I Want to Be an Extra

Lutess dee Baberian.

If one were to encapsulate him in a single phrase, this would suffice.

The first one to be ousted.

He was the prince who had initially faltered in the battle for power.

But why? He had no clue.

Suddenly, everything changed one day.

The emperor, who had always provided equal opportunities to his children, began to discriminate.

Overnight, the power dynamics shifted, and his brothers absorbed his former standing.

Even the once harmonious relationships among siblings took an abrupt turn.

The shocking turn of events led to rumors of his descent into madness within the royal family, but he paid no mind.

No, it was rather liberating.

‘I thought I wouldn’t have to deal with troublesome affairs anymore.’

In truth, Lutess had no desire to become the emperor.

Since his earliest comprehension of self, he had been compelled to learn and strive to become the ruler.

Was that truly his path?

No matter how accomplished he became, he was perpetually compared to his elder brothers and had to fend off contenders from below.

Some argued that this was only natural.

That those of noble blood were destined to shape the world.

But Lutess was different.

Merely by virtue of his father being the emperor, the world felt burdensome to him.

If he were the sole offspring of royal blood, he might have comprehended it.

His father, who had multiple wives, also fathered numerous children.

And among those many offspring, only one could ascend the throne.

Hence, Lutess found relief when he forfeited his chance to become the emperor.

Failing to attain the throne didn’t negate the fact that he remained a prince.

While his brothers sacrificed sleep to study and engaged in fierce battles for the throne, he reveled in life’s pleasures and preserved himself until the next emperor was chosen!

Knock, knock.

“Damn it.”

Lutess clenched his teeth upon hearing the sound of a knock on his door.

Where did things go awry?

When did his freedom crumble overnight?

‘Of course, it was that day.’

The day he participated in the renowned Magic Hall Challenge and encountered a cursed individual while intending to tease the Student Council on behalf of the ill-fated Student President.

Lutess met the person who would shatter his tranquil daily existence.

“Your Highness.”

The voice was familiar.

It belonged to the head maid of the Royal Class, an assembly of the most noble individuals at Beresha Academy.

“Lord Lewin has arrived.”

“Beriel…”

The words he expected escaped her lips.

Those words he had been hearing daily since that fateful day!

“I told you to say I’m not here!”

His voice brimmed with irritation.

Even though he was still a young child, it carried the fury of a prince.

There were few at Beresha Academy capable of withstanding it.

Only the high-ranking officials of the academy, including the principal, seasoned professors, or perhaps the portly student president.

And, of course, the servants.

No one could endure the prince’s wrath, except for one individual.

Unfortunately for Lutess.

“Lying is not honorable.”

That individual was Beriel.

“And I am the servant of all. I must attend to both you, Your Highness Lutess, and Lord Lewin.”

“…”

To an outsider, this might be misconstrued.

It could appear as though she favored the youngest son, adored by the current Duke of Dryerf, over the prince who had lost his influence.

But Lutess was aware.

That cursed maid would say the same things even if it involved him and an ordinary student.

‘So, I can trust her.’

Yet, at the same time, he couldn’t fully trust her.

She wouldn’t lie to him, but she also wouldn’t lie to another student.

Though she would never deceive!

“Therefore, Your Highness.”

As evidence of this, Beriel tirelessly repeated the same words every morning, disregarding all of Lutess’ protests, as if she never tired of their daily quarrels.

“Therefore, tell him yourself.”

“Damn it.”

Today would be the same.

Lutess grumbled, stepping out of bed with heavy footsteps.

Without bothering to tidy up, he swung open the door and walked out, briefly casting a scowl at Beriel before continuing on.

“Hello, senior!”

How long had he been walking?

A boy waiting in the corridor waved his hand with a cheerful smile.

‘What’s with this kid?’

It’s not like he didn’t know who the boy was.

Lewin Dee Dryerf.

According to Beriel, he was the Duke Dryerf’s youngest son, a boy the Duke doted on.

“Huh.”

After their disastrous first encounter, Lutess couldn’t comprehend why Lewin kept seeking him out.

‘Why does he keep coming?’

The initial meeting had been terrible.

Neither Lewin, who struck first, nor Lutess, who fell for the trick, had any reason to feel fondness for each other.

And yet, why?

“Is the world outside the blanket still dangerous for you today?”

“Well, yes.”

Why did he vehemently agree with such a statement?

It was beyond his understanding.

With that thought, Lutess was about to retreat into his room as usual.

But then…

“Senior, school is about to start.”

Usually, seeing his face would satisfy him and make him turn away.

However, Lewin grabbed Lutess’s arm, disrupting the usual pattern.

“What?”

What did that have to do with him?

Yet, as he was still a student himself, he casually nodded at Lewin’s words. Lewin beamed and spoke.

“We’ll be busy soon, so why don’t we take a walk around the academy together before that?”

‘Why should I…’

He wanted to say it, but he couldn’t help but grind his teeth, knowing what the reaction would be.

‘Is this his way of revenge?’

If so, it was indeed a clever and successful revenge.

“That’s a splendid idea.”

A subtle smile played on Beriel’s face as he said that.

“You’ve been smiling a lot lately.”

“I’ve always been good at smiling.”

“Yeah, right.”

Then what about the year I’ve experienced?

Suppressing what he wanted to say, Lutess looked at Lewin.

“And if I refuse?”

“My left cheek, which you struck, might really hurt.”

It was an outright threat.

But it was a threat that worked effectively.

The image of a duke’s son crying and writhing on the floor in front of the prince’s room was enough to make even Lutess feel dizzy.

‘He truly is a dog.’

Even if he pretended not to know, Beriel had the evidence.

If things escalated, only Lutess would be at a disadvantage.

‘Damn.’

Recalling the nightmare from that time, Lutess made his decision.

“It was your right cheek that got hit, right?”

“Maybe the pain has shifted to the left over time.”

“Could be.”

Whether it was the guy spouting nonsense or the maid beside him suggesting it could be…

‘Damn.’

Why are there such people around him?

Recalling the peace of the previous year, Lutess responded with a somber expression.

“Fine. Whatever.”

He just had to endure until the start of school.

With such a careless thought, Lutess nodded listlessly.

***

It was a warm spring day.

Beresha Academy, on the brink of reopening, was filled with numerous students.

“There…”

“Right?”

New students were exploring the academy, while old students who had been separated during the holidays were reuniting and sharing their experiences.

Then, a group of students entered their field of vision.

“It’s Prince Lutess.”

“That’s the famous…”

“Wow!”

Of course, the most eye-catching figure was Lutess, a member of the royal family.

Not only was he leading the group, but his snow-white hair and fiery red eyes made him truly stand out.

But there was something even more striking.

“He looks like a model delinquent!”

His hands in his trouser pockets, his slouched walk, and his expression as if he would bite if someone touched him!

As he passed by, the crowd instinctively made way, making it quite a spectacle.

“Is that him?”

“The newly admitted from the Dryerf Ducal family?”

The attention that had been focused on Lutess naturally shifted to Lewin, who was following behind him.

The royal family and the Dryerf Ducal house.

It was a sight rarely seen even at the Royal Academy.

Some students were in awe, while others felt a tinge of disappointment.

“It would have been more impressive if Princess Reinhardt was also here.”

“Indeed.”

Upon hearing this, Laila, who was standing next to Lewin, let out a small sigh.

“Making friends seems difficult.”

“Seems so.”

Lewin nodded, causing Laila’s spirits to drop.

She had sought comfort, but he had readily agreed!

“Humph.”

Beriel, the first person she had met upon arriving at the academy, had recognized her, so Laila felt an even greater blow to her somewhat high expectations.

“Miss, it’s alright.”

“In fact, it reduces the number of annoying people who would be attracted to your appearance.”

As always, Lewin’s attendants played their role in comforting Laila in such situations.

“Really?”

“Well, your appearance is not bad. So it’s possible.”

“Really?”

Laila’s eyes sparkled at Lewin’s words, who never lied.

“Of course, it only matters if there’s someone to notice it.”

“Young master!”

“Ah!”

Upon hearing his next words, Laila kicked towards Lewin’s shins.

“Too slow.”

“Hit me. Hit me. Come on, hit me!”

Laila’s kicks were swift, but Lewin effortlessly dodged each one.

Thus,

‘Why doesn’t anyone notice?’

Except for Lutess, who was aware of Laila, no other student seemed to take notice of her.

‘What is this? It’s eerie.’

Could it be a secret weapon of the Reinhardt family?

Even as he tried to remain vigilant, Lutess couldn’t help but feel genuinely unsettled by Laila’s occasional disappearances.

“And here we have one of our academy’s landmarks, the Grand Library.”

Amidst the chaotic situation, Beriel’s unwavering introduction of the academy felt out of place to Lutess.

“Here too?”

“There are so many landmarks.”

Lewin and Laila, who had paused their skirmish, were now asking questions.

Observing them, Beriel whispered as if sharing a secret.

“This place is a bit different. Unlike the Magic Hall Challenge, the Carriage Prince, or the spot where one always gets rejected when confessing, which we saw earlier, this is a landmark known only to those in the know.”

“Ohh.”

“Seems like there was something peculiar in the middle, or is it just me?”

Although Lutess voiced his annoyance, everyone ignored him.

A landmark known only to those in the know.

It was only natural to be curious about it!

“This Grand Library has a tragic history.”

“This academy doesn’t have a long past.”

“That’s why the tragedy unfolded.”

In response to Lutess’s jab, Beriel pretended to be sorrowful.

“It was commendable that the director established Beresha Academy, but it was exceedingly challenging for a new academy without history or tradition to survive in the capital.”

Facing competition from numerous academies, including the Royal Academy, it was extremely difficult for a fledgling academy without clear advantages to prevail.

“And it didn’t end there. The director was constantly ignored and faced discrimination at the Capital Academy Conference.”

However, the director persevered, and Beresha Academy eventually rose to become a top academy in the capital.

“It sounds like something out of a novel.”

Reality is often harsh.

That’s why the director of Beresha Academy lost his way.

“And as a result, one of the places created was this Grand Library.”

In terms of size, it surpassed all other libraries in the capital region.

It even overshadowed the scale of the Royal Library.

“Ah.”

Upon hearing that, Lewin seemed to have a realization and nodded.

“But the content is lacking?”

“Exactly.”

But what good is size alone?

It lacked rare books like the library of the Royal Academy.

“We acquired books from all over the continent, but there are limitations to what’s available on the market.”

Some books were obtained through auctions, but their quality paled in comparison.

Furthermore,

“Due to its vastness, numerous students get lost and go missing in the library every year.”

As Beriel explained that the primary task of the library’s staff was to locate lost students, Lewin even sighed in admiration.

“There’s even a rumor of an underground dungeon.”

Lutess muttered with a click of his tongue.

That’s how immense and intricate the Grand Library was.

“Well, no worries. I went down and checked last time, and there weren’t any particularly dangerous monsters.”

“…!”

However, upon hearing Beriel’s following words, Lutess’s spirits sank.

“Are we going there now?”

Lewin asked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation, but Beriel shook her head.

“Unfortunately, you need a student ID to enter the Grand Library.”

Lewin’s mood visibly deflated upon learning that incoming students who hadn’t enrolled yet couldn’t enter.

“That’s a shame.”

Upon hearing Beriel’s advice to wait until the opening ceremony, Lewin nodded with disappointment.

And…

‘Everyone’s insane.’

Lutess silently prayed for the semester to begin swiftly, finding the madness of the royal family to be the most normal aspect compared to this reality.