Help! My Moms Are Overpowered Tyrants, and I’m Stuck as Their Baby! - Chapter 82

Chapter 82: One Last Visit
I’d grown used to the chaotic mornings in my family, but today was shaping up to be something special. My siblings, Aeris and Arion, bounced around the breakfast table, alternating between demanding attention and showering me with exaggerated admiration. Smaug lounged lazily on the back of my chair, occasionally snapping at passing servants who had grown brave enough to edge too close. Verania sipped her tea gracefully, unfazed, while Sylvithra calmly sliced into her breakfast pastry.

“We’ll be visiting Riven today, won’t we?” I asked, carefully sipping at my own tea. “It’s been a while.”

Sylvithra nodded serenely, eyes twinkling with amusement. “Indeed, we wouldn’t want him to think you’ve forgotten him.”

Verania smiled dangerously. “I doubt he’s recovered from your last visit. Poor boy practically hides whenever your siblings arrive.”

Arion slammed his small fists onto the table excitedly, eyes wide. “I wanna go! I’ll scare him even better this time!”

Aeris nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Big brother Riven screams funny.”

I sighed, pressing my fingers to my temples. “You two are supposed to be royalty, not aspiring villains.”

Smaug chuckled from behind me, puffing smoke lazily. “They’re simply embracing their heritage.”

“Exactly,” Verania agreed, looking entirely too proud.

Sylvithra leaned closer, giving me a conspiratorial wink. “Besides, it’s good practice. You never know when you’ll need to terrify people into submission.”

“Excellent parenting,” I muttered sarcastically.

“Thank you, dear,” Verania responded smoothly, unfazed. “Now finish your breakfast; we wouldn’t want to keep Riven waiting.”

After hastily finishing our meal and narrowly preventing Aeris from attempting to force-feed Smaug fruit we climbed into the waiting carriage. Aeris and Arion bounced excitedly on the seats, barely contained by their harnesses. Smaug curled up beside me, already bored.

“Do you think Riven remembers the dragon?” Aeris asked eagerly, tugging at my sleeve.

“Most likely,” I replied dryly. “It’s not the sort of thing you forget.”

“Good,” Arion said with a serious nod. “It’ll keep him alert.”

As we approached the orphanage, I couldn’t help but marvel at the changes that had taken place over the last three years. Gone were the faded walls and crumbling facades; the building now gleamed with polished stone and elaborate carvings. Vibrant flowers grew along carefully maintained paths, and laughter spilled from open windows.

Riven waited outside, shifting anxiously from foot to foot. He’d grown taller, his dark hair longer, nearly touching his shoulders, but the familiar nervous expression remained. His blue eyes widened in mild terror as he caught sight of our carriage.

“Here we go again,” I murmured, hiding my smile.

When we stepped out, Aeris and Arion immediately launched themselves toward Riven, squealing delightedly. “Big brother Riven!”

He stumbled backward, nearly falling over as he tried to avoid their enthusiastic embrace. “H-hey! Easy there!”

Verania grinned wickedly. “Be gentle, children. You might break him.”

Riven paled considerably, glancing nervously toward my parents before straightening himself. “Uh… it’s good to see you again, Your Majesties.”

Sylvithra inclined her head gracefully. “And you, Riven. We trust you’ve been well?”

“Alive,” he responded weakly. “Mostly.”

“Excellent,” Verania said, clearly amused. “Alive is preferable.”

Riven’s eyes narrowed suspiciously as he glanced at me. “Please tell me you brought no new dragons today?”

Smaug gave an indignant huff. “I resent that.”

Riven flinched. “My apologies, Lord Smaug.”

Smaug perked up immediately. “Better.”

The children, bored with greetings, began tugging insistently on Riven’s sleeves. “Show us your magic again!” Aeris demanded eagerly.

“Yeah! Blow something up!” Arion cheered.

Riven sighed, shaking his head. “You two scare me sometimes.”

I laughed softly. “Only sometimes?”

“Most of the time,” he admitted reluctantly, giving me a pleading glance. “Help me?”

“You’re doing fine,” I encouraged cheerfully, crossing my arms.

Riven shot me a betrayed glare before sighing deeply. “Fine. I’ll show you magic—but no explosions today. Sister Alyssa threatened to lock me in the basement if I destroyed another wall.”

Aeris pouted, disappointed. “Boo.”

Riven sighed again, clearly questioning his life choices.

We followed Riven around the newly renovated orphanage, watching with amusement as he demonstrated simple magic spells for my eager siblings. The children who lived there watched us curiously, some shyly greeting me, others hiding behind corners at the sight of my parents. Smaug, ever smug, strutted along, delighting in the respectful glances he received.

Eventually, we settled under a large oak tree outside, the leaves providing a welcome shade from the bright sun. Aeris and Arion played nearby, carefully supervised by Mara and Elira, while my parents observed calmly from a respectful distance.

Riven, finally relaxed enough to breathe normally, leaned back against the trunk, turning to me curiously. “I heard a rumor that you’ll be attending the magic academy soon.”

I nodded, smiling slightly. “Yes, in just a few days.”

Riven’s eyes lit up with interest. “The prestigious Arcanum Institute, right?”

“That’s the one,” I confirmed, brushing my hair behind my ear. “I’m told it’s the best academy in the kingdom. My parents insist on nothing less.”

“I can imagine,” he said with a nervous laugh. “I’m surprised they’re letting you go. Aren’t they usually more… protective?”

“Protective is one way of putting it,” I replied dryly. “But they’ve already informed the academy that if anything happens to me, the entire faculty will be executed.”

Riven blanched visibly. “That sounds like them.”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

He hesitated, chewing his lip thoughtfully. “Do you think… do you think I could attend one day? It sounds amazing.”

I smiled gently. “Of course you can. I’ll talk to my parents—though it may involve them threatening the headmaster.”

He winced. “Maybe don’t mention me by name?”

“No promises,” I teased, enjoying his discomfort. “But honestly, I’d be happy if you joined me there.”

He smiled shyly. “Me too.”

Our conversation was interrupted by my siblings rushing over, eyes wide with excitement. “Ely, can Riven come with us to school?” Arion demanded eagerly.

“Yeah! He can make explosions!” Aeris added helpfully.

Riven groaned, burying his face in his hands. “My reputation…”

I patted his shoulder sympathetically. “It was doomed from the start.”

We stayed at the orphanage for several more hours, enjoying the rare calm before my departure to the academy. When it was finally time to leave, Riven gave me a hesitant smile.

“Good luck at Arcanum,” he said softly. “Try not to destroy it.”

“No promises,” I replied playfully.

He laughed weakly, shaking his head. “Of course.”

As we climbed back into the carriage, Aeris and Arion waving dramatically, I felt a pang of something like nostalgia. Riven had been my first friend in this world, the first person outside my family to see me as more than just the terrifying Imperial Heir. Leaving him behind even temporarily felt strange.

Sylvithra reached out, squeezing my hand reassuringly. “You’ll see him again soon.”

Verania smiled knowingly. “And in the meantime, you’ll make more friends. Or enemies. Either way, it’ll be entertaining.”

“Comforting,” I muttered sarcastically.

My siblings bounced excitedly, already discussing their plans to visit me at the academy whether I wanted them to or not.

Smaug yawned dramatically. “Wake me when we get there.”

As we rode back toward the castle, I leaned back, feeling strangely at peace. Arcanum Institute awaited, a new chapter filled with potential chaos, friendships, rivalries, and undoubtedly, explosions.

I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

Or at least, that’s what I told myself until my siblings started their very detailed and highly unnecessary debate about what kind of chaos I was likely to cause at Arcanum Institute.

“I bet Ely blows up the entire school by accident,” Arion declared confidently, kicking his feet against the carriage seat. “Boom! No more Academy.”

Aeris gasped dramatically. “No, no, she won’t destroy it! She’ll just… scare everyone so badly that they make her Headmaster instead.”

Arion considered this, then nodded. “Yeah. That sounds more like her.”

Smaug let out a slow, lazy snort of amusement from where he was curled up beside me. “For once, the tiny humans have a point.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, inhaling deeply. “I am not going to destroy my school.”

Arion squinted at me. “But what if you do?”

“I won’t.”

Aeris tilted her head, completely unconvinced. “But what if you do?”

I opened my mouth, then paused, thinking back to my last training session where I may have, very accidentally, reduced an entire combat arena to rubble.

“…Okay, I see where you’re coming from,” I admitted, sighing.

Verania, who had been sipping her tea throughout the conversation, finally chimed in. “Well, if you do destroy the Academy, dear, at least do it stylishly.”

Sylvithra nodded approvingly. “And with proper justification.”

I gaped at them. “You’re supposed to tell me not to destroy it.”

Verania smiled indulgently. “Where’s the fun in that?”

My siblings giggled, clearly entertained. Smaug stretched, his tail flicking lazily. “Frankly, I’m hoping for some destruction. It would make this whole school idea far more interesting.”

I let my head fall back against the seat with a groan.

This was my family.

My wonderful, unhinged, completely enabling family.

Arcanum Institute had no idea what was coming.