Waking up, I heard peaceful noise for the first time in a long while.
Voices.
Laughter.
Footsteps on stone floors.
The students were returning to the Academy.
But the moment I stepped out of the dormitory…
…everything changed.
A wave of whispers spread.
— Is that him?..
— They say he killed tens of thousands…
— Humans too…
— His eyes turned red when he went mad…
— A monster…
People moved aside as I passed.
No insults.
No attacks.
Just… stepping away.
An ordinary person hates the one who reminds them of death.
I walked calmly.
Let them look.
Let them fear.
And then—
FLASH.
Flame twisted into a spiral, and Mira appeared beside me.
A teleport through dense mana—her signature move.
She clapped me on the shoulder:
— So, hero? Enjoying the attention?
The crowd immediately erupted even louder.
— It’s her! Mira Helvard!
— The strongest mage in the kingdom!
— And that’s her brother… that Storm… that boy…
Someone dropped to their knees.
Someone traced a rune of protection.
Someone simply went pale.
Mira turned to me:
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
— That’s enough for you.
— Let’s go.
She grabbed my shoulder, and a second flash carried us straight to the classroom door.
— Did you check my schedule? — I asked.
— Of course.
— I’ve got free attendance. I can come or not come.
— You, though—go. Good luck, little brother.
She gently shoved me toward the door.
I inhaled.
Opened it.
The classroom fell silent.
Everyone was seated.
Everyone was staring.
Everyone was waiting.
And among them—those I had walked through fire and blood with.
Elinia Laurel
A princess.
Cold. Direct.
Her gaze was clean and sharp as ice—analyzing every detail.
Finn Rainford
A tense smile—judging by the fact he had already bitten his tongue three times.
Lucille Arvent
Sitting perfectly straight.
Eyes calm, but in her hands—micro-flares of spatial rings. A sign of anxiety.
Siren and Tara Walter
Both reaching for their swords, though trying to look relaxed.
Reinar
Joy and fear at once. He remembered how I covered him under fire.
Astra
Clutching a healing book. Praying? Possibly.
Kyren and Miella
Holding their stance like before an enemy. But not from fear—from respect.
Edgar
Looking honestly. But unsure how to feel about me.
Noah Levander
The only one who was smiling.
But his eyes…
They darted like a rat that had found a crack in the wall.
He wasn’t afraid.
He was watching.
Too closely.
I walked to my desk.
My footsteps echoed through the entire classroom—too loud, too tense.
I sat down.
Closed my notebook.
And quietly said:
— Good morning.
The class didn’t answer.
Elinia was the first to stand.
Her voice was even, as always:
— Zenhald.
— You’re back.
I nodded.
She studied my eyes for a long moment.
— You’re… different.
— Yes, — I said honestly. — And I’m not going to pretend anymore.
A murmur passed through the room.
Finn tried to joke:
— Uh… well, the main thing is you don’t accidentally freeze us all, right?
I looked at him.
Not threatening.
Just—looked.
He swallowed.
— I… I’m glad you’re alive…
And then the door opened again.
The teacher entered—surprisingly calm.
— Well, well… Everyone present?
— Oh… Zenhald Helvard has returned.
— Welcome back.
He opened the journal as if this were the most ordinary class, not a group that had survived the end of the world.
— Today we have a test on mana stabilization, level “Blue-3.”
— We’ll be working in pairs.
The class flinched.
The teacher looked around and said calmly:
— Yes. And Zen will work as well.
— Just with a different level of load.
Whispers.
Nervous laughs.
Fear.
— Time to get used to it, children, — the teacher said.
— Heroes study too.
He closed the journal.
— And we’ll begin… with assigning partners.
The class froze.
Everyone knew—
whoever was paired with me would be sitting next to the storm.
