A changed scum… or maybe not…
"Ok, go ahead," after Lyna's story, Eric held no high hopes for any of these so-called students.
"Once upon a time there was a majestic hero-"
Omg, Eric already knew where this one was going. This damned demon actually had a hero complex.
Hey, Fiery, you're a demon, there's nothing heroic about it. Shut it, human! There are good, brave and heroic demons out there too!
Eric was stunned. His mental capabilities surged from level 0 to level infinity! He was now capable of portraying what another person could say in certain situations! Hooray for another useless, imaginative skill!
While Eric was lost in these thoughts, Fil continued to read his story, "So, the eagle-like hero soared in the sky, beautiful, cool and unbelievably charismatic!"
Oh heaven, please someone come and put Eric out of his misery. This was awful for his editor's heart, mind and ears!
Eric didn't even bother listening to the rest of the story nor of the feedback of the others who obviously had no damn clue about writing and stories. Eric got straight to the point, "Fil, you use way too many adjectives. It's great that your vocabulary is so broad but please stop being so fixated on describing yours- the hero. There's nothing but a barrage of words clouding your characters. No plot or obstacles for him to overcome but just him being OP and wonderfully slaughtering everyone- I mean, evil in his way."
There was no need to say that Fiery was also a narcissist! It was so obvious he was describing himself in that damned story! What was that? A mix of superhero and stallion! What the fuck was that clusterfuck of a merge? It didn't make sense!
Eric was pretty sure that the only reason why Fil was interested in writing was to praise himself!
Probably along the lines of how no one could portray perfectly enough how majestic he was thus he had to do it himself.
Oh, no one understood just how hard it was for Fil to be so strong and brilliant that no one could fully capture his talent. Note, Fil was the fourth-strongest in the Demon World. His two older brothers could easily beat the shit out him but that didn't seem to matter. So away with that.
"Tino, how about you go next?" Eric needed to catch a break from his pulsating headache that wanted to break free and swallow everyone so Eric could be at peace. Eric felt like that Tino was far more decent than the others and luckily, Tino didn't disappoint. Eric thanked the writer gods, no, wait the editor gods.
"Vannie felt that he started to change. His friend and his family meant everything to him," Tino continued. Eric was impressed by the solid plot and characters who didn't feel too flat nor 2D, however, why did Eric feel that this was a coming of age story for Van?
The MC is a quiet kid who isn't good at socialising and quite prickly, so he starts to change as he goes to uni and makes friends and gets along with his family he has been at war with for so long. Was this actually Tino's secret wish for Van? Even the name was almost the same!
It was a shame Eric couldn't read Van's thoughts, he really wanted to know what that stone face was thinking about! Eric could totally picture Van as the moody teenager who undergoes a wonderful character development. Hey, look at your good friend being so pure, so optimistic and innocent wanting to help you and then look at you, you gloomy, moody, prickly kid!
By the end, Tino's story was almost done, Eric had to shed a tear. Tino was really a good friend, Eric didn't even wait long before saying, "A very heartwarming story. Good job, Tino."
Yes, this was the first time Eric sincerely praised an author. It wasn't that Tino was terribly good, it was just that out of everyone Tino was already at a level he could progress and learn more. Tino had potential and the basics down.
Eric's high standards became no standards but Tino turned it into low standards passed. If Eric didnt eliminate his expectations all together, it would've never come to this point where Eric ever complimented an author.
Eric was proud of himself, he was starting to change, wasn't he? A life and death situation could also change a scum! If only his authors on earth knew that, they would have given up on voodoo dolls and directly beaten up Eric!
Tino was very happy about Eric's evaluation and slightly glanced at Van who looked indifferent. When Tino became famous, he wanted to tell the worlds that he dedicated this book to his best friend Van who was easily misunderstood but actually a very good person. Tino was really a good friend. If Eric read his thoughts, Eric would've sobbed and hugged Tino.
Eric became a changed man and somehow Tino triggered this realisation. So it was non-existent and Eric was just flattering himself.
"Thanks, teach!" Tino scrambled his focus together as he saw Van briefly nod at him. See, Van wasn't a bad person! He was happy for Tino too.
"Then since Tino went, how about Van, you go next?" Eric encouragingly looked at Van who stared back with a blank face and subtle annoyed face, "I'm gonna go last-"
"There's no need to be afraid, we're all kindred spirits."
"Yes, c'mon no need to be shy younger bro!" Fil slapped Van on the back and laughed loudly which made Van only more annoyed and he pushed Fil away.
"Shut up, you annoying jerk," then he turned to Eric, "I said I'll go last or what? Your angel pretence wants to filter everything out that's not to your liking?"
Eric felt called out while Tino hurried, "Van, don't be like this!"
"Tino's right, there's no need to be so mean," Lav stepped in.
"Yes, brother," Van quickly become obedient.
"Teacher, I'd like to go next," Lav the prince charming smiled, which made Eric uncomfortable. Truly a witch.
"Tch, greasy bastard," Nol clicked his tongue and looked in disgust at Lav.
"Now, now beloved elder brother," Lave smiled and for some reason, Eric felt a weird tension in the room.
The relationships between his so-called brothers were so fucked up!
Either they couldn't stand each other or turned to clingy jelly! What the fuck? But Eric was resolute not to care about it. He was just a teacher, a human kidnapped and held prisoner in the Demon World, why should he care about if they were going to tear on each other's throats or not? If they all dropped dead wasn't that better for Eric?
But then if Eric couldn't make them authors in the human world didn't that mean that Eric was stuck here forever because the curse would never be lifted?
No, no, no, Eric couldn't let them kill each other! For fucks sake, no one told him that becoming their editor also meant becoming their mental nanny!
Screw this shit! Eric had no clue about stuff like that, why did he have to be subject to this?
With a slight dark aura creeping out of Eric, he said, "Lav, go ahead," while on the inside he was despairing and wondered when this finally ended. How many more stories did he have to go through? Why are 8 people so much? Fuck all of this! I want to go home!