The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Triang Village (3)

***

It was natural for Grace to be puzzled.

One soul per body. That was the natural order of the world, an immutable truth.

But that perfect equation had been broken. By a single exception.

Berry.

The exception she had seen when she'd looked over, startled by the unprecedented announcement of joint top scorers.

She hadn't been able to discern his features clearly from the distance, but she had distinctly seen two souls: one in his head, and another in his chest.

'Why does he have two souls?'

Grace tilted her head, puzzled, her eyes darting around, searching for an answer.

But before she could find one, a strange sight caught her attention.

She had to put her question aside.

Berry's souls, the two orbs, were fluctuating wildly as he looked towards the side of the stage.

Was this what love at first sight looked like?

A commoner like Berry couldn't have known the Imperial Princess beforehand. He must have fallen for her the moment he saw her.

Grace thought so, and another question arose.

On the day of the Lycansthrope attack, when Grace was expecting to treat Ian and Selina, who had barely survived their ordeal in Section B-04, the Imperial Princess had appeared, carrying a near-dead Berry on her back.

Berry had regained consciousness shortly after, and,

The moment he saw Grace, the soul in his chest had flickered.

-If you haven't decided on your student council party yet, would you like to join mine?-

And his first words to her had been a blatant invitation.

And the faint smile on his lips had puzzled her.

'Is this man… indiscriminately attracted to beautiful women?'

Berry's smile had been born of relief and anticipation, and the flickering of his soul was simply his reaction to meeting a character from the story. But Grace, unaware of this, had misinterpreted his actions.

So, she had asked him if he was attracted to her.

But his answer, and the stillness of his souls, had been cold and indifferent.

The faint, yet solid, soul in his left eye remained calm, and,

The sharp, almost prickly, soul in his chest was also quiet. His answer had been sincere.

So, Grace accepted his offer without hesitation.

She had confirmed that his intentions weren't purely physical, and she was happy to be of assistance.

And she wanted to solve the mystery of his two souls.

'…A split personality?'

That was the only possibility she could think of, having never encountered someone with multiple personalities.

So, driven by curiosity and a desire to help, she joined his party.

And it was a stroke of luck for her.

Before she could become jaded by academy life and seek solace in Ian's company,

She found herself in the company of:

A boy with a fascinating, morally ambiguous aura, neither black nor white, but a shade of gray.

A princess, haunted by regret, focused solely on her fiancé, avoiding contact with others.

And a timid alchemist.

Her chances of seeking comfort and dependence elsewhere had diminished significantly.

She now had the time and energy to observe her surroundings, and she realized,

That the boy's feelings for the princess, despite being love at first sight, were genuine.

His souls fluctuated wildly whenever he looked at her, a clear sign of true love.

Of course, one soul was driven by unwavering loyalty to his deceased liege, a poignant affection.

And the other was driven by the bittersweet longing for a love that was within reach, yet unattainable.

But Grace could only see the result of their emotions, not their cause.

So, she misunderstood.

And she felt sorry for him.

She knew his love, fueled by two souls burning brightly, was doomed to fail.

She could see the ending clearly.

His love was a futile pursuit.

A commoner and a princess. While their social status was a significant obstacle, the true barrier was their emotions.

Every time Lilisiana touched her engagement ring, the longing and affection she felt were more intense than any emotion Grace had ever witnessed.

How could such powerful feelings be directed at someone who wasn't even present?

If only their feelings were mutual, perhaps they could overcome the difference in their social standing…

If only the boy could graduate as a top scorer.

But his love was unrequited, and Grace chose to warn him, hoping to spare him from further heartbreak.

It was a mistake.

She encouraged the princess to pair him with someone else, even as he expressed his love.

And her unintentional assist, while he was already suffering, only deepened his pain.

Grace, blessed with the ability to see the strongest emotions, was ironically blind to the nuances of human interaction.

So, the boy, his heart broken, became even more ruthless in his dealings with the bandits.

And he began interrogating the sole survivor, a mangled mess of a man, trying to convince Grace of the harsh realities of this world.

Grace felt a pang of sympathy.

She finally understood why his souls were so prickly, so guarded.

How could a boy her age kill so many people without flinching, his gaze cold and indifferent as he ruthlessly interrogated his captive?

Because that was his life, his way of survival… she thought.

She pitied him, his past, and the bleak future that awaited him.

Having lived such a life, he couldn't possibly understand love.

And she felt compassion for him, his first love, a love that would never be reciprocated.

She walked towards him and gently took his hand, the hand still gripping the sword.

"W-What are you doing?"

His eyes widened in surprise, his souls flickering with confusion.

"I know your life has been difficult, Berry. A painful journey."

"That's not what I…"

She ignored him, continuing,

"I tried to dissuade you, feeling sorry for your unrequited love… but now, I'm not so sure. So, if it's not morally wrong, I'll support you. Everyone deserves a reward for their efforts."

"That's not what I'm…"

She raised his hand,

"So, please don't take your anger out on him. What do you gain from tormenting him further?"

"What…?"

"You shouldn't become accustomed to such things… I, too, have learned my lesson. I've realized that there are good people in this world, and there are evil people."

At that moment, Berry thought,

'Damn it, one lesson wasn't enough for her, was it?'

She had lived a sheltered life, surrounded by kindness and divine grace.

Shock therapy had worked on Lilisiana, so he had tried the same approach with Grace, but it hadn't been enough to instill rationality in her.

He, Kim Bin, a lifelong consumer of romance fantasy, knew that shock therapy was the most effective way to awaken a character from their delusion.

For someone like Lilisiana, who had lost her will to live, a jolt of joy or anger.

For someone like Grace, trapped in a dream world, a harsh dose of reality.

This world was a romance fantasy, and using tropes from the genre on its inhabitants was a valid strategy.

But it hadn't been effective on Grace.

Their backgrounds were different, and he couldn't replicate the same results.

Grace continued,

"He's a criminal, so he won't receive proper treatment. He'll live the rest of his life like this. So, you don't have to inflict further pain. He'll eventually regret his actions and reflect on his sins. He'll repent… So please, don't stain your hands with unnecessary blood, Berry."

"…"

This professional sympathizer had shifted her target from the bandit to him.

Berry realized he hadn't made a dent in her worldview, and felt a wave of dizziness.

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