Reincarnated as the disaster prince

Anita tilted her head, confusion and unease written across her face.

"Where are you taken him, young prince?"

Theodore's smile didn't waver as he raised a hand, signaling the shadow creatures surrounding them.

"Take him," he said, his voice cold.

The creatures nodded, their formless bodies twisting unnaturally as they grabbed Chief Smith. He screamed and struggled, but their grip was unrelenting. "Where are you taking me?! No! Let me go!"

Anita watched in morbid fascination as a portal of swirling darkness opened before them. From within, a chorus of deafening roars erupted, each one filled with malice and rage. As the shadows dragged Smith closer, countless glowing red eyes blinked into existence inside the portal, their gazes fixed on him like hungry predators.

Anita stepped back, her entire body trembling. "What is that place? It's… it's full of dark energy and malice! How can a child like you possess such a thing? And why are they so angry?"

Theodore turned to her, his expression calm but cold. "That," he began, pointing at the portal, "is the Dark Soul World. It's a realm connected to my mind." He gestured toward the two moons visible through the portal—one glowing crimson, the other a pale white. "Those moons serve as my eyes. Everything I allow them to see, they see. When Mr. Smith struck me, they felt it. They saw everything. They've been waiting for this moment."

Anita's dark eyes widened in terror. "You… are you sure you're not evil?" she whispered, her voice shaky.

Theodore's smile turned faint, and he closed his eyes. "You don't have to worry about that."

But Anita couldn't shake the feeling of unease as the portal began to hum louder, its energy crackling like thunder.

Smith's screams grew frantic as he was hurled into the void. The creatures within descended upon him instantly, their claws tearing at him with unrelenting fury. Bones cracked, flesh was shredded, and his cries for mercy turned into incoherent wails of agony. The scene was so horrifying that Anita stumbled back, her hands trembling.

Belial, standing stoically beside Theodore, glanced at the portal as it began to close. "What will become of him, my lord?"

Theodore's eyes glinted with dark amusement. "Oh, he'll be useful. In the Dark Soul World, anyone I kill becomes a shadow entity, bound to me for eternity. They can't reincarnate, but they'll serve me forever."

Belial smiled, impressed. "Remarkable, as always, my lord."

Anita, on the other hand, stared at the boy in disbelief. "You… you're only ten, and yet you've done all of this? You're dangerous, Theodore. If I were still alive, I would've stopped you from going down this path."

Theodore smirked. "Good thing you're dead, then."

Anita sighed but couldn't hide a small smile. "Still, I must admit, your plan to expose the chief was clever. Using illusion magic to make him confess in front of everyone? That was brilliant."

Theodore nodded, his expression softening. "It's time for you to rest, Anita. I hope you reincarnate into a happier life."

"Thank you, little prince," she said with a faint smile. "I just hope you don't lose yourself to the darkness."

As her body began to dissolve into shimmering dust, Anita's voice grew faint. "Take care, Theodore."

The souls of the children followed her into the light, their laughter echoing softly as the forest grew still.

As the last of the cursed spirits faded, Theodore's legs buckled beneath him. His vision blurred, and exhaustion finally overtook him.

"My lord!" Belial caught him swiftly, holding him upright.

"Belial…" Theodore murmured weakly, struggling to keep his eyes open.

Belial smiled gently. "You've done enough. Rest now. I'll handle the rest."

Theodore managed a faint smile before his eyes fluttered shut, and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

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When Theodore opened his eyes, the familiar ceiling of his dorm room greeted him. The sunlight streaming through the windows felt warm, almost unreal.

"Was it… a dream?" he muttered groggily.

Before he could sit up, a familiar voice exclaimed, "My prince! You're awake!"

Mimi, his loyal maid, rushed to his side, pressing a hand to his forehead. Her face was pale with worry, but relief quickly spread across her features.

On the other side of the bed stood Belial, his ever-composed expression softening slightly. "It's good to see you awake, my lord."

Theodore noticed a small figure clinging to his side. Luna hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Big brother, you're awake!"

"How long was I out?" Theodore asked, his voice hoarse.

Belial answered, "Two weeks, my lord."

"Two weeks?!" Theodore tried to sit up but was gently pushed back down by Mimi.

"You need rest," she scolded, though her tone was kind.

"What about the village? My seniors in school?" Theodore asked, his mind racing.

Belial stepped forward, his voice calm as he explained. "After you fainted, I carried you to the village. The villagers were understandably… wary of me at first. I had to use a small spell to calm the teachers. Once they saw you were alive, they were relieved—especially your cousin, Vincent."

Theodore blinked in surprise. "They… cared about me?" he murmured. For the first time in his life, he felt the warmth of genuine concern.

Belial continued. "I lied and told them I didn't find Chief Smith but explained how you defeated the ghost and freed the village. They called you a hero."

Theodore's face turned red with embarrassment. "A hero? I don't deserve such a title. How humiliating!"

Mimi and Belial chuckled at his flustered expression.

"What about Marvin?" Theodore asked suddenly, sitting up straighter.

Before Belial could answer, the door creaked open. Mimi went to check, revealing Cai standing there, his usual aloof demeanor barely hiding his concern.

"How's your body, my prince?" Cai asked.

"I'm fine," Theodore replied, waving off the question. "What happened to Marvin?"

Cai smirked. "Do you remember that strange man in the village?"

Theodore frowned. "Mr. Black? What about him?"

Cai's smirk widened. "Turns out he wasn't so strange after all. He was Marvin's father. He kidnapped Marvin to keep him from being taken by the ghost."

Theodore's eyes widened in realization. "So that's why he threatened me by the stream…"

Cai nodded. "He wanted to keep you away from his son's business. Honestly, it was pretty clever."

With that, Cai left, promising to visit again. Theodore lay back in bed, feeling a rare sense of peace.

As Theodore rested, he couldn't help but think about the questions he still had. How would the academy handle his disappearance? What would the principal say? And more importantly, what would his father,the king,say?