I Swear I'm Not a Demon Masquerading as a Human

Finally, those two minutes, which were the longest in the history of this theater bestowed by the Demon King, had come to a complete end. Lance and the Poet of Boundless Love had finished their performance.

A hush fell over the stage. The Poet glanced back at Lance with a playful, charming smile before contentedly returning to his side. Off-stage, however, the "nuclear fusion" of that hellish sound had already ignited and was utterly unstoppable.

Lance rose from the piano and walked to the center of the stage. Bathed in the spotlight, his figure appeared solitary yet transcendent, as if the air still held traces of that earth-shattering performance. Amid the lingering echoes of the music and song, he slowly raised his hand, then bowed deeply to the audience.

It was the bow of an artist, full of sincerity and gratitude. "Thank you to the students and the judges for your recognition."

He was met with another thunderous wave of applause.

***

"Stop it, Lance... If you let things go, you might still be able to convince others that you're actually human..."

Hyperion covered her face with both hands, leaning back against the hard chair, much like a ship finally docking after being battered by a violent storm. Her voice was utterly exhausted. Her soul felt as though it had endured endless torment, and the lingering effects of that protracted performance still left her shaken.

Had she not possessed the experience and guarded her mind against its influence from the very start, then as soon as the Poet began singing, she, too, would likely have been trapped in that inescapable, deadly loop!

Meanwhile, at the side of the stage, the head of the music department, who had previously sported perfectly groomed silver hair, now looked disheveled as if he had just stepped out of a hurricane. His face was pale. He had just witnessed a catastrophe.

The four music instructors and the demon students in the audience were either slumped in their seats, convulsing, or screaming in shrill, hoarse terror. Their faces were twisted with madness. They were utterly lost, trapped deep within a personal hell from which they could not escape.

Now, aside from Lance, the only one left standing was the department head. He was the highest-ranked demon present, and the person with the strongest resistance to sonic magic in the entire academy.

Seeing the state the department head was in, Lance hurriedly stepped forward to offer support. "Sir, are you alright?"

The instructor waved Lance's hand away. Although his voice trembled slightly, his demeanor remained unyieldingly resolute, "I'm fine. I'm fine."

As the head of the music department, if he couldn't withstand a single student's performance, he would be humiliated in front of the Demon Kingdom's high nobility!

Lance could tell this demon was putting on a tough face and nodded. He looked at the four instructors, who were currently out of their minds, before turning back to the department head to ask earnestly, "So, can I earn the approval of all four music mentors this time?"

The department head gritted his teeth, his eyes darting between Lance's face and the four instructors seated below. He remained speechless for a long moment as his expression gradually shifted into a complex mix of emotions. He finally conceded, placing four credit coins into Lance's hand.

His voice sounded somewhat hoarse, carrying a tone of reluctant acknowledgment as he said, "Based on the oaths the four instructors swore to the Demon King prior to the public performance, you have undoubtedly earned the full recognition of them all."

This performance was one destined to go down in the history of the Demon Kingdom's musical scene. While it had certainly involved a few mishaps, the entertainment value it provided was truly unparalleled. It was sure to win the acclaim of the nobility even though it unfortunately took a bit of a toll on the students and teachers involved.

The department head continued, "Hand over your student ID."

Since he was presiding over a major performance for the nobility and had made a promise, he wasn't about to renege on the deal. Hearing this, Lance rummaged through his pockets, quickly produced a black metal card, and handed it to the department head.

Then, the professor briefly stepped off the grand stage, disappearing through a side door. Ten minutes or so passed.

When the department head reappeared at the theater entrance, he was holding not only Lance's original student ID, but also an exquisite small nameplate and a card with a silvery-white sheen.

True to his word, the department head handed over the rewards. Now that Lance was officially a staff member, his tone had softened somewhat compared to before. "The nameplate signifies your status as a faculty member of the Music Department. As for this teacher ID, it works much like the student ID, though its primary function is for receiving your salary. From now on, you're an instructor in our department."

Lance was a genius at creating a spectacle, so he might just be a perfect fit for their department. Who knew? He might even have the potential to become a Great Demon.

Lance took the teacher ID and the exquisite nameplate. The latter featured a cutout border of musical notes and a line of inlaid gold text that said: Lance, Music Department Teacher.

"So, do I have any teaching duties?" Lance asked while admiring his new faculty credentials.

The department head remained silent. He looked at Lance, then glanced at the chaotic, hellish scene still unfolding in the theater's audience seating. He was leaving it to Lance to figure out the implication for himself.

Finally, he stated coldly, "Start teaching in the Music Department next semester. There aren't enough students left this term for you to wreak havoc on."

"Er..." Lance couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. He had to return to the real world at daybreak tomorrow.

It felt like he was in a beautiful dream that was destined to end just before reaching its most delightful moment, forcing him to wake up and face reality. If he could stay at this school, he wasn't sure he'd want to go back to Ikerite University.

Lance asked after a moment's thought, "So, could I withdraw from the student body now and become a full-time teacher?"

He recalled the school rules Bakar had mentioned: Students who failed to pay the five credit fee each morning would be immediately expelled, and the consequence of expulsion was execution.

However, there were special circumstances under which the school permitted voluntary withdrawal. Being recruited by a major institution or a powerful figure in the Demon Kingdom was one such instance.

"You could apply to the headmaster, though there's no need to look for him today. He happens to be away from the school for a few days. Besides, if you want to earn a diploma from this academy and pursue better opportunities in the Demon Kingdom later, I'd suggest you finish your studies. As long as you manage your time well, you can teach in the Music Department while attending classes."

"I see." Lance understood the situation. His arrangement was somewhat akin to that of a doctoral student: pursuing advanced studies while teaching during non-conflicting hours.

However, he quickly picked up on a crucial detail. The headmaster wasn't at the school? This was a vital piece of information he had stumbled upon by chance. Lance felt it was highly likely to be connected to Mission Objective 2: Investigate and identify the source of tonight's danger.

After all, with the person holding the highest authority in the academy absent, problems could very well emerge within the school!

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