n

n

nIn a lake located in the forest area of the academy. A boy with gray hair was holding a fishing rod in his hand while closing his eyes. The boy is Ziel Grisel. He was currently in his true form. It had been 3 weeks since he and the academy students returned from the survival test in the Alba Mountain range. They were given time to vacation for one month. Ziel is at the academy because his employer, Clara Castilene does not return to his home on vacation. Apart from clara, Princess Iris didn't return to the neigal royal castle either.

nAfter Clara woke up from her stupor that time, she immediately remembered what had happened. She asked about Ziel and Princess Iris. When she heard they were fine, she looks relieved. Ziel was scolded by Beatrix for leaving her alone as a guard, but Clara defended him because she asked Ziel to find Princess Iris. After that, Princess Iris tearfully came to see her apologize. Since Clara knew the situation, she immediately forgave her and their relationship was back to normal and even closer than before.

nThe thing that changed was Ziel's relationship with Princess Iris. When she met Ziel and Clara, Princess Iris didn't even dare to look at him. She always avoids direct eye contact with Ziel. He seemed more silent than before they made the master and servant contract. But Ziel doesn't care what she thinks at all. Currently, Ziel remembers what he talked to Lilith back then.

n***

n

"Can you start answering my questions?

" Ziel looked at Lilith coldly.

nLilith trembled after seeing his gaze on her. She kept sweating from her forehead.

n

"What do you want to ask me? I am your slave. I can't refuse you.

" Lilith already knew that Ziel had kept her alive just because he wanted to extract information from her. She knew after getting all the information Ziel needed from her, Lilith who is no longer needed will be killed. That's why she felt scared when she saw his gaze.

n

"What exactly is your goal?

" Ziel directly asked about the crux of the matter he wanted to know.

n

"What do you mean by what happened earlier? If that...

" Lilith who was about to explain was suddenly cut off by Ziel.

n

"Not only that. More precisely what do you want to do by collecting the world altar fragments?

" Ziel narrowed his eyes at Lilith. He didn't care about what happened earlier. The thing he wanted to know the most was about the world altars they collected.

n

"Eh, you know about that!? Could it be that you were the one who killed Ashil and Asbil in the Argaint Kingdom!?

" Lilith is shocked after Ziel mentions the World Altar. Because only the people from the 'God Domain' knew the name of that thing.

n

"Here I ask and you answer. Do you understand?

" Ziel said coldly and put his pressure on Lilith.

n

"I...I understand!

" Lilith clicked her tongue. She currently had absolutely no choice. When she had a bad thought about Ziel, then her head will feel unbearable pain.

n

"Then tell me in detail.

" Ziel pulled back the pressure. He took another sip of his tea while listening to Lilith's explanation.

n

"Okay, I don't know much about that, nor do the other members. The Leader just said that 'they' had found us. So by gathering all the fragments of the world altar, we intended to go to another world to avoid their pursuit. But the Leader never said who he meant 'they' to us.

" Lilith explained everything she knew to him.

n

"Why did you run away? Shouldn't you just fight them?

" Ziel felt that there was something odd about his explanation. But he knew Lilith couldn't lie this time.

n

"That's because the Leader said 'they' were so strong that we couldn't even face them.

" Lilith looked depressed when she said that.

n

"Hmm... Does your experiment have anything to do with this?

" Ziel thought for a while and started to realize something. He confirmed the answer to Lilith.

n

"Uh, yes there is.

" Lilith nodded slightly at Ziel. She was shocked when he found out about the secret experiment they had done. But she didn't dare to ask him back. And remember the warning he gave earlier.

n

"Where is your base located?

" Ziel knew they would not occupy the same place as Azael's base which had been destroyed by their fight. But he was sure that their base was still around the Clorius continent.

n

"That... I don't know exactly. But I feel like it's at the end of the continent.

" Lilith gave her answer hesitantly.

n

"What do you mean you don't know?

" Ziel released his pressure on Lilith again.

n

"Ugh...wait a minute. I'll explain!

" Lilith was panting from the pressure that Ziel had put on her.

n

"Say!

" Ziel replied curtly and withdrew the pressure. Finally, Lilith could breathe normally. Little by little the fear of Ziel grew in her heart.

n

"We met using a statue intermediary in a place that was like a large temple, but I don't know where it is. I also don't know the names and faces of the Leader and the other members, let alone the location of their real bodies. Even so, strangely the Leader knew my name.

" Lilith was telling the truth. Because after Ziel defeated Azael, the fallen gods on the Clorius continent were separated. Lilith was a young divine race, thus she didn't know much about the wars that took place in the past. But the leader knew because he was one of the divine race that participated in the war.

n

"I see. Then what was the purpose of you guys causing trouble during the survival test in the Alba Mountain range earlier?

" Ziel already knew the most important matter he wanted to know from Lilith. This was the last thing he wanted to know from her.

n

"We are afraid that humans will grow stronger and become another threat to us on this continent.

" Lilith looked scared as she answered. She thought that Ziel who was a human would be angry after hearing what she said.

n

"Okay. You can go.

" Ziel feels that there is no more important information that he can get from Lilith.

n

"Uh, can I go?

" Lilith was shocked after hearing what he said. She thought that Ziel would be angry or Lilith would be killed because he already got what he wanted.

n

"Hmm...of course. What are you thinking?

" Ziel was confused to see Lilith who was restless since earlier.

n

"I thought you would kill me after getting the information from me...

" Lilith spoke in a very low and barely audible voice.

n

"I remember before you wanted to kill yourself. Do you want to die?

" Ziel asked her nonchalantly.

n

"Ahaha...no. I thought life would be better. Well, I'll go first.

" Lilith quickly got up from her seat and intended to leave immediately.

n

"Wait!

" Ziel called out to Lilith just before she came out of the cottage. Lilith froze and swallowed hard. She thought Ziel would change his mind and kill her. For some reason, a fear of death that previously didn't exist began to grow in her heart. She felt that this all had to do with the master and servant contract between her and Ziel.

n

"I ask you to be my lady's friend, Clara Castilene. You must guard her in secret. Do you understand?

" Ziel said softly to her. But Lilith knew it was an absolute order from him.

n

"Okay, I understand.

" Lilith left immediately after Ziel didn't say anything else.

n***

nZiel remembered that and thought about it again. He had to find out who the divine race meant 'them'. If what Lilith said was true that those who chased after the Divine Race was so strong that they had forced the arrogant Divine Race to flee, then the continent is in grave danger that maybe Ziel will also have a hard time dealing with them. If they came to this continent, his life would be disturbed.

nAs he was thinking about that, he suddenly felt a soft sensation on his back and a small hand wrapped around his waist. He opened his eyes and looked back, he saw Kalya resting her chin on his shoulder.

n

"What are you thinking?

" Kalya whispered in his ear. Her melodious voice will make any man excited when they hear it, let alone whispered right in his ear. But Ziel remained calm without the slightest change in his expression.

n

"Nothing. I just closed my eyes for a moment. Are you done with the meeting? In less than a week the students will start attending classes, any other information?

" Ziel looked back at his fishing hook which had not been eaten by any fish since he sat there. He had filled the artificial lake with hundreds of thousands of fish of various types. The number should be increasing by now. But none of the fish are interested in the bait.

n

"What we talked about at the meeting was pretty much the same as before. It was about each class that will only have 40 students. And regarding the summoned heroes, they seem to be going to study at the academy after the holidays are over and join the other students next week. As for the class, it looks like they'll be placed in class S, but that's still uncertain.

" Kalya repeated what she had told Ziel before. Regarding the summoning of heroes, Kalya immediately told him about it after returning from the first meeting. If his emotions were still intact, Ziel would be very surprised to hear that, but he still took it casually. Moreover, during the hero summoning ceremony, he felt a very strong distortion of space and time from the direction of the Rubelia Kingdom.

n

"I see, maybe the academy will become crowded later because the heroes are studying here. Besides, the heroes will get maximum training here.

" Ziel nodded slightly and understood what the person who arranged all this had in mind.

n

"Ziel, may I ask you something?

" Kalya looks hesitant to ask him.

n

"Of course. You don't usually ask permission first to ask. What's wrong?

" Ziel put down his fishing rod and turned to Kalya.

n

"That...I wanted to ask this since we came back from the Alba Mountain Range. But I didn't dare to ask. Ziel, what's your relationship with Princess Aishia?

" Kalya finally dared to ask because she was curious and felt uncomfortable in her heart. Kalya saw that Ziel's facial expression softened even though he was still not smiling. Kalya knows this because she has always paid attention to his expression. After all, she never gets tired of looking at his face.

n

"I don't have a special relationship with her. She is the older sister of my former master ...

" Ziel then told about the beginning he became Princess Elise's servant to the incident that occurred in the Argaint Kingdom.

n

"I'm relieved to hear that.

" Kalya smiled sweetly and strengthened her arms around his waist.

n

"Are you jealous?

" He wanted to know why Kalya suddenly asked that. Even though Princess Freya also often approached him. But she didn't act like this.

n

"Yes, I want to be a selfish woman and make you mine alone. But if you love another woman, I hope you still have me in your heart and keep me by your side. Polygamy is allowed here anyway. And I will accept it.

" She said it with a smile but her hands that wrapped around his waist trembled slightly.

n

"Silly girl, I never thought of doing that at all. You also know how I am and you are the exception to me. So you don't have to think about that.

" Ziel poked Kalya's sharp nose, She pursed her lips then smiled loosely like a blooming flower.

n

"Thank you, Ziel.

" Kalya tightened her arms around his waist and buried her face in Ziel's back. He didn't know why she had been acting so spoiled and unusual lately when they were alone. Ziel thought maybe it was Kalya's true nature that he didn't know. Both of them continued to spend their time like that until the night came.

nWithout realizing it, a week has passed and the students from Piqmentia Grand Academy are about to start their studies again.. The students will be given a surprise on their first day back in class.

n