Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

"...Huaaam."

Seventh floor bathroom.

Ella finally opened her eyes. After waking up, she blankly stared at the ceiling for a moment. She was still a bit drowsy.

"Oh right, the mission."

She then remembered her mission and checked her smartwatch.

"...Huh?"

But when she saw the smartwatch screen, she fell into a daze.

Currently, it was 3:02 P.M.

Thinking her smartwatch was broken, she rummaged through her pockets and took out the cadet smartwatch.

On it, a more definitive truth was being shown.

+Artifact Frenzy Quest Results+

[Final survivors – Black Team: 13/ White Team: 11]

[Artifact Possession – Black Team:5/ White Team: 6]

[White Team MVP – Adrian, Evelyn]

[Black Team MVP – Aric, Elera]

+White Team Victory+

"...What?"

Ella slapped her cheeks, thinking it was all a dream.

However, the smartwatch screen remained unchanged. Next, she tried slapping herself harder. But everything was still the same.

"No way, no way, no way...."

She hurriedly ran out of the bathroom.

With classes over, all lights were turned off and the seventh floor lobby was pitch black.

"Ah...."

Devastated, Ella dropped to the floor.

The cold, dark silence of the seventh-floor lobby enveloped Ella as she slumped to the ground, her mind struggling to process the reality displayed on her smartwatch. She stared at the screen, the results taunting her over and over again.

They had lost.

She had fallen asleep, missing the critical final moments of the mission. Her absence weighed on her like a boulder, crushing any hope she had left.

"Damn it... why did I fall asleep?" Ella whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and regret.

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

Ella pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face in her arms. A wave of shame washed over her. She had been too confident, too careless, thinking she could afford a quick rest in the midst of such a high-stakes challenge. Now, that one mistake had cost her everything.

The seventh floor was eerily quiet, her shallow breaths the only sound. She felt disconnected, trapped in a place that echoed her failure.

***

After the end of combat training.

Cadets were sitting on a grass field. Some were frowning as they were treated with potions, but most were talking about the artifact scramble either happily or regretfully.

"Ella, is Ella not out yet?"

Among the cadets was the instructor Lillian, who was calling Ella's name and looking for her.

"...Tsk."

On the other hand, Evelyn was sitting alone, picking on poor grass.

There were many things she was unhappy with. Of course, the scramble ended with the white team's victory.

But her fight with Elera didn't come to conclusion, and even in a one versus six situation – though Aric interfered in the middle – she was unable to defeat Lucas.

Most importantly... although she didn't act like it, she was concerned about what Natasha said during the scramble.

"Hmm~"

Then, someone came up to her, making an audible sound. Evelyn turned her gaze. It was Isabella.

Isabella struck up a conversation with a grin.

"Are you bothered?"

"...What do I have to be bothered by?"

Evelyn retorted bluntly at the sudden question. Isabella rebutted with a nod.

"Oh really? I just thought you were bothered by what Natasha said."

"W-What, are you crazy? Why would I be bothered by that? I don't even remember what she said."

"But still~"

Isaby stared at Lucas. He was sitting with his team in a shade under a big tree. In other words, he was with Elera.

Isabella spoke straightforwardly.

"At this rate, he might get taken away."

"Wh, what? Taken away? Can you stop spouting shit. He was never mine in the first place."

While that was what Evelyn said but her heart was beating like crazy in franzy.

Two years ago, both Lucas and Evelyn dated each other for like year but fro some unfronture incident both of them had to break up.

After that both of them meet again 2 years later at Nova Academy.

And Evelyn had to admit Lucas had changed very much since she last saw him.

He was not depressed as he used to be, he was back to his normal self before everything went downhill.

Evelyn hated Lucas at the first because he almost forgotten about her and what he did to her but then he later told her that someone has messed up his memory and he didn't remember much about her.

But Lucas memories were returning and he started to remember their time together.

But that doesn't mean they can go back the way they used to be.

...But that doesn't mean that Evelyn was not bothered when she saw Lucas getting close Elera.

Isabella looked at her for a moment, then continued speaking.

"Well, I don't believe in those rumors either, but he might be searching for someone else because you keep pushing him away."

Then, Evelyn gaze slowly turned toward Lucas. She saw Elera next to him.

Evelyn furrowed her brows and looked away.

Evelyn's chest tightened as she watched Lucas and Elera from a distance. Lucas laughed at something Elera said, his smile easy and warm, the kind she hadn't seen directed at her in a long time. Evelyn gritted her teeth, trying to shake off the jealousy gnawing at her heart.

She glanced at Isabella, who still wore that knowing smirk. "It's not like that," Evelyn mumbled, her voice laced with irritation, but even she didn't sound convinced.

Isabella shrugged. "Maybe. But if you keep pretending you're not interested, don't be surprised if someone else steps in."

Evelyn clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms. She knew Isabella was right in some ways. She had been pushing Lucas away since they met again at Nova Academy. Their breakup had been messy and painful, driven by things neither of them fully understood at the time. And though she told herself she was over it, the truth was much more complicated.

The Evelyn from two years ago wouldn't have cared, would have brushed off Lucas's presence as insignificant. But this new, confident Lucas—a Lucas she barely recognized—was getting under her skin.

She remembered their final argument before their breakup, the shouting, the tears, and Lucas's vacant expression when he said he couldn't remember why they were even fighting. It was like he was someone else entirely. That night had haunted her for years. When they met again, she hadn't known whether to be angry or relieved.

"Evelyn."

Isabella's voice snapped her back to the present.

"Look, I know it's hard, but if you don't make a move, you'll regret it. Trust me on this."

Evelyn remained silent, watching as Lucas and Elera exchanged another laugh. Elera leaned in closer, pointing at something on the ground, and Lucas followed her gaze, his smile never fading.

It stung more than Evelyn wanted to admit. The way he was so carefree, so happy.

Evelyn's eyes dropped to the grass she was toying with, twisting the green blades between her fingers. The truth was, seeing Lucas with Elera didn't just make her jealous; it reminded her of everything she had lost and everything she still couldn't seem to let go of.