Chapter 111

A peculiar political system where democracy and monarchy equally divide power, yet surprisingly governs an ancient nation.

The Empire.

Located in the western part of that empire, a vast wilderness. Once ruled by many nomadic tribes, it was crushed under the hooves of the great empire, and now only sandstorms rage.

A demon walked through this desert, with an annoying dog perched on his head.

“Ruff! Bark!”

You’d think the guy born as the Wolf King would have more stamina, but apparently not. To make matters worse, his howls sound like a regular dog’s bark rather than a wolf’s.

“Bark! Woof! Ruff!”

But there’s nothing I can do about it.

Because it was me who told Aru to act like a dog. And since I’m also the one who drained her stamina…

After 18 years in that cave, our bodies were completely useless. It means our muscles were asleep for 18 whole years. At least I maintained mental awareness while using my stamina, but Aru didn’t. She just rolled around endlessly in that unbearably boring world.

It’s like she spent several years as a vegetative human. There’s bound to be some decline in physical abilities.

“Aru, keep your mouth shut here. Sand might get in.”

“Woof! Got it!”

“Don’t start barking though. We need to make this a habit.”

“Ruff…”

I’m currently teaching Aru to act like a dog while heading towards Eden Academy.

Because her howling sounds like a wolf. Why is that a problem? Well, in the human world, unlike the Demon Forest, it becomes an issue.

Wolves are wild beasts. Even if it’s a werewolf, they still treat it as a ‘wild beast,’ different from dog or cat hybrids.

Since the Hybrid Revolution, hybrid rights have improved greatly, but humans still don’t view hybrids exactly the same way. The difference between half-beast and human makes it impossible to see them without bias. But when that difference turns into discrimination, it’s a problem.

Especially if the hybrid’s origin is a wolf, forget about peaceful school life at Eden Academy—she’d be lucky not to get captured. Even Eden Academy, which values equality, wouldn’t allow a ‘wild beast’ as a student.

That’s why I’m training Aru to act like a dog. Though she finds it humiliating that the Wolf King is being treated like a dog, she had no choice but to accept my orders.

Crunch.

“Hmm… what’s that thing hanging in front of young demons?”

“What thing?”

“That thing hanging in front of you.”

“Tch. Don’t call me ‘young demon.'”

“Oh, this? Don’t worry about it. It’s just a stick that shoots fire and wind.”

Aru points at the two guns strapped to my chest. Actually, one is an air gun so closer to an oxygen tank, but anyway…

Ideally, bulky items like these should be hidden in a magical bag woven from Arachne’s spider silk. Of course, once we enter the academy, that’s what we’ll do.

But right now, since it’s been so long since I’ve held a gun, I’m not used to it yet. That’s why I have them strapped to my body.

“Anyway, Aru, remember what I said? Not ‘young demon,’ but ‘Evans.'”

“Bark…”

“If you call him a demon at the academy, there’ll be trouble. You must always call him ‘Evans.’ Get used to saying it now.”

Not too long ago, I exchanged letters with Beatrix. We haven’t seen each other in person.

Eighteen years ago, I gave Beatrix and Yohan two commands: to create a fake noble family with a solid background and to become teachers at Eden Academy.

Uriel was expected to leave anyway, so he wasn’t a concern, but Beatrix and Yohan followed my orders diligently. Honestly, I was a bit worried since they’re such old-school types, but Beatrix seems to have handled things well.

Also, their overwhelming strength meant they didn’t really need social skills.

“Evans Grant” is the eldest son of the fake family Beatrix prepared for me. Of course, the family doesn’t actually exist. Evans Grant is me, Oscar Lucifer, son of the Northern Duke of the Demon Realm.

The reason for creating the fake family is simple. To attend Eden Academy alongside Saintess Maria, I needed proper student credentials.

Though if anyone gets suspicious, I’ll just hypnotize them.

“Aru, remember. You’re now an academy student specializing in dagger combat.”

“Bark! Ah, no, ruff!”

“Good, let’s go!”

We kicked up the sand and sprinted eastward.

***

Click.

The glaring morning sunlight filtered through the window slits, casting half her face in light as Beatrix glanced outside with her brown eyes.

In her hand was a thin letter.

“His Majesty will arrive today…”

Why was her face tinged with red? A sight unimaginable to those who know her at Eden Academy.

Iron-blooded Teacher, Beatrix.

The nickname she earned after becoming an Eden Academy teacher alongside King Yohan.

She neither smiles nor cries, but her classes and exams are thorough beyond compare. Moreover, she teaches the most nitpicky subject of all.

Still, no one could criticize Beatrix. Her standards aren’t intentionally harsh; they’re just impossibly high.

And who would dare disrespect someone stronger than even a senior knight? Some even spread rumors that she’s actually a Swordmaster.

“Beatrix, something wrong?”

“Yohan.”

“Today’s the entrance ceremony. The ‘demon’ arrives.”

“I’m aware. That’s why I’m waiting.”

Yohan played a big role in them becoming Eden Academy teachers. Since Yohan and the academy principal, Merlin, were close friends who once hunted Dragon King Endros together.

With Yohan’s incredible physical abilities, he became the gym teacher. Skilled in swordsmanship, Beatrix became the swordplay instructor.

Now both are well-known figures within the academy.

“Beatrix, your face is red.”

“Is it… hmmm.”

“Have you waited long?”

“You too, Yohan, have been counting the days until His return.”

“That’s right. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Following orders to come here wasn’t particularly enjoyable. I never felt the excitement of traveling with His Majesty. Even raising a once-in-a-millennium genius like the Heavenly Hero was only momentarily exciting.”

If anyone other than Yohan heard this, they wouldn’t understand. The world believes Beatrix is Yohan’s child.

Thump.

“And… when will His Majesty reveal His true feelings to me after being apart for 18 years?”

King Yohan, the gym teacher of Eden Academy, didn’t realize the reason behind Beatrix’s red face went beyond mere anticipation.

A very passionate reason.

***

“State your identity, nationality, and family.”

“My name is Evans Grant! I’m from the Dark Nation and the eldest son of the Grant Knight Family!”

“…! A student from the Dark Nation… ah, you’re on the list. Once inside, you’ll find other students gathered. Procedures like class assignments will take place after the freshman welcoming ceremony.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work!”

“Bark! Me too, me too!”

“A dog hybrid… could that hybrid really be a freshman?”

“She’s my friend! Here, look, the ‘Iron-blooded Teacher’ herself wrote this recommendation letter!”

With a friendly smile, I pulled out a letter from my pocket and proudly presented it. The supervisor’s skeptical eyes widened in surprise.

“This really has the Iron-blooded Teacher’s seal!? It’s the first time a dog hybrid has become a student…”

What, you’re making such a fuss over this? There’s a demon here too, you know.

“Still, this is Eden Academy where everyone is equal… alright, please enter. Since your name isn’t on the list, please state it. What is your name?”

“Bark! Aru! Woof!”

“Kuh… Anyway, that’s settled. Please enter.”

The pure white castle walls stand guard over the vast land like guardians. Just looking at them evokes a sense of grandeur, stirring the heart.

Eden Academy.

Founded by the legendary magic genius Merlin Gregory, it’s the largest academy on the continent. Nationality, race, and status mean nothing within these walls because ‘equality’ was the most important value Merlin emphasized when founding Eden Academy.

Of course, it’s not perfectly upheld. Humans are creatures of deviation, so individual hearts cannot be regulated by the academy’s rules of equality. But maintaining appearances is key.

No other academy treats nobles, commoners, and slaves alike. That’s why Eden Academy grew so rapidly.

We passed through the snow-white castle gates. Countless demons and monsters attacked in my past life, but none ever breached them until I killed Merlin and claimed victory.

The gatekeepers looked curiously at Aru and me. Right now, I’m dressed like any ordinary freshman, so there’s nothing special about me. Probably the animal ears on Aru’s head caught their attention.

Beyond the castle gates stretched a vast plain. At its end stood towering white buildings. Between the buildings and the gates, hundreds of chairs lined up neatly with students our age occupying some of them.

“Wow, a dog hybrid made it in…”

“Amazing, Eden Academy truly allows everyone equal opportunity to enroll…”

“Although cat and monkey hybrids have entered before, this might be the first dog hybrid… Still, this is Eden Academy.”

Most of the seated students appeared to be freshmen, marveling at Aru and Eden Academy’s inclusive admissions policy. Those in higher grades probably wouldn’t be as surprised. Plus, we’re wearing the same uniforms.

In front of the neatly arranged chairs stood a single podium with a person and microphone atop it. Later, the principal or student representatives will likely take oaths from there.

“Excuse me, are you two freshmen?”

A voice called out directly to Aru and me. Turning our heads simultaneously, we saw a man standing with his hands behind his back, squinting noticeably.

Whether he’s a supervisor or teacher doesn’t matter. As a freshman, I just need to respond appropriately.

“Um, excuse me? Are you a supervisor?”

“One of your teachers responsible for guiding and supervising the freshmen. Now, do you see other students your age sitting in chairs over there? Go ahead and sit anywhere.”

The squinty-eyed man kindly explained. With a bright smile, I took Aru’s hand and walked toward the cluster of student chairs.

As we approached, murmurs about Aru grew louder. Occasionally, we heard comments like “Should a dog really be attending classes with people?” But mostly, people were impressed by Eden Academy’s inclusiveness.

And I, walking ahead of Aru, drew some attention too.

“Who’s that kid? The one next to the dog hybrid.”

“No idea. Thought I had decent connections, but never seen him before.”

“By the way, this year’s freshmen list includes a princess, a hero, and a saint, right? Ignoring the princess and hero for now, isn’t the saint the first in hundreds of years?”

“Yeah, probably. Maria, the saint. Rumors say she’s celebrated almost as a messiah in the Holy Nation. Didn’t expect someone like her to enter secular schooling.”

Talk about me quickly got overshadowed by three major celebrities.

The princess, who will eventually become emperor, remains less discussed among other royal heirs.

The hero, who will later kneel to the Demon King and become a disgraceful hero. Originally a newsworthy figure, but overshadowed by the final individual.

However, Maria, practically a superstar of the Holy Order, entering creates a different level of buzz.

Having communicated with her for the past 500 years and experiencing regression myself, it’s not particularly surprising to me.

“Aru, let’s sit here.”

“Bark! Woof!”

“…Tiring already. These brats can’t even tell the difference between a wolf and a dog’s bark.”

“Bark bark!”

Finding a suitable corner seat, Aru and I sat down. There were hundreds of freshmen. The entrance ceremony was lively and chaotic.

I helped Aru settle into the third chair from the wall, then took the second one, placing the bag I brought along on the first chair. It contained all our belongings.

The number of incoming students kept growing. Initially estimated around 200, it’s now approaching 600. Leaning back against the chair’s backrest, I relaxed while waiting for the ceremony to begin, casually observing my surroundings.

Tap tap.

Something tapped my back. The polite touch suggested consideration for my mood, felt even through my clothes.

“Excuse me, could you possibly move this bag? If this seat isn’t reserved, another person may need it. Due to insufficient seating, I regret having to inconvenience you.”

Immediately turning my gaze,

I froze in place.

“May I humbly take this seat?”

There stood young Maria. Maria, shining with radiant, deep eyes like fine white jade.

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