Chapter 18: I, Your Father! [2]

Chapter 18: I, Your Father! [2]

The brief moment before class started was always boring and filled with nothing interesting to do, so Asura began searching for something to pass the time, and as he peeked from the corner of his eyes, the cool-faced Xavida focused forward before he noticed her hand hanging between their desks, swaying slightly.

'Is she trying to hold my hand?'

Curious enough, he felt it was a strange scene, but he didn't reach out himself and instead decided to tease her a little while having fun observing her reactions.

So instead of doing anything, he let his hand fall naturally to the side, gently tapping against hers but then moving a few centimetres away, dangling freely.

Let's see if she wants to remove more of that strange energy inside her body.

[You just want to tease her, right?]

'Don't speak, Brian... it's time for class.'

[...]

A loud sound rattled before the door opened as the royal children entered with their usual grand flare. It felt like even the most simple things would become an annoying, over-the-top scene.

It annoyed Asura, who felt the prince was just a two-faced prick.

About the princess's thought, his judgement was currently on hold. All he knew was that she tried to achieve something her brother labelled treason before she vanished. Was she killed or sent to some seedy noble to become a seedbed for future royal children?

Since his death and rebirth, some of Asura's thoughts have become more aggressive and less reserved. In contrast, Asura of the past might show compassion or pretend not to know the horrible fate of the princess.

'Let's keep my eyes and ears open, maybe have Xue'er make friends with her, to find out any information. I don't want her to die or suffer. I am a member of this kingdom, after all.'

The prince and princess floated to their seats before suddenly a loud noise shocked everyone as the door was slammed open by a thick leg full of muscles and scars but with beautifully silky skin opened the door.

"Good morning, class! How was your first day in the academy?"

The crimson hair and mature face of Lorem peeked from the door after making the entire classroom jump in shock.

Her eyes observed the room, narrowing as she glanced briefly towards Asura and Xavida's location, the slight action making the female dragon pull her arm back and lower her head to the black desk.

'This woman... Her gaze was quite fierce, or was it my imagination?'

"Especially you nobles, shouldn't your parents have told you this academy was only for future heirs or those who had nothing to lose?"

She is a good instructor, telling them the truth now even as they look at her with eyes of blame and anger. If only they knew, this knowledge would help them endure the hell that begins from today.

Asura's hand grasped Xavida tighter, his fingers entwining with hers as the force of his devouring increased. Since reaching stage one, he could increase the intensity and chose to help this dragon girl a little more.

Xavida was injured in the original timeline as the princess broke her arms because this cold girl suddenly stopped moving, frozen on the spot and taking a full-powered blow head-on.

Now he knew better and could see the dark, sickly mana that was likely the cause and filled her body like a deadly tumour, wrapping around her muscles and mana core as if smothering Xavida's insides.

'The pain must be excruciating...'

"I don't accept this! I didn't join the academy to fight but to become an Arch Magister!"

A boy with black hair down to his neck, tied in a bun with curly bangs, stood up while banging his desk with a bellowing roar.

His eyes filled with fire, and his finger pointed towards Lorem. "My father is the Marquis of Vanderbak! Why would he send his only son to fight in such deadly and brutal ways?"

'Probably because you are like this, self-entitled, prideful and weak.'

Before anyone could react or even speak, a long, tanned leg snapped like a viper, striking her prey and instantly piercing the unknowing mouse.

The sound was like the snap of a twig, but the force sent the boy flying into the wall with a rumbling crack as he fell with a deep thud.

"I don't give a rat's ass if you accept. I, Your Father. Lorem, the defender of this kingdom, am your instructor."

"And you WILL follow my lead or be crushed under my boots and left to rot!"

'What a precise and wonderful usage of magic...'

Asura's new eyes saw the tight, beautiful swirl of fire magic that caused the noble to fly into the wall. He could feel that each particle, thread of mana, was kept to the limit where it would only cause the boy extreme pain and not kill or severely injure him.

'An amazing warning for others, too...'

Lorem blew her crimson hair from her face before putting both legs back on her desk, and as if nothing happened, she looked at the class again with a wicked grin.

"Today, you have but one class and the subject of the class is to survive."

'Ah... I hated this class. Bad memories began surfacing in his mind as he tried to oust them.'