Chapter 115: Quick Enough

The way out of the Labyrinth once they were outside the floor boss' castle wasn't difficult to find or tricky to follow. They just had to stay in one place on neutral ground for some time while thinking about wanting to leave.

Zach didn't understand how it worked. Neither did Lexi, but she would never admit it.

But it was the same with the Wishing Key. Just by thinking about what he wished, he got a room where he could summon his second familiar.

The Labyrinth and some of its treasures could read minds. Not spooky at all.

After a while, the ground swallowed them up and spat them back out into the Labyrinth Hall again. The place was still full of life but quietened down slightly when the people inside the Hall noticed that it was the two Evandiel children who had returned.

However, instead of seeing them off with silence, the crowd of Labyrinth explorers, knights, merchants, and more cheered. Zach's clothes were ragged and torn with signs of dried blood. seaʀᴄh thё Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

He had fought and rolled around on the ground on his first trip to the Labyrinth. It was enough cause for celebration to earn them encouraging cheers from the crowd. The fact that they had returned alive was also enough to celebrate. It wasn't only because they were children of the Duke.

It was always a great thing when the people who explored the Labyrinth returned with at least their lives intact.

Some who had seen the group enter with two maids were a little confused when they left with three, but no one mentioned or talked about it.

Lexi stopped walking when they were outside the Labyrinth Entrance's area and looked at Zach.

"You go on ahead. I've gotta deal with this, and the sooner the better." She held up the notebook she had used to write down and draw everything they had learned about the first floor of the Jira Labyrinth.

"Sure. See you at home." Zach nodded and turned around. If he was quick, he might make it to all the siblings before Lexi could tell them what he had said.

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He was not quick enough.

Zach didn't slack off on his way back, but before he was even half the way to the mansion, Lexi zipped past him, only slowing down long enough to stick her tongue out at Zach before continuing.

Zach stopped running entirely for a moment and just looked at the trail of dust Lexi kicked up. He took a minute or two to stand still and stare in a daze. It was enough for Nora to start getting worried.

Other than keeping half an eye on Zach, his safety and comfort and being ready for anything he might say, Yanael and Alzara ignored or looked at each other.

After a while, Zach started walking at a moderate pace. He wasn't in a rush anymore.

When he saw a carriage leaving the estate, he wondered if he should hitch a ride to the city and find transport back to the Academy. But he didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to the people that mattered, like his parents and Nora's mother. Maybe Leonidas, too.

There was also a dog that Zach wanted to greet before leaving for another year. He had also seen a newly moved-in family of birds in one of the trees outside his window.

Eventually, he racked up enough excuses to continue back to the mansion.

He made it just in time for dinner. With everyone already together, the gushing was overwhelming, and Zach felt like he had more hands on his head than strands of hair.

But the hands were warm and gentle. Zach couldn't stay mad.

Zach's parents and siblings were busy people. But for two weeks, he spent as much time as he could with them. Some days, it wasn't more than dinner. On other days, he trained, played, studied, or read with his siblings for hours. One day when his father took a break, he even got personal tutoring on how to use a spear from the Duke of Evandiel.

Nymur Evandiel was one of the Empire's greatest swordsmen. He was famous for the strength and power of his sword, as well as his fiery grace on the battlefield. When he was in business mode and stood with a straight back and focused expression, some even likened him to a sword taken human form.

However, the sword was just his entry into the world of combat. Merely being good with the sword hadn't brought him to his current heights.

He wasn't an expert on spears. But he was more than qualified enough to teach Zach the basics so that he could make the most of the rat king's spear. It was too good of a spear not to use, after all. It was also easier to get started with a spear than a sword. He just needed to stab and he would be fine.

Wielding a sword effectively was a little more difficult.

Zach didn't have any plans on pursuing the path of the spear in any way. But knowing how to handle himself in situations like the one with the rat king wouldn't hurt. It was also a nice opportunity to spend time with his father that didn't involve staring awkwardly at him while being patted on the head.

After hearing about Zach's determination to use barriers even when their breaking meant internal injuries, Calserra also brought Zach along for a day to see if he could become a Dominator. It was closely tied to strength of will and mental strength, after all.

Unfortunately, Zach didn't show any signs of having inherited his mother's talent.

Zach was a little regretful. Unlike weapons and magic, Zach was actually interested in Domination.

But it was not to be for him. It was exclusive to Calserra, Leana, and Lexi in their family.

Zach fooled around with his family and wasted time resting and playing until it was finally time for him, Yanael, Alzara, and Nora to leave for the Academy again.