I Want to Be an Extra

“Young Master…”

Lewin sat in the reception room, observing Alex’s tearful face as he glared at him.

“Yes?” 

“What do you mean by a handsome face!?” 

Despite his aged appearance, Alex had yet to grasp the true nature of the world.

Drawing upon his experiences from ten lifetimes, Lewin felt compelled to enlighten someone with a mere 60 years of life about the realities of the world.

“Alex, there are values more significant than money in this world.”

“What nonsense are you talking about now?”

Nonsense? These words were born from the wisdom gained through ten lifetimes.

Although tempted to express himself, Lewin held back and prepared to share a fundamental truth.

“One of those values is appearance.”

Alex couldn’t help but sense an undeniable conviction in Lewin’s words and remained silent.

“Young Master, I believe there are other important values in this world.”

“Yes, there are.”

This was indeed true. Lewin also held such beliefs. However…

“But appearance reigns supreme.”

In his earlier lifetimes, Lewin sought peers with similar skills. As he underwent reincarnation, his skills reached greater heights, and those considered the best fell short of his expectations.

Thus, Lewin found himself at a crossroads.

Should he single-handedly defeat numerous demonic beings, or should he gather peers who might not meet his standards to fight alongside him?

At that critical juncture, Lewin chose a third option.

To personally nurture his peers.

“This is the truth.”

By the time he reached his tenth life cycle, Lewin had nurtured numerous skilled individuals.

The techniques he developed surpassed all existing ones, and those who learned from him inevitably grew stronger.

“Young Master, with all due respect, this seems a bit off.”

“Trust me, Alex, you can enhance your skills, but you can’t change your appearance.”

Skills can be developed, but appearances cannot be altered.

This was a truth Lewin had come to realize throughout his life.

He shared his techniques, procured potions, and even extracted mana from his own body to strengthen others.

Lewin, who had successfully created formidable individuals to combat the Great Demon King Apelios using various methods, understood the limits.

That limit was appearance.

“Even Hero Derden once said, ‘You can create a thousand knights, but you can’t prevent a single hair from falling out.’”

“When did Hero Derden say such a thing?”

‘Hmm, wasn’t it recorded?’

Perhaps it wasn’t recorded due to embarrassment, as it seemed like a plausible comment concerning a subordinate’s hair loss concerns.

“Never mind.”

“Young Master…”

Lewin chose not to mention the fact to protect his old subordinate’s dignity.

However, he remained steadfast in his belief.

“Face, appearance, beauty, handsomeness, prettiness. That is what matters most.”

The world values appearances.

Regardless of the era, while preferences may vary slightly, no one can disregard the significance of appearance.

That’s why Lewin needed people with good looks for his plan.

“So, acquire them.”

If he came across children he liked, he would consider purchasing them.

Alex couldn’t help but feel on the verge of tears at Lewin’s rather audacious statement.

“Young Master, no matter what you say, this seems rather wrong.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

“It’s not fine at all…”

Alex wiped his face and covered it with his hands.

“….”

Observing Lewin and Alex, one of the knights who had accompanied them as a guard awkwardly interjected.

“Is the Lord… buying slaves?”

The knight wore a questioning expression, unsure if this was an appropriate course of action. Alex wished he could hide in a rat hole.

However, Lewin remained undeterred.

“Yes. Isn’t that our purpose today?”

“Well, yes, but…”

The knight hesitated, finding the Lord’s actions somewhat inappropriate.

Despite the knight’s expression, Lewin disregarded it nonchalantly.

“That’s how it is.”

“That’s… how it is, I see.”

The third son of the House of Dryerf, at the age of seven, had come to the slave market to seek out good-looking slaves.

What could this be called?

‘Is it a way to look toward the future in some manner?’

The knight harbored slight concerns for the future of the House of Dryerf.

Alex shared the same worries, but unfortunately, there was little they could do for the family.

“I apologize for the wait.”

And their worries only grew as Baran arrived with a few slaves.

“Their appearance isn’t satisfactory.”

Lewin muttered with a serious expression, causing the two onlookers to feel a growing disconnect.

What did they just hear?

With a statement that made them question their own ears, the knight and Alex locked eyes, wanting to confirm that what they heard wasn’t a figment of their imagination.

And then…

“Next!”

As Lewin casually called out for the next slave, the two individuals felt their minds go blank.

******

“What on earth is happening here?”

A good-looking slave, huh?

To Baran, who had spent 30 years in the slave market, this request was quite familiar.

Particularly, young lords from noble houses often made such requests.

However, it was usually around the age of puberty that they began to care about appearances. But at such a young age, it was something Baran had never encountered before.

“Is he destined for greatness?”

With a hollow chuckle, Baran swiftly pondered.

With his extensive experience, Baran managed a fairly large-scale slave stall in Beltesis and had access to prompt information.

‘I recall the Temple Knights seeking good-looking individuals for promotions within the temple.’

It had proven to be effective in terms of promotion and had briefly become a trend.

However, for knights, the most important factor was not appearance but power.

Before the complaints from existing knights erupted one after another, the trend of forming a knight group based on appearance failed during an orc suppression mission and faded into obscurity.

‘Could it be that the House of Dryerf is adopting this approach, or is there another reason?’

It wasn’t a practice followed by the empire’s military powerhouse or any other prominent institution.

Could this be a personal deviation by the young lord?

Then what did this young lord desire? What was his motive?

Usually, such desires would revolve around personal or sexual gratification, but considering his age, it seemed unlikely.

“Vanity.”

After contemplating for a while, Baran arrived at that conclusion.

‘Clothing or jewelry to flaunt one’s status is a behavior often seen among lower-class nobles. But for a noble house like Dryerf…’

For those considered upper-class nobles, there was an even grander form of adornment, and that was “people.”

“At his age?”

If it was true, then he truly was an exceptional individual in a different sense.

With that in mind, Baran contemplated the slaves that would suit him.

‘If they are too beautiful, the master’s radiance may fade.’

Even at a young age, Baran, who had encountered numerous slaves, understood.

Lewin’s own appearance would shine.

When combined with the illustrious background of the Dryerf family, it would leave many women envious, even in their prime.

Therefore,

‘I need to search for a young lady from a fallen noble family. While there haven’t been any major incidents recently, most are from lower-class nobles, but they are still better than ordinary slaves.’

Exquisite yet not overpowering the master’s brilliance.

Elegant and capable enough to be of assistance to the master.

Even though it was a child, he would provide the product that the customer desired.

Baran was confident.

He could comprehend Lewin Dee Dryerf’s intentions and provide him with the perfect slave.

However,

“They are all unsatisfactory?”

“Yes…?”

“Their appearance is truly lacking.”

“What…?”

The moment the twelfth slave he presented was dismissed, Baran had no choice but to admit that he had made some sort of error.

“My lord, that child is…”

A modest appearance and exceptional talent.

Moreover, possessing high-quality mana manipulation skills!

Yet, Lewin disregarded such explanations and called for the next one without listening.

“I have been saying it from the beginning, there is no need for explanations.”

“But…”

It was an unreasonable request.

To purchase a person without considering their worth.

Nevertheless, in Lewin’s subsequent words, Baran realized that he had made a grave mistake.

“Mister, I have been saying it all along. Bring me someone with the finest appearance.”

“Appearance..?”

That single word illuminated Baran’s mind.

“That’s right.”

Appearance did not require explanations.

It could be judged simply by laying eyes upon it.

That’s why this young master dismissed explanations and made judgments solely based on appearance.

“Hehe.”

“Did you understand? Now, clear them all out.”

As Baran observed the composed demeanor of the young boy, who requested a change of slaves, he realized one more fact.

‘He’s going to be someone.’

For better or worse.

The young master standing before him would undoubtedly become a significant figure!

***

“I will bring the finest merchandise I have.”

Observing Baran’s departing figure after making such a declaration, Lewin contemplated.

“If this turns out to be another bluff, I will have to search elsewhere.”

Lewin had high standards.

No, he couldn’t help but have high standards.

After living through ten lifetimes, he had encountered all the beauties and handsome individuals that existed in this world.

His standards encompassed not only humans but also other species and even the demons he had faced as adversaries.

‘Not quite like the Great Demon King, whose face seemed to emit its own light, but enough to make a name on the continent solely based on their appearance.’

There’s a saying that “the protagonist of life is oneself.”

Lewin believed that this saying held some truth.

It was true that everyone lived their own lives and had their own stories.

However,

‘There are levels to being the main character.’

Not all protagonists are equally beloved in every story.

Some stories become known to many people, while others remain unknown to all but a single individual.

In other words, the protagonist of a widely recognized story cannot be treated the same as the protagonist of an obscure tale.

It’s a matter of recognition.

While each person is the protagonist of their own life, within the grand narrative of the “world,” most people can only play the role of extras.

“Young Master, what kind of s… no, what kind of children are you searching for?”

Lewin revealed his appearance standards to Alex, who appeared on the verge of tears.

“I’m looking for those who can at least remain as extras, if not as protagonists.”

“?”

“Just based on their faces.”

What nonsense.

Ignoring Alex’s disbelief evident in his expression, Lewin contemplated his life.

‘I was too exceptional.’

Lewin knew that he was a protagonist-level character in the grand narrative of the “world.”

From the perspective of humanity, he was the irreplaceable protagonist, the embodiment of their hopes and dreams.

From the perspective of demons, he was the strongest and most formidable adversary, always obstructing the protagonist’s path.

At worst, he was the final boss, determining the protagonist’s fate, and at best, he was the protagonist with the task of saving the world.

But now, things were different.

‘Being an extra suits me perfectly.’

In his tenth life, he had relinquished his role.

He had chosen to live an ordinary life.

However, Lewin was born with too much potential to lead an ordinary existence.

He was born into the noble Dryerf family, which held the utmost authority in the most powerful country in the world.

Not only was his status remarkable, but his appearance was also striking.

Even at a young age, Lewin’s appearance commanded attention.

Considering the lineage of the Dryerf family, his appearance would only grow more radiant as time passed.

Therefore,

‘I must divert attention.’

Those who could divert the gaze directed at Lewin Dee Dryerf.

It would require numerous criteria to be met, but Lewin was confident he could find suitable candidates.

Thus, he sought individuals blessed with natural beauty.

And those who fulfilled his conditions.

“These are the finest ones I have.”

Fortunately, it seemed possible to discover such individuals.