diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/dejvokep/boostedyaml/block/implementation/Section.java b/src/main/java/dev/dejvokep/boostedyaml/block/implementation/Section.java
index ed374e6..4c52e30 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/dejvokep/boostedyaml/block/implementation/Section.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/dejvokep/boostedyaml/block/implementation/Section.java
@@ -1474,8 +1474,8 @@ public Optional<Section> getParent(@NotNull String route) {
      * @param route the route to get the value at
      * @return the value, or section at the given route
      */
-    public Optional<Object> getOptional(@NotNull Route route) {
-        return getOptionalBlock(route).map(block -> block instanceof Section ? block : block.getStoredValue());
+    public Optional<Object> getOptional(@NotNull String route) {
+        return getOptional(Route.fromString(route));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1487,7 +1487,7 @@ public Optional<Object> getOptional(@NotNull Route route) {
      * @param route the route to get the value at
      * @return the value, or section at the given route
      */
-    public Optional<Object> getOptional(@NotNull String route) {
+    public Optional<Object> getOptional(@NotNull Route route) {
         return getOptionalBlock(route).map(block -> block instanceof Section ? block : block.getStoredValue());
     }
 
@@ -1582,13 +1582,10 @@ public Object get(@NotNull String route, @Nullable Object def) {
      * @return the value cast to the given type
      */
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-    public <T> Optional<T> getAsOptional(@NotNull Route route, @NotNull Class<T> clazz) {
-        return getOptional(route).map((object) -> clazz.isInstance(object) ? (T) object :
-                PrimitiveConversions.isNumber(object.getClass()) && PrimitiveConversions.isNumber(clazz) ? (T) convertNumber(object, clazz) :
-                        NON_NUMERIC_CONVERSIONS.containsKey(object.getClass()) && NON_NUMERIC_CONVERSIONS.containsKey(clazz) ? (T) object : null);
+    public <T> Optional<T> getAsOptional(@NotNull String route, @NotNull Class<T> clazz) {
+        return getAsOptional(Route.fromString(route), clazz);
     }
 
-
     /**
      * Returns the value of the block (the actual value) at the given route, or if it is a section, the corresponding
      * {@link Section} instance, in both cases cast to instance of the given class; encapsulated in an instance of
@@ -1607,7 +1604,7 @@ public <T> Optional<T> getAsOptional(@NotNull Route route, @NotNull Class<T> cla
      * @return the value cast to the given type
      */
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-    public <T> Optional<T> getAsOptional(@NotNull String route, @NotNull Class<T> clazz) {
+    public <T> Optional<T> getAsOptional(@NotNull Route route, @NotNull Class<T> clazz) {
         return getOptional(route).map((object) -> clazz.isInstance(object) ? (T) object :
                 PrimitiveConversions.isNumber(object.getClass()) && PrimitiveConversions.isNumber(clazz) ? (T) convertNumber(object, clazz) :
                         NON_NUMERIC_CONVERSIONS.containsKey(object.getClass()) && NON_NUMERIC_CONVERSIONS.containsKey(clazz) ? (T) object : null);
@@ -1630,8 +1627,8 @@ public <T> Optional<T> getAsOptional(@NotNull String route, @NotNull Class<T> cl
      * @param <T>   the target type
      * @return the value cast to the given type, or default according to the documentation above
      */
-    public <T> T getAs(@NotNull Route route, @NotNull Class<T> clazz) {
-        return getAsOptional(route, clazz).orElseGet(() -> canUseDefaults() ? defaults.getAs(route, clazz) : null);
+    public <T> T getAs(@NotNull String route, @NotNull Class<T> clazz) {
+        return getAs(Route.fromString(route), clazz);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1651,7 +1648,7 @@ public <T> T getAs(@NotNull Route route, @NotNull Class<T> clazz) {
      * @param <T>   the target type
      * @return the value cast to the given type, or default according to the documentation above
      */
-    public <T> T getAs(@NotNull String route, @NotNull Class<T> clazz) {
+    public <T> T getAs(@NotNull Route route, @NotNull Class<T> clazz) {
         return getAsOptional(route, clazz).orElseGet(() -> canUseDefaults() ? defaults.getAs(route, clazz) : null);
     }
 
@@ -4726,4 +4723,4 @@ public List<Short> getShortList(@NotNull String route) {
         return getOptionalMapList(route).orElseGet(() -> canUseDefaults() ? defaults.getMapList(route) : root.getGeneralSettings().getDefaultList());
     }
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}