The Unrecorded Extra

I didn't care and I didn't want to know how there was a wind blow inside the library.

Whoosh–!

No. It's not a whoosh, rather…

Howl–!

Hmm, that sounded weird.

Anyway, once I arrived on the fourth floor, I saw a familiar face sitting by the large window.

Her red hair was blown by the wind, making her fix them as the hair covered her vision from looking at the book placed before her.

No one was sitting at her table. Well, because there was only a girl with red fire-like hair on the fourth floor.

She was alone, so she knew she could open the window and let the fierce wind enter the room.

But, why would she do that?

As far as I see, what the wind did was only disturb her reading time.

I walked towards the bookshelves and took a few books, then I headed to Ember's table.

"Hello, mind if I join you here?"

No respond.

After like ten seconds, she took a breath and then shifted her attention to me.

'Beautiful.'

The eyes, I meant.

It might be only me, but I felt like the coldness in her eyes was gradually softening from the first time I saw her. Her red eyes bore a hole in me. I stood still, feeling my legs numb out of nervousness.

Then, she said something.

"I don't mind."

After getting her permission, I quickly took a seat across from her and placed the books I brought on the table.

We read silently as the wind blew our hair and book pages. It's annoying.

'I can't focus…'

I couldn't focus because of the wind. So I stopped for a moment, taking a look at the person in front of me who seemed to be immersed in the book's world.

Hmm…

'5 minutes.'

Every 5 minutes, she would close her current book and open a new book. There were 5 towering book piles on her left and three towering book piles on her right.

'I've never thought she's a bookworm…'

A nerd. A fast reader nerd at that. Even the seemingly thick book with almost a thousand pages felt like ten pages essay for her.

Another 5 minutes had passed since she took the thick book, it was a new book in her hand now.

Whoosh–!

The wind blew again. Despite that, the towering book piles didn't collapse, not even flinched.

"Are you enjoying your time here?"

Eventually, I couldn't hold the urge to say something at this peaceful silent table.

It took her ten seconds before nodded her head slowly and replied while still focused on the book.

"It's peaceful here."

I smiled. "Yeah…"

Peaceful.

People always said that when they were doing the thing they liked.

But for me, this peaceful moment was bittersweet. The wind brushed my face and the birds singing in the distance could be heard. That was peaceful.

But you see, this world was fated to end. In just thirteen years, everything that they knew and loved would be gone forever.

The oceans would rise; sea monsters began to play the destructor role along with the demons, the crops would wither; the earth wouldn't be the same anymore after the third catastrophe, the air would become toxic; the consequence of not being able to subdue Basilisk <S> rank monster, making the world filled with its toxic breath.

The world would be consumed by chaos and destruction, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. That was what happened in the story.

I turned my attention back to Ember, who was still engrossed in her book. Did she know? Did she care? Was her situation like mine? A person from the outside world who got dragged here? A person that knew about what would happen in the future?

If she was, it explained why she knew about the demon Julrot that day.

I wanted to ask her, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. What if she was a regressor or transmigrator, she wouldn't let me go for knowing that secret just like every regressor and transmigrator story's protagonist.

If she was not one, well the worst could happen that she might suspect me as one. And who knew what she would do with the regressor/transmigrator/reincarnator's knowledge of the future?

'No…'

I thought too much. I was not here to contemplate those thoughts. I just wanted to know the truth behind the memory I saw.

I reached for the already-opened book before me and continue reading, stealing glances at her every now and then.

As time passed by, I break the silence again.

"Dystopia," I began.

Ember's ears twitched as she heard the word.

"It's a world filled with oppression, control, and despair. A world where individuality is oppressed and conformity is forced upon everyone."

Ember looked up from her book, her eyes meeting mine.

"That's why they are more in unity. The world they living in is where the strong rule the weak, thus–"

"They're a bunch of bastards," said Ember, cutting my word.

Her expression was blank as she said it. Though I notice that there was a small portion of hate.

"They're a bastard, I agree. But, they're more organized and structured, There had never been the case that they would terrorize a place with only small numbers, always more than a dozen with high rankers. That's why they can get away from the Heroes rather easily. Sacrificing their weakest members so that the high rankers will safely get out from there and cause a ruckus again somewhere."

I briefly take a glance at Ember, her eyes frowned.

"They obey their higher-ups, though it would hurt their pride, they still obey them. Individually, they're selfish but once faced with a person stronger than them, they would gladly swallow their pride and obey the strong. That's how Dystopia work."

"..."

Ember stayed silent.

"3 years ago. There was an incident, regarding someone who has a value of their name. It also said that the doer was Dystopia's villain member."

She kept silent, unfazed by the mention of her past.

"But, I felt like the media tried to cover something up as they only mention one name of the victims."

Ember finally sighed and my expression turned cold subconsciously.

"As the victim of that incident. Do you have anything to say about what the newspaper and media said? I feel sad that there was no mention of the other victims, who was abused until their mind was broken, and live cluelessly in this world, not knowing what actually happened in their life, or their past, they even forgot everything, living like a newborn baby. Do you know anything about them?"

"That…"

Her eyes blazed fiercely, as if her pupils transform into a fire.

"...is not something you are supposed to say."