Help! My Moms Are Overpowered Tyrants, and I'm Stuck as Their Baby!-Chapter 89: Lessons Learned the Hard Way

He whimpered again.

I shook my head lightly, hiding a faint smile. Riven's melodrama was strangely comforting, even if he was acting like we'd just survived a brush with death. Aria stretched lazily beside me, grinning triumphantly as we navigated the darkened corridors of the school, our footsteps hushed against the cool stone floors.

"We should sneak out more often," Aria whispered, eyes sparkling mischievously in the dim light. "It's exhilarating."

"You and I have very different definitions of exhilarating," Riven muttered, glancing nervously around every corner as though expecting the headmistress to leap from the shadows at any second.

Mara gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Relax. We're perfectly safe now."

Elira hummed quietly. "You've just tempted fate. Thank you."

Mara shot her a mock glare, but before anyone could respond, the sharp clearing of a throat echoed through the hall, freezing us instantly in place.

My heart sank, and I slowly turned my head toward the sound, already knowing exactly who would be standing there, waiting in silent, wrathful patience.

Headmistress Selene stood with arms crossed, her expression radiating such disappointment that even Aria visibly deflated beside me. The usually composed woman narrowed her eyes slowly, her voice dangerously soft as she said, "Would anyone care to explain why my students are wandering around at this hour?"

Silence stretched taut between us, the kind that felt physically painful.

Riven shuffled awkwardly. "Insomnia?"

Selene's lips pressed into a thin, humorless line. "I see."

I swallowed hard, feeling the unfamiliar sensation of guilt twist uneasily inside me. This was new territory. I'd lived most of my life beneath the protective shadow of my parents' authority, untouchable and distant from consequences. Now, standing here under Selene's quiet fury, my sense of invulnerability suddenly vanished, leaving behind the unsettling realization that I could, in fact, be punished.

"Come along," Selene said finally, her tone unyielding. "We have much to discuss."

We followed silently, each step echoing with ominous weight as she led us toward her office. It was an elegant room, filled with towering bookshelves, leather-bound volumes, and portraits of former headmasters who seemed to gaze sternly down upon us in judgment. She gestured wordlessly to the chairs arranged before her polished mahogany desk.

We sat obediently, Aria squirming slightly in her seat, Riven pale and nervous, while Mara and Elira maintained carefully blank expressions, though even their eyes flickered anxiously toward me.

Selene seated herself calmly, steepling her fingers as she regarded us thoughtfully. "I'm disappointed. Not because of your curiosity or even your recklessness, but because you failed to consider the potential consequences of your actions. What if one of you had been injured?"

"We were careful," Aria protested weakly, though her voice lacked its usual bravado.

Selene raised a single elegant eyebrow, her gaze pinning Aria into immediate silence. "Careful enough to descend into restricted areas without informing anyone?"

Aria sank further into her chair, eyes downcast.

"You must understand," Selene continued softly, "rules are not made simply to restrict your freedom, but to protect you."

The gentle reprimand stung more than I'd expected, prompting an uncomfortable heat to rise to my cheeks. Even as the future heir to one of the most feared empires, I felt inexplicably small beneath her gaze like a child again, inexperienced and vulnerable.

"For this reason," Selene concluded firmly, "I must ensure you understand the gravity of your choices."

Riven swallowed audibly, looking as though execution might be preferable to whatever came next.

She rose gracefully, selecting from a nearby shelf several large, ancient tomes, which she placed gently yet deliberately in front of us. "These are records from the earliest years of this academy, filled with both historical accounts and extensive rules. You will spend the entire day tomorrow transcribing them word-for-word, neatly and without error."

Aria stared at the massive books, aghast. "All of them?"

"All," Selene confirmed calmly. "And you will remain supervised the entire time. This is your punishment."

Aria slumped dramatically, groaning in despair. "My hand is cramping just thinking about it."

This chapter is updated by freēwēbnovel.com.

"You should have thought about that before," Selene replied evenly. "Now, to your rooms. Tomorrow begins early."

As we walked solemnly through the corridor, Aria grumbled beneath her breath about cruel and unusual punishment, Riven bemoaned his terrible luck, and Mara and Elira exchanged glances of weary resignation.

When we parted ways at our rooms, I lay awake for a long time, replaying the encounter in my mind, unable to shake off the unfamiliar sting of embarrassment and regret.

The next morning dawned gray and rainy, the perfect weather to match our grim mood. When we arrived at the small classroom designated for our punishment, we found parchment, ink, and quills already laid out with ruthless efficiency. Professor Aldrin, known for his notoriously strict demeanor, stood silently waiting, arms folded and expression severe.

"Begin," he ordered crisply.

For hours, we sat hunched over the impossibly dense volumes, painstakingly copying line after line. My fingers quickly cramped, ink smudging occasionally on the parchment, forcing me to start over repeatedly. Beside me, Aria groaned every few minutes, shifting restlessly, while Riven muttered darkly beneath his breath about never breaking another rule again.

Elira's expression remained stoic, though her movements gradually slowed, while Mara's fingers trembled slightly from exhaustion, her posture stiffening stubbornly whenever Professor Aldrin passed by.

Each minute felt like an eternity. I struggled to remain focused, the repetitive motion numbing my mind, but as much as I hated to admit it, Selene's punishment was working. For the first time, I genuinely understood the consequences of my choices.

Around noon, Selene appeared, silently observing our progress. Riven brightened hopefully, expecting relief, but Selene merely nodded once, offering a faint, humorless smile. "Good work. Keep at it."

Riven slumped back into despair.

The hours continued dragging painfully onward until sunset finally cast long shadows across the room, signaling the end of our punishment. My fingers were ink-stained and stiff, my back aching from hours bent over the desk, but I felt something strange a sense of accomplishment mixed oddly with relief.

Selene inspected our work carefully, finally nodding with quiet approval. "It seems you've learned something today."

"Never to get caught?" Aria muttered softly.

Selene's gaze sharpened momentarily before she sighed, shaking her head lightly. "Go, rest. Let this serve as a lesson: wisdom comes from understanding, and understanding often comes through discipline."

We left silently, exhaustion weighing heavily on our shoulders, but beneath the weariness, a quiet sense of camaraderie strengthened our bond. Aria smiled faintly, nudging me lightly with her elbow. "Well, at least it was memorable."

"Painfully memorable," Riven agreed with a tired grin.

Later that night, as I lay in bed, the system finally broke its amused silence.

[Did we learn anything from this, or are we planning our next great escape already?]

I laughed softly, shaking my head against the pillow. "Maybe a bit of both."

[Good. Discipline is valuable, but adventure shapes the soul.]