Chapter 2 : Rather Good
Chapter 2: Rather Good
Early in the morning, Gordon of the Dark Elf clan woke while humming to himself.
“Since it’s the first meeting, I couldn’t give a bad impression.”
He shaved his beard and trimmed his hair. He finished setting himself up in a neat suit.
When he looked in the mirror, a stylish dark elf with black hair stood there.
“Mm, good.”
Today was the day of the graduation ceremony for the 99th class of cadets of the Demon King Military Academy.
The prospective Demon Kings who had completed their training would officially become Demon Kings and be assigned to various dimensions. And he was the adjutant who supported such Demon Kings.
‘Top graduate of the Demon Race Training School, Gordon Dairik.’
If the Demon King Military Academy trained Demon Kings, the Demon Race Training School raised demons who would support those Demon Kings.
Especially those with high grades became adjutants to Demon Kings, and Gordon, who had graduated as the top student, was scheduled to serve as adjutant to Berje, who had graduated as the top student of the Demon King Military Academy.
No—he had already been assigned and had already received materials on Berje.
‘The great dragon clan.’
‘A genius who had never lost first place, not even once.’
‘Unrivalled talent.’
‘The most outstanding figure in the history of the Demon King Military Academy.’
Materials filled only with praise made him even more satisfied.
It was only natural for an adjutant serving a Demon King to desire to serve a more exceptional Demon King.
In that sense, the top graduate, Berje Deias, was the best possible lord, and Gordon was the dark elf who had seized the greatest fortune.
‘If it’s with him, we could conquer any dimension.’
As the top graduate, there must have been quite a few benefits waiting for him aside from himself. If the combination of that man and himself was complemented by benefits, they would be able to accomplish anything.
* We will now begin the graduation ceremony of the 99th class of the Demon King Military Academy.
The auditorium he reached with a joyful heart was already filled with various demons.
Gordon headed toward the back of the stage with familiar faces.
“How is it?”
“What about the Demon King you’ll be serving?”
“Not bad. Cold and overflowing with charisma—he looked like the very model of a great Demon King.”
Those whose futures as adjutants to Demon Kings had already been set began chatting idly about their lords.
Who would serve whom, what their Demon Kings looked like—trivial stories like that.
Naturally, the one who received the most attention and envy was Gordon.
“I saw Berje earlier. The top graduate is definitely different. He looked unlike the others.”
“Same here. There was something untouchable about him. It felt like we could do anything if we were with him.”
“They say he’s of the dragon race. He really is different.”
Gordon’s shoulders rose involuntarily at his peers’ praise.
There was no adjutant who disliked hearing praise for their lord. He felt grateful toward Berje Deias, who was completing the academy at the same time as he.
While they chattered on, the graduation ceremony neared its end.
Finally came the badge-awarding ceremony by the Director, and Berje Deias stepped onto the platform.
“Handsome.”
A height of 190. A sturdy build and a natural sense of pressure. Truly the dignity of a top graduate.
‘The one I will serve from now on. The one who will write a legend.’
Gordon’s chest swelled with anticipation.
He imagined a future where they conquered countless dimensions together and left their names in history.
* Then we will now begin the oath of the graduates who will become new Demon Kings.
* The top graduate, Berje Deias, will read on behalf of the class.
Up until the moment before he swore to uphold The Demon King’s Standard, he felt that way.
* Berje Deias?
* Please quickly lead the recitation of the great Demon King’s Standard.
Even when Berje paused without reading the Standard, he did not find it strange.
They had said Berje was someone who adhered to the Standard more faithfully than anyone. He simply thought Berje was overcome with emotion.
Surely he—
“Impossible.”
Such blasphemy—he had never imagined it.
“I cannot recite that idiotically moronic oath. Upholding The Demon King’s Standard is no different from walking into a dragon’s lair carrying a hatchling’s corpse—just a foolish, brainless act. That Standard is trash!”
He truly had never even dreamed of this.
“....”
Gordon’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor.
* * *
“That’s the nutcase?”
“He dare insult the Standard? He should be killed.”
“And next to him? Don’t tell me there’s an idiot who actually associates with that nutcase?”
“Rumor has it he’s the nutcase’s adjutant. Already assigned, can’t be undone.”
“Poor guy. How did he end up with that kind of bastard....”
“Tsk, such a talented top graduate is going to rot under a nutcase.”
At the murmurs around him, Gordon closed his eyes. His circumstances were so miserable that tears welled up.
Meanwhile, Berje, seated before him, showed no reaction whatsoever and casually extended his hand.
“Nice to meet you. I am Berje Deias.”
“....”
Gordon quietly stared at that hand. He didn’t want to take it. But in the end, he had no choice but to.
‘Insane bastard. Son of a bitch. It wouldn’t even be enough to tear you to pieces right now.’
After Berje Deias’s bombshell declaration, Gordon fully felt how things had changed.
The bad rumors he heard even now were only the beginning.
* What? He called the Standard, set by the First Demon Emperor and upheld countless times, trash?
* Like walking into a dragon’s lair with a hatchling’s corpse?
* They say he was top graduate—has he gone completely mad?
* That bastard is the top graduate? What kind of education is the academy giving!
The demons were enraged.
The Demon King’s Standard was the will of the First Demon Emperor, the one who had unified the chaotic Demon Realm and enabled them to project power outward.
To demons, the Standard was faith. An inviolable realm no one was ever allowed to touch.
And Berje had dared to touch it.
* Investigate whether there was any manipulation in evaluating his grades!
* Trash like him who insults the Standard cannot possibly be a Demon King!
* Strip him of his Demon King qualification and send him to the Golan Mines!
Protests broke out. And since they were demons—violent by nature—riots and terrorism naturally accompanied them.
For now, it was directed at the school, but no one knew when that rage would turn toward Berje and toward Gordon, who had to serve him.
“...Why did you do that, exactly?”
That was why Gordon’s tone became sharp.
“What do you mean?”
“The Standard! The Standard!”
He seethed.
“If you had just stood still and recited the oath, everything would have been perfect! The achievements and reputation you’ve built had everything prepared for you to enjoy the very best!”
He couldn’t understand it at all. To kick away the glory laid out before him with his own mouth—how foolish could one be? Why would the top graduate do such a thing?
No—why would he insult the great Standard? How could anyone in their right mind utter such blasphemy? Was he even truly a demon?
A faint disgust surfaced along with his anger.
But Berje responded by changing the topic entirely.
“You went to the Training School, didn’t you?”
“....”
Right after the graduation ceremony, Gordon had gone to see the Director of the Training School.
And he had begged. Begged to have his assignment cancelled. Said he did not want to become Berje Deias’s adjutant.
‘I heard the news. I was looking forward to meeting the one said to have the highest scores in the academy’s history, but who would’ve thought he’d be that kind of nutcase. Makes me wonder if all the professors over there have gone mad.’
‘Unfortunately, it cannot be cancelled. Once a bond is set, it must be followed to the end. That is a rule passed down from the First Demon Emperor.’
‘Just because the nutcase ignored the Standard doesn’t mean you can become the same kind of bastard, can it?’
The Director, clicking his tongue and patting him on the shoulder, still flickered vividly in his mind.
‘Why did I have to become the top graduate? If only I had made one mistake and become the runner-up!’
But regret was too late, no matter how early it came.
“...The benefits.”
“Hm?”
“Will the benefits still be given as they were?”
Everything is granted for becoming the top graduate. If nothing else, that would at least offer a bit of comfort.
“Unfortunately, all of them were cancelled. Because I insulted the Standard.”
Damn it!
Well, it was only natural. A reactionary who dared insult the Standard couldn’t be left alone.
The only reason they stopped at stripping him of benefits—when they could have dismembered him on the spot for such a major crime—was probably because they still had some lingering expectations for him.
He’s still the top graduate, so they might as well use him.
In the Demon Realm, rather than simply killing someone, making them toil and sacrifice for the Demon Realm was considered proper punishment.
‘But why did it have to be me....’
He himself must have been included among the benefits meant for Berje.
Unaware of Gordon’s thoughts, Berje extended his hand again.
“Well, since it’s come to this, I look forward to working with you.”
“....”
Gordon still couldn’t bring himself to take that hand.
* * *
The office of Archduke Arkaine Blarimph of the Demon Realm.
I ran to him when summoned.
“Sit.”
When I sank into the plush sofa, Alkain personally poured me blood-red wine. A faint metallic scent of blood wrapped around my tongue.
“I don’t particularly like you either. Whether it’s your nature or whether you’ve grown arrogant as the top graduate—I have no desire to let someone who dares insult the Standard live.”
He calmly spoke murderous words.
“Is that so?”
I casually sipped the wine. I knew his temperament well enough to know that if he truly meant to kill me, he wouldn’t have invited me for a private talk like this.
“But listen. You’re a rebel and a nutcase, but you’re still the academy’s top graduate. The demons question the validity of your scores, but I know the Director well. He would never take bribes or twist evaluations for personal reasons.”
That was why he had remained Director of the academy for hundreds of years.
“Your talent must be real. Even if you’re a nutcase, wasting such talent would be a shame. Though I suppose the other archdukes would feel differently.”
“....”
“Even now, repent of your foolishness and apologize.”
Tak—
Alkain set his glass down.
“Kneel before the statue of the First Demon Emperor and swear to uphold the Standard. Apologize again and again and beg everyone for forgiveness.”
If you do, I will use my authority to minimize the harm that will come your way.
He whispered sweetly.
“But if you stubbornly refuse until the end, I plan to send you to my jurisdiction—Arein.”
Arein. The worst of the five dimensions currently under development in the Demon Realm.
The number one assignment all Demon Kings avoided.
The place where the greatest number of Demon Kings had died throughout history.
“You know what it means to go to Arein with only a single adjutant.”
I knew. Even Demon Kings who took an entire retinue failed there; taking only an adjutant was practically suicide.
“Well? You still have a chance.”
He smiled chillingly. Confidence radiated from him—confidence that I would certainly beg for forgiveness.
It was funny, so I smiled back.
A typical Demon King would bow his head here.
But I wasn’t typical.
“I’ll go.”
“Yes, ...what did you say?”
“My stance hasn’t changed. I respect the First Demon Emperor, but the Standard is trash. Whatever it was in the past, at least now it’s a foolish system where the means have overtaken the goal.”
“You insolent little...!”
Ku-gu-gu-gu-
“...You really won’t come to your senses unless you die. Just because you were the top graduate, you think you can rampage without knowing your place?”
The air trembled with thick killing intent. But I didn’t even blink.
“Perhaps you’re right.”
I had already died, so dying again wouldn’t make me come to my senses. No—having died once was precisely why I had come to my senses.
“So rather than apologizing, I’ll simply go to Arein.”
Number-one avoidance zone?
The land that devoured the most Demon Kings?
Even better.
Because that’s where those insects who mocked and toyed with me were.
Because that had been my assignment in the past.
‘Wait for me, you hero bastards.’
This time, I would tear your throats out with my own claws.