[The Orion Ducal Estate Early Morning]
"I don't want to go!"
I was sitting on the edge of the plush sofa in the main hall, crossing my arms and pouting like a child.
The chaotic Three Aditya mana sparked harmlessly around me in little red flickers of annoyance.
"Why do I have to go to a freezing school? I'm already married! I'm practically a retired old man! I want to stay here with Lyra!"
Seraphina, who was adjusting her pristine white and silver Academy uniform, rolled her eyes.
"You are an eighteen year old Prince of the Empire, not a toddler," Seraphina scolded, smacking the back of my head with her glove.
"Stop acting like a spoiled brat and get up."
Eight year old Prince Elian snickered from the corner, happily feeding Cinder a piece of toast.
"He's just acting like a baby because he knows he's going to fail the talent assessment today. Everyone is finally going to see that Big Brother Zion is dumber than a rock."
"You little!" I pointed an accusing finger at him.
"I'll feed you to your own bird!"
"Enough, you three," Duchess Serene Orion sighed, walking into the hall with a warm but commanding presence.
"Today is incredibly important. It is your first day at the Imperial Zenith Academy. Today, the instructors will assess your raw mana and assign you to your classes based on your talent tier."
The Duchess looked toward the hallway leading to the infirmary.
"Because Lyra needs to stay in bed today under observation, she cannot attend the assessment. But do not worry. I pulled some strings with the Headmaster. Her class has already been decided based on her Royal status, and we will receive her assignment results tonight."
I let out a heavy sigh of relief.
As long as Lyra was safe and resting, I could deal with the misery of school.
"Well, well. If it isn't my favorite little cousin."
Arthur walked into the hall, wearing the stylish dark-blue uniform of the Eastern Academy.
He threw an arm around my shoulder, grinning widely.
"Are you ready for your first day of school, Zuzu?"
My eyes twitched.
"Arthur," I said, my voice dropping a lethal octave as a terrifying red aura leaked from my eyes.
"If you call me that name in front of the other Academy students, I am going to forget that we are family, and I am going to throw you into the sun."
"Ooh, scary!" Arthur laughed, completely unbothered.
"Is that a challenge, Zuzu?"
WHAM!
Duchess Serene delivered a flawless, devastating punch directly to the top of Arthur's head.
Arthur yelped, rubbing his skull as tears formed in his eyes.
"Do not provoke your little brother, you idiot," Serene commanded, calmly fixing her silk gloves.
"Sorry, little brother," Arthur grumbled, rubbing his bruised head.
[The Northern Territory The Vane Ducal Castle]
Far away, in the freezing wasteland of the North, Duke Kael Vane sat on his massive throne made of dire wolf skulls.
Standing in front of him were two six year old children bundled in thick white furs. They were twins: a boy named Gareth and a girl named Freya.
Before Leo and Mia were adopted, Gareth and Freya were the undisputed centers of attention in the Empire, the highest ranking, most shamelessly spoiled children of the Ducal families.
But now, because Lyra and Zion had adopted the orphans, Leo and Mia were legally Imperial Royal Grandchildren.
They had completely stolen the spotlight.
"It's not fair, Grandfather!" little Gareth pouted, stomping his heavy boots on the stone floor.
"Why did those filthy commoner orphans take our place?! Everyone in the Capital is sending them toys instead of us!"
Duke Vane let out a low, rumbling laugh, patting his grandson's head with a scarred hand.
"Do not worry, my children. I will make sure the Emperor and his new little brats pay for insulting the pride of the North."
Freya sniffled. "But the children's festival is tomorrow! They are going to ruin our party!"
"No, they won't," Gareth sneered. His six year old face twisted into an arrogant scowl that disturbingly mirrored his grandfather's.
"I'll teach those fake royals a proper lesson they will never forget!"
Duke Vane smiled proudly. "Go right ahead, Gareth. I just received news from my spies. Emperor Aldric is tied up with Southern politics and will not be attending the festival. Without the Emperor there to protect them, it will be incredibly easy to manipulate those little brats."
What Duke Vane's highly paid spies had entirely missed was that the Emperor had personally promised the twins he was coming.
The North was walking completely blind into the Emperor's apocalyptic wrath.
[The East Imperial Zenith Academy]
The Academy was massive.
It looked more like an impenetrable military fortress built out of glowing crystal and white stone than a school for nobles.
In the bustling main courtyard, eighteen year old Arthur Orion was sitting on a stone bench next to his secret girlfriend, Kaelia.
"This term is going to be crazy," Kaelia said, leaning back and watching the hundreds of elite noble students flood through the iron gates.
"So many high tier talents are arriving today. It's going to be fiercely competitive."
Arthur nodded, acting as casual as possible. "Yeah, definitely."
"By the way," Kaelia nudged him, leaning in closely, her eyes bright with gossip.
"Did you hear the massive rumor? The Second Prince of the Empire, the 'Cursed Prince' is starting classes today. Do you know what he looks like?"
Arthur instantly started sweating bullets. His eyes darted around the courtyard.
"Uh... the Second Prince? Nope. Never met the guy. I have absolutely no idea what he looks like."
"Well, the rumors from the Capital are wild," Kaelia whispered, looking entirely serious.
"They say he's an absolute, irredeemable pervert. I heard he is incredibly ugly, like a literal pig, and he is so lazy he sleeps all day while his servants carry him around on a palanquin."
Arthur's face turned bright red. He bit his lower lip so hard it nearly bled, violently trying to hold back his hysterical laughter.
"A-A pig?!" Arthur choked out, covering his mouth to hide his massive grin. "Wow... that sounds... so incredibly accurate."
"What sounds accurate?"
A cold, deadpan voice echoed from directly behind them.
Arthur froze. The color drained entirely from his face.
I stepped around the stone bench, crossing my arms and glaring down at Arthur with glowing crimson eyes.
"What are we talking about?"
Kaelia blinked, looking up at me in confusion. "Oh, hello. Who are you?"
"H-He's my cousin!" Arthur panicked, jumping up and practically throwing his body between us.
"Just my weird, lazy cousin from out of town! Right, cousin?!"
I narrowed my eyes at Arthur. I'm going to murder you the exact second she leaves, I promised him silently.
Arthur gulped audibly.
"Well, nice to meet you," Kaelia smiled politely. She stood up, dusting the snow off her uniform. She pointed a stern finger at Arthur.
"Don't you dare be late tonight. Remember, I am meeting your mother for tea."
"I won't forget!" Arthur saluted nervously.
Kaelia waved and walked away toward the Weapon Arts building, completely oblivious.
The moment she was completely out of earshot, my red mana flared to life, hissing in the cold air. "Ugly like a pig?! A pervert?!"
"Wait! Zuzu, wait!" Arthur put his hands up, his expression instantly dropping all the jokes and turning dead serious.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! But put the murder on hold! Kaelia actually told me something incredibly important before you walked up."
I stopped, my dangerous mana dimming slightly. "What?"
"She has friends in the admissions office," Arthur whispered, looking around sharply to make sure no one was listening.
"She said a high-profile transfer carriage arrived this morning from the South. Southern nobles are attending the Academy this term."
My eyes widened. "The South? Here? It has to be House Thorne or House Valerius."
"We can't say for sure until we confirm their identities in the sorting hall," Arthur warned, his jaw tightening.
Across the sprawling courtyard, stepping out of an unmarked black carriage, were Elena Valerius and Vanya Thorne.
They both wore the dark-blue Academy uniforms, looking up at the massive school with venomous intent.
"We are going to make that half breed completely regret being born," Elena whispered to Vanya, her eyes locking onto the Academy's main hall like a predator locking onto prey.
[The Orion Ducal Estate Evening]
The sun had just set over the jagged, snowy mountains.
Kaelia stood in the freezing cold, holding the unmarked invitation in her trembling hands.
She looked down at the address written on the elegant paper, and then looked slowly up at the building standing in front of her.
It wasn't a cozy house. It wasn't a wealthy merchant's manor.
It was a colossal, crystalline fortress guarded by hundreds of elite Imperial Knights.
Massive banners bearing the Blue Lion crest of the East hung proudly from the high towers.
It was the Orion Ducal Palace.
Kaelia's jaw dropped to the snow-covered floor. The gears in her mind violently slammed into place. Arthur... Arthur Orion.
The clumsy, sweet boy who buys me cheap street food…
"He's the son of the Duchess," Kaelia gasped out loud, completely frozen in absolute, terrified shock.
"I've been dating the Heir to the Eastern Empire?!"