SSS-Rank Extra: I Got a Chaos System-Chapter 15: The Empty Seat

Lillian exhaled slowly, staring at the vibrant festival unfolding around her.

It was ridiculous.

Banners hung from every post, lanterns glowed warmly in the dimming evening, and villagers bustled about with food and laughter—all in honor of Kazuki. Their so-called "Holy One."

She snorted. If only they knew how utterly unholy he was.

Her gaze flicked toward the center of the commotion, where the six-headed menace was causing yet another scene.

"KAZUKI, CONTROL YOUR BEAST!"

"I'M TRYING!"

Lillian watched, utterly unimpressed, as Kazuki frantically wrestled with the hydra's heads—one was chewing on a festival banner, another had stolen an entire roasted pig, and a third had managed to tangle itself in a string of lanterns.

The villagers, of course, were awed.

"Such divine playfulness!" one whispered.

"A true test of the Holy One's strength," another murmured reverently.

Lillian pinched the bridge of her nose. These people are hopeless.

She had been in this village for long, but it was obvious—life here was simple. Too simple.

Before Kazuki showed up, nothing exciting ever happened. The most thrilling event she had witnessed was a merchant getting into an argument over the price of potatoes.

And now?

Now, she had this.

A Hydra Festival. A chaotic, dramatic mess of a boy who made everything feel like a whirlwind.

She hated it.

...Or at least, she should have.

Her heart gave an odd thump as she watched him trip over himself, dodging a hydra tail that nearly took out a food stall.

Lillian pursed her lips. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

Kazuki was a pain. A headache. An absolute disaster.

But somehow, life was... brighter with him around.

The thought was dangerous, so she shoved it aside.

Instead, she smirked as Kazuki finally managed to pry the banner out of the hydra's mouth—only for another head to grab him by the back of his collar and hoist him into the air.

"LILLIAN! HELP!"

She casually sipped her tea. "You look like you're doing great."

"ARE YOU SERIOUSLY DRINKING TEA RIGHT NOW?!"

Lillian fought to keep a straight face. He looked so pathetic.

Eventually, after what felt like a small eternity of struggle, Kazuki somehow managed to escape and stumbled toward her, collapsing onto the bench beside her with a dramatic sigh.

"I'm gonna die," he muttered.

"You say that every second," she said, not looking at him.

"Because it's true every second."

Lillian rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Kazuki let out a long, exhausted groan and slumped forward, nearly falling off the bench.

With a sigh, she grabbed his arm and pulled him upright. "Come on, you idiot. At least enjoy the festival properly."

Kazuki blinked blearily at her. "I am enjoying it. By suffering through it."

She ignored him and dragged him along.

Despite Kazuki's whining, Lillian took him through the festival. They passed colorful stalls, some selling roasted meats, others displaying handwoven trinkets. Children ran past, giggling, while villagers continued to look at Kazuki with reverence.

The Hydra Tamer, their Holy One.

Kazuki looked like he wanted to scream.

At one stall, an old woman grinned and handed him a stick of sweet, caramelized fruit.

"For the Holy One, a blessed treat!"

Kazuki gave her a weak smile before turning to Lillian with dead eyes. "I am being bribed with sugar."

Lillian snatched one of the fruits off his stick and popped it into her mouth. "And?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "...I hate you."

"No, you don't."

They wandered through the festival, occasionally stopping for food or games. At one point, Kazuki got roped into an arm-wrestling contest with a burly blacksmith.

He lost instantly.

The hydra, meanwhile, had somehow been roped into a ring toss game—one of its heads curiously tilting as villagers tried (and failed) to land rings around its horns.

Lillian smirked. Kazuki groaned.

"Why is this my life?"

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"Because the gods have a terrible sense of humor."

As the night stretched on, the festival only grew livelier. Musicians played, laughter filled the air, and despite his complaints, Kazuki seemed... relaxed.

For once, he wasn't running for his life.

For once, he wasn't fighting some ridiculous beast or struggling to survive.

And for a moment, Lillian saw him as he was.

Not a Hydra Tamer. Not the "Holy One."

Just Kazuki.

And somehow, that was far more dangerous than anything else.

Eventually, they found themselves back at the bench, sitting in comfortable silence.

Kazuki leaned back, exhaling. "Y'know... as much as I hate everything about this, the festival's kinda nice."

Lillian hummed in agreement. She wouldn't admit it, but she liked it too.

A cool breeze drifted between them, carrying the scent of roasted meat and sweet pastries.

Kazuki turned his head slightly, and their eyes met.

Lillian's heart skipped.

It was barely noticeable. A flicker. A single second where something unspoken passed between them.

Kazuki swallowed. Lillian tilted her head.

The air grew heavy.

And then—

"I... uh, need to use the washroom."

Lillian blinked.

Kazuki stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. "Be right back."

Before she could process the sudden shift, he turned

Lillian exhaled sharply, leaning back against the bench. "Idiot."

She watched as Kazuki disappeared into the crowd, his figure swallowed by the festival lights and moving bodies, tapping her fingers against the wooden bench, staring at the spot where he had just been.

The sudden stillness beside her was unsettling.

Ridiculous.

She shook her head, trying to push away the strange restlessness creeping into her chest.

The festival still buzzed with life—villagers laughed, music played, the hydra was still somehow causing problems in the background—but Kazuki's absence made it feel... different.

Lillian clicked her tongue, crossing her arms. He'll be back soon. It's just the washroom.

And yet...

Minutes passed.

She shifted in her seat. It wasn't that she was worried, of course. Kazuki was more trouble than he was worth, but he wasn't helpless. If anything, trouble was the only constant in his life.

Still, something itched at the back of her mind.

Something off.

Lillian exhaled slowly, watching the lanterns flicker against the night sky.

Another minute.

Another beat of silence.

The feeling in her chest grew heavier.

And then—

A sound.

Distant, muffled.

A scuffle.

A sharp, dull thud.

Her eyes snapped open.

The festival noise drowned it out almost instantly, but she had heard it.

Lillian's fingers twitched against her sleeve.

She stood.

The logical part of her said wait.

Kazuki was fine. He always managed to survive, somehow.

But then her instincts had never been wrong before.

Her gaze flicked toward the alleyway behind the festival, where the sound had come from.

The festival blurred around her as she moved.