Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

Zach, Nora, his familiars, and the carriage driver took a detour to a monster-ridden forest to kill some time and small fries and because the principal had told them he didn't want to see anyone on the school grounds during the break. So, Zach figured it would be best to arrive at the very end of the break or maybe even be a little late to the entrance ceremony.

Fortunately, he wasn't late. He arrived in the middle of the hustle and bustle of new and returning students unpacking and moving into the dorms for another dreaded year at the Academy for Summoners.

Zach wondered if Violina, Dukiel, Anerias, and Nessa had arrived yet or if they were doing the same as him and making sure they didn't arrive too early. It was unlikely, considering they were good students and all. But maybe they were busy.

However, before scouring the Academy for them, Zach wanted to stop by the principal's office first. Nora and Yanael unpacked and cleaned up his suite while Zach, Alzara, Soara, and Mandra wandered the halls until they arrived at the principal's office.

Since it was the first visit after the break, Zach knocked before entering.

"Zach, you're back. You've had a nice break, I see," the principal said, nodding toward Mandra. He was also referring to the state of Zach's body and state of mind, which were obvious at a glance to the principal. He could tell that while Zach hadn't necessarily grown explosively stronger over the break, he had solidified his strength and rounded out his weaknesses.

"Yes." Zach nodded and pointed to Mandra.

"This is Mandra, an Archon. SSS-rank."

The principal's eyes widened slightly. He wished Kami had been there so that he and Zach could see the look on the purple-haired summoner's face.

"You…didn't blow up?"

"Nope."

"Amazing." The principal narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zach a little closer.

"You might need to take it a little slower next time, though," the principal advised.

Zach suddenly felt a cold breeze from behind.

"I am not thinking about summoning another familiar for a while. After we're done with the Underworld and after graduation, I am taking it easy. You really should put more consideration into what you want your students to do. Seriously, everyone I've talked to about this graduation requirement thinks it's impossible." Zach sighed and plopped down in an armchair opposite the principal as he complained.

The principal leaned forward and rested his chin on his clasped hands and looked at Zach with a strange glow in his eyes.

"What do you think, Zach? Is it impossible?" He asked.

Zach rolled his neck and folded his arms. He sighed again.

"If it's impossible, it's impossible. But how can I say it is without even trying? But if it is impossible and we don't graduate, I'll make sure you suffer just a much as we do."

"It will be my pleasure." The principal grinned. Zach could tell he was earnestly looking forward to the day that Zach could actually cause him trouble.

Zach shook his head. For some reason, he could kind of understand the principal. Even the Empress Dowager, one of the officially strongest somewhat active people in the Empire didn't even entertain the thought of measuring up to the principal.

How long hadn't the principal, infamous for causing trouble and wreaking havoc, lived a peaceful life? How long had he lived without anyone so much as daring to look at the peak he stood on all alone?

The principal wasn't necessarily a coldhearted psychopath for everything he put his students through without blinking. He was just apathetic. All the years he had spent at the peak had weathered him. If he put a piece of his heart in every student who died, he would have long crumbled.

In the long run, the principal's collapse would lead to far greater chaos and more deaths. It was only right and natural that he did what he did, even if it wasn't something he could receive gratitude for.

Zach blinked.

"???"

Why did he suddenly get such a good understanding of the principal?

The principal frowned.

"...What did you just do?" He asked, concerned.

"I…" However, before Zach could answer, he felt something wrong with his eyes. He reached up to touch them, his fingers came away stained with blood—blood that Zach couldn't see.

Zach blinked and rubbed his eyes again. He could feel it, the warm, the wet, the sticky. But he couldn't see anything.

He couldn't see anything. He couldn't see.

Zach continued rubbing and wiping his eyes in a panic. Maybe the blood was just in the way. As soon as he got it out of the way, he would be able to see again.

The principal reached out and grabbed Zach's wrists, stopping him from covering his entire face in blood.

"Calm down." The principal's voice was gentler than Zach had ever heard. It soothed him to his very core. As if enchanted, it even closed the lid to his mind, putting him to sleep.

The principal looked at Zach's familiars.

He opened his mouth.

***

Zach slowly came to, his head throbbing with pain. He remembered vividly what happened before he fell asleep. He didn't want to open his eyes only to realize he was still blind, but he had to know whether he could see or not.

But he took his time. He recognized the feel and smell of his dorm room and bed. And he could sense Nora by his side and the familiars nearby. There was no need to rush. He was in a safe space.

After a minute of silence, during which Nora and the familiars sensed he had woken up but didn't say anything, Zach slowly tried to open his eyes.

His mind relaxed as soon as the first line of light entered through his barely open eyelids. However, he frowned slightly when he opened his eyes fully and looked around.

It was blurry. If it hadn't been because he looked at Nora and his familiars more than he looked at himself, he would have had trouble seeing them in the jumble of smudged color that the world around him had turned into.

He exhaled out of frustration.