CHAPTER 3: SCHOOL

Azrael went down from the modern carriage- called a car, after entering the gate. He watched as Theodore drove it in the parking space and couldn't help but remember when he first saw it.

"What is… this?" he asked in confusion as Theodore opened the door.

"It is a car, Your Majesty" Theodore said patiently as Azrael had asked it countless times.

"I asked for a carriage, not…. This?" He gestured broadly at the car with a dramatic flair, as though he were gesturing to an incomprehensible disaster. "What's this round thing on the front? A wheel?" 

Theodore sighed, clearly used to this by now. "It's a tire, Your Majesty. And it's essential for how cars work."

Azrael stared at the car's tires, eyes narrowing. "And what happened to the horses? The majestic creatures that pulled the carriage with dignity and grace?"

"The horses, uh… they've been replaced, Your Majesty."

Azrael blinked, looking back at Theodore like he had just confessed to some heinous crime. "Replaced? By metal?" His voice was full of disbelief.

"Well, yes, the metal wheels help move it much faster," Theodore said, now walking around the car, checking it over with a practiced eye. "Also, there's no need for—"

Azrael threw up his hands dramatically, cutting him off. "So, you've magically found a way to make the horses… vanish? Where do they go? To the underworld? Are they feeding the flames of Hell? Because, believe me, I will not have that on my conscience!" Horses were among his most cherished creatures, for they once carried him from place to place with grace and loyalty, yet now, Theodore is telling him that they are gone?!

Theodore couldn't hold back a chuckle at that. "No, Your Majesty. The horses are... not needed anymore. No flames of Hell. I promise. Most of them are kept in a barn and well cared for by humans."

Still doubtful, Azrael reluctantly agreed to ride in the car, stepping inside slowly, as if trying to understand the magic behind this strange invention.

He snapped back from his daze and tried to cough as if trying to hide his embarrassment from his memory. Now that he had spent several days in this modern world, he had begun to understand that cars ran on gasoline, not on the spirits of sacrificed horses.

Once inside the university gates, Azrael walked through the campus, taking in the vast green lawns and tall, imposing academic buildings. The university itself was a blend of old and new, with towering brick structures that held an air of timelessness. Ivy climbed up some of the walls, giving the campus a grand and historical feel, while other parts of the school featured sleek modern additions, like glass-paneled classrooms and a wide, well-maintained pathway leading to the main building. In the distance, Azrael could see students moving between lecture halls, some carrying books, others engaged in animated conversations.

Azrael admires the surroundings, with Theodore and a nervous man in a suit struggling to keep up with their pace. The man, from the dean's office, had been instructed by the headmaster to show Azrael great respect, who showed his powerful background from his distinguished, though unusual, attire. 

"Sir, what's that building?" Azrael asked, pointing to a two-story structure that exudes the smell of fresh paint.

"That's the building for fine arts students. Inside, they—" The dean began, but Theodore interrupted.

"Would you like to enter, Your Majesty?"

The dean's eyes widened in shock. Your Majesty? Was the young man a royal family? It all clicked then—no wonder the headmaster had emphasized respect. Panicked, the dean scrambled through his memory, wondering if he had said or done anything to offend him.

"May I enter this building, sir?" Azrael asked politely. The dean, sweating, hurried to respond humbly.

"Yes! No problem, Your Majesty!" he stammered, making Azrael smile in satisfaction. 

"Thank you. I wish to be alone," It wasn't a question, it was a command. The dean nodded as he watched Azrael and Theodore enter. An unexplainable fear gripped him.

A strange, unexplainable fear gripped the dean, who immediately called the headmaster to report his experience. He mentioned the overwhelming fear he felt in the presence of the young man. After a moment of silence, the headmaster let out a laugh for his foolishness and spoke.

"Of course! It's because he's our Monarch!"