Jarron had led the class back to the Academy, so he only needed to take a step and a half and turn around to face the entire class.
"Students! We have returned to the Academy. Tomorrow is a day off for you all, so relax, rest, and eat as much cafeteria food as you like. After that, it will be business as usual according to schedule.
"Before you go, I just want to say again how proud I am of you. If I could, I would give you all top marks. But I can't do that. I'll go through everything and have your scores posted tomorrow. They will be a little more detailed than you're used to.
"If you want, we can go through them on homeroom the day after tomorrow. But we'll also need time to talk about levels.
"I won't hold you longer than this. Off you go! Except for Zach, Dukiel, and Julius. If possible, I want you three to stay behind a moment."
Zach looked at Jarron. Dukiel glanced at Zach and Julius. Julius crossed his arms stubbornly. The three stayed in place as the rest of the class dispersed toward their dorms to sleep and wash up.
When the others were gone, the three students walked closer to Jarron.
Jarron cleared his throat and looked at them.
"Now, I heard you three encountered the Underworld?"
"That's right. What—" While Dukiel nodded and Julius stayed silent, Zach confirmed Jarron's words and was about to ask for more information about it when Jarron held up a hand and stopped him.
"No questions. I don't have much to say, and there's even less I am allowed to say. That's why I'm going to ask the principal to talk to you. I'm not sure when he'll be free or you'll get the answers you want to the questions you have. But this is a sensitive matter. The information won't leave the Academy, and I'll make sure to talk to your classmates as well.
Zach and the other two nodded.
Zach was a little disappointed since he hadn't gotten the opportunity to talk to Jarron about it during the field trip and wanted to know more. But he wasn't disappointed enough to insist or question Jarron's decision, especially when it could earn him more detention.
Besides, compared to Jarron, the principal would know more and be willing to share some of that information with them.
Now, Zach just wanted to dust off his bed and make up for the time it had gone unused.
Dukiel looked at Zach's back as he wandered toward his dorm. It looked dark.
He glanced at Julius only to find that he had already left. Dukiel sighed and left for his own dorm room. He was tired.
Zach frowned as he got closer to his dorm.
It was understandable she hadn't been there to greet the students when they returned from the field trip since she would have no way of knowing when they would return. It would also be improper to have a maid attend to him when the class was technically still ongoing. It would also be unfair to the other classmates, but that didn't bother Zach much.
However, Nora should have heard that the first years had returned from the field trip by now. She should have come to greet him with refreshments, a warm towel, and praise for how well he had done.
'She better not be slacking off…'
Zach narrowed his eyes as he stopped in front of his door and opened it with gusto. Yanael was a little confused by Zach's violent door opening but didn't comment on it. She figured he was just eager to go to bed.
Zach stopped right inside the doorway and looked around the room.
He glanced toward the kitchen. Maybe she was preparing snacks or food.
Nope. No sounds or movement from the kitchen.
Zach frowned again. The only place she could be if she was in his dorm was his bedroom.
Zach put a finger to his lips to signal to Yanal to be quiet. He snuck over to the door and carefully cracked it open.
He wasn't sure what he had expected. He was pretty sure he was just being paranoid and that Nora was out on an errand somewhere else in the Academy or in the campus city.
No, Nora had taken it upon herself to make sure Zach's bed remained dust-free and warm, ready for his return.
She was sleeping on it, curled up with one of Zach's shirts tightly clenched in her hands and pressed against her face.
Zach exhaled and looked at Nora with his hands on his hips for a moment.
'What a disgraceful maid.'
He shook his head and walked up to the bed. He made sure to be silent as a mouse as he grabbed the edges of the cover Nora was sleeping on.
Before Nora could wake up or react, Zach had flipped the edges over and wrapped Nora in a cocoon, leaving only her head exposed.
"Uhh…Zach? That you?"
Nora's eyes shot open and she looked at Zach.
"It's not what it looks like!"
Nora tried to hide the shirt behind her back only to discover that she could barely move. She was wrapped in a thick duvet with her arms pressed to her chest.
"H-hey, what's going on, Young Master? I-I can't move you know?"
"H-how am I supposed to serve you tea , Young Master?"
"Not at all, Young Master! You have just returned from what must have been a taxing field trip. Please let me serve you tea!"
"Schh." Zach shushed Nora before leaving to quickly wash himself.
"Zach! I mean, Young Master! Please don't leave me !"
Zach brought Yanael with him and left Nora like that.
"Zach, you bastard! Get me out of this right now!
It took a while for Zach and Yanael to get all the warm water he needed for a bath. Then, under Yanael's supervision, Zach took a quick nap in the bath.
The plan to quickly wash up went out the window and Nora was left to suffer for several hours.