Chapter 12

12 . The mark of the inept

A few days later……… . .

I headed towards the entrance of Deruzogedo Demon Kind Academy wearing the uniform that an owl delivered to me yesterday .

Today is the first day of school and many students are pa.s.sing through the front gate .

On my way in I noticed that there were 2 kinds of uniforms . I’m wearing a white uniform but some others are wearing black .

At first glance, I’d say its split about 50-50 and does not seem to be affected by school year .

There also appear to be a number of different school badges .

My badge is a cross but I’ve also seen a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagram and a hexagram .

The thing is I haven’t seen anyone else apart from me with a cross . Also, it feels like I’m being stared at .

Most of the people looking seemed human and their gazes seemed interested .

It didn’t seem like I was stared at this much during the entrance exam . Whatever, no point thinking about it too deeply .

If there actually is something I’ll find out soon enough .

As I enter the grounds I spot a huge bulletin board and head on over .

Aah, its the listings for the freshmen .

There’s my name and my cla.s.sroom is in the 2nd training ground .

This is my castle after all so I know where it is . I head off up the stairs towards my cla.s.sroom .

I open the door and enter the 2nd training ground .

Desks and chairs are lined up and all the students look at me .

Fumu . As expected, I’m attracting attention .

Whatever . We’ll all be studying together from now on in the same cla.s.s .

I’m not accustomed to such things but I heard that first greeting are very important .

Let’s impress them with how good natured and friendly I am .

With a full on smile and a fresh voice, I speak out .

“Good morning everyone! I’ll be ruling this cla.s.s! Anyone who defies me will be slaughtered!”

Fumu . Something like that?

Hmm . Somehow it feels like everyone is pulling away from me and the air has become heavy . Was my voice not friendly enough? Me of all people? Perhaps I’m a bit more nervous than I thought on my first day?

Out of all the gazes being sneaked in my direction, there was one set of dignified eyes that were not timid at all .

Platinum blonde hair and a body wrapped in a white uniform . It was Misha .

I walk over to her seat .

“Yo . ”

When I greeted her, Misha turned her cold gaze to me and paid me attention .

“……Morning…… . ”

“Is next to you okay?”

“… . . Nn…… . ”

Pulling up a chair I sit down next to Misha . There’s something I want to ask her .

“My joke just . How was it?”

Misha tilted her head to one side .

“………Joke?”

“Killing anyone who defies me . ”

Of course, I wasn’t serious . In the age of myths, it lightened many a rooms mood . [A joke…… . ] My subordinates used to talk about it all the time .

“…… . I think it will be misunderstood…… . . ”

d.a.m.n, I see . A different era strikes again .

I should have learnt from the entrance exam and taken more care but it just came out .

“Should I better familiarise myself with the cla.s.s a bit more first?”

“… . . Nn…… . ”

I can still feel peoples gazes though .

“I feel like I’ve been looked at all morning . Do you know why?”

“……Because of the rumour……”

“About me? What is it?”

“…… . . Not angry……?”

“Do I look angry? What have I got to be angry over?”

“… . . Your mark… . . ”

Misha points to my school badge .

“It shows the results of your magic power measurement and apt.i.tude test . ”

“Ohh, that’s why they are different . How are they cla.s.sified?”

“Polygon . The more sides the better the result . ”

I see . So triangle, rectangle and pentagram being the best? (1)

“My badge doesn’t have a hexagram at all and its a cross?”

I don’t even get a triangle?

“… . . It’s the first time in the history of the Demon King Academy that mark has been given… . . ”

“What does it mean?”

“Inept person…… . . ” Misha says in an indifferent tone . (2)

“The Demon King Academy is an inst.i.tute that raises the next generation of Demon Emperors . Only those from the Demon King Tribe are admitted . ”

Because I had the time I checked up on the school . Only the original Demon King which is me can be called Demon King . Others must be called Demon Emperors . The Demon King Tribe is those mazoku that have the blood of the founder in them .

“No one from the Demon King Tribe has been judged inept until now . Arnos is the first . ”

Misha stopped for a moment and then continued .

“Therefore, the rumour . ”

Fumu . I don’t understand how you can judge the apt.i.tude of the Demon King but to push the mark of an inept person onto the genuine founder can only mean that the inspection method is wrong .

I had thought that I would be found out by the other side as soon as I entered the academy . It seems the mazoku have degenerated much much further than I thought .

“I can understand failing the magic power measurement as my magic power is too much and it broke the machine but I should have got a perfect score on the apt.i.tude test . ”

“……Confident…… . ?”

“Yeah . ”

Answer the name of the founder, the feelings of the founder, all the questions were about me .

How can I make a mistake?

No… . . wait .

“Hey, Misha . Can you tell me the founders name?”

Misha is still expressionless but she blinked at me .

“……… . You must not call out the awe-inspiring name of the founder…… . ”

“My name?”

“…… . Arnos…… . ”

“Full name?”

“Arnos VoldiG.o.d . ”

I see .

“Hang on . ”

I put my hand on Misha’s head . She doesn’t seem to mind particularly and is looking at me in curiosity .

“What are you doing?”

“Please think of the name of the founder . ”

“… . . Nn…… . ”

I read Misha’s thoughts .

A name emerged .

Demon King of Tyranny Avos Dirhavia

“………Who’s that…… . ?”

“Strange?”

“That name is wrong . ”

Misha shook her head .

“…… . . Is correct . There is no one from the Demon King Tribe who would get the name of the Demon King wrong . ”

“Do you fear the name of your founder that much?”

Misha nods .

“I see . ”

In other words, because they were afraid to say my name over 2000 years they have forgotten my true name and handed down the wrong name .

What a stupid story .

Thinking carefully Liorg said that origin magic risked your life . I understand what he meant now . He used me as his origin but because my name is wrong he truly did risk his life .

Because my name has changed when I thought it I was wrong .

My feelings . I was half asleep and used Flame Prison Annihilation Cannon

but n.o.body died . That fact must not have been pa.s.sed down . My answers were wrong to them .

“How do you judge whether someone is suitable as a Demon King?”

“The closer they are to the thoughts and feelings of the Demon King of Tyranny . ”

I see .

“By the way . What type of person was the Demon King of Tyranny?”

“He combined cruelty with philanthropy . A perfect existence . He always only ever thought about the mazoku and cared not for himself . Without greed and a n.o.ble heart . Even his tyranny came from an immeasurable depth of caring for others . ”

Who’s that? A perfect superhuman?

Such a person could never exist . How stupid .

I don’t care about being a legend but at least keep it true .

In this state, it’s no wonder I’ve been branded inept . I was judged as not even knowing the name of the Demon King .

“Okay . I get the badges but whats with the two uniforms?”

Even in this cla.s.s half wear white and half wear black .

“Black clothes are for scholars.h.i.+p students . Purebloods of the Demon King Tribe . ”

“Like Liorg?”

Misha nods .

“Scholars.h.i.+p students are exempt from the entrance exams . ”

“Then, why was that fellow in the exam?”

“Those that want to do it still can if they want . ”

I see . Basically, there are those that want to show off their power at the entrance exam . That explains why there was only small fry there . Those that are truly strong have no need to show off .

At that moment a bell rang in the distance .

“Everyone, please be seated . ”

I look up and see a woman wearing a black robe enter the cla.s.sroom .

She writes on the blackboard using magic .

[Emilia Roodwell]

“I’m Emilia, the homeroom teacher of cla.s.s 2 . My best regards for this year . ”

Fumu . As expected of a teacher, her magic power is pretty good . At least, she would be too difficult for Liorg to handle .

“Right, let’s not waste any time . First off we will split into groups . If you want to become a team leader please announce your candidacy, however, the condition is you have to be able to use magic to teach from now on . ”

Did the lesson just start?

Emilia draws a magic formation on the board .

That’s the magic Demon King Army

.

“This is probably the first time you’ve seen it but this is the magic for Demon King Army

. Briefly put, under the hand of the king it gives strength to the subordinates in his army . We’ll be practising this in cla.s.s . You will attempt to draw this formation and if it’s judged that you can then you have the qualification to be a team leader . ”

It’s basically diving the cla.s.s, not into those who can be team leaders but those that have the qualification to aim at being a Demon Emperor .

“Right . Please raise your hand if you want to run . ”

I raise my hand without hesitation .

Because I am judged as inept they don’t understand that I am the Demon King . Well, I don’t blame them . Since they are my decedents half the responsibility lies with me . Even if they don’t understand yet the important part is I prove my ability .

However, or should I say as expected, my cla.s.smate’s reaction is not good . They are looking at me with a startled look .

Yare yare . Just because I’ve been branded as inept and announced my candidacy they react like this?

“White clothes cannot run . ” Misha whispered to me

Certainly, looking around, all the hands raised are black clothes except me .

In other words purebloods . Yet another stupid story .

“Arnos-kun was it? I’m sorry but you don’t qualify . ”

“Why?”

“Because you are mixed blood . ”

“Mixed blood does not mean inferior to pure blood . ”

Emilia got angry when I said that .

“Is that a royal criticism?”

Yare yare . Every single one of them . He that knows little often repeats it .

“I didn’t say such a stupid thing . I’ll prove mixed blood surpa.s.ses pureblood . If I can prove it you will accept me . ”

Emilia sighs .

“It’s actually the opposite . Proof of superiority was given by the founder . As for proving mixed blood is superior to pure blood that would mean that you are superior to royalty . ”

“Fumu . Then if I can do it will you accept my candidacy?”

“Prove your talk if you can . ”

I suddenly laugh .

“Your words . I will accept them with Contract

. ”

“Eh… . such a……when… . did you use magic… . . ?”

A verbal promise, Contract

. It was common sense in the age of myth to seal a deal with this . To be unaware of this disqualifies you as a teacher .

Anyway, I stand up and walk over to the blackboard .

“This Demon King Army

. Was it developed by royalty?”

“Yes . ”

“It’s got a defect in the technique . ”

“No way . That’s impossible .

goes back 2000 years in this form . No one has ever found a defect . ”

“I found it 2000 years ago but never got around to fixing it before I reincarnated . ”

I rewrote 3 parts of the formula on the blackboard .

“This is its perfect form . If you call yourself a teacher tell me what you see . ”

Emilia looks at the formation with an expression that says she cannot believe it .

“Such a thing………just by rewriting three places this…… Magical efficiency has increased by 10% and its magical effect is 1 no 5 times more? ………This is . ”

A stir leaks from the cla.s.sroom .

“… . . That fellow……who is he……?”

“To point out the defect in a formation the first time you’ve seen it…… . and then rewrite it . Such a thing . I’ve never heard of it before . We haven’t even touched the basics of magic foundation yet . ”

“This could be the greatest discovery of the century…… . . ”

Fumu . To be surprised by something like this . It’s an incredibly low-level story .

“It’s regrettable . ”

Emilia turns to me .

“The magic effect was doubled before . The magic gate interfered with 3 characters causing it to double up on itself . ”

“Ah……… . . ”

Has she finally noticed? Emilia shrank slightly in embarra.s.sment .

“If you want I’ll take over teaching instead?”

“… . . I……”

“Hmm?”

“I approve your candidacy……please return to your seat . ” Emilia said in a very quiet voice .

(1) I had trouble with the badges bit but I think that all the badges have a hexagram on them and then a further triangle, rectangle or pentagram to show your ability .

(2) A more direct translation would be a nonconformist or incompatible person .