Class began, and Miss Dalia smiled warmly at Theodore. She gave a slight bow, letting him know she was glad to see him back. Theodore returned the gesture with a polite nod, masking his annoyance.
Miss Dalia turned to address the class. "Now that we've started, let's give a round of applause to Prince Theodore, who saved the cursed village."
The classroom erupted into applause. Some students clapped enthusiastically, while others clapped half-heartedly, their loyalty lying with Caden. Their faces betrayed their forced smiles.
Jin, sitting beside Theodore, leaned closer and whispered, "Your brother is glaring at you, my prince."
Theodore casually glanced over and saw Caden sitting with his entourage at the back of the class, his eyes like daggers aimed at him.
"I see. Good to know he's doing fine after all this time," Theodore replied, completely unfazed.
Jin raised an eyebrow. "I thought you hated him, considering all the times he bullied you."
Theodore chuckled inwardly. Hate him? That's giving him too much credit. I'm not even the original Theodore, so all his abuse was wasted on someone who's no longer here. Out loud, he lied smoothly, "No, I forgive him. After all, he's my brother."
Miss Dalia quieted the class and began teaching.
Jin, still unconvinced, whispered again, "To be honest, my prince, you've changed. It's like you're an entirely different person."
Theodore froze for a moment, his heart skipping a beat. This guy is sharper than I thought. Could he possibly—?
"But reincarnation isn't real, right?" Jin laughed awkwardly. "That's just a fairy tale."
Never mind. This guy's an idiot, Theodore thought, sighing in relief.
Elisa, sitting in front, turned around with a smile. "You two have been whispering non-stop. Care to include me in your little secret? I want in on the fun."
Jin adjusted his glasses, his tone curt. "It's something important between His Highness and me."
Elisa frowned slightly. "Now that I think about it, what is a peasant like you doing so close to the prince? Lowlives like you should sit on the other side of the room."
Jin's fists clenched, his face darkening.
"Oh? Now you're glaring at me?" Elisa's green eyes glowed faintly with her gravity magic. "Lower your eyes, or I might gouge them out."
Jin sighed and glanced at Theodore, hoping for some intervention. Theodore's expression, however, was filled with silent disappointment, as if he were judging Jin for not standing up for himself.
Elisa turned her attention back to Theodore. "You shouldn't associate with lowlives like him, your highness. It's a stain on your name."
Theodore crossed his arms and smirked. "Ah, congratulations, Elisa. You've just become the second most annoying girl I've met, right behind Vivian. If you're going to judge others, maybe start by looking in the mirror. And while you're at it, work on your manners,you're embarrassing yourself."
Elisa's face turned red, a mix of anger and embarrassment. She spun around, her pride clearly wounded. Vivian, who had been listening from a seat away, couldn't suppress her laughter.
Jin tapped Theodore's arm and whispered, "Thank you, my prince."
Theodore sighed. He hadn't done it for Jin's sake—Elisa was simply getting on his nerves. But Jin intrigued him. Despite his meekness, Jin had a sharp mind and great potential. Theodore had noticed his observational skills during their last mission. I can make something out of him.
Jin, noticing Theodore's prolonged stare, asked nervously, "Did I do something wrong, my prince?"
"No, Jin," Theodore replied with a small smile. "But I need to discuss something important with you later."
"Is it another mission?"
"No. It's about your growth," Theodore said cryptically.
Jin's eyes widened, and he nodded earnestly. "I understand."
Miss Dalia's voice suddenly cut through the class. "Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of us?"
Jin panicked, glancing nervously at Theodore, who was staring out the window, clearly uninterested in bailing him out.
Jin stammered, "Uh, my apologies! The prince was just asking me what he missed while he was absent!"
Theodore turned and glared at Jin. Seriously? Just when I was considering helping you grow, you sell me out like this?
Miss Dalia nodded. "I see. Then I'll explain briefly for the prince's benefit."
She used telekinesis to lift a piece of chalk, writing on the board with ease. "We've been discussing gates—rifts connecting our world to others."
Theodore's interest was piqued. "Gates?" he asked.
"Yes," Miss Dalia replied. "Decades ago, mysterious gates began appearing in our world. They connect to strange, uncivilized planets full of dangerous creatures. These gates allow invasions to occur when their barriers weaken. That's why mages and soldiers have been tasked with destroying them to protect humanity."
She continued, "At first, we suffered great losses. The creatures were unknown, and their strength varied greatly. But over time, we discovered a way to destroy the gates by defeating their 'boss' creatures. Now, we classify gates into four levels: Green, which is easy; Yellow, moderately difficult; Red, extremely hard; and Orange, the most dangerous, known as 'abnormal gates.'"
Fascinating, Theodore thought. It's like something out of a fantasy novel. I'd love to see one in action.
Miss Dalia smiled. "Tomorrow, we'll be heading to a Green Gate for practical training. You'll form groups of four for this exercise."
Theodore sighed. I guess I'll have to choose my group.
Before he could say anything, Vivian, Elisa, and Jin all turned to him simultaneously, their eyes sparkling with expectation.
He facepalmed and muttered, "Well, it could be worse than going with complete strangers."
He looked at them reluctantly. "Do you guys want to—"
"Yes!" they all shouted in unison, their voices overlapping.
Miss Dalia dismissed the class, announcing that they would head to the gate area early the next morning.
Theodore stood, gathering his things. As he prepared to leave for his swordsmanship class, he felt a sharp, almost suffocating killing intent from outside the classroom.
"What was that?" he murmured, stepping into the hallway.
Standing there was the tall, dark-haired man from the Holy Temple. Up close, his void-like black eyes were even more unsettling, and his golden-white armor made him stand out even among the bustling students in the corridor.
The murmurs of nearby students filled the air, but the man's focus was solely on Theodore.
"Prince Theodore, I need to speak with you," the man said, his voice deep and authoritative.
Theodore smiled politely, masking his unease. "Yes, I know why you're here. But shall we discuss this somewhere more private?"
The man nodded silently and followed Theodore as they headed toward the schoolyard.