I Became A Wretched Extra In A Healing Story - Chapter 21

And the deep resignation she had seen when she first met him, the appearance of having given up everything, bothered her greatly.

“I’m Reibella.”

So she introduced herself formally, albeit belatedly.

And she decided to tell ‘her story’. To make it a little easier for him, who had probably been confined since an even younger age and never mingled with people, to tell his own story.

“I love reading books. There were many books in the house where I used to live. I liked biographies written by adventurers, and historical stories were interesting too. I also enjoyed reading dictionaries. If I come next time, I’ll lend you a botany dictionary. It was really fun. It was also very helpful.”

“……”

“There’s an adventure log written by Kevinson, and while reading it, I vowed that when I grow up, I’d travel. Riding a big ship, going around the world. Feeling the cool breeze while looking at the blue waves. How about it? Isn’t it cool?”

“…So what? You can’t even go out.”

The boy, who had been silent, seemingly uninterested while Reibella was chattering, sneered softly as if he had heard something nonsensical. Reibella immediately retorted to that response.

“Why? I’m going to go out.”

Ah, Reibella, who had uttered shortly, added.

“Of course, after I’ve served my purpose to Her Highness the princess.”

She didn’t forget to appeal to someone who might be secretly listening to their conversation.

“Do you think it will go as you want?”

“Of course. Because I’m Reibella.”

“You being you, what of it?”

“It means I believe in myself. I have confidence. Confidence that my future will be happier and filled with more joyful things than now.”

Reibella grinned as she looked at him. The eyes of the boy, who had been expressionless all along, wavered for a moment.

“You’ll be happy too.”

It might be an irresponsible thing to say to a boy who couldn’t even leave his name in this story, but Reibella whispered, hoping that happiness would gradually settle in.

“I’ll help you.”

So I wish you could trust me a little.

Reibella recalled the note she couldn’t bring herself to take out of her pocket and spoke to him again.

That he would definitely be happy.

* * *

The princess’s palace was bustling today as well.

“This is truly a historical discovery!”

A man with a pedantic look exclaimed repeatedly while pushing up his glasses. His face was flushed red.

“How did you come up with this idea? This is something only a genius could think of. To think that the princess is a once-in-10-years, no, a once-in-100-years genius……”

The man’s sparkling eyes turned towards a small child. A girl with red eyes smiled shyly.

“You’re exaggerating, Master.”

“Exaggerating? Not at all. This was an unsolved problem for over 100 years. And you’ve solved it so perfectly!”

The man called Master, Derrick Heski, strongly objected to the princess’s words.

“I’d like to announce this fact to the academic world, may I? Of course, the name of the discoverer will naturally be Your Highness the princess.”

“If it pleases you, Master, I’m fine with it.”

“It would be my honor, of course. I’m just grateful that I can announce such a great discovery.”

Reibella, who had been watching the situation from the corner of her eye, wanted to say something to Derrick, who seemed eager to share the great discovery right away in an excited voice.

‘……That was originally yours.’

That you are that historical genius.

If he had continued to devote himself to scholarship as a scholar rather than as the princess’s tutor, he probably would have engraved the name ‘Derrick Heski’ in history as the genius of the century. Not as someone who merely announced a historical discovery on behalf of someone else, without even his name being properly remembered.

That person wouldn’t know. What he had lost to the princess, what opportunity he had missed.

Of course, in exchange for that opportunity, he would remain as the tutor of the princess who would be remembered for centuries, but she was secretly curious.

If given two choices, which one would that person choose?

“Reibella.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Reibella, who had been quietly sewing in a corner of the princess’s study room, raised her head at her call.

By now, Heski had left, and only the head maid, Raniel Soi, was by the princess’s side.

“Have you been sewing all this time?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ve just finished.”

“I told you not to do such things and study with me instead.”

The princess showed a gloomy expression, revealing her disappointment.

“I wouldn’t understand even if I listened.”

“That can’t be true. Reibella, you’re so smart.”

“You’re exaggerating. Your Highness just made a discovery of the century!”

“……Were you listening?”

“Of course! I wanted to rejoice with you, but I had to hold back because it was during the lesson.”

“Really?”

“Of course! So, may I congratulate you now?”

As she said this, Reibella clapped her hands vigorously and kept shouting congratulations and how amazing it was. And she praised her intelligence using all sorts of flowery words.

While doing so, she thought,

‘……Social life is really hard.’

This is why I don’t attend classes with her. Do you know how hard it is to play the role of a supporting character tactfully?

‘Moreover, I have to pretend not to know.’

To be honest, everything the princess was learning now was what Reibella had learned and mastered at an even younger age. Thanks to Felicity’s Spartan education.

So there was nothing for her that’s new to hear, and it was just boring. But she couldn’t show that. Because in this world, the protagonist is the princess, Erina.

In a situation where the princess should be in the spotlight, what would happen if an extra suddenly intervened and acted smart? Especially if it was a descendant of a family that had harmed the princess?

‘They’d say I’m desperately trying to steal the princess’s achievements.’

Rather than being falsely accused, it was better not to create such a situation in the first place.

So she had been avoiding it all along, but the princess seemed unwilling to give up, occasionally calling her and having her sit in the study room like this.

At such times, Reibella would either doze off or bring other work to do.

As a bonus, she received plenty of hatred from Derrick. ‘Not even trying is a greater sin than being ignorant and incompetent,’ or something like that.

“But I want you to study, Reibella. There’s so much I want to do with you, and so much we need to do.”

“With me? Oh, I won’t be of any help.”

“But……”

“Your Highness.”

The head maid, Raniel, carefully interjected at the princess’s grumbling.

“Your Highness is a brilliant person. No matter how smart that child is, it would be difficult for her to keep up with Your Highness’s lessons.”

“That’s right! As I said, I don’t know anything.”

As Reibella nodded in agreement with Raniel’s words, putting on an innocent expression, the princess asked with a momentarily gloomy face.

“……You don’t dislike being with me, do you?”

“How could I!”

After answering without hesitation, the princess’s eyes finally lit up brightly.

“I’m glad you’re doing well!”

……Do I look like I’m doing well?

I even ate poisoned food a few days ago.

As if the princess also recalled the thought Reibella had, she made an expression as if she had just realized something.

“Ah, we almost had a big problem recently.”

“But thanks to Your Highness’s care, I’m fine now.”

Four days ago, while tasting the princess’s lunch, she had eaten food containing poison. It was quite a strong poison, so the reaction came immediately, but fortunately, there was a priest who had come to see the princess, so she was able to receive treatment right away.

It was a treatment she could receive because of the princess’s order.

Of course, even if he hadn’t been there, she would have recovered with the antidote herb, but still.

‘If I had eaten it then, the existence of the raffle flower would have been discovered.’

She wanted to avoid revealing the existence of the antidote herb to others as much as possible. If possible, until the day she left the imperial palace.

“It seems like poison has been appearing frequently lately.”

The princess continued in a gloomy voice.

“I wonder if there’s someone who hates me.”

“No, Your Highness. You must never think that way.”

The head maid Raniel immediately objected.

“Your Highness, your mere existence brings smiles and happiness to everyone. The one who sent the poison is a beast who doesn’t know that grace.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Trust me, Your Highness. My words are the truth.”

Raniel’s emphatic manner truly befitted the princess’s first fanatic.

The princess smiled broadly at her sincere words. Only then did a faint smile return to Raniel’s stern face.

“The poison Reibella ate, they still haven’t caught who brought it, right?”