Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 278: Return to the Academy

The next morning, the sky was clear and bright, washed clean by a night of quiet.

After packing their things, Zora and Prince Kael left the Imperial City. For neither of them, that land no longer held anything worth staying for. The academy’s break was only a month, and they had already spent more than half of it here. It was time to return.

Zora’s friends: Eric Welsh, Physician Storm, and Physician Silver all came to see them off. As they stood at the gate, watching the two mount their horses, a faint, unspoken feeling settled in their hearts. Somehow, it felt as though Zora would not be coming back again anytime soon.

"Take care," Eric Welsh said with a warm smile.

Zora nodded, her eyes gentle. With one last wave, she and Kael turned their horses and rode away, their figures slowly shrinking into the distance.

When they returned to the Academy, it had already come back to life. Many students had returned from their holidays, while others had never left at all. The familiar bustle and scattered voices filled the air once more.

But before they even get to their residence, Alder appeared in front of Prince Kael, bowing slightly. "Your Highness."

Kael’s gaze sharpened. "What happened?"

Alder had been with him long enough to know that he would never appear without reason, especially when Kael was with Zora. During their time in Elysia, Kael had deliberately kept him away, wanting nothing more than quiet days with her.

And because Kael was traveling alone with Zora back to the academy, Alder didn’t dare to intercept on the way either and instead waited at the academy in patience.

But once he saw them, he couldn’t no longer hold himself and went ahead to meet Kael because of the urgency in the matter.

As he was asked about the matter, Alder glanced at Zora and hesitated a bit.

Kael waved a hand. "Say it. There is nothing you cannot speak of in front of her."

Alder nodded. "There has been some unrest in Heaven’s Gate. Miss Guinvere is very dissatisfied with what happened in the ruins, and some people are beginning to take this as an advantage. They have been restless since you stayed away from the Guild."

A faint crease appeared between Kael’s brows.

"And," Alder continued, "we have news of Amaranthine Crownshroom. But if you do not go personally, I’m afraid it will be difficult to secure it."

Kael fell silent. The Amaranthine Crownshroom was one of the four medicinal ingredients they desperately needed. At the same time, those in Heaven’s Gate had never truly been quiet. With him away, some were clearly testing their limits.

Before he could speak, Zora gently tugged at his sleeve. "Kael, you should go. I’ll be safe here at the academy; you don’t need to worry. The Amaranthine Crownshroom is too important to miss."

She trusted him. A few scheming people would not be able to make real waves.

What worried her far more was that rare herb. Something like that could disappear forever if they hesitated.

Kael looked at her, concern flickering in his dark eyes. "Wouldn’t it be better if you came with me?"

He did not like the idea of leaving her behind, even in a place as safe as the academy.

Zora thought for a moment, then shook her head with a soft smile. "Not yet. With my current strength, stepping into your world would only hold you back. When I grow stronger, we’ll walk that path together."

Her words were gentle, yet filled with quiet determination.

She understood very clearly that with Prince Kael’s brilliance, the people he had to face would never be simple.

If he went alone, he would be untouchable. But if she followed him, she would become his weakness, the one soft place others could aim for. That was something she could never accept.

What she wanted was not to hide behind his protection, but to stand beside him without fear of any storm. To walk with him, not to be sheltered by him.

That was her pride. The pride of Zora.

Her heart would never allow her to become an accessory. She wanted to carve her own path through this world, with her own strength. One day, even Guinvere would no longer dare to look down on her. She would crush the so-called arrogance of those so-called geniuses beneath her feet.

Prince Kael looked at her deeply. In her eyes, he saw that blazing, unyielding soul. It was bright, fierce, and unbreakable.

If she had given any other reason, he might have refused. But this was her pride, her belief, and her path. How could he ever force her to abandon it?

Loving her meant respecting that fire within her.

He knew better than anyone how extraordinary his lady truly was. Even when she did not show it, that brilliance had always been there. It was only a matter of time before she would stand at his side as an equal.

Alder, standing nearby, felt a quiet awe rise in his chest. He had always known Zora was different, but hearing her words now, he could truly feel her ambition. Far from being a burden, she was someone who could grow alongside the young master.

"All right," Prince Kael finally said, placing his hands gently on Zora’s shoulders. "I will settle the unrest in Heaven’s Gate and bring back the Amaranthine Crownshroom. Then I will return to you."

His dark eyes were deep and steady, as though he wanted to carve her image into his very soul. This was only a short separation, yet he already felt reluctant to leave.

Zora nodded softly, her smile warm and calm. "I’ll be waiting for you, Ka..." After a pause, she quietly added, "Husband."

If two hearts were truly bound together, why fear a brief parting?

Kael leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, his voice low and tender. "Then I’m going, my lady."

"Go," she replied, her eyes shining. She hoped that when he returned, he would be even stronger than before.

With that, Prince Kael turned and left.

Zora watched his back disappear, then slowly made her way back toward the special-enrollment dormitory, alone but unshaken, her steps steady and her heart full of resolve.

However, before Zora could even knock, the door across the corridor flew open, and Reesa poked her head out, eyes bright with excitement as if she had been waiting there on purpose.

"Zora, you’re back!"

Zora smiled and nodded. "When did you get back? That was fast."

"I returned two days ago," Reesa laughed. "Staying at home was boring, so I came back as soon as I could."

As she spoke, her gaze drifted past Zora, searching the hallway. When she did not see a certain familiar tall figure, she blinked in confusion. "Eh? Where’s Prince Kael? Didn’t you two come back together?" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Zora shook her head lightly, her voice calm. "He has some things to deal with, so he left. It might take him a while before he comes back to the Academy."

A look of understanding appeared on Reesa’s face. "That makes sense. With his status as the heir of Heaven’s Gate, there must be a mountain of things waiting for him. He probably barely has time to breathe."

After chatting for a bit, Reesa finally let Zora go back to her room.

Inside, Zora did not rest. Instead, she took out the materials she had prepared, her expression turning focused.

She had practiced inscriptions countless times in the Ring of Chaos under the old man’s guidance, but she had never truly drawn one on her own. Now was the perfect time to try.