Chapter 62: Papa’s going to bother more people?
Nora noticed me approaching first, of course she did. Her posture straightened ever so slightly, her icy-blue eyes flicking toward me with that same regal mix of disdain and resignation, like she was already mentally preparing herself for the migraine I was about to cause.
"Ah," she said, her tone perfectly even. "And here comes the disaster himself."
I clutched my chest dramatically. "Nora, please. You make it sound like I ruin everything I touch."
"Do you not?" she asked, one elegant brow arching.
Sacha leaned over from my shoulder, whispering (loudly), "Papa does!"
"Traitor," I muttered.
Annalise, who had caught up to me, sighed and crossed her arms. "You do have a habit of proving people right, you know."
"You too, Annalise?" I said, feigning hurt. "Is there no loyalty left in this world?"
Xavier, who’d been quietly leaning against the pillar beside Nora, finally decided to look up from his nails. He smirked. "You really do enjoy hearing yourself talk, huh?"
"Someone has to fill the silence," I said. "Otherwise, people might notice how boring you are."
He gave a lazy chuckle. "Boring? I prefer the term refined."
"Right," I said, nodding. "Like a rock. Technically refined, still useless."
Annalise snorted before she could stop herself, and Xavier gave her a flat look. "You’re laughing at his jokes now?"
"They’re not jokes," she said. "They’re insults wrapped in delusion. I find that funny."
Sacha tapped my cheek with her paw. "Papa, are you gonna let them say mean things?"
"Of course not," I said solemnly. "I’m just waiting for the right time to verbally end their careers."
Nora sighed, the kind of sigh that implied I’d somehow personally offended her ancestors. "Do you ever stop talking?"
"Only when I’m asleep," I replied. "And even then, I’ve been told I mumble greatness."
She tilted her head, her tone syrupy sweet. "I think the word you’re looking for is ’nonsense.’"
"Semantics," I said. " The explosion-causing prodigy, same thing."
Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Explosion-causing?"
"Don’t ask," Nora said immediately. "It involves a forest, two professors, and a complete lack of common sense."
"In my defense," I said, raising a hand, "that forest had it coming."
Annalise pinched the bridge of her nose. "You can’t ’have it coming’ to a forest, Sebastian."
"You weren’t there," I said simply. "You don’t know what it did."
Xavier barked a laugh, shaking his head. "You’re insane. I like it."
"Please don’t encourage him," Nora said flatly.
Sacha puffed out her chest. "Papa doesn’t need encouragement! Papa is already perfect!"
I smiled proudly. "See? Someone appreciates me."
Annalise gave Sacha a pitying look. "Blink twice if you need help."
Sacha tilted her head. "What’s ’blink’?"
"Never mind," Annalise muttered.
There was a short pause before Xavier looked at me again. "So, Nekros... first place, huh? Didn’t think someone would beat the princess here."
I grinned. "Oh, I always had it in me. It just takes a bit of chaos and light property damage for it to come out."
Nora rolled her eyes. "Property damage. That’s one way to describe detonating an ecosystem."
"Details," I said. "You nobles love to exaggerate."
"You’re talking to the Imperial Princess," Annalise reminded me.
"I know," I said. "That’s why I’m speaking slowly."
Xavier choked on his laughter. Nora’s gaze sharpened like a dagger. "You are an impossible man."
"And yet," I said, flashing a grin, "you still talk to me. I must be doing something right."
Sacha nodded solemnly. "Papa always does everything right!"
"See?" I said. "Validation from the fluffiest source possible."
Annalise gave a mock clap. "Truly inspiring. A man and his emotional support tiger."
"At least my tiger likes me," I shot back.
"Because she doesn’t know any better," Nora said sweetly.
"That’s called loyalty," I replied. "A rare trait these days, especially among nobles who think sarcasm is a personality."
Xavier pushed off the pillar with a low whistle. "Okay, I’m calling it. This is the best entertainment I’ve had all week."
"Happy to provide," I said, bowing with an exaggerated flourish. "Sebastian Nekros, bringer of charm, chaos, and occasionally mild property destruction."
Nora crossed her arms, sighing again. "One day, Sebastian, your mouth is going to get you killed."
"Maybe," I said cheerfully. "But until then, it’s going to keep me entertained."
Annalise groaned. "I can’t believe I fought a mammoth with this idiot."
"You’re welcome," I said with a wink.
Sacha purred proudly. "Papa’s the best idiot!"
"Exactly," I said, smirking. "The best kind."
Even Nora cracked a reluctant smile at that, though she tried to hide it behind her hand. Xavier noticed and laughed softly. "Looks like he’s growing on you, Princess."
Nora turned to him, her expression calm but dangerous. "Keep talking, and I’ll make sure you regret that observation."
"Ah, there it is," I said, grinning. "The royal charm."
Nora’s eyes glinted. "And there it is, the Nekros arrogance."
I shrugged. "Can’t help it. Runs in the family."
Sacha puffed her chest again. "Papa’s the most humble person ever!"
I nodded. "You hear that? Straight from the source. The most humble."
Annalise groaned audibly. "I need a drink."
"Make it two," Xavier said.
"Make it three," Nora muttered.
I smirked. "I’ll take four. I’ve earned it."
I glanced between the three of them, Nora, Annalise, and Xavier, hands shoved in my pockets like I hadn’t just fought a mutated mammoth twenty minutes ago.
"So," I said, trying to sound casual, "classes start the day after tomorrow. You all ready to return to the noble art of pretending to listen while slowly dying inside?"
Annalise snorted. "Says the guy who doesn’t even pretend."
"I do pretend," I countered. "I just do it selectively. Efficiency."
Nora raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth twitching. "Selective listening won’t save you tomorrow."
I blinked. "Tomorrow?"
She gave me that deceptively polite smile that always means trouble. "You didn’t forget, did you? You’re giving the opening speech for the first-year ceremony."
Ah. That.
Annalise folded her arms, grinning. "Oh, right, our new prodigy’s supposed to motivate the freshmen. You got your big inspiring speech ready?"
Xavier, laid back as ever, yawned and ran a hand through his messy gold hair. "Yeah, Nekros. You gonna pull something profound out of nowhere, or are you just gonna stand there and wing it with that smug charm?"
I grinned. Slowly. The kind of grin that made Annalise’s smile falter and Nora’s eyes narrow.
"Oh, I’ve got something prepared," I said.
Annalise frowned. "That didn’t sound reassuring."
Nora crossed her arms. "What exactly are you planning?"
I took a step back, still grinning like I was about to set fire to the podium. "You’ll see tomorrow."
And with that, I turned and started walking away. Sacha perched herself proudly on my shoulder, tail flicking like she knew something they didn’t.
"Papa’s got a plan!" she sang.
Behind me, there was a long pause.
Then Xavier sighed. "Yeah... I’ve known the guy for, what, ten minutes? That was not the grin of someone who would give a nice, friendly speech."
Annalise groaned. "That’s the grin of someone who’s about to cause paperwork."
Nora pinched the bridge of her nose. "Wonderful. Just what this academy needs."
I raised a hand lazily as I walked off. "You’ll thank me later!"
Sacha chimed in cheerfully, "Or never!"
Can’t say she’s wrong.