And so, Zack Adder turned away from the font of knowledge—the library; the room that contained precious information that he needed to gather…

  You might think that this was counter-productive.

  But then you wouldn’t be thinking like a secret agent.

  Every minute mattered.

  And recorded information exfiltration was Zack Adder’s specialty.

  In plain language, he could always just break into the book room and steal books later.

  Even better, he had been granted access. He didn’t have to break in. He could just waltz in at his leisure and read whatever he wanted.

  Borrowing books from the book room was not, apparently, allowed in this castle, but that was alright.

  In the back of Zack Adder’s mind, at all times, he was painfully aware that he had no backup, and no extraction team waiting to leap in and rescue him.

  This was beyond deep cover.

  So, his priority had to be laying the groundwork.

  And that meant people.

  He knew several handfuls of maids and knights by name and face already, after just one day.

  But he didn’t know them all.

  This was acceptable, since it was only the first full day.

  But meeting everyone, getting to know them, and recruiting allies was his first task.

  His second task was not turning allies into enemies accidentally.

  For instance, by getting them in trouble for doing him a kindness.

  There was another reason not to prioritize the real book room.

  It was highly unlikely that anything actually secret was stored there.

  Certainly, there might be information he would personally find valuable.

  But he doubted that there was any secret information about the summoning ritual just lying about.

  [Guide] Rosimund and [Priestess] Maria.

  Setting aside that Maria seemed to hate him for religious zealotry reasons, they were both trying to keep information secret from him, even though he was a member of the [Hero’s Party].

  Given that they had already decided to keep secrets from him, it would take an enormous effort to befriend them enough to subvert their loyalties and make them his allies.

  It was much more efficient to befriend their associates and see what they might leak, inadvertently or intentionally.

  Rather like how Bradley was already blabbing about buffing miracles.

  Zack Adder’s relationship with Bradley Northcourt was worth developing.

  The [Priestess] and the [Guide]?

  In the long term, sure.

  But in the short term…

  Barclay.

  He had covered for Zack earlier in the day, changed the training plan, and now he was in some spot of trouble.

  He deserved a heads up before Rosimund arrived to chew him out.

  Following the directions of the librarian, Zack found his way to the Knights’ barracks. The large double doors were wide open, revealing a lounge much like one would find on an Army base. In the corner was a bar, with a tapped keg and several more standing ready to do their duty. There were a number of tables, chairs, and couches, and dozens of men ranging from young to middle-aged were relaxing and chatting, or even playing a board game that looked suspiciously…

  No, it was literally chess.

  “Hey, is Sir Barclay here?” Zack called.

  The room froze for a moment, and then one of the older knight’s eyes widened in recognition. He turned and barked towards the back of the lounge, where a door ajar revealed rows of bunks.

  “Barclay, get out here! It’s the [Otherworlder]!”

  At that, knights hurried to their feet to come to attention.

  What could the [Otherworlder], a member of the [Hero’s Party], need now, at this hour?

  “Whoa, relax guys.” Zack smiled and held up his hands, and Barclay dashed out of the bunkroom with surprising speed.

  “What?! What is it?!” he shouted, eyes wide.

  “Hey, Barclay!” Zack smiled and waved. “You got a minute?”

  Barclay rushed over, and Zack put a hand on his shoulder with a serious look on his face.

  “Barclay, I have bad news.”

  “What is it?” Barclay looked at him grimly.

  “I think Sir Rosimund is mad at you.”

  As it turned out, the [Private Conversation] skill also gave him a good sense of precisely how loud to speak such that everyone in the room could hear.

  All the knights turned and started eavesdropping without shame.

  Juicy gossip!

  “Huh? Why? Why would the Captain be mad…”

  “Barclay, we went to the wrong book room.”

  Knights all throughout the lounge started muttering.

  “We have a book room?”

  “We have more than one?”

  “Wait, so where did they go, then…?”

  Barclay was stunned and confused.

  “Apparently, that was the outdated book storage room. The real book room was up the hall and around the corner.”

  All the surrounding knights burst out laughing, and Barclay slapped his palm to his face.

  “And…” he said from behind his hand, “Captain Rosimund knows of this?”

  Zack nodded grimly.

  One of the older knights, with a blocky, square-shaped head and long black sideburns streaked with grey, walked up laughing and clapped Barclay on the other shoulder.

  “Barclay, you’re in a for a reaming.”

  Barclay sighed.

  “Well, I had a good time reading, at least,” Zack smiled. “I’ll back you up.”

  “Good lad!” the older knight half-shouted, and the surrounding knights cheered.

  “Hey!” Zack pointed over at the bar and the keg. “What’s that over there? Beer?”

  “That’d be ale, [Otherworlder].”

  “Oh, great! I could go for a drink, if that’s alright?”

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Sir Zack, members of the [Hero’s Party] shouldn’t be…”

  “Oh, lighten up, Barclay!” The other knight chortled. “You’re already in for a reaming. Might as well make the most of it until then.”

  Several other older knights nodded sagely.

  “I’m Zack. Zack Adder.” Zack held out his hand for a handshake, which the older knight ignored, instead placing his hand on his chest and bowing slightly at the waist.

  “[Squad Leader] Henry, Sir Zack.”

  “I don’t suppose I could get you to drop the ‘sir?’”

  “Not a chance.” Henry’s wide grin belied his stern tone.

  They arrived at the bar and Henry poured three glasses of ale. Zack inhaled the aroma deeply, but…

  It just smelled like ale.

  He took a sip, and then a big gulp. “Ahh, that hits the spot!”

  Henry took a drink as well, then glared at Barclay who was looking morosely at the glass.

  “Barclay,” he growled, and the younger knight twitched, then took a drink of his own.

  “So,” Zack said, “how is it, being knights and all?”

  ***

  Rosimund couldn’t help but glare sternly at the other [Otherworlder]’s back as he departed the parlor, led away by one of the maids to the actual book room.

  [The Learn].

  A new unique skill.

  What was he going to do with this unexpected factor?

  He had nearly had a heart attack when, just a moment after the [Hero] was successfully summoned by the Church’s arcane ritual, a second man appeared.

  Several inches shorter than the hero, and more slender, but something about his posture set him off immediately. Whereas the [Hero] stood there, stunned, taking in his surroundings, the second man instantly swept the room with his eyes, noting his position and the position of everyone else in the room.

  What had been a mere formality—to witness the arrival of the [Hero]—turned into a security catastrophe. With the King himself in the room, no less.

  Thank the Goddess, all the knights’ training held, and they lowered their glaives, ready to strike if necessary.

  Certainly, he had somewhat lost his own composure.

  And then the man had turned his eyes directly to Rosimund.

  There was a cold, calculating cunning behind those dark eyes. A pale face like an icy mask.

  Almost as shocking was that the [Hero] himself stood to protect the intruder. His sword was knocked aside, and...

  “Whoa! You’re the guy I tried to save back then! Did Goddess Arianna bring you over to fight the [Demon King], too?”

  Two [Heroes]?

  Unheard of.

  Unbelievable.

  He turned to the [Priestess], the one who had performed the ritual, and she revealed just a flash of consternation before she continued as planned, to bring in the Pope for the [Appraisal].

  Just what game was the Church playing?

  The surprises had followed fast and hard.

  The intruder admitted that he wasn’t a [Hero].

  The Goddess’ [Oracle] indicated that the Goddess didn’t seem to care for him whatsoever.

  The [Appraisal] revealed that he possessed a heretofore unknown unique skill: [The Learn].

  100% increased skill experience gain up to level 1.

  Not that useful at level 1, but as it grew…

  Well, it could develop in one of several ways.

  It was certainly worth including this Zack Adder person in the [Hero’s Party]. Not as a core member, but in some capacity.

  He was belatedly placed under surveillance, but the rest of the night he merely lay quietly in his room.

  Even when the young [Priestess] failed to control herself and accosted him, he revealed little.

  But the next day…

  That cunning once more revealed itself.

  Four times [The Learn] took down the [Hero].

  Regardless if it was just in sparring.

  Regardless if the fourth time, the [Hero] managed a technical victory by disarmament.

  Thrice, a courtyard full of knights witnessed the [Hero] utterly defeated.

  Small wonder the [Priests], and by extension the Church, were so anxious.

  And this was before Zack Adder learned any skills.

  Once he started learning skills…

  But, that didn’t seem to happen.

  He ran for about an hour, showing some improvement…

  But Barclay reported he didn’t learn the skill.

  Understandable.

  People learned skills at different speeds.

  Even with double experience gain, an hour of running is hardly enough time to pick up [Running] entirely from scratch.

  But then the [Otherworlder] spent an entire afternoon—supposedly—reading in what was effectively a closet, full of out-of-date books.

  Suspicious.

  At least the young man had a positive, friendly attitude.

  But…

  Rosimund couldn’t forget that look in his eye, right after he was summoned.

  It haunted him, even as he saw the man smiling and introducing himself to everyone he met.

  The next two hours were spent impressing upon the [Hero] the importance of setting out to slay the [Demon King] as fast as possible.

  Thankfully the [Hero], at least, picked up skills quickly.

  As expected of one blessed by the Goddess.

  But he was insistent about wasting time meeting [The Shield].

  There was nothing wrong with defense, of course.

  But the [Hero]’s purpose was to be the Goddess’ sword, and smite Her enemies.

  Not to sit around and let enemies attack him while the rest of his party attacked.

  What a foolish notion. It had to be from his original world, given that the other [Otherworlder] seemed to understand what he was thinking.

  And he simply wouldn’t give up on it.

  Perhaps a meeting would have to be arranged with that crotchety old man…

  The after-supper meeting concluded with the [Priestess] reporting no significant breakthroughs on [Excalibur], the Holy Sword’s location.

  Legend held that it had been lost far, far to the West. But that was all that was known.

  Rosimund wrapped up the meeting, and Maria followed the [Hero] to his bedroom suite, clingy as ever.

  He had to discuss things with Sir Barclay. What was wrong with the man? He was a [Trainer], and he didn’t know where the Castle’s book room was?

  The [Guide] arrived at the entrance to the Knights’ barracks.

  “Barclay!” he barked out.

  And, as the [Trainer] hopped to his feet from among the knights gathered around Henry, telling his behemoth story again…

  There he was.

  Zack Adder.

  Once more where you didn’t expect him.

  But…

  He seemed to just be drinking ale and listening to old monster hunting stories.

  “Yes sir!” Barclay, not yet in his cups, snapped a decent enough salute for the time of night.

  Henry had stopped his story, and everyone’s eyes were on the two knights in the doorway.

  “Come with me.” Rosimund jerked his head and they walked to his office. Along the way, a grey-robed [Priest], head cowled and face hidden, rushed down the hall in the opposite direction. “He’s in the Knights’ Barracks.”

  The robed man gasped and halted. He dipped his head and clasped his hands in gratitude with extreme speed.

  “Our thanks, [Hero’s Guide].”

  And then he was off, scurrying away once more, this time directly towards the barracks.

  Rosimund maintained his stern expression until they were fully in the office and seated, himself behind his large desk, Barclay in a hard chair before it.

  And then he sighed.

  “It’s too late at night for this.” He waved his hand negligently. “Barclay, what the demons?”

  “I take full responsibility, Captain.” Barclay looked him straight in the eye, chin raised.

  “Yes, but you’re a [Trainer], how the demons didn’t you know where the book room was?”

  At this, Barclay averted his eyes. “Er, I learned mainly by personal instruction, and train the same way…”

  “And you were never shown the book room?”

  “I’d heard where it was…”

  Rosimund sighed. He certainly wouldn’t miss this part of being a Captain. Always having to look over your subordinates’ shoulders…

  Being the [Guide] would be far simpler.

  “You’re not going to be disciplined,” Rosimund decided. “But you’re going to make yourself familiar with the book room, and then ensure that every single knight in the castle has been introduced to the book room and its contents. Report back to me your success by the end of next week.”

  “Yes, sir.” Barclay raised his chin again.

  “Now—” Rosimund leaned forward and furrowed his brow. “The [Otherworlder]. What was he doing drinking in the lounge?”

  “Er, technically, orders were that the [Hero] was supposed to be kept away from alcohol, and Zack’s not the [Hero]…”

  “Yes, but he’s still on the [Hero]’s training regimen.”

  “Shall I spread the word, then?”

  “Ye—hmm, wait a second.” Rosimund paused to think.

  One of the easiest ways to control a man was through his vices.

  “Actually, no. The [Otherworlder] is an adult. He can drink if he wants, outside the [Hero]’s presence. However, I want full reports on his drinking habit.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Barclay left Rosimund sitting at his desk, thinking late into the night how best to make use of the enigma, Zack Adder.

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