How to Survive as a Trash Extra Villain

Chapter 95

Coffee Exploration Club.

Suspended during the vacation due to the Marquis Vistavern’s terror incident, it resumed with the start of the semester.

But the participants were mostly the protagonist party.

So, the club room was practically dominated by them.

“Hehe.”

Mary sat in a corner, polishing the pistol with a handkerchief as if it were a sacred relic.

It gleamed so brightly it reflected sunlight, almost blinding.

“…Martin, you know.”

Bord, watching quietly, muttered.

“He’s not such a bad guy, is he?”

Gilbert, facing him, remained silent.

During the vacation, he had fought Martin.

It was a bloody battle, hardly a spar.

Facing Martin as an enemy was truly troublesome.

In the first clash, I landed a punch under Martin’s chin.

He staggered, disoriented.

It was probably like that throughout the fight.

I thought it’d end quickly.

But Martin’s subsequent evasive maneuvers were so dazzling, I wondered if I was the one being toyed with.

His cadet uniform’s protective magic was long destroyed, and his body was riddled with wounds.

If Lina hadn’t stopped us, what would’ve happened?

Could I beat him if we fought again?

No, the premise is wrong.

Fighting him was… the wrong choice to begin with.

At least in the Marquis Vistavern terror incident, Martin did nothing wrong.

In fact, he saved countless people.

I, crushed by defeat, turned on Martin…

“Gilbert? Are you listening?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

Bord looked at Gilbert and chuckled.

“For real?”

“…No. Sorry. I was lost in thought.”

He didn’t say what he was thinking, but Bord knew.

Lina, writing schedules on the wall, Elisha, sipping tea, and Mary, cleaning her revolver, all knew.

‘Cadet Martin, huh.’

‘He’s thinking about Cadet Martin.’

‘It’s Martin, isn’t it?’

‘It’s probably Cadet Martin…’

Though they’d known Gilbert for just over half a year, the five understood each other like it was fate.

They knew Gilbert fought Martin and were waiting for him to open up about it.

“…Um, you know.”

As Gilbert spoke, everyone perked up their ears.

“About the Marquis Vistavern incident.”

That day was practically a taboo for them.

The biggest failure in their 17 years of life, rarely brought up.

But they all listened eagerly, as if they’d been waiting.

“Actually, back then…”

How could they have known how arduous it would be to reach that apology?

***

Walking through a damp, filthy sewer filled with grime.

Even the dark, gloomy air couldn’t compare to the mood of the robed woman.

After winding through the paths, she reached the deepest part and struck the wall hard.

A mechanism activated, stopping the flow of sewage as the floor began to open.

“….”

The woman jumped down without hesitation.

As she landed, the passage closed, and sewage flowed again.

‘Of all places, here?’

She’d thought it countless times, but it was a truly filthy hideout.

It’d be a lie to say she had no complaints.

‘At least there’s a hideout.’

The heart of the world.

The capital of the Imperium Empire.

But this place was originally a military warehouse of the Defardly Empire 1,000 years ago.

‘I will fulfill our ancestors’ will.’

Though the empire fell and 1,000 years passed.

‘We still carry on.’

The continent calls us relics of the past.

‘We’re still here.’

She strode through the corridor without hesitation.

For the culmination of living in hiding, preserving their legacy.

At the corridor’s end was a red door with a black raven.

“…!”

“…!”

Polite but heated voices came from within.

It was obvious who they were.

The two pillars of the Defardly Empire Liberation Army: the Chancellor and the Knight Commander.

‘Those two are always fighting.’

Their opinions never aligned.

‘It’s time for me to step in.’

At least they stopped fighting when I appeared.

I boldly opened the door, and hundreds of people stood to greet me.

“Welcome!”

They say even a rich family lasts three generations after ruin.

“The legitimate heir of the Defardly Empire! Accompanied by the black raven!”

An empire that once sought to conquer the continent by force.

“We greet Princess Anette!”

Even 1,000 years after the Universal Independence War, when the nation fell and its people were driven out, the Defardly Empire maintained its imperial bloodline.

“All, be at ease.”

As Princess Anette removed her robe, glossy black hair, like raven feathers, cascaded down.

Her ruby-like red eyes scanned the room.

The true heir of Defardly.

The only remaining imperial bloodline on the continent.

Princess Anette gazed straight ahead with her red eyes.

“…The deal has been made.”

I announced news that was both joyous and deeply unsettling.

“Ohh!”

“Finally!”

“We are deeply grateful!”

Amid my vassals’ cheers, I suppressed the urge to let my shoulders and lips rise in pride.

For the dignity of a princess?

No.

…Well, partly, but that wasn’t the core.

Above all, the terms of the contract… were deeply troubling.

‘As expected.’

The Chancellor, who pushed for this alliance, was smiling, while the Knight Commander, though displeased, hid it.

‘This time, something’s off.’

I wanted to side with the Knight Commander.

‘But it’s the Chancellor.’

The top contributor leading the Liberation Army’s administration.

‘I have to trust him.’

Taking a deep breath, I declared,

“The demon worshippers have agreed to attack Imperium Academy.”

Joining hands with demon worshippers.

Is it morally right?

Attacking an academy full of young students felt wrong.

Even as I spoke, I wrestled with doubts.

“Meanwhile, we’ll infiltrate Imperium Academy for a pincer operation.”

Seeing my vassals’ joy, I felt I was bearing the weight on my shoulders, unable to stop.

Young Princess Anette had always been a burden, a nuisance.

“For the opportunity we’ve awaited for ages has finally come. The Emperor of Imperium is frail, and Princess Adela and Prince Kazaks are at Imperium Academy, away from the imperial palace. With the Cosmos Empire gone, if we sever Imperium’s bloodline…”

For those who protected me like a treasure since childhood.

“The Defardly Empire will rise again.”

***

“A black raven on a red background and a white dove with a golden crown on a golden background.”

An elderly history teacher wrote on the blackboard, lecturing in a slow tone.

The cadets were dying of boredom.

“These were the flags of the Defardly Empire, a key player in the Universal Independence War, and the original Allied Forces’ flag. Later, when First Emperor Hamerd founded the Imperium Empire, they inherited the Allied Forces’ flag, claiming their legitimacy. Now it’s an eagle, not a dove, signifying that since the Cosmos Empire, Imperium has risen to the pinnacle of the continent.”

‘Boring.’

I’m not trying to disparage the class.

But thanks to Know-It-All, anything I see once is etched in my memory forever, so… it’s hard not to be bored.

‘Of course, the Defardly Empire is important.’

As seen in the Dungeon Tournament, it was an empire that sought to unify the continent.

Without the hero Hamerd, who knows what would’ve happened.

‘They still exist. Their remnants.’

A group unable to forget the fallen empire’s glory, watching for opportunities for over 1,000 years.

The Defardly Empire Liberation Army, led by a woman called the Tyrant Empress.

‘Well, that’s a story for the mid-to-late parts of the work, so no need to worry now.’

What’s important now is class, especially the growth of the protagonist party, who’ll do the heavy lifting for me.

Most of them were fine, but…

‘That’s a problem.’

Bord was nodding off, his head swaying back and forth.

In the distance, Matthew had his head buried on his desk.

Class A’s current survival rate was 50%.

I glanced beside me, and Princess Adela, poised to take notes, had her eyes closed.

‘Hmm.’

When her eyes are open, she’s like a demon, but with them closed, she’s as beautiful as a painting.

‘It’ll be a peaceful day.’

Wild Instinct (Lv 3) detects an ominous aura.

‘Ominous…’

It was the first alarm since the day Princess Adela enrolled, when it rang like crazy.

‘Ugh…’

Today’s classes were just basic theory and outdoor free time.

Because Imperium Academy’s teachers, all comparable to Gold Knights, are often called away, and today was one such day.

Such a mass absence of teachers was rare, even in the original story, but it’s fine by me.

‘Perfect weather for a nap… Maybe I’ll catch some shut-eye.’

Wild Instinct’s warning nagged at me, but nothing seemed imminent.

There was no way to find out either.

For now, I’d wait.

Until the incident revealed its shape.

Closing my eyes, time passed quickly.

Of course, I woke up for lunch.

“…What’s this?”

After leisurely enjoying lunch alone, I was about to nap in the warm sunlight.

“What’s the matter? Got a problem?”

“Huh? Why? Martin, what’s wrong?”

Sitting in the spring dining hall, I sighed internally as Princess Adela and Luri flanked me on either side.

“More importantly, Princess, why are you intruding on my date time with Martin?!”

“What can I do? Life is a battlefield. Nothing goes as planned. Don’t you know that, Luri of Elidore?”

“Tch, tch, tchhh…!”

Lunchtime passed, and afternoon classes began.

Outdoor free time, essentially free time outside.

Normally, people would chat or play soccer, but this is Imperium Academy.

Cadets voluntarily gathered at artificial mountains, rivers, and lakes to train.

‘Like sitting on thorns.’

I sighed heavily.

At first, it was Princess Adela and Mary.

They asked for help with shooting practice, so we found a wide field and set up targets.

“Give it a shot. 50 meters is quite a distance.”

“Yes!”

“I shall.”

Then Luri joined, making it four.

“Hey! Martin! Play with me too!”

“It’s not playing.”

“Whatever, I want to join!”

The protagonist party, looking for Mary, joined as well.

“Mary! You were here! I had something to ask.”

“Oh, Elisha. I was learning shooting from Cadet Martin.”

My eyes met Gilbert’s for a moment.

Feeling irritated, I turned away, only to hear whispers.

I didn’t want to hear, but Wild Instinct picked it up!

“Hey, Gilbert. You’re screwed.”

“Ugh…”

I was only helping Adela and Mary with shooting.

I have an unofficial relationship with Adela, and I owe Mary.

Luri sticking to me like glue is fine.

Except for Adela occasionally glaring with a ‘Should I kill her?’ look, I’m used to it now.

“Uh, ahem! This is a nice spot!”

“Mary, fighting!”

Bord, Elisha, Lina, and Gilbert creeping closer was annoying, but I could tolerate it.

They’re Mary’s friends, after all.

But…

‘Okay, enough is enough.’

I understood what Wild Instinct was warning about.

“Here you are.”

The sudden arrival of Prince Kazaks, Muller, and Shuga turned the atmosphere hostile.

Complex rivalries exploded.

“…Princess Adela. I didn’t expect to see you at Imperium Academy. With you too, Gilbert.”

“Oh my, is this the first time since the hunting tournament where my Black Knight won?

How has the Prince been?”

“I didn’t expect the Prince to come.”

Like cats and dogs.

“Tch! How embarrassing! Mary, I can’t hold my head up because of you! Learning to shoot?! Can’t you just stay out of sight?!”

“….”

“Hey, say something!”

Sisters.

“Oh, what? The lady from Harmadun who ranked lower than me at the hunting tournament?”

“…Hah!

You don’t even know I went easy on you, prancing around like a fool.

How pathetic…”

Rivals.

“Ch-Chaos, chaos…”

Even Bord recoiled in shock.

Luri grimaced, and so did I.

I wanted to leave right then and claim I didn’t know them if anyone asked.

‘But…’