Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character-Chapter 95: [94] Bonds Forged in Fire

-Third-Person Perspective-

The sky darkened, and the lingering traces of battle still clung to the air. Yet, within the military camp, a sense of calm slowly settled.

Exhausted soldiers sat around the campfires, their faces etched with fatigue.

Arkan walked among them, quietly observing the state of his troops.

They had succeeded.

They had defeated the Hellbound Behemoth—the monster that had ruled this forest for years.

But victory came at a cost.

Their bodies were drained, their strength nearly spent.

And the best way to recover from exhaustion?

Food.

Arkan exhaled deeply before turning toward the field kitchen, a temporary setup near the camp.

At the Field Kitchen

The atmosphere in the makeshift kitchen was bustling, with field cooks preparing what little supplies they had left.

One of the cooks wiped his forehead and turned toward Arkan.

"Sir, the food is still being prepared. We’re trying to make soup with what we have, but our supplies are limited."

Arkan nodded, his eyes scanning the available ingredients.

Not much... but if handled properly, it’ll be enough.

He rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward.

The cooks froze, eyes wide in disbelief.

A noble helping in the kitchen?

That was unheard of.

But Arkan was different.

To him, leadership wasn’t just about giving orders—it was about earning trust.

A leader who understood his soldiers would command far greater loyalty than one who ruled from a distance.

"We’ll make a meat stew with dried vegetables. Add whatever spices we have in storage."

The cooks quickly followed his instructions, still astonished.

At the Campfires

Minutes later, steaming bowls of stew were distributed among the soldiers.

The rich aroma of meat and simple spices filled the air, making the exhausted men swallow their saliva in anticipation.

One soldier took a hesitant sip—then his eyes widened.

"Damn... this is amazing."

The others followed—soon, the quiet camp was filled with the sound of spoons scraping against bowls.

Near the fire, Kael glanced at his bowl before smirking.

"Hah... That kid really is something else."

Meanwhile, Rainer, still recovering from his injuries, frowned at his untouched bowl.

"Why can’t I eat by myself?" he grumbled as a medic spoon-fed him.

Florence, sitting nearby, chuckled.

Arkan ate in silence, seated among his men—not separated from them.

He didn’t say much.

But his presence alone spoke louder than words.

This wasn’t just about strategy or power.

This was about trust.

And in a world full of betrayal, trust was a weapon sharper than any blade.

At Dawn

As the first light of dawn illuminated the camp, the troops began to move out.

The morning air was crisp, yet their spirits remained high.

Today, they would finish clearing the path to the mine.

The battlefield from the previous day was now just a memory.

Some soldiers glanced back, their eyes lingering on the remains of the fallen Behemoth.

Its massive corpse still lay where it had collapsed.

Moving such an enormous body with human labor alone was impossible.

Instead, they had harvested what they could—

The meat was dried for rations, the rest was left to the forest.

But the most valuable part was the blue Core extracted from its body.

Arkan held it in his hand, watching the crystalline surface pulse faintly—as if it were alive.

On the market, it would be worth thousands of gold coins.

But selling it was never his intention.

Unlike others, Arkan knew—

This Core was far more valuable than just a magic power source.

"I wonder how I can use this for the technology I’m developing..." he murmured.

Beside him, Florence glanced at the Core but said nothing.

She already knew—

Every decision Arkan made had a purpose.

Kilometer Five

After hours of marching, they finally arrived.

A vast lake stretched before them, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the golden hues of sunrise.

But that wasn’t what caught their attention.

The most striking sight was—

The glowing white stones embedded in the cliffs and hills surrounding them.

They shimmered softly, similar to magic crystals, yet different in color and texture.

Arkan approached one and placed his hand against its surface.

Cold. Solid.

Yet beneath its exterior, he could see natural patterns resembling mana flow.

Behind him, Kael narrowed his eyes.

"So this is... Rune Stone?"

Arkan smirked.

"Without a doubt."

###

In the days that followed, the Rune Stone mining operation began with extreme caution.

As planned, Kael managed the logistical network, ensuring that every step of the operation remained discreet. To the outside world, the mine appeared to be nothing more than a simple iron mine.

To the soldiers who had participated in the expedition, the glowing white stones scattered across the cavern walls were nothing more than strange-looking minerals.

They weren’t mages or bureaucrats—they had no idea of the true value these stones held.

Most of them had been commoners, only receiving formal education after joining the military.

They didn’t ask questions. They simply followed orders and worked as instructed.

Meanwhile, Kael formally announced the success of the expedition, declaring that they had successfully opened access to a new mining site.

He also praised the soldiers, recognizing their bravery in surviving the battle against the Behemoth.

For them, this was more than just a victory on the battlefield—it was a personal triumph.

They returned to Lawrence with their heads held high, a sense of pride swelling in their chests.

Inside the castle’s war room, Arkan sat across from Bastian.

Between them lay maps of trade routes and distribution plans—a critical discussion awaited.

Today, they would determine how to sell Rune Stones without drawing unwanted attention.

"So, you want a completely secure distribution route?"

Bastian leaned back in his chair, his lips curling into a knowing smirk.

"Of course," Arkan replied, tapping his fingers against the table. "If word gets out, Lawrence will become a target for every major power."

He exhaled slowly.

"We need to ensure that our buyers are trustworthy. No middlemen who could leak information."

Bastian rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"I do have some connections... but we can’t set the price too high. If a large supply of Rune Stones suddenly appears on the market, people will start asking questions."

Arkan’s lips curled into a small, calculating smile.

"Don’t worry. We won’t flood the market. We’ll release them slowly, bit by bit—as if they’re coming from multiple uncertain sources."

Bastian chuckled.

"You really are cunning, Lord Arkan. I like the way you think."

A few days later, Bastian returned with good news.

He had successfully secured a trade network, and even better—he had found buyers willing to pay three times the market price.

Inside the castle’s finance chamber, Arkan sat face to face with Lucian, the head of the financial department.

On the table before them were neatly arranged financial reports.

Lucian flipped through the documents, adjusting his glasses.

"So... our net profit is 80,000 gold coins?"

Arkan repeated the figure, his voice carrying disbelief.

Lucian nodded, his tone measured.

"Yes. Based on our calculations, the actual revenue is around 120,000 gold coins."

He set the documents down and continued in a calm, pragmatic voice.

"However, due to the nature of our sales, there were additional costs."

Lucian pointed at several numbers on the report.

"Bribes for distribution channels, hush money, security fees to keep the transactions under the radar... all of these expenses cut into our margins."

Arkan fell silent for a moment, processing the numbers.

120,000 gold coins...?

His mind instinctively converted the amount into his previous world’s currency.

It was millions of dollars.

Insane. And this is just from a single transaction...

He exhaled slowly, calming himself.

The sheer financial potential of this operation was staggering.

But he couldn’t afford to lose focus.

"Ahem... Now that we have the funds, we need to use them wisely," Arkan finally said, forcing himself to keep his voice level.

Across from him, Lucian smiled faintly.

"As you command, My Lord."

Though the temptation to hoard the gold was there, Arkan knew better.

Every single coin Lawrence earned needed to be reinvested into growth and stability.

However, a new challenge arose— 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

A lack of skilled workers.

The total registered population of Lawrence was only around 3,000 people.

And that was after a complete census had been conducted.

Recording accurate population data had been far more difficult than he expected.

Most people in this world lacked literacy—they couldn’t even write their own names.

Fortunately, basic printing technology—although still primitive—allowed Arkan to print census forms and have literate individuals assist with documentation.

This process had already proven highly effective.

But it also revealed a major flaw in this world’s governance.

In his previous world, citizen registration and population data were fundamental pillars of administration.

But here?

Such systems barely existed.

In most feudal kingdoms, people were identified by their place of birth, occupation, or noble lineage—not by an organized registry.

There was no universal identification system.

No structured records.

No systematic census.

But now, Arkan could see just how valuable these records would be.

Knowing the population size, age distribution, workforce composition, and economic conditions meant he could strategically shape Lawrence’s future.

More workers meant increased production.More soldiers meant stronger defenses.More educated citizens meant more innovation.

Arkan understood one crucial truth—

"Building a strong administrative system is the key to strengthening this territory."