Chapter 2

2

"It's all your fault! You stole her from me!"

He turned and bolted out of the room like a madman.

Mother immediately ordered her guards to follow him and ensure he didn't do anything stupid.

She knelt down and pulled me into her arms, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Killian, my darling, I'm so sorry. Did I make the wrong choice?"

I let my tears fall, burying my face in her shoulder.

"I understand, Mother. He's just young. He wants everything for himself."

My tears soaked her silk bodice, and she held me even tighter, her body shaking with sobs.

The more guilt she felt for me, and the more disgusted she became with Caspian, the safer we would be.

After a while, I looked up at her with wide, innocent eyes.

"Mother, the things Caspian talks about sound so wonderful. Could I... could I study with him in disguise?"

I saw her hesitate, but I pressed on quickly.

"I could just be his study partner, or even his servant. I just want to learn!"

She struggled with the idea for a moment, her eyes full of maternal pain, but eventually, she nodded.

Mother procured a masterfully crafted silicone mask for me.

When I put it on, it felt like a second skin; even from an inch away, no one could tell it wasn't my real face.

She introduced me to the palace as a distant cousin from her side of the family.

Caspian was thrilled, thinking Mother was finally bringing in family reinforcements to help him secure the throne.

And so, we both entered the Royal Academy together.

The classical literature and philosophy that made Caspian's head spin were things I had mastered a lifetime ago.

Since it was his first time actually trying to learn, he struggled miserably.

We became the top and bottom of the class respectively.

A Crown Prince couldn't be seen as a moron, so to keep the King happy, Caspian dumped all his essays on me.

As for the physical training, that was where I truly thrived.

In my past life, poison had robbed me of my strength before I could ever truly master the blade.

Now, with a healthy body and the chance to train, I treated every session like a gift from the gods.

Within weeks, the entire Academy was whispering about the Crown Prince's mysterious cousin who was a genius in both the library and the sparring ring.

The King's eldest son, Prince Alaric, loved to humiliate the Crown Prince.

In the past, he targeted me; now, he targeted Caspian.

He sat atop his white stallion, looking down at me with an arrogant smirk.

"Whose boy are you? You're wasting your talent serving a brat like Caspian. Come be my squire instead!"

The onlookers erupted in laughter; it was no secret that Caspian was a disaster at swordplay.

I declined with a polite, cold bow.

Caspian's face, which had been black with rage, suddenly smoothed out.

He actually seemed proud, as if my success was a reflection of his own greatness.

That evening, over dinner in the palace, Caspian wouldn't stop bragging to Mother.

"My cousin is incredible. Even Alaric tried to poach him today."

Mother looked at me as I ate in silence, her eyes filled with a quiet pride and a deep, aching sadness.

Caspian turned to me, his tone dripping with fake generosity.

"Brother, if I get the chance, I'll definitely let you meet him!"

The irony was suffocating.

Mother's hand froze mid-air, her fork clattering against the fine china as she looked at Caspian with utter disdain.

Except for Mother and Caspian, I wasn't allowed to see anyone in my true form.

His words were a blatant, cruel provocation.

A heavy, awkward silence filled the room.

Caspian, oblivious as always, kept rambling on about his glorious future.

I wondered how he'd react if he knew the star student and the rat in the basement were the same person.

Over the next few years, the Academy held several small evaluations.

But the upcoming final exam was different; the King himself would be supervising.

During the written portion, I finished my scrolls with lightning speed and handed them in early.

Caspian, who usually cheated off me, was forced to struggle alone under the King's watchful eye.

By the time he finished, he looked like a man who had just lost a war.

What an idiot. If he came back to this life just to enjoy the perks of being Prince, he should have known the work would be twice as hard.

Before the martial arts portion, Caspian pulled me into a corner and hissed a command.

"When we get to the archery range, you make sure your last shot misses the target!"

Usually, the test was a choice between archery, tactics, or dueling.