Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem-Chapter 520: Exaggeration

Zach was happy seeing the look of frustration on Lexi's face. It was finally her turn to be on that side. Usually, it was the other way around. She would confuse and frustrate people by spending minutes or hours learning what others could take months or years to do.

But now, she was faced with a wall that she couldn't even see the top of, much less climb.

Zach had to revel in it as long as possible.

Unfortunately, Lexi was quick to control her expression.

"I mean, that's cool, I guess," She said with a shrug and a voice full of clear disinterest.

"I know what you're doing."

"Oh? And what am I doing?"

"It's not going to work."

"What's not going to work?"

"This!"

"What is 'this'?"

"Ah, screw it, I'll just tell you. If you don't want to hear it, just stop me."

"..."

Read lat𝙚st chapters at fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓ Only.

Zach snorted before continuing.

"I…am actually not sure how to explain it. Soara, please take the reins."

"Yes, Master." Soara cleared her throat. She had half expected this since Zach and Lexi first started talking about his world essence energy.

"To give you the context you need, Lexi, Zach acquired it in my Labyrinth, the Labyrinth of Syst. I arranged twelve trials for the entrants to clear. I used world essence energy to maintain the Labyrinth and the Labyrinth entrants so that they wouldn't need to eat or…relieve themselves in the Labyrinth since the trials could take several weeks, months, or years to complete—"

"Wait, wait, wait. Sorry to interrupt you when you're just getting started, but you're talking like you—like it was your Labyrinth?" Lexi interrupted. She got hung up on the first question she got during Soara's explanation. Her inquisitive mind wouldn't let her move on until she received an answer.

"Well, yeah, I made it. Who else would it belong to if not me?" Soara looked at Yanael as if to say, 'This girl.' Zach saw that but just rolled his eyes.

That was not common knowledge, but Lexi deserved to be treated like she was the ignorant one for once. Besides, Soara was probably doing it to lighten the mood.

"...I was under the impression that you were Zach's reward for clearing the Labyrinth?" Lexi said tentatively. She wasn't sure if she had made a mistake or what.

"I was." Soara nodded assertively.

"She made herself the reward," Yanael helpfully added. She glanced at Zach to get permission to explain. Zach nodded.

"We obscured the truth about Soara's identity since it might cause an uproar if he was walking around with a deity from another world and the creator of one of the five Labyrinths that have existed since before the Empire."

Lexi's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. Yanael continued.

"She figured that she had collected enough dust when Master finished the first part of the twelfth Trial. So she came up with a half-ridiculous excuse just to get out of the Labyrinth and see the world, willingly putting on the maid dress and becoming Master's familiar."

"I-I see," Lexi meekly answered, still struggling to come to terms with the sudden revelations of Soara's background.

"Ahem." Soara cleared her throat. "Getting back on track and cutting the story a little short…Master made a barrier around himself that blocked off the world essence energy, putting his body in a weakened state. A little more than usual was necessary to make up for that and restore him. It wasn't much, but it was enough for him to sense it. Thanks to that, he became aware of it, making it his own. A coincidence possible only because it was Master."

Lexi's eyes widened and she looked at Zach.

"Your barriers can block energies like that? And they could do it back then already?"

Zach crossed his arms smugly, and Lexi regretted asking.

"Well, what can I say? I am just that good," He said with a light shrug.

Lexi rolled her eyes and sighed, looking away. Cocky people…

"Your barriers…" She started saying. She still had things she wanted to know, after all. "They're your first contract skill, right?"

Zach nodded.

"How did you, you know, learn how to use it?" She asked. She didn't want to admit it, but she couldn't figure out how to use hers.

Zach's eyes widened. He could tell where Lexi's hesitation stemmed from. But he was struggling with the same problem, so he didn't mention it, much to Lexi's relief.

"In a way, it was luck, I guess."

"Luck?" Lexi asked doubtfully. That was the opposite of what Zach was known for.

"Yeah. A chandelier dropped on my head—"

"What?!"

"Haven't I told you about this before?"

"...I don't think so?"

"Still, it's not big enough of a deal for you to shout like that."

"Of course it is! You could have died!"

Zach's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Lexi, do you remember when I returned home after my first year at the Academy and told you all about what I had done during that first year?"

"Mostly."

"Everything I said then is much worse than a simple chandelier falling on me."

"Huh? As if! That was just exaggeration!"

"..."

"Right?"

"...None of you believed me?" Zach asked, his gaze dropping in disappointment. He had figured that there was no need to lie or exaggerate since his family had more than enough resources to keep track of what was going on at the Academy.

But apparently not.

Lexi's eyes flashed with realization as she thought about what Zach had said. If he wasn't lying right now, that meant he had technically died during his first year at the Academy. Before Zach's disappointment could sink deeper, she quickly hugged him. She wasn't sure what she could say, but she knew he needed comfort.

Zach just sighed and after a while spoke again.

"Lexi, when you look at me right now, what do you see?" He asked.

Lexi grabbed him by the shoulders and held him at arm's length while looking him up and down.

"I mean, your hair is redder than I remember, and your skin looks like it could use some lotion, if I'm being honest."

"Look closer."

Lexi narrowed her eyes and took a closer look at Zach's skin.

"Are these…Scars? All over your body? But they're so faint…What happened to you, Zach?" She asked, her voice full of concern.

Zach looked at her for a second before gesturing at Yanael. Showing her would be easier than telling. Yanael transformed her bracelet into a sword and handed it to Zach.

Zach slit his wrist without so much as blinking. Lexi flinched and reached for Zach, grabbing the sword and throwing it away.

She froze.

The wound was already closing.