The bathroom barely fit him, the walls pressed too close, and the air gave an unfamiliar chill that seeped into his skin.
Cold stones bit at his feet as he walked inside, their cobbled edges jabbed him with small, needling stings. A wooden tub sat against the far wall, its surface blackened, worn down by years of use.
The steam from the warm water that filled the tub brushed against his face, carrying the faint iron tang of well-water, sharp enough that he almost tasted it in his mouth.
Ruvian unbuttoned his linen shirt and let it slip from his fingers, crumpling in a lifeless heap beside the tub.
Then he stepped in, slow enough to avoid the water splashing.
The heat climbed around his body. For a while, he just sat there, elbows resting on the rim, listening to the faint creak of the wooden boards.
After that, he decided to inspect the system interface that he had received a few moments ago.
〔 Editorial Access: Interface 〕
◇ Name: Ruvian Castelor
◇ Titles: [Bearer of the Fable]
◇ Relevance Tier: [Stage I – Footnote of Fate]
◇ Plot Points: [000 PPs]
◇ Current Arc: [Arc 1 – The Prologue]
◇ Editorial Skills [!] <<< tap here for more info
====================
Ruvian stared at the interface.
Title: [Bearer of the Fable]
◇ A rare and anomalous title granted to one who has witnessed the world from within and more than just a reader. This designation is bestowed upon an outsider who possesses foreknowledge of the original narrative, including key characters, foundational events, and discarded plotlines from the story's earliest incarnation. As the Bearer of the Fable, you are both bound and burdened by a story that was never finished and was entirely excluded from the authority of this world's fate.
"Now, what is this? A system? Is there another system other than [Voice of The Strong]?"
He never had expected this sort of development before in the novel, but judging from the name alone, it suggested that this system was exclusively made for him, the proofreader of this world.
He inspected the [Relevance Tier] next that was written inside the massive translucent grimoire.
[RELEVANCE TO NARRATIVE THREAD]
I. Footnote of Fate ← You Are Here
II. Wandering Extra
III. Pivotal Extra
IV. Pivotal Canon
V. Core Canon
====================
"Huh, and what the hell is this?"
Just when he questioned about it, another voice echoed.
[Relevance Tier explains how much the world recognizes you and adjusts its story because of your presence. At low tiers, you exist in the world but have little impact on what happens.]
[While at Higher tiers, the world views you as someone important to the plot. In short, the Relevance Tier shows how influential you are in the progression of the story.]
Ruvian was a bit startled by the sudden emergence of the voice, but he immediately composed himself.
"Progression of the story?"
The grimoire flickered again, and another line surfaced.
[Yes, and as your Relevance Tier increases, the rewards you receive will also grow. Higher tiers grant more Plot Points, as well as access to new Editorial Skills.]
"I-I see."
Everything was happening too fast, but he slowly began to reflect what the voice was trying to explain.
The whole explanation sounded like he simply had to push the meter upward, collect the rewards, unlock more skills and grow stronger. He understood the appeal, but the problem was that he had no desire to be the center of the story.
Becoming the center of the story sounded very exhausting.
He doesn't want that.
He had seen enough protagonists in enough novels to know that the so-called main role was basically an endless parade of disasters waiting to happen.
So, why would he want that sort of role?
Moreover, it was not the usual excuse of hiding strength or pretending to be an extra only to become the protagonist anyway.
No, he disliked that kind of hypocrisy, too.
His reason was simpler and far more practical. Being the center of the story made it harder to control anything.
He would rather let someone else take the spotlight while he operated from behind the scenes, steering the story without carrying the burden of its attention.
It was safer that way, and a lot easier too.
'That protagonist role would suit Zian more than me.'
Furthermore, becoming relevant to the story did not actually require him to stand in the center of it.
The system never said he had to steal the spotlight. So in theory… he could raise his [Relevance Tier], collect the benefits and still remain as a side note figure. However, it just meant the process would drag on, which annoyed him because time was not exactly something he wanted to waste.
Ruvian knew that his time was precious, but nowhere near as precious as his ability to control the situation on his own terms.
'I'll figure out how to work with that.'
His eyes still fixed on the translucent grimoire, the weight of it slowly took shape inside him. Then, his gaze drifted to the next feature: [Plot Points].
"And, what is this thing?"
The grimoire flickered again.
[Plot Points are a type of currency you earn whenever you make a real impact on the story.]
[If an event in the plot changes because of what you did, the system records it and gives you PP (Plot Points).]
[This can happen when you alter events, influence a character's path, push conflicts forward, disrupt the story, survive situations that were meant to go against you, draw major attention, or interfere with the narrative in any noticeable way.]
[In simple terms, if the story moves differently because of you, you gain Plot Points.]
"So, a currency, huh? No matter how much I think about it, this sounds like the harder I fight to stay relevant, the more the story throws bones at me. Just like another novel I used to read."
He chuckled at his own notion.
But then the system voice came and corrected him as if offended.
[No. They're Incentives. Not BONES. Know that the story doesn't owe you anything, but if you become part of its fabric, it will acknowledge you.]
"...Oh, okay."
Ruvian certainly wasn't expecting the system to respond to his sarcasm.
"Ahem. Anyway, what can I do with the [Plot Points]?"Ruvian asked.
The grimoire brightened in response, its pages turning with a soft shimmer.
[Plot Points are primarily used to support some of your Editorial Skills. Specific functions cannot be disclosed until the required skill has been unlocked.]
He let out a frown. "That's a shame."
He was about to ask for more details, but there was no point in pressing the matter if the system refused to tell. Still, the answer only sharpened his curiosity.
If Plot Points were tied to an undisclosed skill, then it made sense to check what he actually had access to.
With that thought, he turned his attention back to the floating grimoire, wondering what kind of [Editorial Skills] were currently available to him.
The moment he eyed the [Editorial Skills] tab, the floating grimoire reacted differently, its sapphire light shifting subtly into a richer hue.
Then, the page flipped, weaving itself into headings and submenus as 3 sections were revealed. While the remaining 4 sections were still locked.
{Editorial Skills}
[Slot 1]: Foreshadowing
[Slot 2]: Character Sheets
[Slot 3]: Omniscient Review
[Slot 4]: ???
[Slot 5]: ???
[Slot 6]: ???
[Slot 7]: ???
===============
A total of 7 [Editorial Skills].
Skill 1: [Foreshadowing]
Description:
◇ This is a narrative tool that gives you a small hint about a character's status in the upcoming arc. It does not show full scenes or specific outcomes. Instead, it provides one short and ambiguous tagline that reflects the direction of that character's current relevance in the story.
◇ The previewed line is the system's best estimate, based on the current flow of the plot, a character's actions, and the overall trajectory of the story. These projections are not guaranteed, but they are usually reliable. Normally, fate is already sealed. But as for you, The Bearer of the Fable, only you can still rewrite it.
Requirements:
◇ The bearer must know the target's full name as recognized by the story to activate the skill. And must be positioned closer to the target.
====================
The grimoire brightened, and a glowing silhouette appeared on top of his head, the name blued-out but visible for him to see:
[Alive]
Then, the grimoire continued to explain.
[You'll see fates like this, taglines, status blurbs. Sometimes it will read [Alive]. Other times, [Deceased].]
[It doesn't tell you how or why, but it gives you the thematic trajectory of that person's role in the next phase of the story.]
Ruvian studied the floating words, tension creeping into his brow.
"So a one-line forecast?"
[You can think of it that way. You'll have to read between the lines, consider your knowledge of the character, and decide how or whether to act on it.]
Ruvian thought that's certainly a useful skill to have, even though not by much, but it was still helpful nonetheless.
Then, the page flipped again and revealed the second slot of [Editorial Skill].
Skill 2: [Character Sheets]
…
──────── ✦ ────────
[Chapter 3: Editorial Access (1)]