Extra's Path To No Harem

Though it looked like Clarice was getting beaten one-sidedly,

it was, in its own twisted way, a fair fight.

Whether it was stubbornness, ego, or sheer pride, Clarice kept gritting her teeth, refusing to back down as she endured each strike.

She was the type who'd sooner collapse than admit defeat.

Someone with pride that sharp doesn't surrender—they break.

And sooner or later, her opponent would realize it too.

To end this drawn-out fight, they'd have to be merciless.

"But still…" Lisa murmured beside me.

"Helping her would only make things worse," I said. "We shouldn't get involved."

Good intentions don't always reach the person they're meant for.

Sometimes, unwanted kindness cuts deeper than any blow.

Smack!

The sound of a heavy hit echoed behind us—hard, sharp, final.

We didn't turn around.

Instead, we left the gymnasium quietly.

Now that I'd shown Lisa the gym,

it was time to introduce her to the other facilities as well.

Just as I was about to move on,

"Excuse me."

"…Hmm?"

I turned around at the sudden voice, but no matter where I looked, there was no one there.

What? I'm sure someone just spoke to me.

"Down here."

The voice came from near my feet.

Only then did I lower my gaze.

A small girl—she couldn't have been older than an elementary schooler—was staring up at me with big, curious eyes.

…Was she the one who talked to me?

"Do you know where the administrative office is?"

"Ah, yeah. If you go that way—"

I pointed toward the main building where the administrative office was located.

I turned back to finish my explanation, but—

"…Huh? Where did she go?"

The little girl who had been right next to me had vanished without a trace.

---

The same little girl who had asked Louis for directions was now strolling casually toward the administrative building, humming to herself as if nothing in the world could rush her.

"Hmm~ hmm~."

Anyone watching her would've thought she was just a child enjoying a walk.

"Was that kid's name… Louis?"

She repeated the name she had read on his uniform tag, swaying her head happily from side to side as she walked.

She hadn't been wrong.

The scent of her "hidden treasure" was unmistakably coming from that boy.

And on top of that—

The pink-haired girl beside him possessed a rather unusual kind of power.

"This is going to be fun."

Kuku.

She let out a small laugh, full of anticipation.

How exciting.

She had barely arrived at the Academy—only minutes ago—and already she had encountered two irregulars whose destinies were completely different from what they should have been.

Her heart fluttered a little in excitement as she stepped toward the administrative office.

After so long away from the human world…

it looked like things were about to become very interesting.

----

Louis couldn't shake off the odd feeling.

He stood there for a moment, staring at the empty space where the little girl had been just a second ago.

"…Weird."

Lisa glanced up at him with a puzzled expression.

"Louis? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just… thought someone was talking to me."

Lisa blinked, but before she could ask further, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hallway.

A group of third-year students passed by, chatting loudly, and the moment was gone.

Louis let out a small breath and looked forward again.

"Come on. We should head to the dorms first. You still need rest."

Lisa nodded weakly.

Even though she was physically free, the exhaustion from years of confinement weighed on her body. Every few steps, her legs trembled slightly.

Louis noticed it immediately.

"Should I carry you again?"

"I–I can walk."

She tried to look confident, but after two more shaky steps, she stopped pretending.

"…Maybe just a little."

Louis smiled faintly and crouched so she could climb onto his back.

As she wrapped her arms around him, he felt her grip tighten for just an instant—like she was afraid he'd disappear if she let go.

---

Meanwhile, in the administrative office—

Tap.

Tap-tap-tap.

The little girl swung her legs while sitting on a chair in the waiting area, humming to herself as she watched the busy staff walk past her without paying her any attention.

It wasn't that they were ignoring her.

They quite literally couldn't see her—unless she wished to be seen.

"But I should behave for now," she whispered with a grin.

A woman with glasses finally noticed her, blinking in surprise.

"Oh my—! Sweetheart, how long have you been sitting there?"

"Not long," the little girl answered sweetly.

The woman with glasses hurriedly approached, her heels clacking against the polished floor.

She knelt to meet the girl's eyes, her voice gentle.

"Did you come here with your parents? Or are you lost?"

"I'm not lost," the girl said cheerfully. "I'm here to enroll as instructor."

The woman blinked.

"…Enroll? As Instructor? Here? At the Academy?"

The girl nodded, smiling innocently.

"But you're… um—"

The woman hesitated, searching for a polite word.

"You're quite young, aren't you?"

"I'm older than I look," the girl replied with a small tilt of her head.

There was something in her voice—an odd maturity that didn't match her appearance.

The woman felt a faint shiver crawl up her spine, but she brushed it aside and stood.

"Well… the Headmaster will need to approve such a special case. Please wait here while I make an inquiry."

"Okay."

The little girl beamed at her, swinging her legs again as the woman left in a hurry.

The moment she disappeared around the corner—

—the child's smile vanished.

Her expression faded into something quiet, cold, and ancient.

"Older than I look… I wasn't lying."

She let her gaze drift toward the window, watching the busy courtyard outside—students laughing, chatting, and walking between buildings.

"But I wonder… how many of you will survive until graduation this time?"

A faint shimmer flickered across her eyes—like starlight trapped in a void.

"So many threads… twisted, tangled, and wrong."

She thought back to Louis.

To Lisa.

To the strange deviations she sensed simply by touching their presence.

"Two irregulars already."

Her lips curved slowly, like a predator discovering a new playground.

She pressed her finger to her lips, giggling softly.

"This year is going to be the most fun."

----

End Of Volume—2