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Unlike usual days, there were many opulent dragon carriages stopped in front of the humongous academy gates. Even the shabbiest carriage was pulled by a Gold-tier wyvern.

There were no more classes for the third and fourth-year students after the graduation ceremony, and they had no finals to prepare for either. Suddenly, the students found their usually busy lives becoming idle.

The scions, who had come to the academy just to build their portfolio, wouldn’t linger in their dormitories. They would at least return to their luxurious manors and enjoy their final holiday before giving their all for their futures.

Those who didn’t have strong connections and were unfortunate enough to be dispatched to the frontlines had already reported to the Ministry of War yesterday.

The countdown for their service duration began when they reported to the barracks. The earlier they began their service, the earlier they could maneuver their way into a desk job. If they were lucky enough, they might even be able to escape the battlefield.

The five-meter-long wyvern lay on the ground, eyeing its surroundings with lofty eyes as if a real dragon.

Among the carriages, Roan spotted a few rare hell pegasus, a species that he had only seen in his textbook thus far.

Hell pegasuses were ‘strategic resources’ in the underworld. One would have to be from a count clan to use hell pegasuses for their carriage.

While Roan was looking enviously at the carriage pulled by the hell pegasuses, a familiar figure suddenly peeked out from the carriage and looked at him with a smirk. It was a pink-haired lady with heart-shaped irises.

‘Mia?!’

Roan quickly averted his eyes as he remembered the clash they had during the graduation ceremony, but Mia leaped down from her carriage and made her way over.

“It’s been a while, Senior Roan.”

“We’re from the same class.”

“But that’s how Egor calls you. Can’t I do the same?” Mia shyly glanced at him.

But Roan had no doubt she was acting.

As expected, when Roan displayed complete nonchalance, Mia revealed her primal nature as a demon, and her ‘shy eyes’ slowly narrowed menacingly.

“Tsk tsk. A human dares to question my faith. How have I never notice such spunk in you?”

A ‘protected species’ was indeed in no position to criticize a high demon, though it surprisingly took her very long to register that.

Seeing that Roan wasn’t saying anything, she paced to his flank and leaned closer to him as if she was examining her prey.

“So, where did you go last night?”

‘Ugh. I don’t want to get involved with this troublesome woman.’

Roan quietly sighed before replying, “Esteemed High Demon Mia, may I know what does this have to do with you?”

“It doesn’t. I’m just disappointed to have made a wasted trip last night. I thought you escaped with your tail clenched between your thighs. Hehe.” Mia laughed with malicious intent.

Roan frowned. “You entered my room?”

“Of course not. I am a law-abiding demon. I would never break the law…” Mia chuckled, but halfway through her words, she noticed Roan’s expression and narrowed her eyes. “Oh? Are you hiding something in your room?”

Roan was planning to skirt his way around this matter when a light cough rescued him from his quandary.

A middle-aged man walked over, bowed slightly, and urged with a humble but authoritative voice, “Miss, we should set off soon.”

His expensive clothes suggested that he was a butler, but Roan could sense that he was no ordinary demon. He was at least at Gold-tier, possibly even Platinum or Diamond…

Mia looked fearful of this middle-aged man. Despite having her words interrupted, she merely harrumphed in displeasure and threw a “Just you wait” before returning to her carriage.

The middle-aged man bowed before following Mia. His gaze casually brushed past Roan.

It could have been an illusion, but Roan sensed a sliver of fear from his momentary gaze.

‘Erm… Fear? Must have been my imagination.’

…

The West Tower’s canteen was crowded as usual.

As usual, the foreign students from the Goblin Kingdom were downing their food as if trolls were eyeing their lunch.

Little demons ignored the centaur chef’s angry roars and flew recklessly around the sky with their meal tray.

The thought that these sights would soon become a thing of the past left Roan feeling wistful.

He stuffed yet another piece of a charcoal-grilled minotaur ribeye steak that was perfectly prepared and sliced into his mouth before finally wiping his mouth and placing his meal tray on the cart pushed by the goblin workers.

Just as he was about to leave, a roar boomed across the canteen.

“Who is Roan? Is Roan here?”

An orc dormitory manager was standing at the canteen entrance with a lower demon… Of course, this lower demon was nothing like the ones flying around the canteen; he was dressed in a formal suit.

Roan raised his hand.

“I am. May I know…”

“Your appointment letter has arrived! I knew you would be here if not your room!” The orc dormitory manager snorted as he made his way over. He introduced the lower demon beside him, “This is Mister Kyrian, an important official from the Ministry of Personnel!”

“Please don’t say that. I am merely a servant who hopes to shoulder some of His Majesty Demon God’s burden,” Kyrian politely replied with a smile. He extended his right hand to Roan and asked, “Roan, right? I was from this academy too.”

“It’s my pleasure to meet you, senior!” Roan bowed.

While forging a relationship was no easy task, there was no harm in buttering up the person before him.

The commotion here had drawn in quite a few curious gazes from the eating students.

They had heard that a third-year student voluntarily applied to become a demon king, and his application was endorsed by Principal Evan’s recommendation. However, he was assigned to take over an ailing domain, which was as good as being stuffed with a scalding lavastone.

Everyone was waiting to see this fellow make a joke out of himself.

Some even privately took bets on how many days he would survive in that role.

No one had high expectations of this young demon king.

Even those in the Inner Circle who had approved of Roan didn’t bear any hope regarding this. They merely agreed to it as a stopgap measure as they couldn’t find any other candidate for the domain.

Kyrian, too, didn’t think Roan could make it.

But he was still interested in the student whom Principal Evan had taken the trouble to write to the Inner Circle to recommend. That was why he, despite being the vice chief of the Ministry of Personnel, was personally delivering the appointment letter when such tasks were usually left to his subordinates.

Frankly speaking, he was very disappointed when he first laid his eyes on Roan, and looking at the latter more didn’t change his mind.

‘He’s just an ordinary necromancer no matter how I look at him, not to mention he’s only at Bronze-tier. Or… could there be more than meets the eye?’’

Kyrian concealed his disappointment with a graceful smile and spoke with an amiable tone, “It’s rare for anyone to be so young and accomplished, junior. Back when I graduated, I spent years working as a clerk in the Ministry of War Logistics’ Production Bureau. Being a demon king was something that I could only dream about.”

Those words were 70% politeness, 20% buttering up, and 10% probing.

Roan accurately discerned the intent behind those words, but he replied with a humble smile, “You’re flattering me, senior. I am a greenhorn. I was lucky to be entrusted with such a huge responsibility. I’ll do my best not to disappoint those who have supported me.”

Kyrian looked at Roan in surprise.

‘Lucky, he says? Does this pitiful junior not know the situation over there? But that can’t be. This junior might not have the connections to learn such sensitive information, but Principal Evan has ears everywhere.’

He was astonished to realize that he couldn’t see through his junior.

‘Should I invest in him? Or should I wait a little longer…”

Unable to make up his mind, Kyrian decided to first keep an eye on the situation. There were plenty of opportunities for them to strike a connection in the future anyway.

“You need not be so uptight… Ah, this bustle feels nostalgic.”

While looking at the meal trays and lower demons flying around them, Kyrian took a small step sideward to avoid a shrieking lower demon charging toward him. His smile remained unabated as he continued the conversation, “This is not the place to talk. Shall we head elsewhere?”

“Of course.”

Roan was done eating anyway, so he followed his senior to the resting room beneath the canteen and settled down in a peaceful corner.

Kyrian murmured an incantation before flicking his forefinger. A bright red envelope fell from a spatial crack onto the table.

‘This must be my appointment letter.’

Roan reached out and touched the glaring Demon God’s insignia. It still felt warm.

‘He must have delivered it right after the document was stamped.’

“I shan’t beat around the bush,” Kyrian reined in his smile and spoke with a serious voice as Roan tore the letter open. “This is your appointment letter. The core of the demon king domain has been destroyed, so the portal constructed in the labyrinth may be extinguished at any moment, so the Ministry of Internal Affairs hopes that you can head there as soon as possible.”

“I understand.” Roan nodded. “What about my army? Will I meet them there, or are we heading there together?”

“I’m sorry to inform you that you won’t be given an army.” Kyrian shook his head.

Roan froze up. “I won’t have an army?”

“That’s next on my agenda. Lej Dracul has screwed up. You can say that we have already lost the demon king domain planted in the heart of the human camp,” Kyrian grimly said. “What do you think will happen if we suddenly send an army in?”

Needless to say, the humans would dispatch their army too.

But Roan had a feeling that Kyrian was looking for more to the answer, so he gave it some thought before replying, “You’re saying that the Lyon Kingdom will dispatch a proportionate force in response?”

“That’s right.” Kyrian nodded in approval. “There’s a limit to the troops we can portal in, especially now that we have lost the demon king domain. No matter how big the army we have prepared, they just have to match our force and top it off with a little more to overpower us.”

This was not a Paradox Interactive game, where one could strategically switch alliances and sneak troops in. (T/N: Referring to Hearts of Iron IV)

Roan nodded to express his understanding.

At this point, Kyrian suddenly changed his tone and said, “So, we came up with a bold plan. Instead of sending in an army to die, we might as well…”

“So you might as well send me in to die alone?!” Roan widened his eyes.

“Cough. Of course not… We just have to find the right timing to send reinforcements in.”

Kyrian averted his eyes. He was so embarrassed that he unwittingly quickened his talking speed, “The Ministry of Internal Affairs proposed giving up on that demon king domain out of strategic concerns, and that motion would have passed if not for the Inner Circle’s intervention. We only decided to give this a try because someone important pushed for it…

“You also know that demon king cores are precious, strategic resources. It would have been better put to use on the frontlines than on a fallen domain.”

Only demon king domains stationed in hell or on the frontlines against the surface could produce a steady stream of supplies that could be shipped back to the netherworld.

Roan grimly crossed his fingers.

“That is the current situation. I’m afraid we won’t be able to provide you with significant support right now… but it’s too early to give up. Duke Dracul is dead, but his subordinates should still be lingering in the area. You can try bringing them under your wing. They should be able to provide you with some help.

“Given your special circumstances, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will not assign you with specific missions. You are granted a high level of autonomy. Unlike other demon kings, you won’t have to regularly harass our enemies. You just have to focus on managing the domain and amassing power,” Kyrian added.

‘It is the same as what Principal Evan told me. It will be much easier on me if I don’t have to regularly stir trouble and offer faith crystals as tribute… probably.’

What’s done is done.

Roan figured it would be best for him to proactively take control of the situation rather than to take a passive stance, so he asked, “When do I have to set off?”

Kyrian’s response shocked Roan.

Instead of throwing out a date, he lifted his sleeves and checked his watch. “The portal should be ready by now. There’s a dragon carriage waiting at the academy entrance. I will be waiting for you there. It’ll be best to move as fast as possible, whether for you or us.”

…

The Demon King Academy’s main tower was shrouded by bats as usual.

While Roan was flabbergasted, the old lich looked at him from the principal office’s frosted windows with a satisfied smile as if looking at a seedling he had personally nurtured.

Vice Principal Doreen Weber stood behind him with a hint of worry on her frosty, unageing face. Her presence left the room feeling chilly.

“I don’t think this is a good thing, Sir Evan Krueger. Your trial is too much for a Copper-tier student.”

She had only recently heard about Roan. She was delighted to learn that a demon king had finally emerged from their academy, but the other party was only a Copper-tier necromancer.

He was too weak!

Principal Evan heard the vice principal’s concern, but he merely replied with an enigmatic smile, “Do you think that he’s a mere Copper-tier?”

“Is there… any doubt concerning that?” Doreen stared at the old lich in disbelief, wondering if his mind had finally begun to ail.

There were plenty of ways to conceal one’s true strength, but deceiving the eyes of a Half God-tier lich was no easy feat. There was no point doing that here, since that this was an academy and not the battlefield.

“What you should doubt is not his strength but his ambition. It’s hard for me to believe that someone who wants to be a demon king is only a Copper-tier necromancer. I would rather believe he had secrets we don’t know about.”

Principal Evan briefly paused before continuing, “I noticed this boy a long time ago. I know quite a few people in the Inner Circle, including Kaiser Clint. He was once my student.”

The Demon King Academy, as a place for high demons to enhance their portfolio, had produced many talents over the years… except for demon kings, of course.

“Kaiser Clint?” Doreen’s eyes narrowed in displeasure. “What does this have to do with him?”

Principal Evan shrugged. “Don’t you think they look similar? I noticed that from the day he stepped into the academy. They are practically made from the same mold, other than their eyes.”

“Ah?”

Doreen was stunned. Her eyes bulged as if she had heard something unbelievable.

“You’re saying he is Kaiser’s illegitimate…”

“Stop! I have never said that,” Principal Evan interjected. “I’m talking about Kaiser’s son, Lockser Clint. Have you forgotten? The ‘00 student!”

Doreen was confused.

‘’00? Which ‘00? 800, 900, or 1000?”

She had taught in the Demon King Academy for three hundred years and managed it for decades as vice principal. Having sent off many batches of graduates to date, she couldn’t possibly remember every single student.

Only one of them in this room was that carefree.

Principal Evan continued with a sigh, “Let’s stop here… I shouldn’t have dug into our student’s personal affairs, but Kaiser is both my student and an old friend, so I couldn’t resist the urge to investigate a little. The truth was as dramatic as I thought.”

“Dramatic.” Doreen glared at Principal Evan, knowing that he relished in drama.

Principal Evan could see through her thoughts, but he paid her no mind and continued, “The Clints will have a new patriarch in a few years’ time. Kaiser will be moving to the Clints’ Elder Council, and his son, Lockser, will be taking over his position. They will then decide the next successor during a family meeting.”

“What does that have to do with…”

“I can feel that child’s ambition! He desires his father’s acknowledgment, and that’s why he came to the Demon King Academy! Because only we can fulfill his dream!”

For some reason, the old lich suddenly got extremely excited. The green flames in his eye sockets blazed with fervor.

“He knows. Only with enough strength and influence can he be recognized by the Clints and receive the Embrace… Otherwise, he would be doomed to remain Copper his entire life!”

‘That’s just your imagination. Why is this old thing so obsessed over this? Or do all undead eventually turn mad?’

Doreen stared at Principal Evan.

“He’s just a child. Aren’t you overthinking it?”

“Child? Ha! You better not think of him as a child. I have never seen a human child who can resist a succubus, a feat that his father nor his father’s father failed at—Cough! I mean, the child is amazing!”

Realizing he had let something slip, Principal Evan hurriedly covered it with a cough and stopped gossiping.

Peering into others’ lives and influencing their life trajectory was one of his few joys as an unageing lich. He could skip in joy for an entire year if a chess piece with unlimited potential received an unprecedented fortuitous encounter because of him.

Still, spying was nothing honorable.

In any case, Roan was one of the chess pieces that he had high expectations of at the moment. He had never felt so eager to see a story’s climax and conclusion before.

“I know you don’t believe me, but I can feel it. He’s playing a huge game of chess. He will surpass everyone’s imagination.”

Doreen looked at the yapping principal with worried eyes.

“Even if that’s the case, is it really fine for us to interfere in the Clints’ internal affair? That’s the Clint Clan we’re dealing with…”

The Clints were one of the six noble clans governing the netherworld, frequenters of His Majesty Demon God’s Inner Circle…

Compared to such behemoths, the Demon King Academy couldn’t even count as a power. It was just a place to study at.

“Interfering in the Clints’ internal affair?” Principal Evan shook his head, laughing. “You think a millennium lich like me would be interested in that? Relax, I’m not overstepping my boundaries. I’m merely fulfilling my responsibilities as an elder.”

He finally reined in his smile and regained his usual poise.

“I’m helping him because he’s my student.”

“…”

‘I might have believed you if not for everything you have said.’