The Extra is a Genius!?-Chapter 573: Statue

The washroom was quiet, insulated from the rest of the castle by thick stone and reinforced doors. Mana-lamps cast a steady glow against polished walls as Noel leaned back slightly and pulled the communication device from his Dimensional Pouch.

The runes along its surface shimmered faintly when he pressed the activation seal.

He sat down on the closed lid of the toilet, resting his elbows loosely on his knees while the device hummed to life. A soft ringing pulse traveled through the artifact, carried across continents.

He waited.

A click.

Then Elyra’s voice, slightly drowsy.

"Hello? Who is this?"

Noel smiled faintly. "It’s me. Who else would be calling you at this hour? I don’t imagine you have other men waiting for your voice."

There was a pause.

"No."

It wasn’t playful.

Noel blinked once, catching the shift in tone immediately.

"...Alright. That joke didn’t land," he admitted. "Sorry. How are you?"

On the other end, fabric shifted softly.

"We’re fine," Elyra replied. "All of us. And for the record, my parents are distributing these devices. It could have been them calling. So try not to sound territorial over international communication infrastructure."

A faint breath left Noel’s nose. "Reassuring."

"You don’t need reassurance," she said calmly. "You already have me. And you will continue to have me until you forget how to breathe."

There was no drama in the words. Just certainty.

Noel’s expression softened.

"Good," he said quietly. "I’m glad to hear your voice. Are the others with you?"

"No. Tonight I’m alone." A small pause. "Well. Not entirely alone."

Her tone shifted just slightly, enough for him to understand.

She had been lying in bed.

"I was about to sleep," she added. "The device wouldn’t stop ringing, so I had to get up."

Guilt pricked at him immediately.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you move."

"It’s not an inconvenience for now," Elyra replied. "Stop overthinking."

A brief silence settled between them, comfortable rather than strained.

"So," she said, tone lighter now. "How did it go with Balthor?"

"Well," Noel answered. "No complications. No political explosions. And... it looks like he might finally stop pretending he’s not interested in someone."

Elyra let out a small, amused breath. "That’s progress."

"He asked when she finishes her shift," Noel continued. "She’s been waiting for him to ask."

"Good," Elyra said softly. "That’s healthier than arranged pressure from council families."

"And financially less complicated," Noel added.

She gave a quiet hum. "If it had gone poorly, I would have had to adjust certain agreements. We’ve secured very favorable terms since the last crisis."

"I had no doubt," Noel replied.

There was warmth in her silence now.

He could almost picture her, propped slightly against the pillows, one hand resting over her stomach.

"I’ll be leaving soon," he said after a moment. "Next stop is the Holy Capital."

There was a small shift in her breathing.

"You’re going to ask the Church for support."

"I’m going to ask everyone," Noel said. "Redna will be there too. I sent her a letter. It’s better to speak in person."

Another pause.

"No matter how strong you are..." Elyra said quietly, "...be careful. I love you."

Noel closed his eyes briefly.

"I love you too," he replied. "I’ll call tomorrow. I’m sure Orthran will want to hear Charlotte’s voice soon."

"That he will."

A softer silence lingered.

"Goodnight, Noel."

"Goodnight."

The connection dimmed and the runes along the device faded to a soft, dormant glow.

Noel remained still for a moment longer, the quiet of the stone chamber settling around him. Then he exhaled slowly and slipped the communication artifact back into his Dimensional Pouch, the space folding subtly as it disappeared from sight.

He stood.

Noir was already watching him from near the door, purple eyes reflecting the mana-lamp light.

He looked down at her. "Well?"

Her tail moved once. ’Ready?’

Noel adjusted his sleeves lightly.

"Yeah," he said. "Let’s go."

Noir stepped forward and dissolved into his shadow, her form thinning into darkness before merging seamlessly with it. The air shifted faintly as her presence settled against him.

Noel placed one hand at his side, grounding his focus.

"Spatial Shift."

Space tightened inward without noise. The stone chamber folded, the air bending as if pulled through a narrow seam.

And in the next instant—

He was gone.

Stone vanished.

Cold mountain air gave way to something lighter.

When the world unfolded again, Noel stood beneath an open sky.

The Holy Capital rose around him in white.

Not a sprawling city. Not a crowded metropolis. It was enclosed—contained within a vast circular wall of polished stone that gleamed faintly even under moonlight. Towers crowned the perimeter at measured intervals, their silhouettes sharp against the night. The entire complex felt deliberate, ordered, restrained.

The contrast with Tharvaldur was immediate.

Here, everything was pale marble and clean geometry.

Broad gardens stretched outward from the central cathedral structure, pathways lined with trimmed hedges and stone statues depicting saints, heroes, and figures of faith. Sacred lanterns burned with steady golden light along the walkways, casting soft halos across manicured lawns.

A gentle breeze moved through the trees.

Noel had arrived within the inner perimeter itself, near one of the garden paths. No alarms rang. No guards rushed forward. Either his arrival had been anticipated... or the Church had long since accepted that he appeared where he pleased.

He exhaled softly.

The Church was no small faction. Its influence stretched across continents, across races, across political borders. Armies answered to kings—but faith answered to the Holy Capital.

Their support would matter.

Deeply.

Redna had not yet arrived. She would reach the capital in two days if her travel remained uninterrupted. Noel had originally planned to come tomorrow, but Balthor deserved space after last night. And Noel had finished everything he needed in Tharvaldur.

There was no reason to delay.

His gaze moved across the gardens.

White columns reflected moonlight. The central cathedral loomed ahead, its spires reaching upward like carved spears of marble.

It felt unchanged.

And yet—

Something at the heart of the garden caught his eye.

He slowed slightly.

That hadn’t been there before.