Surviving as the Third-rate Extra: I Can Plunder Talents
Chapter 46: Obscure Path

Chapter 46: Obscure Path

First week of September—one week before the Hero Academy’s first and second years [Island Exam] to be held in Ranaya Island of the serene Atlan Sea in the Eastern World.

It was some time after Lugh swiftly dealt with the sudden yet inviting presence of the Golden Crown Merchant Guild’s master under the gaze of the uncontrollable genius magician of the Infinitum Magic Tower.

In one of the faculty rooms in the academy, the soon-to-be True Hero’s closest uncle, Bishop Jacob, was scribbling something on a sand-hued parchment when he heard a few knocks.

Before he could utter a word, the voice of a female student resounded behind the door, "Professor, it’s me."

It was Alana Sol Astraea—the lone yet determined student of the second year’s Class Zenith.

"Oh, Alana? Come in." Professor Jacob said with a comfortable expression.

The sound of the door being opened echoed, and Alana’s gleaming amethyst eyes peeked through its gap before fully entering the faculty room. In her grasp were a few dozen papers from her class, which were all related to Professor Jacob’s subject—Theology of Luminosity.

Each paper contained their opinionated response to one question as a quiz as a whole:

- What’s the meaning behind the Goddess of Light’s hallowed name? -

Receiving the stacks of paper, Alana bowed slightly and was about to leave when Professor Jacob’s words caused her to momentarily halt.

"Are you doing all right these days? It seems you are overexerting yourself."

During class hours, he refrained from formally addressing every student in a way a bishop usually did. After all, he was still a professor and was here to passionately teach the Goddess of Light’s grace amidst class diversity.

"I’m fine, Professor." It was an awkward response by Alana, who refuses to look him in the eye.

Seeing this, Professor Jacob smiled.

"Are you still thinking about that boy? Your interaction was brief, but it seems he left quite an impact on your resolved heart."

"Wh-what are you saying..." Alana was flustered, evidently so due to her expression and the way formality left her demeanor.

"Hahaha!" Professor Jacob cackled, seeing her this way. "It’s always good to be young.

"Everyone has the right to do and enjoy whatever they want. Just do no harm."

Alana was at a loss for words, and before she left the faculty room reluctantly, Professor Jacob left some serious reminders,

"In three months, the Hero Ascension Trial will be conducted. I just hope you are fully prepared because you know the weight of what you will bear if the Goddess anoints you as Her champion."

Hearing him, Alana’s grip on the door’s handle tightened.

She then spoke without turning her head, her expression unseen,

"I won’t forget, uncle."

"..."

Being left alone in his faculty room, Professor Jacob skimmed through the papers and pulled out the one written by Alana, causing him to release a deep exasperated sigh as his eyes were fixated on her answer to his theological question.

"Is this what it means to be from the Astraea Bloodline?"

*

Room of Class Zenith.

Alana Sol Astraea sat quietly by the window, her hand on her chin, while her mind was occupied by a certain boy who dropped out of the academy just two weeks after the classes began, despite the admission’s numerous privileges.

His name gradually disappeared from the mouths of the gossipers, but from time to time, strangely enough, one of the Imperial Princess Rosanna’s classmates, the genius magician Maya, whom Alana had an unfavorable encounter with because of Bishop Jacob, occasionally hinted about this very boy.

After Maya’s unexpected defeat, which somewhat humbled her, the loner Alana became increasingly entangled with her, mainly with the purpose of sparring.

However, during those times, Maya would babble some things related to Lugh, even catching her off guard.

- "The Hero Bloodlines aren’t truly normal, huh? This is frustrating. Maybe I should let out some steam by disturbing that pervert’s night."

- "Why can’t my magic hit you? What the hell? Argh! Seriously! If Lugh asked me why I frequently visit his mansion, I’ll tell him it’s your fault."

- "What the fuck is this bastard doing? Why can’t I locate him?! Don’t tell me... Did he enter the Abyss Lands? That insane bastard really wants to die, huh?!"

In a private training ground, during their rest, Maya would utter such words. Though she was becoming curious, Alana refused to budge to ask her a thing or two.

However, she could not dismiss the fact that Maya’s criminal ability to pinpoint Lugh’s precise location was not working, prompting her to feel something inexplicable.

Was it worriness?

Why did Lugh enter the Abyss Lands?

Such thoughts rushed through her mind recently.

But she could not understand her emotions at all.

’No... He’s not like my brother. I should not look at anyone, hoping they’ll be like him.’

Alana missed the last True Hero almost every day, especially when she was not occupied with academic work. Moreover, even if she could not comprehend how she felt towards Lugh, as brief as their interaction was, she at least knew that she was sometimes longing for someone to act like her brother.

After all, since his death... or even before that tragedy happened, she became the personified loneliness.

"Why is she here again?"

"Sigh. Seriously. If they can just let us watch their training."

"Yes, that would be a pleasant sight, surely."

It was at that moment that her ears picked up some things her other classmates said, cutting off her thoughts.

Before she could completely process what they had just said, a familiar presence burst through the door.

It was Maya, her self-proclaimed rival.

"Hey sad girl, let’s spar after class."

*

The sun rested, and the moon above took its place to give light to the world.

The resplendent stars illuminated the continent, and the eerie yet tranquil veil of darkness blanketed the sky.

The serene night arrived, and under its watchful gaze, a man in his dimly lit room faced a spherical object—an artifact used for long-distance communication.

After a few pulsating noises, a projection of another figure manifested from the transparent orb, which was immediately followed by a question.

"Is the schedule of the Island Exam finalized? Are you sure about this?" The voice of a man from the other side of the communication echoed.

"Yes. Everything has been decided. I’ll send you the itinerary of the first and second-year students. But are you certain this is the right move? It’ll be too conspicuous to even attempt this." The man in the room asked, his voice carried a mix of anxiety and excitement.

"Cease your worries and just do your job properly. The Ranaya Island is the perfect place for this to happen. It’s an independent island with no proper exit points." Said the one from the other side.

"Heh. If that’s the case, then I’m looking forward to it. Ah, I can’t wait to hear some screams and witness nature become painted with crimson. Fresh blood... Its smell is just..." A brief delivish laugh reverberated.

"Just be patient and fight your urge. This will be the beginning as we make way for the Demon King’s anointment."

As old as ancient tales, the appearance of the Demon King spells the ascension of the True Hero.

The two figures slightly bowed at each other before simultaneously saying,

"For the Glory of the Demon God. For the Extinguishment of Light."

*

Eshu County.

On the same night of tranquility, I leaned on the railings of the balcony.

My mind was occupied with the first major arc that would transpire on Ranaya Island, something that would spark the beginning of unrest.

In this extremely familiar continent, though filled with infinite unknowns as every word in the original story was not enough to describe the lingering hidden secrets of the world, I sometimes wondered if I should interfere at this point in time.

At the same time, I was aware that it would be my mere hypocrisy. After all, as long as the story continued on the right path without my presence, then that would be enough... at least for now.

Powerless and a mere extra, it was not my business yet. Only after accumulating the manpower, the right army, the extreme discipline... It was only after these that I could start distorting away the seemingly unchangeable word known as ’fate.’

"Is that the path you will tread?"

With the silence pervading the surroundings, a purple-hued portal manifested behind me, revealing the figure of the White Princess, the remaining trace of the Britanoia Empire.

The connection between this territory and the one buried in the depths of the Dark Forest was already established.

By the time the surrounding noble territories noticed the changes in this barren and abandoned land, it would already be too late.

"Do you think it will work?" I asked, turning my head and seeing Princess Yuridika sitting cross-legged at the table with a bottle of wine and two glasses laid out on it.

"It’s a mystery perhaps older than the creation of the universe. However, seeing that you have [Plunder], you might just be the right one to uncover it."

[Plunder]

It was a talent that seemed useless due to its harsh conditions just to copy or steal another person’s talents. But then, why did the author think of this?

What other possible reasons did the author have to kill the original Lugh in the story as early as possible?

At first, I thought maybe it was for the sake of being a third-rate character.

But the hints were scattered.

And it was the only path I could think of to break the course of the story in one fell swoop—to avoid the True Hero Alana becoming the center of the apocalypse.

"It’s an utterly foolish and blind path, but even the fog disappears at the right moment."