The Unrecorded Extra

"Oh? What happened to you?"

As soon as I entered my room, I found Zia settled in her bed who was combing her long hair just as when I met her the first time in this very same room.

"Just had a little conflict with my classmates," I said, heading to the bathroom.

"Did you give them a lesson?"

Pushing the door, I paused a moment to answer her before I entered the bathroom.

"Yeah, some broken bones. I hope I didn't get caught."

Inside the bathroom, I could hear Zia's voice faintly. What came from her mouth made me shocked.

"You should've killed them. That way, they won't annoy you again," she said, sounding rather calm.

I found myself frozen in place as I heard that.

When I was about to respond to her words that I thought she was joking. A tingling, throbbing pain invaded my head again.

"Maybe I should have done that…"

I was surprised at myself as I spoke those words, it felt like I was not myself when I said that.

Yeah, it felt like something, a hollow and void feeling forced me to say that subconsciously.

Taking off my clothes, I eagerly waited for a reply from outside. When I realized there won't be any response coming from Zia, I immediately took a quick shower.

Upon taking shower, I felt refreshed, but the throbbing pain in my head was still there, instead, it seemed to be worsening.

Before, it was like a ticklish and tingling feeling, but now it felt like my inside was crushed by a giant hammer or maybe a Buddha's palm.

I was holding on to the pain and forced myself to dress in a white t-shirt.

"Fvck!"

My unconscious yell did not go unnoticed by Zia who was probably still combing her hair.

"Zio? Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah… A bit dizzy though."

A faint humanoid shadow was seen through the bathroom door, Zia was near the door. She was standing in front of the door, and looking at the hand position of the shadow, it looked like she was going to open it.

Before she could twist it and opened the door because I forgot to lock it, I stopped her.

"Don't come in, I'm naked…" I lied.

There was no reply coming from her after I said that. The silence stretched between us which made me suddenly awkward and I could feel my cheek warm.

"Let me just finish getting dressed."

"Okay…"

Finally, the reply came. The shadow behind the door stepped away, and I sighed relievedly.

As I finished getting dressed in a white t-shirt and black uniform pants, the pain in my head began to subside slightly, though it was still present.

I opened the bathroom door and stepped out.

Zia was sitting in her original position before I entered the bathroom, and looked at me with concern.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

I rubbed my temples, trying to ease the lingering ache.

"Yeah, I don't know what's going on. I've been getting these weird headaches lately, and they seem to be getting worse."

Zia frowned, her expression looked serious yet hollow, and I also noticed a soft smile on her face.

"I hope you're better soon."

"Thank you…"

Taking notice of Zia's appearance, I realized that whenever I talked to her, she was seemingly to be always in her uniform clothing. In fact, I had never seen her in another outfit before.

Say, maybe a casual outfit? I really want to see her in a casual outfit.

"Do you always wear your uniform whenever and wherever?"

She blinked a few times before answering me.

"Oh. It's just that the uniform is very comfortable."

"I see."

I couldn't agree more with that. Since I got the uniform, I had been more comfortable wearing it than my casual outfit. It was proof that the materials used for the uniform were of high quality, as expected from the prestigious academy.

"Why? Do you want to see me in my casual outfit?"

I coughed. Surprised by her sudden questions.

"Not really."

"Hee…"

She looked at me with narrow eyes—teasing-like eyes. When she stood up, I reflexively jolted and took a few paces back.

"So you want it, eh?" she said while approaching me like a ghost trying to scare off a kid.

"N-no?"

I stuttered, looking around my cabinets for a spare academy uniform.

"Really, you don't want to?"

Once I found the uniform, I immediately grabbed it then headed to the door.

"Too bad that's true. Well, see you later, I'm going to the Wolf realm!"

BAM–!

A loud banging door sound rang in the corridor.

As I walked in the corridor, my mind suddenly played an image of Zia in a casual outfit, and I immediately regretted my rejection.

I said that I had no interest in that, but why did I think of that?

Shaking my head, I threw the thought away and better thinking about the more objective topic. Though I couldn't help but think about Zia, not because I was interested but rather curious.

How should I say it? She was becoming more 'alive' if you know what I meant.

At our first meeting, everything about her seemed hollow, like a doll that had just been given a soul. But now, she had become more 'alive' and 'humanely'.

'What's wrong with her actually?' I thought.

…

The Wolf realm's courtyard was crowded with students, all of them bustling with excitement and anticipation for the academy club recruitment convention.

As I walked among the sea of students, I could hear chatter, laughter, and the sound of footsteps as students rushed from booth to booth, trying to gather as much information about clubs as they could.

There was a buzz of energy that permeated the air, making it almost tangible.

The students were all dressed in their finest uniforms, mostly black and red, indicating that they were first-year students.

Each booth was adorned with colorful banners and posters, showcasing the different clubs and activities available to the students. Manning the booth was the second year students, which could be discerned by the color of their black and blue uniforms.

I weaved through the throngs of people, trying to make my way to the club I had my eye on. While I did so, the aroma of food assaulted my nostril.

The aroma of food wafted through the air, coming from the various food stalls that had been set up for the convention. The scent mixed with the sound of music and laughter, creating a festive atmosphere.

The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over everything.

The trees provided some much-needed shade, and the gentle breeze that brushed my skin and blew through the courtyard provided a refreshing relief from the heat.

As I finally reached the booth I was aiming for, I could hear some familiar voices calling me out.

"Zio!"

Trying to find the voice's owner, who I spotted waving at me among the crowd around the booth I would join in, was Lux. Beside him was a face that I hadn't seen since the entrance exam, Ayano Fuyuki.

I approached them and greeted them, "Lux, Ayano, long time no see."

Ayano slightly bowed, retaining the politeness that her parents had taught her.

"Long time no see, nice to meet you again, Zio Varrez," Ayano replied, bowing slightly.

Lux playfully punched my shoulder with a wide smile.

"What do you mean a long time? We saw each other at the Practice Hunt two weeks ago, remember?"

I chuckled at Lux's comment, "Oh yeah, you're right. I guess time flies when you're having fun."

Two weeks…

The Combat Training class past two weeks was a single class practical test, so it was true that I had not met Lux since then. As for Ayano, since I did not see her in the Practice Hunt, it would be meant that it had been a month since I last see her in the entrance exam.

"Have you decided on which club to join?"

The question was coming from Ayano, and she did so while looking at me. I was not sure if she was talking to me, but seeing her tilt her head while her eyes were locked on me, I guess she was.

A bit surprised, because I did not expect her to even bother talking to me.

"Not yet, I'm still checking out all the booths. How about you guys?" I lied.

Lux pointed to a nearby booth.

"I'm thinking of joining the Exploration Club. I like exploring after all."

What a coincidence–not really though, I was also thinking about joining this club. Though my reason for joining was not because I like to explore, I just want something out of the main characters that joined this club too, not Lux.

"I'm considering joining the Tea Ceremony Club. I've always been interested in the art of tea," said Ayano.

'Tea Ceremony Club, huh?'

Now that she mentioned it, I just remembered that there would be a branch event bound to happen in the Tea Ceremony Club. It was Ayano's event character arc.

Thanks to her reminder, I remembered it now. Because of that, my choices of club had been branched too.

"Sounds like you guys have it all figured out. I'm still undecided, but I'm leaning toward the Exploration Club too."

There was no way I would say that I had an interest to join Tea Ceremony Club. If I was to mention it, I doubted that there wouldn't be anyone who wouldn't laugh at me.

Why? Because Tea Ceremony Club was a girl-only club.

"Oh! I think we really have the same taste, Zio. As expected of my first friend."

Uhh no. I did not enjoy exploring… I would rather stay indoors rather than go outdoors. I just wanted something from this club…

"To be honest, I don't really enjoy exploring. It's just because my cousin asked me that I should choose an outdoor activity club that I thought of joining this club."

Sorry, Shannon. I hope you won't be angry that I brought you to this.

"Cousin? Did your cousin also study here?"

"Yes. She–"

Just then, a voice calling Lux and Ayano rang out behind me, it was the voice that I had heard before.

"Lux, Ayano!"

I turned around and found a girl with dark violet hair walking toward us gracefully.

'Here comes the wanted person.'

Lumi Alicia Alexa.