The Extra is a Genius!?-Chapter 517: While You Were Gone

Noel let the words linger for a moment, then looked back at Selene. She was still close, seated at his side, posture relaxed but attentive, like she had been ever since he woke up.

"...So," he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. "What happened while I was out?"

His gaze drifted past her, toward the faint vibration beneath the floorboards. The motion was constant now, undeniable. "The ship’s already in the water," he added. "Which means you didn’t exactly sit around waiting for me to wake up."

Selene exhaled through her nose, the hint of a tired smile crossing her face. "Yeah. We didn’t."

She tilted her head slightly, thinking. "Where do I even start...?" After a second, she nodded to herself. "Alright. Since you noticed it—let’s start with the ship."

She shifted her weight, settling in as she spoke. "After you collapsed, we all took a short break. Not long, but enough to breathe. Charlotte especially needed it." Selene glanced away briefly. "She’d been using Blessings nonstop. Healing everyone, over and over. By the time it was done, she was completely drained."

Noel frowned. "Let me guess. You didn’t let her keep going."

"Of course not," Selene replied immediately. "Just like with you. Being the Saint doesn’t mean she gets to destroy herself." Her tone softened. "She’s still our friend."

Noel nodded once. "...Good."

"After that," Selene continued, "Garron, Elena, and the crew focused on moving the ship. Elena used roots to stabilize it from below—kept it from shifting or cracking while we worked." She lifted one hand slightly. "I froze a path beneath the hull. Enough to let it slide cleanly into the water."

Noel’s eyes sharpened a little. "That’s... actually really smart."

Selene smiled, just a bit. "It worked."

She went on without pausing. "Once we were afloat, the others handled repairs. Sealing holes, reinforcing weak sections, fixing anything that took damage." Her expression relaxed further. "We also sorted the rations. Some of them got displaced when the ship shifted."

"And?" Noel asked.

"And it turns out we’re better off than we thought," Selene said. "More food. More water. Enough to breathe a little."

Noel let out a slow breath, tension easing from his shoulders. "That’s a relief," he said honestly.

Noel was about to respond when he noticed the sound.

Muted voices, filtering in from beyond the cabin door. Not hurried, not tense—just people talking, moving, existing. The kind of noise that only came when things were... stable.

His brow furrowed slightly.

He followed the sound without thinking, his gaze drifting across the room until it settled on the small table near the far wall.

Something rested there.

Noel stilled.

It was a Shard.

Dark, crystalline, its surface fractured with familiar veins of condensed power. He recognized it instantly—the same shape, the same oppressive stillness as every other one they had claimed so far.

His breath caught for half a second.

Before he could say anything, a familiar blue shimmer unfolded in front of him.

[Shard found.] [You have weakened the Second Pillar by 5% of her power.]

[Total: 20%]

Noel stared at the notification.

"...You got it," he said quietly.

Selene followed his gaze and nodded. "We did."

He looked back at the Shard, mind racing. They had secured it. Another piece torn away from the Pillar’s influence—and he hadn’t even been awake for it.

"When?" he asked. "I mean... how?"

His fingers curled slightly against the fabric beneath him. "Did you have to fight for it? Was anyone hurt?"

There was no accusation in his voice. Just the weight of absence.

"I was out," Noel continued, lifting his eyes to Selene. "So I need to know. How did you get the Shard from the island?"

Before Selene could answer, the shadows at Noel’s feet shifted.

They peeled away from him smoothly, gathering and rising until Noir emerged from his silhouette, solidifying mid-motion. She landed lightly on his lap, paws pressing against his legs as she looked up at him with unmistakable displeasure.

"You shouldn’t push yourself like that, dad," Noir said, ears flicking back. Her tone wasn’t angry—just firm, disappointed in a way that cut deeper. "I know you want to finish things quickly. I get it. But burning yourself out doesn’t help anyone. It just slows us down."

Noel opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Noir huffed softly. "I already told the others you’re awake," she added. "They’ll be here soon."

Selene reached out and gently brushed her fingers through Noir’s fur, scratching behind her ears. Noir leaned into it without complaint, eyes half-lidding for a moment before she looked back at Noel, still clearly unimpressed.

Noel lowered his gaze and nodded once. He didn’t argue. He didn’t try to explain himself.

’Fair,’ he thought.

Selene withdrew her hand and finally continued. "We couldn’t just sit around," she said. "Not while things were still moving. And not when we were capable of doing something."

She shifted slightly, grounding herself before going on. "Clara stayed behind on the ship. That part wasn’t up for debate. She’s done enough, and now she needs to focus on herself—and the baby."

Noel’s expression softened at that, and he nodded again.

"The rest of us went to the island," Selene said. "Me, Elyra, Elena, Charlotte, Garron, and Laziel. A few crew members too, for support."

Her eyes sharpened as she recalled it. "The city there was... bigger than any we’d seen so far. Not just spread out—alive. And the chains..." She paused, choosing her words. "They were weaker. Like they’d already been decaying for a long time."

Noel frowned. "But the people?"

"Free," Selene said simply. "Humans. Dwarves. Elves. All of them living without the chains binding them."

He stared at her. "...That doesn’t make sense."

"I know," she replied. "It was strange. But real."

"There were no fights," Selene continued. "No resistance. The people there led us straight to the Shard themselves." She exhaled softly. "There are thousands of them, Noel. Thousands."

The ship creaked beneath them as the weight of that settled.

Selene let the silence sit for a moment before continuing, giving Noel time to process it all. When she spoke again, her tone shifted—less reflective, more practical.

"We’re still helping them," she said. "The island, I mean. We didn’t just take the Shard and leave."

Noel lifted his eyes. "How?"

"We’re using the ship," Selene explained. "To move people between islands. Supplies too. They’ve been isolated for a long time, even without the chains."

She leaned back slightly. "And we were waiting for you."

"For me?" Noel repeated.

Selene nodded. "There are ships there. A lot of them. The old fleet of the Northern Islands." She met his gaze. "Their chains are still intact. You’re the only one who can cut them cleanly."

Noel understood immediately.

"With those ships free," Selene continued, "they won’t need you to move everyone with Shadow Step. No constant jumps. No draining yourself dry just to keep things moving." Her voice softened. "You’ve already pushed your mana too far once. We’re not letting you do that again."

Noel let out a slow breath, tension easing from somewhere deep in his chest. ’They thought about this,’ he realized. Not just the mission—but him.

"...Thanks," he said quietly.

Before Selene could respond, the cabin door opened.

Elena stepped in first, eyes lighting up the moment she saw him awake. Elyra followed close behind, relief clear on her face. Charlotte came last, still looking tired but smiling all the same.

"There you are," Charlotte said, crossing the room without hesitation. "We were wondering when you’d wake up."