Chapter 98: New Tutor

Seraphina opened the front door to find a nervous crowd gathered in the hallway.

​Mr. Atlas. Mr. Wayne. Mr. Parker. Mrs. Diana.

​And several other neighbors from the apartment building. Most of them looked deeply worried, while a few appeared outright frightened.

​Mr. Atlas stepped forward first. "Seraphina, are you alright?" he asked hurriedly. "There was a strange tremor just now. Everyone came outside, but your apartment was the only one that remained silent. We thought something terrible had happened."

​Seraphina blinked before waving a casual, dismissive hand. "Don’t worry, everyone. Everything is fine."

​The neighbors visibly relaxed.

​"It was just Cassian."

​"My son just returned from the Lord’s Domain," Seraphina explained smoothly. "Apparently, he forgot to properly restrain his power after coming back."

​A stunned silence washed over the corridor. Many of the neighbors had no idea Cassian had even awakened as a Lord in the first place, that revelation alone was enough to shock them.

​However, Atlas, Parker, Wayne, and Diana were focused on something entirely different.

​Mr. Atlas’s expression changed instantly, his tone filled with obvious concern. "He returned already? Cassian came back this soon?"

​The middle-aged man frowned, his brow furrowing deeply. "Is he injured? Did something go wrong during integration?"

​Parker and Wayne looked equally alarmed.

​For a newly awakened Lord to return so quickly was highly unusual. Most remained in the Lord’s Domain for months during their initial integration, desperately trying to establish and fortify their territories.

Returning after barely any time had passed usually implied catastrophic failure, severe injury, or something even worse.

​Fortunately, Seraphina quickly dispelled their mounting fears.

​"There’s no problem at all," she reassured them with a reassuring smile. "He simply returned to check in. Nothing more."

​Atlas exhaled a long breath, a relieved smile finally appearing on his face. Thankfully, the boy was unharmed.

​After a few more pleasantries, Seraphina invited a few of them inside, not the entire crowd, but specifically Atlas, Parker, Wayne, and Diana.

The remaining neighbors were politely turned away after she apologized for the unexpected disturbance.

​Soon, the four guests entered the apartment.

​The moment they stepped into the living room, they saw Cassian emerging from the kitchen, balancing several bowls of snacks and cold drinks.

​The four older neighbors immediately scrutinized him with unconcealed worry. Their eyes swept across his form, meticulously checking for hidden wounds or signs of exhaustion.

​After thoroughly inspecting him and finding not even a single scratch, they finally let out a collective sigh of relief and sat down on the sofa.

​None of them asked why he had returned so quickly. Though the question was clearly burning in their minds, they deliberately chose not to pry.

Every Lord had their secrets, and asking about another Lord’s territory, resources, or personal circumstances during initial integration was considered a massive breach of etiquette.

​Fortunately, Seraphina had zero patience for unspoken taboos.

​The moment everyone settled down and began reaching for snacks, she looked directly at her son.

​"So..."

​Cassian paused midway through grabbing a bowl of chips.

​"...Why, exactly, are you back so soon?"

​The entire living room fell dead quiet.

​Mr. Atlas suddenly pretended to be intensely focused on his drink. Wayne found the grain of the wooden coffee table fascinating.

Parker stared intently at the ceiling light, while Mrs. Diana carefully nibbled on a biscuit as if her life depended on it.

​Not a single one of them wanted to appear overly nosey.

​Yet every single person in the room was straining their ears to hear his answer.

​Cassian looked around at their terrible acting, unable to resist letting out a helpless sigh.

​Clearly, everyone was dying to know.

Before Cassian could answer, a crisp knock suddenly echoed through the front door.

​The room fell silent.

​Seraphina, however, simply smiled. "I’ll get it."

​She stood from her seat and casually walked toward the entrance.

​Atlas, Parker, Wayne, and Diana exchanged confused looks, wondering who else could possibly be visiting at a time like this.

​A few moments later, Seraphina returned, and walking quietly behind her was an elderly man with graying hair, dressed in simple robes.

​The moment Mr. Atlas saw him, curiosity flashed across his face. "Seraphina," he asked, glancing toward the newcomer. "Who’s this?"

​Seraphina answered without the slightest bit of hesitation. "Oh, him?"

​She smiled warmly, gesturing toward the elderly man. "He’s the new private tutor I hired for Ruby."

​Cassian: "..."

​Louis Ferdinand: "..."

​The entire apartment suddenly became very quiet. Painfully quiet.

​The Overseer of the Astral Dominion. The supreme authority over countless star systems.

A Tier V Ascendant Lord whose single command could shake the foundations of entire cosmic civilizations...

​Had just been introduced as an elementary school tutor.

​And the absolute worst part? Seraphina looked completely, genuinely serious. There wasn’t even a trace of a joke on her face.

​Cassian stared at his mother, then at Louis, then back at his mother again, his expression growing increasingly complicated.

​’Mom... are you seriously trying to turn the supreme ruler of the Astral Dominion into my daughter’s babysitter?’

​The thought was equal parts hilarious and deeply terrifying.

​"A tutor?" Mr. Atlas smiled politely, nodding in approval. "That’s wonderful. Ruby is right at that age where proper education and strong guidance are essential."

​Louis nearly choked on his own spit.

​Proper education?

​He had personally overseen the rise and fall of planetary empires. He had trained Grand Lords and directed regional warfare.

Yet somehow, a century’s worth of qualifications had just been reduced to primary school tutoring.

​The Overseer’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly, but he managed to maintain a calm, pleasant smile.

​"Ahem..." Louis cleared his throat softly. "Indeed. Education is... very important."

​Cassian could practically see the old man’s soul leaving his body as he uttered those words.

​Fortunately, the neighbors failed to notice the existential crisis unfolding right before them.

​Seraphina nodded approvingly before gesturing toward an empty seat near the coffee table. "Please, sit."

​Louis sat down obediently, not because he actually wanted to, but because refusing her seemed significantly more dangerous.

​The moment he settled in, Mrs. Diana offered him a friendly smile. "What subject do you specialize in teaching?" ℯ

​The Overseer froze.

​What subject did he teach?

​Planetary governance? Interstellar economics? High-tier Lord cultivation? Dimensional warfare? The fundamental laws of spatial expansion?

​After a tense, calculated pause, he finally answered with extreme care.

​"History."

​"Ah!" Diana’s eyes brightened. "A history teacher!"

​Louis forced a smooth, dignified smile. "Something along those lines, yes."

​Cassian lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting back a heavy sigh.

​Across the table, Louis briefly met Cassian’s gaze.

​For a single, fleeting moment, the young Lord and the Overseer of the Astral Dominion shared a quiet, profound understanding: neither of them possessed an ounce of control over this household.

​And the mastermind responsible for the whole absurd spectacle was currently serving tea with a deeply satisfied smile on her face.