The Extra Who Inherited Ragnarok

Daniella returned to her academy long after the streets had quieted.

She didn’t sleep.

Alcris’s words kept circling through her thoughts.

Hildgard is older than you think.

That wasn’t the part bothering her most.

It was the way he’d said it.

Alcris had always been arrogant. Even when they were children, he had a habit of acting as though he understood things everyone else had missed.

But tonight had been different.

He had looked tired.

Not physically.

Something inside him seemed worn down.

Daniella sat beside her window, staring at Hildgard’s skyline.

The three moons hung above the city.

Red.

Blue.

Scarlet-violet.

She remembered the strange circles beneath the abandoned building.

She remembered the book in Milstrif Library.

And she remembered the way Alcris had reacted when she mentioned the medallions.

He knew far more than he had admitted.

Daniella reached for her communication crystal.

She hesitated.

Finally, she sent one message.

I’m not asking you to tell me everything.

She waited.

Nothing.

Another message followed.

Just tell me you’re not planning to hurt anyone.

Still nothing.

Daniella lowered the crystal.

Her jaw tightened.

"You really are impossible."

Across the city, Alcris stood alone in a dark room.

The three medallions rested on the table before him.

Balgard.

Sylthin.

Flaros.

He had spent countless hours studying them.

Their origins.

Their symbols.

Their relationship with Hildgard.

Every answer had created another question.

Yet one thing had become clear.

They were never meant to remain together.

Alcris touched Balgard.

A faint vibration traveled through the table.

He pulled his hand away.

The room became silent.

His thoughts returned to Daniella.

He knew she would continue searching.

He also knew that if she discovered everything, she would stand against him.

Not because she hated him.

Because she was his sister.

That was precisely why he couldn’t tell her.

Alcris looked down at the medallions.

"I won’t let you get involved."

His voice was barely audible.

"For your sake."

A faint golden light appeared between the three relics.

Alcris immediately stepped back.

The light vanished.

He stared at them.

Something had responded.

Not to him.

To something beyond him.

At Valhalla Academy, Noah was asleep.

His breathing was steady.

The room was dark.

For several minutes, nothing happened.

His system suddenly appeared before him.

[Ragnarok Dead Zone Resonance: 7.3%]

The number flickered.

7.4%.

Noah’s brow tightened.

Inside his dream, the darkness returned.

Dead Zone stood at the edge of a vast black ocean.

Noah approached cautiously.

"What is this?"

Dead Zone looked across the water.

"Something you haven’t remembered."

Noah stared at the horizon.

Three enormous circles appeared above the darkness.

Three moons.

A fourth shape began forming between them.

Noah’s eyes widened.

"What is that?"

Dead Zone turned toward him.

For once, there was no smile.

"Don’t look at it."

Noah stared anyway.

A golden glow spread across the dream.

The moment he tried to step forward, the entire scene shattered.

Noah woke violently.

He sat upright, breathing hard.

The room was empty.

His system floated before him.

[Ragnarok Dead Zone Resonance: 7.5%]

Noah stared at the number.

"Why am I dreaming about those moons?"

No answer came.

He looked toward the window.

Hildgard was still sleeping beneath the three moons.

Everything appeared peaceful.

But Noah could feel something beneath that peace.

Something approaching.

And somewhere in the city, Alcris opened his eyes at exactly the same moment.

The three medallions had begun to glow again.

Morning arrived quietly.

Hildgard looked almost ordinary beneath the fading light of the three moons.

The city was already awake by the time Noah reached the academy courtyard. Students were gathering for breakfast, instructors were discussing the transportation delay, and several groups had already begun their morning training.

Noah walked through the courtyard with his hands in his pockets.

He hadn’t slept much.

The dream from last night remained in his thoughts.

Three moons.

A golden light.

And Dead Zone telling him not to look.

"Morning."

Noah turned.

Laura stood behind him.

"Morning."

She studied his face.

"You look tired."

"I am."

"At least you’re honest today."

Noah smiled.

"I’m improving."

Laura walked beside him.

For a while, they said nothing.

The academy courtyard was filled with familiar voices, but neither seemed interested in joining the others yet.

Laura finally spoke.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did."

She gave him a look.

"You know what I mean."

Noah laughed softly.

"Go ahead."

Laura hesitated.

"Do you trust me?"

Noah stopped walking.

The question caught him off guard.

"Of course."

Laura looked at him.

"Even if there are things I haven’t told you?"

Noah thought about it.

"You don’t have to tell me everything."

Her eyes lowered.

"That isn’t what I expected you to say."

"Should I have demanded answers?"

"No."

She smiled faintly.

"That’s exactly why you’re difficult."

Noah tilted his head.

"What?"

"You make it harder to lie to you."

He stared at her.

Laura quickly looked away.

"Forget I said that."

Noah smiled.

"Too late."

They continued walking.

Neither noticed Sophia and Luna watching them from across the courtyard.

Sophia leaned toward Luna.

"Something’s bothering Laura."

Luna nodded.

"She wants to tell him something."

"Do you think she will?"

"Not yet."

Later that morning, the group gathered for training.

Eric immediately challenged Damien.

Damien accepted.

Sophia complained about having to supervise them.

Luna quietly prepared the training equipment.

Laura joined them.

Noah stood slightly apart.

He watched his friends.

For a moment, he felt normal again.

Until the system appeared.

[Ragnarok Dead Zone Resonance: 7.6%]

Noah’s expression tightened.

The notification vanished.

He didn’t react.

But Laura noticed.

"You felt it again."

Noah looked at her.

"You saw?"

"No."

She paused.

"I saw your expression."

Noah looked away.

"It’s nothing."

Laura sighed.

"You’re really committed to that answer."

Before Noah could respond, Eric shouted from across the field.

"NOAH!"

Noah looked over.

"Fight me!"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you’re annoying."

"That isn’t a reason."

"It is for me."

Eric laughed.

The tension disappeared.

For a little while, training continued normally.

Far away from the academy quarter, Alcris stood before the three medallions.

Their glow had faded.

But something had changed.

A thin line had appeared across the surface of Flaros.

Alcris reached toward it.

The instant his fingers touched the relic, a woman’s voice whispered through the room.

"Not yet."

Alcris froze.

He slowly withdrew his hand.

"Who are you?"

Silence.

He waited.

Nothing.

Alcris looked at the three medallions.

For the first time, he wasn’t certain that he was the one controlling the ritual.

And that realization unsettled him.

Outside, Hildgard continued its ordinary morning.

Academies trained.

Merchants opened their shops.

Students laughed.

Nobody knew that something had begun moving beneath the city.

And nobody knew that Alcris had just heard the voice of the woman who would eventually change everything.