Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are So Hot! [BL]-Chapter 213: Learning The Language

Damien had thought it might be a good idea for Zima to learn alongside him, but Elyon quickly put a stop to the suggestion.

"Someone like him, who can understand and convey our intentions but cannot propagate them himself, is a remarkably rare existence," Elyon explained.

"...Uh, what does that mean exactly?" Damien asked, confused. The idea of someone being able to understand and share information but not spread it didn’t quite make sense to him, nor could he grasp why it was so valuable.

While Zima gave a faint, knowing smile, it was clear he understood Elyon’s reasoning perfectly. Damien, however, was left looking puzzled, prompting Elyon to elaborate further.

"For example, let’s say this one was to uncover one of your secrets. However, as you know, he cannot speak, nor can he write. So, he would be unable to reveal that secret to anyone."

"Ah, I see," Damien nodded. That actually made a lot of sense.

Communication with Zima was limited to yes-or-no questions and simple gestures, which made it difficult for him to convey anything too detailed. Damien had recently gotten better at understanding Zima’s intentions from his expressions and body language, but other people struggled with that.

It was true—there was no risk of Zima accidentally divulging anything sensitive.

"And yet, he is fully capable of understanding and acting on the intentions of others. Can you see how someone in a position of power might find someone like him incredibly useful and valuable?"

Damien considered this for a moment.

Zima couldn’t speak, but he could perfectly comprehend language, which meant that he could assist in matters that required discretion. Sensitive consultations and discussions could be handled without worry of leaks.

On top of that, Zima was exceptionally capable in every way.

"Yeah, I guess I can see how someone in a high position would find Zima pretty indispensable," Damien admitted.

A few months ago, Damien might have dismissed the notion by saying, I don’t have any important position anyway. But now, he was beginning to see himself as someone with responsibilities—as the Master of Zima, Leonide, and the others.

It was a growing awareness that he didn’t entirely dislike, even if he still felt awkward acknowledging it.

Beyond that, Damien also had connections with people like Theo and Caius, and he realized there might be situations in the future where he’d need to handle things discreetly.

Someone like Zima might prove invaluable in those scenarios.

"But even if Zima learned to write, it’s not like he’d ever betray anyone’s trust. So, wouldn’t that still make him just as reliable?"

"Well, that’s true," Elyon admitted with a shrug. "His inability to spread information might make him valuable for earning trust, but for someone like you—who already trusts him completely—it’s a moot point."

"Exactly," Damien said with a satisfied nod.

Damien had already decided to trust Zima completely, so it didn’t matter to him whether Zima could write or not.

Hearing their conversation, Zima looked a bit worried, fidgeting nervously.

"It’s okay, Zima," Damien said gently. "Even if you could write, it wouldn’t change the fact that I trust you. More than that, I’d be happier if I could talk with you more easily."

Damien took Zima’s hand as he spoke, causing Zima to look momentarily surprised before smiling warmly.

"So, Elyon," Damien declared with enthusiasm, "please teach both Zima and me how to write!"

With an energetic bow, Damien made his request, and beside him, Zima bowed politely as well.

"Very well," Elyon replied, nodding magnanimously.

...

From then on, whenever they had spare time, Elyon began teaching Damien and Zima how to write.

Damien had also invited Ithnan and the others to join, but they explained that they were becoming more comfortable with conversational skills and wanted to continue focusing on that for now. Elyon had noted that literacy wasn’t common among the common folk and wasn’t strictly necessary, so Damien decided not to push them.

Still, Damien hoped that someday they might also learn to write, as it would allow them to communicate better with Zima.

For now, the only students in Elyon’s language lessons were Damien and Zima.

As expected, Zima excelled in it. He quickly mastered the letters and basic grammar, and he was now working on expanding his vocabulary. Occasionally, he would write short notes for Damien using the words he had learned.

However, Damien couldn’t make sense of the notes at all.

When he tried asking Elyon to read one for him, Elyon scoffed, "I’m not reading something so disgustingly sweet."

Left with no choice, Damien resolved to figure it out on his own, but he was still struggling to learn even the basics of the writing system.

To Damien, the characters looked more like decorative patterns than actual letters.

"I’m going to cry..." he muttered to himself in frustration.

...

When Damien set out in the morning, Theo had promised to return "by lunchtime."

However, Damien had already finished his lunch, and it was nearly tea time.

Of course, Theo had only said, "if there are no problems," he would be back by noon.

This... didn’t seem like one of those problem-free days.

Damien sighed and silently wished for Theo’s well-being.

...

Theo eventually returned close to dinnertime.

Without even changing his clothes, he flopped onto the sofa where Damien was sitting and practically dove into his lap.

"I don’t ever want to go back to the Church," he muttered. It seemed he had been put through the wringer.

Now, Theo was face-down in Damien’s lap, recovering.

Damien wanted to let him rest a little bit longer, but the delicious aroma wafting through the air signaled that Sebas and Zima were nearly done preparing dinner.

As if on cue, Theo’s stomach growled loudly.

"...Now that you mention it, I didn’t eat lunch today..." Theo said, his voice muffled against Damien’s lap.

It was hard to make out what he said, but there was a slight quaver in his voice, as if he were on the verge of tears.