Surviving as the Third-rate Extra: I Can Plunder Talents-Chapter 63: Ancient Slayer

The remaining gold of one million from the carts of Soulshards was more than enough to run Eshu County as a fully functional society for at least a year without sparing any expenses.

That’s why the long-mottled table was filled with expensive delicacies even if it’s just for satisfying one’s morning hunger. Moreover, the maids—not just Beatrice—had adjusted to their lord’s will that they should dine with them together given the chance.

"What’s with this atmosphere? Yawn." Waking up from my fruitful slumber, I sensed that something was wrong the moment my feet stepped into the dining hall as I stretched my arms upward.

Before anyone could utter a word or two, I looked around, unable to see Butler Wilfred, prompting me to add, "And where’s Butler Wilfred?"

Hearing my question, my auricular senses sharpened as some of them, especially my sister, involuntarily gulped before looking at me with pleading eyes.

Even if one were not a notorious spy, they could tell it’s an indication of nervousness. That’s why I asked, "What? Did something happen to him?"

"N-No, brother. I-it’s just..." Kaya stuttered.

"...?"

"He’s in Area A, Young Master." Beatrice reluctantly interjected.

After securing everything I asked for from Golden Crown’s de facto lord, Ravelle Au Regina, a few training grounds were intricately constructed for the soldiers—including the new wave of slaves.

To easily identify which was which, I simply simply reorganized them. Now, there were four training grounds—Areas A to D—all of which were fully equipped with fine training equipment.

Area A?

It was the renovated old training ground where the first [Warbody Program] was conducted.

What’s the butler doing there at this early in the morning?

"Is that so? Should we wait for him?"

They comprehended my question; aside from including the people in this mansion in every meal, I also told them that if they’re craving, they could just take something from the kitchen.

There was no need to ask for my permission to the point that they could eat in this neat hall without my presence.

One could say I’m merely applying my experiences as a former spy, which most of the time was a lonely profession.

Even if it’s just a miniscule change, if given the chance, I wanted to gradually reform this society’s traditions, more so if those were not in any way necessary and completely negligible.

"N-No. I don’t think Butler Wilfred will come back anytime soon." Kaya said.

Sensing their reserved demeanor, I knew that something wasn’t right. However, they would outrightly tell me if it’s an emergency.

But since they wouldn’t open their mouths despite the increasingly awkward atmosphere, it seemed it was fine.

That’s what I thought.

*

"Here comes our esteemed lord, the Ancient Slayer~!"

"...?"

My expression contorted upon seeing the line of cheerful soldiers already familiar with me due to the uncertain expedition in the Dark Forest.

Their hands were roaring upward; some were laughing yet pretended to see nothing—as if they knew such an action would inevitably invite trouble.

"Ancient Slayer? What are you guys doing?" My gaze looked for the five squad leaders—Breskan, Rudgar, Drevan, Azrabel, and Yusbel—but I couldn’t see the two women who were supposed to be in this morning routine assembly.

I glanced at Ruina—one of the four idiot mages, including Embrel, Ulven, and Zahir, who were the low-rank trash mages included in the first batch of slaves I’ve received from Golden Crown.

That being said, Ruina, whose specialty was close combat, a battle mage, understood my gaze as she reluctantly opened her mouth.

"Y-Young Master... It’s B-Butler Wilfred who spread the news..."

"...Huh? What news?" I asked, my brows furrowed.

First, it was the atmosphere in the dining hall. Now, it’s this.

What’s with these stuttering folks?!

"T-That..."

With her hesitant demeanor, the other soldiers who cheered earlier about this Ancient Slayer zipped their mouths; they just realized that it’s something that even their lord had no idea about.

"Y-You... slept with Yuridika."

"...?!"

What the hell?

That’s when I instantly realized.

When I told everyone in the mansion to live and ignore the noble traditions if possible, including the fact that they could eat without my presence that was viewed as traditionally necessary being their young lord, Kaya made it a habit to ask me every night if I would dine with them in the morning.

I told her... to wake me up.

So she witnessed me and Yuridika on the bed...

But why didn’t I sense her presence?

Was it because I do not see her as a threat?

It seems I need to regain my mentality during my spy era.

I was momentarily at a loss for words, hearing that Butler Wilfred spread the news of me sleeping with Yuridika. That also cleared the awkward atmosphere in the dining hall, and the way they just couldn’t confront me about what’s going on in their minds.

"But what’s with Ancient Slayer?" Feeling the gazes of hundreds of soldiers, I heard some of them cackling in the rear, causing my eyes to pierce at them momentarily.

That’s when one of the squad leaders, Breskan, opened his mouth, albeit with reluctance too, "It’s the title Azrabel and Yusbel bestowed on you, my lord."

"What?"

Title?

"Pftt."

"Don’t... Please don’t."

The murmurs of the nearby soldiers echoed; they were begging that whatever this was should not come to light.

"It’s because of your and Yuridika’s age difference, my lord... Azrabel and Yusbel said... that when you slay her in bed–"

It was at that moment that I raised my dominant hand, gesturing to Brasken to stop what other crap was about to come out of his mouth. However, I already fathomed what those two hilarious women thought while calling me names.

Those bastards. Did the two of them run away because of this? Even butler, who is supposed to be here, is nowhere to be seen...

After what felt like an eternity, I said, "I see..."

Pausing for a while, the lively atmosphere seemed to have become suffocating. Beads of sweat began to drip down some of the soldiers’ foreheads.

"Whoever catches those two... will be instantly qualified to the distribution of artifacts I plan to do—!!"

"..."

"...?"

"...?!"

It was the first time they heard of such a plan. When they processed what I meant, and what kind of artifacts exactly I was referring to, their eyes gleamed with intense desire.

"Spread out!"

With my command, the hundreds of soldiers scattered hastily and swiftly, showing improvements in controlling their footwork as some of them barely echoed.

It’s a witch hunt.

*

The Area A training ground was almost emptied in an instant. And the one who remained was those aware of their own capability, knowing they had no hope in catching either Azrabel or Yusbel. Instead, they proceeded with basic exercises such as push-ups and running laps.

Seeing them from a distance, I thought of the two squad leaders’ gimmick.

Ancient Slayer.

The age gap between Yuridika and me was arguably negligible.

Before her fall, she was in her mid-twenties, roughly my same age before my transmigration.

Then due to her [Authority of Stillness], she sealed her existence in the Lunar Castle to eternally safeguard the dormant deity known as the Eye That Hunts in order to keep in check the Unseen God, its ultimate nemesis.

She had lost count of how long it had been, but if it’s traced from the present, as my curiosity also bested me, using the [Eye That Witnessed Heaven and Hell], I once inspected her status.

Specifically, Yuridika’s body was twenty-seven years old. Her mind, spirit, and soul, however... was now 97,000+ years of age, truly ancient.

Compared to me—original Lugh was 19, and I was also 27 in my previous life—it’s a gap that was utterly ridiculous. Though I only treated her as a fellow mid-twenties, whom I could easily relate to.

In contrast to the Britanoia Empire that allowed incestuous relationships and grooming—in the case of Krishnaya and her little brother—whether Yuridika thought that this original body was a mere 19-year-old didn’t matter, and arguably a better case.

What happened was something born out of loneliness.

Nothing more, nothing less.

But whether or not it would grow into something unbreakable, time will tell.

"Speaking of Yuridika, I wonder how the students are doing..."

Before I left the bed earlier, she warped to the Lunar Castle hiding in the depths of the Dark Forest for the ’kidnapped’ students.

*

Lunar Castle, Lecture about Spells.

The thirty-five (35) students from Class Mu, or at least the former students of the Hero Academy, including Morgan from one of the Four Elemental Families of the Holy Empire, listened attentively to their attractive teacher, whose identity was never clear from the likes of them.

From beginning to end, the morning was filled with thoughtful lessons about mana control and the basics of spell channeling.

After that, Morgan, as the sole rebel who turned her back from the norm of their family’s noble traditions, was granted an exclusive lesson regarding Dream Magic—the one Yuridika used for Lugh to fish her out to lure the other student.

But for some reason, the genius mentor couldn’t focus on her diligent student today.