The Extra Who Shouldn't Exist novel Chapter 309

Chapter 309: Chapter 309 : Commander of the shadow guards

In the royal palace of the Avaloria empire, a silver-haired boy walked through the corridors with steady steps, as if he had a very clear destination in mind.

Just a few paces behind him, two women followed—one with golden hair and sharp eyes, the other with white hair and a serious expression.

Evelyn and Alicia.

Alex spoke in a low voice, hands in his pockets. "What do they want to talk about?"

Evelyn shrugged slightly. "What do you think? Obviously about the war—and how badly they’ve been losing it."

"So what do they want from me?" Alex asked.

"We’ll find out soon," Evelyn replied.

They entered a large chamber.

On the floor, a giant magic circle was etched into the stone—intricate runes and sigils weaving together in a complex pattern that hummed faintly with power.

Alex stared at it. "This thing again...?"

"It’ll take us to where the meeting is being held," Alicia explained.

Then she turned to look at him, her expression grim. "Are you really going to meet them... like *that*?"

She pointed at his clothes.

Alex glanced down at himself.

He was wearing stylish dark jeans and a fitted white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms. On anyone else it might have looked casual, but on him—tall, lean, with his long silver hair tied back—it made him look like he’d walked off the cover of a fashion magazine.

"Why?" Alex asked. "Don’t I look good in it?"

Alicia puffed her cheeks slightly and looked away, mumbling something under her breath that he didn’t catch.

Alex turned to Evelyn. "Will you say something, my stingy friend?"

A vein popped on Evelyn’s forehead. With an expressionless face she replied, "Yes, I will. You look like a circus clown."

Alex’s mouth twitched. "Alright, alright... so it’s just you two and me, then?"

"Not just us," Alicia added. "The commander of the Shadow Guards is coming too."

Alex’s eyes lit up. "That sounded so fucking cool. Where is he? And what does he do?"

The answer came without warning.

Cold metal kissed his neck.

A blade rested against his throat, and a presence appeared right behind him—so fast that even Evelyn and Alicia stiffened in shock, their senses having detected nothing until he was already there.

Evelyn’s thoughts raced. ’Even I couldn’t sense him until that last second... so that’s the commander of the Shadow Legion everyone whispers about.’

Alicia, for a heartbeat, couldn’t believe Alex had actually been caught off-guard by someone.

A smile crept onto her lips. "Erwin. Long time no see, huh?"

The man behind Alex was clothed entirely in black—tight, flexible armor perfect for silent movement. His face was hidden behind a dark mask, only cold eyes visible.

Erwin gave Alicia a brief nod in acknowledgment.

"Excuse me, dude," Alex said calmly, "but what the hell are you doing to the person you’re supposed to protect?"

Erwin’s hand reached up, pulling off his mask.

He revealed a sharp, angular face with calm, assessing eyes and short, dark hair—someone who had seen a lot of blood, but carried it like a second skin. A smirk tugged at his lips.

"I was just testing," Erwin said. "To see if you were truly a king worth laying my life down for, when the time comes."

Alex smirked back. "So? What happened? Did I pass?"

Erwin stared at him for several long seconds, silence filling the hallway. Alicia and Evelyn watched, holding their breath.

Then Erwin dropped to one knee.

"You are more than qualified," he said. "Your Majesty, it will be my honor to serve you."

Alicia’s jaw dropped. "What the hell?! How did Uncle fold so easily? He’s supposed to be the hardest person to get on your side!"

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yes!" Alicia said. "After King Edward died, he refused to support *any* of his children because he didn’t think any of them were worthy of the throne!"

She rushed up to Alex, grabbing him by the collar. "What the hell did you do? I thought he would beat your ass, not kneel to you!"

Alex pointed lazily at Erwin. "That’s something you should ask him. From my side, I didn’t do anything... much, at least."

He glanced at Erwin. "You can stand."

Erwin rose smoothly to his feet.

Alicia turned to him. "Uncle, what did he do?"

Erwin looked at her, then at Alex. "In all my life, I’ve never failed an assassination. Any target I’ve been given, any mission... I completed it."

He folded his arms. "Do you know what the most powerful weapon for an assassin is?"

"Stealth, speed, and patience," Alicia answered.

"Exactly," Erwin said. "Now, to answer your question: when I attacked him just now, I was testing him. Normally, in less than a second, I can see thousands of openings to kill someone."

He glanced at Alex again. "Against him, I counted precisely 1,747 ways to end his life in that instant."

Alicia swallowed.

"I’ve never met anyone who could match my speed," Erwin continued. "But at the last second... I saw it. He was following every move I was about to make. Every path I could take."

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