Waking up in an unfamiliar world with no memories, I had only one advantage, a mind filled with knowledge of fictional tropes, clichés, and common sense learned from countless novels.

At first, I thought I was trapped in a romcom nightmare when I started triggering events like "Helping a Girl on a Rainy Day", "Damsel in Distress", and "Tripping Into the Heroine’s Arms." Naturally, I shut those nonsense down before they could escalate. No forced romances. No misunderstandings. No cringe.

But something was clearly off.

The world wasn’t just a slice-of-life comedy. 

Beneath the cliché academy setting, there were whispers of awakening powers, hidden dangers, and a brutal magic academy entrance exam. 

And every challenge I prevented or manipulated was an opportunity to grow stronger.

[Title Earned: Background Character.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Firm Mind.]
[New Skill Acquired: Background Character's Aura.]
[New Ability Acquired: Anti-Narrative Influence.]

I may be just a background character, but if fate insists on throwing these events at me, I’ll turn them into stepping stones.

Let the protagonists play their scripted roles — I have my own path to power.

<Well,> my Phantom Twin's voice cut through my thoughts, a note of amusement threading through it. <That was quite the monologue.>


I blinked, pulled abruptly from my introspection. "What?"


<I said, that was a good monologue,> he repeated, and I could practically hear the smirk in his tone despite us sharing the same mind. <Very philosophical. Very principled. Should I start taking notes? Maybe we can publish 'The Moral Musings of Amaniel, The Guardian of The Innocent' when this is all over.>


I felt heat creep up the back of my neck. "I wasn't, I was just thinking things through."


<Oh, you were definitely monologuing,> he said, his form crossing its arms in a mirror of what I probably looked like when I was being smug. <Complete with dramatic pauses and everything. 'Mercy has its place. Forgiveness has its place.' Very profound. Very brooding protagonist.>


"Shut up," I muttered, knowing full well I was essentially telling myself to shut up, which only made it more ridiculous.


Chapter 364 - Black Lotus