The Misfit of Demon King Academy: Volume 2 (Light Novel)

§ Prologue: Demon King’s Right Hand

Two thousand years ago.

Aharthern, Great Spirit Forest.

An eight-headed water dragon was rampaging in the pouring rain.

All spirits possess both a transient and a true form. While in their true form, they also possess far greater power, but it isn’t uncommon for their mind to stray.

Spirits are strange creatures. Their existence is said to come to be from the hearts of others. Legends, folklore, rumors, desires, fears, aspirations... They are the realization and embodiment of all of the above. One’s extreme fear of fire has the potential to birth fire spirits, and a rise in religious faith can birth water spirits.

The rampaging eight-headed water dragon had been born from the legend that water had been brought into the world by a god’s teardrop that had fallen on Aharthern. This dragon was the true form of the Great Water Spirit Lignon.

As the protector of the forest, Great Spirit Lignon was enraged by the intruders seeking to burn it down. And those fearless invaders, unafraid of the formidable power of Lignon, were led by none other than the Demon King of Tyranny, Anos Voldigoad.

Hmm, said the mighty Demon King. Half my people were taken out with a single blow. Her power lives up to the rumors.

Anos took a step forward, preparing for battle. However, another demon came forward to stop him. The demon was clad in armor and had a sword sheathed at his waist. He had white hair and colorless eyes, his expression cool even amidst the battlefield.

The demon kneeled before the Demon King, bowing his head. If I may make a suggestion, my liege.

Speak.

There is no need for you to trouble yourself over such inferior opponents. By your leave, I shall cut her down with a single strike.

Anos chuckled. Shall we make a wager, then? If it takes you more than one strike, you’ll stop speaking to me in such a stiff manner. If you succeed, I shall reward you with anything you like.

You jest, my liege, the demon replied. Surely you know that that won’t be a wager at all.

There was a metallic clink as his sword returned to its sheath. The next instant, the rampaging eight-headed dragon dispersed into countless pieces, washed away by the pouring rain.

Shortly after, a patch of clear sky appeared above the forest.

Will that do?

Your sword skills are as sharp as ever, Shin.

The demon still kneeled on the ground with his head bowed. He had vanquished the Great Water Spirit—as well as slashed away the pouring rain—without moving from his position.

Shin Reglia was the right hand of the Demon King, the owner of a thousand demon swords, and the strongest swordsman of demonkind. The sword at his waist was a regular iron sword—he hadn’t needed to draw a demon sword to defeat Lignon.

Even I might be in danger if I fought you, the Demon King said.

You’re far too modest, my liege. Even with a thousand swords, I would be no match for you.

Anos chuckled at his overly devoted follower’s words. Then how about a match with swords alone?

With all due respect, I believe I may be able to scratch you.

Don’t be ridiculous. You’re the right hand of the Demon King. You should at least be able to take an arm.

With his head still lowered, Shin replied quietly. If that is what you wish.

Hearing this, Anos burst into hearty laughter. The Demon King knew his loyal follower would never do such a thing. Shin would rather end his own life than point his sword at his master, even if in jest. That was the kind of man Shin Reglia was.

Say, Shin, wouldn’t it be nice if we could cross swords in a peaceful era, just for fun?

Indeed.

That era won’t be too far away, Anos thought to himself.

Incidentally, I lost the wager. What do you wish for as a reward?

I wish for your permission to reincarnate.

After I’ve constructed the walls?

These thousand swords are dedicated to you, my liege. You shall die and one day return, but I cannot brazenly live on after your death.

There’s really no helping this man’s nature, Anos thought in resignation.

Source magic isn’t your strong suit, is it? he asked.

Source magic, the highest grade of which included spells like Syrica, was that which affected one’s source. Anos would be capable of transferring all his power and memories to his reincarnated body, but those who struggled using source magic would reincarnate imperfectly. They would lack power and memory.

Relearning the sword in a new era doesn’t sound so bad.

Shin was a seeker of the path of the sword. He was known for being the strongest swordsman of demonkind, yet he had once lost to the Hero Kanon in a sword fight. He was possibly feeling the limits of his current vessel. An incomplete reincarnation, however, offered the potential for him to gain greater power. Perhaps he wanted to gamble on that potential.

All right.

I am eternally grateful for your compassion, my liege. Though I may lose my memories in reincarnation, my source will never forget you.

No need to be so stiff. Do as you please.

After Anos said those words, he used Leaks to address the entirety of Aharthern. How long will you all play dead? Rise, my followers. Burn the forest and smoke out the Great Spirit Reno.

At Anos’s call, his followers, previously slain by Lignon, got to their feet. They had been resurrected with Ingall. Black flames rose from the forest in no time at all, burning and fiercely spreading.

Now... Anos stared ahead. Through the flames of the forest, a figure was heading straight for him. Hero Kanon has joined us.

Hero Kanon, his holy sword in hand, was running towards them, closing a distance of approximately ten kilometers.

It’s hard to believe his source was destroyed just yesterday, Shin commented.

One cannot live if their source is destroyed. Not even Ingall would have an effect. The only exception to this was Hero Kanon. He was capable of resurrecting over and over again. The reason was simple—unlike normal people with a single source, Kanon possessed seven. As long as one of those sources remained, the remaining six could be restored.

Demon King Anos could use almost every spell in existence, but he was no match for source magic. Shin had lost to Kanon for the same reason. No matter how many times Kanon was defeated, he would always come back to life. Meanwhile, he would only need to destroy one source to defeat an opponent.

It was an unfair matchup, but that was what it took to go against the Demon King. Even if challenged an infinite number of times, Anos had no doubt he would win every match.

Shin, I shall handle Kanon. You search for the Great Spirit Reno.

As you wish.

No sooner had Shin replied than he disappeared.

Now, Hero Kanon... How many times will I have to kill you today?

Anos deployed sixty magic circles of Jio Graze, launching them all at the Hero simultaneously.

§ 1. Unitarians

The Magical Age.

Once school break ended, I returned to Delsgade as before.

Today was the first day of lessons since the dungeon exam, and the results were to be announced in class. I entered the second lecture hall to find Misha and Sasha in their seats on either side of mine.

Hey, I called out to them, taking my seat.

Good morning, Misha replied in her quiet voice.

Morning, Sasha echoed. She leaned forward over my desk. Say, did you resolve that misunderstanding?

What misunderstanding? I asked.

Sasha sighed in exasperation. I’m talking about your parents. They still think Misha and I are going to marry you. It’s completely absurd. What are you going to do about it?

Hmm. Do you hate the idea that much? I replied.

Sasha blushed and turned away. That’s not what I’m asking...stupid, she muttered weakly.

If you have a problem with it, why don’t you tell them yourself?

Sasha turned back to me and glared, her Magic Eyes of Destruction appearing in her pupils. It’s your fault for complicating things by putting a ring on Misha’s finger!

I looked over at Misha. She still wore the Lotus Ice Ring on her left ring finger. You need to look deeper into the abyss. Magic items and their owners are naturally drawn to each other. I didn’t put the ring on her finger—the ring chose that finger itself. I’m sure Misha finds it uncomfortable on any other finger as well.

Misha blinked a few times, then nodded. It has meaning here.

Meaning? I inquired.

The left ring finger means betrothal.

Ah, so that’s it. No wonder mom was in such a state.

That said, it was quite normal for mom to be overly excited. I didn’t quite get the reason for it, but her misunderstanding of my engagement was probably what had caused her to go on and on about my happiness.

I can’t believe you, Sasha interjected. You didn’t even know that?

I’ve only just been reborn.

Misha blinked at me. Engagement rings didn’t exist two thousand years ago?

Nope. Betrothals back then were formed with Zecht. There was no fear of betrayal that way.

What? Were the people back then completely heartless? Sasha asked, frowning.

I laughed and nodded. In the Mythical Age, everyone was in the midst of war. Acting on love and infatuation alone would lead straight to death.

Hmm... So that means... Sasha murmured, looking up at me. You didn’t love anyone...?

Without a word, I stared straight back at her.

She looked away, hiding her face. S-Say something...

I wasn’t expecting a question like that. It’s a rather refreshing feeling.

Someone I loved, huh? Me, of all people.

Has no one asked you that before?

No. I suppose no one thought the Demon King of Tyranny capable of falling in love—and they were right. There was no leeway for such things in that era.

Who to kill next, where next to destroy... I had been fully occupied with protecting Dilhade, and everything else before me. The fact I was gossiping about whom I may have loved was a stark contrast to back then.

Hmm. It’s not like I have anything to do until Avos Dilhevia makes a move. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to fall in love in such a peaceful world, I told Sasha.

Her cheeks flushed. Wh-Why are you telling me this?

Is there a problem?

Th-There’s no problem, but... she muttered, trailing off weakly.

Say, Sasha...

What?

Your face is red.

Sasha hid her face in her arms. I-It’s not red, you idiot! She glared at me from behind them, turning swiftly away when she realized I wouldn’t falter.

Anos.

I turned at the sound of Misha’s voice.

Should I take it off? she asked, showing me the Lotus Ice Ring.

Why? I asked.

Misha stared into my eyes. You said you want to fall in love.

Oh, I said that on a whim.

It’ll give people the wrong idea.

If she wore the ring I’d given her on her ring finger, people might assume we were engaged. She was offering to take it off in case it impeded my search for love.

Do you want to take it off? I asked her.

For a moment, Misha’s eyes widened. She returned to her blank expression to think, then shook her head faintly.

Then keep it on for as long as you wish. I’m not petty enough to dictate how others use their gifts.

It won’t give people the wrong idea?

I dismissed her concern with a laugh. Misha, I don’t fear misunderstandings. No matter how many people get the wrong idea, the truth won’t change. People can misunderstand all they want.

Sorry to interrupt when you’re in the middle of acting cool, Sasha interjected, but you should be a little scared. Especially when it involves your parents. Then she seemed to remember something. Oh, speaking of which, there was something I’ve been meaning to ask for a while now—

Just then, the bell rang, and Emilia entered the classroom.

What is it?

Never mind. I’ll ask later, Sasha said, turning to face the front.

Good morning, everyone. I shall now announce the results of the last dungeon exam.

Emilia began writing each team’s score up on the blackboard. None of the others had reached the underground vault, and so most scored between thirty and fifty points. The highest score thus far was seventy points.

And finally, the score for Team Anos. Team Anos brought back the scepter said to be located on the bottommost floor.

At Emilia’s words, murmurs broke out across the classroom.

However, she continued, I regret to inform you that the scepter was stolen by someone before it could be appraised.

The murmurs of my peers grew louder.

Delsgade is doing everything in its power to locate the culprit. Until the situation is resolved, Team Anos will receive a provisional score of seventy points.

That’s unacceptable, Sasha declared, slamming her hands on the desk and standing up. It’s the academy’s fault the scepter was stolen. If you’re going to give us a provisional score, shouldn’t it be one hundred points?

I understand your feelings, Sasha, but many possibilities had to be considered. This is what was decided.

What possibilities?

This was the academy’s decision. I cannot elaborate further.

Sasha glared at Emilia, barely restraining her Magic Eyes.

Maybe they stole it themselves to get full marks, a derisive voice piped up. Before it was revealed that the scepter was a fake.

This triggered more noise from the rest of the class.

Ah, I see. That’s another way of looking at it.

Right. No matter how good at magic he is, he’s still a misfit...

And he’s a white-uniform. Honestly, there’s no way anyone other than royalty could have obtained that scepter. It makes more sense for this whole thing to be a charade.

But they have Lady Sasha.

Lady Sasha must be out of her mind, joining the team of a misfit like him.

Hearing the chatter, Sasha turned her destructive gaze on the class. Let me make one thing clear, she started. Tension flooded the room. Anos has done nothing wrong. How long are you going to obsess over his mixed blood and the fact that he’s a misfit? If you have any doubts despite him constantly proving his strength, you can look me in the Eyes and say it.

The room fell silent, and not a single student made eye contact with Sasha. I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Hey, Anos? What’s so funny?

Oh, nothing really. This is just a rather dramatic change in attitude. Well said, my loyal follower.

Sasha pouted unhappily. That sounds like you’re making fun of me...

Now, now. Put away those dangerous Eyes. There’s no need to get so heated over a mere exam score. It’s not like it actually matters.

But you said you wanted full marks... Sasha mumbled.

What, so she was mad about that? How cute.

As Sasha sat back down with the fight drained from her, someone behind us raised their hand.

I, too, believe the academy’s decision is wrong!

A student in a white uniform stood up. She had large, round eyes that complemented her charming face, and chestnut brown hair that reached her shoulders.

Hmm. And this was...? I asked.

Misa Iliorogue, Misha whispered in my ear.

Ms. Emilia, the girl continued, you said there were many possibilities to consider. What if the scepter had been stolen by a student wearing a black uniform? Would they have been treated the same? Misa demanded to know. Don’t you think this is discrimination against us hybrids?

The students around her, who all wore white, spoke up one after the other in agreement, as if venting their pent-up emotions.

That’s right!

We’re always the ones being picked on!

What’s so good about royalty?! Not even one of the Seven Demon Elders could stand up to Lord Anos, much less a teacher!

The school won’t acknowledge him as the true Demon King because the royals want to protect their positions!

Emilia, however, dismissed them all coldly. Misa, demon royalty are those who purely inherit the founder’s blood. It’s only natural for those deemed more likely to become the founder’s vessel to receive preferential treatment. I’m sure you understand that treating royalty and mixed-bloods as equals is considered prejudice against the higher born.

And I’m saying that’s wrong. Why do we have to be disregarded for having less of the founder’s blood when we’re no less demon than they are?

Emilia sighed. Unitarian activism is forbidden within the academy. Please take your seat, or I’ll have to punish you accordingly.

How can you be so certain that royalty is always right? What if it was royalty that stole the scepter to prevent white-uniform students from getting full marks?

That’s absolutely impossible. You may leave class for today. I shall inform you of your punishment later.

How can you be sure it’s impossible?

That’s enough from you. I shall now begin the lesson.

Ms. Emilia! Are you running away?

Emilia took no notice of Misa, turning to write runes on the blackboard. Now, for today’s lesson...

I raised my hand.

What is it, Anos? If this is about the scepter, then I’ve already explained the situation. You’ll receive a provisional score until the academy finds the culprit. That is the final word.

Hmm. So all we have to do is find the culprit, yes?

Emilia looked taken aback. That is correct, but...

The scepter has Maze cast on it.

What?

Maze is a spell that creates a mark of magic power, allowing the marked target to be tracked down with Magic Eyes. With power like mine, nothing could hide or be hidden from me, no matter where it was in the world.

I see, so that’s where it is.

I stood up and walked forward, stopping before one student. If I recalled correctly, this guy had been the first to accuse us of stealing it ourselves.

Wh-What do you want, Anos? the student in black said. Just so you know, I wasn’t the one who stole it. If you want to accuse me, you’ll have to prove it— Gah!

My right arm pierced through the student’s abdomen.

Not a bad hiding place, but if you’re going to store it in your body, you need better magic resistance. It’s in plain sight.

I pulled the scepter from the student’s body. He collapsed to the floor, and I stepped on his head. Did you think you could get away with taking my possessions, you little thief?

I cleaned the bloodstained scepter with magic and walked over to Emilia. Absolutely impossible for royalty to do this, was it? How peculiar. It seems the absolutely impossible has occurred—whatever should we do about this, Emilia?

Speechless, Emilia opened and closed her mouth.

I gently placed the scepter in her hand and smirked. Should’ve hired a better thief.

She flinched.

Bull’s-eye. And to think I’d been taking a stab in the dark.

Just kidding. Please begin the lesson.

After healing the fallen man’s stomach, I returned to my seat. Squeals of admiration I had never experienced erupted from behind me.

Oh my goodness, Lord Anos is sooo handsome!

Honestly, he’s too hot to handle! He’s strong, smart, and a white-uniform to boot!

He even healed a guy like that. Just how kind can he be?!

Right? But you know, I’m a little envious of that guy.

Huh? What for?

Because, you know, he had Lord Anos’s hand in his stomach! I want Lord Anos’s hand in my stomach too!

Uh... Wouldn’t that hurt?

Who cares about a little pain? It’s Lord Anos’s hand!

Hmm... I’d rather be stepped on...

Hmm. There were a few questionable