Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

Since the members of his club were carrying out his orders, Zach naturally couldn't sit still. One of the important parts of his plan was getting the first-years to contribute. The first years themselves weren't the problem.

They were human and young ones at that. Zach felt confident he and the others would be able to get them to agree if nothing and no one else was involved. But their will wasn't the problem.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

After entering the Academy, someone else dictated their lives.

Zach's first meeting was with the principal. His eyes glimmered at Zach's suggestion. He also mentioned something about Zach having the potential to become an instructor or even the principal when he grew up. Zach ignored and promptly forgot about that.

As soon as he graduated, he wasn't stepping foot inside the Academy again.

The principal agreed and supported the idea as long as Zach filled in the necessary paperwork. He had to do it personally. He could not delegate it to anyone else.

It meant extra work for him, which pleased the principal. If Zach wanted to get anywhere in life, he would have to do a lot of paperwork. Very few paths in life did not lead to paperwork or hunger.

And if he was going to become an instructor at the Academy? Paperwork would be his breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He wouldn't go hungry ever again.

And since the principal agreed, Jarron couldn't reject it, even if he was worried about the first-years. Besides, he was just as worried about his class, the third-years. Without the first-years' help, they would have to work even harder, take even more risks, and face even more danger.

That left one instructor to convince.

"No. Over my dead body." Instructor Drupesh didn't even hear Zach out. As soon as he mentioned borrowing the first-years, she refused and rejected his suggestion.

"But the principal—"

"So what if the principal agreed to it? He wouldn't tell my kids what to do. You and your classmates would do that. I say no. That means you don't even talk to my students without me being there. And if you post requests or spread rumors or whatever tricks you might pull, I'll pull your teeth out." Drupesh glared at Zach. She would have gotten up and left if they weren't holding the conversation in her office.

"Is an instructor supposed to threaten a student like that?" Zach asked, taken aback by Instructor Drupesh's strong attitude.

"Are students supposed to dump their work on their juniors?"

"Ye—"

"No. They are supposed to do it themselves."

"And we will do it as soon as we can. But that can take a month or two."

"So? You can handle a month or two. It's not like my students can provide any meaningful help in any fight against the Underworld."

"They don't need to fight—"

"I'm not interested in what you want them to do." Instructor Drupesh held up a hand and stopped Zach from speaking.

"Now, if you don't have anything meaningful to say, please remove yourself from my office."

Zach sighed and put his hand inside his shirt.

If she was going to be difficult, he would have to use some negotiation material.

Zach took out and put a yellow, clay-like brick on the table between him and Drupesh.

"That's not even gold but you're trying to bribe me with it?" Drupesh correctly guessed Zach's intentions. However, she did not correctly identify the object. She could only tell that it wasn't gold. And since it came from Zach, she wasn't going to probe it any further.

But she couldn't help it.

Something drew her gaze to it, making her give it a second look. That second look turned into a long and studious third look. She reached out to grab it, but Zach snatched it up and held it in his hand, making it difficult for Drupesh to see it, much less study it.

She looked at Zach with an intense expression as if she couldn't believe he had the guts to do that.

She scoffed.

"If you think a strange brick will be enough to convince me to turn my students into cannon fodder, think again."

"They won't be turned into cannon fodder. Besides, isn't that part of this Academy's goals? Kill a few to strengthen many? If you coddle your students, a majority of them will die after graduating."

"Who's the instructor here? Me or you? I can handle teaching my students just fine. Now, show me that stone again, or get out." Drupesh pointed at the door.

Zach shrugged and held up the yellowish brick. But he didn't let Drupesh take it.

Drupesh's eyes narrowed as she looked at the stone. It was an interesting piece. Zach just hoped it would be interesting enough. He hadn't expected Drupesh to be this against the idea.

She was a far cry from Jarron when it came to standing up for the students and her values. Jarron made a few too many mistakes and caved under the principals' pressure a little too easily. But then again, he hadn't been an instructor for as long as Drupesh.

Eventually, the light in Drupesh's eyes changed to a determined one. She met Zach's eyes after barely tearing her gaze away from the stone.

"You said you wouldn't turn my students into cannon fodder…?" She tentatively asked.

Zach controlled the smile that threatened to burst forth.

The brick he had taken from the Labyrinth of Syst had worked wonders in convincing a stone lover like Drupesh.

"Not at all. They might even be safer working for my club than they would be if you let the principal come up with something. But they'll be close to risky situations and still learn what they need to learn during their first year at this Academy. Now, I shouldn't get ahead of myself or inflate this proposal, but this might be the perfect curriculum for your students." Zach gave Drupesh his best businessman-like smile.

She narrowed her eyes skeptically.

But after Zach gave her the details of what he had planned, she couldn't help but agree that her students would be safe as long as things went according to plan. She had nothing to worry about as long as everything went according to Zach's plan.

If Drupesh had taken a moment to think about what she was agreeing to and who she was talking with, her decision might have been different.

"W-where did you get this?"

But her attention was completely taken away by the mysterious stone that was not like any material she had ever come in contact with. It was like it didn't even come from the same land.