4 Knowledge is power

The castle was huge, it didn´t matter how much we walked, I never felt like we were arriving somewhere, although, the maid never showed signs of stopping, so apart from following her, we didn´t have other options.

All right, I´m getting bored, and these kids don´t look like starting a conversation on their own so let´s give them a little help.

-Hey, Brendan.

I called the kid with the "Hero" class as we kept walking through the endless castle halls.

-Hm? What is it?

Since we were the only ones to start a conversation for a long time, we attracted the attention of the other heroes.

-All of you were pretty silent back there if I took away your opportunity to say something I´m truly sorry, kids.

-Oh! Don´t worry about that, I think I speak for everybody when I say that the shock of you talking like that to a real king was just something else. And about the "kid" part, aren´t you exaggerating a little? There are only 2 years of difference between us you know. Said as a big smile appeared on his mouth.

That exchange of words made the other heroes show a tiny grin, and with that, the tension goes down and my image goes up, I thought keeping an eye on the situation.

-Umu, a good man knows how to adapt to the situation. Said Alexandra while nodding in my direction.

-And it´s better a woman who can catch those men. I answered.

Either she wasn´t used or my response was maybe too much, the face of Alexandra blushed a little, it looked like she got my message.

Everyone except the maid had a startled expression, it seemed like they didn´t expect that kind of answer, Akram and Silva were lightly blushed.

-JAJA, you know some smooth talk huh? Aren´t you a womanizer from another world?

-Not at all, just wanted to lighten the mood with a chascarrillo (joke)

-Chascarrillo? Repeated Silva tilting her head.

-It´s like a synonym for "joke" in my country. I replied.

-B-By the way, W-Wich country are you from? Asked Akram.

-I´m from Switzerland and I live in Edimburgo. Said Brendan.

-San Petersburg, Rusia. Kept Alexandra.

-D.F. Tough now I think is the City of Mexico, guess the name says it all but just to clarify, I´m from Mexico. I said to the group of heroes.

-I-I am from Delhi, from India. Said Akram looking timidly to the ground.

-AH! Is it my turn? I´m from Sao Pablo and my country is Brazil. Said Silva kindly.

With the ice broken, the group of heroes talked to each other, I, discreetly got away from them to let them talk, I just wanted something to hear through the walk since my phone died when I got to this place.

After some minutes, the maid stopped at a door and looked at us.

-From here to the fifth door to the left are your rooms, all the rooms are completely the same, so you can decide the order of accommodation, dear heroes. Said the maid with a bow.

-Um, Alexandra... Can I sleep with you tonight? I don't want to be alone. Asked Jandiara while holding the sleeve of Alexandra.

-Sure, no problem at all, we can sleep together as much as you want Silva, ah, and call me Alexa.

All right, I´m going to stay in this room, if you are okay, Alexandra, Jandiara, you should sleep between the men's rooms, just in case. Said Brendan.

-U-Um if that is what everyone wants, I-I´m okay with that. Said Akram.

-Good, I´ll stay in the remaining room. I said while waiting for the others to take a room.

The order stayed like this:

From the left, Roberto, Akram, Jandiara, Alexandra, and Brendan.

-I´ll bring you your dinner in a moment, meanwhile, rest, heroes. Said the maid as she walked away.

-Ah, thank you very much! Said Brendan before entering his room like the other heroes.

Right, let´s see what can I get from this.

-Excuse me, um...

-My name is Molly, sir.

-Molly, right, Could you tell me if the castle has a library or something like that?

-The castle has one, yes, But are you sure you want to go now? I think it would be better if you just rested in your room, sir. Said Molly with a tired face.

-Well, the thing is that I don't feel tired at all, also, I need to know more about this world, and What is better than a good book to do so? I answered giving Molly a tiny smile.

-...

-Haaah* If that is what you want sir, please, follow me. Said Molly as she sighed.

-Thanks, sorry for the bother.

After walking with brief talks and going down a couple of floors, we finally arrived at a giant wooden door, the upper right had a sign showing an open book.

-This is the royal library, follow me inside, please. Said Molly taking out a set of keys from her uniform.

Once inside I got stunned, a huge room full of bookcases with a great variety of books with different covers, all separated and classified with floating signs that faintly shined in the air.

For some reason, I was able to tell what was written on them, even when I never studied the local language before.

Now that I think about it, I don´t know Russian or Hindi, How was I able to keep a conversation with them?

-Do you want a particular book? Asked Molly, bringing me out of my thoughts.

-...I´ll accept your kind offer, Could you give me books that explained what magic is, also an atlas, please. I answered as I took a book called "Almanac of magical creatures and demonic beasts".

Can come in handy.

-Understood, in the center of the room there is a coffee table with furniture, please take a seat while I look for the books.

I directed my gaze to where Molly´s hand was pointing, soon after I started to walk in that direction. Once I got there, I took a seat on one of the fancy-looking couches and started to read the book I previously took as the maid was searching for the others.

After some minutes, Molly came with books in one hand and a silver plate with a burning teapot and cups in the other.

Where did she get those? When she made the tea?

I thanked the maid and grabbed the books from her hand, the titles were "Magic concepts", "Elemental magic and spells", "World map", "Mana and its use".

The thickness of the books made them encyclopedias in themselves, I wasn´t going to be able to read them all in one night, so I focused my attention on the index of each book and studied the most useful subjects, or at least the ones I thought were convenient for the moment.

-Thanks for the help.

-I´m just doing my job sir. Answered the maid as she poured the hot tea in the cups and placed a tiny plate with some sugar lumps.

-Oh, thanks for the tea, there is nothing better to accompany a good book, Did you made it?

Just after serving the tea, I placed the edge of the hot cup to my lips, "wow" I said as I took another sip, it was slightly bitter, but refreshing, it was like coffee with mint, but lighter, it was really pleasant, considering the time it would take me to read the books she brought me.

-It´s delicious.

-I´m glad that you liked it, sir, I also see that you take it without sugar, not a lot of people can handle the bitter taste, and yes, I did it.

-I like bitter food, and please stop calling me "sir", from tomorrow on we´ll be work colleagues, so do me a favor and take a seat, let´s talk as equals, I´m sure you have one or two things to tell me.

-...Is it really fine for me to do it?

-Please do.

Molly took a seat in front of me on another couch.

-In that case, I´ll do as you asked and talk as I want.

-Good.

Pouring more tea into my cup I looked at Molly in the eyes.

-So, You got anything to say to me? I asked making my working poker face.

-First of all, I appreciate that one of the heroes is apparently mature.

Apparent eh, we started bad.

-But I have some complaints about how you look at our maids, so I will ask you to refrain from that, don't look at them, and please don't breathe. Said Molly drinking her tea.

-Pff* Cough* Cough* Then I will die!

I broke my poker face because of what the maid said.

I knew I told her to talk as she wanted but, telling me to die because I saw a maid´s skirt. Isn´t it too much?

-Hmph, that´s what the perverts deserve. She said while frowning at my face.

Ugh, nobody called me a pervert in my whole life, the be called like that in that way... Damn, I´m gonna cry here you know?

-No no no, it´s not like I had ill intentions, is just that from the world I came, there are no maids with real animal ears and tails, I accidentally stared for too long, but in any case, I already apologized to that maid, I´m sure you saw us. I quickly excused myself.

-....

-... You may be right about that, I´ll let it pass, but I´ll keep an eye on you, we can´t let the heroes do what they want with the employees of the crown. Said Molly while giving me a suspicious gaze.

-Jaja, Really? From what I heard, the previous heroes had their way with the royal family, so, in social status, the heroes, that can be kings, they don´t sound like a bad relationship partner, Don´t you think?

-Well... if you put it that way, of course, you can gain a benefit, and precisely because the heroes are just as important and can gain so much influence that a deep investigation for their partners is needed.

-Their? Not "the"? The heroes can have more than one legal partner and so? I asked shocked.

-That´s right, as long as the members of the relationship are fine with sharing, polygamy is accepted in this world.

No te pases de ver... Are you serious? I thought passing to another book.

-Well, that is... Interesting.

It´s already difficult a normal relationship with one person, it must be a total feat live happily with more than one partner.

-Hmm? Aren´t you going to ask me if I´m married? Said Molly with a smug grin.

So you heard... The difference between your working and real personality is kinda big.

-...Are you married? I asked exasperated.

-I´m afraid that my work doesn´t allow me, besides, I´m not interested in matrimony in these moments, for that, even if you try something with me, nothing will happen. Said with a chest full of herself. Her tail was moving around, exposing how much fun she was having from this.

-Hmm, ooo nooo, my poor poor heart, I think I´ll die for the cruel realityyy, aaaahhhh, poor meeee.

-Hmph.

The reaction was slightly different from what I expected, but with that lame joke, I could feel the distance between us shorten.

This isn´t what I expected, but I might get something from this.

-Tell me, Molly, You know about magic? I asked putting down the book in my hands.

-Yes, but I´m not an expert. As she answered her hands were gathering the empty teapot and the cups.

-When you´re done with that, Can you help me with this? There are some things I don´t understand at all.

-If you want to learn magic you should wait for another day, your lessons to be a servant will start tomorrow. She replied to me at the edge of closing the door

-Pretty please? I begged as I put together my hands.

-.....

-I´ll do it, but you have to answer some things later.

-You have a deal.

After moments, Molly came back with a couple of bubbly drinks, apparently, these were the energetic drinks of this world, they tasted like a generic soda, put the punch felt like 10 cups of charged coffee.

When the drink made effect I looked at Molly only to be told "You wanted to learn, now you will"

Ugh, she got me there.