Chapter 45

While Zoth was out making deals and shaking hands, I was…

"Zzz… Zzz…"

Sleeping peacefully during class, completely unaware of the chaos brewing around me.

Unfortunately for me, Teacher Ganth had decided to make me his target of the day. He loomed over me, his face barely inches away, smiling brightly.

"Should I wake her up?" Gale whispered hesitantly, standing nearby.

"Nope," Teacher Ganth replied with a mischievous grin. "I want to see her reaction."

Gale wisely chose to stay silent after that.

It didn't take long before I stirred awake. My eyes fluttered open to find Teacher Ganth's face practically on top of mine.

"Huh? Whoa—!"

Panicked, I scrambled backward, only to lose my footing and tumble off the artificial waterfall behind me. My descent wasn't graceful—my head collided with rock after rock until I finally hit the ground with a loud thud.

Dazed and spinning, I looked up to see Teacher Ganth land beside me in a swift, elegant motion, his grin as mocking as ever.

"Well, well, someone decided to nap during class again," he teased.

Blushing furiously, I bit my tongue and looked away, knowing I deserved his scolding.

"Just make sure you don't pull something like that again," he said, crossing his arms. "Sleeping in the middle of a fight could mean your death."

He walked away, leaving me with just a warning. I sighed in relief.

Under my breath, I muttered, "It's not like I need sleep… I just wanted to."

But, of course, Teacher Ganth's sharp ears caught my words. He turned back and gave me a cold, arrogant glare.

"Huh? What was that?" he asked, his tone demanding.

I panicked, sweat forming on my brow. "N-N-Nothing!!!" I stammered, swallowing hard.

After what felt like an eternity, he turned his attention elsewhere. I exhaled deeply, grateful to escape his wrath.

Gale, ever the show-off, decided to mimic Teacher Ganth's dramatic landing. Unfortunately, his attempt was less graceful. He slipped mid-air and crashed straight into me.

Bang!

Both of us collapsed in a heap on the ground, our heads spinning. When we finally came to, our faces were inches apart.

Our cheeks turned a deep shade of red as we locked eyes. For some strange reason, my chest pounded in a way I'd never felt before. The sensation was… strange. New. Yet, somehow, it felt good.

The class erupted in laughter, snapping us out of our daze. Embarrassed, we scrambled to back away from each other.

"Maybe try that in a more private setting next time," Teacher Ganth teased, his grin wider than ever.

"We're not like that!" we shouted in unison, only to realize our synchronized denial made things worse.

The class burst into even louder laughter. Our faces burned as we exchanged a quick glance before looking away.

Today was definitely one hell of a day.

---

On my way home, the moment with Gale lingered in my mind. The strange pounding in my chest—what was it?

It was a feeling I had never experienced in my previous world. Yet, somehow, it felt familiar, almost comforting.

"No, no, no!" I muttered, shaking my head furiously. "We're just four-year-old classmates! And I'm a literal goddess! It must've been a mistake!"

Determined to brush off the feeling, I focused on the present. As the school bus pulled up, I saw Mama waiting for me.

"Mama!" I shouted, leaping into her arms.

"Careful!" she cried, catching me mid-air.

I clung tightly to her, burying my face in her shoulder. The warmth of her embrace was all I needed. Whatever that strange feeling was earlier, it didn't matter. As long as I had Mama, I didn't need anything else.

---

Later that night, Papa came home. At first, he seemed distracted, as if something was weighing on his mind. But the moment he saw me, his expression softened, and his smile returned.

"Papa!" I shouted, running toward him.

He scooped me up effortlessly, twirling me in the air. "That's my little princess!" he said with pride.

Mama joined us, wrapping her arms around both of us.

In that moment, as I clung to them, I felt complete. Their love, their warmth—it was everything I could ever want. Whatever new experiences awaited me, as long as I had my family, I didn't need anything else.