Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character-Chapter 104: [103] Their views on Arkan

-Third Person POV-

Dawn had just begun to break as Rainer and Marcel departed from the capital, setting off toward the Lawrence territory.

This was no ordinary journey.

Arkan was racing against time—and more than that, he was trying to delay something that could not be stopped so easily: war.

The Empire’s plans had long been anticipated, and what Arkan needed was not a swift victory, but time.

Time to stall the conflict until the right moment arrived.

That was why Rainer moved quickly.

They had to reach Lawrence before too many eyes turned their way.

By midday, the carriage traveled at a steady pace, its wheels creaking softly whenever they rolled over the uneven dirt path.

Through the window, the landscape stretched into rolling green hills beneath a clear blue sky.

The wind slipped through the small gaps, carrying the fresh scent of damp earth and wild grass swaying with the breeze.

Inside the carriage, the atmosphere remained fairly quiet—

At least, until Marcel suddenly spoke.

"By the way," he said, breaking Rainer’s thoughts,

"I don’t know a thing about Lawrence. Care to tell me a little?"

Rainer, who had been resting against the seat, slowly lifted his head and glanced at Marcel with an unreadable expression.

For a moment, he thought.

Not about Lawrence—but about the man who ruled over it.

The image of Arkan surfaced in his mind.

A man unlike any noble.

A man who spoke and acted in ways no one could predict.

A man who was... strange.

Finally, after a few seconds of silence, Rainer answered in a flat tone.

"Arkan... There’s only one way to describe him."

Marcel raised an intrigued brow.

"Oh? And that is?"

Rainer looked at him briefly before letting out a long sigh.

"A weird man."

Marcel blinked.

Then—

"Pfft—Hahahaha!"

He burst into laughter so hard that he nearly choked on his own breath.

"That’s it?! That’s the best description you can give for your lord?"

Rainer didn’t respond.

He simply gazed out the window, thinking that his description was, in fact, quite accurate.

Marcel’s laughter eventually died down, though a smirk still lingered on his lips.

"A weird man, huh?" he mused, still amused.

Rainer leaned back against the seat, his gaze shifting to the sky beyond the window.

"Yeah. It’s hard to describe him any other way."

Marcel shrugged, then relaxed against the carriage’s side.

"Well, now I’m even more curious."

"You’ll understand soon enough."

For a while, the carriage fell into a comfortable silence, filled only by the rhythmic sound of hooves and the wheels rolling over the dirt road.

But once again, it was Marcel who spoke up.

"Tell me, what makes him so... different?"

Rainer glanced at him briefly before exhaling softly.

"How should I explain it...?"

He rubbed his chin for a moment, choosing his words carefully before speaking again.

"Arkan doesn’t think like someone from this world."

Marcel raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

Rainer stared straight ahead, as if looking at something far beyond the horizon.

"He doesn’t respect tradition."

Marcel remained silent for a moment before chuckling.

"Ah, so he’s the type who rebels against customs?"

"Not just rebels. He doesn’t see them as important."

Rainer’s voice was even, but something in it suggested a mix of confusion and mild frustration.

Marcel crossed his arms, now fully intrigued.

"Hmph, give me an example."

Rainer fell silent for a moment before letting out a sigh and starting to explain.

"I come from a knightly family. Since childhood, I was taught about honor, loyalty, and what it means to be a man. There are rules to follow, a hierarchy to respect. That’s the way of this world."

"Yes, I understand. That’s normal," Marcel nodded.

"But Arkan?"

Rainer shook his head slightly.

"He doesn’t care about any of that. He treats everyone as if they’re equals, whether they’re nobles or commoners. Sometimes... he even talks to kings as if they were childhood friends."

Marcel coughed, staring at Rainer as if he had just heard something ridiculous.

"What?"

"You heard me."

Marcel turned to the window, appearing deep in thought.

"So he’s not afraid of offending those in power?"

"As if he doesn’t even acknowledge consequences."

Marcel remained quiet for a moment before chuckling again.

"Hah! I already like this guy."

Rainer shot him a blank look.

"You’re just enjoying the entertainment."

"Of course."

Marcel grinned slyly, but there was a genuine interest in his eyes.

"But you sound serious when talking about him. Does it bother you?"

Rainer didn’t answer immediately.

He gazed at the sky outside the window, letting his thoughts drift.

"I don’t understand him."

"Which part?"

"He has power, yet he doesn’t use it to secure his position."

Rainer clasped his hands together on his lap, his expression remaining neutral, though something seemed to be turning in his mind.

"In this world, strength is everything. A man who is strong should take his rightful place at the top. But he..."

He sighed, as if struggling to put it into words.

"He doesn’t care about hierarchy, yet he doesn’t want to destroy it either. He just... lives by his own rules."

Marcel studied Rainer’s expression before smirking.

"So you’re frustrated because he doesn’t play by this world’s rules?"

Rainer didn’t answer, but his silence was enough of a confirmation for Marcel.

The brown-haired man let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head.

"This world is cruel, Rainer. If someone can live by their own rules and still survive, doesn’t that mean they’re even greater than those who follow the system?"

Rainer looked at Marcel—not in disagreement, but not in full agreement either.

Finally, he turned his gaze back to the window.

"I just want to see where his path will lead him."

Marcel’s grin widened.

"In that case, you’re just like me. You’re curious."

Rainer didn’t respond, letting the carriage continue its steady journey toward Lawrence—toward Arkan.

###

Lawrence Castle Administration Office

Inside the administrative office of Lawrence Castle, Arkan had just finalized a business contract for the sale of perfumes—a project that had been in development for the past month.

Now, all that remained was the distribution process, ensuring the product could be smoothly circulated across various regions.

Sitting across from him was Bastin—a seasoned merchant who had long been involved in the world of trade. As he closed the document with a satisfied expression, he remarked,

"Hm, not bad. This will be an interesting product on the market."

Bastin was indeed intrigued by this perfume business.

If he were being completely honest, he would have loved to take Arkan’s ideas and turn them into an exclusive venture of his own.

However, he knew that wasn’t the right way to conduct business.

The world of trade wasn’t just about monopolizing the market—it was about building trust and forming mutually beneficial transactions.

That was why he had introduced one of his acquaintances—a skilled distributor who could help expand the reach of the perfume’s market.

Bastin knew when to hold back his ambitions.

In business, unchecked greed only led to greater losses than gains.

With a small smile, Bastin leaned back in his chair.

"Yes, this business will be profitable for both of us. This region will also benefit greatly—new job opportunities will be created, and the economy will start moving at a faster pace."

Arkan nodded lightly, agreeing with his statement.

"Exactly."

Bastin rose from his seat, adjusting his clothes with a relaxed motion.

"Well then, I’ll take my leave. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Arkan."

Arkan leaned back in his chair, raising one hand in a casual farewell gesture.

"Likewise."

With that, Bastin stepped out of the room, leaving with a satisfied expression.

The moment the door closed, silence returned to the office.

However, before Arkan could enjoy the quiet, the sharp ringing of a newly installed telephone echoed through the room.

Arkan glanced at the device briefly before standing up and walking toward his desk.

This communication technology was still in its testing phase, yet its presence had already caused quite a stir among his followers—eliciting both admiration and skepticism.

He picked up the receiver and answered in a relaxed tone.

"Yes?"

The voice on the other end was formal and well-trained.

"Lord Arkan, this is the receptionist. Sir Rainer has arrived with your guest."

Arkan rested one hand on the desk, pausing for a moment before replying.

"Oh, they’re here? Let them into my office."

"Understood, Lord Arkan."

Click.

Arkan returned the telephone to its holder and took a slow breath.

Rainer had finally arrived... and that meant something interesting was about to unfold.

###

The receptionist carefully placed the telephone’s receiver back into its holder, ensuring it was securely in place.

However, as she turned around, the sight before her made her pause for a moment.

Rainer and Marcel were staring at her with astonished expressions.

Rainer’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to analyze something difficult to comprehend.

Meanwhile, Marcel—who was clearly more expressive—pointed at the telephone with eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Uhh... Gentlemen?" The receptionist cleared her throat softly, trying to understand why they looked so bewildered.

"What was that thing you just did?"

Marcel broke the awkward silence, his voice filled with intrigue.

He leaned over the reception desk, staring at the telephone as if it were some ancient artifact from a lost civilization.

"You were speaking to someone... but there’s no one else in this room."

The receptionist blinked a few times before realization dawned upon her.

"Oh... So you’ve never seen this device before?"

Rainer finally spoke, his tone more controlled than Marcel’s.

"I’ve heard Arkan mention this ’long-distance communication device’ before... but I’ve never seen it used in person."

Marcel crossed his arms, his expression a mix of disbelief and skepticism.

"So, this thing really allows you to talk to someone in a different place?"

The receptionist nodded proudly. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Exactly! Lord Arkan invented it. Right now, telephones can only be used within the castle, but he plans to expand the network across the entire territory."

Marcel chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

"Hah... That man never runs out of surprises."

He glanced at the telephone once more, clicking his tongue.

"This world is already complicated enough, and now he adds this?"

The receptionist smiled politely, choosing not to involve herself in their discussion.

"Lord Arkan is expecting you. Please proceed inside."

Rainer gave a brief nod, while Marcel still looked slightly fascinated as they walked toward Arkan’s office.

However, just before stepping through the door, Marcel halted and turned to Rainer.

"I can’t believe that man actually thinks all of this makes sense."

Rainer looked at him with a deadpan expression.

"You’ll be even more frustrated once you start talking to him."

Marcel let out a long sigh before shrugging.

"Yeah, yeah... Let’s see what other surprises he has in store for us."

And with that, the two of them stepped into Arkan’s office.