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

The light falling beside Lance seemed to grow brighter, looking as if, after a long spell of gloom, the sun had finally broken through. As a Radiant Demon, he appeared every bit the true savior. His very presence was dazzling.

Instructor Mogut bowed his head slightly in a gesture of respect toward Lance. The arrival of the special envoy meant the academy could be saved. The entire classroom fell into a hushed, solemn silence. The only remaining sound was the soft ticking of the clock's second hand.

Finally, Lance directed, "Take me to the deputy headmaster. I will help you deal with the Vampire Envoy."

Mogut responded seriously and respectfully, "Understood."

His gaze then sharpened slightly as he turned toward Hyperion. He felt that this demon knew too much. "And what about her...?"

Now that the special envoy had revealed himself, the faculty no longer needed to enforce the academy's rules with absolute rigidity. Their top priority was ensuring the academy survived the crisis caused by the vampire envoy.

Lance glanced at Hyperion and said in a cool, detached tone, "His majesty instructed me to bring any gifted students I discovered at the school back to the capital. That is another one of my missions, so do not ask for the specific details. In short, there is no need to worry. Just treat her as a colleague I am currently grooming."

"Understood." Mogut nodded hurriedly. He had begun to grasp the situation. No wonder the special envoy had been operating undercover for so long.

He absolutely dared not do anything that might offend the young woman. Whether Lance's claim about "another mission" was true or not, those in the know understood the implications. It was not a matter for a mere teacher to question.

"Please follow me. I will bring you to an emergency meeting with the academy's senior leadership." Mogut moved urgently toward the classroom door. He had to get the special envoy to the deputy headmaster as soon as possible.

Lance nodded slightly, his hands clasped behind his back. "Mm."

He exuded the commanding aura of a high-ranking official inspecting a subordinate facility. He knew one thing for certain: there would be no need to attend the fourth-period class.

***

While standing in the dim, stone-walled corridor, Bakar kept an anxious watch on the wooden door of the art classroom. Finally, the crisp sound of the lock disengaging from within made him freeze instantly.

He looked up and saw a familiar figure stepping out of the doorway. Lance was as composed and unruffled as ever, looking as though he had just finished a casual afternoon chat rather than a grueling lesson.

Instructor Mogut looked over Bakar with icy aloofness, sending a deep shiver through the student. Bakar had never imagined he would one day be so close to such a high-ranking figure in the school.

Just as Bakar opened his mouth to call out to Lance, a sudden chill surged from the depths of his heart, making him feel as if he had been plunged into a deep, icy cavern. Murderous intent was radiating from Mogut, who was not in the mood to tolerate even the slightest offense against Lance from a nobody like Bakar or even a moment's delay.

However, Lance remained completely unperturbed by the situation. He simply smiled lightly and raised his hand in a relaxed gesture, signaling to Mogut that there was no need to be so tense. Then, to Bakar's utter disbelief, Instructor Mogut actually heeded Lance's signal and withdrew all hostility.

Lance patted Bakar on the shoulder as he walked past, much like someone wrapping up an errand, and bade him farewell. "Bakar, go on to your next class. I have some serious business to attend to now."

"I..." Bakar's mind raced. He could theoretically understand the situation, yet he struggled to accept the terrifying reality of it all. He had known all along that this Radiant Demon was no ordinary person, but he hadn't expected his true identity and status to be far superior even to that of a senior instructor's!

Just as Bakar was wondering what to say, he heard a crisp sound. Lance had tossed him a credit coin as he left. Bakar hurriedly caught it. "Thanks!"

Only after Lance's retreating figure had vanished into the depths of the corridor did Bakar slowly straighten up. He lowered his head furtively and opened his palm to look at the credit coin resting there.

It was a credit coin of a peculiar design, one he had never seen before. Its existence felt like a complete dream. Bakar's serpentine eyes quivered uncontrollably, and he felt as though the blood in his veins were boiling.

It was a legendary ten-credit coin. Bakar stood rooted to the spot, dazed, unable to quell the surging agitation within him for a long time. Minutes had passed before he finally clenched the coin tightly in his hand.

A long-dormant desire that had been buried deep within his heart was stirring, becoming hard to contain. His voice was hoarse as he declared, "I also want to become a powerhouse capable of dominating other demons..."

***

Half an hour later...

Late at night at Ikerite University, Gela Memorial Plaza was bathed in a soft, glowing white light. The clock tower showed the time as half past midnight, yet this late hour had not brought silence to the plaza.

In fact, the area near the plaza's giant outdoor screen remained lively, filled with an atmosphere of anticipation and joy. Students planning to stay up all night had brought blankets and settled onto the plaza's steps.

Many held cups of hot coffee to ward off the late-night chill. Some even treated the occasion like an outing, with wooden crates of drinks nearby and charcoal grills blazing on the steps that sent a mouth-watering aroma of roasting meat and vegetables wafting through the night air.

Under the glow of distant streetlights, a person walked slowly by, gazing toward the giant screen in the plaza. Her long gray hair was tied into a braid, and she wore non-prescription glasses, giving her a quiet, dignified air.

Talia had carefully disguised herself. She usually appeared as cold as ice, but now exuded the aura of a solitary, literary-minded young woman. In this guise, she looked even less like the Poet of Boundless Love. In the dim lights of the night, it was nearly impossible for anyone to notice the resemblance between the two.

She held a box of crispy-skinned and tender roasted chicken pieces that were drizzled with a rich, savory sauce. Every now and then, she would pick up a skewer, gently pop a bite into her mouth, and chew slowly. The late-night fatigue melted away as she leisurely ate.

Earlier, she had been tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep as her mind kept drifting back to the Ancient Demon Kingdom Shadow Realm dungeon that she had seen that afternoon. Feeling a bit hungry, she had decided to step out and return to Ikerite University.

"Wow, too amazing!" exclaimed a student.

However, Talia was puzzled that the campus was far livelier than she had expected. From time to time, the sounds of animated discussion and cheering drifted over from the plaza. It was as if they were staying up late to watch a major annual championship final.

Puzzled, Talia muttered to herself, "How exciting could it possibly be... isn't it just that guy Lance taking exams and attending classes?"

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