An Extra’s Rise in an Eroge

"Incredible control," Elena remarked, nodding in approval.

Alex wasn't finished. With a smooth transition, he shifted to his air affinity. A gentle breeze began to fill the room, the flow of air dancing with a rhythm only he could control. The gust enveloped the front row, ruffling hair and clothing, yet it remained calm and serene, an elegant display of mastery.

"Remarkable," Elena said, her voice carrying genuine admiration. "To shift between elements so seamlessly speaks volumes about your talent."

The students whispered amongst themselves, their awe growing.

"Is he showing off dual affinities?"

"No wonder he made it into the top ten."

Alex's focus sharpened as he moved to his final demonstration. This time, he called upon his water affinity. A shimmering orb of water formed in his hands, suspended in perfect stillness. Then, with a flick of his fingers, the orb elongated into a thin ribbon, swirling through the air before returning to his palm.

The class erupted in gasps of disbelief.

"A triple affinity Awakener?"

"Unbelievable!"

Arthur's POV:

I could easily hear my classmates' murmurs.

Sigh… you guys are reacting too early, you know.

Seriously? They're falling for this so easily? I thought, watching the scene unfold.

Alex, visibly pleased with the commotion, turned toward Instructor Elena. Her face betrayed a mixture of surprise and curiosity as she processed what she had witnessed.

"Student Alex…" she began, feigning astonishment, "you have three affinities, and you've already managed to gain basic control over them? How remarkable!"

Ah, there it was. The exact same words I remembered from the game.

Look at her, acting all surprised. As if she didn't already know about Alex possessing multiple affinities. Every student's affinities were thoroughly assessed during the elemental examination, and there's no way she would have missed his. Unless, of course, she's putting on a show. Typical.

Alex, soaking up the attention like a sponge, puffed out his chest slightly. "No, professor," he replied, his tone dripping with smugness. "I also have an affinity with fire and light, though I'm unable to manifest them yet."

The room fell silent again, the sheer audacity of his statement leaving everyone speechless. Eyes widened, and I could almost feel the collective intake of breath as the weight of his words settled in.

And there it is, I thought dryly.

"Five affinities?" someone whispered.

"That's… is that even possible?"

The idea of a student possessing five affinities was nothing short of extraordinary, a phenomenon far beyond conventional understanding.

The commoners, unaware of Alex's identity as the Hero, were utterly captivated, their faces alight with admiration and awe. But I noticed a few nobles watching him with a more tempered expression. They knew who he was—knew his background—and they clearly saw through the theatrics.

I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Isn't it time for our cliché villain to make an entrance?

"You seriously expect us to believe that?"

The sharp, skeptical voice cut through the murmurs like a blade, silencing the room. Heads turned toward the source, and I didn't even need to look to know who it was.

And here he is, I thought, holding back a smirk.

A tall, arrogant-looking student stood from his seat, his expression twisted with disdain. "You're lying," he declared, his voice loud and unwavering.

Alex turned toward him, his confident smile unfaltering. "And why would I lie about something that can be verified?"

The room tensed, the atmosphere thick with anticipation.

"You think I'm stupid enough to buy into this ridiculous show?" the skeptical student spat. "Five affinities? That's impossible. You're just putting on a performance to grab attention. You must be using some artifacts. It's quite easy for you nobles to get hands on such things"

Alex raised an eyebrow, his calm demeanor only infuriating his accuser further. "You're welcome to ask Instructor Elena to verify my affinities," he said smoothly, gesturing toward her with a confident flourish.

Elena, who had been silently observing the exchange, finally stepped in. "That's enough," she said firmly, her tone carrying the weight of authority. Her gaze shifted to the standing student, pinning him in place. "Unless you can present evidence to support your claim, I suggest you sit down and let me conduct my lesson."

The student hesitated, clearly wanting to argue further, but the weight of her words and the judging eyes of his peers forced him back into his seat with a frustrated scowl.

"Well handled, student Alex," Elena said, returning her attention to him. "Though I do advise keeping your demonstrations concise in the future. You don't want to exhaust yourself unnecessarily."

Alex nodded, his smile broadening as he returned to his seat.

"That's enough for today," Instructor Elena declared, her tone sharp. "I expect you all to review the principles of Aether and affinities before our next session. Don't waste my time by coming unprepared."

I leaned back in my seat, a smirk tugging at my lips.

Well, that was unexpected. A confrontation was supposed to happen between the protagonist and the villain.

Suddenly, Sol's voice echoed in my mind, as clear as if she were standing beside me.

[It seems your actions to get Instructor Elena's attention took up a significant portion of the class. That led to an alteration in Mr. Harold's fate, earning you quite a bit of FP.]

'What do you mean, Sol?' I thought, directing the question inward.

[What I mean is, the event that would have pushed Harold to clash with Alex didn't occur because of you. Alex was supposed to humiliate Harold in front of the whole class, setting up the foundation for Harold's grudge against him. But you, dear Arthur, disrupted the sequence. You're smart enough to piece the rest together.]

I clicked my tongue quietly. Well, it's not the first time I've managed to derail the story.

"Hey, Arthur! Why are you just sitting there? Let's go!" Alicia's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"To where?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Didn't you check your schedule? It's our combat class next. We need to head to the Combat Training Hall."

Stay tuned for updates on empire

"Oh~ right, I forgot," I replied, glancing at Nadia. "Let's go."

The class filed out of the room, the murmur of excited conversations filling the corridor. Almost everyone headed toward the combat hall, but I noticed one figure breaking off from the group.

Nyra.

She moved swiftly, intercepting Instructor Elena just as she was about to leave.

"Instructor Elena," Nyra began, her voice calm but firm, "may I have a word with you?"

Elena paused, glancing at her with faint disinterest. "If it's regarding your earlier question, then no," she replied bluntly, continuing on her way.

Nyra's expression hardened. "Miss Elena, as a member of the elven royal family, I command you to answer my question."

At that, Elena stopped and turned, her lips curling into a mocking smile.

"Oh~ naïve princess," she said, her tone laced with derision. "This isn't your precious Everveil Kingdom. This is Arcane Academy—independent of any social hierarchy. Here, you're just another student, and I am your professor. In this setting, your status is lower than mine. So no, I am under no obligation to answer you."

Nyra's cheeks flushed with anger, but before she could respond, Elena turned away again, her heels clicking against the polished floor.

Just as she was about to enter her next classroom, she glanced back with a pointed look.

"But since you're so insistent, let me answer your question," Elena said, her tone biting. "The attitude you've just displayed—that arrogance, that entitlement—is precisely why I left the Everveil Kingdom."

With that, she disappeared into the room, leaving Nyra standing in the corridor, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

While Nyra and Instructor Elena exchanged words, the rest of the class made their way into the Combat Training Hall.

The hall was impressive, with towering ceilings and walls reinforced with enchanted materials. Spacious enough to accommodate a variety of training scenarios, the room exuded a sense of discipline and intensity. The air itself seemed charged, as if anticipating the raw energy that was about to be unleashed.

Students gathered in a loose circle around the central training area, their conversations a mix of excitement and nerves.

A few minutes later, Nyra entered, her expression sour.

"Where were you?" Alan asked, glancing at her with mild curiosity.

"None of your concern," she snapped, her tone cold.

"Looks like someone's in a foul mood," I thought to myself, suppressing a smirk.

Before the conversation could escalate further, the sound of confident footsteps filled the room. All heads turned as Instructor Samantha strode in, her mere presence enough to silence the chatter.

Today, her attire was far less conservative than yesterday, designed for mobility and practicality. Her athletic frame, honed by years of rigorous training, exuded strength and authority. Her sharp gaze swept across the gathered students, commanding respect without uttering a word.

"Good day, students," she began, her tone firm but resonant enough to carry through the hall. "As I've already explained yesterday, my class isn't about coddling or theoretical niceties. We're here to hone your combat skills—both with and without the use of your affinities."

She clasped her hands behind her back, pacing slowly before the group. "Today's focus will be on the fundamentals. Basic combat techniques that will form the bedrock of your training here at Arcane Academy."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Pausing, she turned to face the class directly. "Remember this: combat isn't just about who has the strongest affinity. It's about strategy, adaptability, and the ability to make swift decisions under pressure. Many of you have powerful affinities, but raw power alone will get you killed in the field."

The room fell silent as her words sank in.

"Now," she continued, gesturing to the training equipment lined up along the walls. "We'll start with weapon handling and basic sparring drills. Choose a weapon that aligns with your combat style.