The Extra Who Stole the Hero's System

More than a week had passed since the terrifying incident on the porch. Three days of unconsciousness, followed by a slow, painful recovery.

Lord Sapphire’s lie about my ’fainting’ had held, at least to Evelina and the household. All my injuries were bandaged, a constant reminder of the duel, but the physical pain had dulled to a manageable ache. The emotional wounds, however, were still raw. The memory of my rage, the assassin’s screams, the cold finality of the dagger in his heart – it remained.

I spent a lot of time in my room, reflecting. The duel with Lord Sapphire replayed in my mind, a brutal loop. His speed, his strength, his mastery of the blade. And then, the Thunder Clap. The mana-infused strike that had knocked me out cold.

From the novel, I knew about mana. It was the natural life essence that permeated the world, a fundamental force.

The Kingdom of Ostina, where the story was primarily set, classified knights into two categories: Sword Knights and Mage Knights. Sword Knights primarily focused on physical combat, often having a lower mana pool capacity, using mana for minor enhancements or specific techniques. Mage Knights, on the other hand, were the opposite, wielding powerful spells and having much larger mana pools.

I had never known Lord Sapphire possessed such skills. He portrayed himself as a scholar, a man of books and quiet contemplation. Yet, his abilities were clearly equivalent to that of a formidable Sword Knight, given the power of Thunder Clap. It was another confirmation of Olberic’s diary – the Sapphire family, and Lord Sapphire in particular, were not who they seemed. His vast, hidden armory made even more sense now.

Mana pool, sometimes called a mana core, was described in the novel as a secondary organ adjacent to the heart. Users would refine external mana – called ’manex’ – and store it in their mana core, using it for combat, spells, or enhanced physical abilities.

I was contemplating all of this, standing by my washbasin, about to prepare for a much-needed shower, when my door suddenly burst open.

"Kai!"

Luminous barged in, uninvited as usual. He was holding a small, almost empty plate in his hands, which I immediately recognized as his favorite snack. Nuts.