Extra in a Romance Fantasy

147 – War (4)

An unexpected chaos had descended upon the Academy.

The reason was the military forces that had begun to gather towards the Academy.

As if they had made a pact, the two empires, Rainberg and Elbrent, dispatched troops towards the Academy.

While this phenomenon appeared strange at first glance, it was, upon understanding the circumstances, quite natural.

Rainberg and Elbrent occupied positions that could be described as polar opposites, and if the two empires were to clash, a front line would inevitably form in between.

Moreover, the Ferdion Academy was located near the center of the continent.

Simply put, it was not unusual for the troops sent from both empires to draw closer to the Academy.

Additionally, the fact that those effectively commanding both empires were residing at the Academy contributed to this situation.

Estelle and Kairn.

Despite the exceedingly hostile atmosphere between the two empires, they did not withdraw from the Academy.

On the contrary, they appeared calm, as if completely unconcerned with the movements of their adversaries, regardless of the tension surrounding them.

In other words, it was a battle of nerves.

The moment they withdrew, it was all too clear that rumors of having tucked their tails would spread like wildfire.

Thus, they acted boldly, as if they were not the least bit aware of their opponent, indifferent to whatever actions the other might take.

As they showed no intention of leaving the Academy, it was only natural that military forces would converge upon their location.

The problem was that the Academy bore the full brunt of this influence.

The atmosphere at the Academy grew heavier with the passage of time.

Even the number of people at the academy began to dwindle.

It was because some had started to choose leave of absence and depart from the academy.

And the pace of this decline was accelerating as time went on.

Estelle and Kairn, who had no intention of withdrawing, and the military forces of both nations that were beginning to converge toward the academy.

It wasn’t difficult to predict what would happen when they arrived here, and what state the academy would be in at that time.

Thus, the daily life of the academy began to shatter in earnest.

Normally, when such events occurred, it would be right for the academy to voice its objections, but the higher-ups of the academy remained silent toward Estelle, Kairn, Rainberg, and Elbrent.

That silence was, of course, expected and simple.

The two empires were far too colossal for the academy to contend with.

In a typical situation, if the opponent were at least one empire, they might have expressed some opinion.

However, this time, there were two empires, and it was not merely a matter of showing discomfort; it was practically akin to drawing swords.

In such circumstances, the academy was well aware that any attempt to express a stance would only result in unnecessary backlash, so they showed no signs of movement.

As a result, the heavy atmosphere that enveloped the academy showed no signs of lifting.

And amidst this unbearably heavy atmosphere, with people gradually dwindling at the academy, there remained a single woman.

Soft, light blonde hair that seemed spun from honey.

Eyes that mirrored the clear blue sky without a single cloud.

She had an appearance that evoked the warm sunlight of a spring day just by being seen, yet for some reason, her face was clouded.

The woman, Mary, was in the midst of walking toward somewhere.

Then suddenly, her steps came to a halt.

Standing still, Mary slowly surveyed her surroundings.

“…….”

Though many familiar sights and a fair number of people were visible, Mary knew.

She could clearly see that the number of people had decreased.

Looking at the empty spaces, Mary once again felt the weight of the current situation.

An unsettling current was wrapping around the academy, around the continent, and war was truly drawing near.

It wasn’t just here.

Wherever she went, she could confirm the absence of people.

In classrooms, dining halls, and even in the dormitories.

Many had left the academy, and many were still leaving.

Naturally, Mary had also received messages from her parents urging her to come home.

But Mary did not do that.

She refused to return to her hometown, Lakewood.

When war breaks out, countless people die.

If the warring parties are the two empires, the resulting devastation goes without saying.

Perhaps it wouldn’t end there; a colossal war could engulf the entire continent.

Knowing this, Mary could not leave the Academy.

She could not escape.

Mary wanted to prevent the war.

She already knew the fastest and most certain way to do so.

It was to persuade Estelle and Kairn.

Estelle was practically the Empress of Rainberg, and Kairn was the Crown Prince of Elbrent, the one with the next highest power after the Emperor.

If she could just persuade the two of them properly, she could stop the war.

Mary was convinced of that.

However, knowing it was one thing; executing it was another matter entirely.

It was nearly impossible even to meet the two, let alone persuade them.

Given their statuses, it was nearly impossible for anyone without a significant background to have a personal meeting with them.

Let alone in a situation like the current one.

There was no way they would allow someone who wasn’t a definite ally to approach them when anything could happen.

It wasn’t just a simple assumption.

It was the result of Mary’s actual attempts.

Kairn was, from the outset, impossible to approach.

As for Estelle, while she had some acquaintance, it was only possible to convey a message; ultimately, Estelle refused to meet with Mary.

‘What could she be thinking…?’

Mary had some familiarity with Estelle.

They had spent the summer vacation together, and since then, they had met a few times to discuss matters related to Wade.

Though their relationship wasn’t deep enough to be called a close friendship, Mary had managed to see through Estelle to some extent, even in that shallow connection.

At the very least, she knew that Estelle was not the kind of person the rumors suggested.

That was why Mary felt a sense of doubt.

About Estelle suddenly showing such a demeanor.

…No, to be honest, there were hints that she could guess at.

Estelle began to change after the news of Wade’s death reached her.

Mary had known for a long time that Estelle held Wade in special regard.

Perhaps the news had shocked Estelle deeply, and that was why she had transformed, Mary cautiously speculated.

‘Wade…’

Mary recalled the face of a man.

A face she hadn’t seen in ages, familiar yet longed for.

Mary had not believed that Wade was dead.

Even when the world, when everyone accepted that fact as truth, she alone had denied the news.

However, recently, little by little, very little, she found herself having such thoughts.

What if Wade really wasn’t dead?

The thought that everyone had already accepted that fact, and perhaps she was the only one who wanted to deny it.

‘…No.’

But soon, Mary shook her head vigorously, brushing off such thoughts.

Wade is alive.

He must surely be alive.

He would soon appear before her, looking perfectly fine.

She decided to believe that. For now, it was important to focus on the matters at hand.

She had to stop the war.

Mary had been acting under that single-minded determination for some time now.

Knowing from the start that it was impossible to do it alone, she decided to seek the help of others.

What was needed in such a situation was power.

Fortunately, there were those around her who possessed influence.

Alexis, the prince of Wolfron; Cedric, the disciple of the Sword Master; Chris, the disciple of the Tower Master of the Frozen Tower; and Wilhelm, the grandson of the Hand of Gold.

Indeed, those with immense power were gathered around her, and they shared a fair degree of familiarity.

Mary asked for their help, and they willingly accepted her request.

However, despite the formidable backgrounds of these individuals, to be honest, it was still far from sufficient.

While it was true they had impressive backgrounds, that was merely a background; they were not in a position to wield that power freely.

Still, given their names, their influence was considerable, but it was not enough to sway the Emperor of the Empire.

Thus, Mary began to seek out others.

Those who would lend their strength, those who would join her in stopping the war.

Most expressed reluctance, but there were certainly some who nodded their heads in agreement, and thanks to that, the gathering strength was gradually growing. However, Mary’s expression was far from bright.

It was because she knew all too well that this was not enough.

‘If only Rachel and Aira would lend their strength… it would be a great help…’

Rachel and Aira.

Their backgrounds were prominent even within this academy, and the power they possessed was significant.

If she could gain their cooperation, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous asset. Thus, right after resolving to prevent the war, Mary immediately sought their assistance, but for some reason, they showed no particular reaction.

That fact made Mary feel a twinge of loneliness.

It seemed that not only Estelle but also the two of them had truly changed.

And that bitterness awakened the dormant negative thoughts within her.

‘…Really.’

Could they truly prevent the war?

Such negative thoughts flickered through Mary’s mind.

These negative thoughts had been sporadically stirring her heart lately.

Strength was gathering, and so were allies.

But if things continued as they were, it would be too late.

At this rate, it would be difficult to stop the war.

Then, would they ultimately have no choice but to passively watch as the war broke out, as many lives were lost?

Mary’s expression darkened.

It was then.

“Mary.”

Someone approached her, pretending to be casual.

“…Ah, Mr. Meyer.”

This was someone Mary recognized.

At some point, they had become acquainted, and now they exchanged greetings whenever they crossed paths—Alan Meyer, a man.

“Are you worried about something? Your expression doesn’t look good.”

“Ah…”

Realizing that her negative thoughts had been reflected on her face, Mary hurriedly tried to fix her expression, but it was already too late to pretend otherwise.

“…It seems you are worried about the war.”

Alan observed Mary’s complexion with a concerned look.

“……”

There was no room for denial or meaning, so Mary quietly lowered her head without giving a particular answer.

“You don’t need to worry too much. A war won’t actually break out.”

“If that’s the case… I hope so.”

Despite Meyer’s reassurance, Mary couldn’t nod her head right away.

“It will surely be so.”

However, even in response to Mary’s hesitation, Meyer did not stop.

With an unwavering tone, she comforted her.

At that confident reassurance, Mary lifted her head once more.

‘…Yes, it’s too early to give up.’

Yes. For now, it’s too early to give up.

Despairing can wait until after the event has occurred; it won’t be too late then.

Thinking this way, Mary regained her spirits.

“Thank you, Meyer.”

“Not at all. I haven’t done anything.”

“No, thanks to you, I’ve found strength.”

Mary expressed her gratitude to Meyer and smiled for the first time in a long while.

And Meyer, too, smiled back at Mary.

“I should be going now. I have things to do.”

She needed to meet more people and find those who could lend her strength.

And she was planning to visit Estelle and Kairn again.

There was no time to waste like this.

“Yes. I will support you.”

With Meyer’s encouraging words behind her, Mary left her seat immediately.

Since she had turned her back, she didn’t realize.

That even now, Alan’s gaze directed at her was shining with an unusual intensity.