The Main Heroine Falls for the Extra

Aria Owen couldn’t hide her bewildered feelings. Allen Ludwig, the man she trusted and followed more than anyone else.
It was certainly pleasing that he was getting angry on her behalf.
But this wasn’t right.
This wound was caused by her own mistake, and the other party was not at fault at all.
Wasn’t she planning to get treatment quickly without telling anyone and then go apologize separately later?
But she hadn’t expected Allen to approach her before she could get treatment.
She had always been the one to approach Allen; Allen had never come to her first.
‘Why… why at a time like this…?’
If she had known this would happen, she would have gotten treatment first, tired or not.
Honestly, Aria didn’t want to make a big scene out of this.
It was her own mistake, and she was afraid that if things escalated and Allen started making a fuss, her shameful behavior would become known to everyone around.
Look. Even now, students were gathering because of Allen’s commotion.
Even Kyo Wentos and Riel Ignis, who were standing in line over there, were now looking in their direction.
Now that the incident had come to the attention of those directly involved, she needed to resolve this quickly somehow.
“Aria, what exactly happened?”
“Allen, this is an injury I sustained due to my own fault. It’s not even that severe.”
“It clearly looks like an injury caused by someone! Who did this to you?”
“Allen, please…”
Aria felt like she was burning inside.
Of course, she fully understood how cowardly and wrong her actions had been, and she had no intention of avoiding punishment.
But she at least didn’t want those around her, especially Allen, to know what she had done.
If a commotion erupted now, Kyo Wentos might reveal what she had done.
Anxiously, Aria glanced at Kyo Wentos standing at a distance.
He seemed to have lost interest and was back in the evaluation line, waiting for his turn.
But that’s exactly what became the problem.
Allen Ludwig, unnecessarily perceptive, noticed who Aria was glancing at.
“…Was it that bastard?”
“What?”
“Was it Kyo, that bastard, who injured your face?”
Aria froze with a pale face at Allen’s words.
That reaction alone was enough for Allen to turn his suspicion into certainty.
Allen immediately tried to walk toward Kyo Wentos.
“Allen! No!”
Realizing what Allen was about to do, Aria clung to him.
Feris also followed Aria’s lead and tried to restrain Allen.
“Aria, Feris. Let go.”
“As I said before, this is an injury I sustained due to my own fault! He’s not to blame!”
“Regardless of whose fault it is, there’s no justification for causing an injury to a woman’s face!”
“Allen…!”
Aria instinctively sensed that Allen had no intention of stopping.
In the end, Aria had no choice but to bring up one of the things she least wanted to mention.
“Allen, have you forgotten that you’re not supposed to approach him after losing the duel!?”
“!!”
Aria didn’t want to bring up this topic, which was essentially rubbing salt in Allen’s wounds, as he had been dejected after losing to Kyo Wentos.
As a result of the previous duel, Allen, who had lost by disqualification, was prohibited from approaching Kyo Wentos within the academy grounds.
Of course, violating this wouldn’t result in severe punishment, but breaking the conditions set in a duel was considered an action that greatly diminished one’s honor.
For Allen, a knight’s son, it was tantamount to a huge humiliation.
Finally, all strength drained from Allen’s body.
“Allen, this is my problem. I’ll take care of it myself, so please don’t worry too much.”
“……”
Allen still looked unconvinced, but seeing Aria’s resolute face, he seemed to give up, turning around and leaving.
Only then did Aria and Feris both relax, sinking to the ground as their strength gave out.
And a moment later, Aria spoke as if she had made a decision.
“Feris.”
“Aria, what’s wrong?”
“I think I probably won’t be able to attend the academy for a while.”
“…I guess so.”
Using magic against an unarmed opponent who had turned their back.
Though it ended as an attempt because of the opponent’s quick response, she thought academic probation was the best-case scenario.
…If he hadn’t been able to respond and had been injured, she might have even faced expulsion.
“If that happens, Allen might cause trouble again. I’m counting on you then.”
“…Leave it to me.”
Aria looked at Feris with a half-resigned face and smiled.
Though it was done for her sake.
Though in his own way, he had righteous intentions.
Allen, who has such a hot-tempered and self-righteous side.
How did I come to like Allen…?
Aria briefly entertained this thought before erasing it from her mind.

That same day, I reported Aria’s actions to the professor.
The professor immediately summoned Aria to confirm the facts, and Aria, who had been called by the professor, surprisingly admitted her actions cleanly.
With Aria acknowledging her actions, the disciplinary process was swift, and Aria received a one-month probation.
Fortunately, no one was hurt (strictly speaking, except for Aria, who injured her face), and it seemed the punishment was slightly reduced because Aria quickly admitted her actions.
Had Aria not admitted it, they would have verified the facts through the data recorded in the issued magical tools, and if Aria’s lie had been exposed that way, she would have received a more severe punishment.
Honestly, I briefly suspected that Aria might have deliberately admitted her actions anticipating this.
But judging by Aria’s expression when she heard this, that didn’t seem to be the case.
She even apologized, bowing her head deeply.
The next day, as expected, Allen caused a commotion when he heard that Aria had received probation, and Feris and Johan could be seen working hard to restrain Allen.
Allen’s face showed that he still couldn’t accept it, but he finally relented when Feris earnestly persuaded him by saying, “Aria made a big mistake, and because of that, someone could have been hurt.”
She didn’t lie, but cleverly omitted the fact that Aria had attacked me.
Allen glared at me from time to time, but due to the penalty from losing the duel, he didn’t pick any fights with me.

Two weeks passed after the outdoor training ended.
Right after the outdoor training finished, I wrote a letter to my mother requesting an investigation, and I received a reply.
It was about the investigation into Duke and Duchess Ignis and their heir.
However, the results weren’t that promising.
I needed to discuss this with Riel, so she and I, accompanied by Phyllis, entered a secret room in the library.
“You couldn’t find anything at all?”
“Yeah. My mother used all the information networks available to her for the investigation, but…”
My mother, Countess Sylvia Wentos, was a collateral royal family member who had also worked in the Magic Corps in her youth, so she had quite an extensive network.
Even she couldn’t determine what the Duke and Duchess were doing.
The only information she could gather was vague, like “they were somewhere a few months ago” or “they were seen there recently.”
Still, there was some helpful information.
“Yuril Dria Palaginya.”
“Princess Yuril??”
Riel’s mouth fell open at the name I mentioned.
Yuril Dria Palaginya was the third princess among the kingdom’s three princesses.
And currently the person ranked first in line for the throne.
“Princess Yuril met with Duke Ignis two weeks ago.”
That was the most recent sighting information from my mother’s investigation results.
It was said to be just a casual conversation, but if they met and spoke directly, might she not know something?
Therefore, we needed to meet Princess Yuril.
Riel spoke with a troubled expression.
“But how do we meet Princess Yuril?”
“Riel, have you forgotten?”
Princess Yuril has two older sisters.
Both are her biological sisters born to the current queen, twins who renounced their succession rights to avoid confusion over the succession, and who support Princess Yuril.
And the second of those sisters is none other than…
“Who Eve’s superior is.”
“Ah!!”
Aine Gine Palaginya.
A royal who is also an exceptional magic swordsman, a strong woman who personally leads the Knights Order and Magic Corps to subjugate magical beasts.
And a character who appeared as an antagonist opposing Allen in the original story.
…Someone who’s also a bit awkward for me to face due to past connections.
Even so, I needed to make contact, so I spoke to Phyllis, who was waiting behind us.
“Phyllis, we need to contact Eve immediately.”
“Young Master, Young Lady, there’s no need for that.”
Phyllis replied with a smile.
“Both Lady Eve and Princess Aine are currently in the north.”
“Huh…? In the north?”
Riel asked with a startled face, and Phyllis nodded.
“Yes. Both of them are currently in Count Wentos’ territory.”
Count Wentos’ territory.
Come to think of it, this is the season when magical beasts begin to swarm in the north.
Princess Aine would always come to the Count’s territory to subjugate magical beasts during this season.
I felt my not-so-good memories of Princess Aine being stirred up again.