The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 239

A grand carriage bearing the engraved symbol of the imperial family lay toppled at the side of the road.

The once beautifully decorated carriage was now stained with dirt and blood, rendered utterly filthy. Its wheels had fallen off and were rolling through the grass, and the door rattled uselessly, barely clinging to its hinges. It was difficult to even call it a carriage anymore.

Holding up the hem of her dress, Selah Einer Kroel hid behind the wreckage of the fallen carriage.

Two of the five escorts assigned to Princess Selah had already died. The coachman had also met a tragic end after they were attacked by monsters.

Princess Selah frowned as she glanced at the remaining wheel still attached to the carriage. She then asked the escort knights who were still alive, “The royal residence was attacked? Then Father’s safety is at risk.”

“Yes. That’s correct. Fortunately, there were few monsters near us, so we managed to survive. However, I’ve heard that a large number of powerful monsters are raiding the royal residence.”

Princess Selah shut her eyes tightly, contemplating the situation.

All around her lay the corpses of various monsters. Though they had been relatively weak, the number alone would have been difficult for five escorts to handle.

Although she had somehow managed to survive, hearing that the royal residence had been breached felt like a heavy weight pressing down on her chest.

Her butler, Dest, cleaned his blood-stained rapier before sheathing it and bowing politely.

“Judging from the messenger pigeon we received, it seems they are somehow maintaining their defensive line. But… it appears that Princess Penia’s head escort, Claire, has died.”

“I see… Penia has lost a powerful ally. That knight was always on Penia’s side… This will surely have a major impact on the race for the throne…”

After saying that, Selah looked up at the sky, which seemed like the very embodiment of hell.

She spoke again. “With things like this… I wonder if the race for the throne is even important.”

“Princess Selah, what should we do? We’ve received word that several garrison camps have been established across the campus. One is in the student square, and another is on the east side of the commercial district. If we head to one of them and join forces, it will be safer.”

“You’re speaking nonsense, Dest. My father’s safety isn’t secured, yet you’re telling me to run away to a safe place on my own?”

Selah grabbed his collar as she scolded him.

“You idiot.”

“I apologize.”

“I am a member of the royal family. Even if I bleed or meet my death, I must head toward the royal residence. I need to confirm my father’s safety.”

They had already traveled quite a long distance from the royal residence, even by horse-drawn carriage. However, it was still close enough that she could make the journey back on foot.

The real problem was whether they could break through the countless monsters they would inevitably encounter along the way.

Having barely survived once already, all of her escorts were exhausted. Her butler, Dest, was in relatively good condition, but there was no way he could deal with such numbers alone.

“Somehow, we need to come up with a way…”

Just as Selah scratched her chin and was about to sink into thought—

Boom! Kwaaaakakaka!Booooooom!

A thunderous crash echoed through the area.

It sounded as though something massive had fallen onto the grassy road leading toward the education district. Princess Selah and her companions could clearly see what it was. A massive Archaeopteryx spirit slammed into the ground, grievously injured.

“K-Keuk!”

Yennekar Palerover clutched Ed Rothstaylor tightly as they hit the ground.

She cradled Ed’s head firmly in her arms. He was unconscious. Though she herself looked utterly exhausted, she forced herself to gather more magical power.

Only then did Princess Selah look back up at the sky. An overwhelming number of flying monsters were chasing after Yennekar.

At that moment, the sky above Acken Island was no different from hell itself. Thousands of monsters rained down from above, attacking people indiscriminately.

Yennekar Palerover had somehow fought her way through all of them. Even as an Elementalist capable of commanding hundreds of spirits at once, what she had done was reckless beyond reason.

The wind spirit that had crashed to the ground was barely breathing, its body riddled with wounds.

Even so, it struggled to lift its wings, desperately trying to shield Yennekar.

“Princess Selah! Monsters are attacking again! You must hide in the carriage immediately!”

“I’ll break the glass! Please crawl inside!”

The soldiers shouted urgently. The number of flying monsters pursuing Yennekar was extraordinary.

Giant bats, gremlins, chimeras, and countless other grotesque creatures filled the air. Each one bore a horrifying appearance. Simply looking at them was enough to instill terror. Nevertheless, Yennekar raised her head without hesitation.

Holding Ed tightly with one arm, she stretched the other toward the sky.

A tortoise-shaped spirit with an enormous shell rose to its feet, unleashing a torrent of magic. A massive wave of light swept through the sky, blasting the monsters away.

After erasing dozens of monsters in an instant, Yennekar lowered her head, gasping for breath.

Perhaps because they had passed through a dense stretch of forest, no additional monsters pursued them.

One by one, the spirits vanished. All that remained was a girl bowing her head while holding a boy who had lost consciousness.

“Th-That…”

The soldiers watching the scene were struck dumb with disbelief. Judging by the school uniform visible beneath her shawl, she was clearly a student—yet her power was utterly unbelievable.

Yennekar, however, was completely drained. She could barely move her own body. With weary, bloodshot eyes, she kept one hand on Ed’s head as she scanned her surroundings with the vigilance of a cornered beast.

That was when her gaze met Princess Selah’s.

Princess Selah motioned for the guards to lower their weapons as she slowly approached Yennekar.

Yennekar glared at her fiercely, hugging Ed even tighter.

With all order having collapsed, it was impossible to trust anyone blindly.

In particular, Princess Selah was someone who had long been hostile toward Ed. Yennekar was not the type who easily harbored malice, but when it came to protecting the injured Ed, she could not afford to ignore even the smallest threat.

“That man in your arms… is that Ed Rothstaylor?”

Princess Selah herself was far from her usual state.

She was someone who would normally grow irritated by even a speck of dust on her clothes. Now, however, she was covered in grime from head to toe, struggling merely to survive.

Even so, she continued to speak with arrogance, showing no intention of lowering her royal dignity.

“I don’t know what happened, but he appears to be seriously injured.”

“D-Don’t… come any closer.”

“Don’t come closer…? Hah… In a situation like this, even someone like you dares to act as though you hold authority. With order broken, I suppose it’s a chance for someone as lowly as you to stand before me.”

“Now that order has collapsed, it must be your chance, as a so-called genius, to measure yourself against me.”

Princess Selah smiled incredulously, but Yennekar remained on guard.

“You’re the plaything I saw at the Rothstaylor mansion. Unfortunately, it seems you still harbor feelings for him. He is an impressive man, but… you should have chosen someone more suited to you.”

“……”

“It’s unwise to act hostile toward me. Do you really think glaring at me improves this situation?”

Even as the world fell apart, Princess Selah’s arrogance remained intact.

The pride engraved within her would not crumble so easily.

“If you truly wished to, you could kill me right now. With order on Acken Island gone, I no longer hold power over you. So, will you kill me? Will you harm me?”

“To be honest… I don’t care about that.”

Yennekar had never even considered such things.

She closed her eyes, lowered her head, and spoke quietly.

“At this rate, Ed will die.”

Ed was bleeding profusely in her arms.

Yennekar was powerful, but she lacked any talent for treating wounds. With the academy thrown into chaos, she had no idea where to go to save him.

Even if she did know, there was no guarantee she could get him there safely.

Suddenly, Yennekar burst into tears.

“You may not know this, but after staying by his side for so long, I understand this well. Ed is deeply pessimistic about life. Yet when his life is truly at stake, he steels himself and somehow survives.”

The hostility Yennekar had shown earlier vanished entirely, leaving Princess Selah slightly taken aback.

“For someone who struggles every day just to survive, it’s too cruel for him to die like this. He can’t die like this.”

She could not afford to sit and cry while watching Ed bleed to death.

She needed to find a way to save him—quickly. That was why she clenched her teeth, holding herself together.

But human emotions could not be so easily restrained.

Even as she bit her lip and pressed down on Ed’s wounds to slow the bleeding, her tears continued to fall.

“More than anyone else, Ed can’t die like this. He’s someone who survives by clenching his teeth through everything. That’s why… he can’t die.”

Yennekar begged. She prayed that God would hear her and spare his life.

But the world was vast, and people were countless—like ants. She knew all too well that she was not a protagonist on that stage.

Like everyone else, she was merely an extra whose pleas would go unheard. More often than not, blood, sweat, and tears went unrewarded.

Not every wish came true.

Some were given everything, while others were denied the single wish they clung to their entire lives.

Yennekar understood that the world was unfair.

Even so, Ed Rothstaylor was not someone who should die so easily.

Yennekar Palerover knew how desperately he struggled to survive.

If God truly existed, He could not ignore such a wish. Ed had never asked for much.

Every night, he sat quietly by the campfire, staring into the flickering flames, whispering to himself,I hope I can survive another day.

Every night, Yennekar sat in her pajamas on her knees behind her cabin door, listening. And every time, she thought the same thing.

It wasn’t a grand wish—just the natural desire to live one more day.

No one could say that Ed’s wish was arrogant or excessive.

“Please save Ed.”

Her lips trembled as she fought back sobs, but she still looked Princess Selah in the eyes and spoke as an equal.

“I don’t care if you insult me or look down on me. But… right now… I don’t know what to do. Nothing else matters…”

“……”

“Please… help Ed…”

As the princess of the empire, she might have a solution.

Ed Rothstaylor’s blood soaked into Yennekar’s uniform, but she didn’t care as she held his head close.

Princess Selah swallowed hard, cold sweat breaking out across her skin.

She shook her head to steady herself, then looked down at Ed’s battered body.

He was the boy who had always sat across from her, always speaking Penia’s name no matter how much she tried to sway him.

Seeing that reliable, determined boy so broken stirred conflicting emotions within her.

It felt as though she was witnessing a side of him that should never exist.

Yet now… perhaps… she could become his savior.

She was surprised by the thought, but the fact that she could think so clearly in this situation meant she still retained her composure.

“Dest!”

At Selah’s call, the butler rushed forward and examined Ed.

Yennekar loosened her grip, revealing Ed’s bloodied face.

Dest quickly checked his pulse, examined his wounds, and assessed the bleeding before reporting grimly.

“Dark red Celestial Magic residue remains across his body. It appears he fought an opponent capable of advanced magic. His physical injuries are severe. If left like this, he won’t last long.”

At those words, Yennekar’s face went pale.

Princess Selah, however, remained outwardly composed.

“From my perspective, whether this man lives or dies… means nothing to me.”

She spoke bluntly.

Yet as she looked down at his blood-soaked face, unfamiliar anger and irritation welled up within her. She closed her eyes tightly before continuing.

“And with the academy in chaos, finding medical personnel won’t be easy. With the royal residence under attack, there must already be hundreds of casualties in the student plaza and commercial district. It’s unlikely there’s anyone available.”

“……”

“On top of that, a dragon is rampaging through the sky while monsters rain down and slaughter people. We can’t move freely. To believe we could secure proper treatment under these conditions is nothing but arrogance. Even I, a member of the royal family, am covered in wounds… and yet you think it’s possible to save him?”

She took a deep breath, forcing the words out.

“Give up on his life! Rather than clinging to a pointless hope, it would be better—!”

Phsssk!

Blood suddenly sprayed from Ed’s wounds.

Though he had avoided the full force of the Celestial Magic Instant Death, the aftermath had left his body riddled with injuries. The cursed dark red magic lingering within him caused his wounds to tear open, blood pouring out.

Blood splattered across Selah’s face as she leaned in.

“—!”

Her eyes widened in shock as she reflexively pressed her hands over the wound.

Ed’s blood soaked into the hem of her dress and her sleeves, yet she stepped forward without hesitation.

“Wh-What were you doing? Why didn’t you dress his wounds?! Is this the time to be spacing out?!”

“…Ah—!”

Yennekar gasped as Selah tore strips from the edge of her own skirt and bound Ed’s wounds, pressing down firmly.

The princess of the empire, clad in a dress worth countless fortunes, stained it with blood as she worked alongside Yennekar to stop the bleeding.

Yennekar stared at her, stunned.

Dest, watching nearby, was equally astonished.

For reasons she herself could not explain, Princess Selah continued to press down desperately.

As the situation grew more critical, her heart pounded and her eyes widened, yet she kept working with a confused expression—as though she didn’t understand her own actions.

Yennekar looked at Selah, thinking the very same thing.

***

I needed to organize the information I had gathered, despite my blurred consciousness.

My body burned, as though set ablaze by the blood loss. But it wasn’t over yet.

The fact that I could think meant I was still alive. And as long as I was alive, I needed to think.

Even as cursed magic wracked my body with pain, I clung to my sanity.

I knew that if I let my consciousness slip for even a moment, I might never open my eyes again.

I needed to think.

Why had Silvenia Robester—a figure from the distant past—suddenly appeared at the academy?

The first possibility was Celestial Magic.

Silvenia had reached the pinnacle of Celestial Magic, a power capable of manipulating time and space.

Yet I had never heard of it allowing someone to leap into the future.

Not from my game knowledge, nor from what I had learned after crossing into this world.

Still, it wouldn’t be strange if Silvenia Robester, a pioneer of Celestial Magic, had discovered such a spell.

Not merely observing the future—but traveling to it.

If that were possible… then why had Silvenia feared the future so deeply? If she feared it, why not simply skip past it?

As I thought about it, the future she saw began to take shape in my mind.

A future of endless darkness.

That fear was said to be what drove her mad.

She had likely glimpsed a future drowned in absolute darkness.

But that fear… it was something she must have carried even back then.

The first time she peered into the future, that overwhelming dread must have weighed heavily on her.

Yet she hadn’t been consumed by it immediately.

Instead, she spent years struggling to escape the promised apocalypse.

If that was the case, then why had she gone completely insane?

If Silvenia had leapt from the distant past to the present, shouldn’t she still be the same woman—fighting against despair?

But the Silvenia who destroyed Trix Hall was utterly dominated by fear.

She screamed that instead of living in terror of inevitable death, it would be better to be slaughtered by Velbrok.

Something was missing.

Why had Silvenia gone mad?

Was it the influence of Celestial Magic itself?

Despite her mastery of it, was she still unable to escape the future she saw?

And now, what was her goal?

Was it truly just to fully release Velbrok and die together?

Then why were chains still bound around Velbrok?

Too many questions remained unanswered.

Yet even without all the answers, countermeasures could still be taken.

The fact that something remained hidden suggested there was still a solution.

So I couldn’t give up on surviving.

Even as my body burned, I refused to die.

At last, this was the final obstacle.

There were only two conditions for victory.

Defeat Velbrok.Defeat the Great Sage Silvenia.

I could leave the former to Taylee.

The latter… I had to face myself.

There were countless variables, but Taylee had somehow grown strong enough to cut through Velbrok’s heart.

And the original members who subjugated Velbrok—

Ayla, Ziggs, Clevius, Elvira, Lortel, and Penia.

Seven individuals, each with their own role.

If those six gathered alongside Taylee, Velbrok could be defeated.

It would have been better to have more allies, but even assembling them would be difficult.

All I could do was trust Taylee.

Still, Silvenia remained.

Facing her alone again would be suicidal.

InSilvenia’s Failed Swordmaster, the extras never stood on the final stage… but that didn’t matter.

I had to gather allies—people I had met as Ed Rothstaylor.

Maybe every hardship I endured had been for this moment.

The thought made me laugh weakly, even through the pain.

It was time to gamble everything in this cursed world.

I clenched my teeth and focused.

Little by little, my consciousness returned.

“But… we can’t… have to… commercial district…!”

Yennekar’s faint voice reached me.

As my eyelids slowly opened, blood-soaked bangs blurred my vision.

My hearing returned just in time to catch Princess Selah’s voice.

“It’ll be difficult to head to the commercial district. I need to go to the royal residence immediately. With it under attack, I don’t know what happened to my father or Penia. It’s unreasonable to ask me to go elsewhere!”

“Th-Then… does the royal residence have medical personnel?”

“If they’re alive… then probably. But nothing is guaranteed! Still—if you want my help, you’ll have to come with me to the royal residence. If the medical staff are there, I promise to do everything I can to keep him alive!”

Yennekar held her breath.

I coughed.

“E-Ed…!”

I forced out the words.

“Go… to… royal… residence…”

That was my decision.

Princess Selah looked down at me, relief flashing across her face.

“Of course! Even like this, you made the right choice! Did you hear that? The man you claimed you couldn’t live without said it himself!”

My head was foggy, but I understood.

If Selah was right… then I had to trust her judgment.

“Ed Rothstaylor! You’ve finally admitted I was right! Remember this—I’m the one who saved your life. Don’t forget that you owe me!”

“P-Penia…”

“…What?”

Penia Elias Kroel was essential.

“We must… save… Princess Penia…”

“Still saying that name?! Are you serious?! Enough already!!”

Princess Selah screamed as she pressed down on my wounds.

My head throbbed from her shrill voice.