Chapter 10: Dawn of a New Age
The next morning, breakfast in the cafeteria was eerily normal. I sat between Yuria and two wide-eyed classmates, all of us sporting new bruises and triumphant grins. Someone muttered "plot twist" under the table earlier, and we all laughed.
Lilith swept in. Her eyes were bruised from last night, but her smile was fierce. "Good news," she announced. "I spoke to the Archdemon Council. We will form a joint defence task force. For now, classes will resume. Consider today a victory lap."
Cheers echoed through the room.
Yuria elbowed me. "We did good, huh?" she said quietly, a proud grin on her face.
I nodded, sipping a weirdly comforting demon brew. "We literally stopped a demon king. Lilith actually said victory lap."
She laughed. "Algebra can wait. I’m more worried about that hot soup in front of me." The school statue’s missing horn in the corner seemed to give us a thumbs-up.
Lilith raised a ladle. "Alright, students! Let’s not overload the incinerators. Remember, this is an academy, not a barbecue pit." Snickers rippled through the cafeteria. Even the demon cooks chuckled behind their cauldrons.
After breakfast, Lilith summoned us to the Arcane Courtyard. A small crowd gathered — curious, relieved faces all around. Lilith held the Sigil fragment to my chest. "This morning’s heroes!" she proclaimed, and a cheer went up.
Seraphina stepped forward, clapping slowly. "Congratulations," she said, eyes unreadable. "The Council will take note of today’s...accomplishment." She gave me a brief nod. "Well done, Ren."
I swallowed hard. "Thanks, Seraphina," I said, trying to smile.