A few days later--
I put on the uniform that Owl had delivered and headed to the Delzogade Demon King Academy.
Today was the first day of school. Many students are passing through the main gate and heading into the school. I'm sure you'll find that they have two types of uniforms on.
I'm wearing a white uniform, but there are others wearing a black uniform.
At a glance, it looks like it's a 50/50 split. It doesn't seem to be divided into different grades.
And there are several kinds of brands on the school emblem.
My school emblem is a cross. It's not just that, it's also a triangle, a square, a pentagram and a hexagram.
But as far as I can see, no one else has been branded with a cross.
But what? I feel a strange look in my eyes.
I get the feeling that most of the people who have noticed me are looking at me with interest.
This was not the case during the entrance exam, but it's no use thinking about it too much. If something is going on, we'll find out soon enough.
When I entered the school, there was a big bulletin board. The new students' classifications are listed on it.
Anos Voldigord's name was in the second class column. The classroom was the second teaching field.
Inside the castle I knew, I walked up the stairs to the classroom.
I opened the door and entered the second training hall. The desks and chairs are lined up in a row. The students inside all looked at me at once.
Hmm. I still feel like I'm getting a lot of attention.
But, well, we're going to be in the same class together.
I'm not used to this kind of thing, but I've heard that the first greeting is crucial.
I'll try to impress the friendly guy here.
With a big smile on my face and the freshest voice possible, I said
'Good morning, everyone! I'm going to rule this class! We'll kill anyone who crosses us!
Hmm. So this is it.
I feel like I can feel an air of mindlessness, but was there not enough freshness in my voice?
I guess what I did with me made me a little nervous on my first day of school.
As usual, there was an unafraid, imposing gaze mixed in with the gazes that were sneaking around and looking at me. It was Misha, a platinum blonde girl dressed in a white uniform.
I walked over to her seat.
'Yo,'
When he greeted her, Misha gave him an inorganic look.
''Good morning......''
Can I sit next to you?
...hmmm....
I pulled up a chair and sat down next to Misha. I thought I'd ask her while I was at it.
'What did you think of that joke?'
Misha nodded her head.
''...Are you kidding?''
He said he'd kill anyone who crossed him.
There's no way I'm seriously thinking about that. In the age of mythology, this was quite popular. "You're kidding me," my men would often say.
"....you'll get the wrong idea...
I knew it. I knew it. This is the difference of the times.
I should have made up my mind not to make jokes during the entrance exam, but I just blurted it out.
Should I wait until I'm a little more comfortable with the class?
...hmmm....
But you still feel the eyes on you.
I feel like you've been staring at me for a while now, do you know what it is?
...rumor has it that...
Me? What?
You're not angry...?
I've never been an angry person in my life.
...that brand....
Misha points to my school insignia.
'It represents the results of the magic test and aptitude test.
Oh, I see. How does it work?
"The more polygons and points of a pointed star, the better.
So a square rather than a triangle, and a pentagram rather than a square is a better result than a magic power test and aptitude test added together?
My school insignia is not even a pointed star, but a cross.
It's neither a triangle nor a rectangle.
''.....My first brand in the Demon King Academy....''
What do you mean by that?
Nonconformist...
Misha says in an indifferent tone.
''The Demon King Academy is an academy that trains the next Demon Emperor. Only the Demon Royal Family is allowed to enter.
I had some free time until the school day, so I looked it up, but I heard that I was the only one who writes the word "Demon King" and the rest of the people distinguish between the letters "Demon Emperor" and "Demon Royal Family". Also, the demon royalty is the demon tribe that has the blood of the founder.
''So far, no one from the Demon Royal Race has been judged unfit to be a Demon King. Anos is the first non-conformist.
She broke off the words once and said again.
'So the word got out.'
Hmm. I don't know how they judge the Demon King's aptitude, but at least branding a genuine founder as unfit is just the wrong way to test him.
I only thought that if I let him enter the academy, he would find me on his own from the other side, but it seems that the demon race in this era has degenerated more than I thought.
''I can understand the magic power measurement because my magic power was too big to be measured, but I should have a perfect score on the aptitude test.
"...I'm sure...?
Yeah.
You just keep asking me questions about me, like, "What is your first name?" or "What does it feel like to be a founder?
There's no way I'm going to get it wrong.
No, wait a minute.
Hey, Misha. Can you say the name of your ancestor?
Misha's eyes blinked with a blank expression.
''......The name of the progenitor must not be called out for fear....''
What's my name?
"...Anos....
What's your full name?
Anos Voldigord.
Okay.
"Do you have a minute?
I put my hand on Misha's head.
She doesn't particularly dislike it, but she looks at me curiously.
'What's wrong?'
Think of the names of your ancestors.
...hmmm....
The next moment, I read Misha's thoughts.
A name emerges.
-- Avos Dilhevia, the Demon King of Tyranny--
"...who's that...?
Is that funny?
That name is a misnomer.
Misha shook her head from side to side.
''.....This is the correct answer. There is no Demon Royal Race that gets the Demon King's name wrong....''
'You were too afraid to speak the name of the founder, weren't you?
Misha nodded.
'I see,'
So. So, thanks to the fact that everyone was too afraid to talk about it, two thousand years later, we've completely forgotten our ancestors' names, and the wrong ones are being passed on.
What a ridiculous story.
If you think about it, Liorg said that origin magic is a life threatening thing. Since you're using me as your origin, and you even got my name wrong, it's going to be your life on the line.
With a mere name at this rate, I can't help but think that the correct answer itself was wrong, to answer the feelings of the originator of the aptitude test.
They probably didn't get the fact that I sleepwalked and fired the , nor did any of the demons die.
''How do you determine the suitability of the Demon King?''
'The closer the demon race is to the thoughts and emotions of a tyrannical demon king, the more apt they are.
I see.
What kind of a guy is the Demon King of Tyranny supposed to be, by the way?
A perfect being, both ruthless and benevolent. He fought with no regard for his own safety, always thinking only of his demons. He was not greedy, but noble, and his tyrannical behavior came from a noble heart that others could not even begin to fathom.
Who is this perfect superhuman.
I don't think there is such a person, you idiot.
I don't mind that it's a legend or a folklore, but what are you going to do if you think it's true?
With this body, it's no wonder that I'm branded a non-conformist.
After all, I was judged to not even know the name of the demon king.
''By the way, I understand what the branding means, but why do they have two different uniforms?''
There are half a dozen students in this classroom wearing black and white uniforms as well.
''The black clothes are special students. Pure-blooded demon royalty.''
You mean, like Riorg?
Misha nodded.
'Special students are exempt from the entrance exam.
So what was that guy doing in the exam?
You can take it if you want.
I see. Mostly people who want to show off their power will appear in the entrance examination.
It's no wonder that they were all small fry. If you're really strong, you don't need to go out of your way to show off your power.
Just then, a bell rang in the distance.
''Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats.''
I look up. A woman in a black vestments walks into the classroom.
She writes on the blackboard with magic.
--Emilia Ludwell--
I'm Emilia, homeroom teacher for Class 2, and I look forward to working with you all year.
Hmm. Since you're a teacher, your magic power is so-so.
At the very least, it wouldn't be as if Riorg and the like could stand up to it.
''I'll start off by dividing the group first. If you want to be a group leader, please run for the position. However, you must be able to use the magic I'm about to teach you.
As if the class has suddenly started, Emilia draws a magic circle on the blackboard.
Is that the magic of the Demon King's Army (Guys)?
I'm sure this is the first time you've seen it, but it's a spell called the Demon King's Army. Simply put, it's a spell that grants special powers to the armies under its command, with the sorcerer as the king. The practice is done in class. Today we will draw a magic circle and only judge whether you can use magic or not. Those who are able to use magic are qualified to be squad leaders.
＜From the magical characteristics of the Demon King's Army (Guys), it would be divided between those who have become squad leaders here and those who haven't, whether they are qualified to aspire to be the Demon Emperor or not.
''Well then, those who wish to run for office, please raise your hand.
Without hesitation I raised my hand.
They're all incompetents who don't know I'm the Demon King, but, well, I don't blame them. They are my descendants, after all. It's like half the blame is on me.
Even if you don't understand it right away, the point is that you just have to prove it with competence.
But as expected, the reaction of my classmates is not good.
They were looking at me as if they were puzzled.
Oh dear. Even though he's a nonconformist, is this how they react to him just because he ran for office?
"White suits can't run for office.
Misha told me in a whisper.
Surely everyone who's raising their hands is dressed in black except me.
So that means you have to be a pureblood. That's ridiculous.
'It was you, Anos. I'm sorry, but you're not qualified.
Why?
That's because you're a half-breed.
'Just because you're a half-breed doesn't make you any less of a pureblood, does it?
Emilia said, sounding miffed when she said that.
''Is that a criticism of the royal family?''
Good grief. They're all just a bunch of idiots, aren't they?
'Cut the crap and try to prove that purebloods can outperform mulattoes. If you can't, I'll run for office.
'Huh,' sighs Emilia.
'It's quite the opposite. The proof was done by our Demon King's founder. If you say that mixed blood is superior, then you have to prove that you are superior to the royal family.''
'Hmm. So you don't mind running for office if you can do that?
That is, if you can.
I huff and laugh.
That's the word, zekt, I'm signing up for.
What, no... when did you... use magic...?
It was common knowledge in the age of mythology that a verbal agreement was made with the magic of the contract (Zekt), but it is a failure of the teacher to notice this.
Anyway, I stand up and walk to the blackboard.
"Is it the royal family who developed this ?
Yeah.
I found a flaw in the procedure.
No way. It's impossible. ＜The magic formula of the Demon Army Guys has been passed down in this form for 2,000 years. No one has ever found a flaw in it.
I found it just over 2,000 years ago. I couldn't fix it while I was incarnating.
I rewrote the three magic circles on the chalkboard.
'This is the perfect form. If you claim to be a teacher, you'll know it when you see it.
Emilia is staring at the magic circle with an expression of incredulity.
''Oh no.....just by rewriting just three places, this is a ten percent increase in magic efficiency....and a ten and a half percent increase in magic effect. Quintuple...? How can this be...?
A groan escapes from the entire classroom.
''......Who is that guy....who is he...?''
'I've never heard of pointing out a flaw in a magic circle that I've never seen before and then rewriting it... I've never heard of such a thing... for the most part, students aren't even exposed to the basics of magical research...' ...
'What's more, the magic efficiency is increased by 10 percent and the magic effect is 10.5 percent. Quintuple....
The discovery of the century, isn't it?
Hmm. What a low-level story to be surprised by something like this.
And.....
Nice try.
Emilia turns to me.
'The magic effect is double. This magic gate causes interference with the three magic letters and rhymes that work twice to the root.
'Oh....'
Finally realizing this, Emilia shrank back in embarrassment.
'If you want, I can teach instead.
"...and...
Hmm?
I'll allow you to run for office please return to your seats.
Emilia barely seemed to be able to say that in a small voice.