"First of all, I would like to thank all of you, the guardians of the Asia continent for gathering here," The deep voice resonated throughout the room.
8 figures are currently gathering in the room, sitting on their respective seats of the round table.
"Let's skip the formality and jump right to the point and wrap this guardian meeting up quickly," said a man, wearing a suit and a magician hat.
"Indeed. I will do as you said, sir Merlin," Replied the one who seems to be the one leading the meeting.
"Then I'll go straight to the point of this guardian meeting,"
Guardians.
The mighty figures of the world.
The strongest amongst the remnants of the mystical age.
They are the strongest onmyojis gathered from across the world. They are the ones who will fight the mystical beings that might endanger the lives of humans.
Just like presidents and prime ministers, the guardians hold a great amount of influence together with big responsibilities. They got various benefits from being a guardian, but they will need to go to the front lines whenever a dangerous situation appeared.
The mystical world is hidden from the public. There are traces and proves in history that show how the jealousy of people who didn't have any talent nor skills in magic and supernatural powers will do towards the one who possesses it. Like the witch-hunting and crusades, mystical powers will only spark unnecessary wars if it was known by the public.
Learning from history, the world leaders decided to hide the mystical world and make the public knew it as occults and fantasies. But if they completely removed the mystical world, there are still dangers that only people who possess supernatural strength could face.
And because of that reason, they invented the guardians.
Asking the help of the onmyojis that is the biggest supernatural organization across the world that had been protecting the human realm for a long time, they scouted the strongest onmyojis to become guardians that will get supported and funded by the nations to protect the world.
Each continent had its own guardians, and at the Asia continent, there are 7 figures that hold the title of a 'Guardian'.
They're responsible for facing any big threats that may endanger the Asia continent.
"There are more demons appearing in the continent, and it also said that there is one demon that managed to enter the Zhongchu city, the alliance city of China and Japan. But it seems that a promising Onmyoji named Mark Jiejing who is also the chief supervisor of the city had handled the demon before it took more casualties,"
"I see... Mark Jiejing, huh...? I knew him, his strength should be enough to be nominated as one of us. Hadn't he got invited yet?"
"We've invited him to apply the guardian test, but he replied that he's still going to learn more, and being a guardian is still too much for him,"
"Is that so? The last time I met him, his eyes filled with determination and the ambition to kill the demons, though. To think that he'll be satisfied by just being a chief supervisor... Maybe because he's still too young..."
"And? Did you gathered us here just to say that the appearance of the demons increased and tell us about this Mark kid?"
"Of course not. We'll continue to invite him to join the guardians' rank, now let's continue to the main point. There have been more demons appearing at the continent, and the amount of demonic presence had been sensed," said the one leading the meeting.
"We didn't gather all of you this time just because the appearance of the demons increased, but the increase in the demons' number arrived together with a great prophecy of lady Yalaf," said the man with a firm face.
"That lady Yalaf? The saintess of stars?"
"A prophecy? Did she sensed trouble coming?" Asked one of the guardians.
"Yes. Not just a trouble. In her prophecy, she saw a scene,"
"The banquet of the demon kings, and the dimension towards the abyss that is slowly opening,"
___
"So? What do you want from me, old man?" I asked towards the old man that most of his hair had changed into gray.
*Smack!*
"Ouch!" I exclaimed as my head suddenly got smacked. Without any need to turn my head, I already know who is the culprit is. There is only one teacher in this academy that dares and loves to smack me.
"W-Why did you hit me!?"
"Show some respect to the headmaster, you stupid loner! You're embarrassing me!" (Suzuka)
"Who are you? My mother?"
*Smack!*
"U-Ugh..." I groaned in pain as another smack fell into my head.
"This snotty brat..." Suzuka-Sensei muttered as she clenched her fist.
"HAHAHAHA! Seems like you never changed, Ray. It's fine, Suzuka. You can leave the room, I have something private I need to say to him," said the old man, sitting at the headmaster's seat.
"B-But..." (Suzuka Sensei)
"It's fine. It's not like this kid will do me any harm," (Headmaster)
"Well, it's true. But if he's getting into your nerves, feel free to smack him, sir," Suzuka-Sensei slightly bowed and left the room.
"Whoa... That's really not a line a teacher should be saying, isn't it? Just what are you thinking, recruiting a gorilla like that as a teacher, old man?"
If I recorded how she smacked me, she would be inside a prison several times already.
The headmaster laughed.
"HAHAHAHA! She's a strong girl with a strong personality! Interesting one, right!?" (Headmaster)
"Terrifying, indeed. I can't understand what is running inside your head, old man," (Ray)
"But you like strong and terrifying girls, aren't you, Reynald Lance? How bold of you, calling me old man. Even though you used to call me 'your majesty' with full of respect before," said the headmaster as he slowly raises his body.
"It's only because you threatened me with a death sentence," I indifferently replied towards my former liege.
Yes.
The headmaster is the king of the Azeroth kingdom.
But he's not Alexander.
He's the king before Alexander, Alexander's father.
Roland Azeroth.
The one who brought me to the royal capital and recruit me as a royal guard of the prince and the princesses.
Hearing my response, the former king of the Azeroth kingdom laughed heartfully.
"HAHAHAHAHA!!" (Headmaster)
His laughed brought me back to the past, he used to laugh like this every time he saw Alexander, the princess, and I bickered with each other. But it seems that I'm not the only one who got the nostalgic feeling.
The headmaster's eyes slowly got enveloped in warmth as he stared at me, his eyes moisten and it seems like he got absorbed in the nostalgic memories when he saw me.
"Don't tell me you called me just because you miss me, right, former your majesty?"
"What in the world is 'former your majesty'? But well, sorry for that. Looking at you made me couldn't help but remember about Alexander and Aleia," Apologized the headmaster.
"It's fine. I felt the same way every time I saw you anyway,"
"Good to hear that then. But of course, as a great headmaster, I won't call you in the middle of a class just to reminisce about the past. I believe Suzuka had told you about that 'service' club thing, right?" (Headmaster)
Ah... I know this...
"As expected... You're the one pulling the strings, huh...? As if giving me lots of unbelievable tasks in the previous life is not enough..."
"It's fine, isn't it? Having the most talented student of the academy to be a loner is something that the academy couldn't help but take measures of, after all," (Headmaster)
"I'm fine on my own. And I believe it's not your only reason for 'forcing' me to enter that club, right?"
"Indeed. Just as you've said," said the headmaster as he turns his back and stared out of the window. His gray hairs reflected the sunlight, making him look just as majestic as he used to when he was a king.
"You know that this academy is filled with lots of people with a powerful background behind them, right?" (Headmaster)
"Well, of course. What? You're not going to threaten me with my studentship, aren't you?" I worriedly asked as I need to recalculate our household's fundings if something is going to happen with my studentship.
"No, it's not. Well, you're far more than worthy to get that studentship, and I won't be taking it back," (Headmaster)
Phew! Now that's a relief.
"Continuing. This world is already changed. It's not the former world you and I used to know. These kids here, will be the future of the world, Ray. While their parents are using their funds to hire mystical beings and supernatural powers of our old age to stab on each other, their kids are still unaware about those things," (Headmaster)
"Since I've reincarnated, just like before. Even though I failed in my previous life, I will definitely make a better world for my children this time. There are lots of students with powerful backgrounds that are engraved with unknown curses, followed by powerful spirits, and threatened by powerful factions," (Headmaster)
"I know better than anyone, that you've been protecting this realm longer than anyone, Ray. Will you, once again, accept my shameless request?" Asked the headmaster as he slightly turns his head towards me.
The scene is exactly similar to the time he appointed me as the general of the Azeroth kingdom.
And with a similar response, I kneeled.
"It's an honor to accept the mission from you, your majesty,"