The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

Joren, the Order, and their Target

Even as I passed through the dormitory corridors, my mind was still occupied by what had happened just moments before. Me walking through the subterranean maze of passage ways to arrive at Castle Desiderii, teleporting with Heather, Norc, and Tora outside of Academy grounds, and witnessing an actual bloody battle between forces of good and evil...

And somehow, the most prevalent sight that I could firmly remember was of Norc's dark greenish face right after passing through the telly twice in a day. In the echoing hallways, I allowed myself to chuckle at the precious memory.

However, long after I had taken my bath (this time, more than double checking for possible fellow bath-takers) and shortly after I had realized I had been tossing and turning about my bed for the past few hours, I knew I couldn't sleep.

Sighing, I decided to go to the only other person I knew was still awake despite the ungodly hours. I carried with me a single candelabra and wore only my basic sleeping attire, and headed off to Professor Whitaker's room. My thin slippers slapped noiselessly on the marble floors and distant howls from the Elarian monsters echoed through the cold walls, and although the nocturnal version of the school did seem eerie at first, I had grown rather fond of it after witnessing it for more times I could count with both hands.

Humming the catchy tune I had heard from the Head Nurse, my journey to the Second Head Professor's room was both quick and leisurely.

Facing the door, I didn't even bother to knock anymore, as I've come to know that if I chose to not conceal my presence, my teacher would already unlock the door before I had fully arrived. So, I had assumed that this would be the case this time as well.

However, when I casually grabbed the knob, I felt that something was off. It was locked.

But more than that... someone was inside, and I knew it wasn't the professor.

I forced my heart to calm down, and decided to act like everything was normal. Well, as normal as I could while enforcing the candelabra with notes, that is.

"Professor Whitaker?" I called out evenly, my grip on the stick growing stronger. "It's Eleftherion. I have questions about what happened earlier."

"..."

I was responded with silence, but I could hear the unsteady and panicked breathing of my enemy from behind the door.

"... Professor?" I asked again after a grueling minute, this time holding the knob hard enough for it to creak. In three seconds, I would push it open with force, and beat down the invader with my candlestick.

On the third and final second, the lock clicked, and the door creaked open. And through the gap... I saw the gaunt face of my closest friend. Seeing him there surprised me so much that the candelabra fell from my hands, the fire extinguishing the moment it made contact with the cold floor.

In the sudden darkness, I could only oblige as he grabbed my arms hard and dragged me into the room, shutting the door behind him with finality.

"What the-" I gasped out.

"Therion..." Joren panted out in fright and surprise, his freckled cheeks pale from being caught...

"Joren, by the Gods, what are you doing here at such a- ???"

He clamped my mouth shut with both hands, them shaking hard against my skin. His emerald eyes were coated with an onslaught of frustrated tears. He then rapidly explained, "I-I'm not here c-'cuz of anythin' bad, I swear. B-But please keep it down, Therion... T-That professor might be c-comin' back soon, and I-, no, ya can't trust 'im, Therion. Ya can't-"