Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

"So, what now?" Anerias asked after the Underworld Exterminators dispersed. A couple of them had been a little dissatisfied with Zach's answer as to why he had agreed to Mursoth's ceasefire.

But it had been made clear earlier that the students held the authority over what happened with the Underworld and Basilia. If they wanted to complain or do something about Zach's decision, they needed better reasons than how they didn't like making a deal with the underworlders.

For now, they would wait and see what would happen. With Bruns gone, the Exterminators had to realize that they might have taken water over their heads with this mission. They would fight the Underworld if they stayed, but it wouldn't be much of a fight if Mursoth joined the fray.

It would turn into a slaughter. None of them wanted that.

Of course, there were some who were willing to die for the cause. But those were rare.

Anerias and the others looked at each other before finally turning to Zach.

It wasn't like Zach had prepared any answers, so he took a minute to answer.

"What now? Business as usual. The people are still sick. The city is still contaminated. You guys still aren't close enough to level twenty. If that isn't enough to keep you all busy, I'm sure we can find something for you to do." Zach turned around after speaking to his club members and classmates.

Personally, he felt like taking a nap or enjoying some tea and snacks.

"What about, you know, the underworlders?" Dukiel cautiously asked.

"Until they break the ceasefire, there's not much for us to do in that area."

"So, we wait?"

"We wait."

"Do you know how long it might be?"

"No more than you. Might be tomorrow. Might be in a year. It wasn't like Mursoth gave us a number."

"...I don't like this." Nessa wasn't the only one who didn't like it, even if she was the only one who said it.

"You don't have to like it."

"It feels like waiting for an iron ball to drop on my head at any moment." Dukiel put a hand on his head as he complained.

"Sleep with one eye open." Zach gave him some very helpful advice.

Dukiel sighed.

Zach was right. They didn't have to like it. They just had to accept it and be ready to fight back at any time.

If there was one thing to help them, it was that Mursoth wouldn't have asked for a ceasefire if it was a matter of days. If it had been, he wouldn't have risked them taking the bait and using a potion to disrupt their plans. It was more likely weeks or maybe even months.

That would at least give them some time to prepare and grow as strong as they could before shit went down.
Continue your adventure with empire

The students dreaded it.

If it was something that was worth asking for a ceasefire, it would definitely be dangerous once it was ready. They would have to put in a lot of work, time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears if they didn't want to share fate with fish on chopping blocks.

Since they would be busy, even more so now than before, the students visited their comatose comrade. They wouldn't have much time to do that until the year's end.

Some of the students dreamed nightmares about the principal telling them they wouldn't be getting a break this year since the Underworld wouldn't be taking a break. It wasn't confirmed yet, but enough students had shared that dream for it to turn into a rumor.

Fortunately, that would be going against the school rules. If the students wanted to stay in the Academy during the break, the principal couldn't stop them, but he couldn't force them to stay.

However, the school rules were set by the principal. Who was to say he wouldn't change them?

The students did their best to ignore that possibility and focus on their assignments and tasks the last few weeks of the year.

Nessa looked at Zach.

"What did the doctors say?"

"After another round of testing just to make sure there won't be any unexpected side effects, they will be ready to start treatment." Zach looked at Rierdan's unconscious body as he answered.

It had taken time, but they were finally ready to help Rierdan recover.

Zach had been worried about the spy getting rid of Rierdan as soon as news spread about the medicine. Nothing had happened when information about the potion circulated, but maybe the medicine was more of a concern.

Fortunately, nothing had happened.

Finally, they could get a clue about who the spy was or at least about who had attacked Rierdan.

For now, one of their main advantages in the fight against the Underworld was their assumption that the Underworld had assumed it would be difficult for them to mass produce potions.

If the information that they could produce more potions spread to the Underworld, the ceasefire might cease to exist, and the underworlders might launch a devastating sneak attack. The only one who would spread that information to the Underworld was the spy or a spy. There could be several.

But it would be difficult to tell who it was now that information had spread to the rest of the students and some of the Underworld Exterminators.

Still, Zach was confident they could deal with whatever was waiting for them in the future.

For now, they could start treating Rierdan, finish their assignments, and cure the remaining citizens that were still suffering from light poisoning. The city was as good as cleared from underworld energy.

Time passed surprisingly quickly, despite the students having to sleep with one eye open due to the overhanging threat of the Underworld. In the moment, time felt slow. But all of a sudden, the final weeks of their second year were in the past and they stood in front of the end of the school year.

On their last day before the break, Zach found a note stuck on his door. Written with thick, black ink was a number and a word.

'Six months.'