Surviving as the Third-rate Extra: I Can Plunder Talents
Chapter 66: The Prisoner

Chapter 66: The Prisoner

"Well, isn’t this surprising? I never expected you to tell me such information. Let me guess, this isn’t free, right?"

Even if I didn’t want to do it, as a part of getting used to being Eshu County’s young lord, sometimes I’m staying at the study of the original Lugh’s late father.

Atop the table in front of me, manifested through a spherical-shaped communication artifact was the projection of Golden Crown’s heart, Ravelle.

Funnily enough, this expensive artifact was provided during the last transaction for quicker communication for any potential future dealings. After all, it’s more than convenient compared to sending human or even animal messengers.

This isn’t even free, seriously. Should I have gotten at least something with the kind of dealings I’ve done with her? Stingy brat.

"Wow, what do you think of me?" Ravelle chuckled, her lips elegantly blocked by her supple palm.

"..."

"Of course, it isn’t. So what should we do to pay me?"

"I didn’t even ask you about it though? I feel cornered, Ravelle." I shrugged.

But that’s unexpected. Count Othenwald’s intelligence is probing into this territory? No, that’s not the main case. If there’s something this action proves, it’s that he’s watching the movements of the Golden Crown.

Considering her personality, Ravelle would not like that, not even as a joke.

"Hah! What a petty argument, Lugh. Aren’t you being tight-fisted with this? I don’t need Soulshards this time, or even the location where you’re mining them..."

"...?"

Of course, you won’t. I already permitted your spy, Yena, to tell you where we’ve found the Soulshards. But knowing its location and reaching it are two different things. What’s more, with the incident on Ranaya Island, journeying to any uncharted lands in the Abyss Lands is being temporarily restricted.

Then, if it’s not something regarding my most valuable source of assets at this moment...

"Give me the manual of Eshu Family mana cultivation technique."

"...?"

Look at this girl...

Too bad, after deliberating about it with my sister before the expedition, I’ve already shared it with the five squad leaders of the army, who were gradually mastering the technique and routinely taught it to the other soldiers.

"You’re ridiculous."

I couldn’t help but laugh self-deprecatingly.

Knowing her Main Talent that’s also extremely OP as hell, just like what the other major characters seemed to casually possess, giving her something such as a mana cultivation technique even from a fallen noble family would be proven a balance-breaker.

If the right conditions were met, it would be the same as giving this woman a nuclear arsenal... That’s something that shouldn’t happen at this stage of the story.

"Anything else, but that."

Ravelle, as if such an answer were expected, chuckled.

"..."

Pausing for a moment, she then told me her demand as a payment for telling me about Count Othenwald’s intelligence of the major dealings we had—the slaves and such.

"How about helping me with this?"

Hearing her, I let out an exasperated sigh.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?"

"No, I’m not."

Of all the things that couldn’t be bought easily by her wealth, it had to be this kind of favor...

"Tsk. All right. I’ll do it."

To her surprise, I agreed to her proposal—or more like an imposing request.

"Really?! Hahaha—! I can’t tell if you’re really smart or a dog... Or maybe a smart dog?"

Shut it.

Sometime after my conversation with Ravelle ended, I prepared and left the study.

It’s time to meet him. Again.

*

Similar to how every noble territory had a prison for its criminals and perhaps even falsely convicted innocents, the only living territory of Eshu County also possessed its own.

In the miniature scale of land surrounded by the recently built training grounds, some distance away from the west of the lord’s mansion, an underground prison was situated.

It’s very negligible and only has a capacity of fifty prison cells. With the source of light being mere flickering lanterns, I walked through its gaps, witnessing empty rusty cells.

However, after taking my time, arriving in the middle of this hallway-like path, being surrounded by the prison bars left and right, I gradually halted, leaned on the dusty wall of one of the containment, and murmured, "Thirty-nine students from the second year, Class Mu, of the Hero Academy are now declared dead after being missing for one month since the Ranaya Island tragedy.

"The Head Counselor of the Hero Academy, Sir Caelen Sol Caelthorn, is also missing. What happened to him? Is he also dead?

"The King of Grisha is under heavy scrutiny... and is being accused of colluding with the demonkind. The Empire of Adania still hasn’t released an official statement aside from offering its condolences to the family of the missing students.

"The renowned Agnus Family of the Four Elemental Families of the Divinia Empire receives considerable support after their precious son, Zion Von Agnus, was swept up in this incident...

"The renowned Lakestorm Family of the Four Elemental Families of the Divinia Empire... after their dear daughter, Morgan van Lakestorm...

I continued to mumble the recent and still developing news known throughout the continent as if I were merely talking to a wall.

"But here’s another one...

"A professor of the Hero Academy is also missing and presumed dead... According to the reports of the surviving professors who fend off the surprise attack of the crew from the Kingdom of Grisha, he saved them all... But all of a sudden, his body disappeared."

After reading the newspaper, I gently tossed it through the gaps of the dimly lit prison cell in front of me.

"Be it merchants or their escorts, it’s really boring to be travelling by horse without reading something.

"Don’t you think so... Professor Ragnar?"

In a crucial moment, with the help of Yuridika, I also abducted one of the respectable characters in the [Hero’s Apocalypse].

After all, he was meant to die in the next arc, and it’s because of the major villain I hated with all my heart when I was reading the original story in my previous life.

The more I think about that bitch, the more I’m tempted to just break the flow of the story at this moment and outrightly kill that motherfucker!

"Lugh... how? Are you colluding with the demonkind?’ With a hoarse voice, Professor Ragnar spoke with a hint of surprise.

Instead of denying such a nonsensical question, I went straight to the point—my purpose and what I wanted him to do.

"I need your help as an extra hand, professor."

"...?"

Being abducted to suddenly being asked for help by the same person? Of course, his silence just meant confusion with my strange demeanor.

"In exchange, I will help you get your revenge."

"What?"

Even without heightening my vision to see his expression, I could easily tell he was surprised.

One could say that his history was what shaped him to be this composed and calculative as a seasoned veteran—that was if it’s something unrelated to his past, ironically so.

"You heard it right, professor. I will–"

"You know nothing!" Professor Ragnar raised his voice, stood up from the ground, and rushed through the prison bars.

Gripping tightly the rusted metallic bars, he continued, "What do you know?! Tell me, how could a former student of a destroyed territory and fallen family know something about me?!"

"..."

I very much know everything about you, Sir Ragnar.

Unfortunately, your ending wasn’t pretty, and your life purpose was unfulfilled because of that fucker.

"Clarissa is alive."

"Wh-what?"

Clarissa—Sir Ragnar’s only beloved daughter, who was believed to have perished when the Cetera Territory had fallen due to territorial war.

"You..."

"It’s not about how I know, Professor. But if there’s one thing I can assure you, it’s that I’m not an enemy."

That’s when Professor Ragnar seemed to realize...

- Is this man truly the same student surrounded by unpleasant rumors? -

"W-where..."

"I’m sorry, Professor. But we’re not doing it that way." I interjected.

"Whether or not you believe me, it’s up to you. However, I can’t tell you where she is at the moment until you hold the end of the deal."

Judging my voice filled with conviction, he sensed that I would not make a compromise, and that this offer was truly unfair for him.

It’s my word against his desire to be with his daughter—the only remnant left behind by his dead wife.

"H-how can I believe you...?" He asked.

It was a shattering action of mine, giving this person hope with uncertainty.

"My actions."

"..?"

"Watch over what I do from now on, Professor. It’s when you’ll know whether I’m telling the truth or not about Clarissa."

I heard a deep breath in this dimly lit prison, and after what felt like an eternity, Professor Ragnar reluctantly asked,

"What do you want me to do?"

Letting out a sigh of relief, I said, "Well, it’s not that different from what you do—teach. If I must say, the only thing different this time is... that you’ll be focusing on them instead of going from one class to another..."

"...?"

I let out a smile.

*

Yuridika’s capability would be a waste to be focused on fully teaching the entirety of Class Mu.

Morgan, as a special privileged individual, was enough to be her disciple. That’s why...

"H-huh? P-Professor Ragnar...?!"

"Is that you, really, Professor?

"

"It’s really Professor! H-how?! Were you kidnapped too?!"

Seeing the familiar students in the Lunar Castle that was thoroughly renovated and maintained to a neatness, it had been a long time since Professor Ragnar, throughout his life as a veteran warrior, had his mouth slightly agape.

It’s basically a reunion under special circumstances.

Tapping his shoulder, I said,

"What do you think, Professor? Care to teach them your ways?"