Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

Zach put a hand on Alzara's trembling shoulder.

"How is she doing?" He asked while looking at Nora's pale face.

"..." Alzara didn't say anything. She only flinched. She hadn't even noticed Zach getting close to her.

"Alzara…?" Zach asked again.

"..." She still didn't dare to answer.

With a frown, Zach took another step, ending up right next to Nora. She looked like she was sleeping on the warm sand. Nora had said she didn't like how the sand felt when lying on it. Despite that, she looked like she was at peace.

Nora didn't look like that even when she was sleeping deeply as of late. She was having trouble resting properly. She was anxious.

Just like Zach, she was worried about the rest of the Evandiel family. She was also worried about Zach. His condition had barely improved in quite a while, and he had a tendency to rush head-first into danger. How could she not worry about him?

She also worried about herself. She felt inadequate. She tried to keep up with Zach and the other maids, whether it be in terms of cooking, cleaning, or fighting.

At the beginning of Zach's journey as a summoner, she had somehow managed to keep equal steps with Yanael and Alzara. It was just that she wasn't as versatile since she wasn't good with swords or potions. So, she tried to expand her usefulness by studying as much as possible in the Academy's library.

But in that aspect, she couldn't keep up with Zach, who memorized everything he found interesting on the first read.

And as more time passed, and Zach added more familiars to his retinue, the gap increased. It wasn't just that Soara and Mandra were strong.
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For every step forward Nora took, they took ten or more steps. She would never be able to catch up to them.

How long would it take for Zach to give up on her?

He had said he trusted her. Nora knew Zach believed in her. But how could she believe that when she didn't believe in herself? Her heart didn't feel what her head was saying.

How long would it take before Zach realized that Nora was in too much danger by trying to accompany them?

How long would it take him to ask her to back down 'for her own good'?

Nora pushed herself to her limits and beyond. She willingly underwent training almost as harsh as the one her mother forced on her just to stay by Zach's side for even another day.

She asked the others to help her. They obliged. Nora was both thankful and resentful.

Not only were the four familiars exceptionally strong and competent maids, they were also kind. They cared even for her. Could they be any more perfect?

However, their help could only do so much.

Nora's talent had a ceiling, unlike Yanael. Her body couldn't handle Alzara's bottomless potions the same way Zach's did. Soara could squeeze her life force to draw out her latent potential, but she had sworn not to do that again, especially not on Nora.

Mandra mentioned something about body enhancement magic and experimental magic of different kinds. She was interested but reluctant. She wanted to do some tests on people who weren't close to Zach's heart first.

Nora had no choice but to wait.

But now, even that was too late.

There was no magical experiment that could bring the dead back to life, at least not perfectly. It couldn't restore Nora's life.

Who knows, maybe there was magic that could rewind time. Maybe there was magic that could actually bring the dead back to life.

A thought similar to that but too vague to be put in words appeared on the foggy shores of Zach's mind as he collapsed to his knees by Nora's side. Other than that, he had no clear thoughts in his head.

Once the realization of what had happened to Nora set in, his mind clouded itself to protect him, to soften the blow.

Still, his hand moved to hover over her chest.

Slowly, a golden barrier rippled out from his palm, covering Nora's body. The barrier hugged her body, pushing away any speck of dust or drop of blood, perfectly cleaning her and sealing her within a pristine cocoon.

Just like with Yanael, world essence energy slipped into the barrier, strengthening it far beyond normal.

This barrier wouldn't break. It would protect and preserve Nora forever. It was the least Zach could do. If Nora couldn't live forever, at least the memories of her would.

With her body protected and preserved, Zach had used the last dregs of energy in him. He slumped over Nora, hugging her as tightly as he could with his tired body.

He didn't feel the pain of his burned skin twisting and grinding against the barrier he had just made. He didn't feel the pain of his distorted veins and arteries or rebelling organs after the world essence energy wreaked havoc across his body.

The only pain he felt was in his eyes as red hot tears slowly trickled out and onto the barrier beneath his face. The tears pooled on the translucent barrier before breaking and running down the side, disappearing into the sand.

Zach closed his eyes and hugged Nora's body tighter.

He didn't want the sand to touch her body anymore, even with the barrier between them. He didn't want to feel the sand under his legs. He didn't want to feel the irritating sun bear down on his back or Nora's pale face.

He didn't want to breathe the hot and dusty air.

He didn't want to be in the desert anymore.

He didn't want to be in the Labyrinth anymore.

He didn't want to feel the burden of responsibility anymore. He didn't want to struggle just because his consciousness told him to anymore. He didn't want to suffer anymore.

He didn't want to do anything anymore.

He didn't want to be anywhere anymore.

Zach disappeared.