The Extra is a Genius!?-Chapter 114: Start of a Journey [300 PS Bonus - ]
Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Start of a Journey [300 PS Bonus Chapter]
The first pale light of dawn began to seep through the heavy snowfall.
Around them, the peaks of Iskandar’s mountains stood shrouded in white, jagged outlines barely visible through the thick curtain of falling snow. The world was silent save for the soft crunch of boots over fresh powder.
Noel released Selene’s hand, letting her move freely now that the darkness had given way to dim morning light.
"There’s no need to hold on anymore," he said quietly. "We should hurry. Once we pass the guard post before reaching Frostspire Peak, even if they realize you’re missing, they won’t be able to come after us."
Selene glanced at him, her breath misting in the cold.
"Why did you do this?"
Noel shrugged lightly beneath his cloak. "I needed a guide so I wouldn’t get lost. Don’t you think that makes sense?"
She hesitated. "I see..."
"And besides," Noel added, voice calm, "I think you’ll be safer with me than back at your house."
Selene said nothing, but the words stirred something in her chest.
’Does he know something?’
The question hovered at the edge of her mind, and her lips parted to ask. But before she could speak, Noel’s voice cut in again.
"We’ve arrived."
Ahead, the silhouette of a fortified outpost came into view through the snow.
The outpost stood stark against the whiteness of the mountain.
A tall wooden wall reinforced with thick beams encircled the area ahead. Snow piled high along its base, and jagged icicles hung from the top. A single heavy gate blocked the path forward—beyond it, the ascent to Frostspire Peak began.
A few figures moved behind the wall, barely visible through the gaps. This was no place for wanderers; it was a checkpoint meant to control access to the mountain.
Noel slowed his pace, turning slightly toward Selene.
"No need to sneak in this time," he said calmly. "I have your mother’s permission. Look."
He reached into his Dimensional Pouch, retrieving the folded document and holding it out for her to see.
Selene said nothing, eyes flicking over the paper, gaze unreadable.
Noel gave a faint smile. "Just pull up your hood and cover your hair. We don’t want them recognizing the heir of House Iskandar."
Selene hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Silently, she pulled her hood up, tucking her pale hair beneath it.
At her side, Noir paced lightly through the snow, head low, tail swaying.
Noel glanced once toward the gate. freewebnσvel.cøm
"Alright. Let’s go."
Together, the three of them made their way toward the outpost.
Snow crunched underfoot as they approached the gate.
A figure emerged from behind the wooden barricade, wrapped in so many layers of fur and cloth that it was impossible to see his face. Only a pair of sharp eyes peered out from beneath the hood.
The man stepped forward, voice muffled beneath the fabric.
"What are you doing here? Turn back. This is no place for casual travelers."
Noel stopped a few paces away, his tone polite but firm.
"Good morning to you too. I have permission from Lady Vaelora von Iskandar to climb the mountain."
He held out the document without hesitation.
The guard took it, thick-gloved fingers unfolding the page with slow, deliberate movements. His eyes scanned the writing carefully, breath hissing in the cold.
"Seems to be in order," he muttered. Then his gaze shifted to Selene, eyes narrowing.
"And this one?"
"A companion," Noel said evenly. "Helping me with the climb."
The guard lingered on them both for a moment longer, suspicion flickering behind his gaze. Then, with a grunt, he folded the document and handed it back.
"Very well."
He turned and shouted toward the wall.
"Open the gate!"
With a deep groan of wood and iron, the heavy door began to slide open, revealing the snow-covered path beyond.
Noel gave a slight nod.
"Lets go."
The gate closed behind them with a deep, echoing thud, sealing off the path below.
Ahead, the landscape opened into a vast expanse of white. Thick snowdrifts covered the ground, and jagged rock formations jutted from beneath the ice. The path upward wound between narrow cliffs and steep slopes, half-hidden beneath the falling snow.
For a moment, the three stood in silence.
Then Noel spoke, voice lower now that they were clear of the guards.
"Looks like we’re safe now. They won’t find us here."
Selene said nothing, her expression hidden beneath the shadow of her hood. She simply followed, boots crunching softly in the snow behind him.
Noir padded at Noel’s side, ears flicking, nose to the air.
They moved in silence for a time, the world around them swallowed in cold and white. Wind howled faintly between the peaks, the sound distant and eerie.
After a while, Noel glanced back at Selene.
"Do you know the way to the top?"
The question hung in the cold air between them.
Selene looked up at Noel’s back as he walked ahead, his voice still echoing faintly in her ears.Her steps slowed for a brief moment.
"No," she answered quietly, her voice almost lost in the wind.
But even after speaking, her gaze lingered on him. He hadn’t turned, hadn’t stopped—just kept moving forward as if the answer didn’t surprise him in the slightest.
She followed, boots sinking deeper into the snow with each step. The cold gnawed at her fingers, her arms, but it was the questions swirling in her mind that weighed heavier.
’Why did he really bring me?’’He could have gone alone. He said he needed a guide, but... does he really trust me? Or is there something else?’
Her grip tightened unconsciously around the wand hidden beneath her sleeve. Each step forward felt heavier, not from the climb, but from the uncertainty building inside her.
She glanced sideways at Noir, who moved gracefully through the snow, her black-and-violet form silent as a shadow. Together, they seemed to belong here—focused, prepared.
’They act like this is just another adventure... and I can barely steady my thoughts.’
A small knot twisted in her chest. Fear, confusion... and something else. A faint pull she couldn’t quite explain.
’I don’t understand him... but I’ll follow him. For now.’
She drew her hood lower, shielding her face from the biting wind. Then she quickened her pace, shortening the distance between her and Noel.
The snow-covered slope ahead seemed endless, crowned by the towering silhouette of Frostspire Peak.
Their journey had only just begun.
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