I Became an Extra Who Died Instead of the Main Character

14 – Distancing

Sweet-

“What is this?”

Long time before lunchtime, I was sitting at my desk drinking a packaged espresso.

“···”

And next to me, Tinia sunbaenim was staring at me drinking her coffee with a completely confused face.

– ······You purposely ordered bitter coffee to make fun of me?

– Yes, but… I didn’t know how to eat so well!

As I came back, I found out that Tinia senior told her to start with the basics and gave her coffee called ‘Espresso’.

He gave me coffee hoping that I would spit it out while drinking coffee, but Contrary to what Tinia senior thought, he said I drank too much coffee.

– Give it to me!

So she wondered if she might have misplaced the coffee herself, but she took her cup from me and took a sip.

– Ugh… Write…

She said that the senior who properly experienced the bitter taste of espresso had no choice but to raise the white flag.

But she rather said that she had a good flavor. She said that she thought ‘what the hell…’ As she saw me ordering another glass.

To her senior, who meekly admitted her wrongdoing, I gave her a night out with a clear heart.

Dak-

– Ouch! Why are you hitting me!

– Don’t you know better why? And it doesn’t hurt that much.

– Chi-it.

Looking at the senior who turned her head away from me with excitement, she also thought that her first impression was not to be trusted.

When I first saw her, she was obviously intelligent and had the image of a model student.

Looking at what he was doing, he looked very much like a child.

‘I guess I’m the junior…?’

At this point, it was to the point of doubting who was the senior.

“······Why are you staring at me like that? I thought it was strange.”

“No. I didn’t think much of it.”

I wonder if I was staring at her too much while thinking, it was Tinia senior who recognized me like a ghost.

“Don’t lie.”

“Oops, they caught me.”

Leading Tinia-senpai swaying next to me, I quietly thought.

‘Somehow… Did they become close?’

The actual time we met was about two days, and it was clear that in reality it would be less than 10 hours, excluding the time I was in the health room, but it seemed like we had developed a sense of familiarity.

How long has it been since you had a ‘friend’ with whom you joked and talked like this?

I think the last time I was with Adele as childhood friends was probably the last time.

At that time, we were such close friends that anyone could say we were friends.

Aside from being engaged, we got along well because we got along well.

‘······ A meaningless past.’

It was a past that I don’t have to look back on now.

No matter what our relationship was like in the past, now Adele and I are engaged to one another.

It was a situation where even that thin thread-like engagement relationship could end at any moment.

Rather, I think getting out of Adele’s life is the way for her to live a happier life.

Right now… I just wanted to focus on the human relationships in front of me.

It’s been a while since we met, but Tinia-senpai seems to have already become quite close.

I still have no idea how she did it, but Stella became a classmate.

Aside from these two, other students who might be my friends.

It could also be said that it was a fluttering feeling caused by a person I was lucky enough to be close to.

Other students might still hate me for the rumors and bad recognition.

However, I took my first step at the academy, which was full of worries, quite successfully, and I began to look forward to what would happen while living at the academy.

Maybe this will be enough.

Isn’t this enough… Enough?

Wouldn’t it be possible to face the approaching death in peace, while preserving the pleasant memories of the academy?

Deng— Deng—

With the sound of the bell announcing the end of lunchtime, my long thoughts came to an end.

***

After the lunch break, the 5th period did not go ahead.

– Today is the first day, so the principal said to give you time to walk around the academy instead of classes.

Because the homeroom teacher let us go as they were.

Senior Tinia said brightly, perhaps because the class ended early made her feel better.

“Then… Since it ended early, shall we visit the academy that we couldn’t do yesterday?”

I was curious about the academy’s facilities, and the only buildings I saw properly on the day of the entrance ceremony were the auditorium where the entrance ceremony was held and the training ground where the entrance exam was held, so I readily accepted the offer.

“Yes.”

“Where should I go? Before entering the school, ‘I really want to go here!’ Wasn’t there a place like this?”

“Uh…”

The senior seems to have asked with high expectations, but unfortunately, as I did not know that she would come to the academy, the place I wanted to visit did not exist.

“What… Nothing?”

“Ahahahaha…”

I guess so.

Even though I smiled awkwardly because I had no place in my mind, Tinia sunbaenim pounded his chest as if it didn’t matter.

Of course, since Tinia had a body that was almost flat, it sounded like he was hitting his back.

“Don’t worry, mentors exist for times like this.”

After her senior told her to trust only herself, the senior and I started walking around the academy.

“Isn’t that the academy’s library?”

“That’s right, that’s the library of the Selenium Academy, which is said to be bigger than the library of the imperial family.”

I was less knowledgeable about the academy than other students, but I knew at least about the library, the largest building and most famous facility in the academy.

“There are many magic books and textbooks related to various magic, and there are also many novels of various genres.”

Looking at the senior who added, “If there is a novel or magic book you want to read, you can always go and borrow it.” I suddenly had a question.

“Do you go to the library often?”

“Of course. Even if I look like this, I’m a pretty good student.”

“Then which books do you usually borrow?”

“Me? Of course I usually borrow magic books or textbooks for my studies.”

“Oh…”

“······What is it? That expression of surprise.”

She said that Tinia-senpai was in a bad mood, but she was really surprised, so she was just genuinely admiring him.

‘I thought I’d borrow a children’s book or a childish romance novel instead of a magic book.’

Contrary to the childlike appearance you’ve shown so far, you’re sincere when you’re studying.

I don’t know how many times I will see my seniors again today.

“Again! I just looked at you badly again!”

“No. It’s an illusion.”

Let’s go to the next place.

After the library, we went to quite a few places.

The most memorable place was, of course, the training ground, and the facilities at the training ground were much more amazing than I thought.

During the entrance exam, all I could do was glance past the empty equipment due to the entrance exam, but seeing other students using it now was impressive.

The only tools I’ve used for magic training so far were the magic tools for beginners at Count Kindred’s residence, so it was only natural.

It was the difference between a child’s toy and an adult’s real tool.

“It was pretty fun today, wasn’t it?”

She said that she herself had a lot of fun today, and Tinia sunbaenim said with a smile on her lips.

“Yes, I was surprised that it was much better than I thought.”

At my honest and manual-like reaction, the senior gave a little laugh.

“Others say they make a list of places to visit before entering the academy. A junior who doesn’t really care is unusual.”

“······Write a list?”

Of course, as it is the largest academy in the empire, there are great facilities and wonderful buildings…

“Yes. Doesn’t that mean everyone is serious about the academy?”

“······Is that so?”

Suddenly, I felt a sense of distance.

Tinia sunbaenim must have said it without much thought, but rather, such thoughtless words came to me as an element that gave me a sense of distance.

I can feel the gap between the other students who dreamed of their future after graduating from the academy, and my future, which will already be a cold corpse by the time I graduate from the academy.

Others struggle to solve assignments and force themselves to take boring classes. Thinking of a bright future and struggling to persevere.

I can feel the despair in my desperate attempts to get even a handful of memories, giving up on a future that doesn’t already exist.

This sense of distance felt from the difference between me and the other students made me feel like I was the only other person apart from each other.

‘It looks like it’s still there…’

I thought I had already shaken off all my lingering attachments to life, but a little bit. I guess there was very little left.

Is this human nature obsessed with life, or is it a hidden thought in my heart that I want to live a little longer and be happy.

Either way, he was a brazen guy.

The fact that I do not intend to atone for the past and somehow try to live a little longer.

Despite the fact that I was the subject of the action, it felt shameless.

“Baesim…? Juniors!”

“······Yes? Did you call?”

As if she didn’t like my belated reply, the senior pouted at her and said.

“I keep feeling it, but what do you keep thinking about so deeply that you don’t answer when I call you?”

“······It’s not a big deal. I’m just the type to think a little deeper.”

“Hmm…”

Tinia-senpai was staring at me for a long time to see if she didn’t like the answer, but she couldn’t tell her what I was thinking.

After a moment of silence, senior Tinia sighed and gave up.

“Ehh, that’s all right. I don’t think he’ll answer even if I ask him.”

“Thank you, senior.”

“Senior Tinia.”

“Yes?”

“From now on, I’ll call you Tinia senior. Junior Lian.”

The expression on her face when she said that was a wide smile.

Seeing that figure, I had no choice but to follow the words of my senpai as if possessed.

“······Yes, senior Tinia.”

“Then, see you tomorrow.”

With a final goodbye, Tinia senior moved away in the direction of her sophomore dormitory.

“···”

And then, seized by an unknown feeling, I blankly looked in the direction where Tinia-senpai had disappeared.

“·······Lian.”

And then, someone spoke to me from behind.

“······Adele?”

“······Can we talk for a minute.”

As she said that, Adele’s eyes were strangely out of focus.