The Main Heroine Falls for the Extra

“Ah…I…that is…um…”
Emilia stumbled over her words, her gaze drifting away in confusion.
Well, although I knew she was a demi-human, she would have thought I didn’t know, so it’s natural for her to be flustered.
“Don’t worry about it, I had somewhat expected it.”
“I…I see.”
“More importantly, please hurry with your evacuation preparations. We’ll join with the other village and head to Arianrod Fortress.”
“Yes!”
Well, rather than having expected it, I already knew, but I can’t say that, so it can’t be helped.
Emilia ran to what appeared to be her family group, and I also went to areas where evacuation preparations were slow to help.
Honestly, a corner of my mind was extremely anxious because of the strangely behaving magical beasts we had encountered on the way here.
“Everyone has completed evacuation preparations!”
“Then let’s depart. Be thoroughly vigilant as there may be magical beasts in the area!”
“Understood!!”

Emilia Silbright was born into a Silver Wolf Tribe warrior family.
However, unlike her older brother who was born first, she had almost no aptitude as a warrior.
Of course, as a demi-human, her basic physical abilities were excellent, but despite that, she fell short of calling herself a Silver Wolf Tribe warrior.
But on the other hand, her aptitude for magic was remarkably high.
Among the soldiers dispatched from Arianrod, an old magician discerned her potential.
Unfortunately, there was no magician in the Silver Wolf Tribe village who could teach her.
Within the Silver Wolf Tribe, which was not just any demi-human tribe but one known for producing strong warriors, a child born with high magical aptitude was historically the first.
The magician dispatched from the fortress couldn’t stay in the village indefinitely.
She was able to learn the basics somehow before he left, but it was still insufficient for Emilia.
“How about going to the academy in the royal capital?”
Such a suggestion came from Emilia’s mother.
However, demi-humans, including the Silver Wolf Tribe, were not very welcomed in human society.
In the northern region where they lived, they might only attract a few glances when going down to the village, but in other regions, they might not even be treated as people at worst.
Emilia was very anxious about this.
And the cost was also an issue.
Emilia’s family, being a warrior family, was relatively well-off from selling materials obtained from hunting magical beasts.
It was an amount that could be paid if one tried hard enough, unless they were an exceptionally poor noble, but it was still a burdensome amount for Emilia’s family, who were merely well-off territory residents.
This problem was unexpectedly resolved quickly.
‘A child from the Silver Wolf Tribe with high magical aptitude, what an interesting story.’
Count Wentos, who was receiving regular reports from the soldiers, showed interest in her.
The Count was someone who never spared expense when it came to discovering and supporting talent.
He willingly covered all costs for Emilia to attend the academy.
Well, there was a condition that she would someday work for the Count’s territory after blooming her talent.
Practicing the basics of magic and living with her family, Emilia went to the academy when she came of age.
She had heard that the Count’s eldest son would also be attending the academy, but she had never met him.
She thought that she should thank him someday if they happened to meet.
Arriving in the royal capital, leaving the north for the first time, Emilia was very excited.
New scenery and many people—Emilia’s heart was filled with anticipation.
The head of the academy was not someone who greatly discriminated against demi-humans, so he accommodated her attendance at the academy.
Although she had to hide her ears and tail, Emilia spent a fulfilling academy life improving her magic skills.
But that happy life ended after about a month.
Emilia didn’t have a single person she could call a friend.
When everyone was forming their own groups, Emilia, who had been preoccupied with hiding her identity, was a step too late.
The groups full of noble girls were out of the question from the start.
There was another group with quite a few commoner girls mixed in, but she instinctively felt uncomfortable and gradually avoided them.
Unable to join even the groups of the few commoner girls in the academy dominated by nobles, Emilia’s academy life was lonely.
Then one day, during her quiet academy life, a duel took place.
Moreover, among the duelists’ names was one familiar to Emilia.
‘Kyo Wentos…’
None other than the heir of the Count’s family was one of the duelists.
Come to think of it, he was in the same class.
Emilia, who had been preoccupied with what was right in front of her, only then remembered her resolution to thank him when they met.
The duel ended with the opponent’s disqualification.
The reason was that magical energy from someone other than the duelist had assisted the opponent.
Emilia, sensitive to magical energy, had felt it too, though she didn’t know who it was.
The heir sustained minor injuries and left the scene, supported by other students.
Emilia considered following him but ultimately remained where she was.
Slap!!
She turned around at the loud sound.
It seemed that a red-haired girl had forcefully slapped a blue-haired girl.
Probably Riel Ignis and… who?
She clearly remembered the name of Riel Ignis, a high-ranking noble, but couldn’t quite recall who the other person was.
She later learned that she was the heir’s former fiancée, but since she was a former fiancée, Emilia didn’t feel the need to remember and forgot about her.
After the duel commotion, quiet academy life continued.
Emilia still had no friends.
Having failed to make any friends by the time of the outdoor training, Emilia ended up alone when it came to forming teams.
The person who was also left alone and formed a team with Emilia was Allen Ludwig.
She wondered why such a popular person, always surrounded by girls, was left alone.
And clearly, he had been the heir’s dueling opponent not long ago.
A man who always brought girls along and, decisively, didn’t get along with the Count’s son, her benefactor.
Emilia’s impression of him was basically negative.
“Um… Allen, are you really okay forming a party with someone like me? There are plenty of people who would switch with me…”
“No… I’m really fine with it?”
No, please switch with someone else.
Emilia, who already had a poor impression of him and strangely felt uncomfortable around him, wanted to avoid him, but he didn’t seem to have any intention of switching.
For Emilia, who had no friends, all she could do was hope he would switch with someone, but she failed.
The flower-like scent emanating from him was too much of an ordeal for Emilia as a demi-human.
Then, the four-day holiday arrived.
Emilia wasn’t feeling well, perhaps due to the flower scent she had been exposed to recently.
She had no friends, so no one to go play with. Thinking of returning to her hometown briefly, she boarded a train heading north.
Littlelake, a city between Viscount Bruin’s territory and the north. From here, taking a carriage would lead to her hometown, the Count’s territory.
After putting her luggage in the luggage compartment and boarding the carriage, Emilia turned her gaze to the traveling party that boarded the carriage with her.
And, to her surprise, she recognized both faces.
“Um… aren’t you two from the same class…?”
None other than the heir of the Count’s territory and the daughter of the Duke’s family.
People as lofty as the sky had boarded the carriage across from her.
“Emilia Silbright…? Why are you here?”
Oh? He knew my name.
Briefly thinking this, Emilia mentioned that she was on her way home.
I see, so the heir is also returning home.
While on the carriage heading north, Riel Ignis, the daughter of the Duke’s family, approached Emilia to talk.
She and Emilia had originally been seated far apart (though now she was sitting behind her after a seat change), and since both were quiet types, they had never conversed before.
But talking to her for the first time, Emilia found her to be a very bright and energetic person.
“So Emi’s hometown is in the Count’s territory!”
“Yes, though it’s a small village in the forest, even if it is in the Count’s territory.”
Riel was already calling her by a nickname.
‘Emilia seems a bit long, can I call you Emi?’ she had asked, and Emilia had nodded without thinking.
Emilia felt slightly dazed but somehow didn’t dislike conversing with her.
She wondered if this was what it felt like to talk with a friend.
“The person who paid for my academy expenses was Count Wentos.”
“Kyo’s father?”
“Yes, so I wanted to thank him, but…”
The heir, sitting next to Riel, had already dozed off.
“It would be difficult to do so now.”
“Ahaha…”
Can’t be helped; I’ll thank him next time.
When Emilia arrived at her hometown village, the villagers welcomed her.
Showing off the magic she had learned in front of the villagers, introducing her contracted summon, and so on—Emilia felt comfortable for the first time in a long while.
Home is really the best, she thought.
But even as she thought this, she recalled Riel’s face from their conversation in the carriage.
‘We promised to return to the royal capital together.’
Emilia somehow felt a bit of anticipation for her academy life again.

But the next day, bells suddenly rang frantically, announcing an emergency in the village.
Then soldiers rushed in, issuing evacuation orders to each household.
Emilia’s father and brother, who were warriors, gathered their equipment and got up, while Emilia packed her belongings with her mother.
‘Oh right! My student ID!’
She had left her student ID at the checkpoint when entering the village, just in case.
Hurrying to the checkpoint, Emilia received her student ID and was about to return home.
She saw a familiar back.
“Huh? Kyo…?”
“Emilia Silbright. So this is your hometown village.”
Hearing his words, Emilia belatedly realized that she hadn’t hidden her ears and tail.
“Ah…I…that is…um…”
“Don’t worry about it, I had somewhat expected it.”
“I…I see.”
Thinking about it, he’s from the Wentos Count family.
Of course, he would be someone who understands demi-humans.
“More importantly, please hurry with your evacuation preparations. We’ll join with the other village and head to Arianrod Fortress.”
“Yes!”
Emilia immediately ran back to her house.
After completing evacuation preparations, she joined the refugee column.
Among the Silver Wolf Tribe refugees, the warriors volunteered to join the soldiers in the escort group.
Naturally, Emilia also tried to join the escort group, but her father and brother stopped her.
“Emilia, you’re still a student. Leave this to us.”
“I’ll definitely protect you, so please take care of Mother for me.”
Faced with their strong will, Emilia could only nod.
“Everyone! Begin moving!!”
With the loud voice from the front, the refugees began to move.

Wow… seeing it like this, there really are a lot of people.
Having somehow managed to reach the first village and successfully join up with everyone, I thought this as I looked at the consolidated refugee column.
The refugees themselves number barely a hundred, but including the escorting soldiers, it became quite a large number.
“If the column seems organized, let’s begin moving.”
“Yes! Everyone! Begin moving!!”
At those words, the line of refugees formed and began moving.
I had to escort them all the way to Arianrod Fortress.
We did encounter some magical beasts along the way, but not in large numbers.
By now, my father’s troops from Arianrod Fortress should be blocking the magical beasts.
While my father blocks the magical beasts, I needed to quickly guide the refugees into the fortress.
After traveling for several hours:
“Young Master! The fortress can be seen in the distance!”
Emerging from the forest, the rugged but majestic fortress came into view.
Just another thirty minutes or so of travel, and we would reach Arianrod Fortress.
Relieved voices could be heard among the refugees.
But inside me, anxiety still remained due to the magical beasts’ strange behavior.
“Yes, let’s move quickly!”
Just as I shouted that, I felt a sensation as if something was watching me.
Startled, I looked around, but there was nothing.
The refugees began moving.
‘Am I so tense that I’m hearing things…?’
Just as I thought that.
Found you…
I seemed to hear such a voice.
I was terribly startled, but was soon distracted by a soldier’s report.
“Young Master! A horde of magical beasts is approaching from the distance!”
“What…?”
A horde of magical beasts numbering in the hundreds could be seen approaching from the distance.
Not from the direction where my father had led his troops, but from a completely different direction with no previous reports.
And all of them were magical beasts from other regions, not from the north.
Wow, this is really maddening.
“Move! Move quickly!!”
In a hurry, I directed the refugees to move faster.
But naturally, there’s a clear difference in speed between refugees and magical beasts.
I had to make a decision here.
“Gather all troops except the minimum necessary to escort the refugees and the refugee warriors.”
“Young Master, surely you’re not…”
“We’ll hold back the magical beasts here.”