The Nameless Extra: I Proofread This World

Ruvian finished tightening the last length of rope and gave it a firm tug. The cords bit into Vible’s wrists.

”Look, let’s talk about this.” Lenwick said.

”Just give up, Lenwick. There’s no use anymore.” Vible forced a brittle smile as the rope cinched tight around her arms.

Ruvian straightened and took a step back, his eyes passing over them both in a calm manner.

”Sure, let’s talk.”

Vible blinked, clearly she wasn’t expecting that answer. The brittle smile she’d been wearing faltered as she glanced sideways at Lenwick.

”You... you’re serious?” Lenwick asked.

Ruvian simply folded his arms.

”Yes I am.”

”Ha! Don’t make me laugh. Talk?” Vible echoed, a soft scoff slipping out as she leaned back as far as the ropes allowed.

”You really think we’re just gonna tell you—”

Ruvian tiredly sighed.

”Don’t misunderstand.”

His gaze hardened.

”I’m not interested in arguments, excuses, or whatever version of the truth you think sounds safest. What we’re... no, what I’m about to do now is much simpler. I’ll ask questions, and you’ll decide how you answer them.”

”Your decision determines whether you walk out of here alive and in chains, or whether you don’t walk out at all.”

”I don’t enjoy killing, and I don’t gain anything from it. If there’s a lawful place to put you, you’ll be sent there and judged properly...”

Then, he looked at Vible.

”...How long you rot, and under whose authority, isn’t for me to decide. But whether you make it that far is.”

The silence that followed was loud.

After a while, Vible laughed softly, though there was no humor in it.

”You’re bluffing. You don’t strike me as the type.”

Ruvian stepped closer.

Close enough that Vible could see the faint exhaustion at the edge of his eyes, and the complete lack of hesitation beneath it.

”Would you like me to confirm it then?”

Yet Vible didn’t show any emotion.

’She’s surprisingly calm.’ Ruvian thought.

”Wait, wait. You can’t just kill us. You don’t know what you’re stepping into, kid.”

”No. I can. And that’s what I’m into. I want to know about your leader, and why did you think dragging me out of the street was worth this much effort?”

Vible turned her head away.

”I’m not telling you anything. I’d rather die.”

Lenwick’s eyes widened. ”Vible...”

”Well, you’re bound to stick with your choice. Not my problem.” Ruvian spoke as he walked and picked up the metal pole on the floor.

’This thing was this heavy...?’

That fact alone reminded him how strong the huge guy was to be able to swing this around recklessly.

Ruvian lifted the metal pole and tested its weight once more. Then he drew it back. The shadow of the iron stretched across the floor and crept up towards Vible’s legs.

Vible looked up at him and smirked.

”How scary. Can’t believe that I have mistaken a cute puppy for an easy prey.”

Ruvian stared at her darkly.

”I was never the prey.”

Then, the metal pole began to descend.

”Stop!”

The iron halted a breath from Vible’s shoulder. Ruvian turned his head slightly toward Lenwick without lowering the weapon.

”Cursed the Void...” Lenwick muttered ”I’ll talk. I’ll tell you everything, okay? Just... you’ll let us live, right?”

Ruvian considered him for a moment.

”As I said... you’ll be handed over. What happens after that won’t be my decision.”

Lenwick let out a long, shaky breath.

”Yeah. That’s enough. That’s more than enough.”

Vible stared at him in shock. ”Lenwick, what are you doing?” she said incredulously, her voice dropping.

”Enough of this, Vible.”

”I know why you follow Droiger. I do. He pulled you out when no one else would. He’s your... ah fuck. He’s our goddamn saviour!”

His hands curled into fists against the ropes.

”He saved us. Both of us. All of us! I won’t pretend otherwise, okay?”

Vible’s expression softened for just a second. Then she scoffed. ”Then why are you opening your mouth!? What do you think you’re doing, you damn fool?”

Lenwick finally turned to look at her.

”Because I’m not letting you die for him, understand? That fucker is using us! I’m sick of being his dog! And I don’t want us doing his dirty jobs more than we already did...”

Vible laughed sharply, shaking her head. ”What? So you would rather betray him now? After everything he’s done for us?”

”He has done nothing for us!”

’...What the hell are they squabbling over?’ Ruvian couldn’t help but sigh. This development was certainly not what he was hoping for.

Lenwick closed his eyes. He drew in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

”Sorry, Vible. But... I don’t want to lose you.”

For a moment, Vible had nothing to say. The smirk she wore earlier was gone, replaced by something uncertain, almost lost.

”You fool...”

Ruvian lowered the pole at last and rested it against the floor.

He watched them with a frown, then spoke.

”Alright then. Go on.”

”Speak. And don’t you dare lie.”

Lenwick swallowed, his throat working as if the words themselves were heavy.

”Sure. For starters... erm, we’re not from this district. None of us are. We came from the Low Hollows, beyond the river bend.”

”Droiger found us there.”

He exhaled slowly, a bit reluctant.

”One night, he handed us food, which was enough for everyone. We didn’t trust him at first. No one would, of course. It’s painfully obvious that his kindness meant he had another motive. Still, it’s not like we have any other choices. But that’s how it began.”

”After that, he started giving us work. Carried some crates we weren’t supposed to look inside. Small things that paid better than stealing ever did.”

”When we proved we could keep our mouths shut, the work suddenly changed. We’ve been working for him for 3 months. I don’t know much about him. He’s a man full of mystery you see....”

”So that’s as far as I can share.”

”Oh, and one more thing... Droiger had eyes everywhere, even in this town. So, sorry to say this, but you’re going to die soon, kid.”

”I’ve never seen anyone live after messing with Droiger. Your best bet is to keep us alive. You see, he has a terrifying power that I can’t even explain. It’s unnatural. Nothing that I have ever seen before.”

’A terrifying power?’

Ruvian didn’t like the sound of that.

’This might be a problem. There isn’t much I know about him... since this scene was only mentioned in the author’s footnotes.’ he pondered deeply.

’Yet Silvena survived. So, it should be fine, right?’

”Alright. What did you mean by his ’terrifying power’—”

But before he could finish it, his head felt slightly heavier than normal.

’What!?’

The pressure continued to deepen and became inescapable.

But then, it lessened.

Confusion settled into his features.

Ruvian’s gaze snapped to the two bound figures before him.

Lenwick had gone pale. His eyes were wide and unfocused, his breath coming in short, as though he was struggling to breathe. Ruvian could feel that fear was radiating from him openly, stripped of any attempt at composure.

Vible, on the other hand, was different.

Her jaw was clenched, sweating, but there was relief in her expression. As if the weight pressing down on the room was something she had been waiting for.

Ruvian understood it then, a cold certainty settling in his mind.

”I see, so...”

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[Chapter 20: He’s Here]