Готовый перевод История Королевы Эльфов / The story of the Elf Queen: Глава одиннадцатая. Мастер. Трудовые будни Архиврага Героя Королевы Эльфов

Chapter Eleven. Master. The Workdays of the Arch-Enemy of the Hero of the Elf Queen.

* * *

Underworld. Diyarten.

Frowning slightly and casting a quick glance at his mother, Dacius asked.

"What is this 'detetive' you sometimes mention?"

With a slight sigh, Master explained.

"Detective. That’s what they called investigators in that lowlife’s world. As for the phrase itself, I lifted it from a rather decent story I glimpsed in his memory—one about just such an investigator. I might even show it to you later. Now, regarding your question… Hmm…"

Master leaned back in his chair and fell into deep thought. He pondered for several minutes, gazing up at the hall’s ceiling while slowly chewing another handful of dried berries. Violetta and her little ones waited patiently, making no attempt to rush him.

"Fun..."

"What exactly?" Lady Edelhart inquired.

With a smirk, Master turned to Violetta and said.

"It is funny to say, but I had never really given it much thought. For years, my primary goal was to obtain the Tablet, yet—despite some partial successes—I simply could not get close to it. I never stopped searching for a way to acquire it, but in essence, it was a search conducted blindly, in total darkness, relying on luck."

Popping another handful of berries and a couple of hazelnuts into his mouth, Master continued.

"And then, as you already know, I focused on seizing power in the Theocracy, intending to use all its resources to boost the efficiency of my search. I had assumed, moreover, that this would take decades more. But instead, luck smiled upon me quite suddenly—albeit not at the most opportune moment..."

Having swallowed the berries and nuts, Master washed them down with a sip of water and summed up.

"And then things spiraled, and I—or rather, we—ended up here. In the wonderful city of Diyarten. As for what comes next... I haven't thought about that yet. I simply didn't have the time. First, we had to escape our pursuers, then deal with the spider-woman, and now..."

"So now is the time to give this crucial question serious thought," Violetta declared confidently, even with a hint of unyielding resolve.

She picked up one of her sheets of paper containing some notes. Looking at her with undisguised interest, Master inquired.

"Have you already prepared any options?"

"I took the liberty of considering a few options while you were busy with the spider," Violetta said, nodding.

After that, she cleared her throat and said in a businesslike tone.

"Our most fundamental problem is that, thanks to the elves, practically the whole world is looking for you right now, Master. Perhaps not as zealously as in those first few days, but the search certainly hasn't stopped—as your wonderful mirror clearly shows. I believe we need to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. So far, you... we... have been lucky. But Lady Fortune does not smile upon anyone forever, and if we do nothing, sooner or later we will be found. And even Diyarten cannot offer us a guarantee of complete safety."

"And what do you propose, Lady Edelhart?" Master asked with genuine interest. "To begin preparing for war against the entire world? To flee beyond the East or Southeastern Seas to uncharted lands and lie low there?"

"The first would be the most idiotic of all possible solutions," Violetta replied quite calmly, and even with a touch of irony, "and I am absolutely certain that you realize this yourself. The second would be an interesting option—were it not for the fact that the elves hold an outworlder who also possesses a Tablet."

At the mention of the latter, Master involuntarily grimaced, as if from a toothache. Violetta, however, continued.

"No, the most obvious—and, in my view, correct—answer in our situation is to split the coalition that is hunting us down. Especially since that would be far from difficult. Most of those currently hunting us cannot stand one another; the only thing uniting them is us—as a common enemy. Therefore…"

Casting a glance at her list, Violetta continued.

"…the first thing I suggest we consider is something you yourself have already mentioned, Master. Pay the elves back in their own coin. Telling the whole world that while it chases us, the Forest is nurturing its own bearer of the Tablet and gaining its gifts."

"I wholeheartedly approve," Master nodded with a gloating smirk. "But it is impossible to do so while we are in the process of moving—I already explained why."

"But that doesn't stop us from working out a plan of action and discussing the details in advance," Violetta replied calmly. "What exactly we’ll communicate, how, and through whom. It would be best to notify as many of our enemies as possible—and to do it simultaneously. And, most importantly, to do it in such a way that we aren't found."

"Write a message in advance and send it out to the recipients?" Dacius suggested.

But then he immediately contradicted himself.

"No, it needs to be both received and read at the same time; that sort of thing doesn’t…"

"Record a message using image-capturing crystals," Shira interrupted. "They can be enchanted to display the recording simultaneously. That way, no one will be the first to learn the news about the isekai."

"It’s a good idea,” said Saya, “but how do we deliver them to the right recipients? Not all the rulers of the Free Cities can be easily approached, not to mention the Lord of the Rising Empire..."

"Why only them?" For the first time during the conversation, Lenora raised her voice.

Violetta’s daughter glanced uncertainly at those gathered around the table and explained.

"It would be to our advantage if as many players as possible learned about this… Cirial, wouldn't it? Then there’s no need to inform only the rulers of the various lands. We could place them right in the cities, so that all the inhabitants can see…"

"And not just one," Dacius said, picking up his sister's idea. "We’ll need dozens... no, hundreds of such crystals! To cover all the cities of the Confederation... and the Caliphate... no, every major city!"

"You make it all sound so simple. Are you going to haul these crystals across the world yourself?" Master looked at Dacius with a faint smirk, causing him to fall silent instantly.

But Violetta, not the least bit flustered, calmly supported her son and daughter.

"I agree that this won’t be easy. Or cheap. But this move is guaranteed to drive a wedge into the ranks of the coalition that is hunting us down. So the question is: is it possible?"

"Hm..."

Having already—some moments earlier—split his consciousness into several streams of thought and considered the proposals put forward, Master spoke slowly.

"It is possible to pull this off... In the region of the Central Sea—certainly... I wouldn't risk venturing into the lands of the Theocracy just yet, but there’s no need to; they’ll be informed regardless... But beyond that... Things will get complicated further on, yet with a solid portal anchor—which we have—and if I can glean enough knowledge from the Tablet to ensure safety... then it might be possible to reach the dark-skinned inhabitants of the Southern Continent. And the Eastern Shores, via the Great Steppe... I’m not so sure about the Gem Cities beyond the southeastern seas... I’ve never been there, and I have no puppets in that region... Yes, I think it will be possible to alert—if not the entire world—then at least a significant part of it," Master nodded with satisfaction.

"We could try using the Messengers' Guild," suggested Nodri, who had been listening silently to the conversation all this time.

She remained silent, largely because she kept stuffing her face, her chubby cheeks bulging as she ate. How does she—or halflings in general—manage to put in so much food? Anyway, that’s not important right now!

"It is possible—and, in fact, it certainly wouldn't hurt. But we would have to act with extreme caution," Master nodded.

"We still have a few contacts through whom we received information from it—contacts that had absolutely no connection to either you or your accomplices," Saya agreed.

"Good," Violetta nodded with satisfaction. "So, the next question is: how much will this cost us? And can we afford it?"

"We’ll need a lot of crystals... But we have an entire city at our disposal! Just one of our palaces has plenty of crystals capable of capturing and displaying images. If we make the rounds of the others, we’ll be able to gather them... But just how many will we need?"

"The more, the better. But to start with, I’d base the calculation on ten per city. That way, we can guarantee that our enemies won’t be able to destroy them all quickly and prevent your message from being spread."

"A ten isn't enough," Dacius said, pausing his note-taking. "Unless we use the largest ones—the kind capable of projecting an image over an entire city so it’s visible from everywhere. But they are very expensive..."

"We’ll use whatever we can find and combine them," Master suggested. "The large ones for the main squares and wealthy districts, the smaller ones for everything else."

"All right, so we need to gather as many crystals as possible from across the city..." Violetta said thoughtfully. "Imprint a message-image onto each one... and enchant them to display it simultaneously... But we won't be able to actually place them until the relocation is complete..."

"First, we'll need to run a quick reconnaissance," Bazita said, her mouth full.

After wolfing down another (penultimate) bread roll, she added.

"To figure out what’s going on up there. Maybe something happened—something that’s made them forget all about us."

"I sincerely hope not, my dear Bazita," Master said, eyeing the orc woman with a look full of irony. "Because even I shudder to imagine what would have to happen for me to be forgotten, even for a time. It would have to be either the second coming of the Ravenous Lady or a new War of God's Wrath. But you are right—we really must go on a scouting mission as soon as it becomes possible."

At these words, Saya snorted—quietly, yet loud enough for everyone to hear—having already realized perfectly well who would have to handle all of this.

"Speaking of the War of God's Wrath," Violetta said, "since you mentioned the rather tragic end of Reystar the Apostate, I propose we discuss one further step—so that we do not repeat his fate."

Looking at Violetta with interest, the Master said.

"And what else do you wish to propose, Lady Edelhart?"

Sighing, as if gathering her courage, she looked Master straight in the eyes and spoke slowly.

"As I have already said, fighting the whole world alone is an extremely foolish idea. And I sincerely hope that everyone present here agrees with me."

Falling silent, Violetta cast a meaningful glance around at everyone at the table. Nodding affirmatively, Master spoke.

"Absolutely. That is precisely what we were just discussing, isn't it, Lady Edelhart?"

"Not exactly," a hint of a smile touched Violetta’s lips. "We were just discussing how to sow discord among those currently hunting us. But if we announce to the whole world that the Forest has its own possessor of the Tablet, the best outcome we could hope for is precisely that—a rift. Some of our enemies would turn their gaze toward the elves. Some would do so in hopes of capturing this Cirial. And others—I am absolutely certain of this—would rush to them, using either persuasion or threats to beg for a share of the Tablet’s gifts."

"I’d wager that Duke Mont-Ros will be among the first to rush in, along with his dear wife," Dacius chuckled, pausing his note-taking.

"It is practically guaranteed," Violetta nodded in agreement, "but not just him. The Undermountin will almost certainly demand that the Forest share at least a portion of its power and the gifts of the Tablet. And I am practically certain," here Violetta once again looked Master straight in the eye, her gaze heavy with meaning, "that faced with the threat of standing alone against the rest of the world, the elves might well make concessions."

Smiling slightly—just with the corners of his lips—Master spoke in an insinuating tone.

"So far, I fully agree with your conclusions, Lady Edelhart. But what do you propose we do?"

Without a flicker of emotion or averting her gaze, Violetta continued.

"To avoid standing alone against the entire world and ending up like the Apostate, I propose we do something similar."

"So that’s how it is," Master drawled, his voice still smooth and insinuating. "You’re asking me to hand over the power of the Tablet—which I secured through grueling toil, persistence, and skill—on a silver platter to the very people who are hunting me down right now, yet haven’t lifted a finger to earn it?"

Towards the very end, Master’s voice turned incredibly gentle and ingratiating, and his expression became exceedingly kind—save for a gaze that could have melted mithril. Yet Violetta met that gaze unflinchingly. When Master finished speaking, she let out a heavy sigh, rolled her eyes, and leaned back in her chair.

"Of course not! I would be the first—and you can verify this with your artifact—to try and talk you out of it if you decided to offer anyone with even a shred of independence full access to the Tablet’s power, regardless of the promises or oaths involved! But what is stopping you from at least holding out the prospect of a share of its gifts? Like the ability to obtain practically anything in exchange for a price? As I’ve already said, that alone could buy the loyalty of a great many people."

Pursing his lips, Master crossed his legs and pointedly folded his arms across his chest.

"So, to whom do you suggest I make such a generous offer?"

"First and foremost, to those most at odds with the elves," Violetta said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms over her not-so-small chest and crossing one leg over the other.

The result was quite striking—even alluring—considering the dress was a trophy from the wardrobe of the local dark elves and counted as "modest" by their standards. Violetta, however, paid it no mind and continued.

"The most obvious option is the Islands. The elves will never forgive them for the destruction of the Sunset Forest, and the Islanders, in turn, will never forgive them for the loss of their Great Armada. One could also make an offer to the Most Serene Caliph—or to one of his children, or even to all of them at once, in a way that ensures the others find out. The Free Cities are a more complex matter; each requires individual consideration, though the closer a city lies to the Forest, the greater the elves' influence..."

"Many in the Steppe dream of becoming the new Greatest of Khans. And most of them hate the Forest." Bazita said, baring her teeth slightly, her voice carrying a bloodthirsty undertone.

"Most of the Great Dark Houses will side with the Forest, hoping to gain a share of the Tablet’s power from its isekai. Their leaders are far too cunning and cautious to attempt any sort of deal with you—otherwise, they would not be the lords of the Great Houses. They will fear falling into your snares, Master, and will choose to strike a bargain with the Forest instead," Shira said.

"Agreed," Nydira nodded, "and many will also fear retribution from you. Therefore, should you so desire, you ought to seek potential allies among the lords or ladies of the Minor Houses who have grown weary of living in the shadow of the Great Houses—or, in the best-case scenario, among those within the Great Houses themselves who are tired of standing at the foot of the throne."

"The situation at the palace of the Ruler of the Eastern Empire is likely much the same," Saya said slowly. "I can’t vouch for it entirely—it’s been a long time since I was home, and I was trained for service in the Layavai lands, not the capital’s palace. But there are surely plenty of people there who would love to claim the throne—or at least the position right behind it—using the gifts of the Tablet. Even the Ruler of the East himself wouldn't mind getting his hands on those gifts... though he’s unlikely to risk a deal with you; he’d probably try to reach an agreement with the elves instead."

"So that's how it is..."

Taking a deep breath, Master swept his heavy gaze over everyone, his expression turning openly displeased. Letting his eyes settle on Violetta, he chewed his lips for a moment—his frown deepening—before slowly muttering.

"I really hate to admit it... but there is sense in what you say, Lady Edelhart... To wage war against the entire world all on my own... That is, indeed, not the wisest idea... I could try, of course—after all, unlike Reystar, I possess the Tablet... But for now, I lack the personal power... and I have no Dark Tower... And war has already been declared against me by practically the whole world..."

Leaning sharply forward, Master planted his elbows on the table and clutched his hair, growling viciously.

"Damn it, why?! Why did Fortune smile on me at such a bad time?! Just a couple of days earlier! If only it had been a couple of days... I could have kept my incognito status... And the power of the Tablet would have been mine! Mine alone..."

Grimacing and baring his teeth viciously, Master leaned back and growled.

"All right, let’s consider what to offer the King of the Isles or the Most Serene. They would be the easiest to reach. Besides, one might find someone among the dark elves, too... Especially among the enemies of those who were most active in hunting me down. I’m not so sure about the Lord of the Sunrise and the steppe folk—they’re too far away... What?"

Casting a dark, angry glance at Violetta, who remained calm, Master asked with displeasure.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Lady Edelhart?"

"If the very thought of entering into a relationship with anyone is so repugnant to you..." she began cautiously. Master didn't let her finish; he cut her off, springing to his feet.

"The very thought of sharing the power of the Tablet with anyone is repugnant to me!!! In any way whatsoever!!!"

Leaning forward and planting his fists on the table, breathing heavily, he literally shouted.

"You have no idea what an immense effort it took! Yes, Fate—and the Greatest Ones themselves—granted me a chance! A chance, but nothing more! When that snot-nosed brat… that piece of scum… when he fell into my hands, I was practically a nobody! A nonentity compared to any of the lords of the Free Cities, let alone those of the Isles or the Caliphate! I was alone! I couldn't trust anyone!"

Snarling, his face twisted, Master thumped his chest with his fist.

"But I did it! I managed to hold onto my chance! I kept it all a secret—no one even suspected a thing right up to the very end! And they never would have found out, were it not for those cursed pointy-ears! I managed to gain a power beyond the wildest dreams of those smug bastards born with silver spoons in their mouths! Those for whom every door stood open from birth! Who had access to all the knowledge and arcane mysteries that were forever barred to me!"

Straightening up, Master began pacing back and forth along the table, waving his arms and continuing to spew venom.

"And now that I hold the greatest power—a power I earned through such grueling effort... Why, they aren't worthy of even a shred of it! The very people who used to consider me a nobody! Who would have wiped their feet on me without even noticing! But now they know about it and dream of wresting it from me—greedy, worthless bastards! Yet you were absolutely right, Lady Edelhart! Fighting the whole world alone... is far too dangerous... So it turns out I must offer them—in exchange for their help—what I achieved through my own hard work..."

Violetta, who had been watching the enraged Master with a largely composed expression, shrugged and spoke in an equally calm voice.

"There is no need to offer anything to anyone, Master. Among those who sit upon lesser thrones—or stand at their feet—countless numbers would beg you, on their knees and in tears, for the great grace of obtaining the gifts of the Tablet."

Stopping abruptly, Master turned sharply toward Violetta and fixed her with an intense stare—which she, once again, met with complete composure. Narrowing his eyes, he folded his arms across his chest and, in a voice that had suddenly shifted—tinged with a strange note of amusement—asked:

"So that’s how it is… Tell me, Lady Edelhart, would you beg me on your knees for the power of the Tablet?"

Sighing once more—a movement that caused her rather ample and not-so-well-covered chest to heave—Violetta tossed her head back to gaze at the ceiling and, with a tone of infinite weariness—much like a teacher addressing a dim-witted student—said.

"Master, for the sake of the full-fledged Tablet power, I’m ready—right here and now, in front of everyone—to suck you off while kneeling, completely naked."

At these words, Datius and Lenora, who were sitting beside her, both jerked, casting quick, slightly bewildered glances at their mother. Violetta, meanwhile, lowered her head and, looking Master straight in the eyes, continued.

"But then, I would have reproached you for a long time for selling such a priceless gift so cheaply..."

Stopping short as a thought suddenly crossed her mind, Violetta asked, her voice changing abruptly.

"By the way, what’s stopping you from bestowing the full power of the Tablet upon someone—the way you did with Saya and Bazita? And what did that cost you?"

For a few seconds, Master studied Violetta in silence, his expression becoming unreadable. Then, quite unexpectedly, he burst into loud laughter—and it sounded genuinely sincere, too. As he headed toward Violetta and her children, he said in a noticeably more cheerful tone.

"No, I truly have no regrets about giving our relationship a second chance, Lady Edelhart. And I am even more glad that you didn’t let that chance slip by—much like I didn’t, back in the day! As for your last question, you needn’t worry. The power of the Tablet that I bestow is not purchased with the kind of currency used for items at the Auction; rather, I utilize a special attribute—one acquired through offerings that grant new knowledge or traits. At present, this allows me to imbue three individuals with the near-complete power of the Tablet…"

Perching on the edge of the table next to the motionless Violetta and her children, Master smiled broadly at her, looking down from above, and continued.

"And, as you quite rightly said, no blowjob is worth this. So…"

Raising his hand, Master snapped his fingers, simultaneously consuming one of the charges from the token he had obtained. In that very instant, Violetta’s eyes and mouth flew wide open, while her hands gripped the armrests of her chair.

“…for now, I’ll limit myself to this modest gift. And without even a blowjob,” Master added, his smile widening as he watched Violetta, who was gasping for air.

Leaning back, she opened her eyes even wider—and they began to glow brightly. Daсius and Lenora sprang to their feet, their faces twisted in terror, and stared first at their mother, then at Master.

"What did you do to her?!" Violetta’s son shrieked.

Turning toward him with that same broad, beaming smile, Master said in a cheerful voice.

"I’ve made a little gift. Well, I say "little"... four Source points—that’s actually quite substantial..."

"W-what?"

"Take a look at her with your magical sight, and you’ll understand everything yourself," Master said, shrugging with a smirk.

Dacius and Lenora followed his advice almost simultaneously. They were, quite naturally, left dumbfounded when they saw their mother—who possessed the Gift—become nearly a third stronger in a matter of seconds. Turning then toward Violetta—who had managed, with some difficulty, to steady her breathing and was now keeping her eyes tightly shut—Master continued.

"Not bad, not bad at all… You haven’t quite reached the level of a full-fledged master of magick in terms of raw power yet, Lady Edelhart, but you’ve taken several significant steps toward that goal."

Exhaling heavily—having become completely drenched in sweat and grown slightly pale in the span of just twenty seconds or so—Violetta opened her eyes, which were still faintly glowing, and used the sleeve of her incredibly expensive dress like a handkerchief to wipe the perspiration from her forehead with a trembling hand. Then, looking toward Master, she muttered in utter bewilderment.

"It... It's so..."

"Incredible," he finished for her, with a satisfied smile.

With that, he hopped down from the edge of the table and, with a brisk gait, headed toward his seat at the head of the table. Settling back into his chair, he crossed his legs once more and, in a noticeably more cheerful tone, said.

"Well now, this option is truly to my liking… To imagine the King of the Isles kneeling before me… Though, no—he, in particular, is unlikely to agree to that… Then again… We shall see. In any case, the primary candidates should be those who—as you rightly pointed out—either occupy a lesser throne or stand at the foot of a greater one, with no hope of ever ascending it. Such individuals will also be easier to keep on a tight leash."

"In that case," Violetta picked up another of her sheets, having managed to regain an almost entirely professional demeanor and speaking with a voice that barely trembled, "I propose we discuss potential candidates: specifically what we will offer them, how, on what terms, and for what purpose..."

* * *

Further discussions took up the better part of the day, concluding well into the afternoon. Fortunately, they proved to be quite productive. While many issues remained tied to the fact that they were currently cut off from the rest of the world, a more concrete plan had begun to take shape—including a list of potential candidates for future collaboration. The remaining details would be ironed out once the underground chamber finished its relocation, contact with the outside world was restored, and reconnaissance had been carried out. In the meantime, there were other matters to attend to.

Having finished all discussions and grabbed a quick bite to eat, Master left Violetta and her children to sort through the notes they had compiled, while he headed off to what were now his own quarters. There, by tapping into the palace’s weaves, he scanned the city once more—as thoroughly as he possibly could. Just to be on the safe side. As expected, he found nothing—and no one—suspicious on the streets, along the walls, or across the ceiling of the great hall. Yet, that still offered no absolute guarantee of safety. What if, hidden away in some other palace all these centuries, there had been some vile thing—imprisoned, lying dormant, or simply biding its time—that had now, following the upheaval caused by the Terror, finally awakened or broken free?

The chance of such a thing happening was negligible, but Master had no intention of taking any risks whatsoever. Consequently, he took great care to outfit Bazita and the four dark elves with amulets, wands, armor, and melee weapons. Several marionettes, drawn from among the servants, were likewise well-protected with amulets and further burdened with various work tools.

After all, they were set to head out into the city and begin addressing one of the previously discussed issues: the food supply. Specifically, they planned to go to one of the gardens located on the outskirts of the city, which adjoined the side wall of the hall. Although it had become largely overgrown and wild, there were likely still some edible plants. In any case, the decision was made to take control of the area and start tidying it up. And once they had the time and resources, they could even set up proper vegetable patches there—in fact, it would be necessary to do so.

And it would be essential to assign a capable puppet—someone well-versed in druidic magic—to keep an eye on them. Perhaps even an elf. That way, in the event of a siege, they would have at least some source of food, aside from the Tablet. But those were plans for the future. For now, his green-skinned puppet, the four dark elves, and their accompanying marionettes simply needed to restock supplies and begin the initial clearing work. In the past, the very idea of ​​working alongside servants from the "lesser races" would have made the elves’ stomachs turn—or worse. Yet now, not a single one of them uttered a word of protest. Surprisingly, even Shira—whose thoughts Master observed with some interest—perceived the upcoming task more as a training exercise, a test of the hunting squad’s combat coordination. Or, at the very least, she certainly tried her best to convince herself that it was.

True, the risk was minimal, but Master felt uneasy nonetheless. Letting Bazita go off almost entirely on her own—or, for that matter, letting her leave his side at all—was something he had no desire to do. After all, he was not yet back in his lost lair, and he possessed only two such puppets. He had no intention of being left without them—not until the underground hall was brought under his complete control, and likely not even then. So, while he attended to his own affairs, Saya would remain in the palace, staying close to him, while Nodri would look after Bazita and the others. The gifted halfling might well prove useful to Bazita and the dark-eared ones, should they happen upon some lurking horror. Yet, given the scarcity of gifted puppets and dolls, he decided to keep the Petty One at the palace; he granted her temporary access to certain weaves and tasked her with keeping a constant watch over the scavengers and maintaining a link with them. He would have provided cover for them himself, but he still had far too much to attend to! Having thoroughly briefed his puppet and the others—and strictly commanded them to exercise the utmost caution—Master made his way toward his own private quarters.

Getting comfortable on the bed and embracing his loyal Saya, he closed his eyes and, with a mental command, invested one of his earned stat points into the Source; he then used a second charge from the ++"Drop of the Source" token on himself. This brought his total to the coveted twenty points, and lines from the Tablet immediately appeared before Master’s eyes.

Attention!

The Source attribute has reached a value of twenty. Choose one of two additional elite traits!

++Magic Pulse/Magic Accumulation.

Having read the invisible lines, Master fell into deep thought. Naturally, he was very keen to claim both rewards at once. The Pulse of Magic did more than just significantly accelerate the recovery of his magical reserves; once every three days, it allowed the Master to transform—for the span of an hour—into what was essentially a walking fountain of magic! A truly potent source of magic, at that! Granted, for the three days that followed, his rate of magical recovery would drop by half, but during that one hour, he could practically gush with magic!

Or rather, it wasn’t just that he could—he had to; keeping all this magick bottled up inside would be impossible—his subtle bodies would literally burn away, followed by his physical body. Consequently, he would either have to constantly channel this surging power into spell-weavings, keep a substantial number of energy reservoirs on hand, or perhaps utilize "gifted" puppets to whom he could offload the excess.

A highly useful property, especially in combat. Though, in truth, Master would prefer never to find himself in such a fight again—the destruction of his hideout and the subsequent pursuit through the Underworld were more than enough for him; damn those long-eared folk! Yet, as those unfortunate events also demonstrated, anything can happen. And in such a scenario, being able to hold out against a superior enemy force while preparing an escape would certainly come in handy. Still, though…

++The Accumulation of Magic did not accelerate the restoration of magical powers; on the contrary, it even somewhat reduced this accumulation. But it increased the amount of energy available to Master by one and a half times! Which, in his case, was quite significant! And with the active use of this property, it also made it possible, once every three days, to double the total amount of forces available to Master for an hour! And then apply all the accumulated magical power in one fell swoop, without any risk to the subtle bodies!

Given that his Power was already quite substantial—and his Control, truly excellent—he was capable of delivering a strike on the level of a full-fledged Archmage! Granted, it was best to be positioned atop a source of magic when activating such an attack—otherwise, there wouldn’t be enough time to fill his entire capacity—and the act itself would leave his capacity reduced to a third of its original volume, but still… The ability to strike with such force that even a Herald of the Divine could be permanently unmade… That was a tempting prospect. It was certainly something worth pondering.

Master fell into deep thought, genuinely at a loss as to what to choose. If only he could combine both gifts—that would be absolutely incredible! Oh, what to pick… On one hand, he has no intention of engaging in direct combat with anyone—may the Greatest Ones forbid such a thing! On the other hand, anything can happen… but then again, he isn’t some sort of elemental battle-mage—the kind who stakes everything on a single, albeit immensely powerful, attack. That’s an extremely risky tactic, and, once more, he’d much rather avoid it… And yet, in the future, once he has gained even more power, it would allow him to wipe out almost anyone with just a single blow… Almost. Hmm…

After agonizing over it a while longer, Master finally chose ++Magical Pulse. Then he pondered where to allocate his remaining stat point and a full four talent points. He wanted to put that first point into both Power and Control. In fact, the other stats wouldn't go amiss either—strictly speaking, there are no superfluous stats among them...

After yet another bout of long and agonizing deliberation, Master finally invested the point into Power, as it was the most lagging of his key attributes. After all, it was closest to the value of twenty—a threshold that would unlock a couple more of the Tablet’s gifts.

Having confirmed his mental choice, he moved on to the talent points. On one hand, four points all at once is a lot. But on the other—it’s infinitesimally little! There was so much he wanted to acquire, so much that could—and even should—be gained, yet he had only four points! And obtaining more would be no easy task! Each subsequent level would demand ever-greater effort. There were still the trials of the Greatest, but those would surely be far from simple…

After once again agonizing over what to choose, Master decided to invest one point in advancing his knowledge of the School of Flesh, upgrading it to "Mastery of the School of Flesh/Biomancy." After all, he was about to face the Trial of the Greatest—a challenge where this specific knowledge would prove most valuable. Compared to his other Schools, this was his weakest area, so it was best not to take any risks. Besides, successfully completing this trial would grant him new gifts! As for the remaining three talent points, he chose to hold onto them for now—just in case.

Having confirmed the final mental command, Master exhaled loudly.

"Well then... let's begin."

At that very instant, new knowledge and changes within his subtle bodies descended upon him simultaneously, and Master’s mind plunged into darkness, which then gave way to sleep…

* * *

The vast, brightly lit space—unusual in appearance—is packed, literally teeming with people. For some reason, the scene reminds Master of the market stalls in the bazaars of Sakhib-Nere. Yet everything around him looks utterly extraordinary; the décor and the attire of the milling crowd all seem strange and unfamiliar. And yet, he feels as though he has seen something like this before—though where exactly, he cannot say...

Many people were dressed in strikingly bright, colorful outfits—attire that stood out even amidst the surrounding crowd—and sported hair in a wide array of hues. Yet, one particular figure immediately riveted Master’s attention: a young woman standing on a raised platform in the center of the room. She had long blonde hair, sharp red horns, and a slender, flexible tail. She wore black trousers and a white shirt, along with rather peculiar white footwear. While the ensemble seemed somewhat understated compared to the other outfits, it suited her perfectly. The young woman was clearly showing off for the crowd, which was applauding and shouting enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, another woman—well along in years and dressed far more modestly—stood at the edge of the platform; using a staff to amplify her voice, she was congratulating the undisputed winner of some sort of cosplay contest—though Master hadn't quite caught the details. His attention was entirely riveted to the showy young imp. Something about her made him wary…

Because his attention was entirely focused on her, he missed the moment another young woman appeared on the platform. She was slender and wore an identical black-and-white outfit, though her hair was a brilliant red. With her hands clasped behind her back and a broad smile, she congratulated the victor—who was still basking in the crowd's attention—on her well-deserved win. The winner turned toward her, grinning widely, but then froze abruptly, her eyes bulging. That ear-to-ear smile—which had revealed teeth far too sharp to be human—vanished in an instant. Her yellow eyes, with their cross-shaped red pupils, seemed to pop from their sockets, and her slender tail shot straight out behind her like that of a startled cat.

For a few moments, the imp victor stared at the redhead. And she stared back. Master felt in his gut that something was wrong; only then did he realize that his sense of danger had been whispering to him for some time—yet it seemed distant, as if something were muffling it. Taking a sharp step back, Master managed to pull himself together, but…

A wave of melancholy, impotent rage, and simmering irritation washes over him, completely overwhelming him. Why the hell did he agree?! Again! Why?! He had sworn he wouldn't—but no, in the end, he agreed after all, tempted by the promised reward, and now...

"Oh, how about this one?!"

"No, this one is better!"

"Isn't it a bit too revealing?"

"All the better!"

The sense of melancholy and a dull, simmering irritation are intensified tenfold by the realization that this must be endured for a long time to come. Such is one of the conditions of this joint assignment—an undertaking that has proven to be truly burdensome and agonizing. And it is not merely a matter of enduring it; one must also actively participate—simply stepping back is not an option, or else it won’t count…

"What do you say, Master?"

Raising his eyes toward a beaming Saya—who was dressed in colorful garments of a highly unusual cut, yet one that he felt certain he had encountered somewhere before—the Master compelled himself not merely to look at her, but to truly appraise her. And he answered honestly.

"Not bad… but the previous outfit was better. In my opinion. This one… is just a bit too bright…"

* * *

Opening his eyes, Master stretched and yawned. He felt remarkably good—and for good reason: he could literally feel himself surging with new power! After all, gaining four points in his core attributes all at once was no small matter! It was such a satisfying feeling to sense his own power growing—and to acquire new knowledge, too!

Thanks to his newly acquired "Mastery of the School of Flesh/Biomancy," the upcoming challenge suddenly gained—well, perhaps not a solution, but at least a clear direction. Master now had a much better grasp of how to approach the spider-woman and her servants in order to restore their original forms: what nuances to consider, which alchemical methods to employ, and precisely how to carry out the "pupation" process so that… Oh, here we go again…

Realizing that he had been lying in bed for several minutes already, mentally mapping out his upcoming work—splitting his consciousness into multiple streams—Master winced inwardly. No, this incredibly useful property definitely had its downsides; he really needed to do something about it. Slipping into this state—retreating deep within his own mind—without even noticing he was doing it… that simply wouldn’t do. But he would deal with that later! For now, however…

With a broad, slightly predatory smile, Master cast a sidelong glance at the clock hanging on the bedroom wall—without which it was extremely difficult to tell the time in the Underworld. It was still only early morning. Which meant he had time to…

Turning onto his side, Master let his gaze drift over Saya, who lay beside him. The almond-eyed assassin was asleep on her stomach, completely naked and partially wrapped in the silky fabric of the quilt—fortunately, the temperature in the palace was now kept quite comfortable. She looked incredibly seductive yet innocent at the same time. At first glance, one would never guess that this lovely creature could end your life with a single, precise strike. A single prick.

So, those could be dealt with last. For now, more important matters awaited Master. He certainly wanted to begin the Trial of the Greatest—especially since he now had a very clear idea of ​​how to approach it—but first, he needed to figure out just how nasty a trick that accursed Terror had played on him. With these thoughts in mind, he said goodbye to Violetta and the others, then set off decisively toward the Palace laboratory, accompanied by Saya.

* * *

"Mda..."

"Master?" Ignoring Saya, who was standing at the entrance to the laboratory, Master continued to peer at a three-dimensional image of an underground chamber projected above one of the workstations, lost in intense thought.

This time, with his mind fully and deliberately partitioned into several distinct streams of thought, Master sought to make sense of the work he had completed and to weigh his options for what to do next. Investigating exactly what that accursed spawn of the depths had inflicted upon him took up the entire day—a day Master spent without once leaving his laboratory. Fortunately, he could control the palace’s scanning weaves from right where he sat, and their performance remained remarkably high, even after all these centuries. At least for that, he could thank the long-vanished dark-skinned, pointed-eared race.

Of course, it would take a long time to fully restore the palace. All those intricate weaves—laden with a multitude of protective, offensive, and investigative amulets, artifacts, and complex systems—would need to be inspected. Some of them inevitably required an update. For now, however, one had to make do with what was available. Fortunately, these could now be used openly, without any fear of detection—a fact that significantly simplified Master’s work. It had taken more than a few attempts to establish—and subsequently maintain in real-time—a clear picture of the magical background within the underground chamber, particularly the surrounding magical currents that had taken shape as a result of the ritual disrupted by the Terror.

Making sense of them was no easy task, even given his own mastery within the School of Space. After all, this didn’t just call for a master—it required a full-fledged grandmaster! Or perhaps even an arch-grandmaster. Moreover, for all his well-earned expertise, Master’s own focus had always been primarily on portals, rather than the various types of spatial lacunae.

And yet, knowledge and experience are a powerful force—especially when you have the right tools at your disposal. So, Master did manage to figure a few things out—quite a lot, in fact—no need to be modest. On one hand, this caused him a certain amount of unease; on the other, it opened up some truly intriguing possibilities.

The first thing he realized was that it was impossible to calculate with absolute precision when and where they would be ejected into the outside world—at least, he knew of no such method. Not yet, anyway. However, rough estimates suggested the process would take another month—give or take ten days. That is, assuming no interference with the process—specifically, no attempts to open portals leading outside the underground chamber or to tunnel through its side walls. Otherwise, the transfer could conclude quite suddenly. At any moment before the projected time.

Then again, one could try to delay the process. Master even had an idea of ​​how to go about it—roughly speaking, in broad strokes, specifically, by feeding energy into the currents surrounding the underground chamber. But that would require a vast amount of magical energy; after all, shifting such a massive expanse of space is a truly formidable undertaking. One would have to be extremely careful, or the whole thing could destabilize and go straight to hell! Or, of course, one could be someone on the level of the Apostate—someone who toyed with space however he pleased.

And this, in turn, gave Master a truly intriguing idea. True, creating a stable spatial lacuna hadn't worked out—curse that wretched Terror! But... while the relocation process was still underway, one could attempt to create an unstable lacuna! Or rather, not a lacuna per se, but a way to make the underground hall itself constantly shift position! If one could skillfully stabilize the subterranean currents that had surged up following the ritual's disruption—and construct suitable energy reservoirs to sustain them—the result could be a fascinating effect indeed!

After relocating, the underground hall will remain in the real world for a time until sufficient magical energy accumulates once more. And once there is enough, it can be shifted to a new location—whether random or specific. Most likely within the Underworld. In fact, not just likely—definitely! After all, even now, while in the process of shifting, it remains—remarkably—a part of that realm! This is clearly evidenced by the fact that the magical energy sources located in the city have not run dry; they remain active and continue to power the very same palace. This stands in contrast to the water sources, prompting some fascinating thoughts regarding the nature of the Underworld, its connection to the surface world, and the theory that it is, in part, "alive"…

One could almost embark on a full-scale study worthy of the finest minds at the Neirat Academy... If only he had the time. And the inclination. Still, he might look into this intriguing matter in the future. But for now, what mattered far more was that if he prepared enough stabilizing artifacts—along with the necessary energy reservoirs—and fine-tuned everything properly... then in theory... In theory! He would possess a massive, incredibly secure lair that he could relocate anywhere he pleased! And at any time! Well, provided he had enough stored energy. And if he could also calibrate the portals so that he could leave the city even while it was in transit...

Absorbed by the prospects that had opened up, Master withdrew entirely into his own thoughts, weighing the various ways to bring them to fruition while barely noticing the world around him. The task seemed incredibly ambitious—complex and daunting. It was truly a job for someone like the genius Apostate. Yet, even though he wasn’t an Archmage (not yet, anyway!), he did possess the Tablet! So, in principle, the task didn't seem impossible. After all, the Dark Tower wasn't built in a day...

A gentle touch on his shoulder from Saya roused him from his deep reflections and his observation of the projection.

"Master?"

Blinking, he realized he had been sitting in his chair for hours, silently gazing at the projection of the underground hall—or at least, that was how it looked from the outside. Damn, just how long… Wow, it was long past dinnertime! Well, I’ll be… No, something definitely had to be done about this. Climbing out of the chair and stretching, Master sent a wave of energy through his subtle bodies to shake off the lethargy and reassured his little puppet that everything was fine. Then, together with her, he headed to the upper floors of the palace, where only he and Saya were still waiting in the dining hall.

Bazita and her team of foragers had already returned to the palace with a fresh haul of gathered fruit and berries, looking thoroughly pleased. After all, she was the one who had cleared a significant portion of the garden of weeds and fungi that day; fortunately, thanks to her natural resistance, she had little to fear from any potential toxins. All that remained for the dark elves and servant was to gather the edible bounty.

Against this backdrop, Violetta was occupied with far more tedious—though, as she herself admitted, enjoyable—work: counting, recording, and cataloging the spoils. That said, a capable assistant with a knack for bookkeeping wouldn't have gone amiss. Master smiled and promised to find her a suitable fellow Nodri tribesman as soon as the opportunity arose. Petty One’s indignant squeak regarding racial stereotypes was completely ignored by him and the others.

Master did not yet raise Violetta’s and the others’ hopes with the prospects that had come to light; he merely mentioned that he had managed to determine the approximate timeframe for the transfer and was currently working to see if that schedule could be influenced or pinpointed more precisely. After all, the School of Space was not his primary area of ​​expertise.

This explanation satisfied everyone completely; after bidding Violetta farewell and dismissing the marionettes, Master headed to his chambers accompanied by his puppets. However, much to the disappointment of Bazita and Saya, the latter two had to be left unattended. After all, the ability to split one’s consciousness into separate streams offered more advantages than drawbacks, and during dinner—by dedicating just one additional stream of thought—Master had managed to reach a decision that was far from easy for him.

Settling comfortably amidst his puppets, he closed his eyes and mentally confirmed the allocation of two talent points, successively raising his "Spatial School Mastery" first to "Developed Mastery" and then to "Advanced Mastery." Ideally, to achieve his goal, he should have raised it all the way to "Spatial School Grandmaster," but an unexpected limitation arose: a secondary skill cannot surpass the core skill. Consequently, doing so would have required first raising his "Advanced Mind Magic Mastery" to the Grandmaster level—and he had neither a spare talent point for that nor, strangely enough, any actual need for it.

Right now—surprising as it might seem—other knowledge was far more important to him. Besides, such a sudden boost would likely have sidelined him for the entire day while he fully absorbed the new information. And losing a whole day right then was simply out of the question—because, as it turned out, there was a massive amount of work ahead.

With these thoughts, Master fell asleep under the pressure of new knowledge about the School of Space pouring into him...

* * *

A vaguely familiar stout man, clad in unusual-looking plate armor and surrounded by a motley crew in the middle of the camp, was arguing with a scowl against an elf in exquisite robes who leaned heavily on a carved staff.

"It's not like that!"

"What is the point of denying the obvious? What is stopping you from facing the truth, Stepauron?"

"I’m telling you, I don’t have any excess weight! I have exactly as much as I need! And not a gram less!"

"Why is it so hard for you to admit that?"

"I have nothing to admit! Fine, Willy, fine! Give me just one argument! Just one—come on!"

"Okay."

With a heavy sigh, the elf took an apple out of his robe pocket.

"Do you know what this is?"

Rolling his eyes, the fat man in armor snorted.

"Ahem, it's an apple.

"Okay, okay," Elf nodded.

Then he carelessly tossed it toward the fat man in armor. The apple flew past him, but instead of falling to the ground, it suddenly began circling him in the air. Eyes bulging, the fat man asked in astonishment.

"What the… what is this… what the hell, Willy?! What kind of crap is this?"

"Orbit. You have become so massive that you now have your own gravitational field."

With these words, the elf casually tossed a massive, heavy-bound grimoire after the apple, followed by the hammer of a dwarf who roared something obscene—and then, accompanied by the dwarf’s genuine howl, a small keg of beer. All of these objects began to circle the armored fat man, who was frantically spinning his head to track them.

"What the… Willy, what kind of cheap tricks are these? Do you seriously think I’m going to fall for that?!"

The fat man touched the gemstone on his breastplate, and a golden radiance instantly enveloped him. He glared at the elf with a triumphant air—only for his jaw to drop a moment later as the apple, grimoire, hammer, and keg of ale continued to circle him.

"What the… the anti-magic field is active, though… so… no… wait, what the hell?! Who came up with this?! Fess up—whose idea of ​​a joke is this?! This isn't fucking funny!!! Willie!!!"

* * *

Upon opening his eyes, Master stared at the ceiling for several minutes. His head felt heavy, even though he had slept soundly. After all, absorbing so much new knowledge...

As soon as he thought about this, his consciousness almost split into several streams again, but with an effort of will, Master kept his thoughts in check. He would definitely carefully consider the enormous task before him, taking into account his new knowledge! When he returned to the laboratory and began work! But for now, he could attend to something else. Or rather, *someone* else. Someone green, with a pair of magnificent tits. After all, Saya was already up and out of bed.

Master rose slightly and cast a predatory glance at Bazita, who lay beside him. Despite her considerable stature, the orc woman had plenty of room to sprawl out comfortably on the late Matriarch’s queen-size bed. Lying on her back, Bazita had her arms and legs spread wide, partially wrapped in a blanket; her upper body remained completely bare, and the orc woman’s magnificent, massive tits—which he himself had augmented—involuntarily riveted Master’s attention.

Licking his lips and feeling desire flare up within him, he lay down right on top of Bazita—who let out a low, rumbling growl—and buried his face contentedly in her boobs, savoring the firmness and the smoothness of her skin, a quality utterly uncharacteristic of orc women. What sheer pleasure... This alone made enduring all those hardships and privations worthwhile. Well, partly for this, at least. To have the chance, at any moment and in any way he pleased, to revel in the body of this beautiful, deadly warrior. His lovely little puppet...

Having woken up, Bazita purred contentedly as Master—ceasing to merely rub his face against her chest—began covering her with kisses, nipping at her hardened, dark-green nipples. Gently wrapping her massive arms around him, the orc woman carefully pressed Master against her, burying him slightly in her breasts—something he didn't mind in the least. After savoring her breasts a while longer, Master moved upward to plant a gentle kiss on his puppet—no small feat, given Bazita’s formidable fangs. She eagerly returned the kiss, spreading her legs wide and then locking them behind the back of the master who had entered her.

There was no reason to hold back, and very quickly Master finished inside her; afterwards, he lay for a while longer atop the heavily breathing orc woman—resting right on her chest—savoring the warmth and her body’s scent, which was quite pleasant, albeit somewhat distinctive. But grand plans wouldn't execute themselves, so he had to leave Bazita’s embrace and head to breakfast. A great deal of work awaited him. A great deal of work…

* * *

Master spent the entire day in the Laboratory, taking his meals there as well. And the next day, too. And the one after that. In the end, he devoted a full five days to calculations that were extremely complex and—truth be told—completely unfamiliar. After all, he usually worked with matter that was no less complex, yet of a different nature: the mind. He had practically no experience dealing with space itself, aside from portals.

Here, the task wasn't merely to open a portal—though even that is a serious undertaking—but to analyze the consequences of a massive, incredibly complex ritual that had gone off the rails! And then, he had to figure out how to harness those very consequences and turn them to his advantage. There was no room for error! If he failed, at best, Diyarten would simply relocate him; at worst, he could be scattered across the entire Underworld!

And so, Master immersed himself fully in highly complex calculations, pinpointing the key nodes and junctions of the currents surrounding the underground hall—currents one was sorely tempted to call "weavings," though doing so would have been like comparing a candle to a bonfire. Or, more aptly, a bonfire to a forest fire. After all, the sheer scale of the cocoon spun by the spider-queen was impressive. If only it could have been preserved...

Master himself couldn’t say exactly how many times he had wished for that accursed Terror of Diyarten to drop dead and rot back in the depths from which it had crawled. He’d lost count somewhere around the fiftieth time. What a nuisance—that wretched creature from the abyss had dumped a mountain of extra work on him! He could have been doing other things—tackling the Trial of the Greatest, for instance—but instead, he was stuck in his laboratory, painstakingly identifying the critical points for the upcoming stabilization and calculating the precise amount of magical energy required, as well as where and how to channel it.

No, it wasn’t that he found this sort of work categorically objectionable—in fact, quite the opposite; this type of arrangement suited him perfectly. A proper laboratory—quiet, safe, and free from the pursuit of rabid fanatics or those accursed, deceitful long-eared folk. Plus, all the creature comforts one could ask for. And, during a break, the chance to bend Saya over one of the workstations—or to enjoy a magnificent blowjob from his lovely, ever-compliant puppet.

And yet, he would have taken far greater pleasure in restoring what had been lost... By the way, he would definitely need to find a suitable puppet—one well-versed in the School of Space... But first, he had to deal with that parting "gift" from Terror—damn the thing...

And Master set to work on the solution. More slowly than he might have liked. Patiently. Tenaciously. But he worked on it nonetheless. By the end of the fifth day, the plan was ready. He had performed all the calculations. Checked them. Double-checked them. And ultimately, he could say with confidence that if he placed a total of thirty special artifacts throughout the underground hall—artifacts whose design and magical weaves he had meticulously devised—and paired them with high-capacity energy reservoirs, powered them all using the city’s magical sources, and linked them into a unified network anchored to the palace... then he would succeed not only in preventing the currents surrounding the hall from dissipating after the relocation was complete but also in harnessing them once more. Only one small thing remained: to put the plan into action.

Master, tired but satisfied, shared all of this with a frankly dumbfounded Violetta and her children over dinner on the fifth day. Upon realizing that he wasn't joking—and that what he said was real—Lady Edelhart was absolutely delighted. She wholeheartedly supported his idea, immediately bombarding him with questions: exactly what and how much of it did he need for these artifacts?

Having received the rough estimates, she immediately cross-referenced them with her lists and soon announced, with a look of displeasure, that even if they completely stripped the palace they were occupying—gouging out every last storage crystal from the walls—it would indeed suffice. But only just. And the cost would be the loss of nearly all the palace’s enchantments, both combat-oriented and domestic. That was absolutely unacceptable. So, they would have to start gutting the other palaces and buildings in the city—primarily for storage crystals; the more, the better. But not just those; they would need just as much of other usable materials. Master was in full agreement, so it was decided that the next day they would begin to "hack" the palace the spiders had so unsuccessfully attempted to infiltrate.

Over the past few days, Violetta had made significant progress in cataloging the spoils; as she declared with unconcealed satisfaction, they could—if they wished—equip a small private army to a very high standard. Of course, they would first need to actually recruit one. On top of that, they possessed a substantial fortune in coins and jewelry, which would allow them to resolve a great many issues once contact with the outside world was restored. All this was from just a single palace... albeit the wealthiest one. Or, at least, one of them.

Bazita, meanwhile, along with a quartet of elves and the servants, completely cleared out the entire city garden. All the invasive subterranean vegetation and fungi were ruthlessly eradicated, leaving behind only wild fruit trees and shrubs—which the elves and thralls had stripped bare during the days the orc woman was busy with her axe. The harvest filled nearly two dozen large baskets—found in one of the palace storerooms and enchanted to keep their contents fresh. Or rather, more baskets had been found, but Master—while speaking of the local female inhabitants in the kindest of terms—had consigned some of them to the alchemical furnace in his laboratory.

In any case, they now had enough food to last until contact with the outside world was restored. Ideally, of course, they should have continued tending the garden to turn it into a reliable food source. But that required extra hands—which they lacked—so they had to settle for minimal maintenance of the remaining fruit trees and shrubs. Fortunately, one of the dark elves, in addition to being a Hunter, had occasionally supervised the slaves who tended the gardens and fields belonging to his House, and he knew a thing or two about Underцщкдв agriculture.

No, he definitely needed to find a capable puppet—or perhaps more than one—to whom he could entrust this work. And he would certainly do it! He wouldn't just restore everything that had been lost; he would do it on a scale three times, even ten times, greater! And all those who had robbed him of his triumph—all those who had once looked down on him—would pay a heavy price! Especially the pointy-eared liars and the sun-worshipping fanatics!

With these thoroughly pleasant thoughts, the tired yet satisfied Master collapsed onto his luxurious bed, accompanied by the only two puppets he had so far. There was still a great deal of work ahead, but he would manage. He would certainly manage…

* * *
Master's status at the end of Chapter 11:

Name: FORGOTTEN "Master"

Level: 64

Class: Wizard

Specialization: Mind Sculptor/Body Sculptor

Characteristics: 0

Talents: 1

Constitution: 2

Sensitivity: 7

Power: 17

Control: 23

Source: 17

Spirit: 4

Resistance: 3

Knowledge:

CORE/ROOT: "Advanced Mastery of Mind Magic:

Methods of consciousness/personality adjustment (subtle/imperceptible, ordinary, coarse); methods for creating a new personality/consciousness + a wide selection of ready-made templates; methods for combining/mixing individual fragments and/or entire parts of a personality/consciousness; dividing a single personality/consciousness into separate fragments, entire parts, or complete personalities/consciousnesses; methods of working with memories (subtle/imperceptible, ordinary, coarse); methods of degradation/destruction of personality/consciousness (subtle/imperceptible, ordinary, coarse); methods of strengthening consciousness/personality (subtle/imperceptible, ordinary, coarse); methods of direct and remote control of consciousness/personality; methods of partial or complete transfer of one's own or another's consciousness/personality to a new host body or material storage device; methods of transferring one's own mind beyond the limits of one's own body;

AUXILIARY:

"Mastery of control and management of internal energies

Methods of cleansing subtle bodies from extraneous energies; methods of healing damaged areas of subtle bodies; methods of direct application of internal energy (concentration/projection/dispersion/extinction);»

Silk Thread School Mastery:

Methods of creating weaving threads (very thin/small/medium); methods of creating nets/webs (very thin/small/medium); combat techniques of using attacking threads (entangling/cutting/piercing); methods of weaving threads into the target's subtle bodies (inconspicuous/aggressive/neutral);"

Puppet School Mastery:

Methods of creating Puppets (techniques/materials/forms); specializations of Dolls (positive/destructive/protective/controlling/masking/universal);»

Mastery of the Tattoo School:

Application methods (techniques/materials/methods); pattern specialization (protective/attacking/enhancing/healing/controlling/masking/universal/specific);»

Mastery of the School of Branding:

Application methods (techniques/materials/methods); brand specialization (control/punishment/surveillance/liquidation);»

"Mastery of Artifact Skills:

Methods for creating broad-based artifacts (techniques/materials/forms); methods for creating narrow-based artifacts (techniques/materials/forms); skills in working with specialized tools for creating artifacts; an expanded set of ready-made templates and concepts for creating artifacts.»

Advanced Mastery of the School of Space:

Methods of working with portal arches of short, medium, and long distances (activation/setting/stabilization); methods of creating portals without a material base at short and medium distances (formation/setting/stabilization); methods of direct movement of objects at short distances.»

Mastery of the School of Flesh Alteration/Biomancy):

Methods of working with individual organs, major parts, or the whole body (enhancement/change/destruction); methods of transplantation and engraftment of organs, major parts, or the body; methods of restoration of organs, major parts, or the whole body.»

"Mastery of Alchemy of a wide range:

Methods of working with a wide range of alchemical reagents (common/rare/exotic); a set of alchemical recipes of a wide range (common/rare/exotic); methods of working with alchemical tools;»

SECONDARY:

"Master methods of magical hacking", "Advanced methods of working with artifacts and amulets", "Advanced methods of working with external sources of magic", "Advanced methods of conspiracy", "Advanced weaving of a wide profile"

Oral and Written: Free Cities, Academium Neirat, Northern Kingdoms, Classical Elvish (Dark/Light), Dwarven Undermountain.

Minor knowledge:

"Small Space Dissection" (Elite)

Properties:

"Separation of Thought Streams IV", "Weightlessness of Magic III", "Stability of Magic III", "Strengthening of Subtle Bodies IV", "Blessing of Health and Longevity IV", "Sense of Danger IV", "Mind Without Boundaries I" (Elite), "Pulse of Magic" (Elite)

Soul Tablet Modifiers:

"Access to the Goods of the Greatest IV", "Creation of Group III", "Territorial-Spatial Orientation III", "Spatial Pocket II", "Trial of the Greatest" (Elite)

Tokens: "Mind Imprint 1/1", "Ignored Orgasm 100/100", "Spatial Beacon 5/5", "Life Preservation 3/5", "Drop of the Source 3/5"

SPECIAL:

Recognition of the Greatest.

A select few among countless intelligent beings are granted the Power of the Greatest, known as the Tablet of the Soul. You were not one of those chosen ones, but you worked hard to prove otherwise. With your mind, talent, and perseverance, you found a way to gain knowledge hidden in the lines of the Tablets through indirect means. As a reward for finding this path, which will now be closed, and for your perseverance, the Great Ones have recognized your merits and granted you a full Tablet of the Soul.

Awards: Tablet of the Soul, “HIDDEN.”

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Переведено на Нотабеноиде
http://notabenoid.org/book/86674/599621

Переводчики: Camrad_RIP