Athena's General Reincarnated in Another World

Nathan Evenhart:

I was walking through the corridors toward a room where the majesties were waiting. Behind me was the headmistress—I had run into her along the way.

"How is Thyra?" I asked.

Director Victoria's expression turned somber.

"Not well… Beatrix's death hit her hard," she replied.

We kept walking, and then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"I apologize, Nathan. John shouldn't have approached you like that, especially at a time like this… but he's been tense these past few days," the queen said with a warm smile.

"Is it because of those demonic beings?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. Your testimony will be extremely valuable. I truly appreciate your courage, and I honor your teacher's sacrifice. I worry about your future, but in times like these, we must stand together more than ever," she said.

As we continued walking, a familiar presence appeared beside me.

"Be careful, Icarus. Watch out for that woman," Athena warned.

'Queen Agnes? I already have plenty of reasons to dislike the Asalons, starting with the drunk king. But at least she's more pleasant than Grand Duke John...' I said to Athena in my thoughts.

"Icarus, I can spot a narcissistic bitch from miles away — trust me, I am one. So be careful…" she told me before disappearing again.

***

When we arrived at the door, soldiers from all four kingdoms stood guard, their armor gleaming under the dim light. My teacher, Adrihna, was also there.

"You took your time, Nathan. The others are waiting for you inside. The interrogation will be conducted with the entire group," she said.

Director Victoria stepped forward. "How is the atmosphere in there?"

"It's tense," Adrihna sighed.

The doors opened, and a semi-transparent barrier dissipated. The moment we stepped inside, every gaze in the room turned toward us.

The grand hall was filled with nobles and military officers, seated in rows along the walls, watching the scene unfold. In a prominent section, I noticed the dukes—my aunt among them—her face unreadable.

At the center sat my friends, the group who had come face-to-face with the Herald of the Demons. They were lined up in chairs, and before them, on an elevated platform, stood four grand, almost throne-like seats. Seated upon them were the four ruling majesties of the continent.

What surprised me the most was the queen of the Demi-human Kingdom. Her people were truly ruled by a lioness of a woman—tall, imposing, with flowing golden hair and feline ears. Her very presence radiated strength. Out of all four majesties, I was certain she was the strongest.

As soon as the doors shut behind us, a massive magical barrier activated, stretching outward to enclose the entire hall in a translucent glow.

"Everything spoken here will remain a secret between the kingdoms. We cannot risk any information leaking," Adrihna's voice was low and serious beside me.

She and the director walked alongside me for a few more steps before stopping. That was my cue to continue alone.

Slowly, I made my way through the hall, my eyes scanning the majesties before I took my seat. I sat down beside Melina and Kinue.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

The atmosphere in that room was oppressive. Ironically, everything about it resembled a courtroom, and the four monarchs looked like judges waiting to deliver their verdict.

The next to speak was King Haiten. "I admire your courage, and I'm deeply sorry for the loss of your teacher. Beatrix was the daughter of a dear friend of mine."

The other two majesties remained silent.

"Let's continue where we left off," King Bartholomew's voice cut through the hall, impatient and direct.

"Go on, Sebastian," ordered King Charles.

Sebastian resumed his account, and I realized the story had reached the part where we were surrounded by orcs in the forest. The other students filled in the details, each describing their own perspective of what had happened.

"In your opinion, how strong were these orc soldiers?" asked King Charles.

Saint Tiffania was the first to respond. "Physically, they are superior to humans. A single orc can take on a mid-level mage, and in groups of five or more, they pose a real threat. Two or three mid-level mages would struggle against them."

"So, with a balanced group of warriors and mages, would it be possible to handle the threat?"

"Yes, but the number of orcs will always be a decisive factor."

The monarchs exchanged glances, reflecting on her answer.

"We already know this from the reports. Let's move things along… I want to hear about the demon," Bartholomew's voice grew impatient.

"King Bartholomew, as a father, I sympathize with your concerns for your daughter. But I ask that you be patient," King Haiten said in a calmer tone. "You yourself spared her from this interrogation, didn't you?"

"After everything she went through—after the assassination attempt—I think she more than deserved a break," Bartholomew replied, crossing his arms.

"Very well…" Haiten sighed. "We're getting to the part you want, but try to be understanding."

The other students continued recounting their experiences, describing how they navigated the enemy camp and planned to split up. The Saint explained that part of the group would head toward the tunnel while the other half would follow the prince to the elevator.

"Then Nathan Evenhart disappeared and went to the elevator… why?" Bartholomew turned his gaze toward me.

I took a deep breath before answering. "My goal was to lure as many orcs away from the path as possible. With my element, I can move faster. After making sure I had drawn some of them away, I hid in the forest, looking for a way back. That's when I realized I was near the elevator… and that's when I saw the red-eyed demon."

I began recounting what had happened, carefully omitting a few strategic details. I explained that the moment I saw the demon, I felt an overwhelming hostility emanating from it—a crushing pressure that forced me to step back. I told them that my teacher caught up to me shortly after and that we both witnessed the demon's actions.

"Did it fly?" King Charles asked. "Unaided? It lifted off the ground like that?"

"Yes," I answered.

I continued my account, describing the battle between my teacher and the demon, how he seemed to be toying with us. I mentioned the explosion that sent us crashing into a hole in the ground, leading us into a network of underground caves. I explained how Beatrix held the demon back so I could escape and, finally, how I reunited with the other students in the forest.

"How strong was the creature?" Bartholomew studied me with keen interest. "Not that it's possible to precisely measure someone's strength, but if we compare it to your teacher… how many Beatrixes would it take to defeat him?"

I thought for a moment. I had gone over this calculation in my mind countless times, trying to use myself as a baseline, but the answer was always discouraging. Using Beatrix as a reference for this kind of estimate made things even more complicated.

"I believe the red-eyed mage was at least at the Sun level of his mana gem."

A murmur spread through the room. Nobles and military officers whispered among themselves, exchanging worried glances.

"Why do you say 'at least'?" The firm voice of the demi-human queen echoed through the hall.

"Because it's obvious those things have access to powers far beyond mana." I kept my posture straight, staring at the monarchs before me. "My teacher severed the arm of the being who called himself Morvat… and he regrew it in mere seconds."

The demi-human queen remained silent, nodding slightly.

"Did he mention something called 'Celestial Aspect'?" King Charles asked. "We have confirmed that one of them uses an ability by that name. The one who attacked the academy used this power."

So even those identified as Archbishops possess Celestial Aspects…

I only knew bits and pieces, but no one had witnessed the full extent of the powers of the archbishop known as Lady Sindra—only the abilities of Archbishop Vaelor.

The thought that three wielders of Celestial Eyes had been present that day unsettled me. If I had faced all three at once, I would have died. In fact, I was certain that Morvat had merely been toying with me and my teacher. He had never truly fought seriously.

I had been standing before something that could have killed me with a mere snap of its fingers.

"No… he didn't mention anything like that," I replied naturally.

"I see…" King Charles murmured, deep in thought.

He let out a sigh, and silence filled the room.

"You lied."

The sharp voice of the demi-human queen caught me off guard.

"Your heartbeat changed when you heard the term 'Celestial Aspect.'" Her feline eyes studied me intently. "My tests are usually imprecise, but your heart gave you away. You know more than you're saying."