Surviving as the Third-rate Extra: I Can Plunder Talents-Chapter 74: Conceal World

What a perfect timing.

Being indebted to Ravelle—something that allowed me to compete against that woman in the Sunken Deep Auction House to outbid her for Professor Ragnar’s sole daughter—I also recently received the information about the discreet movements of Count Othenwald’s forces.

Five hundred men, albeit small, were well-equipped and steadily marching to the central north. However, I couldn’t help but take it as a blatant insult, knowing that he probably thought that he could just run down the already ruined Eshu County for the second time without much loss.

But there was a far more surprising news aside from the fact that Count Othenwald dared to flatten the constantly recovering territory that he already once trampled, which was something that didn’t come from Ravelle’s mouth but Maya’s.

- "The Imperial Princess has now grown impatient and decided to rescind the order of sparing you after what you’ve committed. You know what this means, right?"

When this playful girl spoke this way, it was no doubt a serious matter. Before my transmigration, the original Lugh had already committed an unforgivable sin, which was an attempt to sexually assault the Imperial Princess Rosanna in the middle of the night.

Now, even if it was to be done discreetly, and that almost every student of the academy had forgotten about the ruckus that very night because of Maya’s intervention, it only meant that the hunt for me would continue to a grave extent.

If there’s an assurance, at least Maya would not in any way assist the Imperial Princess in capturing me, though strangely, the genius magician also needed me based on our last conversation about this matter when I crashed out regarding the nature of our relationship—or specifically, her ambiguous relationship with the original Lugh—which I claimed to have lost the memories of after being pierced by a Spear of Light.

The first thing that deviated from the original story was that Maya and the Imperial Princess became suspiciously close since the former—after Lugh’s death—was designed to become the bully of the latter even after her unstable [Talent] erupted.

"This will be a mark of war."

For the first time ever in the war room—not the usual dining room where every little thing was discussed—a meeting was conducted. My voice echoed throughout the chamber, something that was built in the center of four training areas.

Every essential personnel was present—including Professor Ragnar, and the so-called Four War Children based on my sister’s objective report on potential.

Every eye was on me as I continued, "We will now proceed with the War Plans..."

The first plan was to evacuate the citizens—but there was a problem.

"What should we do about the possible backslash, Young Master?" Beatrice voiced her concern.

It’s because the evacuation plan was an ultimatum—with the utilization of the [Talent: Conceal World] that I managed to plunder from the Apostle of the Unseen, I would relocate not only the people but the entirety of Eshu County’s mainland... to the Dark Forest.

"Trust me, it will be fine. But first, everyone unaffiliated with Eshu County, the manpower we’ve hired from the Golden Crown, let them leave any unfinished projects to go home.

"Make sure they’re far enough before everything happens."

After that, the convention proceeded smoothly with appropriate questions and logical responses.

To put it simply, we have to run.

"Kaya... Butler Wilfred... Beatrice..." I mentioned the names of those who had lived in this land for a long time as my resolved gaze faced their reluctant hearts.

"It’s time to abandon this land and start somewhere anew."

Because the Imperial Princess’s royal knight, Adelle, would inevitably come.

And she would not spare anybody.

*

"Let us all go to hell, my lord!"

"Wherever you go, we will follow you!"

"Do we even have a choice? I’d choose the horrors of the Abyss Lands over that sadistic Count Othenwald!"

"If not for you, we would have been already dead a few months ago!"

"You have saved us once from this torment! We believe that you will save us again!

On the balcony of the manor, with my retainers standing left and right behind me, the crowd outside screamed at the top of their lungs with utter conviction.

Beatrice—and especially the slaves who had not seen the state of the Eshu County a few months ago—were evidently surprised by the immense support being thrown toward the decision of relocation.

I did not spare a gold coin to provide for them.

Their once malnourished bodies had now returned to what they used to be if not far better.

Their sanity teetering into madness were pulled back, stopping them from eating their own flesh or the flesh of their loved ones lying across the streets.

With their gratitude and hard work, even during the expedition for the White Princess Labyrinth with no assurances, these people were the ones who convicted anyone who turned greedy during the absence of strict security.

What these people wanted was simple yet difficult to attain—lasting peace and a healthy life—and lavishness would be merely a blessing.

I raised my fist, causing them to instinctively fall into silence.

Letting out a deep breath, I slowly opened my mouth to address these people who trusted in me, "This will merely be the starting point.

"Whatever Count Othenwald had taken from us, just as the lives of many that could not be returned... will be paid tenfold!

"Trust in me! Trust those who have dedicated their lives to protect you!"

"WOAHHH—!" The crowd raised their fists in unison.

"The time will come that after we hide, those who oppose us will know that it is not due to our cowardice but to prepare for their destruction—!"

"WOAHHH—!"

After assuring the masses, I glanced to my right side, where Yuridika was standing while gazing at me with a proud expression.

Nodding to me, she pulled something from the void—it was a divine relic from the Moon Goddess—a magical staff with a crescent-shaped head embracing a miniature spherical ornament.

Raising it, as her will became one with mana, a gigantic magic circle covered and manifested on top of the entire fortress, illuminating everything within its lofty walls.

[Serenity]

A Tier-7 Spell in which the caster intended to link a coordinate to another while preserving every encapsulated particle and affected existence. After all, throughout the history of humanity, experiments on [Mass Warping] or any sort of unstable magic meant for large-scale teleportation could lead to some serious consequences, such as humans or animals breaking their own limbs.

But one more reason why this spell must be used was—

Because even if the [Conceal World] could be used, with my current Soul Order, its potency was not enough yet considering this place’s distance to the intended end-point.

And that [Serenity] would allow me to link with the abundant amount of mana-imprinted Soulshards outside of the Lunar Castle to act as a fuel to cast Conceal World.

That being said, from the magic circle above, the view of the Lunar Castle came into everyone’s view—at this point in time, it was already situated out to the Dark Forest, its ground, which I decided to be the best course of action after achieving Luminous Soul and unlocking the [Vanishing Abode] ability.

One moment after that, I began to simultaneously cast the two unlocked abilities behind the [Conceal World] as I extended my hands forward, causing a greyish bathed in purple-hue magic circle to appear. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

[Conceal World: Absolute Concealment]

[The intended target through the user’s will cannot be maintained!]

[Conceal World: Vanishing Abode]

[The intended targets through the user’s will cannot be maintained!]

[WARNING! Your soul will explode if—]

I sensed my entire existence being torn apart, inside out, as cracks of light appeared all over my body.

I didn’t know whether I was hallucinating as I seemed to hear some screaming voices from behind. Clearly, they were not expecting that such a horrific backlash would happen to me.

Woom—!

With the Soulshards connected to my soul, as my unique mana imprint marked them to be mine alone, what I lacked was being sustained.

The reason why I could not properly use the [Conceal World] was due to the fact that it was plundered from an Apostle... and that it was an [Apostle-exclusive] ability that spoke about the nature of the Unseen God.

However, with Yuridika’s presence, knowing that she was hoarding the dormant deity known as the [Eye That Hunts]—something seemed to be feared by the Unseen God—I would be able to utilize this [talent] at the expense of heavy consequences.

"Hold on a little longer!" Yuridika shouted.

In the next moment, the greyish circle from my grasp extended, covering the entire ground of the fortress. Now, two magic circles faced each other.

"ARGHHH—!"

Everyone then sensed something shaking... and the surroundings began to vibrate as everyone’s vision blurred to the point that it was outright terrifying.

Some thought they were blinded.

Some thought their mind and souls were being shaken.

Woom—!

"RAAAHHH—!"

It was as if I were playing a tug-of-war with the [Conceal World].

And...

BANG!

Everything trembled...

But the moment everyone’s eyes opened, the surroundings now resembled that of an expansive forest filled with darkness and unknowns.

[Conceal World: ...]

[Conceal World: ...]

From now on, this would be our new home.