Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

Zach could feel Soara's gaze on him. It made him dizzy. But it was impossible for him not to hear their question or understand it. The power of her words took precedence over his dizziness.

He wanted to say no. He had to say no. He was going to say no.

"...Can I take a rain check?"

<...A rain check?> Soara's tone had changed slightly, but Zach couldn't tell how.

Zach tried to clear the lump from his throat so that he could speak.

"...Yes. As I am now, I wouldn't be able to handle the Trial of proving myself worthy of the throne."

<You are saying you will be in the future.>

"Yes." Zach's voice was clear.

Soara could tell he wasn't lying. It didn't seem like he hadn't grasped the meaning and burden of fighting for the rest of his life, either. He knew what he was signing up for.

<I see. Then, one day, when I deem you capable of proving your worth, I will call upon you, young man.> Soara spoke with finality. That was that. They had reached an agreement, and the matter was settled.

<Until that point, the twelfth Trial will remain incomplete. You shall receive your rewards for your efforts so far, young man.> Soara disappeared without a sound or movement. Even when he was looking at their legs, Zach didn't even notice when they disappeared.

Slowly, the throne room faded away around him like it had all been a mirage. He felt himself rise to the place where the Trials had taken place. No one else was there. No, that wasn't right.

None of the other entrants were there.

Soara was there. They were in the same robes, but it seemed like they had toned down their presence since Zach could hardly even see them, much less faint from the sight of them.

<Without further ado…> Their voice was the same, and it snaked around Zach's ears before creeping inside. Soara reached out with her hand toward Alzara. As she did so, a black leather book appeared in it.

Zach was too busy looking at the deathly pale, slender hand to see what the book was about until Alzar hesitantly received it. Alzara's hesitation vanished as soon as she grabbed the book and started reading it.

<Then, onto you, little angel, I bestow knighthood. With the power of a Knight, serve your Master well.> Soara waved her hand in Yanael's direction as she spoke like she was grabbing something invisible and putting it on Yanael.

"I refuse." Yanael rejected Soara's reward with a determined face and without any pretense. She was not interested.

"I am Master's maid, not a knight." Yanael took pride in her position. There was no need to throw it away, even if it made her stronger. Wielding a sword and a shield and fighting for Zach didn't make her a knight. It only made her a very capable maid. Find exclusive stories on empire

<I see. It was not my Knight you were interested in. It was their Submission. Alas…That is not something I can give you.> Soara's head lowered slightly in what could be taken as an apology.

<I hope this will suffice.> Soara waved her hand through the air, and a brown leather book appeared in it.

<You should be able to make the most of it with the talent you have displayed.>

Yanael received the book with both hands and a bow.

"Thank you for your graciousness." Since Yanael had refused her reward, it wouldn't have been strange if she didn't get anything. Instead, Soara had made sure she got something she would appreciate and could use.

Soara turned to Zach, ready to give him his reward. But Zach was looking at Alzara since she had received her reward first. He was busy looking at it with her.

He was amazed.

The book hadn't been more than a couple of fingers thick. But as they haphazardly flipped through it, it contained a seemingly endless amount of pages. The more they flipped, the more pages appeared.

Most importantly, all of the pages contained information about poisons, whether it be recipes, concoctions methods, ingredients, or where to find those ingredients. Some recipes or sections covered several pages while others shared the same page as more recipes.

It was a treasure trove of information.

Neither Zach nor Alzara recognized any of the poisons or the ingredients, but that didn't matter. They could just deal with that separately. What truly mattered was the incredible amount of highly detailed information.

Alzara would hardly have to experiment to create new poisons. And if he knew Alzara right, she could also use what she learned when making poisons to create potions and medicines.

It was the best thing she could have gotten. Zach was almost more excited than Alzara, even if only because he didn't quite realize how difficult it would be to find or substitute all the ingredients in the book's recipes.

But he would still be happy even if he did realize. He was confident Alzara had got a gift she loved and that would help her greatly. Still excited, he temporarily forgot about Soara, whose presence was akin to air in her current state. He turned to Yanael to see what her gift was.

Yanael didn't even notice him when he put his head next to hers to look at the same thing she was looking at.

Her book was similar in style to Alzara's. But instead of poison, her book detailed sword techniques.

Just the techniques and physical movements. Different techniques for different swords and bodies. Techniques and energy utilization. Different energies for different techniques. Different energies for the same techniques. One-handed.

Two-handed. Four-handed. Against people. Against monsters. With a shield. Without a shield.

With only a shield.

<Since you wield a shield as well, I included techniques for them as well.> Soara explained why shield techniques were in a book of sword techniques.

Zach looked up with a start. He couldn't believe he had been so distracted by his familiars' rewards that he forgot about a living breathing deity right in front of him. He hoped they didn't hold it against him.

He had also forgotten about his own reward. But Yanael and Alzara were part of his strength. Them getting rewards and growing stronger was the same as him getting rewards and growing stronger. He didn't mind if he didn't get anything. What the two of them got was more than enough.

The Book of Sword Techniques even made him want to pick up and learn the sword, so it would benefit him directly as well.

<What is your name, young man?>

"Zacharia Evandiel."

<Zacharia Evandiel, I pledge myself to you.>

Soara kneeled in front of Zach.