The Academy's Strongest Undercover Professor

"Are you still sure you don't want to move out of the way?" I asked again to whoever that professor was.

"Hit me if you dare. You'll be the one in trouble, not me."

I just shrugged. I wasn't scared of anyone inside the Royal Academy, and no one would be able to do anything against me. I had said it time and time again, and no one had managed to prove me wrong until now—and it wouldn't change anytime soon.

Just as I was about to punch him square between the eyes, Alexandra's voice rang out before me. It seemed the professor hadn't lied; she had really found out about the situation.

"Caedrel, what are you doing?" Alexandra asked in a low tone, clearly mad.

"What are you talking about? I'm guiding my students to the Snowy Mountains. I told you earlier, didn't I?"

"And do you remember what I asked of you?"

I shrugged again. "Not really. Can you remind me?"

Alexandra clicked her tongue. "Stop what you're doing right now. You need my permission before leaving the Royal Academy grounds."

At that point, I didn't know what to do. I was honestly extremely close to just beating the hell out of Alexandra and that professor standing in front of me.

If they kept pushing me, one thing was certain—things wouldn't be pretty.

"I think you're misunderstanding something, dear director," I said with a smile, standing still, no longer moving or threatening anyone.

"And what would that be?" she asked.

"You're misunderstanding me. You don't have control over me. No one ever has. So move out of the way and be a good little puppy to the Emperor."

"And what if I don't move?"

"Then I'll do the same thing I was about to do to that loser," I said, pointing to the professor in front of me.

I was getting mad. I could feel myself on the verge of breaking and letting loose some of my emotions, and this time I wouldn't hold back. If I had to show them what happened when they went against me, I would do it without hesitation.

"You're going to beat me up, is that it?" Alexandra asked, frowning.

"If I have to, yes."

But just as Alexandra was about to say something else, her phone rang.

Dring!

Dring!

Dring!

Alexandra ignored it at first. But after the second ring, she looked at it. There weren't many people who had her personal phone number, and once she saw the name on the screen, her expression changed instantly.

***

POV Alexandra

I had no idea why, but just as I was about to fight Caedrel and teach him a lesson, the Emperor called me.

I took out my phone and put it to my ear as everyone watched, wondering why the person calling me was so important that I would stop what I was doing.

"Hello, sir?"

"Let Caedrel go to the Snowy Mountains."

"But why? It's way too dangerous for the students. Imagine what would happen if even one of them were to die!"

"Alexandra. Do not go against Caedrel, not now, not ever. He isn't someone you can handle."

"But sir—!"

"No buts. Let him do what he wants. I'm confident he can handle the Snowy Mountains."

After those words, I wanted to argue further, but I knew there was no point. The Emperor had made up his mind. He was afraid of the man standing in front of me—a man whose background even I didn't know. The Emperor hadn't dared to tell me about him for some reason.

This man was dangerous, and I didn't know why or how he had become so.

I put my phone back in my pocket, and I could already see Caedrel smiling widely, as if he had expected this outcome all along.

"Is something wrong?" he asked with that annoying smile of his.

"You can go…" I practically whispered, gritting my teeth.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"I said you can go! Happy?"

He smiled. "Yes, I'm happy. I guess the Emperor has more sense than you."

The professor next to me was losing his mind as he witnessed the scene unfold, unable to comprehend how this was happening.

"Are you really letting him go to the Snowy Mountains with his students? And was that really the Emperor? Just how lenient is he with Caedrel?"

"Just leave him be. I'm not in the mood right now for your little complaints."

"Does Caedrel have a connection with the Emperor?"

"What did I just say? I'm not in the mood; now stop talking and move out of their way."

He had so many questions, but I wasn't in the mood to answer any of them.

I watched Caedrel walk past me, and I clenched my fists so hard that I felt blood running down my hands.

"I'll see you once I've resolved everything in the Snowy Mountains," Caedrel said.

"How long will that take?" I asked.

"Who knows? It could be a week, a few months, or maybe longer. Anyway, see ya!"

After that, all his students walked past me, their eyes filled with pity as they witnessed the humiliation I had just suffered.

Still, there was something Caedrel didn't know about his students—one of them truly didn't like him: Jackson. He was my spy, the one who would tell me everything that happened with Caedrel.

Oliver hadn't been the one to inform me about what happened in Atlantis. It had been Jackson. But Caedrel didn't know that yet.

As Jackson walked past me, I discreetly slipped a small piece of paper with my phone number into his pocket, so he could contact me personally. He would be my personal informant about everything Caedrel would do over in the Snowy Mountains. After all, I had a strong feeling that he hadn't told me all the reasons why he was heading there. Caedrel had a lot of secrets, and I needed to figure them out.

Because of that call with the Emperor, I was now determined to uncover all of Caedrel's secrets.