The Extra Who Stole the Hero's System-Chapter 37: A Master

KAI LORNE’S POV

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It has been over a month since the Knight Elixir incident, and Lady Sapphire has requested that I participate in the Sword Knight Academy entrance exam. In preparation, I’ve undergone various forms of training — physical, mental, and everything in between. But let me be clear: I didn’t choose this path because of Evelina. I’m not trying to play the role of some fairy-tale knight for a damned princess. That kind of storybook loyalty never belonged to me.

To me, the academy represents something else entirely, a chance to start over. After everything that’s happened, I needed a way out of the manor, away from that had happened. The Sword Knight Academy isn’t just an escape; it may be a doorway to something beyond survival. Maybe even something close to peace.

It had been a month of silence in the manor, of Lady Sapphire’s quiet grief, and Lord Sapphire’s grim determination. A month of Evelina lying still in her bed, her breathing shallow, her dreams shattered. And a month of me, Kai Lorne, trying to be the supportive brother, the grieving son.

I sat in my room, the silence of the manor pressing in on me. I flickered my hand, and the Narrative Override Engine materialized before me.

I had been diligent over the past month. While Evelina lay comatose, and the family grieved, I had quietly, subtly, performed various mild and slight story divergences. Nothing too drastic, nothing that would draw immediate attention. Small changes to conversations, minor alterations to daily routines, subtle shifts in the flow of minor events. Each one, a tiny ripple in the fabric of this reality, had yielded a trickle of Override Points. It was a slow, meticulous process, a risk-reward mechanic I was determined to exploit.

I scanned the system’s main interface.

Reality divergence sits at 14%

Glitch at 15.8%

The numbers weren’t that high. Reality divergence had jumped from to 14%. A significant increase, reflecting the cumulative effect of my subtle manipulations. The Glitch Coefficient, however, was also a concern. It had risen to 15.8%. The system flicker, which had been frantic after the assassin’s attack. It was truly unsettling, but I had grown accustomed to it.

I navigated to the stats screen.

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NARRATIVE OVERRIDE ENGINE

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WARNING: UNAUTHORIZED USER DETECTED

Host: Kai Lorne

Identity: [Extra / Background Character]

Current Fate: [Sword Knight Exam Participant]

STATUS: UNSTABLE INTEGRATION

[OVERRIDE POINTS]: 24

[GLITCH COEFFICIENT]: 15.8%

[REALITY DIVERGENCE]: 14%

CURRENT Chapter: 10

CURRENT EVENT: "Sword Knight Exam Preparation"

UPCOMING EVENT: "Sword Knight Exam"

PROBABILITY OF SURVIVAL: 95%

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STATS

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Strength.... 32

Agility..... 37

Intelligence... 18

Charisma.... 9

Luck..... -5

Narrative Influence... 3

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ACTIVE OVERRIDES

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[Scene Override]

→ Modify a small environmental or character variable.

→ Cost: 3 Override Points

[Role Inversion]

→ Swap scripted fate with another character.

→ Cost: 10 Override Points

→ Status: [Cooldown: 48h]

[Edit Dialogue]

→ Rewrite spoken lines during key scenes.

→ Cost: 5 Override Points

→ Risk of Narrative Collapse: +7%

[Pause & Observe]

→ Freeze the world briefly to scan a scene like a reader

→ Cost: 1 Override Points

→ status [ Max time: 30 seconds ( INT : 18 ) ]

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INVENTORY

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Olberic’s Diary

Blunt Training Sword

My Override Points stood at 24. I hadn’t allocated any more points to my stats since the assassin’s incident. I was waiting. Waiting to hit 30 points. That was my target. With 30 points, I could make another significant boost, perhaps to my Agility again, or even unlock a new override if one became available. It was a strategic decision. I wanted to maximize my gains, to ensure I was as prepared as possible for whatever this world might throw at me.

I closed the system screen and my gaze fell on the blunt training sword I had added to my inventory a while ago, a simple, heavy piece of steel designed for practice. I materialized it, the familiar pop sounding softly in the quiet room. I began to swing it, practicing the basic forms I remembered from my brief training with a guard. Left, right, center. Thrusts, parries, slashes. My enhanced Strength and Agility made the movements feel fluid, almost effortless. I was getting stronger, but it wasn’t enough.

A distant commotion reached my ears. Voices, a little louder than usual, coming from the direction of the manor’s main gate. Curiosity, a dangerous but often useful trait, implodes at me. I walked to my window, peering out.

Below, near the grand, iron gates of the Sapphire manor, a line of men had formed. They weren’t guards, nor were they typical servants. Some were clad in worn leather armor, others in simple, coarse commoner clothing. They carried various swords, some gleaming, some well-used and scarred. They looked like warriors, but not of the noble variety.

I left my room and headed towards the gate, my curiosity overriding my usual caution. As I approached, I saw one of the manor guards, a burly man with a kind face, standing near the line, directing them.

"Excuse me, guard," I said, my voice polite. "What’s the reason for this gathering? Are these... new recruits?"

The guard turned, recognizing me, and offered a respectful nod. "Young Master Kai! Good morning, sir. No, not exactly recruits. Though they hope to be, in a way." He gestured to the line of men. "This doesn’t happen often at the Sapphire manor, unlike some of the noble houses. But it’s the season for the Sword Knight exams, you see."

He continued, his voice lowering slightly, as if sharing a well-known secret. "During this time, commoners with formidable sword skills, those who wish to prove themselves, will line up at various noble manors. They apply to become a young master’s instructor. A personal trainer, if you will. Someone to hone their skills, to prepare them for the exam."

My eyes widened. An instructor? A master? It was once mentioned in the novel that such practices exist in this world.

"The Sword Knight exam, young master," the guard continued, "it has two forms. One is for commoners like myself. Anyone who properly excels in that exam becomes what the Academy calls a ’Prodigy.’ They’re often scouted by noble houses, given positions of honor, even adopted into families, if their skills are truly exceptional." He paused, a hint of pride in his voice. "And then there’s the other form. Meant entirely for noble descent. Like yourself, Young Master. A different set of challenges, a different path to knighthood."

I looked at the line of men again, a new perspective dawning on me. These weren’t just commoners. These were aspiring warriors, seeking to prove their worth, to climb the social ladder through sheer skill. And one of them, perhaps, would become my instructor. My master. The man who would teach me to truly wield a blade, to fight, to survive in this dangerous world.

I analyzed each man, their stances, their expressions, their weapons. Some looked hardened, their faces scarred, their eyes sharp. Others seemed younger, eager, their movements filled with raw potential. One of these men, I realized, might one day become crucial to my survival.