"Urgh... another nightmare."
Cassian groaned out loud, the sound muffled by his twisted silk sheets. He slowly pulled his upper body up, forcing himself to sit cross-legged on the mattress as he ran a frustrated hand through his messy, silver-black hair. Still blinking away the lingering, blood-soaked images of his past lives, he lazily turned his head to face the grand, arched window of his bedchamber.
The morning sun was just beginning to bleed gold across the academy grounds. And there, sitting right by the window in a plush velvet armchair, was the exact reason Cassian's subconscious refused to give him a single night of peace.
'Just as expected... he's still here.'
"It has been three months now, but you still get nightmares?" Lucien asked. His voice was a deep, smooth baritone that perfectly shattered the morning quiet. He didn't even bother raising his eyes from the heavy, leather-bound tome resting on his lap, one massive leg casually crossed over the other.
"Having a giant brute like you permanently hovering next to my bed while I sleep makes me psychologically bound to have nightmares," Cassian snapped back, his voice carrying its signature low, sleep-deprived rasp. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, glaring at the Knight Commander.
"It has been three whole months already, Sir Arden. My internal mana core is entirely stabilized, my physical body is long recovered, and I am in even better shape than before. So... when exactly are you going back to–?"
"Breakfast is ready, Your Highness," Lucien cut him off effortlessly. His eyes remained absolutely glued to the page, his thumb casually turning a leaf of the parchment as if Cassian hadn't spoken at all. "Should I have the servants bring it up, or will you be dining at the desk today?"
'Tsk!..This guy...' Cassian clicked his tongue audibly, his jaw clenching in sheer disbelief. 'He is acting exactly like an unpaying tenant who aggressively refuses to vacate the premises.'
Cassian raised his arms above his head, letting out a long, vocal yawn as he stretched. As the silk blanket slipped down to his waist, the dramatic physical transformation of the past ninety days was on full display. The frail, sickly, and painfully skinny physique of the original scumbagprince was entirely gone. In its place was a remarkably lean, tightly packed frame of functional, dense muscle—the build of a highly trained martial artist. His shoulders were broader, his chest definition sharp, and his reflexes tightly coiled.
During these past three months, Cassian had been working himself completely to the bone. He had intentionally dragged Lucien into every single physical training session, outdoor drill, and magical endurance run under the guise of "imperial duties."
'I had to do it,' Cassian thought, his eyes tracking the massive, relaxed frame of the Knight Commander.
'If our paths eventually turn against each other at the end of this plotline—which they always do—I need to be fast enough to at least parry his first strike. I am not letting him decapitate me a fifteenth time without a proper fight.'
"I asked you a question, Sir Arden," Cassian continued, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees, his crimson eyes narrowing. "The Holy Emperor must be losing his mind with his favorite Knight Commander playing nanny to a disgraced prince in an academic dormitory. Don't you have a vanguard to lead or a border to secure?"
Lucien finally closed the book with a deliberate, soft thud. He raised his head, those piercing, ice-blue eyes locking onto Cassian's newly built, bare torso with a slow, calculating intensity. A strange, unreadable smirk touched the corner of his lips.
"The Holy Vanguard is perfectly capable of handling minor border skirmishes without my presence, Your Highness," Lucien replied smoothly, leaning back into the cushions of the armchair. "And as I recall, my imperial mandate states that I am to remain by your side until the Headmaster deems your behavioral rehabilitation entirely complete. Looking at your current... volatile temper, I believe I will be occupying this chair for a very long time."
"My temper is perfectly fine," Cassian deadpanned, gripping a loose pillow and resisting the urge to hurl it at the hero's flawless face. "What isn't fine is your complete lack of personal boundaries. Get out of my room so I can get dressed."
Lucien's smirk widened, turning into something deeply provocative as he slowly stood up, his massive, armored frame instantly making the spacious room feel suffocatingly small.
"Very well, My Prince," Lucien chuckled softly, walking toward the double doors with a lazy, predator-like grace. He paused at the threshold, glancing back over his shoulder. "Do not be late for our morning spar. I look forward to seeing if those newly grown muscles of yours are actually useful, or if they are just for show."
'Crazy, muscle-brained bastard,' Cassian thought, glaring at the closed door as Lucien finally exited. He looked down at his own clenched fists, a dark, determined fire igniting in his chest.
'Just you wait, Lucien. In three more months, you won't even see my blade coming you damn bastard.'
*****
During the evening.
The quiet, luxurious atmosphere of Cassian's private residence was shattered by a sudden, bubbly laugh.
"Like this, big brother? Look! The mana isn't sparking anymore! It feels... it feels like warm water flowing down my arms!"
Cassian looked up from his desk, a small, genuine smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Sitting cross-legged on a plush velvet rug was Leo. Over the past few months of private tutoring, the boy's terrified, defensive shell had completely shattered, revealing a bright, incredibly enthusiastic, and fiercely intelligent kid.
"Perfect. Keep that pace," Cassian murmured, adjusting his posture. "If you rush it, the channels clog. Be steady and smooth with it boy."
As Cassian watched Leo meticulously practice his magic, a dark, calculating thought slowly crystallized in his modern mind. In the original novel, Leo had been a primary target of Cassian's cruelty, but Adrian had made the boy's life a living hell too, eventually using him as a political pawn before discarding him entirely.
'Wait a minute...' Cassian thought, his eyes narrowing as a brilliant, malicious plan formed in his head. 'Adrian wants the throne. I want to go home. If I stay the prince, Adrian will never stop trying to decapitate me. But what if... what if I raise this kid? What if I turn Leo into a flawless, powerful, hyper-competent prince who can completely overthrow Adrian and take the crown himself?'
The sheer beauty of the scheme made Cassian want to cackle out loud.
'If Leo becomes the Emperor, he'll be forever grateful to me. He'll grant me a lifetime pension of luxury gold, protect me from the vipers, and let me use the royal vaults for my dimensional portal research in absolute peace! I can reap all the benefits of a kingmaker without doing any of the actual ruling!'
"Hey, Leo," Cassian spoke up, his voice dropping into a smooth, conspiratorial whisper.
Leo blinked, his silver eyes shining with adoration. "Yes, big brother Cassian?"
"How would you like to learn how to completely humiliate our dear older brother Adrian at the upcoming Imperial winter Gala?"
Leo's jaw practically dropped, a sudden, wicked little spark matching Cassian's own appearing in his young eyes. "I... I can do that?"
"With my training? You'll make him look like a common peasant," Cassian smirked.
Before Leo could cheer, the heavy oak doors of the residence swung open. Elias strutted into the room, holding a crisp, heavy parchment sealed with the unmistakable crimson wax of the Emperor's personal crest.
The room instantly fell silent. Cassian, Leo, and Lucien—who was standing in his usual spot by the window—all turned to look at the frantic servant.
"A letter for Sir Lucien from His Imperial Majesty," Elias announced, his voice echoing in the quiet room as he presented the parchment with a formal bow.
Lucien's brow furrowed. He stepped forward, tearing the seal open with a sharp, practiced snap of his fingers. As his ice-blue eyes scanned the elegant imperial handwriting, his entire frame suddenly flinched, his jaw locking tight.
"What does it say, Elias?" Cassian asked, propping his chin on his hand, trying to hide the sudden surge of hope blooming in his chest.
"His Majesty has summoned for Sir Arden's return to the capital and the front lines immediately," Elias explained, a hint of relief in his own voice. "The shadow monsters along the northern border are making highly unusual, aggressive movements. The military command requires the Knight Commander's immediate insight and tactical leadership. Furthermore..."
Elias offered a small, knowing smile toward Cassian. "...His Majesty notes that since Prince Cassian has fully recovered, displayed unprecedented magical breakthrough, and is safer than ever within the Elite Class, there is no longer any need for the realm's greatest hero to waste his talents on basic guard duty. Sir Arden has greatly achieved his purpose."
Lucien's hand clenched around the parchment until the heavy paper creaked and crumpled in his fist. No... his mind railed, a violent, unbidden frustration flaring up in his chest.
'Not now. I am so close. I am right on the verge of uncovering his secrets. I just found out that he truly possesses dark mana, and I need to watch him closely not to awaken it. If I leave now, he will slip right through my fingers and who knows what he'll do?'
For the first time in his entire life, the legendary, righteous Knight Commander felt a heavy, deep-seated reluctance to answer the call of duty. He didn't want to go to the northern border. He wanted to stay right here, locked in this room, watching every single breath this terrifying and shameless prince took.
"Oh no," Cassian spoke up, his voice a masterclass in fake, aristocratic sorrow, though he was internally throwing a massive, neon-lit party.
"What a tragic turn of events."
Cassian slowly stood up from his chair, a massive, uncontainable grin breaking across his face. He actually let out a loud, joyful laugh, utterly unable to control his pure ecstasy.
"Don't worry, Sir Arden! I am well now! Very recovered! Very safe, all thanks to your... diligent protection! But as you've clearly seen at the arena and during our spars, I can protect myself perfectly fine now! Ha! Hahaha! Hohoho!"
Lucien's teeth ground together so hard his jaw visibly throbbed. He stared at Cassian's laughing face, his ice-blue eyes burning with a sharp, irritated fury.
'Look at him,' Lucien thought, a dangerous, possessive anger twisting his gut.
'He is celebrating. He is practically singing. He wants me gone so badly.'
Cassian's mind was racing at a million miles an hour. 'HE'S LEAVING! The human chainsaw is finally leaving the building! The moment those silver boots walk out of the academy gates, I am sprinting to the restricted library vaults, stealing the Aura of the Cosmos artifact, building my dimensional portal, and packing my bags for Earth! By the time he finishes chopping up shadow monsters in the freezing north, I'll be sitting in my modern apartment eating instant noodles, and he will never, ever see my face again!'
"Go well, Sir Arden!" Cassian cheered, actively walking over and grabbing Lucien by his heavy, silver-armored shoulders. With a burst of sleep-deprived strength, Cassian began physically pushing the massive, rigid knight toward the front door. "You have my deepest, most heartfelt thanks for your immense courage, your peerless chivalry, and your... wonderful company! I will personally arrange the finest royal carriage for your journey, and I'll have Elias pack a dozen expensive parting gifts for you immediately!"
"Wait, Your Highness—" Lucien stammered, trying to plant his heavy boots into the rug, but Cassian was moving with the frantic, unstoppable momentum of a man escaping a death sentence.
"No time to waste! No time for long goodbyes!" Cassian laughed hysterically, throwing the heavy front doors open and pushing Lucien straight out into the corridor. "The empire needs its hero! The shadow monsters await! Farewell, Sir Arden! Drive safely! Don't look back!"
SLAM.
The heavy oak doors shut with a resounding bang. Cassian turned around, leaning his back against the wood, and let out a long, shuddering sigh as a wave of absolute, pure relief washed over his entire body. He slid down the door, sitting on the floor with a massive, happy grin, looking like a man who had just won the lottery.
"Finally..." Cassian whispered, clutching his face. "I'm free."
Inside the room, Elias stood frozen, his mouth slightly open in utter shock at his master's completely un-royal, chaotic behavior.
And outside in the cold stone corridor, Sir Lucien Arden stood staring blankly at the closed wooden door. His fists were clenched at his sides, his breath coming in sharp, irritated rags as the echoing sound of Cassian's joyful laughter vibrated through the wood.
A dark, dangerous scowl twisted the knight's handsome face.
"Damnit," Lucien hissed under his breath, his eyes flashing with a terrifyingly sharp, obsessive intensity. "He really wanted me gone... just so he can conduct his evil plots freely. Do you truly think you can escape me that easily, Cassian? Just wait. I will return even before you know it."
*****