Chapter 156: The Spy

Zach wondered who it might be. Maybe it was one of the club members who had come to share their thoughts and conspire with him in the twilight of dawn. Maybe it was the Underworld's spy and infiltrator that had come to clear out trouble before it could go from a pile of rubble to a mountain.After all, the longer the Underworld let Zach grow, the stronger and the more of a threat he would become to their plans. He was honestly surprised they hadn't tried to kill him at all this year, considering their efforts last year.

It wasn't like he was hiding in the Academy, either. His trips into the sewers with the other club members were the perfect opportunity to launch an ambush and get rid of him.

It was a shame they hadn't tried. It would have been easier to find them if they willingly offered themselves up to him.

Zach opened the door, full of expectation.

"What the fuck is that look supposed to mean?" Nora couldn't help but frown and ask when Zach grew visibly disappointed upon seeing it was her on the other side.

"...Nothing. I was just expecting someone else." Zach's shoulders hung loosely and he turned around and headed inside, letting Nora enter and close the door behind her.

"Who…?" With that expression and reaction from Zach, she had to ask. She had to know who could ever draw out such a reaction from him.

"A spy."

"What…?"

Zach explained everything the club had found out and theorized during the night and how he thought the Underworld's spy might come to get rid of some trouble or interfere with his activities. He had been the one to lead the club to their current theories. He was the most promising summoner. He had a bone-deep grudge against the Underworld. He was proving to be a good leader.

The Underworld would want to remove him from the equation as soon as possible.

"Checks out." Nora sighed after Zach finished explaining. Of course, the only thing that would excite Zach and disappoint him when it didn't happen was an encounter with a spy from an organized threat to and enemy of the surface.

"How do you know I'm not the spy?" Since it was a spy, it made sense their identity was hidden. It could be anyone. It could even be her.

"Oh, please." Zach scoffed and waved away any seriousness behind Nora's question. "If you were the spy, I would already be dead. If you weren't a real maid, you wouldn't have been able to hold back this long.

"Besides, do you think my family wouldn't notice it if you were a spy from the Underworld?"

Nora had just wanted to tease Zach a little, instead, she had been solidly brought back to earth. She didn't know how to feel about what Zach had said. In a way, it could be interpreted as him holding her maid abilities in high esteem.

"So, you're aware?" However, it could also be interpreted that anyone else would have already succumbed to their grudges and tried to assassinate Zach.

"Aware of what?"

"Of my worth and how poorly you're treating me?"

Zach skeptically raised an eyebrow and looked at Nora like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I mean, sure. But in what world are you treating me as your master? If you want proper treatment, treat me properly."

"...I see your point."

"Exactly."

"No can do, though."

"Right."

With that, a recurring argument between the two was once again quickly settled, and they moved on, both thinking about how to possibly tease and irritate the other in subtle ways that wouldn't really affect them or their surroundings. Continue your saga on mvl

Their little conversation had served to bring Alzara out of her potion-making concentration, and she wasn't startled enough to send bottles flying when Zach approached her.

"How's it going, Alzara?"

"I would say very well, Master. I think I have something that will be of help to you." Alzara smiled as she grabbed a nearby glass bottle with a thick, light grey liquid gently sloshing around inside.

Zach didn't grab it. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Alzara

"What is it and what does it do?" He had learned from the past and wasn't going to hold a potion until he knew it wouldn't explode in his hand.

"...It should get rid of underworld energy from whatever touches it." Alzara understood Zach's hesitance.

"'Should'?"

"I haven't tried it yet."

"Okay. But it won't suddenly explode in my hand, right?"

"No. That is very unlikely."

"Great." Zach grabbed it and inspected it.

"What does 'getting rid of' mean?"

"..."

Zach looked at Alzara when she didn't answer. Under the weight of his gaze, she shrugged.

"I…uh…mixed different ingredients that didn't agree with underworld energy. Preliminary testing showed that underworld energy doesn't get close to the potion. I can't even put it close to the few materials that have underworld energy in them. In fact, the air in this room is cleaner thanks to that bottle."

"So, it's pretty strong." If its mere presence was enough to drive the underworld energy out of the room, Zach could already tell that it was potent.

"If I were to give Rierdan some of this…?"

"I would recommend against it if Rierdan is not an enemy."

"I see. I'll take this and look for an underworlder or something. Do you have any other potions that won't explode in my hand?"

"I do."

"I'll take those as well. I'll start experimenting while you start working on a gentler version of the anti-underworld energy potion."

"Yes, Master."

Zach grabbed the potions and put them in a bag before laying down on the bed.

"*Ahem* Master?" Yanael gently cleared her throat to get Zach's attention before he fell asleep.

"Yes?"

"I don't mind helping you try those potions."

"...I'm not going to make you drink them."

"Oh…"

"Do you want to drink them?"

"...Alzara roi Kalam said there were a few that were supposed to increase strength."

"I'm sure there are."

"Then…!"

"I'm sure you'll be really strong for a few minutes before exploding."

"But who are you going to use to test them with?"

"Oh, I'm sure I can find one or two volunteers."