Chapter 102 His Eminence is here.

Chapter 102: Chapter 102 His Eminence is here.

Silence reigned over the assembly as all eyes shifted toward the car that was the last to stop at the main school park. It was a white Lamborghini, sleek and expensive, with the royal banner of a dragon emblazoned across the back. The moment the engine finally went silent, everyone seemed to hold their breath. Especially Mrs. Danielle. She knew exactly who was about to step out.

Slyvia had already left the special healing center. After receiving several healing potions and recovering enough to move around, she had waited patiently for her guardian to arrive. The moment he did, she planned to officially file her complaint. She would have them all punished. Whipped out of the school. And after that, her alphas would finally be hers. This was it. Her moment had finally arrived.

Meanwhile, the students were practically vibrating with excitement. Everyone had been waiting to catch even a glimpse of the emperor. But before the emperor could step out of his car, another group appeared. The Moonlight Alphas. They walked into the assembly area with completely different expressions on their faces, though the most confusing ones belonged to Eugene and Killian.

Marcus immediately turned toward them. "You saw him and let him go?" His accusation was sharp as he stood beside Damian, seemingly trying to shield the weaker alpha from the curious eyes of the crowd.

"I tried," Eugene answered. "But the demon appeared, and you know Ashton. They left together."

Damian’s head snapped up. His lips tightened as another wave of internal pain twisted through him. "What the actual fuck? You let him leave with a demon?" His voice was loud enough to make several heads turn. The entire area fell into another brief silence.

Behind them, Oliver finally appeared as well. He hurried toward the group of teachers and staff members who had lined up at the entrance of the hall to welcome the emperor. Danielle, who had been watching the commotion, turned around. Her eyes widened. There they were. Mr. Oliver. The Moonlight Alphas. And the very people she had been searching for.

Oliver quietly attempted to slip into the line of staff members as if nothing had happened. Danielle’s eyes traveled from his head to his shoes. "Do you want to put me in trouble?" she hissed. "Just look at the time you’re coming. Don’t you know how important this is? Aren’t you supposed to leave everything else and attend to the emperor? Isn’t that exactly what I announced?"

It was, indeed, exactly what she had announced. But Oliver had priorities. And, apparently, the school was not one of them. "I am here now, aren’t I?" Oliver replied casually. "Isn’t that the most important thing? So can we drop this topic?"

Danielle’s teeth clenched. Her expression practically screamed that she wanted to strangle him. Mr. Warwold, standing nearby, simply rolled his eyes at their bickering. Danielle eventually gave up and turned her attention back toward the Moonlight Alphas. "Sit down, you four, and wait for the emperor. He is already in the car."

The four reluctantly returned to their seats. At that exact moment, the doors of the other vehicles opened. Soldiers stepped out first. They carried guns and swords, their massive bodies making them look almost like giants. Their presence alone was intimidating enough to make several students instinctively straighten their backs. Then the next two cars opened. Two older men stepped out, each carrying a staff. Their appearances immediately suggested that they were important figures within the emperor’s entourage. From the final vehicle, two more figures emerged. A young man and a young woman. They walked toward the waiting staff and were among the first to exchange greetings with them.

The formal introductions began. Teachers stepped forward one after another, welcoming the emperor’s entourage while trying their best to appear composed. But even with all the attention focused on the royal visitors, two figures quietly joined the gathering from behind.

Noah’s presence could never truly be hidden. Not from them. Damian was the first to notice. His blue eyes suddenly lit up. He looked toward the rows of chairs and immediately spotted Noah sitting beside Lamia. Both of them seemed to be searching for someone. And that someone was Rose.

"Look." Damian pointed. "He is alright. He’s here."

Killian and Eugene immediately stood. Their sudden movement caused enough noise for several people to turn toward them. Even some of the visitors who had been receiving introductions paused to see what had caused the distraction. But before anyone could get a proper look at Noah, Lamia grabbed him by the arm and practically dragged his ass down onto an empty seat.

"Sit!"

Noah barely had time to react before Lamia forced him down. The opportunity for everyone to notice him disappeared.

Lamia facepalmed. "Dude, why do you always like making an appearance?"

Noah looked at him innocently. "How is that my fault?" He shrugged. He had actually tried sneaking back into the assembly without attracting attention. Unfortunately, the Moonlight Alphas seemed to have some strange radar specifically designed to locate him. "It isn’t my fault they noticed me."

"That’s exactly the problem!" Lamia whispered.

Noah ignored him and looked toward the front. "That’s not my concern. Look over there." He subtly pointed toward Rose. "Rose is with Abigail and Emily. I don’t know what they’re planning, but those eyes aren’t looking good."

Lamia followed his gaze. "And where the hell is Slyvia? Isn’t she supposed to be here?"

Noah’s eyes moved toward the line of staff members. There she was. The dramatic queen was standing proudly at the very front, clearly enjoying the attention. She was dressed completely in white. But unlike her usual school uniform, the gown she wore today was far more refined. The fabric flowed elegantly around her body, while her silver hair fluttered gently in the wind. Her eyes seemed brighter than usual, carrying a confidence that made her look almost untouchable. She was making sure everyone remembered one important fact. She was the emperor’s ward. A fact everyone already knew.

Noah stared at her for several seconds. "Didn’t you say she was badly injured?"

Lamia glanced at him. "Yeah."

"You said I wounded her badly with magic, together with Maria."

"That’s what happened."

Noah frowned. "Then why doesn’t she look like someone who was beaten?" He continued watching her. There wasn’t even a trace of weakness in her movements. She looked perfectly healthy. More than that, she looked stunning.

Lamia suddenly groaned. "Fuck. Why does she have to be beautiful?"

Noah slowly turned his head toward him. Lamia didn’t seem to realize he had spoken aloud. "Are you jealous of her?" Noah asked.

Lamia finally looked at him. "Come on. You have four alphas chasing after you. What could she possibly have that you don’t?"

Noah gave him a blank stare. "Are you fucking with me?" He looked back at Slyvia. "She has a name. A big, powerful one. She has status, influence, and the emperor behind her." His voice became quieter. "Of course I’m a nobody compared to her."

Lamia’s expression changed slightly. Noah’s gaze remained fixed ahead. "I used to have all that." For a brief moment, something painful crossed his face. "In my previous life, I had everything." He exhaled. "But now that I’m here, there’s no denying that I’m disposable." His fingers tightened against his clothes. "I could be thrown away, and nobody might even mourn me."

Lamia stared at him. He didn’t like hearing Noah talk that way. "Just ignore her," he said firmly. "That’s exactly what she loves. Attention. And you’re giving her exactly what she wants."

Noah said nothing.

Lamia leaned closer. "As I was saying, what are you going to do about Rose?" Noah’s eyes shifted toward him. "And what are you going to tell the Moonlight Alphas? You can’t just leave them hanging like that." Lamia’s voice became more serious. "And whatever terrible decision you made with that demon, you’d better break it off."

Noah blinked. "Lamia—"

"I’m serious." Lamia crossed his arms. "I’m not letting you go."

Noah stared at him. For a moment, he wondered if Lamia had forgotten that they weren’t actually dating. The man was acting like an overly possessive boyfriend.

Meanwhile, across the assembly, the Moonlight Alphas couldn’t stop staring at Noah. Their expressions were almost identical. It was as if they had seen a ghost.

"What does this mean?" Killian asked, his voice filled with confusion. "Is he here for the mating festival?" His heart twisted at the thought. He had already been torn apart when Noah left. And yet, there he was. Sitting among the students. Looking impossibly gorgeous.

Noah wasn’t wearing the regular white school uniform. Instead, he wore a combination of white and purple, the colors blending beautifully together. His hair had been curled and styled short, framing his face in a way that made his features stand out even more.

Killian frowned. "I don’t know why, but I hate it when he does his hair like that."

Marcus glanced at him. "What?"

"I love his hair long." Killian’s voice dropped. "We all do."

The others nodded. "Honestly, he looks better when his hair is in waves," Marcus admitted.

Even Damian nodded. But he was struggling. Noah’s scent was spreading through the air. The moment Damian inhaled it, the strange sickness inside his body reacted. Then, just as suddenly, it stopped. His eyes widened. Something was different. Something had changed.

"Look at us," Eugene muttered. "The emperor is here, and our entire focus is still on him." He stared at Noah. "Is this how we’re supposed to protect him?"

No one answered. Because none of them could look away.

Killian swallowed. "Is it just me?" His voice was quieter now. "I feel like I’m being pulled toward him."

Marcus’s expression hardened. "You’re not the only one."

One by one, they nodded. They all felt it. Something inexplicable. Something they couldn’t control. The longer they looked at Noah, the stronger the pull became. It wasn’t simply attraction. It felt deeper. Instinctive. Almost like something inside them had recognized him before their minds could understand why.

Then—the emperor’s car finally opened.

The entire atmosphere changed. A high black boot stepped out first. Slowly. Deliberately. The figure that followed was tall, commanding, and dressed in magnificent golden robes that seemed to shimmer beneath the daylight. A massive crown rested upon his head. But it wasn’t the crown that silenced everyone. It was his face.

Lamia’s mouth fell open. Noah froze.

The emperor looked nothing like the elderly, frail ruler Noah had imagined. Instead, the man was breathtaking. Beautiful in a way that seemed almost unnatural. His sharp features carried an intimidating elegance, while his eyes held a coldness that made Noah’s skin prickle.

Then came the aura. It hit the assembly like an invisible wave. One person dropped to their knees. Then another. And another. Students who had been standing upright moments ago suddenly found themselves forced down by the sheer pressure radiating from the emperor. Even some of the stronger alphas struggled to remain standing.

Lamia stared in disbelief. "Oh, fucking gosh." His jaw dropped. "Is that a god?"

Noah couldn’t even blame him. He had expected someone old. Someone ancient. Someone whose age would show on his face. Not this. The emperor’s presence was terrifying. His aura was so immense that Noah could barely breathe beneath it.

Lamia slowly shook his head. "I changed my mind. Maybe coming here was a terrible idea." He swallowed. "I’ve never felt powers like this before." His eyes darted toward Noah. "Apart from you and that demon, I’ve never encountered anything like this."

Noah didn’t answer. He couldn’t. His eyes were locked on the emperor. Something about the man felt strangely familiar. Not his face. Not his voice, that’s if he talked. Not even his aura. Something else. Something buried deep inside Noah.

The emperor took another step. His golden robes shifted with the movement. Then his eyes swept across the assembly. They passed over the kneeling students. The teachers. The Moonlight Alphas. Slyvia. Lamia. And finally—they landed on Noah.

Their eyes met. The emperor stopped. His foot remained suspended for half a second before slowly settling against the ground. He didn’t move again. His entire body had gone still.

Noah’s breath caught. The emperor was staring directly at him, Not past him, Not around him, At him and for some inexplicable reason, the emperor’s expression changed. Barely. But Noah noticed. The cold, unreadable eyes that had intimidated an entire school seemed to sharpen with something Noah couldn’t identify. Recognition. Shock. Or perhaps something far more dangerous.

Noah’s heart began pounding. "Why is he looking at me?"