Extra in a Romance Fantasy

179 – Memory (3)

“……”

Mary quietly watched the memories unfolding before her.

This memory still remained vividly in her mind.

The sight of Wade, covered in blood, coming to find her, that smile, was something she could not easily forget.

And since that time, Mary’s attitude towards Wade had changed as well.

She no longer acted spitefully towards him.

It was because she realized that he didn’t hate her.

Yet, the question of why he still hesitated to get closer to her remained a mystery, but Mary never asked about it.

Thus, they returned to their daily lives and continued their ordinary routines.

They ate together, studied together, and played together, just like before.

How much time passed in such a state?

One day, Mary realized.

That Wade had taken a special place in her heart.

However, even after becoming aware of her feelings, Mary never conveyed them to Wade.

She knew all too well that if she did, Wade would leave this place, leave her forever.

So she continued to act the same way, treating Wade the same.

Even as more people developed feelings for Wade, even as someone approached him.

She simply smiled.

Like someone who hadn’t noticed anything.

Every time she saw Wade with another woman, she pretended not to feel the pain in her heart, smiling all the while.

To keep her feelings hidden.

Should she be thankful? Wade never became involved with anyone else.

Wade was so oblivious in these matters that it could be described as catastrophic, and because of this, he failed to notice even the slightest gaze or expression from the women directed at him.

Of course, there were rare occasions when some would express their feelings for Wade directly.

However, each time such a situation arose, Wade would flatly reject their confessions.

So definitively that there was not even a hint of possibility left.

Because of this, Wade never had a romantic partner.

This was something that Mary could consider fortunate.

Watching Wade like this, Mary thought to herself.

This is enough.

After spending a long time by Wade’s side, Mary came to understand.

It was true that Wade was hesitant to get close to her, but he also thought of her as someone special.

Though it wasn’t the kind of ‘specialness’ that Mary desired, she decided to be satisfied with it.

As long as Wade didn’t have someone else in his heart, she believed that she would be the most special woman to him.

That was enough, she thought.

And then, time passed again.

Mary and Wade had reached the age of adulthood, and Mary had developed an interest in the academy.

Though she had no desire for wealth or power, she did have a yearning for fame.

Or should it be called ambition?

Since there was no one but Mary under the title of Baron Bluenoa, it was only natural that she would become the next Baroness in due time.

In preparation for that, Mary had a desire to prove herself.

And the most suitable stage to achieve that purpose was the academy.

A place where all kinds of talents and noble individuals from the continent gathered, the Ferdion Academy.

Just graduating from there would ensure that no one would doubt Mary’s qualifications.

Moreover, if she were fortunate enough to stand out at the academy, her family’s reputation would also rise.

The academy could be called a land of opportunity for Mary in many ways.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.

Mary genuinely loved magic, and within her heart burned a clear will to become a more outstanding magician.

Additionally, there was the anticipation of a new life, meeting new people in a new environment.

For these reasons, Mary harbored the thought of applying to the academy.

However, there was one thing that weighed on her mind before she could decisively choose to go to the academy.

That was the existence of Wade.

—

As she subtly probed, it seemed that Wade had no interest in the academy whatsoever.

No, beyond that, he even showed a strong aversion to it.

If things continued this way, she would be the only one going to the academy, and that would mean a long separation from Wade.

Who knew what might happen in the meantime?

Perhaps, during her absence, Wade might find himself a romantic partner.

That was something Mary could never wish for, so she ultimately resorted to her secret weapon.

She moved her father and mother.

Her parents were already worried about sending their precious daughter to the academy alone, so they had no choice but to listen closely to her words.

In the end, the viscount took action, and his intentions were promptly conveyed to Wade’s father, Lawrence.

And Lawrence gladly accepted the viscount’s wishes.

On the surface, it appeared to be loyalty to his master, but Mary recognized the truth.

Uncle Lawrence himself actually hoped for Wade to head to the academy.

He wished for his son to experience a larger world and to move forward into it.

Thus, Wade’s journey to the academy was decided, entirely independent of his own will.

Of course, the academy was not a place anyone could attend just because they wanted to, but that was not something to worry about.

Mary had a vague understanding of Wade’s abilities.

Rather, the one who should be worried was herself.

As expected, Wade passed without much difficulty, and fortunately, Mary also managed to gain admission to the academy.

Thus, their entrance into the academy was determined through that process.

Around that time, Mary held a glimmer of hope.

Could the new environment, the change, bring some transformation to her relationship with Wade?

However, that small wish of Mary’s did not come to fruition.

Even after entering the academy, their relationship did not change.

No, beyond that, it began to flow in a rather negative direction.

For some reason, Wade started to avoid Mary after entering the academy, and to make matters worse, powerful rivals began to emerge.

Rachel Eldrid, the daughter of the prestigious Eldrid family of the Elbrent Empire.

Aira Librion, the daughter of the renowned Knight of Guardians, Gale Librion.

And Estelle von Rainberg, the princess of the Rainberg Empire, who was essentially in a position that could be called the emperor.

Each one was a woman of remarkable beauty, background, and ability, lacking in nothing.

If it weren’t for the academy, Mary would have had no opportunity to even exchange words with such formidable figures.

—

—

Those women began to harbor feelings for Wade and started to target him.

The cause of it all was Wade.

Always wearing a bothersome expression, yet never turning away when someone in front of him was in danger.

That was the kind of man Wade was.

Even after entering the academy, his nature hadn’t changed, and Wade, without a care for his own safety, threw himself into danger, rescuing the three women mentioned earlier.

As a result, the presence of Wade took root in the hearts of those three women.

This was something Mary had not anticipated, and it was certainly an unwelcome outcome for her.

The three women, each in their own way, began to approach Wade, and Mary could only watch helplessly.

Similar events had occurred in Lakewood as well.

However, at that time, Mary had a sense of ease.

She was confident that she was not inferior to anyone vying for Wade’s attention, believing herself to be the most special woman in his eyes.

Yet, as she watched the three women, Mary couldn’t help but feel shaken.

They were far too captivating for her to maintain that sense of ease.

Even though Wade showed no signs of being swayed by their active advances, it was uncertain how long that would last.

The three women possessed a charm that no man, no person, could remain unmoved by.

Thus, Mary grew increasingly anxious, and her composure began to fade.

Outwardly, she pretended to be calm and unconcerned, but inside, her heart was slowly burning away.

In her turmoil, Mary made a decision one day.

She would confess her feelings to Wade.

She thought it could not be delayed any longer.

If time passed like this and someone else took root in Wade’s heart, she believed there would be no more opportunities.

So, with the resolve to convey her feelings, she suppressed the urge to run away and called for Wade.

However, despite her efforts, she ultimately could not confess her heart to him.

That day, Wade left the academy, accused of murdering a prince.

After that, it was a continuous storm.

Wade, pursued by the empire, vanished one day, and news spread across the continent that he was likely dead.

Mary thought.

It couldn’t be true.

Wade couldn’t be dead.

He was surely alive and well.

—

But no matter how much time passed, there was no news of Wade being alive, nor did any contact come.

The world had begun to treat Wade as if he were dead, and accordingly, Mary’s faith began to waver little by little.

It was during such a time that news of war reached her.

Even amidst the chaos, Mary took action.

To prevent the war.

She knew that if the two empires went to war, the continent would be devastated in an instant, and countless lives would be lost.

Realizing her own strength was insufficient, she even sought the help of others.

However, to put it bluntly, she failed to prevent the war.

The rising tension between the two empires showed no signs of abating, and finally, their armies aimed their spears at each other across the plains.

Watching that scene helplessly, Mary felt a deep sense of despair.

She thought that soon war would break out, and it would spread across the entire continent, pushing countless people into death.

But then, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

Though she couldn’t know the details, it was clear that something unusual had happened.

The armies of the two empires, which should have been aiming their spears at each other, suddenly began to advance toward Ferdion.

What on earth had happened?

What could have occurred to bring about such a result?

In that moment, a powerful question arose in Mary’s mind.

Someone appeared before her.

‘…Ah.’

As her thoughts reached that point, Mary could recall everything.

The face of that someone, and why she was here.

The identity of the person who appeared before Mary was none other than…

‘…Allen Meyer.’

It was Allen Meyer.

A man with whom she had exchanged only a few words, a relationship too ambiguous to call a friendship.

The moment she saw his face, Mary felt an ominous premonition.

The Allen Meyer standing before her looked significantly different from the one she had seen before.

Unlike his usual smile, his expression was terrifyingly rigid, and the atmosphere was not just cold but piercing and heavy.

Instinctively, Mary thought.

She must avoid it.

However, before she could take any action, Alan Meyer reached out to her first.

In that moment, her memory cut off, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself here.

Mary realized.

‘…a dream.’

That this place was a world within a dream.

And she also felt it.

A foreboding intuition that she should not remain still like this.

She had to get out of here.

She had to wake up from the dream.

The moment she thought that.

A door appeared.

It was an ordinary door made of wood, nothing special.

The moment she saw the door, Mary instinctively understood.

That it was the exit from this place.

That if she opened that door, she could wake from the dream.

And so, Mary began to run.

Towards the door.

To wake up from this dream.

But just as she had taken a few steps from her spot.

Boom—

The world suddenly went dark.

The background that had just illuminated her memories turned pitch black in an instant.

Seeing that sight, Mary felt a strong sense of unease.

It felt as if something bad was about to happen.

And that unease soon became reality.

Wooo—

A disturbing wail echoed, and something began to writhe and rise from the darkness.

It was something resembling a shadow…

Except for the fact that it had a color so ominous that it could not simply be described as a shadow, it clearly resembled one.

The shadow that revealed itself quickly grew in size, and in the next moment, it sluggishly formed into a shape.

A giant.

It was a giant.

The moment Mary saw the giant, she began to run forward with all her might.

Her intuition sent a fierce warning that she must not be caught by that giant.

However.

No matter how much she ran, no matter how desperately she pushed herself, for some reason, the distance to the door did not seem to close at all.

No, it was actually getting farther away.

As she stood still, the giant finally reached out its hand toward her.

Mary barely managed to evade that enormous hand by rolling on the ground.

Yet, there was no time to feel joy about that.

Immediately, the giant reached out to her once more.

For some reason, when Mary tried to rise to avoid that hand again, her body wouldn’t move.

In a panic, she looked down.

She saw it.

A sinister shadow, strikingly similar to the giant, was entangling her own body.

Stunned by that realization, Mary thrashed about.

To shake off the shadow.

But no matter how much she struggled, the shadow showed no intention of leaving her body, and all her movements were in vain.

And toward Mary, who was flailing in such futility, the giant’s hand began to draw closer.

Seeing the giant’s hand approaching her moment by moment, Mary felt a deep terror.

A vague premonition arose.

If she were to be caught by that hand, everything would come to an end.

A feeling that she would cease to be herself.

That was why she was afraid.

As she was consumed by profound fear, familiar faces began to surface before her eyes.

Alexis, Cedric, Chris, Wilhelm.

Rachel, Ira, Estelle.

Del and Uncle Carlson.

Uncle Lawrence, and her father, and mother.

The faces of many people she had met throughout her life flashed before her in an instant.

And what adorned the end of that brief moment was.

‘…Wade.’

It was the face of someone dearly missed and longed for.

If this truly is the end.

If everything is to end just like this.

She felt a desire, at the very least, to see that face one last time.

Of course, Mary knew that such a wish could never come true.

Feeling a deep sense of regret and sorrow, Mary closed her eyes.

She couldn’t bear to face the approaching end with her own eyes.

Thus, true darkness descended upon her world.

It was then.

“That habit of yours hasn’t changed.”

The familiar voice reached her ears.

It was a voice so familiar.

So familiar that it was utterly unforgettable.

And at the same time, a voice she had missed so dearly.

Yet, it was a voice that could never be heard in this moment, in this place.

It must be an auditory hallucination.

It could only be that.

Even as she thought so, Mary slowly opened her eyes.

And there, she saw.

Wade, battered and bruised, standing with a sword, blocking the giant.

The moment she saw that sight, tears flowed from her eyes against her will.

“Crying again.”

Wade said, looking at her with a teasing tone.

However, contrary to the words, his voice was the warmest and softest she had ever heard from him.

“Let’s go back, Mary.”

With a smile that closely resembled the one still vividly etched in her memory.

“…Okay!”

Mary replied, her voice full of energy.

This time, with a bright smile.

And then.

Wade swung his sword.

The blade split the world, tainted by darkness, alongside the giant.

Thus, the nightmare came to an end.