The Extra Who Stole the Hero's System

The loud, panicked screams of the assassin, followed by the loud thud of his body hitting the floor, had alerted everyone. The sound of multiple doors creaking open, followed by rapid footsteps through the hallways, spurred me into hiding. My injured hand was still throbbing, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins eclipsed most of the pain. I had to disappear, before it was too late.

I darted from the scene, my eyes scanning frantically for a hiding spot. A large tapestry depicting a hunting scene hung on the wall just a few paces away. It was thick, heavy, and offered a decent amount of concealment. Without a second thought, I slipped behind it, pressing myself flat against the wall.

I could still hear the footsteps, as they grew louder and numerous, converging at the spot where the assassin lay. Blood still dripped from the deep cut on my hand. I was filled with guilt, fear, and a lingering, unsettling surge of the rage that had driven me to stab the assassin multiple times, then finally kill him. I had murdered someone. My hands, the hands of Alex Miller, is forever stained with blood.

I could properly hear thier reactions, "Impossible?!" Lord Sapphire’s voice, usually so composed, was now sharp with shock and fury. "An intruder!"

"By the heavens!" Lady Sapphire’s voice, high-pitched and trembling, followed. "A body! And... blood! Is everyone alright? Are the children safe?" Her voice was with genuine terror, a mother’s fear for her children. "Guards! Check every room! Ensure no one else has been harmed! Find the perpetrator of this heinous act!", she ordered.

I heard the rapid dispersal of footsteps as guards, began to fan out, their heavy boots thudding on the Manor’s floors. My hiding spot felt less secure with every passing second.

Then, Evelina’s voice. "No! Oh, no! What happened here? Who is this man?" Her voice was tight, on the verge of breaking. I heard a soft gasp, as if she had just seen the assassin’s body up close.

"My Lady, the manor is secure," a guard’s voice reported, slightly out of breath. "We are checking all rooms. The young master Luminous is safe in his bed. The young miss Evelina is here." He paused. "But... young master Kai’s room is empty, my Lord."

Damn it, I thought, knowing full well that my absence from my room gave Lord Sapphire enough reason to conclude that I was the one who killed the assassin.

Evelina, her voice rising in pitch, a frantic, almost desperate edge to it. "I was just with him! He was in his room, just moments ago! We were talking! He said he was going to get some fresh air!" Her voice was laced with a raw, desperate worry for me.

"Kai! Oh, Kai, please be alright! Please, let him be safe! He wouldn’t... he couldn’t just vanish!" It was a desperate prayer, She wasn’t just worried; she was consumed by it.

"Find him!" Lord Sapphire roared, his voice echoing with cold fury. "Find Kai Lorne! And find whoever is responsible for this outrage! No one attacks House Sapphire and lives!" His vow resonated with a chilling authority, a promise of brutal retribution.