Two Reborn, One Throne novel Chapter 43

Lucian skipped class again today.

When he returned to his two-bedroom apartment last night, he took a shower and set his alarm, but he only set one. By the time he finally opened his eyes, the fourth period was almost over.

He changed his clothes today, but since he hadn't washed yesterday's sweaty clothes, they were just piled on the floor, reeking in the summer heat. Lucian washed his face with a paper towel. The actual face towel was still soaking in the sink, effectively turning into a mosquito breeding ground.

Lucian still didn't bother wringing it out or hanging it up. He just ran a hand haphazardly through his hair, grabbed his backpack, and headed to school.

As soon as he arrived, his homeroom teacher, Ms. Harper, called him into her office.

Ms. Harper didn't want to pressure him, but since he had skipped class for two days straight, she was obligated to call his mother. However, she was worried that his sudden shift in attitude meant he was going through a rebellious phase.

"Lucian, I know you're technically an adult now, and with finals coming up, you have your own plans. But as your teacher, as long as you're enrolled here, I have a responsibility to you. I don't mean anything by this, I just want to know—why have you been skipping class these past two days?"

She was genuinely worried that the pressure of the exams was getting to him. He had always been a model student, which was exactly why this sudden, drastic change in behavior was so concerning.

Lucian knew that cutting class for two days would shock his teachers given his flawless track record. So, facing Ms. Harper's gentle interrogation, he put on a perfectly repentant act. "Ms. Harper, I'm so sorry for making you worry. It won't happen again tomorrow, I promise. You don't need to worry about the grade rankings either; I will maintain my first-place spot for you."

Hearing this, Ms. Harper was stunned. "Lucian, that's not what I meant. I don't care if you're ranked first or not. As long as you're my student, I have a duty to—"

Growl.

Lucian's stomach suddenly roared.

He was mortified. "Ms. Harper, I'm sorry. My mom is in the hospital right now, so I've had some personal family matters to take care of, but I won't let it affect my studies. You're off the clock now anyway, and I need to go to the cafeteria to grab some food before it's all gone. I have the Physics Olympiad on Monday. I know you're just looking out for me, and I promise I'll study hard. Please don't call my mom just yet; I don't want to stress her out while she's hospitalized. Please."

Ms. Harper suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

Lucian turned and left immediately.

Ms. Harper stood there, bewildered. Was he doing better, or worse? Maybe she should talk to Amber about him again.

Lucian bolted straight for the cafeteria. Joanne Xavier still hadn't called or texted him, just like yesterday. He had been the one to call her, and she told him she was at the cafeteria.

He arrived expecting Joanne to have saved him a plate, but she hadn't.

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