Priyam followed Louisa through the grand stone corridors of the Tristain Academy of Magic, his golden eyes scanning the lavish surroundings with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. The towering stained-glass windows, the golden chandeliers, the pristine marble floors—everything here reeked of nobility and arrogance.
Yet, despite the academy’s grandeur, Priyam felt nothing but amusement.
These so-called “nobles” strutted through the halls like peacocks, their noses high, their gazes filled with condescension.
But what power did they truly have?
A few parlor tricks. That was all.
Louisa walked ahead, arms crossed, her steps hurried and aggressive.
It was clear that she was embarrassed by him.
Good.
"This is humiliating," she muttered under her breath. "Out of all the creatures I could have summoned—a dragon, a griffon, even a mere salamander—I get you."
Priyam smirked. "You speak as though I should be grateful."
Louisa stopped dead in her tracks and turned to glare at him.
"You should be grateful!" she snapped. "A commoner like you has no place here. The fact that you stand within these halls is already more than you deserve."
Priyam met her gaze without a hint of fear. "And yet, here I am."
Louisa’s hands clenched into fists, her frustration evident.
Before she could respond, the sound of laughter echoed through the hallway.
A group of students approached, their fine robes embroidered with elaborate family crests. At the front stood a tall, blonde young man with striking blue eyes—Roderic von Hohenstein, the heir to one of the wealthiest noble houses in Tristain.
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"Well, well," Roderic sneered. "I heard the rumors, but I didn’t believe them. Louisa de Vermandis, the so-called 'prodigy,' summoned a commoner as her familiar? How… unfortunate."
The students behind him chuckled.
Louisa’s face turned red. "Mind your own business, Roderic!"
Roderic smirked, then turned his attention to Priyam.
"You there, peasant. Do you even know where you are?"
Priyam tilted his head slightly, his smirk never fading. "A school filled with incompetent children pretending to be rulers?"
The nobles gasped.
Louisa’s eyes widened in shock.
Roderic’s expression darkened.
"You dare insult us?"
Priyam chuckled, taking a slow step forward.
"I do not insult," he said, his voice calm but laced with arrogance. "I merely state the obvious."
A spark of anger flickered in Roderic’s eyes.
"You worthless mongrel—!"
He raised his wand, ready to cast a spell.
Louisa instinctively stepped forward to stop him, but before she could, Priyam lifted a single hand.
"Go ahead," Priyam said, his golden eyes glinting with amusement. "Show me your power, noble of Tristain."
Roderic hesitated.
Why was this commoner so confident?
Did he have hidden magic? A secret weapon?
But that was impossible. The summoning ritual had made it clear—this boy had no magic.
And yet, the way he stood, the way he spoke... it was as if he knew something they didn’t.
It was infuriating.
---
A Lesson in Fear
Roderic gritted his teeth. "Very well. I’ll show you the difference between us."
He flicked his wand, chanting an incantation.
A bolt of fire shot toward Priyam.
The students watched eagerly, expecting the pathetic commoner to be burned.
But then—
Priyam did not move.
He did not flinch.
He simply stood there.
The fireball struck the ground inches before him, sending a wave of heat through the air.
Priyam looked down at the scorched floor, then slowly raised his eyes back to Roderic.
And he laughed.
Not a nervous laugh. Not a laugh of relief.
A mocking laugh.
"Is that it?" Priyam asked, stepping forward. "Was that supposed to intimidate me?"
Roderic took an involuntary step back.
Why?
Why did this powerless commoner look at him like that?
"Pathetic," Priyam continued, shaking his head. "A true ruler does not waste his power on meaningless displays. You rely on tricks because you lack true strength."
Roderic’s hands trembled.
Why did it feel like he was the one being judged?
"Enough!" Louisa finally shouted, stepping between them. She turned to Priyam, her voice seething with anger. "You are my familiar, and you will know your place!"
Priyam met her glare with an amused expression.
"And what place is that, Louisa?" he asked. "At your feet? Or at your side?"
Louisa froze.
She didn’t have an answer.
---
A New Beginning
That night, Priyam found himself in a small, uncomfortable room—nothing more than a glorified closet. A single bed, a wooden chair, and a candle on the desk.
Louisa had thrown him in here, still furious about the earlier incident.
He lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
No magic. No weapons. No allies.
Yet none of that mattered.
Power was not just magic or strength.
It was control.
And right now, these nobles were confused.
They had power, yet they feared him.
He smirked.
He had only just arrived in this world, and already, the pieces were moving in his favor.
This world would soon learn what it meant to stand before a true king.
---
End of Chapter 2