The next morning.
Royan finished his morning wash quickly, then said his goodbyes to Father Jeffrey and the children at the temple, setting out for the Demon King Academy. He arrived at the school gates just in time for lunch.
It was different from the usual.
The castle-like gates were lined with exquisitely decorated dragon carriages. Even the least impressive one was drawn by a golden-class wyvern.
After graduation, third- and fourth-year students were free from classes and didn't have to prepare for finals or completion exams. The bustling campus life had suddenly gone quiet.
Young nobles didn't just stay in their dorms they had to return to their estates and enjoy their final summer break before heading into their futures.
Those from less influential families, unfortunately assigned to the frontlines, had already reported to the War Department the previous day.
Service time began the moment they reported. The sooner they reported, the sooner they could be stationed at the rear. With luck, they might even avoid the battlefield.
Wyverns, each five or six meters long, crouched on the ground before their masters, exuding the aura of true dragons. Among the draft beasts, Royan even glimpsed a few rare hellish pegasi he'd only ever seen in textbooks.
These creatures were considered "strategic assets" in Hell.
To have a carriage pulled by a hellish pegasus meant your family had to be at least of the count rank.
Royan politely expressed his admiration, only to be surprised by a familiar face peeking out from a carriage.
Beneath her pink bob, a pair of heart-shaped pupils watched him with a mischievous half-smile.
Mia?!
Recalling the unpleasant incident at the graduation ceremony, Royan quickly looked away. He didn't expect her to leap from the carriage and approach him directly.
"Royan-senpai, long time no see."
"Stop joking. We're in the same class."
"Eh? But Ig-san calls you that… why can't I?" Mia said, feigning shyness, her eyes darting in a deliberately flustered way.
Of course.
Seeing Royan unmoved, Mia's playful façade slipped, and her eyes narrowed with a dangerous glint.
"Tsk tsk tsk… A human daring to question a high-ranking demon's faith so boldly. I didn't realize you had guts."
Indeed.
A human who called themselves a protector of animals had no right to speak like that to a high-tier demon.
But it was only now that Royan reacted his reflexes were slow.
Seeing Royan remain silent, she circled to the side, bringing her nose dangerously close as if inspecting prey.
"Hey, where were you last night?"
Royan sighed, not wanting trouble, and answered formally:
"Respected high-tier demon Mia, may I ask why this concerns you?"
"Nothing much, just a little disappointed I came up empty-handed. I thought you'd run away with your tail between your legs, giggle giggle," she said with a mischievous smile.
Royan frowned.
"You entered my room?"
"Of course not. I'm a law-abiding demon, I wouldn't break the rules…" Mia chuckled mid-sentence, then noticed his expression. Her eyes narrowed. "What? Do you have something you're hiding in there?"
Before Royan could dodge the question, a soft cough came from the side, rescuing him.
"Miss, it's time to depart."
A middle-aged man appeared beside them, bowing politely, his tone humble yet impossible to refuse.
Judging by his expensive-looking formal attire, he was likely a servant or butler.
Yet Royan sensed this man wasn't an ordinary demon. His strength was at least gold-tier, maybe even platinum or diamond.
Mia clearly respected him. Interrupted mid-sentence, she huffed and muttered, "We'll see," before returning to her carriage.
The butler bowed again and followed his mistress, casually glancing at Royan. Somehow, Royan sensed a faint, underlying wariness in that glance.
Emmm… wariness?
Perhaps just his imagination.
At the Sita Cafeteria, the place was packed as usual.
Exchange students from the Goblin Tribal Kingdom devoured their meals as if competing with the sons of ogre chieftains.
Winged little demons ignored the Centaur chefs' shouts, flying around like airborne bombs with trays in hand.
Thinking that this life was about to end, Royan felt a twinge of reluctance.
He bit into a perfectly grilled, perfectly sliced minotaur-eye steak, wiped his mouth, and returned his plate to the goblin staff pushing the food cart.
Just as he was about to leave, a rough voice shouted from the doorway:
"Who's Royan? Is Royan here?"
Standing there was the pig-human dorm supervisor, with a small demon in formal attire behind him.
Royan raised his hand.
"I am. What is it?"
"Your appointment letter has arrived! I knew you'd be here instead of the dorm!" The pig-human stomped forward, introducing the small demon beside him. "This is Mr. Green, a high-ranking official from the Demon Lord Management Department of the Internal Affairs Bureau."
"I'm just a servant assisting His Majesty in administrative matters," Green said politely, extending his right hand. "You're Royan, right? By the way, I'm your senior."
"Nice to meet you, senpai!" Royan bowed.
Despite the formalities, a little flattery never hurt.
Noticing the commotion, many students glanced over with interest.
They had heard rumors: a third-year student had voluntarily applied to become a demon lord, was recommended by Principal Aiven, and immediately tasked with a volatile domain.
Everyone was waiting for a laugh. Some even privately bet on how long he'd survive in office.
Few expected this young demon lord to succeed.
Even the internal cabinet only saw it as another failed attempt by conservative forces.
Green thought the same.
Yet, though he didn't expect much from Royan, he was intrigued by the principal's personally recommended junior.
As the deputy director of the Demon Lord Management Department, he volunteered to deliver the appointment letter a task normally left to subordinates.
Truthfully, he was disappointed upon first seeing Royan. Every glance after didn't change that.
From his perspective, Royan was merely a typical bronze-tier necromancer.
Or… was there more beneath the surface?
Suppressing his disappointment, Green smiled politely and spoke cheerfully:
"You're a promising young man. I remember when I first graduated, I spent years in the Resource Management Division. As for demon lords, we could only admire them from afar."
His words were mostly courtesy, partly praise, partly testing.
Royan could tell, but he smiled humbly, uninterested in unraveling the subtext:
"Senpai overstates. I'm inexperienced, and entrusted with this task purely by luck. I will do my best not to disappoint."
Green raised an eyebrow at "luck." He had expected "misfortune."
It seemed the junior was unaware of the situation though Principal Aiven surely wasn't.
Green paused, eyes reflecting a mix of pity and suspicion. He realized he couldn't fully gauge this junior.
Invest or observe?
He decided to watch for now.
"Don't be so formal… this place is still lively; brings back memories," Green said, dodging a screaming, charging little demon flying across the room, smiling as he continued.
"This isn't the place for formalities. Let's step aside for a word."
"Sure," Royan replied, having finished eating, following Green to a quiet corner below the cafeteria.
Green traced a finger in the air, and a letter sealed with red wax slid through a gap onto the table: his appointment letter.
Royan took it, fingers brushing the emblem of the demon god, still faintly warm from the wax.
"It's just been sent," he thought.
Green leaned forward seriously:
"Your appointment letter has arrived. The Demon Lord domain's core has been destroyed, and the teleportation arrays in the maze may fail at any moment. Internal Affairs wants you to depart before the arrays go dark."
"Understood. My troops… will we meet them there, or depart together?"
"Unfortunately, no such thing," Green shook his head.
Royan froze.
"No troops…"
"That's exactly the point," Green continued. "Due to Mr. Reggie Dragon's mistakes, we've lost the Demon Lord domain deep within human territory. Sending reinforcements now would be suicidal."
Royan thought: of course, send a team. But he sensed that wasn't Green's point.
"You mean… the Ryne Kingdom will dispatch equal forces?"
"Exactly," Green nodded approvingly.
"The teleportation arrays have limits. Even if we gather troops, the enemy only needs a slight advantage to overwhelm our reinforcements."
Royan nodded, understanding.
"This isn't a game. Tactics alone won't save you."
Green's tone shifted:
"So we devised a bold strategy. Since sending troops is suicidal…"
"You mean… send just me?!" Royan's eyes widened.
"Not exactly… timing is critical."
Seeing his junior's reaction, Green quickened his pace, embarrassed.
"Also, strategically, Internal Affairs debated abandoning that enclave. If not for a senior's influence, we would have already given up. The core is a strategic asset; resources are better spent strengthening frontline territories."
Indeed. Most Demon Lord domains in Hell are along the frontlines with the surface. Only there can resources be gathered and sent underground.
Royan steepled his fingers in thought.
Green continued:
"You won't get significant support initially. But don't be discouraged. Reggie Duke's subordinates may still be nearby; you can ally with them, even for partial firepower."
"Moreover, considering your unique situation, Internal Affairs won't assign specific missions. You have autonomy. Unlike other demon lords, you don't have to harass enemies regularly. Focus on managing your domain and building strength…"
Exactly what Principal Aiven had said.
No forced expeditions, no tribute deliveries being a demon lord might be relatively easy.
Royan decided to be proactive.
"When should I depart?"
Green surprised him again, checking his watch:
"The teleportation arrays are ready. Your dragon carriage awaits at the gates. I'll be there shortly…"
"The sooner, the better. For you, and for us."
At the Demon King Academy's main tower, bats circled as Royan stared in disbelief.
Inside the principal's office, the old lich watched the western tower through frosted glass, eyes gleaming with pride, as if seeing a sapling he'd nurtured.
Vice Principal Doreen Weber stood behind him, her frost-like features tinged with faint worry.
"This isn't good. For a bronze-tier student, the trials are too severe," she said, having just learned of Royan's situation.
Although she was pleased that the academy had cultivated a true demon lord, this child was weak even weaker than her familiars.
Principal Aiven smiled knowingly.
"You think he's only bronze-tier?"
Doreen blinked, skeptical.
"Hiding his true strength from a semi-divine lich isn't easy," Aiven said.
"But more importantly, it's his ambition. I doubt someone aspiring to be a demon lord has only bronze-tier strength. I believe he holds secrets we don't yet know."
He paused, speaking slowly:
"I've been watching him for a while. You know, I'm close to many in the cabinet, especially Caesar Corin I taught him once."
Doreen frowned.
"Caesar Corin? Minister of Military Affairs? What does that have to do with him?"
Aiven shrugged.
"Don't you notice… the resemblance? From his first day, aside from the eyes, they seem like they were made from the same mold."
"Ah?" Doreen's eyes went wide.
"You mean… this child is Caesar's illegitimate son?"
"Stop I didn't say that!" Aiven hurriedly corrected.
"I mean his son, Roksei Corin, that 00-level student."
Doreen blinked. 00-level? Which 00? 800, 900, 1000… After centuries here, she couldn't recall every student.
Aiven sighed.
"Anyway, that's enough. I shouldn't pry into students' private lives. Caesar is an old friend, and I noticed this because… well, it's absurdly dramatic."
"Dramatic," Doreen muttered, staring.
"I know, it's absurd… In a few years, the Corin family will select a new head. Caesar will retire, and his son will inherit. The new heir must be chosen in a family council."
"And what does this have to do with us "
"I can feel the boy's ambition! He wants his father's recognition, which is why he applied to the academy. Only we can make his dream possible!"
The old lich's green eyes burned with fervor.
"He understands! Only by being strong and influential can he earn his family's acknowledgment. Otherwise, he remains a bronze-tier human forever!"
Doreen stared blankly, unsure why he was so obsessed.
"He's just a child… aren't you overthinking?"
"Child? Hah! Don't underestimate him. I've never seen a human resist a succubus! His father, his grandfather none could. I know nothing else," Aiven said hastily.
Peeking and shaping destinies was one of the few joys in his long life. If one of his 'chess pieces' achieved unprecedented opportunity because of his guidance, he would be elated for a year.
Royan was his most promising piece.
"I know he's planning a big game! He'll surprise everyone!"
Doreen watched the old principal with concern.
"Even so, intervening in the Corin family… really?"
One of Hell's six great families, frequent visitors to the Demon God Cabinet… the academy was nothing compared to them.
Aiven laughed, shaking his head:
"I'm not meddling. I'm simply fulfilling my duty as an elder. I help him only because he's my student."
Doreen: …