Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

After identifying and securing a sample of the residual magical energy from the arsonist, Mandra devised a simple spell that localized any nearby magical energy that matched. It would let them follow the arsonist's trace, and if the trail went cold, the spell would find the arsonist as long as they were close enough.

They didn't have time to waste, so after making sure that Zach wasn't too affected by Mandra pushing the limit, they set off.

It was in times like these that Zach missed Nessa's Millipede. It was fast, stable, and comfortable to ride. It was much better than having to walk or be carried by one of his maids. It was also less taxing than putting himself, Visla, and Nora on a floating barrier and carrying them while his maids ran next to them.

But Zach didn't care about conserving energy right now or worrying too much about his condition, so he used the floating barrier method and hovered over the ground with Nora and Visla since the two were significantly weaker and had less endurance than his familiars.

The four maids ran side by side with Zach without so much as a hint of labored breathing or having trouble keeping up.

Visla was once again impressed by the might of a summoner and their familiars. But as she watched Zach and his familiars, she also realized that it wasn't that simple. It probably would not be that easy to get a single summoner as strong as Zach, much less a whole group of them.

In the first place, with their current circumstances, it would be difficult to even reach a place with the Empire where the Sesha would be allowed entry to the Academy for Summoners' Chamber of Ceremony. As she thought about it, she absentmindedly rubbed the tattoo on her arm.

As they traveled, Zach and the others grew increasingly surprised at how far the arsonist had traveled in such a short time. Either they were stronger and faster than they had assumed or they were in a rush.

Zach hoped it was the latter. It could mean that they had noticed their arrival and were scared.

Mandra, who was in the lead, suddenly held up a hand and stopped everyone.

"What is it?" Zach asked a little more impatiently than he would have liked.

"There's people ahead, Master. A camp."

At Mandra's words, Zach looked forward and sharpened his senses. That discoloration far away was not a grouping of rocks or grass, then. It was a barbarian camp and a big one by the looks of it.

"Is the arsonist there?"

The camp wasn't on fire.

Mandra nodded.

"It looks like they put up a fight before being captured, Master."

"Let's go."

Zach, Nora, and Visla dropped down from the barrier and walked the rest of the way. It didn't take long for them to be spotted and approached by the warriors of the Nilma tribe, who were on high alert after a recent incident. However, they accepted Visla's proof of identity and let her and Zach into the camp.

Zach couldn't help but notice that the Nilma tribe wasn't quite as respectful toward her as the other tribes had been. He had even dyed his hair black to hide his familial relationships. But he soon figured out it was because the Nilma tribe was powerful enough that they only had to show Visla the bare minimum courtesy.

They were the only tribe in the camp, yet it was bigger than the combined ones they had visited already.

The Nilma tribe was a big and powerful one. It was a good thing Zach had dyed his hair already. Otherwise, they would have been in a pinch, even with the other tribes' support of their peace activities.

However, they were not the only ones the Nilma could put in a pinch.

Zach and his maids clearly weren't Sesha, so they weren't allowed beyond the camp's perimeter. They had to stay there under careful watch while Visla talked to the chief. It was inconvenient, but Zach trusted Visla. As long as it was within her power, she could handle it.

Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire

And if it came to it, Zach was confident he could flee if it were outside her power.

After a while, Visla returned with a warrior by her side and a light-clad barbarian who left the camp in the direction of the burned camp and town to verify what Visla had talked about with her chief.

Until then, Zach and Visla would have to stay put. Visla could roam around the camp with a warrior if she wanted, but she didn't.

After more than half a day, the scout returned, tired, sweaty, and panting. He had run all the way and back without break. The return trip had been particularly exhausting since he felt he had to deliver the news to the chief as soon as possible.

The sight he had seen was horrible. If Visla knew something about it, they needed that information.

It also could not be a coincidence that they found a strange individual lurking around their camp who breathed fire when asked to surrender shortly after those two sites were burned to the ground.

The Nilma tribe's chief could see the connection. The solution was simple. Kill the arsonist fucker.

But he was generous enough to invite Zach and Visla to the tent where they kept him chained up and gagged with a cloth soaked in water. No maids, though.

Zach and Visla both frowned when they saw the individual.

They were not human but still human somehow.

He had dark green hair. His pupils were vertical slits like those of a snake, and there were tiny scales on his cheeks. His ears were slightly pointed and pressed to his head.

He smelled like fire and ash.

Visla clenched her fists tightly to control the urge to tear his jaw off and bash his skull in.@@novelbin@@

More important than executing him was figuring out why he had done it and if he was alone.

The chief understood the need for the answers to those questions, so he gestured for a warrior to remove the gag.