Saila Palerover, looked every bit like rural villagers.

“How did you get here?”

“There’s no need for formalities! Speak casually with us! I know my place!”

“Y-Yes! No need to be polite—especially to him!”

“W-Wait, Saila…”

They placed a beautifully wrapped gift on the table.

“Our ranch’s finest cattle! Even nobles seek it out!”

They mistook Bell Maya for my servant. I didn’t correct them.

“I-I understand.”

Bell rarely stuttered. She looked anxious.

Of course, I understood why.

“Yennekar is a close friend of mine. She’s hardworking, kind, and talented.”

Their reaction was explosive.

“She’s helped me greatly—with magic, housekeeping, and more. You raised her well.”

Orte nearly burst with joy.

When Bell panicked later and insisted they must never come to my camp, I understood immediately.

Those two absolutely could not be allowed anywhere near it.