How to Survive as a Trash Extra Villain

Chapter 7

In the end, I fled. There was no denying it. Sebastian hurriedly chased after me.

I tried so hard… but nothing seemed to work out.

I just wanted to eat the delicious cake Lilac made as soon as possible…

I trudged home listlessly. When I looked up, I saw a shabby wooden one-room house in the distance. I couldn’t keep staying at an inn forever, so this was the place I’d hastily secured with what little money I had.

As I entered, a mouthwatering lunch was already prepared, adorned with a note decorated with pretty flowers.

[Welcome back, Master! You worked hard today. How was life at the academy? Did it feel refreshing since it’s been a while? I only wish for you to have a comfortable academy life. Please eat well and rest. – Lilac]

Her physical presence wasn’t here, but her spirit lingered, as if she were with me. I felt a sense of relief and comfort. Lilac… she was earning my trust at an almost uncanny pace.

There was also a dog treat for Sebastian. I tossed it casually, and he leaped to catch it.

“Lilac…”

For two months, Lilac had tirelessly run the coffee cart without a single complaint, all while flawlessly handling household chores. I even checked the profit-and-loss calculations, suspecting she might be skimming, but everything matched perfectly, down to the last cent.

…She was astonishingly devoted. I almost wondered if she was Martin’s biological mother, a detail not in the setting.

Of course, that was impossible. She was the same age as me—how could she be a mother?

“Thanks to her, I’ve saved up quite a bit.”

The sweet exotic tea with awakening effects was already a proven market item. According to Lilac’s sales reports, everything sold out daily now. Even considering the limited amount of ingredients the cart could carry, it was an outstanding achievement.

“It’s about time to consider opening a café.”

It might be too soon.

But I couldn’t let Lilac keep pushing the cart alone forever. This wasn’t Korea. Even in Korea, finding a place with such good security was rare, and this was a medieval fantasy world with swords and magic. Staying vigilant was wise.

“I need to register as a formal business and open a café.”

I’d carefully select a location from Lilac’s routes, one with consistently high sales and good future prospects.

No time like the present. I wolfed down the cooled meal and headed to the Imperium Bank. The multi-purpose administrative hub was busiest with banking, followed by the post office, and then real estate services—exactly what I was there for.

After a long back-and-forth with the agent, I returned empty-handed. It wasn’t something I could resolve in a day.

Stepping outside, I looked up to see dusk settling in. On my way back, I occasionally spotted Imperium Academy cadets, holding tasty snacks, laughing, and enjoying their youth.

“Welcome back, Master.”

Lilac greeted me with a radiant smile as I returned home.

“The night air is still chilly. Would you like to eat first? Or shall I prepare a bath? Or perhaps…”

“First, the sales report.”

“Oh, yes!”

Sold out completely. Today, they sold out even earlier than usual, so she had to return to restock and go back out.

It was proof that the demand for coffee was skyrocketing.

Caffeine addiction was irresistible, even in a fantasy world. Naturally.

“I think we need more promotion. It’s mostly the same customers every day. They all give great reviews, but…”

Lilac was reporting on tomorrow’s business preparations, but for some reason, her words weren’t sinking in.

Today at the academy… I thought of Lilac a lot. Obedient, devoted Lilac. The girl who remained steadfast despite knowing Martin’s ugly side.

“Hey, Lilac.”

“Yes?”

Maybe asking for the sales report right after coming home seemed cold. I’d been deliberately distant to gauge whether she was truly trustworthy, but Lilac always greeted me with a smile and utmost sincerity. Perhaps… just maybe…

Was she hurt?

“Um…”

I felt a flush of embarrassment. Saying something warm to someone I’d treated coldly wasn’t easy.

“What do you think about opening a café?”

“A café?”

Lilac’s eyes widened, and she pursed her lips, deep in thought.

…Oh no, I brought up business again.

“I mean, uh, I can’t keep making you push the cart forever.”

“No, I’m fine. I’m strong. It’s good exercise.”

Lilac deflected with a smile, like an impenetrable wall.

“The security isn’t great, and the ingredients run out quickly.”

“The capital of the Imperium Empire is known for its excellent security. As for ingredients, I can make multiple trips.”

Another smiling deflection.

“No, I mean…”

She tilted her head. I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them.

“I’m worried about you.”

“Ah…”

My face burned. I turned to stare at the empty desk. It wasn’t like me to say that. So embarrassing.

“I think it’s great!”

A clear, bright response came back.

“If we have a café, I can serve you freshly made food, right?”

I turned to see Lilac beaming.

“I can wake you up every morning. I can see you off, come meet you when you return! When you’re tired, I can make sweet cakes. Whenever you call for me, I can come running. If I can spend more time with you, Master, I…”

It was pure joy. Her face looked as relieved as if a nagging tooth had been pulled.

“That’s more than enough for me.”

So that’s what she cared about.

Lilac and I discussed potential café locations for a while. Ideas came up that I hadn’t considered on my own.

Of course, opening a shop wasn’t something to take lightly. It would take time.

After our discussion, Lilac stepped away briefly and returned.

“I prepared coffee and cake for dessert!”

“Oh… thanks.”

I appreciated her thoughtfulness.

“And a letter came from the academy.”

“Huh?”

I took the letter from Lilac’s gentle hands. Ornate patterns, a sealed crest. I opened it and saw the dean’s signature at the bottom. It was real.

“A letter? What could it be…?”

It was my first day back after suspension. Maybe it was a school notice I’d missed? The midterm in three days had already caught me off guard. That must be it.

[To the esteemed cadet Martin von Targon Ulvhadin. This academy is the premier educational institution where the world’s most talented gather, and admission alone is an honor.]

I nearly spat out my coffee.

“Master…?”

“No, I’m fine.”

This felt ominous. Hold on. I needed to brace myself.

[The cadet caused an issue just ten days after the entrance ceremony, resulting in severe disciplinary action. The disciplinary committee has determined that, regardless of the penalties already served, ongoing management of the cadet is necessary. Accordingly, the academy has decided to strengthen its handling of Cadet Martin.]

Lilac glanced at my face.

“You look pale…”

“I’m f-fine. Really.”

[Based on the results of the midterm exam in three days, the academy will consider community service, suspension, or even expulsion of the cadet.]

“Damn…”

I swallowed the curse that nearly slipped out.

That was the end of the letter.

“Three days until the midterm, and now they’re saying they’ll expel me based on the results?”

There wasn’t even a clear score threshold. In other words, they were determined to expel me unless I performed exceptionally.

They’d swallowed 150 million won, made me write an apology, and complete 200 hours of community service, and now this?!

…Think. Breaking away from the protagonist’s party would be the end. It would mean losing the surest way to survive the apocalypse. No other action could compare. My survival odds would plummet.

“Where’s the limit?”

Even today, when I showed a bit of excellence during the presentation, the backlash was immediate.

Suddenly acting competent could backfire. But expulsion was unacceptable. If only I could balance it…

“…Let’s hold on to hope.”

Whatever the ending, this was a novel full of dreams and hope. Unlike reality, where effort could still lead to ruin, this was a story.

“Let’s do this.”

I’d show them what a comeback looked like. My changed self would shift their perceptions. I believed that.

Because this was the world of a novel that once shone hope into my life when I was floundering in despair. I didn’t create the setting, plot, staging, or dialogue, but I added flesh to it and serialized it. I reaped the benefits, no doubt.

It would surely shine light on me again.

***

The second day had three periods. I was stuck in the stifling classroom until 6 p.m. Without Sebastian, I might’ve suffocated. I ate at the campus cafeteria—tasty, but I swore I’d never go back.

The third day had four periods. I felt my blood drying up. I went to the cafeteria again, despite my vow, because it was cheap. After classes ended at 9 p.m., I rushed home and ate Lilac’s cake. It was so delicious it brought tears to my eyes.

I actually shed a tear.

“Nothing’s working out…”

I hadn’t made any connection with the protagonist’s party. Not even with anyone else.

I was the “official outcast.”

To put it nicely, the “implicitly established public invisible man.”

Yeah… that’s right. I was the classic “trash extra villain” from countless novels, the one who recklessly challenges the protagonist with absurd logic and gets schooled.

Worse, I was targeted by the heirs of the empire’s four great ducal families.

Honestly, if it weren’t for preparing for the apocalypse, I’d have dropped out. Apparently, half the cadets from the Violence Circle who acted with Martin had already quit.

“Damn it… At least I studied hard.”

I read somewhere online that if you don’t have friends, you study.

I visited the library and devoured all sorts of specialized knowledge, filling gaps in my practical know-how.

Back on Earth, pre-studying was standard, so I figured the continent’s top educational institution would be no different. I memorized every academy textbook, regardless of grade.

Know-It-All (Lv 1)’s memorization ability is the best in the world.

In other words, I was confident in my studies.

“Now, the midterm. Even though the first-year, first-semester midterm has a low weight, it’s clearly recorded in your cadet record. It’ll help when you graduate and join knight orders or mercenary groups. Do your best.”