The Nameless Extra: I Proofread This World

Ruvian watched as Violet composedly entered the hall. Her steps were strangely quiet for someone drawing so much attention.

She walked straight to the front, settling into a seat beside the tall window that framed the soft, grey light outside.

Without a word, she leaned forward, rested her arms on the long, connected desk, and tilted her head toward the glass, eyes drawn to the bare trees beyond.

The last breath of winter still hovered in the air and it swirled the brittle branches on the other side of the glass.

Ruvian studied her expressionless profile.

Her eyes didn’t blink often, just quietly absorbing the world outside as if it offered something better than what was in here.

’Violet... that wasn’t her real name.’

Honestly, Ruvian didn’t expect she would be standing against Julian. It took more than just a temper to do that. And it required a reason too.

Ruvian’s eyes flicked upward, tracing the few stares still clinging to her.

Most didn’t know what to make of her. They only saw a quiet girl who suddenly dared to speak when no one else would.

Not a single scholar here knows who she really is. They probably thought of her as the same as them, just a commoner.

Ruvian also knew just a little, from the scattered author notes and one lazy exposition dump somewhere deep in a discarded Chapter.

Her real name was Vanessa Eldrienne.

She was the last daughter of a noble house stripped of title and executed under royal decree; treason.

Ruvian contemplated.

That’s what they called it when you crossed the crown. Her family was erased, their estates burned, records sealed or rewritten.

’From what I can remember... only she survived, because she was too young to be considered a threat, so by the mercy of the royal family, they dumped her in an orphanage.’

And yet...

Surprisingly, a week later, the orphanage suddenly caught fire.

And somehow, she survived that too.

Even now, Ruvian still wondered how she managed to survive the royal family’s clear attempt to assassinate her.

But no matter how much he thought about it, there was little he could understand, because the novel never really went deep into her past.

Now she was here, in this academy, wearing a new name.

Ruvian let out a sigh.

Soon, that the door creaked open again.

A figure stumbled in, an assistant, clearly not used to being the center of attention. He adjusted his glasses twice before reaching the center of the room, clutching a stack of loose pages.

”Uh... good morning, everyone,” he began.

”Today’s instructor won’t be joining today’s session. He’s... occupied with faculty matters.”

He paused, as if trying to recall the rest, then looked down at the pages in his grip.

”So, he left these notes for you. They cover the required readings and theory basics for the week. Please review them thoroughly.”

Without waiting for acknowledgment, he began shuffling from row to row, handing out the printed lecture notes.

By the time he left, the room had returned to its earlier silence. A few scholars glanced through the material, but most didn’t bother. It was only the first day, and their expectations were already being managed downward.

Eventually, the class thinned out. One by one, they filed out without speaking. But Violet didn’t move from her spot.

And neither did Ruvian.

For now, there was nothing much he could do for her. Because he needed to investigate more about her background.

Especially why her family was executed.

*****

Later that night, Ruvian returned to his private dorm. After a long, arduous period of lectures and personal spells training, finally it was time for him to inspect his new unlocked skill.

Skill activation: [Power Scaling]

[Your talent cap is B-]

[Therefore...]

===========

{From → To} {Cost PPs}

F+ → E- 300PP

E- → E 450PP

E → E+ 650PP

E+ → D- 900PP

D- → D 1200PP

D → D+ 1600PP

D+ → C- 2150PP

Special Traits:

Mana Essence +50 each (300 PPs)

Mana Resonance +1 each (50 PPs)

Affinity Slot – Locked (50,000 PPs)

==========

Ruvian stared at the screen, stunned.

”...Are you kidding me?”

”What the hell are those prices!?”

==========

{}---『RUNEHEART』---{}

◇ Name: Ruvian Castelor

◇ Age: 17

◇ Spellcore: Tier 1

◇ Rank: Fourth-Class Magus

◇ Magic Affinity: None

◇ Relevance Tier: Stage II – Wandering Extra

◇ Plot Points: 13640 (PPs)

◇ Current Arc: Arc 2 – Beneath the Banner of Enrollment

[Mana Resonance: (13/100)]

==[General Attributes]==

Strength: E- → E (450 PPs)

Agility: E- → E (450 PPs)

Endurance: E- → E (450 PPs)

Vitality: E- → E (450 PPs)

Perception: E → E+ (650 PPs)

==[Mage Attributes]==

Mana Control: E- → E (450 PPs)

Casting Speed: E- → E (450 PPs)

Magic Power: F+ → E- (300 PPs)

Mental Strength: S (Maxed)

Mana Sensitivity: E → E+ (650 PPs)

Mana Essence: [240/240] → 290/290 (300 PPs)

==========

He sighed calmly, running a hand through his hair.

Truthfully, he should’ve expected this.

The System never gave him anything for free.

But somehow, watching his stats line up like malnourished beggars begging for food and being told each meal cost hundreds of points still felt harsh.

He folded his arms, gaze still fixed on the glowing list of limitations.

[Plot Points: 13640]

With thirteen thousand Plot Points at his disposal, Ruvian could force every one of his attributes into the D-rank without much difficulty.

It was tempting.

Absurdly tempting.

Because he doesn’t need to do anything, just spending his plot points and his foundation would leap ahead in an instant.

But the more he examined the numbers, the more the idea began to rot.

That would be wasteful.

As far as he was concerned, Plot Points were not stamina. They were not something that regenerated with sleep.

Thus, spending them to inflate grindable stats felt like using rare gemstones to clear out some grass.

Ruvian did not dislike the convenience of direct upgrades. In fact, he appreciated efficiency. If the cost were low, he would have pressed the confirmation button without hesitation.

Because cheap optimization was still optimization.

But these prices?

Four hundred and fifty for a single step from E- to E. Thousands, just to accelerate something that discipline, and resources could raise over a long time.

He quietly sighed.

”If I can train it,” he muttered inwardly, ”then it isn’t worth paying a premium for.”

”However, there surely will be a time where short-term gains are needed.”

More than that, he believed that he should save these Plot Points as a means of emergency.

’Damn it, I’m doing it again... I can’t always stay passive.’

The admission lingered in his thoughts, uncomfortable but honest. However, caution was not the same as cowardice. There was, as of now, no imminent threat.

At present, raising his attributes to D-rank would not profit anything.

It would merely make him stronger in a context where strength was not yet required.

’Perhaps I can decide when the stakes become heavier,’ he concluded after a long stretch of quiet contemplation.

With measured calm, Ruvian dismissed the upgrade interface.

For now, he decided to refine what could be refined by....

──────── ✦ ────────

[Chapter 80: Effort First]

Plot Points= 13640