"Welcome to St. Marian Academy!"
In the grand hall, sacred hymns floated through the air as the velvet-like, soft, and smooth black curtains slowly parted. Ascending the stage was the most beautiful and noble lady of St. Marian Academy—Principal Cynthia St. Arte!
Surrounding the Saint Magician were nine spirits, transforming into flowers and fireflies, rendering the stage dreamlike and beautiful.
The hall was adorned with four lavishly decorated long tables, above which thousands of floating candles illuminated the space.
The candlelight reflected off the golden plates and silver goblets, casting a mesmerizing, dreamlike glow.
By the time Dark Demon came to his senses, he was already standing on the stage, with the fragrant presence of Principal Arte beside him.
Memories surged back like a stream.
Dark recalled memories from his past life.
"St. Marian Academy... Isn't this the academy from that ultimate patchwork Galgame that was criticized before release but praised after?"
"Duel! St. Marian Super XX Academy!"
In the Galgame industry, where budgets were typically spent on exquisite illustrations at the expense of poorly crafted plots, "Duel! St. Marian Super XX Academy" was a rare breath of fresh air.
Although its plot framework was almost entirely copied from "Harry Potter," and its power system borrowed (plagiarized) from card games like "Yu-Gi-Oh," with duel card characters sourced from various popular anime, the mix of elements surprisingly formed an interesting game.
Even without pursuing the female characters in the game, one could derive immense enjoyment from it.
For a long time, "Duel! St. Marian Super XX Academy" even became a "card game starter," with various harmonious versions popular in the domestic piracy scene.
However, Dark, with a heart full of righteousness, steadfastly refused to touch this plagiarized + pirated + H trash game, only hearing about some settings and plots.
He vaguely remembered that the final boss of this game seemed to be a noble young master named Dark Demon.
As the only son of a duchess, Dark Demon played the role of Draco Malfoy in the game, initially opposing the protagonist in the academy, and later being revealed as the descendant of a demon god. After the resurrected demon king was defeated, his bloodline awakened, transforming him into the final great demon god, giving the protagonist the chance to defeat him and take away his fiancée!
Speaking of which, Dark Demon was truly a naturally tragic character, even his name translated to "Dark Demon," destined to be a tragic clown from the start, Emmm...
Wait, why does this name sound so familiar?
Dark Demon's face gradually turned pale.
...
"Dark Demon, Dark Demon..."
The warm, comforting voice in his ear pulled Dark out of his shock.
He struggled to control the trembling muscles of his face and turned to Principal Arte.
Principal Arte had pure, moonlight-like silver hair, and beneath her long eyelashes were blue eyes that seemed to draw one's soul in.
As a character that could be pursued in the game, she was the bright moon of St. Marian, the most beautiful symbol. The luxurious dress, tailored two sizes smaller than the actual size, accentuated the silver moon necklace resting on her chest.
Dark realized he was at the opening banquet of St. Marian Academy, as the first new student to undergo the academy's sorting test.
He tried to recall his experiences after being reborn.
After his past life memories returned, the memories of this life became blurred.
But combining the original settings of "Harry Potter," he finally remembered.
St. Marian Academy was the only academy in the kingdom that could rival the Sacred Ritual Academy, and it was divided into four houses.
These four houses were: the Noble House, the Knight House, the Mage House, and the Fool House.
Students of the Noble House were all pure-blooded nobles of high status.
Students of the Knight House were brave and righteous like knights.
Students of the Mage House were the inheritors of knowledge, learned and wise.
Students of the Fool House, although not yet possessing the bravery of knights or the wisdom of mages, were innocent and pure, with the greatest potential!
Dark was not overly nervous about this.
Before the demon god bloodline awakened, even the academy's sorting card should not be able to detect it.
He was the son of a duke, the most noble bloodline below the royal family!
He would surely be assigned to the Noble House.
Otherwise, this broken game couldn't proceed from the start...
Calming down, Dark glanced at the position of the first-year new students, but it was difficult to find someone who looked like the original protagonist among the dense crowd.
So Dark realized—he didn't even know the original protagonist's name!
But it didn't matter, as the son of the hero who sealed the demon king, he would soon stand out like a firefly in the night.
Dark took a deep breath and said, "Principal, I'm ready."
"As expected of the only son of the Demon family," Principal Arte smiled slightly.
Among the nine spirits flying around her, a griffin-like spirit flew towards Dark.
When it reached Dark, there was a magic card in its previously empty beak, with a crown, lance, magic book, and Tarot card [Fool] on the back, and a blank front.
"Take the sorting card in your hand, Demon."
Following Principal Arte's instructions, Dark drew the magic card from the spirit's beak.
"Then cover this sorting card with your right hand on your left hand, think about what you like, what you want, and the sorting card will guide you."
"Okay, Principal."
Dark closed his eyes and began to imagine.
His understanding of that game was limited, only knowing that as a villain throughout the game, he would meet his demise after awakening the demon god bloodline.
And the awakening of the demon god bloodline seemed to occur on his coming-of-age day.
Before the demon god bloodline awakened, although he was at odds with the original protagonist, it was just minor conflicts, not a matter of life and death.
His fiancée—the most popular female character in the game—only despaired of him after he transformed into a demon god, giving the original protagonist the opportunity to take advantage.
So, as long as he found a way to suppress the power of the demon god bloodline before the coming-of-age ceremony, he would still be the duke's son, not only of high status but also with a fiancée who wouldn't leave him despite his many faults!
...
Things didn't seem so bad?
...
Blinding white light spilled from his palm, and Dark felt the sorting card emit heat, as if it was imprinting.
Principal Arte's gentle voice sounded again, "Demon, raise the sorting card and show this year's new students how to properly conduct the sorting ceremony."
"Okay, Principal."
Dark moved his right hand away and saw that the sorting card indeed displayed the crown symbolizing nobility.
He then raised the sorting card high, inputting magic to activate it.
"Boom!"
Like fireworks, light points shot out, forming a giant golden crown in the air.
The sorting card shouted, "Dark Demon, Noble House!"
"Oh oh oh!"
Cheers gradually erupted from the long table where other students of the Noble House sat in the hall!
"Dark Demon, the only son of the duke known as the Valkyrie, has indeed been assigned to our house!"
"OMG!"
It seemed the young master was quite popular in the Noble House?
Dark's lips curled slightly, and he lowered his hand.
[Ding! Detected that the demon god bloodline has entered the awakening stage, triggering...]
"Damn!"