LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 176
In the [Reincarnated Academy], the Demon King is depicted as a supremely powerful entity, even if not divine.
Cue the dramatic music…
Of course, that’s a typical setup since it’s the final boss.
But with great power comes great risk!
According to the bad ending, a player who becomes the Demon King can’t suppress their power by their own will and eventually turns into absolute evil, ultimately fulfilling the Demon King’s will.
And here I am, stuck on that route.
‘This is the only way, I guess.’
If this were a game, it could have ended right here, but…
It’s still too early to call it.
A different variable has emerged compared to the original bad ending.
That’s because Aria Bluebell saved me.
Knowing full well that she might disappear, risking her life…
She reached out to me.
Thump-thump.
The pulse in Aria’s wrist was slowing down.
She was calmly facing the end.
I gently closed her eyes.
She smiled at me, as if trying to offer comfort.
There isn’t much time left.
Pushing aside my overwhelming feelings, I issued a short command.
“…I command it by the authority of the Demon King.”
To save her, who had exhausted the miracles of the Saint…
I had no choice but to channel my strength again.
The former Demon King had hinted to me.
The game [Reincarnated Hero] was a lie; Caeran’s wild tales in [Reincarnated Academy] were the true world.
“I shall… bind Aria Bluebell…”
So, I’m merely doing something that can only be done in this dimension.
Something that was impossible in the game…
“I make her a direct follower of the Demon King, Lev Denec.”
‘Act of corrupting the main heroine.’
This was a decision only I, who had become the Demon King and not just a gamer, could make.
Zooooom!
In an instant, a red flash burst forth,
Swish…
And something from my body began to shimmer and scatter into the air like sparkling dust.
Lev Denec, lacking the traits of a gamer… was just a mere human.
He wasn’t even a proper vessel for the Demon King.
And as per the demon contract, I had to offer up something precious to me.
‘This is a small price to pay…’
I don’t regret my choice.
Of course, to a third party, my story might seem like a bad ending.
But at least, I don’t think so.
As long as I can save Aria, Yeriel, Selena… the heroines I cared for, I could give up anything for that.
‘Aria…’
Of course, if Aria doesn’t open her heart to me, then it’ll all be for nothing…
Ding-ding!!
At that moment, as if answering my yearning,
A red beam began to connect between Aria and me.
“…Aria?”
And in response to my question…
“……”
Aria Bluebell. Her jewel-like blue eyes opened.
I instinctively embraced her.
“Lev…?”
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
“How…?”
“It’s okay. It’s fine now…”
Aria, who might have become a demon, was still warm.
It felt like being in a bright flower field with the soft breeze on a clear day.
I stepped back and confessed to her again.
“I love you, Aria. Stay by my side.”
Rumble!!!
As countless remnants of the Demon King’s castle fell,
“……Yes.”
Aria and I met again, just like the first day we met,
In a nostalgic reunion.
…
…
…
*
…
…
…
Two weeks after the Demon King’s demise.
At Claris Academy, the marksman department’s shooting range.
Even considering it was the start of vacation after the end of the second semester, very few students remained in the training ground.
They were buzzing in small groups, discussing recent events at Claris rather than focusing on their training.
– Is it true that the hero who defeated the Demon King is a student at Claris?
– Who knows?
– Even if that’s the case, is it okay to train when the Demon King has been defeated?
– There are still demon creatures and great demons out there. The Demon King will resurrect someday.
– Well, that’s true.
…
…
…
“……”
Thwack!
Every arrow shot by Selena hit the center perfectly.
She was completely focused on her training, ignoring their chatter.
Like they said, though the Demon King was defeated, not all of Pandemonium had been purified.
Many great demons were lurking and looking for their chance to declare themselves the new Demon King.
What’s more, Selena was particularly eager to participate in the expedition to the beloved elf territory, Flotine Forest, starting next week, so she couldn’t slack off in her training.
At that moment, a student with violet hair stood next to Selena.
“Bullseye!”
“Senpai.”
Violet de Crescent.
She was a key member of the Flotine Forest expedition, as well as Selena’s upperclassman on the committee.
As she greeted Selena, who was bowing like a soldier at attention, Violet said with a smile:
“You don’t have to use honorifics with me.”
“Understood. Violet-senpai.”
“…You’re more formal than I expected.”
Though still businesslike, Violet thought this was a big improvement.
“Anyway, you’re participating in this expedition, right?”
“Yes, I’m counting on you.”
With Selena being one of the best archers among humans, she was able to seek her parents’ revenge by teaming up with Violet, all thanks to Lev Denec handing over his committee position.
-…
As silence hung after basic greetings, Violet sighed lightly and spoke.
“I heard the students who went to the Demon King’s castle have recovered…”
“Is that so?”
“…Do I really not need to go?”
Violet’s words carried significant weight for her.
Once upon a time, she targeted them as aspiring heroes.
Especially that gray-haired guy… Even she, who found it hard to open up, felt an attraction.
“…”
As Selena hesitated and couldn’t find the right words to respond, Violet comforted her.
“I’m guessing you are suggesting you’ll stay here and train, right?”
Suddenly, Selena was flooded by memories from the past.
– It’s fine. You can teach me.
– Teach? …Me?
– Wind Archery.
After that conversation, they met here weeks in a row.
Though Selena had remained, it seemed that guy hadn’t.
With wistful and slightly sad memories, Selena chuckled softly.
Clap!
Seeing that, Violet clapped her hands, energizing herself.
“What! I feel the same.”
“……Huh?”
“Let’s make a bet as people in the same situation.”
“I’m afraid I…”
Selena wanted to say, ‘I haven’t given up yet,’ but she swallowed her words.
A hint of sadness lingered in her eyes.
Hoo.
Being an elf with a longer lifespan than humans, she believed that someday, an opportunity would come…
But why was Violet not even given the chance? What a terrible guy!
‘I guess I have to yield today.’
Starting to understand humans a bit, Selena replied in a higher tone than before.
“Alright. The loser buys dinner.”
…
*
…
At the same time, in Professor Sinatis’s Evolution Chamber.
“If it weren’t for me, that kid would have definitely died.”
“Just as you said.”
Two familiar-faced spirit beings were conversing.
One was Kroon’s beloved demon beast, Sinatis.
The other was Ariel, the Spirit King of Wind, contracted with Lev Denec.
Ariel’s words were true.
If it weren’t for him, both Lev Denec and Aria Bluebell would have faced a terrible fate.
All of this happened two weeks ago when everything changed.
Ariel and Sinatis were already close to the Demon King’s castle.
They could sense it with the instinct of spirits.
They knew the Demon King had changed… and that a human boy had taken his place.
Therefore, the Spirit King, who once granted power to the gray-haired boy, had to feel a sense of betrayal.
However, it didn’t take long for them to realize their error.
Shockingly, Lev Denec’s ultimate goal was to take on the mantle of the Demon King and bear everything, annihilating Pandemonium.
“What a bold fellow he was.”
Although the spirits had existed for a long time,
They could hardly have imagined that a human would inherit the throne of the Demon King.
Regardless of how he got there, he brilliantly fulfilled the hero’s duty…
Thus, as an act of mercy from the Spirit King, Ariel decided to help them escape from the Demon King’s castle.
Ha.
Ariel chuckled incredulously and then asked Sinatis,
“Sinatis, you noticed too, right?”
“…”
“From him… the boy.
“A little, yes.”
Sinatis gazed at a portrait of Kroon given by Lev, smiling faintly.
*
“Quick, quick…!”
Two young women hurried towards the Restoration Chamber.
“Then, I’ll go ahead!”
The girl, Lily Forget, bounced off somewhere.
“Be careful not to trip…!”
“Whew!”
Watching her, Yeriel Artina decided to visit Aria’s room first.
…
…
…
Clatter.
When Yeriel entered the room,
Aria was sitting on the bed, looking at her diary, deep in thought.
“Are you okay…? Aria?”
“Yes, I am fine.”
“That’s a relief…!”
Yeriel approached Aria and hugged her tightly.
Although Aria had regained consciousness the previous week, Yeriel had taken care of her without fail.
“Did you hear…?”
“Yes. Lev… finally…”
How much had she worried?
Yeriel cautiously asked Aria,
“Didn’t you want to see him? Why didn’t you go see him first…?”
“…I wanted to go with you, Yeriel.”
“Is that so…”
Aria and Yeriel looked at each other, offering silent comfort.
“I can’t let it go on like this, Aria. We need to come up with a strategy.”
“A strategy…?”
“Yeah, so Lev can’t just disappear on his own… and we can tie him up or something…”
With Yeriel’s mischievous remark, Aria’s eyes sparkled.
“Then if we take turns watching over him, just the two of us, it might be effective.”
“Yeah! Then Lev won’t ever…!”
“Right. We might need ropes… No, maybe restraints…”
Seeing Aria’s serious expression shift, Yeriel couldn’t help but smile brightly.
“Oh…”
And just a beat later, Aria started to laugh too.
The two girls laughed together for a while,
Before Yeriel gently handed Aria a soft outdoor robe.
“Then shall we go and see him together?”
“Yes, Yeriel.”
Aria placed her tightly held diary on the table,
Clatter.
And followed Yeriel out.
…
…
…
…
A hush enveloped the room after the two girls left.
Warm sunlight, a gentle breeze.
It was a peace they’d cherished after a long time.
Whoosh.
The wind brushed through the window, causing one page of Aria’s diary to flutter open.
The dried flowers soaked in fragrance…
Rustle.
The page shyly revealed itself.
…
…
…
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– Stay together until the moment you close your eyes for someone you love. (v)
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…
…
…
The second-rate villain sucking honey from academy bugs.
-Fin.