Thunder Queen

“Milady, are you sure you want to be under the teachings of Dame Mira?” Marissa questioned.

Akimitsu had given me the options of the Royal Squad Captains.

It was unfortunate I couldn’t be in the same squad as Tsubasa and Kaito in fear it would cause nepotism.

Though my doubts for future conflicts between the two lingers, I trust Akimitsu’s skills to suppress their inner demons.

Despite my royal advantage, I wanted to be treated the same as any student in Ultiminia Academy.

So my best choice was to choose the toughest captains.

And I decided to be under Mira’s teachings.

I heard of her zero percent pass rate.

The “Novice Killer” she would be famed for because her instructions were harsher than any squad captains.

Akimitsu had told me of the other squad captains.

“Rosaria is lazy despite her cold demeanor. She thinks she’s tough, says all these mean things, but she values her alone time.”

She would be an easy captain for me.

Even Marissa recommended her.

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t want to cause any suspicion amongst the people of Valera.

On the outside I may be Princess Cassiopeia, but I am Catherine.

Whatever I do as the princess mustn’t create an impression that would taint her image.

“So you’re from another world?”

I nodded.

Akimitsu pondered the concept of reincarnation.

I felt that I could trust him with this information.

“Well then, it’s best to keep this a secret. Wouldn’t want the king to know that you’re not the real Cassiopeia.”

“You believe me?”

“It’s hard to believe, but I think it’s in our best interest that we keep this between ourselves. Which also means you have to act as the princess until you find a way to return to your own world.”

He continued on the theory of reincarnation.

The rich history was already established before I came to be the princess.

Perhaps I may have possessed her body.

Her consciousness may be under a sleeping state.

Those were our theories.

Maybe there was a chance my friends and I could return to our lives.

The only question was how?

Why were we sent here?

“It must be some quintessential force or entity that caused this phenomenon…” Akimitsu theorized. “This is news to me, but I’ll give you more updates on it, including your friends. For the time being, you should act as if you are Cassiopeia rather than your true self. Speak like her. Think like her. Act like her. We wouldn’t want to cause any suspicion. Especially King Xirgrias.”

Those were the warnings Akimitsu gave me.

I barely know Cassiopeia.

Her favorite color.

Her favorite food.

Her favorite animal.

I had to make things up as I sought an answer to return home.

“What about Balduin? Wouldn’t he be the perfect candidate for me?”

“Balduin will catch on to your intentions. I trust his judgment though. I wouldn’t recommend him either.”

“So who’s the least to care about my title as the princess?”

He rested his elbow on the table.

“Simple! Mira of the Thunder!”

Here I am now, face-to-face with the Thunder Queen herself.

Akimitsu teleports us to a realm different from other captains.

A dimension where havoc cannot be traced so easily.

She floats above us, meditating with one leg crossed, and a mantra is quietly chanted.

“How’s she doing that?” one of the classmates whispers.

The other shrugs.

We take baby steps toward our squad captain.

Each step closer to her, the captain descends until she can stand on her two feet.

A ring-like object manifests behind her, and she opens her violet eyes.

“Another round of wannabe knights has arrived, hm?”

She analyzes all of us with daggers in her eyes.

“Hey, we are nobles! Royalty is in our blood!” one of the students argues.

“Oh?”

Mira tilts her head in amusement by the defiant student.

“What makes you different from the other nobles under my training? All of you come here, act as if you have a goal to succeed your family clan, but at what cost?”

The defiant student growls, her brows narrowing in anger.

“You’re talking to Seraphine of the Black Fire Tribe! I am the Chieftain’s daughter!”

“Then prove me, princess…what have you learned from the Black Fire Tribe? I heard magnificent things about their fire. You have the flames that can extinguish other flames. At least that’s what I heard.”

“Allow me to demonstrate!”

Seraphine conjures a fiery arrow and shoots it into the sky.

A finger snap causes a reaction, and a spiraling flame ignites the timeless sky.

“How disappointing. It’s not black fire. Didn’t you say you were the chieftain's daughter?”

“Why you?!”

Jolt of lightning follows the captain’s path.

Our eyes cannot comprehend the speed she carries.

Mira instantly knocks the defiant girl unconscious.

“You’re so annoying…since we’re doing show and tell, which one of you two wants to go next?”

Audra hands her hat to me.

“Hold me this for me, okay princess?”

She winks at me.

“It’s unfortunate that I’m forced to attend this garbage academy. And now I’m forced to be under this rude captain.”

A soft breeze hugs me from behind.

“Is that all you can do? You can make a good business as a fan-maker.”

“I am one with the wind, and you’re at a disadvantage.”

The breeze becomes violent.

Mira is barely unfazed by the wind.

Audra’s wind takes the shapes of magical creatures and strikes Mira.

She evades them with her lightning speed.

“Your displeasure is a disgrace as a knight.”

A barrage of lightning shurikens are thrown at Audra, but the wind soldiers endure the attack instead.

Standing there and watching them fight will do me no good.

An orb is manifested by my hands.

I target the sky, and artificial weather emerges.

“Stupid girl, you realize you doomed your teammate?”

Water acts like an extension cord for lightning, but I noticed the streams of lightning coursing through her entire body.

She also falls prey to the superconductor.

“Not only that, she enhanced my buddies too!”

Audra winks at me again.

“I don’t want to hear you insult my teammates!”

“Says the one who insulted their instructor.”

“And we will make you acknowledge our strength as a team!” I say.