Hey, you made it this far—that's a win in my book.
First off, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Rikisari, but you can call me Riki. The guy behind the keyboard currently running on his third cup of coffee at 2 AM, wondering if this story is actually any good or if sleep deprivation is just making me think it is.
So thanks for reading "The Cursed Extra." No, seriously. Thank you. I know there are about a million other web novels you could be reading right now with most of them probably featuring some overpowered protagonist with a harem the size of a small country.
Not that there's anything wrong with that. We all have our guilty pleasures.
I'm aiming to submit this for the Sprity Awards in 2026.
What am I hoping for with this story? To create something that'll make you miss your train stop. Something you'll stay up reading until you look at the clock and realize you have to be awake for work in three hours. The kind of story where you'll message your friends at inappropriate hours just to scream about what happened in the latest chapter.
Look, between us, writing this has been a rollercoaster. Some days the words flow like I'm channeling them from somewhere else. Other days I stare at my laptop screen so long my coffee gets cold, and I haven't typed a single word.
But that's the gig, right?
For now, while this story is free to read, I'd really appreciate your thoughts. Not just "great chapter!" comments (though those are nice for my fragile ego), but actual feedback. What worked? What didn't? Did you see the plot twists coming from a mile away, or did they hit you like a truck?
I've got plans for Kaelen and his merry band of misfits. Big plans. The world of Heirs of the Azure Orb might look like your standard fantasy setting on the surface, but trust me, we're going places.
So stick around. Things are about to get weird, emotional, and possibly a little messy. I can't promise regular updates because life happens and sometimes my brain decides to focus on literally anything except the thing I'm supposed to be writing. But I can promise that when the chapters do come, they'll be worth the wait.
Oh, and if you're reading this while procrastinating on something important—I get it. We're kindred spirits. But maybe bookmark this and come back after you've finished what you need to do. The story will still be here, and I'll feel slightly less guilty about enabling your bad habits.
Anyway, I should probably stop rambling and let you get to the actual story.
See you in the comments,
Riki