The Nameless Extra: I Proofread This World-Chapter 48: Affinity Evaluations

The next day has come...

From what Ruvian remembered of the novel, and from what Airin had already informed him, today was the day of their Affinity Evaluation.

By the time he stepped into Class E, several scholars were already there, scattered across their seats. Some were murmuring to themselves. And others were simply quiet.

They all knew about today’s assessment. Perhaps that was why the atmosphere felt noticeably heavier than it had the day before.

Minutes passed.

One by one, more scholars filtered in until the classroom was full.

Click!

The door at the front of the classroom swung open, and the conversation died down almost immediately.

Instructor Edvoss had come.

Behind him, his assistant struggled to carry a large contraption, carefully placing it at the front of the room.

It was a magic device, its polished surface embedded with crystalised circuits. Its main function as a tool for Affinity Assessment.

Edvoss gave his assistant a nod of acknowledgment before turning his head towards the class.

"Good. So you all are here, then let’s get started."

Everyone in the hall listened attentively.

"As you all know, today’s session will be your affinity evaluation. This invention here is a mana resonance calibrator; a device designed to analyse the unique composition of your Spellcore and determine which affinities are most compatible with you."

A few murmurs rippled through the room as the scholars examined the device with curious eyes.

"The importance of affinities should already be obvious to all of you. Each spell is inherently tied to a specific affinity or element. While it’s possible to cast magic outside of your affinities, the effectiveness will be drastically lower."

"This is why today’s evaluation is necessary. So you all know what affinities are compatible with you and what path you should be focusing on from now."

Edvoss crossed his arms and leaned slightly against his desk.

"Now, let’s not waste any more time, shall we? We’ll begin the evaluation immediately. I’ll be calling the person, one by one, then you’ll come forward and place your hand on the calibrator."

His gaze narrowed to the first row.

"Let’s start with you."

*****

60 scholars had stepped forward out of 80 scholars; their fates had been measured in fleeting moments.

The results unfolded as expected.

So far, 3 scholars had been acknowledged to possess more than 1 affinity.

40 had at least 1 affinity.

And the remaining 17 had none.

Some of these scholars had already known about their affinity as some of them had probably come under the name of certain Guilds. Therefore, to these scholars, this session was not such a thing for them.

Despite being a commoner, or were placed in Class E, they at least had a strong backbone, something like having a relative that worked as an adventurer or mercenary to help them.

Ruvian turned to look towards Noelle and Griffer as they both were already assessed. From before and after evaluation, they were perfectly unaffected as they already learned about their affinity.

But still, there were 20 scholars left of Class E yet to be measured, including himself, though he already knew that he had none. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Ruvian watched the others’ reactions.

The girl near the front was one of the scholars blessed with 2 affinities. She was alight with exhilaration. But around her, hush murmurs filled the room, admiration intertwined with envy in her peers’ gazes.

While those with a single affinity exhaled in relief; their hopes for rarer or stronger affinity were left unmet, but even then, they could not deny the fortune of having, at least, an affinity.

Then, there were the remaining 17 who had none. They sat stiffly in their seats, their eyes fixed on the calibrator, as though sheer will alone might force it to give them a different answer.

’This is to be expected...’

Ruvian thought as he sighed.

But as he was looking away from the calibrator, he suddenly heard the sound of a fragile voice, quivering in fear.

Ruvian turned towards the source of it. Slightly in front of his seat, a boy sat hunched over, fingers gripping the edge of his seat.

His uniform was neatly worn, but it did little to conceal the frailty of his frame. Thick-rimmed glasses perched uneasily on the bridge of his nose, tilted slightly.

His hair was a mix of black and white.

Ruvian didn’t need to ask what plagued him so much.

For an aspiring magus, the affinity test was more than a mere evaluation.

It was a verdict.

A moment that could mark the path to greatness or shatter dreams before they could even take shape. But that was what the world believed, not him.

Furthermore, Ruvian knew the boy.

He was part of his Polaris Circle, after all.

"Corwin?" Ruvian called.

The boy flinched, caught off guard.

"Ah... Ruvian. Y-yes?"

Ruvian continued to stare at him. There was something about the boy that he couldn’t quite understand.

Something familiar...

But before Ruvian could ask something else, his name was being called.

"Ruvian Castelor."

"Please, come to the front."

Ruvian sighed and rose to his feet. A peculiar silence settled over the classroom as he walked down the stairs and approached the calibrator.

His own footsteps echoed softly in his ears, a soft rhythm against the hushed room.

Was it his own nerves, or were the others simply waiting, watching to see how yet another would fare?

Well, not that it mattered.

He already knew the likelihood of his results.

Reaching out, he placed his hand upon the mana resonance calibrator. The surface was cool against his hand.

For several moments, nothing happened.

And for several more, still the same.

Edvoss glanced at the result and spoke calmly:

"You have no affinity."

Ruvian shrewdly smiled and returned to his seat.

Somehow, he recalled how chaotic it was in the novel during this scene.

Because Zian had broken the calibrator.

In the novel, Zian Herga was mentioned to be the first in the history of Velthia to command all affinity, to shatter the very limits of magic itself.

’Such a waste that the protagonist is not here...’

Though Ruvian was still doubtful that Zian was erased from this world. Because... it doesn’t make any sense. And somehow, he had a feeling that it had to be tied to him receiving that +5000 Plot Points a few weeks ago.

’There must be some sort of deviation that caused Zian not to enroll in this academy.’

That was his deduction.

Regardless, he can’t simply be too adamant about Zian alone. After all, he needs to work with what he has first.

More importantly, on himself for now.

Later, Corwin’s name was called. It was then, as Corwin walked past him, that Ruvian decided to use [Character Sheet] on him.

"Huh?"

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[Chapter 48: Affinity Evaluations]