The Extra is a Hero?

A small bell rang in my head as soon as I left the office of the principal.

[Ding~ System Notification Received.]

"Ah, great," I muttered. As soon as I was not sycophantically lectured to by the old man on what a good grandpa I would have been, the system chose to begin singing in my ears once again.

I didn't opened it in the hall where students and teachers were continuing their gossiping about the melee. Rather I went to the Disciplinary Committee Room, where I had my so-called office.

It was a quiet room with an unpleasant smell of parchment and tea. It was soft light through the window that came down on my chair, my throne, as you would like to get melodramatic.

I sat, relaxed, and lastly, I opened the notification.

System Log: Quest Completed

[Hidden Quest Completed!]

[A revealed Corruption of Arcade Hunter Academy.

[Progress: 100/100%]

[Rewards Given: 50 Free Stats, 100,000 SP, Ancient Rune Treasure Map].

I blinked once, twice.

"Ancient… what now?" I thought.

A treasure map? Here was the system making me next into a pirate?

Yo-ho-ho and bottle of mana, I said, rubbing my temples. It must have been some accident you installed the Treasure Hunter DLC! System, are you sure?

No response, obviously. Another perception of the faint chime showed only another faint chime.

[Object: Ancient Rune Treasure Map].

[Details: This map is attracting an C-Rank adventurer because it is an indication of a Hidden Dungeon. ]

[Coordinates: 67:781 ]

[Caution: Closed to all but lower than D]

"Hidden dungeon, huh…" I whispered, leaning back. "So not pirate treasure of it is some kind of bait and plunder, more like a death trap."

Nevertheless I could not repress the expression of a grin. But there is slight a chance of finding something valuable: artifacts, precious materials. The type of things that I so badly needed in case I had to ever achieve my goals.

'Right at the summer break I will check it out, I mumbled. It is better to die doing the right thing than the homework.'

Then my gaze fell upon yet another object, the ring the Principal Herald happened to give me.

I raised my hand. A glitter appeared and then faded away showing the plain silver band.

----------

[Item: Mana Ring (Incomplete)]

Rank: Epic

Effect: +30% Mana Capacity

Skill Storage: [Fire Storm]

Durability: [?]

Status: Incomplete

------------

"Incomplete?" I frowned. The Principal hands me some epic artifact, and it is incomplete?

Also the skill must be of principal who have strore in it.

That was one of the way to protect me a student and if I used this skill that has power of an SSS rank this is a life saving skill for me.

But what with this incomplete status.

"System, tell me why the ring is in status of incomplete ."

[Ding~ Would you wish the Host to open this information? Cost: 5,000 SP.]

I froze, then I groaned with anger.

"You... you a-real black heart system...no you are a scam machine."

Nevertheless, common sense was weak as compared to curiosity.

[Mana Ring is short of two forging materials in order to achieve completion.

[Materials Required:]

1 Litre Dragon Blood

1 Moon Tree Seed

[Upgrade Rank: Legendary]

"...Dragon blood?" I said blankly. You wish I should steal it out of a dragon?

There was a momentary mental picture, that I was going to a hundred- metres long creature and requesting it to donate some blood to upgrade my accessories. That would end well.

' Damn I will be fried like chicken by them if asked them "

"And Moon Tree Seed?" I repeated. Where am I expected to get that?

[Ding~ Would the Host want to buy the information about Moon Tree Seed? Cost: 10,000 SP.]

I slammed a hand on the desk. "You've got to be kidding me."

No answer, only that tempting little [Yes/No] winking in my face. I threw a deep sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"Fine. I wish this information should come with a free funeral plan though.

[Moon Tree Seed: A sanctified seed produced at the time a Moon Tree blossoms and is in direct moonlight.

The Moon Tree will only bloom when it is dipped in the blood of a pure blooded, elft princess.

[The ceremony should be done at full moon.

[Note: It is an irreversible process which needs the approval of the elf.

My entire body froze.

the blood of an un-corrupted elf princess; That meant only one person.

"…Elara."

I gave a sigh of relief and leaned my chin on my hand.

What was I supposed to do, ask that?

'Hey Elara, I am your friend, but can you spare me some of your royal blood so I could water a magic tree during the moonlight? It's not weird, I swear. '

And she would most likely shoot me through the butt.

________

At this moment I was thinking, and a gentle knock came to the door.

Knock. Knock.

"Come in, "half-distractly I said.

The door opened creakily and a big head bobbed in it rustically, disorderly mess of dark hair, shy smile.

"Uh… can I come in?"

I smiled faintly. "Alex. Sure. You do not have to bang the door like you were asking the king to come see you.

He grinned all right and intervened. "Must be old habits.

Alex looked different.

His eyes glowed with a new incandescence - still timid, still doubtful, however, this time more stable. No longer was it the shaky lad who had been taunted by lords a week ago.

He leaned back and was sitting before me with the edge of the chair gripped in his hands as though he had no right to sit with me in the room.

"I just…." He hesitated. I have come to thank you, Michael, everything.

I tilted my head. "For…?"

"For standing up for me. To expose those bastards who humiliated me. To have an opportunity of really staying here. His voice shook a little. "I'll never forget it."

I blinked, caught off guard. Your need not be so formal about it. I didn't do it for gratitude."

"I know," he said, meeting my eyes. "That's why it means more."

A long silence passed. Suddenly he closed his hand.

I will come back to work under you when I get strong, he said with a resolute tone in his voice. I'll help you. Anything you do, any where you go I want to be with you some day.

That one hit me off guard. I even sat back with surprise.

"You… want to work under me?"

"Yeah." He smiled faintly. "I owe you that much. And I'll pay it back tenfold."

I simply gazed at him consciously a few seconds. And then I could not stop laughing.

You have no idea that you aren't possessed or some? I teased lightly. You are even beginning to speak like a knight taking an oath.

He flushed red. "I‑I mean it!"

I know you do, I said, getting to my feet. "And I accept."

His eyes widened slightly. "You… do?"

"Of course," I said. But you see, you will have to be stronger to work with me. Much stronger. Weak do not pass in the place I am heading to.

Alex's gaze didn't waver. "Then teach me."

That actually made me pause.

The tone of his sincerity was not that of people who were desperate. It came from resolve.

I smiled. "Fine. Then you start the following week, it is training with me.

He blinked. "R‑Really?"

"Yeah. I shall have you so strong that you will repent saying that.

He smiled ashamedly and rubbed his head. "I… look forward to it?"

I smirked. "You'll regret that too."

At that both of us laughed, making an easy, light laughter which I had not experienced in a long time.

It was so forgetting of a seriousness of the past few days.

Alex later got on his feet and bowed a bit as he exited the room.

The door closed behind me and I just continued smiling.

"...He's got potential," I muttered. Perhaps fortune is lastly showering me decent allies.

The peace didn't last long.

My phone went off on the desk - the name shown on the screen was that of Victor.

I elevated an eyebrow and took up. "Yo, Victor."

"Boss!" The rough voice with which he was familiar rang through. "Are you free today?"

"Hmm? Why?"

"Don't tell me you forgot?" he groaned. "We discussed it last week. The company, remember?"

Ah. Right.

Our pet project a front company a company that invests in, deals with trading, and, more to the point, subsidises other more secretive deals. Something to make money and power beyond the Academy.

"I didn't forget," I said quickly. Just got a couple of dragons to nursing.

"Dragons?" Victor had really been alarmed. "Wait, literal dragons?"

"Figure of speech," I sighed. "Anyway, yeah. I'm free after two."

"Perfect. Sunflower Cafe at the town square. there is no noise on, and the waitress there likes you, so perhaps we should have a discount.

I rolled my eyes. You see you could simply ask her, you see?

Boss, I got to tell you, you can take the discount with charm, you see.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Fine, two o'clock then."

"Done. Oh, bring that sort of ideas on the naming of company . We're about to make history!"

Before I could answer he hung up.

I dropped the phone and sat back in my chair once again looking at the ceiling.

"An official company, huh?" I murmured. Now it's time to come out of the darkness, I guess.

I was excited and uneasy with the thought.

To resisting the plans of noble schemes to dealing with the royal blood of my future dragons and elves, now I was going to become a offical businessman.

Life was getting started.

I turned my hand, and could see a small sparkle of the invisible ring on my finger.

The world, I said to myself, and chuckled as I thought it, really does not give me a break. But perhaps... then it is fun.

(To be Continue)