The Extra Wants To Live

Cheers erupted even before entering Himmeln.

On a warm spring day, everyone came out to witness this rare sight. They were ready to applaud and cheer for the protagonists of victory who proudly appeared among the powerful marching music and fluttering flower petals.

Carl "gave up" the first place in the triumphal procession and stood second as the 4th Prince, Archduke, and Laurel Planter, passing through the wide-open gates of Himmeln with a beautiful smile that everyone would remember.

With his angelic looks, legendary major, and confident demeanor and smile, he was undeniably the most shining protagonist, even though he came in second place.

Golden hair sparkled in the spring sunlight, and his green eyes were the most beautiful of the season.

He was seen wearing a red uniform, a fluttering red cape, and riding a large white horse, as his armor had been shattered.

That menacingly intense charisma emanated from Carl, who had left in a shabby way two years ago and returned in a similarly shabby manner, but was now in the most shining place at this moment.

The ceremony was a spectacular spectacle and a glorious moment for those involved, but to Carl, it was just boring.

Upon entering the palace, Carl saw that Emperor Azgoth himself had come out of his busy schedule to congratulate the central army for upholding the laws of the empire.

Everyone in the palace, including Aric, Adrian, Nero, the royal family, the empress, and the empress consort, had gathered.

Azgoth gave great praise to Milione, the commander and first-class contributor, and received back from him the sword, the symbol of the empire's military power, and the flag, the symbol of authority.

Carl waited quietly behind Milione, as he didn't have anything procedurally to do. However, after the reform ceremony was over, Azgoth, who had to return to work and take care of state affairs, wasted time quietly looking at Carl with eyes that had a mysterious glow.

Others thought that Azgoth took the time to go out of his way to praise his son for his outstanding academic achievements, but Carl knew that Azgoth was not such a caring father.

Azgoth said nothing, just quietly looked at Carl before leading the people into the palace.

"The banquet is scheduled for the evening, so let's rest until then and meet again at the banquet."

Even though they said that, everyone was more excited about the glory of the moment and chattered amongst themselves rather than went their separate ways.

Carl was gripped by an unknown anxiety.

Carl was so tall that his head stood out even among the sturdy military figures, and everyone could see him looking around frantically.

"Carl!"

As soon as Azgoth left, Nero ran over and called out to Carl with a smile.

"Where is your mother?"

"What? My mother?"

"No, my mother."

Nero was a little taken aback by Carl calling Lilly 'mother,' but soon smiled and patted Carl on the shoulder.

"Well, isn't your mother waiting in the room? By the way, haven't you said hello to your brother?"

Carl didn't answer but instead pursed his lips and looked around before suddenly starting to walk briskly.

"Just pass by."

A Carl who could exert power comparable to that of a mana user without using mana. He was rude and slovenly, walking quickly, roughly pushing aside the crowd.

"I'm sorry. I'll be gone for a moment. Carl, what's going on?"

Nero followed Carl out of concern, clearing the way before Carl could rudely push the others away. Carl did not answer and walked silently into the palace.

The others started to murmur at the obviously strange sight, and even Aric and Adrian, who were trying to greet Carl, followed him into the palace.

"Lord Carl?"

Even Carl's attendant, Harmon, came running in panic. But Carl was in no position to care about his surroundings.

His heart felt frozen and on the verge of stopping, and at the same time, it felt like it was going to explode with anxiety.

Before he knew it, Carl was running like crazy through the palace, running along a familiar road, towards a familiar space.

The moment he opened his eyes in this world, he met his beloved mother and put down roots in this world—in the little cradle he was born in, in the room where his mother was waiting.

***

Bang!

"Wait! Carl! What the…!"

Carl entered the room, practically breaking open the door. As Carl's actions, which were out of line with the rules of the palace, became the subject of much gossip, Nero, who was trying to catch him, followed him into the room and hesitated as he tried to catch him.

Carl looked at his mother.

Lilly lay in a well-made bed, wearing the clothes he had given her, and the accessories he had given her.

She held the dried flower decoration that Carl had given her all night, her head turned to the side as if she had fallen fast asleep, and her hand, which had fallen, was clutching it tightly.

Lilly's hair and side face, shining with the spring sunlight streaming in through the window, showed a calming presence.

But a cold shadow fell over her smiling face toward Carl, with her back to the window, and everything seemed to have stopped.

Today, she must have known that Carl was coming back.

Why didn't she come out to greet him?

Last night, she couldn't sleep because she was so excited, so did she end up waiting alone in her room and then falling asleep so deeply that she couldn't be awakened even by such a big fuss?

"Ca, Carl…"

Nero called Carl with a trembling voice.

However, Nero couldn't bring himself to stop Carl, who was slowly approaching Lilly.

"Mother?"

Carl called Lilly in a choked, choked voice.

However, Lilly, who had always prayed for Carl's safety and waited anxiously for him, did not respond to Carl's call. It was as if time had stopped only there, on the small bed where Lilly lay, bathed in sunlight.

Those who followed Carl late were unable to enter the room due to the freezing air.

Aric stood tall in front of the door with a pale face, unusual for someone who always kept himself under strict control. Harmon paused with a face as if his heart had stopped, not knowing what to do or how to act.

And, Adrian…

Adrian covered his mouth with a pale face, as if he had returned to his childhood when he had a nightmare and went to his mother to whine. However, he did not run away but staggered into the room and watched Carl's back as he approached Lilly.

Carl walked slowly and weakly, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, as if this small room were so big that he couldn't reach it.

It was like he wanted to run away right then, but at the same time, he wanted to turn around and flee, just like Adrian on that day when he discovered his mother frozen in place, alive but as if dead.

"Mother…? Mother…?"

Carl barely made it to the bed and whispered to Lilly. But Lilly, who always called him with a worried and affectionate voice, could not answer. His mother, Lilly, who had been waiting for Carl, could no longer wait for him.

No, she stopped forever, waiting for Carl to return, waiting for a son she would never meet, with a faint smile, as if a little regretful, a little sad, and also a little relieved.

Carl slowly extended his trembling hand and placed his fingertips on Lilly's face, which was closed with her eyes facing him.

The skin, slightly flushed by the spring sunlight, seemed to be tinged with warmth.

However, to Carl, who had persistently observed humans, killed countless humans, and was familiar with corpses, it was all too clear that the warmth was not human body temperature.

Although the heat made her feel slightly flushed, the cold chill felt painfully clear on his fingertips as they touched her pure white face.

"No…"

Carl climbed onto the bed, knelt down, and felt Lilly's face, as if denying reality, even though he knew better than anyone else with his clever mind that it was already too late.

"No…"

Carl caressed Lilly's face with trembling hands, carefully brushing back her flowing brown hair.

He pressed his lips to her pale forehead, and he couldn't bring himself to lift his lips from hers, as if he believed that if he conveyed his warmth to her, he could turn back what was already too late.

"No… No… Please…"

Carl pressed his lips to Lilly's forehead and pulled her body into his arms with difficulty, trying to convey body heat to her cold body. But that act only made Lilly's body feel even colder and more frozen.

"Mother… Please…"

Carl held Lilly in his arms and muttered endless words of pleading that could not reach anyone else.

When he brought up the word "mother" in front of her, a word Lilly had secretly longed to hear and that Carl had always wanted to say directly, his beloved mother, who would have been delighted and shed tears upon hearing it, was unable to answer.

If he had said it before he left last time, no, he could have done it any time, even before that.

There were no tears.

He couldn't accept it because it all seemed unreal, like someone watching over everything was playing a cruel prank on him.

"Haa… haa…"

Adrian, who had been watching the scene with his mouth tightly shut as if he were going to crush his own face, dropped his hand and let out a cold breath as if his windpipe was being squeezed.

He staggered backward, pushed Aric and Harmon away from the doorway, and ran away, unable to stand it any longer.

He could not bear the sight of his younger brother Carl's back, which had grown bigger than his own, looking so small, like that of a lost child.

That day, Adrian remembered himself crying while hugging his cold mother.

He couldn't tell whether it was Carl or himself who was stupidly unable to accept reality despite having everything in hand with that cool-headed reason.