The Prince's Struggles as a Commoner
That night, Atta lay in the cramped dorm bed, staring at the ceiling. The mattress was lumpy, the blanket too thin, and Reyan's snoring thundered through the room like rolling drums.
I've Trained with father… but this might be worse, Atta thought bitterly. He tried shifting, covering his ears, even counting sheep—yet the hours dragged on endlessly. By the time dawn arrived, he hadn't slept a wink.
Reyan yawned loudly, stretching like a cat. "Morning, roomie! Sleep well your first night here?"
Atta opened his mouth, ready to complain, but stopped himself. Instead, he forced a warm smile. "Yes… surprisingly, it was a good experience."
Reyan chuckled, rubbing his messy hair. "Glad to hear it. Hey, since you're new here, let me tell you something. There's going to be a tournament—the Theoms Tournament. You wanna participate?"
Atta pushed himself out of bed, straightening his uniform. "I already did."
Reyan blinked, his eyes widening. "Seriously? No way—I signed up too! This is gonna be fun."
Atta tilted his head curiously. "What kind of magic do you use?"
Reyan leaned back against the wall, a proud grin on his face. "Earth magic. Nothing flashy, but solid. I'm a pink core right now—so, medium level. Probably won't make it far, but hey, we should enjoy the adventure, right?"
Atta chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder. "For your age, even pink core is impressive. Don't sell yourself short."
"Thanks, bro," Reyan said, genuinely touched. Then his eyes lit with curiosity. "What about you? What kind of magic do you use?"
Atta's smile faltered. What do I tell him? I can't exactly say I'm the vessel of a demon god. He scratched the back of his head. "I… don't really use magic. I'm more of a swordsman. I'll be using a magical sword in the tournament."
Reyan's eyebrows shot up. "A magical sword? But those are rare—and insanely expensive. How'd a commoner like you get one?"
Atta's thoughts panicked. Damn, caught. Think, think… He chuckled nervously. "My father… works for King Rauf. He managed to arrange it for me."
"Ohhh, really? That's awesome." Reyan's eyes sparkled. "So… have you ever met Princess Izza or Princess Fiza? They're so beautiful."
Atta froze, his expression twitching. What the hell? He has a crush on my sisters?! This idiot wants to die young. He forced a polite smile. "Yes, they're definitely beautiful… but don't get your hopes up. You don't stand a chance."
Reyan laughed, unfazed. "Don't worry, bro. I bet you've got a crush on them too. Totally understandable."
Atta nearly choked. A crush on my sisters?! Eww, gross! I'm their brother, you moron! Out loud, he just muttered, "Uh… yeah. Sure."
Reyan, oblivious, grew serious for once. "Still… they're more than just pretty faces. Both Princess Izza and Princess Fiza are crazy strong. I heard they have white mana cores—the purest. White's the strongest color you can get."
Atta smiled faintly, pride flickering in his chest. "Yeah. They're strong… and kind."
Reyan nodded, then added casually, "I also heard they have a little brother who can't use magic."
Atta's face instantly flushed red. I can use a little magic, you know…
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To Be Continued...