Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 211: The Suffocation Forest (Part-8)

Sigmund and the others were still pondering the identities of the group when Fiona’s words made them all snap their heads toward Prince Kael.

After confirming what she saw, Fiona immediately stepped forward, surprise and faint delight flickering across her face.

"It really is you. How are you here?"

Reesa and the others instinctively glanced at Prince Kael, their expressions turning subtle.

They might not know who Fiona was, but it was obvious from her reaction that these newcomers were anything but ordinary.

And the fact that they recognized Prince Kael so readily only confirmed one thing.

His identity was far from simple.

"I’m cultivating at the Imperial academy," Prince Kael replied calmly.

No extra explanation. No change in expression.

Yet the words struck Sigmund and the others like thunder.

Cultivating... at an academy?

For someone of Prince Kael’s status?

That sounded almost like a joke.

If not for seeing him standing there in person, they would have thought they’d misheard.

With Prince Kael’s background, entering an academy was completely unnecessary. To them, it was nothing short of wasting time.

"Imperial Prince," Sigmund quickly stepped forward, all traces of arrogance vanishing from his handsome face. "Sigmund of House Storm."

Before Prince Kael, his pride was instinctively restrained.

Prince Kael gave a polite nod.

"Hello."

"Wow... just who is Prince Kael exactly?" Reesa leaned closer to Baldwin and whispered, unable to hide her curiosity.

Baldwin’s expression was complicated. "I don’t know either. But one thing’s certain, his background is anything but ordinary."

Alaric Von Seraph and the others remained silent, yet the answer was already clear in their hearts.

Sigmund’s earlier attitude toward them had been faintly condescending, the kind of indifference born from superiority. But the moment Prince Kael appeared, that disdain vanished without a trace, replaced by unmistakable respect.

That contrast alone spoke volumes.

Reesa and the others didn’t recognize Sigmund or his companions, but Sebastian and Miel did. And because they did, their expressions had grown increasingly solemn.

House Storm was no ordinary martial clan. It was a true behemoth, a name that carried weight across the entire Holy Mystic Continent, just House Griffin. Compared to such a force, even the Imperial academy’s influence seemed small.

And Sigmund wasn’t the only one.

Fiona and the others clearly came from equally extraordinary backgrounds.

If people like them treated Prince Kael with such respect, then his identity was far more frightening than they had imagined.

Earlier, they had assumed that Prince Kael entered the academy for Zora’s sake. Now, that thought only grew more astonishing.

With his status, he had no need for an academy at all.

And yet... he came.

For her.

The gap between their identities should have been vast. Zora might be the general’s daughter, but compared to Prince Kael, she stood on an entirely different plane.

And yet, he remained by her side so naturally, so firmly.

At that moment, Fiona’s gaze finally shifted to Zora.

A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.

Even as a woman herself, she had to admit that Zora was striking. More than that, her position beside Prince Kael spoke louder than any words. The intimacy between the two was impossible to miss.

When had Prince Kael ever been this close to a woman?

"Imperial Prince," Fiona said with a bright smile, her tone warm and familiar. "I heard you returned to the guild. I’d been hoping to see you, but you were never there. I didn’t expect to meet you here instead. What a coincidence."

Her eyes shimmered with admiration, her posture subtly leaning forward, clearly trying to draw closer.

As she spoke, she cast a faintly dismissive glance at Zora.

How could a mere academy student possibly be worthy of someone like him?

The implication was obvious.

Everyone present caught it instantly.

Fiona was interested in Prince Kael. Very interested.

Unfortunately for her, the response she received was ice-cold.

"We’re all busy," Prince Kael replied coldly. "There’s no need."

No warmth. No familiarity. Not even courtesy beyond the bare minimum.

Fiona’s smile froze for a fraction of a second before she quickly masked it, her composure intact.

In the sea of consciousness, Black practically exploded.

"Master! This woman really has some nerve! She dares to steal your man!"

"Exactly!" White chimed in indignantly. "This is unbearable. It’s time to declare sovereignty!"

Zora: "..."

What a joke!

The mistress had only just drawn closer to the emperor, and now some unknown woman suddenly appeared, boldly trying to pry into her corner.

Did she really think Black and White were just decorative ornaments?

The two little fellows were already hopping mad, bristling with indignation, while Zora watched the scene with a faint, amused smile.

Since the day Black and White had acknowledged her as their master, they had treated her with absolute loyalty. Whenever something happened, the two of them were often more anxious than she was herself.

Though she liked to act annoyed by them on ordinary days, having these little companions by her side meant she was never truly alone.

"Don’t rush," Zora said calmly.

Her expression was unhurried, her tone serene. When it came to feelings, she had always believed in one thing: what was hers would remain hers.

If someone could so easily steal it away, then it was never something worth keeping.

Besides, she trusted Prince Kael.

"It’s fine," Fiona said with a polite smile, seemingly unaffected. "When did you return to the guild?"

As her words fell, Sigmund’s eyes also flickered with curiosity.

Among their circle, Prince Kael was unquestionably at the pinnacle. If they could build a good relationship with him, it would only bring benefits.

"When my wife returns with me," Prince Kael replied calmly, "that’s when I’ll return."

The moment those words were spoken, Fiona, Sigmund, Elowen, and Zephrin all froze, staring at him in disbelief.

What... did they just hear?

A Wife?

Prince Kael had a wife?

They had never heard even the faintest rumor of such a thing.

For years, Prince Kael had shown little interest in women. Given his status, countless women had tried to throw themselves at him, yet he had never spared them even a glance. He didn’t reject them harshly, nor did he entertain them politely. He simply ignored them altogether.

Because of that, there had even been rumors that Prince Kael didn’t like women at all.

Later, when Guinvere occasionally appeared around him, those rumors slowly died down. Still, anyone who truly knew Prince Kael understood there was nothing between the two.

Yet now...

No one had imagined that Prince Kael already had a woman.

The revelation was like a thunderclap, leaving them utterly stunned.

Fiona could no longer maintain her composed facade. She had always thought she understood Prince Kael fairly well. Their guilds had close ties, and she had met him many times over the years.

In her heart, he had long been the object of her admiration. Powerful, proud, peerless among his generation—he was the very image of the man she idealized.

Then, three years ago, Prince Kael had suddenly fallen from grace, crippled in both legs. From that moment on, he withdrew from the guild and vanished from public view.

Back then, she had felt regret, but no more than that. In her eyes, a spirit warrior crippled in both legs was destined to fade into obscurity.

Yet not long ago, Prince Kael had reappeared.

Not only was there no trace of decline, but his strength had grown even further.

Upon returning to the guild, he decisively swept away every obstacle, resolved all disputes, and reclaimed his former position with overwhelming force.

The news spread like wildfire, shocking the entire cultivation world.

And now, standing before her, was that same man... calmly speaking of "his wife."

When Prince Kael had become crippled and withdrawn from his guild, no one knew how many people had mocked him in secret.

After all, he had stood at the very apex of the younger generation for years. Envy had long fermented into resentment. When news spread that the once peerless genius had become a disabled "waste," many felt an unseemly sense of satisfaction, as though fate itself had finally been fair.

Yet Prince Kael’s return was nothing short of a resounding slap across every sneering face.

In just three years, he had not only failed to fall into ruin, but had instead grown even stronger.

Fiona felt it keenly. The Prince Kael standing before her now was more composed, more profound, and far more captivating than the man she remembered. Every casual gesture carried an invisible weight that stirred her heart.

And yet... after three years, he already had a lady.

"Imperial Prince," Fiona asked with a smile that barely concealed her curiosity, "may I ask who your wife is?"

Sigmund’s gaze sharpened as well. This was no trivial matter. If this news were true, it would surely send ripples through countless guilds and families.

Hearing the question, Reesa instinctively glanced at the figure beside Prince Kael.

At the same time, Fiona and the others followed that gaze. Standing quietly at his side, composed and radiant, was Zora.

Could it really be her?

Before they could speculate further, Prince Kael reached out and rested a hand on Zora’s shoulder.

"She is my wife. Zora."

His tone was calm, unforced, yet unmistakably proud.