Reincarnated as the disaster prince

Back in the dorm Theodore pushed his chair back, rising from his desk. Belial and Mimi, who had been standing attentively nearby, exchanged puzzled glances as their master strode purposefully toward the door.

"My lord," Belial ventured, "where are you going at this hour?"

Theodore glanced back, his crimson eyes glinting with quiet amusement. "There's a place I want to see. Follow me."

Curiosity piqued, Belial and Mimi obediently followed Theodore as he led them out into the night. The forest loomed ahead, bathed in the eerie glow of the full moon. This was the same forest where the students had hunted earlier in the day, but now it felt different—darker, heavier, as though the air itself was alive with anticipation.

They walked in silence until they reached a peculiar spot deep within the forest. At the center stood an enormous, ancient tree. Its gnarled bark shimmered faintly, and tendrils of mana pulsed from its roots like veins of glowing light.

Belial frowned, stepping closer to the tree. "My lord… what is this?"

Theodore's lips curled into a knowing smile. "It's no ordinary tree. Stop pretending to sleep," he said, his voice low but commanding.

The tree remained still, its only response the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. Theodore tilted his head and turned away. "Let's leave. It seems uninterested."

Suddenly, the tree began to tremble. The ground beneath them quaked as its trunk shifted, bending unnaturally. Before their astonished eyes, the tree morphed into the form of a little girl. Her silver hair flowed like moonlight, and she hovered a few feet above the ground, her wide eyes glowing faintly.

"Don't leave me alone," the girl said, her voice soft and childlike. "Luna is lonely."

Belial instinctively moved to shield Theodore, his hand on his weapon. "My lord, stand back! She could be dangerous."

"Stop," Theodore said with a wave of his hand. "She's no threat."

The little girl floated closer, her small hands reaching out as she embraced Theodore. He stiffened, clearly uncomfortable. "Don't touch me," he said coldly. "Who are you?"

The girl giggled. "Luna is Luna! Luna is a magical tree."

"A magical tree?" Theodore repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Then why do you look like this?"

Luna's smile faded, and she looked down, sadness clouding her features. "It was Papa's wish," she whispered. "He said… if Luna became like this, Luna could bring Mama back. But Mama never came back."

Theodore, Belial, and Mimi exchanged uneasy glances. Who was this 'Papa,' and why would he do something like this to his own child?

Theodore crouched slightly to meet Luna's gaze. "Your father—was he a tree too?"

"No, no," Luna said, shaking her head. "Papa was human. But Papa said if Luna became a tree, he'd love Luna forever. And Mama would come back…"

Theodore straightened, his expression unreadable. "I see. Well, I'll be leaving now."

"No!" Luna cried, her eyes filling with tears. "Everyone leaves Luna. They ask questions, Luna helps, and then they never come back. Luna doesn't want to be alone!"

Mimi, moved by the girl's despair, knelt before Theodore. "My lord, please. Let us take care of her. She's just a child."

Theodore crossed his arms and looked away, clearly annoyed. "I'm already ten years old. How am I supposed to take care of someone else's burden?"

Mimi bowed lower, her voice pleading. "Please, my lord. I will take full responsibility. She won't be a bother to you."

Theodore sighed heavily, finally relenting. "Fine. Do whatever you want. Just keep her out of my way."

Mimi beamed and turned to Luna, pulling her into a hug. Luna smiled, but her expression quickly turned somber. "Luna can't leave this spot. Once the full moon is gone, Luna will turn back into a tree."

Theodore narrowed his eyes. "If you're so powerful and knowledgeable, can't you do something about it?"

Luna shook her head. "Luna is a spirit tree. Luna's purpose is to help people and share knowledge. Luna can't change herself."

Theodore's disinterest began to shift as Luna's glowing eyes locked with his. She tilted her head and spoke softly, "Luna knows Theodore isn't from this world. Luna knows Theodore is a disaster for this planet. Luna knows Theodore will bring war."

Theodore's blood ran cold. He stepped forward, grabbing her shoulders. "What do you mean?"

Luna blinked, her expression confused. "Luna… doesn't know. Sometimes Luna says things and doesn't remember."

Theodore's smirk returned, though it was tinged with unease. "Fascinating."

He turned to Mimi. "Step aside. I'm going to fix this."

Theodore closed his eyes, summoning the ancient knowledge of the Shadow God. Words of power appeared before him, written in a language long forgotten. As he chanted, dark clouds swirled above, blotting out the moonlight. The air crackled with energy, and the ground quaked violently.

Luna floated higher, her form surrounded by a swirling vortex of shadows. A glowing seal began to form on her hand, pulsating with dark mana.

Belial and Mimi stepped back, shielding their eyes from the blinding light. The entire forest seemed to respond, the trees groaning as if in pain, and the wind howled like a chorus of wailing spirits.

Theodore's voice rose, the chant reaching its climax. The seal burned brightly before fading, and Luna descended gently to the ground. Her silver hair shimmered, and her appearance remained human.

"It worked," Theodore murmured, swaying slightly before collapsing.

"My lord!" Belial rushed forward, catching Theodore before he hit the ground.

"We need to leave," Mimi said urgently. "That energy will draw attention."

Belial nodded, lifting Theodore effortlessly. The three vanished into the shadows just as the distant sound of voices and footsteps approached.

Principal Roman arrived at the scene, flanked by several elders and teachers. The area was eerily quiet, but the air was thick with the remnants of dark mana.

"What happened here?" one of the elders asked, his voice trembling.

Roman knelt, placing a hand on the ground. He closed his eyes, casting a spell to read the lingering energy. Images flickered in his mind—glimpses of shadows, seals, and a familiar crimson gaze.

He stood, his expression grim. "It's nothing to concern yourselves with," he said dismissively. "Return to your posts."

The elders hesitated but obeyed, leaving Roman alone. He stared into the forest, his hand tightening around his staff.

"Theodore."he glare

Theodore awoke in his bed, groaning as a wave of exhaustion washed over him. Belial and Mimi were seated nearby, Luna hovering beside them, her silver hair glowing faintly.

"You've overexerted yourself, my lord," Belial said, his tone tinged with concern.

Theodore sat up slowly, his eyes narrowing. "I underestimated how much energy that spell would take. I'll need to train harder."

Luna floated closer, her gaze filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Theodore. Luna is happy."

Theodore waved her off. "Don't thank me. You're my tool now. Prove useful."

Luna giggled. "Luna will try."

As Theodore leaned back against his pillows, his mind raced. The forest was no longer safe, and Roman's suspicion was growing. But he had gained a valuable ally in Luna—and he intended to use her to tip the balance of power in his favor.