The Extra’s Grand Exit

00.

Namgung Hwi probably couldn’t even begin to fathom how long I had waited for this exact moment.

I watched the two protagonists of The Young Master of the Namgung Clan is Obsessed with Me, Namgung Hwi and Yeon Ji-oh, enjoying a leisurely boat ride on the lake. Pretending to tremble with a sense of profound betrayal, I tapped my index finger twice.

At that movement, a blue system window materialized right before my eyes.

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[SYSTEM]

QUEST: Complete Chapter 1 of The Young Master of the Namgung Clan is Obsessed with Me!

Assigned Role: Geum Seo-yul, the youngest son of Mangeum Bank (Supporting Character)

Disposition: Villain

Description: Advance the story of The Young Master of the Namgung Clan is Obsessed with Me according to the original work.

Upon reaching 100% completion, you will be liberated from the restrictive force of the original plot.

Note: Any actions that deviate from the original plot will result in penalties. If the penalty level exceeds a certain threshold, it may lead to death. Please proceed with caution.

Completion Rate: 99%

Penalty: 97.7% (If it reaches 99%, the death route will open. Entering this route carries a 99.9% mortality rate.)

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“…….”

How many years had I spent crawling through mud just to lay eyes on that 99% completion rate? Five long years.

Lost in deep emotion as I stared at the system window, I lowered my gaze to look at the clothes I had worn specifically to commemorate today.

Even though I had merely been acting to survive, the sheer memory of what I had to endure just to acquire this single outfit brought tears to my eyes. Stifling the sudden surge of emotion as I looked at the garments—a blend of white and sky-blue that only members of the Namgung Clan were permitted to wear—I double-checked the number on the quest window.

“Phew.”

Only a mere 1% stood between me and the conclusion.

If I could just wrap up this final 1% today, I would finally be free!

Perhaps it was because this wretched situation was finally drawing to a close, but my excitement refused to settle down.

After sweeping my gaze over everyone present, I took another breath to compose myself, fully prepared to instill the absolute certainty that Geum Seo-yul had ‘completely given up’ on Namgung Hwi.

“Haah.”

“Young Master.”

“Little Madam, the thing is…”

I hadn’t even opened my mouth yet, so they really shouldn’t be acting like this already.

The sheer pity vibrating in the voices of the people addressing me felt palpable against my skin. Pretending to suppress an ocean of turbulent emotions, I forced the words out as if spitting up blood.

“This must be the will of Hwi… no, rather, the will of the Young Master of the Namgung Clan.”

Ha, even to my own ears, that sounded incredibly sorrowful.

Unlike my usual demeanor, my voice was entirely subdued. My deliberate effort to appear as though I were holding back immense rage caused an intentional tremble in my vocal cords, making the entire situation beautifully dramatic.

Letting my shoulders drop despondently, I continued my monologue.

“So he sent me a letter for the very first time in his life just to show me this sight.”

“…….”

“I practically begged and pleaded just to obtain these clothes, yet he hands them over so easily to someone he barely even knows. And to make matters worse, those are the very garments reserved exclusively for the spouse of the Young Master.”

“Little Madam, it’s nothing like that. It’s just that the circumstances are…”

Hey, my monologue isn’t finished yet, okay?

I raised my hand, signaling the person attempting to defend Namgung Hwi to hold their tongue.

“Enough. You do not need to speak further, for I was already well aware that the Young Master holds me in low regard.”

Ding!

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[SYSTEM: An attempt to deviate from the original plot has been detected. A 0.1% penalty has been added, bringing the total to 97.8%.]

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You are truly vicious, you know that, original plot?

To slap me with an immediate penalty just because I complained a little.

As usual, it refuses to give me even an inch of breathing room right up until the very end. I mentally flipped off the system and pulled my scattered thoughts back together. Then, I fixed my gaze firmly on the small boat.

“Now, I must put an end to this, if only to save myself from further humiliation.”

“Little Madam! That is absolutely not the case. As for the current situation, the Young Master’s judgment is simply clouded for the moment!”

Clouded judgment, my foot.

For someone whose judgment was supposed to be clouded, Namgung Hwi’s gaze had not wavered from Yeon Ji-oh, who was sitting right there in the boat with him.

This was despite the fact that he could undoubtedly hear our conversation from that distance.

Furthermore…

Shifting my gaze toward Namgung Ha-ryang, who served as Namgung Hwi’s right-hand man, I twisted one side of my mouth into a bitter smile.

“Little Madam? You no longer need to address me by that title. Just call me as you did before… actually, never mind. Since we will likely never have cause to speak again, do not address me at all.”

“Little Madam!”

“Even if we concede to your words and assume the Young Master’s judgment is temporarily clouded, even so…”

Pausing for a brief moment, I cast my eyes back out toward the lake before carrying on.

“That still does not explain every single way the Young Master has treated me, does it?”

“…….”

See? I knew they wouldn’t be able to say a word once I hit the nail right on the head, so I really don’t understand why they bothered trying to defend him in the first place.

My observation of Namgung Ha-ryang, who had suddenly become as mute as a fish, lasted only a moment. Once again, I allowed an expression of deep yearning to wash over my face as I took in the sight of Namgung Hwi.

Quietly and with profound tenderness, as if I were permanently engraving his image into my very eyes.

“…….”

A sudden surge of stubbornness made me wonder exactly when he would finally look my way, prompting me to keep staring at Namgung Hwi. However, he deliberately avoided my gaze, refusing to grant me even a single glance.

Well, I suppose that only served to make the scene look far more dramatic.

Staring at Namgung Hwi until my eyes grew sore, I realized that the time had finally come to put a definitive period on this chapter. Letting out a heavy sigh, I initiated the sequence of actions I had visualized countless times inside my head.

The very first thing I did was unfasten the sky-blue belt that symbolized the Namgung Clan. Before anyone in the vicinity could even think to stop me, I let the belt slip straight into the lake.

“Y-Young Master!”

“Little Madam!”

Perhaps completely caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, the onlookers cried out to me in utter shock. However, my performance was only just getting started.

As if to demonstrate that not a single shred of lingering affection remained, I shed the white outer robe that Namgung Hwi had gifted me and tossed that into the lake as well.

“Oh goodness, Young Master!”

“Everyone, avert your eyes!”

It wasn’t as if I were stripping completely naked, so I honestly couldn’t comprehend why they were making such a massive fuss. Right after that, I slipped off the shoes I was wearing and hurled them into the lake too.

Splash!

Unlike the garments, the shoes possessed a fair amount of weight, causing distinct ripples to fracture the calm surface of the water. Drawn by the sound, Yeon Ji-oh, who was sharing the boat with Namgung Hwi, turned his gaze in my direction.

A beat later, Namgung Hwi’s eyes also snapped toward me.

The moment my eyes locked with Namgung Hwi’s, I kept my gaze fixed on him while patting down my own body.

“What else did I receive from him?”

“Young Master, you cannot simply undress yourself in a place like this!”

“It’s not as if I’m stripping entirely. I am merely discarding the things that need to be discarded.”

Maintaining direct eye contact with Namgung Hwi as he stared at me, I reached up and tore off my hair crown. Then, without a single hint of regret, I threw it away just like the other items.

Pretending to search my body for objects once more, I waited until the entire surroundings fell into a dead silence and every single eye was fixed on me. Only then did I reach into my inner chest pocket and pull out a red silk pouch I had stowed away.

“Right, there was this as well.”

Acting as though I cared absolutely nothing for it, I thrust my hand into the silk pouch. I grabbed the red tassel attached to a silver token and pulled it out.

“Gasp!”

Standing right beside me, Namgung Ha-ryang let out a sharp intake of air the second he identified the token in my grip.

Well, it made perfect sense that he would react that way.

After all, this token was the exact item I had fiercely held onto until the very end, despite Namgung Hwi demanding its return multiple times.

I held the very token that served as the proof of engagement between Namgung Hwi and Geum Seo-yul—an artifact of which the Young Master of the Namgung Clan possessed only two in existence. After caressing it gently a few times as if it were something immensely precious, I threw it into the lake without an ounce of hesitation.

Plop!

“Little Madam!”

Namgung Ha-ryang’s horror-stricken voice rang out, immediately followed by the sound of him plunging straight into the lake.

I felt a bit sorry for him, but under the current circumstances, there was no better method than this to explicitly convey my final feelings to Namgung Hwi.

Shifting my gaze away from Namgung Ha-ryang, I looked back at Namgung Hwi once more.

Then, I delivered my lines with complete apathy.

“I have returned everything I ever received from the Namgung Clan. Since the token has also been surrendered, from this very moment, you and I return to being absolute strangers with no engagement tying us together.”

From afar, I could see Yeon Ji-oh leaning in close to Namgung Hwi while saying something. However, Namgung Hwi’s gaze remained entirely, unblinkingly fixed on me.

“…….”

I had no idea why he was staring at me like that now, especially considering how hard he had been trying to ignore me just moments ago.

My observation of Namgung Hwi’s widened eyes lasted only a brief moment.

I flashed a radiant, brilliant smile directly at Namgung Hwi. Then, hardening my expression instantly as if I had never smiled at all, I called out to Yeo-ui.

“Yeo-ui.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

“Let’s go.”

With those final words, I turned my back on Namgung Hwi without a single hint of regret and walked toward the carriage.

At that exact moment, a highly anticipated sound echoed in my mind.

Ding!

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[SYSTEM: The original plot completion rate has been updated.]

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“Phew.”

The arrival of that specific notification meant that it was truly time to bid farewell to the original story.

Yes, from here on out, I could comfortably enjoy everything life had to offer as the youngest son of Mangeum Bank and live a perfectly peaceful, leisurely existence.

Because I was walking barefoot, the texture of the stone path beneath my soles didn’t feel particularly pleasant. However, perhaps because I had successfully completed the quest, I found myself able to endure this minor level of pain with a smile.

The moment I boarded the carriage alongside Yeo-ui, the vehicle began to move forward. I was peering out the window, idly contemplating what I should do the second I arrived home, when a voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Young Master.”

Yeo-ui called out to me. Surprised by the choked-up tone of his voice, I looked ahead only to find that Yeo-ui’s eyes were already brimming with thick tears.

“Why are you the one about to cry? I am honestly completely fine.”

“I… I had no idea you were hurting this deeply inside, Young Master.”

Wow, it seemed my acting skills really were top-tier. Watching Yeo-ui as he began to sniffle in earnest, I slid over to the seat next to him and gently patted his back.

“Hurting? I’m telling you, I actually feel incredibly relieved right now. What would I gain by desperately holding onto someone who clearly dislikes me? It would only be my loss!”

Exactly. Now that the original plot was over and done with, I had absolutely no intention of wasting my life away trying to force a connection with someone who despised me.

“After harboring an unrequited love for five whole years, it’s only right that I fold those feelings away.”

It would be a blatant lie to claim that I hadn’t held Namgung Hwi in my heart at all during those past five years. However, those feelings had been nothing more than a fleeting instant—a passing phase of puppy love.

…Though come to think of it, it seemed there had never been anyone else I had kept in my heart for quite as long as Namgung Hwi.

But honestly, what was the point of his face being exactly my type?

Namgung Hwi already had his designated partner anyway.

While comforting Yeo-ui, I pulled up the system window that I hadn’t checked yet.

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[SYSTEM] – (1) NEW!

QUEST: Complete Chapter 1 of The Young Master of the Namgung Clan is Obsessed with Me! – (COMPLETED)

Assigned Role: Geum Seo-yul, the youngest son of Mangeum Bank (Supporting Character)

Disposition: Villain

Description: Advance the story of The Young Master of the Namgung Clan is Obsessed with Me according to the original work.

Upon reaching 100% completion, you will be liberated from the restrictive force of the original plot.

Note: The more you attempt to deviate from the original plot, the more penalties will be applied. Please be aware that if the penalties exceed a certain limit, it may put your life at risk.

Completion Rate: 99.9% (NEW!)

Penalty: 97.8% (If it exceeds 99%, your life may be in danger.)

Congratulations!

You have executed the role of Geum Seo-yul near-flawlessly. The restrictive force of the original plot is now dismantled!

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“Huh?”

The unexpected percentage caught me off guard, but what truly bewildered me was the fact that the restrictive force was being dismantled despite the completion rate failing to hit a flat 100%.

Where on earth did that missing 0.1% go?

It happened right while I was staring blankly at the system window. Suddenly, Yeo-ui threw his arms around me and began to wail at the top of his lungs.

“Waaah, Young Master! From now on, your loyal Yeo-ui will do everything in his power to ensure you meet a true, genuine partner! So please, I beg of you, don’t make an expression like you’ve completely given up on life!”

…No, I was literally just looking at the system window.

However, this little misunderstanding wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Since the carriage had only just departed, this conversation would undoubtedly reach the ears of the high-ranking martial artists of the Namgung Clan, given their exceptional hearing.

Well, whatever rumors or statements emerged from the Namgung Clan from this point forward had absolutely nothing to do with me anyway.

Continuing to pat the back of the incessantly sobbing Yeo-ui, I made my way back to Mangeum Bank.

…Yes, cutting ties with Namgung Hwi in that absolute manner had taken place exactly half a year ago.

So why on earth was I currently facing this exact man, of all people, inside the detached villa of Mangeum Bank?

“I was in the wrong.”

I had absolutely no clue what he thought he was doing, showing up out of nowhere like this. And on top of that, what was up with his appearance?

Staring at Namgung Hwi—whose once highly commendable face had turned completely haggard—I offered a thoroughly indifferent response.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Yul-ah.”

“Do not address me by that name.”

It was a term of endearment he had never once uttered throughout the entire duration of our actual engagement. To suddenly show up out of nowhere and act all familiar was incredibly burdensome, regardless of his motives. The moment my brow furrowed in irritation, Namgung Hwi unexpectedly dropped to his knees.

Then, he began to plead.

“You may call me pathetic. You may call me a fool. I do not care. So please… just give me one more chance.”

“…Did you perhaps ingest something poisonous?”

I genuinely couldn’t comprehend why he was acting so utterly desperate after arriving completely unannounced.

While I was busy swallowing down my sheer bewilderment, biting my lower lip in the process, Namgung Hwi’s gaze silently dropped to my mouth. As if suddenly gripped by urgency, he spoke up hastily.

“What must I do to make you change your mind?”

“There is no such th—”

Ding!

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[SYSTEM: A new quest has been generated.]

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What in the world…?

My initial bewilderment at the sudden chiming of the system notification lasted only a second. Snapping myself out of it, I tapped my index finger to open the system window for the first time in ages.

The moment I read the contents and the metrics displayed within, I froze in absolute horror.

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[SYSTEM] – (1) NEW!

QUEST 1: Chapter 2 of The Young Master of the Namgung Clan is Obsessed with Me has commenced.

Assigned Role: Geum Seo-yul, the youngest son of Mangeum Bank (Main Character)

Disposition: Undecided

Description: Chapter 2 of the novel The Young Master of the Namgung Clan is Obsessed with Me has begun.

Having broken off the engagement in Chapter 1 without realizing he was gradually falling for Geum Seo-yul—much like clothes getting soaked in a gentle drizzle—Namgung Hwi begins to acutely feel Geum Seo-yul’s absence day by day.

After a brief period of fiercely denying his own feelings, Namgung Hwi finally consciously realized the true direction of his heart only after caught wind of a rumor stating that Geum Seo-yul was pursuing a serious relationship with someone else.

Now that he has awakened to his true feelings, Namgung Hwi is completely unstoppable.

Namgung Hwi vows to use any means or methods necessary to recapture Geum Seo-yul’s departed heart.

Reference Material: While you performed the tutorial quest near-flawlessly, the missing 0.1% completion rate has caused Namgung Hwi—who was originally supposed to become a doting partner—to undergo a complete transformation into an obsessive, yandere top.

Manage Namgung Hwi’s obsession skillfully and navigate your way toward a Happy Ending!

Completion Rate: 0.1%

Obsession Level: 70% (If it reaches 85% or higher, the confinement/imprisonment route will be triggered.)

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“…….”

Why on earth?

Weren’t supporting characters supposed to just exit the stage permanently once their part was done?

Confronted with an utterly unimaginable obsession percentage alongside a plot progression that defied all logic, I found myself completely paralyzed by sheer dismay.

And it was entirely justified.

After all, the original novel The Young Master of the Namgung Clan is Obsessed with Me that I had read was a story spanning across four chapters, detailing how Namgung Hwi and Yeon Ji-oh overcame countless trials to fulfill their love for one another.

In short, there shouldn’t have been a single inch of space for a mere supporting character to wedge themselves between the two.

Yet now, out of absolutely nowhere, I was the main character? And on top of that, he was an obsessive yandere all because of a missing 0.1%?

Left with a situation where Namgung Hwi—the man who was supposed to be sharing a sweet, romantic love story with the main bottom, Yeon Ji-oh—was suddenly profoundly obsessed with me, I could do nothing but stare blankly at the system window.