Help! I'm just an extra yet the Heroines and Villainesses want me!-Chapter 99: Road Trip

The carriage rumbled along the road toward Thornvale, packed with students and equipment. Kai sat near the window, watching the landscape gradually shift from cultivated farmland to wilder forest territory.

Derek sat across from him, arms crossed, still radiating hostility. Roland dozed in the corner, somehow able to sleep despite the rough road. Thomas was reading a book about dungeon ecology, and Lin sat quietly beside the other window, occasionally glancing at Kai when she thought he wasn’t looking.

"So," Derek said after about an hour of tense silence. "You’re supposedly this amazing fighter, but I’ve never seen you in any advanced combat classes. Where exactly did you learn to fight?"

"Various places."

"That’s not an answer."

"It’s the only one you’re getting."

Derek’s jaw clenched. "Look, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but this expedition isn’t academy sparring. Real dungeons have real monsters that actually try to kill you. If you can’t handle it, just say so now before you get someone hurt."

"I can handle it."

"Prove it then. Spar with me when we make camp tonight."

Kai considered refusing but realized Derek wouldn’t drop this until he got his answer. "Fine."

"Good." Derek settled back, looking satisfied.

Lin spoke up quietly. "Derek, maybe antagonizing our teammates before we even reach the dungeon isn’t the best strategy?"

"I’m not antagonizing. I’m assessing." Derek gestured at Kai. "Half the academy thinks this guy is some kind of secret prodigy. The other half thinks he got lucky once against Seraphina. I want to know which is true before we’re underground depending on each other."

"Or you could just wait and see how he performs in the dungeon scenarios," Thomas said without looking up from his book. "That seems more practical than forcing a confrontation."

"I don’t wait for problems to reveal themselves. I identify them early."

Roland opened one eye. "Derek, you’re exhausting. Let the guy breathe."

"I’m being smart right now."

"You’re being aggressive because someone might be better than you and that threatens your ego."

Derek glared at Roland, who simply closed his eye again and went back to napping.

The conversation died after that, though Kai could feel Derek’s eyes on him periodically throughout the journey.

They stopped for lunch around midday, pulling the carriages off the main road into a cleared area. Master Henrik organized everyone into efficient groups for meal preparation and equipment checks.

Kai found himself assigned to help Lin and another girl named Sarah with food preparation. Lin worked quietly beside him, cutting vegetables with practiced efficiency.

"You’re very calm," she observed after a while. "Most people get nervous before their first real dungeon expedition."

"This isn’t my first."

Lin looked surprised. "You’ve done dungeon runs before? When?"

Kai realized his mistake. "I’ve been to training dungeons under the academy. It’s probably similar principles."

"Not really. Training dungeons have safety protocols and instructors monitoring everything. Real dungeons are..." she paused, choosing words carefully. "Unpredictable. My brother did mercenary work before joining the military. He said the biggest difference between training and reality is that in real dungeons, mistakes have permanent consequences."

"I’ll keep that in mind."

Sarah, who had been listening while starting a fire, spoke up. "Don’t mind Derek. He’s always like this with new people. Especially people who might be better than him at fighting."

"I noticed."

"He’s not a bad person though. Just... competitive. And insecure about his ranking." Sarah fed more kindling into the growing flames. "He wants to place well in post-graduation assessments so he can get recruited by a good mercenary guild. It feels like he’s constantly competing with everyone."

"That sounds exhausting," Lin said.

"It is. But it also makes him a solid fighter because he never stops training." Sarah adjusted the pot over the fire. "Just try not to embarrass him too badly if you do spar tonight. His ego is fragile."

Lunch was simple but filling, the stew made from preserved ingredients and fresh bread from the academy kitchens. The team ate together in loose groups, conversations ranging from expedition strategies to academy gossip.

Seraphina found Kai after the meal. "How’s your carriage group?"

"Derek wants to spar."

"Of course he does." Seraphina sighed. "Try not to crush him completely? We need him functional for the dungeon."

"I’ll be gentle."

"Liar." She grinned. "But seriously, some of these students are on edge. It’s the first real expedition for most of them. A little nervousness is normal."

Kai glanced around at the assembled team. She was right, despite their attempts at confidence, most of the students showed signs of tension. Fidgeting with equipment, checking supplies repeatedly, nervous laughter at jokes that weren’t particularly funny.

"They’ll be fine once we’re actually in the dungeon," Kai said. "Anticipation is worse than action."

"Look at you being wise about team dynamics. Character growth I see."

"I’m adequately observant."

"There’s that word again." Seraphina laughed and returned to her own group.

They traveled until evening before Henrik called for camp. The spot he’d chosen was a cleared area with good visibility and defensible positions—clearly a regular stop for expeditions heading to Thornvale.

Teams divided up responsibilities. Some students erected tents while others established a perimeter and gathered firewood. Kai helped Roland with tent setup, which proved surprisingly easy with earth essence manipulation to create stable foundations.

"You’re decent with earth techniques," Roland observed while they worked. "Not your primary element though, I’m guessing?"

"No."

"What is your primary?"

"I don’t really have one."

Roland studied him thoughtfully. "Multi-elemental user then. That’s unusual. Most people develop one or two strong affinities and stick with those."

"I prefer versatility."

"Makes sense for dungeon work. Different monsters require different approaches." Roland finished securing the last tent pole. "Derek’s going to challenge you to spar after dinner. Are you planning to accept?"

"Already did."

"Thought so. He gets like this with anyone who threatens his self-image as top combat specialist." Roland’s expression was neutral. "Try not to hurt him too badly. He’s abrasive but he’s a solid fighter when he’s not being insecure."

Dinner was more substantial than lunch, they had proper cooking equipment which meant the support students could prepare a decent meal. Kai ate efficiently while watching team dynamics develop around him.

Mira and Marcus moved between groups, checking in with students and reinforcing team cohesion. Master Henrik observed from a distance, assessing but not interfering unless necessary.

After dinner, Derek stood and addressed the group. "Kai and I are going to have a friendly sparring match. Anyone who wants to watch is welcome."

"Friendly," Thomas muttered. "Sure."

Most of the team gathered around a cleared area near the tents. Seraphina caught Kai’s eye and mouthed "be nice" which he ignored.

Derek selected a practice sword from their equipment and took position in the center of the clearing. "Standard sparring rules apply. First to three solid hits wins."

Kai picked up another practice sword and moved to face Derek. The older student immediately dropped into a combat stance, fire essence already flickering around his blade.

"Ready?" Derek asked.

"Yes."

"Fight!"