Chapter 85: Trouble

Zach put his two beautiful, diligent maids to work at once. Well, mostly. Yanael was fine for at least one part. Zach didn't even have to be nearby for her to find Anerias and the monsters he lured on her own. That was one of the many chores of Zach's that he no longer needed to bother about.

But the thing Zach needed the most help with was making full use of his special access to the library.

As long as Zach was there, he and whoever he brought could ask for any information they wanted. If the information existed in the library or wasn't hidden behind another layer of confidentiality, they would get it by asking.

That was where the problem lay. Zach had to be there. It increased the efficiency of the information-gathering but it didn't necessarily mean he had more time on his hands for other things. They simply gathered more and better information in the same amount of time.

If it had been just that, they could have held back and decreased the time they spent in the library. But as time passed, it became harder and harder to find useful information for the classmates' familiars and their trips to the forest. They needed the extra eyes to make something of the time they had.

If it continued like that, they would need more time to find information that would get them good marks and scores, even when they didn't do anything.

Zach, Dukiel, and Julius were already at the top of the class. But a lot could happen in several months. It was easier to keep a lead than regain one.

That was where the true problem came in.

Nora wasn't as busy as Zach. If she took it easy with cooking and preparing tea that Zach wouldn't even drink, she could spend the majority of each day in the library, looking for information.

However, she couldn't be there if Zach wasn't there since she was neither student nor instructor. She was still his maid, though, so Zach managed to get her access after a lot of trouble and blackmailing Jarron a little.

Then came the next problem.

Nora's access was restricted. It wasn't even at the level of a first-year student. She had access to even less information.

Taking responsibility for her and getting the library pixie to allow her to share Zach's special access was a whole ordeal.

Although Nora had said she wanted to help Zach and ease the burden on his shoulders, she had done nothing but cause more trouble and stress for him so far.

Zach wouldn't and didn't let her hear the end of it, even when it was settled and she could enter and browse the library as she wished.

Nora found it hard to refute or talk back. She could finally help Zach by looking for information when he slept or trained and thus ease his burdensome lifestyle some. But it had been such an administrative mess and bureaucratic upside-down rope ladder to get to that point that she wasn't even sure it was worth it.

There were so many forms and agreements that Zach had to read through and sign every night that she sometimes caught Zach writing his name in his sleep.

But it was eventually settled, and Zach dedicated more of his time to personal training.

He hadn't seen any of his classmates use them yet, but the Academy had private training rooms, where they wouldn't be disturbed or peeked on. It was the perfect place for training secret trump cards or keeping secrets secrets.

In the large cube-like stone room with high ceilings and bare walls, Zach didn't have to worry about anyone finding out Yanael could talk.

"Yanael, can you spar with me?" Zach gave his familiar a hopeful look.

"...I certainly can, Master. But whether I do so willingly depends on why you want me to spar with you." Yanael remained poised with a lofty expression. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and she made no intention of joining Zach in the center for a spar. Sёarch* The nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Why? I guess because I want to get used to combat? Dukiel and Julius are decent enough, but they don't pressure me like monsters or stronger beings do."

Yanael shook her head.

"In that case, I would prefer not to."

"Why not?" Zach had no idea what kind of answer Yanael wanted.

"You want to spar with me because you want to get used to being attacked by someone who can overwhelm you, right, Master?" Yanael's voice was curt.

"...I guess you can put it like that." Zach nodded slowly.

"I will not engage in combat, even if only mock combat, with someone who has misunderstood the meaning of the word and the act."

Zach frowned and tilted his head in confusion.

"Do you mean combat? Isn't it just about fighting? You know, exchanging blows and so on?"

Yanael hesitated.

"...You aren't necessarily wrong. But if that's all you think there is to it, sparring with me or someone like me will not make you stronger. If you are unfortunate, it will have a negative influence instead, Master."

Zach was still confused. But he understood why Yanael wasn't just giving him the straightest and briefest explanation with an answer to what she thought combat was. Just like Nora had done when she spanked him, Yanael wanted Zach to think and figure it out on his own.

"I will never figure out what you think of combat just by thinking about it. But I understand what you mean. It isn't as simple as just socking someone else in the face because they looked at you funny. It's deeper than that."

Yanael gave a singular clear nod.

"That's right. I'm sure others look at combat differently. But if you are going to learn how to fight from me and spar with me, you will need to understand that combat is a competition. It is a competition to kill the other. The winner survives and the loser dies. Combat is a race to the death, preferably your opponent's.

Every time you fight, you have to be ready to take a life and surrender your own.

"Combat is not light-hearted fun. Sparring can be entertaining. Playing with your friends can be fun.

"Real combat is something that can't be trained for. It's only something that can be experienced. For many, it's something that is only experienced once.

"Fortunately, you have already passed the first hurdle, Master. You have already come face to face with death and survived. From now on, it's a matter of getting better at killing. Not getting used to not being overwhelmed. Every move you make should be to kill your opponent. Understood?"

"...Understood!"