Waking up in an unfamiliar world with no memories, I had only one advantage, a mind filled with knowledge of fictional tropes, clichés, and common sense learned from countless novels.

At first, I thought I was trapped in a romcom nightmare when I started triggering events like "Helping a Girl on a Rainy Day", "Damsel in Distress", and "Tripping Into the Heroine’s Arms." Naturally, I shut those nonsense down before they could escalate. No forced romances. No misunderstandings. No cringe.

But something was clearly off.

The world wasn’t just a slice-of-life comedy. 

Beneath the cliché academy setting, there were whispers of awakening powers, hidden dangers, and a brutal magic academy entrance exam. 

And every challenge I prevented or manipulated was an opportunity to grow stronger.

[Title Earned: Background Character.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Firm Mind.]
[New Skill Acquired: Background Character's Aura.]
[New Ability Acquired: Anti-Narrative Influence.]

I may be just a background character, but if fate insists on throwing these events at me, I’ll turn them into stepping stones.

Let the protagonists play their scripted roles — I have my own path to power.

The walk to the infirmary was brief but informative. I used the time to get a fuller picture from Vance via our mental link.


<So, the western fence is as bad as it looked from a distance?> I asked, my boots crunching on the hard-packed snow.


<Worse,> Vance sent back, his mental tone grim. <It's not just damaged. It's structurally unstable in multiple sections. Patches on top of patches. The elder's militia is demoralized and lacks proper tools.>


I nodded. That was a crucial, if painful, step. Understanding the true depth of a problem was the first part of solving it.


We reached the faded green door of the infirmary. "Let's enter," I said aloud, then knocked twice and pushed the door open.


Chapter 357 - Like Father, Like Son