Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character

At first, I was completely overwhelmed by this insane schedule. My weak, untrained body had been thrown headfirst into an absurd routine dictated by the system. Every morning, it was push-ups, sit-ups, squats, plus lifting stones and sacks of grain that I improvised on my own. It was relentless, as if the system thought I was some aspiring gladiator.

However, after a week passed, something surprising happened: my body started to adapt. The aches that once made me want to cry myself to sleep every night had started to ease. I no longer gasped for breath after doing just ten push-ups. And while I still grumbled every morning, I wasn't complaining as much anymore.

Between those grueling workouts, though, I began to learn something truly valuable from the system.

[Today's Lesson: Basic Practical Chemistry Techniques]

[Video Tutorial Starting...]

"A video… tutorial?" I muttered in confusion when a new transparent window appeared in front of me. Suddenly, the screen displayed a three-dimensional holographic video—like I was watching an educational program from the future. A person wearing a white coat (probably a scientist or instructor) calmly explained step-by-step instructions on how to make soap using the most basic methods.

I nearly cried tears of joy. "OH MY GOD! This is exactly what I've been needing!"

The explanation was crystal clear, accompanied by easy-to-understand visuals. It started with how to combine animal fat and wood ash to obtain natural alkali, all the way to heating and molding the mixture. This wasn't just plain text—it was a practical visual guide I could immediately follow!

I even found myself blurting, "System, you're truly amazing…"

Of course, the system immediately shattered the moment with its harsh response.

[Stop praising me! Focus on your work, amateur!]

I closed my mouth and let out a long sigh. What a tsundere system! It really did feel like I was being trained by a drill sergeant who took pleasure in mocking his subordinates. But still… I couldn't deny how helpful it was.

With that guide, I successfully made my first batch of soap. The result was rough and oddly shaped, but it lathered and even smelled pleasant after I added some herbal oils from my shop's stock. For the first time, I felt like a proper innovator in this medieval world.

I held up the oddly shaped soap in my hand, a proud smile spreading across my face. "This is my first step toward greatness! It may seem small now, but…"

The system cut my monologue off immediately.

[First Attempt Approved.]

[Next, improve production quality. Don't be satisfied with trash like this!]

I clenched the soap tightly, glaring at the ceiling of my shop. "COULD YOU AT LEAST GIVE ME SOME PRAISE?! I JUST LEARNED THIS, YOU KNOW?!"

The transparent system screen floated silently in front of me, as though to say: I don't care.

Even so, deep down, I was smiling. This was just the beginning, but I already had something no one else in this world did. With a bit of improvement, this product could turn into a luxury commodity in this border village—or maybe even in the Kingdom of Lurenthia.

I stood tall, holding the soap with determination. "Alright! It's time to start a business… and introduce soap to this world!"

"Man, that kid's getting weirder and weirder…"

The gruff voice of Old Man Oldan echoed through the door. He clearly didn't care to hide his commentary. His tone carried the kind of pity only a man who's seen the roughness of life could have—pity for someone like me, who was acting "strange" every single day.

Meanwhile, I was crouched on the floor, carefully mixing a blend of wood ash and fat oil inside a clay pot. My face was full of concentration, like that of a mad scientist working on an important experiment.

"Tch, what's so weird about this? I'm creating a marvel of civilization here, Old Man!" I replied, not bothering to look up as I focused on getting the measurements just right.

Oldan stood at the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, staring at my back with a conflicted expression. "You used to just laze around and daydream in this herbal shop. And now? You're waking up at the crack of dawn, sweating like crazy, talking to yourself, and mixing weird liquids like some failed wizard."

Annoyed, I glanced up and squinted at him. "Failed wizard? This isn't magic, Old Man. It's science!"

Oldan snorted and shook his head, looking at me like I was a hopeless patient. "Science, huh? All I see is fat and ash. That's a fool's work, if you ask me."

I took a long, deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "One day, Old Man… one day, you'll thank me when you see what I'm creating here."

He stared at me for a long moment, then let out a heavy sigh. "Whatever. But if you burn this shop down or poison a customer with your strange junk, you will be the one to take responsibility!" he said, disappearing into the back room and leaving me alone with my work.

I shrugged and turned my focus back to the task at hand. My mixture was starting to look promising. Just a little more—I only needed to heat it until it thickened, then mold it.

"Mock me all you want now, Old Man," I muttered with a sly grin. "But when this soap becomes a luxury that nobles fight over, you'll regret every single comment you've made!"