Reborn as the Extra: The Villainess Won’t Leave Me Alone!

Riley appeared in a serene flower garden, the light surrounding his body slowly dissipating. He glanced around, the vibrant blooms and the gentle rustling of the breeze creating a stark contrast to the chaos he had just left. With a sigh, he made his way to a wooden bench nestled among the flowers and sat down, leaning back as he let his racing thoughts settle.

A small smile tugged at his lips, but it quickly vanished. His expression shifted, and his eyes grew deadpan. He ran a hand through his hair, muttering to himself. 

"What the hell was I thinking?" Riley groaned, his voice low but laced with frustration. "Stepping in like that? Between the hero and the villain?!" He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Ugh, I just had to save her. I couldn't stand there and do nothing. But now…"

He clenched his fists, his voice rising. "Now what? What happens next? Am I supposed to just pretend none of this happened? How does someone even live in a world like this?"

Riley straightened, throwing his hands into the air as his voice grew louder. "I've got no clue what I'm doing! No plan, no idea who to trust, and no way to figure out what comes next!" He groaned dramatically, his head falling into his hands. 

After a moment of silence, he muttered, "But still… I couldn't let her get hurt. I couldn't let either of them get hurt. Damn it, what does that even mean? Who am I supposed to be in this world?"

Just as Riley was about to spiral further into his thoughts, a voice cut through the quiet garden. 

"RILEY!"

The shout was loud, urgent, and distinctly familiar. Riley's head snapped up, just in time to see Felix barreling toward him, kicking up a trail of dust behind him. Felix skidded to a stop in front of the bench, his breathing heavy and his face a mixture of relief and panic.

"Riley! What the hell happened back there?!" Felix demanded, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. 

Riley stared at him for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "What do you mean, what happened?" he asked, feigning ignorance. 

Felix straightened, his eyes narrowing. "Don't play dumb! You vanished into thin air, then suddenly there's some guy with lightning and wind magic saving people and stopping the fight! And you expect me to believe it wasn't you?!"

Riley groaned, leaning back on the bench. "Fine, it was me," he admitted, his tone exasperated. "I didn't exactly have a choice, okay?"

Felix's eyes widened. "Didn't have a choice?! You jumped into a fight between Kenny and Nigel! Do you have any idea how insane that is?"

"Of course I do!" Riley shot back, his voice rising. "Do you think I wanted to get involved? But they were going to hurt innocent people, Felix! I couldn't just stand there and do nothing!"

Felix ran a hand through his hair, pacing in front of the bench. "You're crazy. You know that, right? Absolutely insane."

Riley smirked, though his eyes betrayed his lingering uncertainty. "Yeah, well, maybe a little crazy is exactly what this world needs."

Felix stopped pacing, his expression softening. "So… what now?" he asked, his voice quieter.

Riley looked out at the garden, his gaze distant. "I don't know," he admitted. "I need to figure out what my place is here. What I'm supposed to do. But one thing's for sure…"

He turned back to Felix, his eyes steady. "I'm not going to sit around and let people get hurt. Not if I can do something about it."

Felix let out a low whistle. "Well, you've definitely got a flair for the dramatic," he said, a small grin breaking through his worry. "But I guess I can't argue with that."

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, the tension easing as the sounds of the garden filled the air. Despite everything, Riley couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope for what was to come.

Riley and Felix continued talking, their conversation flowing naturally until the sound of a bell echoed across the garden. Riley froze for a moment, tilting his head in confusion before realization dawned on him. From the memories he had inherited, he remembered what the bell signified.

"It's still morning," he muttered, glancing at Felix. "That means…"

"Yep," Felix said with a grin. "Class time. Don't tell me you forgot already!"

Riley gave an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, no, of course not. Just… slipped my mind for a second."

Felix raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it, but didn't press further. "Come on, we've got the same classes this morning anyway. Let's go before we're late."

Riley blinked. "We have classes together?"

"Obviously," Felix said, rolling his eyes. "I'm your roommate, remember? We're in most of the same classes. Now move it!"

The two began walking toward the academy building, the path lined with other students heading in the same direction. As they walked, Riley's curiosity got the better of him. He glanced at Felix, trying to keep his tone casual. 

"Hey, Felix," Riley started, "can you tell me about Rhea Void?"

Felix gave him a sideways glance, his expression shifting to one of mild surprise. "Rhea Void, huh? What's got you interested in her?"

Riley shrugged, feigning indifference. "Just heard some stuff about her and wanted to know more. You know, rumors and all that."

Felix let out a low whistle. "Rumors, huh? Well, there are plenty of those when it comes to Rhea. Let's see…" He tapped his chin thoughtfully as they continued walking. "She's got this reputation as the 'villainess' of the academy. You've probably heard that much already. A lot of people think she's cold, calculating, and, well… dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Riley echoed, his curiosity growing.

"Yeah," Felix said, nodding. "Not in a 'she's going to stab you in a dark alley' kind of way, but more like… she's incredibly smart and doesn't let anyone walk over her. Some people respect her for it, but most are intimidated. And then there are the rumors about how she butts heads with Trista Quinn all the time. Those two don't exactly get along."

"Why not?" Riley asked, genuinely intrigued.

Felix shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe it's jealousy, maybe it's pride. Trista's the academy's sweetheart, and Rhea's the complete opposite. People love to pit them against each other. You know how students are—they thrive on drama."

Riley nodded slowly, processing Felix's words. "What about you? What's your take on her?"

Felix hesitated for a moment before answering. "Honestly? I think she's misunderstood. Sure, she can be intimidating, but she's not as bad as people make her out to be. She's just… different. Strong, confident, and not afraid to speak her mind. That kind of thing rubs some people the wrong way."

Riley smiled faintly, his mind swirling with thoughts. "I see."

"Why the sudden interest?" Felix asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you've got a thing for her or something."

"What? No!" Riley said quickly, his face flushing slightly. "I just… wanted to know, that's all."

Felix chuckled, clearly amused. "Alright, alright. No need to get defensive."

They reached the academy building, the large doors looming ahead. As they stepped inside, the buzz of students filled the air. Riley's thoughts lingered on Felix's words as they headed to their first class, his curiosity about Rhea Void only deepening.

As Riley and Felix entered the classroom, a noticeable shift in the atmosphere caught Riley off guard. Heads turned toward him, whispers spreading through the room like wildfire. He could hear bits and pieces of conversations.

"Is that the guy who stopped Kenny and Nigel?"

"Yeah, I heard he used lightning magic. It was insane!"

"No way someone like him was just sitting around unnoticed before…"

Felix leaned in closer to Riley, his voice low and a little amused. "Looks like you've made an impression," he said with a crooked grin.

Riley chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, not sure if that's a good thing or not," he muttered, his eyes scanning the curious gazes directed his way.

As they made their way to the back of the classroom, the whispers continued, some louder than others. Felix smirked. "Maybe we should start charging for autographs," he joked.

Riley laughed, shaking his head. "Let's just get to our seats before I die of embarrassment."

They sat down at the last row, the commotion gradually dying down. Felix leaned over, his tone turning a bit more serious. "So, what do you think we're learning today? Magic theory? Combat tactics?"

Before Riley could answer, a new commotion at the front of the room drew their attention. Kenny Blaine walked in, flanked by Trista Quinn. The two were deep in conversation, their voices carrying slightly through the room.

"Kenny, you really shouldn't push yourself so hard," Trista said, her tone a mix of concern and exasperation.

"I'll be fine, Trista," Kenny replied, his tone confident but warm. "It's nothing I can't handle."

As they moved further into the room, Kenny's eyes scanned the crowd. When they landed on Riley, a subtle nod passed between them. Riley returned the gesture, a small but noticeable acknowledgment of the events from earlier.

Felix nudged Riley with his elbow. "Looks like the hero noticed you. Think that makes you honorary hero-adjacent?" he teased.

"Very funny," Riley replied, though a faint smile tugged at his lips.

Moments later, Nigel Wright stormed into the room, his presence as imposing as ever. He was surrounded by his usual entourage, their sycophantic chatter filling the air.

"You really showed him, Nigel!" one of them said.

"Yeah, Kenny didn't stand a chance against your fire magic!"

Nigel smirked, clearly basking in the praise. His eyes scanned the room, landing on Riley. His smirk shifted into a sneer. "Well, if it isn't the wannabe hero," he said, his voice loud enough for others to hear.

Riley met his gaze but said nothing, offering only an awkward smile before turning back to Felix. "So much for flying under the radar," he muttered.

Felix snorted. "You? Flying under the radar? Not a chance, buddy."

Just as the room was settling again, everything stopped. The sound of footsteps echoed as Rhea Void entered the classroom. Her presence commanded attention, her noble bearing radiating confidence. The whispers started again, quieter this time.

"It's her. The villainess…"

"She always looks so composed. It's almost scary."

Rhea ignored the stares, her head held high as she walked with graceful determination. But her steps faltered ever so slightly when her gaze landed on Trista. Without hesitation, she strode toward her.

Trista stood her ground, her expression hardening. "Rhea," she said, her tone sharp.

"Trista," Rhea replied coolly, her golden-orange eyes narrowing. "Still playing the perfect little heroine, I see."

"And you're still pretending you're better than everyone else," Trista shot back.

The tension between them was palpable, the air around them almost crackling with unspoken animosity. It was like watching a scene straight out of the light novel, and Riley couldn't tear his eyes away.

He leaned back in his seat, muttering to himself. "This is surreal. I'm actually seeing this… Rhea Void, in the flesh. She's exactly how she's described in the book, but… more. There's something about her…"

Felix noticed Riley's far-off look and smirked. "You're staring, man. Careful, or someone might think you've got a crush."

Riley snapped out of it, his face heating up. "What? No, it's not like that! I'm just… observing."

"Sure, sure," Felix said, his grin widening. "Observing. Got it."

The tension at the front of the room didn't dissipate as Rhea and Trista continued their subtle war of words, their rivalry on full display. Riley couldn't help but wonder how he'd ended up in the middle of all this, his thoughts racing as the class prepared to begin.

Riley couldn't help but stare at Rhea Void. Her graceful demeanor and commanding presence were almost hypnotic. As he watched her, she suddenly looked up and met his gaze. For a split second, her composed expression faltered, and a faint blush dusted her cheeks. She quickly looked away, her lips pressing into a thin line as she thought to herself, Why is he staring at me like that? Could it be because of earlier?

Beside Riley, Felix noticed the exchange and nudged him sharply. "Hey, uh… is she staring at you?" Felix whispered, his voice filled with equal parts amusement and disbelief.

"I-I don't know," Riley stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. His heart was pounding. "Stop making it weird!"

Felix smirked. "I'm not making it weird. You're the one staring!"

Before Riley could respond, they both noticed Rhea begin to move. She turned elegantly on her heel and started walking toward the back of the room—toward them. Riley and Felix exchanged panicked looks.

"Oh no. She's coming over here," Felix hissed, his voice rising slightly in pitch.

"Stay calm. Maybe she's just… passing by," Riley whispered back, though his voice betrayed his nerves.

"Dude, there's nothing back here but us!" Felix shot back, his tone dramatic.

As Rhea approached, the entire room seemed to hold its breath. The whispers began anew.

"Is she really going to sit back there?"

"Why would she sit near them?"

"What's going on with those two?"

Rhea ignored the murmurs, her head held high as she carried herself with an air of unshakable confidence. When she reached the back of the room, she paused briefly before gracefully sitting down in the seat next to Riley. Her movements were elegant and deliberate, as if she were entirely unbothered by the stares and whispers.

Felix leaned toward Riley, his voice barely audible. "Okay, what is happening right now? Why is she sitting here? Next to you?"

Riley didn't respond. His inner thoughts were spiraling. Oh no, oh no, oh no! She's sitting next to me! Why is she sitting next to me?! What am I supposed to do?! His panic was written all over his face as he tried to process the situation.

Then, breaking through his internal freak-out, a soft voice spoke. "Thank you."

Riley froze. He turned his head slowly to see Rhea looking straight at him, her expression calm but her words carrying genuine weight. "For earlier," she continued, her voice quiet but steady. "Thank you for saving me."

For a moment, Riley couldn't find his voice. He blinked at her, his mind struggling to catch up. Finally, he managed to mumble, "No problem."

Rhea nodded once, her composure returning as she turned her attention back to the front of the room. The class was still buzzing with whispers, but she seemed completely unfazed by it all.

Felix leaned over again, his grin barely contained. "Okay, seriously, what just happened?" he whispered.

"I have no idea," Riley whispered back, his voice still shaky. He slumped slightly in his chair, trying to calm his racing heart. "Let's just… pretend none of this is happening."

Felix snickered. "Good luck with that, buddy."

The two of them exchanged a few more hushed remarks, their nerves gradually settling as the class prepared to begin. But Riley couldn't help stealing another glance at Rhea, his thoughts swirling as he tried to make sense of her unexpected gesture.