Athena's General Reincarnated in Another World

Helplessness. That was the feeling that had been eating away at me for days. I felt weak, worthless. I didn't care about being humiliated in battle. I didn't care about the defeat I had suffered. The problem was that it put everyone I loved in danger.

That was the first time I had lost in a real battle in this world. The first time I had felt like garbage again. The truth was—I had been beaten senseless by my enemy. I was utterly destroyed in every possible way. My power wasn't enough to fight him. Not even my Special Eyes, my Celestial Eyes, nor Cylla's help could bring me victory—or even get me close.

In the end, I was only alive because my opponent had the mercy to let me breathe. There was no greater defeat than that. My pride was shattered. And more than that—my failure put everyone I cared about at the mercy of my enemies. I had drained every last drop of my mana, and if Siegfried hadn't appeared… we would all be dead.

That would have been my final battle. And I would have had to watch the people I love die again. There is no greater pain than this—knowing that I am a miserable failure, knowing that I don't have the strength to protect those I love.

In my entire life, defeat has always been my greatest teacher, always showing me how small I am. That I am nothing. That I am just a human. I knew my pride had blinded me. I knew that, deep down, I thought I was superior, even if I never admitted it.

But what good did all my training in swordsmanship and mastery of combat do? In the end, I survived only because my enemy allowed me to. Now, I don't even feel worthy of holding a sword.

And here I am. At home. Locked away in my room, consumed by a deep, suffocating pain—one unlike anything I had ever felt before. I turned to look outside the window. The morning sun shone brightly in the sky.

Beyond that, I could see the streets below. What was once a quiet neighborhood in the heart of Apsalon had now become a military stronghold, occupied by soldiers from various kingdoms. The entire city of Apsalon had been placed under martial law, strictly supervised by the authorities of all three kingdoms.

No one entered or left the city without proper authorization. A curfew was in place. Certain areas were restricted, prohibited to civilians. And a crisis of trust had begun to spread among the people.

My neighborhood was the worst. Completely locked down, sealed off to anyone who wasn't a resident. Authorities from all three kingdoms were using the area for meetings, gathering in one of the houses to decide their next course of action—or so I had heard.

I and the other noble students were placed under strict protection in our homes, monitored 24 hours a day for the past few days. Apsalon Academy had been completely shut down. Classes were suspended indefinitely. Many students had died in the incident. Others were declared missing. Not even their bodies were found.

The demonic servants had vanished. According to student reports, they were last seen entering one of the tunnels beneath the tower, followed by their monsters. Inquisitors were now stationed in the city, and I heard that three of them were currently inside the tower, searching for those demons.

Students who lived in the academy and had no homes in the city were temporarily relocated to residential buildings, their expenses covered. None of them were allowed to leave Apsalon or return to their families.

The reason was simple—suspected treason. Every student was now considered a potential suspect—but no one had told them that. The truth was, among those demons, there had been figures in masks and black cloaks. Some of them were killed in battle by other students. And when the soldiers checked their bodies, they removed the masks and discovered the truth—they were students of Apsalon.

Which meant… after the demons disappeared, there was a real chance that traitors had simply removed their masks and were now hiding among us. Testimonies were being collected constantly. Fortunately, I only had to tell my side once, and I hid most of what I saw. But the students who weren't high-ranking nobles were being dragged into interrogations over and over again.

Politically, things were falling apart. Princess Rose had been attacked by a student—one who was a member of a squad led by Princess Elara. An attack like that—against the political figure who represents the Fourth Kingdom—was nearly a declaration of war from the Human Kingdom. A crisis of trust had erupted.

But in the past few days, I hadn't cared about any of that. I had far greater concerns.

Professor Beatrix's funeral was two days ago. It was only symbolic since her body had been sent back to her family in the Elven Kingdom. I had spent her final moments with her—and that memory refused to leave my mind. The guilt never stopped eating away at me.

I had replayed the battle in my head a thousand times, trying to figure out what I could have done differently. Maybe… maybe if I hadn't wasted so much mana on my way to the elevator, maybe I could have done something.

She was hailed as a hero. For defending the students. For protecting the future kings and queens of the realms. She was awarded a medal.

But to me… that meant nothing.

What use is a medal to the dead?

No one was there… when she needed them.

I saw what she faced. And I saw the choice she made. It took incredible courage.

The image of that demon was still burned into my memory. Or rather, as he called himself—a Dark Elf.

Morvat.

Professor Beatrix's last words echoed in my mind.

They know who I am now.

And they will come for me.

That thought alone tormented me.

That—and Cylla's condition.

I turned toward the bed, where she lay sleeping. I stepped closer. She was still in her moon panther cub form. Cylla had woken up briefly over the past few days—but she always fell back into sleep.

Using the Aspect of the Soul, I had analyzed her state. And from what she herself had told me, her body was constantly using mana to heal her soul wound, forcing her into a weakened, dormant state.

"You saved me from death… again…" I whispered, stroking her fur gently as she slept. The memory of that sword piercing her flashed in my mind. I would have died. And in that moment… she chose to die for me.

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A knock on the door. Then, soft footsteps.

My mother entered the room. She closed the door gently, stepping toward me with careful, quiet movements.

"How are you?" she asked, wrapping me in a warm embrace from behind.

"I'm fine… my wounds have healed." I tried to sound calm. "Saint Tiffania did a great job. My fingers are all back in place."

She placed a soft kiss on my head. "That, I already know, Nate," she said, letting out a small chuckle. "I check on you every night. You and Cylla…"

She paused for a moment, then continued. "But what I really want to know is—how are you?"

"In here?"

She pressed her hand lightly against my chest, over my heart.

For a moment, I couldn't answer. Silence stretched between us.

And then—the image of Professor Beatrix, broken and dying, invaded my mind like a razor-sharp blade. Her final words echoed through me like a weight too heavy to bear.

"I feel… like garbage."

The words slipped out of me.

"I feel like I was the one who caused my professor's death."

"Because, deep down… she came to help me."

"And she died because of me."

My mother held me tighter. But not even her warmth could ease the crushing weight inside me.

A storm of conflicting emotions raged within me. I was relieved that Cylla had survived. That Chloe and Kinue hadn't been there—that they were safe. But the pain of losing Beatrix… that was consuming me.

"Professor Beatrix… died with regrets," I admitted. And saying it out loud—for the first time—felt like it was ripping me apart.

"She could have chosen to run."

"But she didn't."

My voice faltered. Drowned by the endless grief tearing through me.

My mother tightened her embrace—but she stayed silent, letting me speak at my own pace.

"Knowing that someone so close to me died…"

"And that I couldn't do anything to stop it…"

"It hurts."

***

A sharp pain stabbed through my eyes. It was a constant sensation, but at times, it intensified to an almost unbearable degree. The consequences of pushing them beyond their limit were starting to manifest. This was the price of recklessly switching between the power of the Special Eyes and the Celestial Eyes. I could feel my mana channels damaged, wounded by the overload I had inflicted upon them.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't activate their power now. It was as if they were sealed, forced into a period of rest, a punishment for my own recklessness. All I could do was wait. Wait for them to heal from the damage I had caused myself.

"Good afternoon, young master," Martha greeted me as I entered the dining room.

"Good afternoon, Martha," I replied.

The lunch table was set, and my family was already eating. After the conversation I had with my mother this morning, I felt just enough relief to finally leave my room. For the past few days, I had spent all my time by Cylla's side.

I took a seat. Around the table were my mother, Chloe, Kinue, Natty, Catty, and Hugo. They all greeted me.

"Nate, how's Cylla?" my cousin asked as I picked up a plate. She had also been struggling these past few days.

"She's improving…" I said. "She woke up again last night and told me not to worry."

"Your aunt is handling the political matters, so don't concern yourself," Hugo said. "She's been in meetings with the others since last night. Seems like things are a bit tense at the 'Council of Leaders.'"

"Hugo… no political talk at the table," my mother gently scolded.

I selected a few things to eat, but only out of obligation. The truth was, I could barely stomach anything—not because of my race, but because of the constant anxiety gnawing at me. Knowing that a powerful enemy now knew who I was—and even where I was—kept me on edge.

I had already begun thinking about possible strategies and scenarios. Leaving the city would be too risky, even if we could. The best course of action was to temporarily trust in what the kingdom had told us: that we should remain in the city under their protection until the next decisions were made.

This neighborhood was under the watch of inquisitor mages from all three kingdoms. The highest-ranking officials were only a few minutes away, gathered in one of these mansions for their meetings. It was a temporary comfort, knowing that if any of those demons appeared, at least I wouldn't be alone in protecting my family.

But in the long run… I needed to understand what I was up against. I needed to learn more about Siegfried, about the Superior Beings, about the demons, and about why there was an unspoken rule in Morvat's words—why they "couldn't intervene" and why they had to leave.

That Demonic Herald was undoubtedly a Mage with a Solar-Level Mana Gem…

And on top of that, he had access to the Celestial Aspects.

Knowing that I was only alive because of the whim of something far above me… it was not a comforting thought.

"Don't be like that," Kinue said, trying to reassure me. "In a few days, Cylla will be running around the house again."

"You're right," I replied, trying to sound a little better. But my fears still lingered. Like storm clouds, heavy and inevitable.

It was time. I needed to share some of the things I knew. But I had to be careful about who I spoke to. The only person I trusted with this outside of my family was Adrihna.

The fact that the kingdoms were keeping their highest nobles "safe"—protected and guarded—this could mean they were worried about how the revelation of this unknown enemy would be made to the public. And who it would be revealed to.

I needed information. Information I didn't have.

It was obvious now—the royal families held secrets they refused to share with anyone. But if we acted separately, I feared we wouldn't stand a chance against these creatures.

They had already warned us—they would be here soon.

They mentioned a place—Svartalfheim. The Dark Kingdom. A place that harbored other Archbishops and Demonic Heralds. The homeland of those demons called Nidhogg.

And they were coming.

If I wanted any chance at defeating these creatures, I would have to reveal what I knew about the Celestial Aspects. I would need to gather strength—to unite these people.

Facing one enemy was already difficult. But what was coming wasn't just an army—it was an entire world.

To prepare for this war, I had to tell them about the Celestial Eyes.

My time as a student is over.

It seems I have to return to an old self.

I have to set my doubts aside and take the initiative.

I have to step onto the battlefield again...

As a General.

***

Another day passed in this new "normal." Outside, the streets were swarming with soldiers, moving back and forth. Some were on patrol, others carrying out tasks or following orders. I hadn't had any contact with the other students. If it weren't for Kinue's contract as a servant tied to my family, she would have been kept away from us—probably staying with Professor Adrihna.

Things were getting complicated, at least from what my aunt had told me. William Halldam was imprisoned, but no one could get anything out of him. From what I understood, something about him prevented him from speaking.

"What do you think they want to talk to us about?" Kinue asked as we stepped out of the house.

We had been summoned to the mansion where the Council of Leaders was meeting.

"They'll probably ask for our version of events," Chloe answered. "We only spoke about it once, and that was with the Headmistress…" She added, "I heard from my mother that her authority has been reduced after the attack on the academy."

Even though I knew she answered to a different set of laws, handling nobles from all kingdoms, they needed someone to blame. A scapegoat for those who had lost their children.

The Human Kingdom, especially, was governed by trust. Their entire political structure relied on the belief that submission to those above you was worth it—that it ensured protection. If that trust crumbled, it would spark unnecessary discord.

I could only hope that our rulers understood this and made a decisive choice.

We kept walking. But as soon as we stepped out of the garden and onto the sidewalk, a group of soldiers approached us. I noticed they were elves.

"Good afternoon, esteemed nobles." "Could you tell us where you're headed?"

"The Rhiannon family has declared this mansion a top-priority security zone for this street. We cannot allow you to leave without knowing your destination. Nor can we let you go unescorted."

Rhiannon? The Elven Royal Family…

"We were summoned for a meeting at the Council of Leaders," Chloe replied.

"We will call for a carriage. Do not worry," the soldier stated.

We exchanged glances.

"That won't be necessary," Kinue said. "The meeting is only about ten minutes away on foot. There's no need."

"We cannot allow that," the soldier insisted. "The path is being watched by soldiers from other kingdoms…"

"We trust only the elven soldiers."

I sighed. After what happened—after a soldier from the Human Kingdom's army attempted to assassinate a member of the Olarion Royal Family… after being implicated in a conspiracy against the entire continent… any attempt I made to defend the Human Kingdom right now… would be meaningless.