Extra To Protagonist

Seraphina, obviously, sat next to Nathan. She kept sneaking glances at him, her face turning red before hurriedly looking back at her food.

'Could she be any more obvious?'

Merlin sighed. Seraphina was supposed to be Nathan's main love interest in the novel. The problem? Her shy personality dragged things out for so long that even the readers got bored of the romance.

No matter how much of a strong-willed person she was, when it came to Nathan, she just… froze. And Nathan? The guy was as dense as a brick wall.

'Perfect. Just how I remember it being in the novel, these two are gonna drag this out forever.'

Merlin glanced to his side. Liliana was silently eating her food… or more accurately, she was devouring three plates at once. She paused, turned to look at him, and raised a brow.

'…Glutton.'

Shaking his head, Merlin returned to his meal.

Nathan, meanwhile, just smiled like he had no thoughts in his head.

"So, how was everyone's day?" he asked cheerfully.

'Did he seriously have to ask that?'

Merlin looked at him, then went right back to eating.

Liliana, sitting next to him, was the first to respond.

"We had basic mana theory in the morning. The professor decided to experiment and nearly blew up the classroom."

Merlin barely managed to stop himself from laughing.

'I think I have an idea who that professor is.'

Seraphina just sat there, smiling at Nathan and Liliana.

Not even acknowledging Merlin's existence.

'Wow. Okay.'

Nathan then started talking about his and Merlin's day, and both girls listened with bright, proud expressions—like they were proud of him just for existing. But not of Merlin..just Nathan alone.

'Who would've thought.'

Merlin finished his food and suddenly remembered something.

'Vivienne told me to meet her today.'

"I've got stuff to do," he said, standing up before anyone could react.

Then, he just walked out of the cafeteria.

The others exchanged looks before turning to Nathan, who simply shrugged with a smile.

"Must be important."

—

Finally, some peace and quiet.

Merlin made his way to the same training facility where he had sparred with Vivienne yesterday.

As he walked inside, he noticed some students already there and checked the room assignments.

'…The hell?'

One of the rooms had already been reserved under his name.

'This has to be Vivienne.'

Merlin headed toward the room and pushed open the door.

'…Nope.'

Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room was Reinhardt, his eyes closed, a wooden sword resting on his shoulder.

'Guess he talked to Vivienne about it.'

As Merlin stepped closer, Reinhardt's eyes snapped open. Without a word, he grabbed a rapier from the side and threw it at Merlin.

'Oh, we're doing this now?'

Merlin caught the rapier mid-air.

"Use both of your affinities. Vivienne told me about them, so don't hold back." Reinhardt said flatly.

Merlin barely had time to process that before Reinhardt vanished.

'She told this old man?! At least give me a second—!'

[Trickster's Reflex]

His body moved before his mind could catch up. Instinctively, Merlin leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding a downward strike.

"Couldn't you at least give me some time?!"

Reinhardt just smirked and lunged at him again. The wooden sword cut through the air like a storm.

Merlin pushed off the ground, channeling his wind affinity to dodge—just in time.

'How the hell is a wooden sword hitting like that?!'

He quickly stepped back, using the wind to push himself farther away and create some distance.

"Channel your mana into your rapier. Watch closely."

Reinhardt lifted his wooden sword. The air around it ignited—a deep, molten red glow, like lava flowing down the blade.

'Seriously…teaching me in the middle of a spar. Let's try this.'

Merlin focused, guiding his mana into the rapier. A pale, misty light wrapped around it, flickering like an invisible haze.

Reinhardt let out a laugh and clapped.

"Hahaha! Now that's interesting!"

Then, without warning, he launched himself forward.

And yelled in a voice like a goddamn cannon blast—

"The best way to learn is through experience!"

'You're trying to KILL me, old man!'

Merlin barely dodged again, pouring all his focus into his space and wind affinities. He tried to remember how Nathan had done it in the novel.

Then—

He disappeared.

It wasn't a full teleport. Not yet. But he had managed to manipulate space just enough to combine it with wind, moving faster than before.

He reappeared right in front of Reinhardt.

Merlin's rapier lunged forward.

"!!!"

Reinhardt's eyes widened for the first time.

But—effortlessly—he dodged.

"Now that's more like it, kid!"

Merlin didn't stop. He immediately kicked back, using wind to accelerate.

[Trickster's Reflex]

'Okay. Focus. Use everything. Wind, space… and let's try not to get shattered like a twig.'

He moved. A burst of wind sent him flying right, then space magic twisted around him, making him blur. His rapier shot forward—

—And the next second, he was flying backward.

Spinning through the air, Merlin hit the ground with a groan.

'…What just happened.'

Reinhardt stood there, calmly scratching at his ear.

'Is this man serious?!'

"You're too predictable. If you want to move faster, at least stop glowing like a goddamn fireworks show."

Merlin groaned and forced himself up.

"Then how do I get faster?"

Reinhardt sighed.

"Move smarter, not harder. You have two affinities. But you're thinking too much."

'Oh, sorry, I'm not an ancient swordmaster, my bad.'

Merlin lunged again. This time, he did his best to not think. He let his instincts guide him—

BAM.

Flat on the floor.

Reinhardt laughed.

"Still too slow, brat."

Merlin just lay there, wheezing.

'Is this training… or just straight up assault?'

But he wasn't going to give up.

"Again!" he shouted, pushing himself up.

Reinhardt grinned, resting his wooden sword on his shoulder.

"Now we're talking. Show me something good, kid."

Merlin took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second.

'Okay. Focus. Wind, space… reflexes.'

Then—he vanished.

Reinhardt's eyes gleamed.

Merlin didn't charge straight this time. He took two steps back, manipulating space, then burst forward with wind acceleration. The next second, he was behind Reinhardt.

Thrust.

His rapier shot toward Reinhardt's back—

—And stopped.

Merlin's eyes widened.

Reinhardt's wooden sword was already at his throat.

'…WHEN?!'

"Better. But if you're getting this close, expect your opponent to have a plan."

Merlin panted, blood dripping from his nose.

'I pushed my affinities too hard. I'm still too weak.'

He glanced at his rapier, then at the wooden sword resting against his chin.

"So… I lost."

Reinhardt smirked.

"Almost—"

However, Merlin wasn't done. Not yet.

'NOW!'

His rapier trembled. A burst of wind slightly shifted the blade—just enough to almost graze Reinhardt's shoulder.

Reinhardt blinked. Then laughed, stepping back.

"Well, well! Not bad, brat!"

Merlin let out a long sigh.

Reinhardt grinned and knocked him on the head with the wooden sword.

"For the first day, you did alright. Don't get discouraged."

Then, resting the sword on his shoulder, he turned and left.

"Same time, tomorrow."

His voice echoed through the training hall.

Merlin groaned. And collapsed to the floor. His body was done for today. He needed some rest..immediately.

'…That was just a beating.'

Merlin lay on the ground for a while. His body needed the rest—he had pushed his affinities too far. Even if the spar hadn't lasted long, it had drained him.

'I should probably learn to use my affinities more wisely…'

Then, suddenly, his phone started ringing.

'Who the hell is calling me now?'

He pulled it out and checked the screen.

Big Sis and a laughing emoji.

'Victoria? What does she want?'

Merlin sighed and answered the call, but before he could even say a word, Victoria's voice rang through the phone.

"Come outside, I'm picking you up."

Before he could protest that he wasn't exactly in the best condition, she hung up.

'…Great. All I needed today was for her to see me in this state.'

Merlin groaned and forced himself up, wiping the blood off his face as best as he could. His limbs ached, and his head was still spinning from overusing his affinities, but he had no choice.

As he walked through the halls, he could feel the stares of other students. Some glanced at him like he was a walking corpse. Others outright gawked.

'Yeah, yeah. Stare all you want.'

By the time he reached the front gate, Victoria was already there, leaning against her car.

"Little bro—?!"

Her eyes widened as she saw the state he was in. She rushed over and practically shoved him into the passenger seat.

Merlin slumped into the seat and waved a hand lazily.

"Had a rough training session with a teacher."

He forced a grin, trying to brush it off.

His hair was a complete mess, his face was pale, and his clothes were slightly bloody from his nosebleed. He looked less like a student and more like someone who had just survived a natural disaster.

Victoria stared at him for a moment, then sighed as she got into the driver's seat.

"…You look like a half-dead ghost."

"Thanks, Sis. That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

Victoria just shook her head and started the car.

"Let's get you home before someone mistakes you for a crime scene."