The Emperor's Omega Is An Extra-Chapter 42: Was he really an Extra?

The Duke continued, "To tell you the truth, I never wished for you to be involved again with what happened that night." The mood became even more solemn.

"What happened was a traumatic and painful experience for both of us, especially you, my son. You were forced to grow up without a mother and a full family. I always hope you will be free of the burdens and worries of the past. But now..." the Duke paused and gently wrapped his arms around Arren’s shoulders.

"I know you have the right to know what happened years ago, and I also know you’re strong enough and old enough to handle the truth."

Arren’s expression also began to turn solemn as he listened.

"I know you already have your suspicions or may have remembered the events of that night. Your mother was... assassinated. That night was the most shameful and terrifying incident in the Empire’s history. Your mom wasn’t the only one killed that night. There are nobles, officials, and even some who appear to be ordinary citizens. It was a truly chaotic night, one you would never forget."

Arren didn’t know why he felt so familiar with those events as he listened to his father’s words. He felt as if he had déjà vu, and then, like a jolt in his brain, something clicked. His expression changed to one of shock and apprehension. He was stunned.

Arren still couldn’t afford to accept it. Why did the one his father recalled look precisely like the major plot point in the book?

Even though Arren had never given the story much thought, he could recall the most crucial plot point with ease. The Bloody Year—the most important and the center of the plot. Rave Amos, the protagonist, investigated the truth behind his parents’ deaths and his family’s demise. And it all started on that fateful night known as The Bloody Year.

As his emotions raged, Arren’s and his mind became highly active. He wasn’t sure if it was a coincidence, but he knew he’d be too naive to think so. What are the chances that it was just a coincidence? None. Arren was well aware that it could not be a coincidence.

The truth about his mother’s death may be more complicated than he imagined. Then... Arren began to have doubts about something. Perhaps he wasn’t the nameless extra he always claimed to be.

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It had been an hour since the conversation between Arren and the Duke. Even after Arren returned to his room, everything he had heard from his father rang in his ears. More specifically, the information about the truth of his mother’s death.

While he knew there were some things his father didn’t tell him, he understood. One thing is certain: his mother was clearly involved with that organization. The Duke said nothing about this organization, but Arren could still guess because he knew the plot. Arren was well aware of the organization’s role as the ultimate villain.

There was one issue, though: he didn’t remember much. He forgot most of the plots and the book’s conclusion, just as many plot points and minor events had begun to fade from his memory. When he remembered his past life when he was eleven, he only remembered bits and main details of the novel, not the entire book.

So Arren didn’t have a golden finger when he transmigrated like some novel’s protagonist, and he also forgot the book’s plot. That means he wasn’t some omnipotent transmigrator who could summon rain and win the book world whenever he wanted. Perhaps it was also one of the reasons he avoided everything about the plot, aside from the fact that he didn’t want to interfere with the plot.

Arren leaned against the headboard of his bed, thinking. His delicate face appears serious, which adds to his attractive appearance. His thoughts wandered, and he began to recall some essential details about the organization that he could still remember.

He knew the organization was a massive force controlling the world’s underground market. They basically did a lot of shady and inhumane things. Such as the production and sale of harmful and highly addictive drugs, slavery, the auctioning of exotic goods, including stolen goods and living humans, and prostitution. The organization’s mostly light forces were the world’s largest black market, mostly known as FORMER.

While most people associated black markets with the shadow and dark side of life, that was not the case for that organization. Arren was certain that they still had another identity–-Old Order, which sounded corny but was what they called themselves.

Arren deduced from what he remembered of this organization that the leader or founder had some connection to the royals of the then-Old Empire. Arren had no idea what their actual purpose was aside from disrupting the current order of the world.

Arren suddenly had a headache. This was too troublesome; he really thought so. To think that he would stumble and become involved with those lunatics at some point in his life. Arren didn’t know who he offended as both of his life was full of challenges. He had heart disease in his first life and thus lived a cautious and pretty dull life, but then, when he thought he could live his second life to the fullest with his healthy body, he somehow got involved in some life-threatening events and hidden danger.

Arren sighed, his problems continuing to pile up and none of them being resolved. Why was he being targeted so early on when he was just a fucking extra? Can all this tossing and drama be left to the protagonists instead? After all, this was their responsibility! However, come to think of it; something clicked on Arren.

Arren straightened his back as his face changed instantly; he had a dangerous thought at the time. Something he had never considered or even imagined. If... he was just an extra with no part in that fucking novel, how the hell is he getting involved with the storm so early on? Was he really? Or... No! Arren shook his head. He tried to calm his mind and end these unrealistic thoughts. He’s just an extra, as he should be, right?

Arren bit his lower lip nervously... his mind had now split in two. The other side continued to instill in him that he was more than just the extra he thought he was, while the other was being denied and rejecting all of these ideas. Damn, he was going crazy!

He lay down, closed his eyes, and did some breathing exercises that he had used frequently in his previous life and had become a habit when he needed to calm his mind or sort out his thoughts. He did it for about five minutes and noticed an immediate difference. His jumbled thoughts settle and give way to the most likely conclusion he could think of at the time.

Perhaps... Arren was that nameless extra in the novel, which he had forgotten but played a vital role in the novel. Except for his identity, he couldn’t think of anything that distinguished him or Arren Katz as a plot point. As the son of Duke Katz and his mother, who escaped from the organization, he possessed the characteristics to be the novel’s main cannon fodder.

Upon realizing this, Arren had to mutter many profanities that were enough not to be reincarnated again. This was so fuck up, right? He felt like he’d been living his life as a joke, and then someone would slap him and tell him that the joke was over and he needed to go back and play his part. Motherfuckers, Arren thought he would explode. His problem with Spade had suddenly become so simple.

He quickly calmed down after exploding. While all these were just his guess, he had the hunch that they weren’t far from the truth. He might be in panic mode just earlier but he was never afraid. He could feel distressed and anxious whenever a challenge has come his way, but Arren was quick to set his mind.

That was his personality. He grew up with heart problems in his previous life, so he never had a "normal" life; he was always at risk of developing heart failure with each passing day. He had grown accustomed to it and had quickly become numb. Life had become a chore, and his parents were the only thing that allowed him to fight. So he had never been afraid of dying. He really was qualified to say; been there, done that. He had died once anyways.

However, just because he wasn’t afraid doesn’t mean he accepted it. Arren was never the type to cower in a corner and await his death. That was why he gradually calmed down. Arren, like always, would think of the future when this happened, but for now, he forced himself to empty his mind and relax. It also helped that it was still early in the morning, and his biological clock made him sleepy, so he promptly fell asleep.