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

The grandfather clock ticked leisurely, and its gears rhythmically whirred. A mellow scent of ancient books emanated from the ornate case tucked away in the corner of the study.

Noel removed his spectacles, closed his eyes briefly, and felt his tension gradually ease as he stared blankly at the soft, amber glow of the magical desk lamp. Regardless of whether Lance was merely putting on an act, there was something reassuring about his son’s calm, composed demeanor.

Just when he thought that his son was going to leave, Lance said, "Father, I will require some funds before I take the entrance exam. Could you ensure that I’m well provided for over the next three months?"

"What are you planning on doing?" Noel asked warily. He had a hunch that his son wanted to squeeze as much money as possible from him before the entrance exam and spend it all in one last session.

"Crafting enchanted cards requires a lot of money for materials, and I also need to hire a suitable teacher." Lance’s expression and voice were still calm and composed; it didn’t sound like he was lying at all.

Of course, Lance was telling the truth. He planned on studying how to make enchanted cards after he finished reading the laws of the kingdom.

Surprised, Noel asked, "You can craft enchanted cards?"

Lance didn’t respond immediately. He actually didn’t know how. Therefore, he needed the perfect explanation to get his father to trust and invest in him.

Suddenly, the butler behind Noel interjected, "I can vouch for the young master."

He then bent slightly over and said in Noel’s ear, "Go to the young master's room and look at the painting hanging there. I’m sure your concerns about him will disappear."

"Oh?" Noel looked at the butler with surprise, then gazed at Lance with interest. "Lance, have you started painting again? Your work must be pretty good for Hans to praise you this much."

Hans was the butler’s given name, but the old Lance had never called him by it. Lance continued that habit and had only addressed him as "you" when he was communicating with the butler.

The butler smiled and shook his head. The master clearly does not know just how talented Lance is.

The tone Noel used reflected that, as if he was just praising a silly child.

"It's not just—"

Lance pursed his lips briefly and interrupted the butler before he could continue, "Hans has always been kind to me, but he’s exaggerating a bit."

It was best if Noel didn’t see the portrait of Talia hanging in his bedroom. Otherwise, if his father met her by chance, there could be some ridiculous misunderstanding.

"Alright then." Noel didn’t take any of this seriously. The only thing that surprised him was Lance’s humility. From his perspective, his son would have seized this opportunity to tout his talents and get the money he wanted.

After being interrupted, the butler fell silent and had no intention of saying anything else. He smiled slightly and went back behind Noel.

"Alright. I do hope that you can pass the entrance examinations. Hans..." Due to Lance’s good behavior today and the butler’s intervention, Noel had decided to agree to his son’s request. At any rate, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t afford to indulge his stupid son a little.

I hope he can mature soon. May the Goddess bless him. How wonderful would it be if he wasn’t just pretending today, but instead was truly this steady, humble, and polite.

***

As night fell, the lights in the second floor's spacious corridor glowed softly, immersing the entire hall in peace and tranquility. Most of the servants in the manor had finished their work for the day and had gone to rest.

Of course, there were also servants who hadn’t gotten off work yet. There was a maid named Francine waiting for Lance when he left to study. She was one of the servants who was less apprehensive around him. In the entire manor, only Francine and Hans were willing to take Lance seriously.

"Young Master, are you sure you are not pulling your father’s leg?" she asked softly after she greeted him politely. She was following Lance as he walked down the corridor.

She had overheard the conversation in the study, and she was well aware Lance hadn’t been studying. The entrance exam for the College of Alchemy tested people on a wide range of subjects, such as mathematics, pharmacology, material processing, basic magical engineering, and alchemy theory. Even if Lance hired the best tutors now, it would be too late for him to cram everything.

"It’s just an entrance exam," Lance chuckled and closed his eyes briefly. The difficulty of the exam hadn’t spooked him at all, and it was clear he had no intention of studying furiously.

"Oh, okay..." Francine was taken aback by his lackadaisical response. Could it be that the young master had truly given up and was simply indulging himself one last time?

However, she also knew that if Lance failed the exam, he wouldn't end up going home with his tail between his legs, nor would he be reduced to sleeping on the streets of the capital. He could very well make a flexible living for himself. His paintings alone could bring in a handsome sum.

Sensing the maid's concern, Lance smiled radiantly. His gaze was clear and focused as he reassured her. "Don't worry about me. I'm going to go over the exam rules and regulations tonight."

"That's good to hear... Wait, the exam rules?" Francine was taken aback.

She couldn't shake the feeling that there was a hidden meaning behind Lance’s words. While it was certainly an excellent habit to carefully read through all the guidelines before an exam, just what, exactly, was there to "study" about the exam rules and regulations for the College of Alchemy?

Lance politely said good night and quickly left for his bedroom, leaving the maid standing in the hallway. Her face was a picture of bewildered confusion.

***

When Lance returned to his bedroom, he closed the door, retrieved the entrance exam guidebook from his bookshelf, and calmly sat down at his desk. As he picked up a pen, he gazed intently at the book in his hands and began mapping out his schedule for the next three months.

He hadn’t been joking when he promised his father he was going to pass the entrance exams. However, he hadn't specified which college he actually intended to join.

As he leafed through the admissions book, Lance murmured to himself, "While I believe talking it out is the ideal way to resolve a conflict, if it truly came down to a fight, I certainly don't see myself losing, provided I’ve had enough time to prepare."

The College of Alchemy and the College of Magical Engineering were places that prioritized theoretical research and logistical support. Therefore, their entrance exams were notoriously difficult. Trying to cram for them was almost impossible. However, the university also had colleges that placed a greater emphasis on direct combat and tactical application: the Sages’ College and the Knights’ College.

Lance’s plan was simple: He would take a different route to admission. When the time came, all he had to do was switch his application from the College of Alchemy to another one.

Although the practical assessments for the combat-oriented colleges differed in their specifics, the core principles had remained consistent throughout the years. They always tested a candidate's ability to adapt on the fly, their moral character and temperament, and their actual combat proficiency.

Their requirements were closely tied to this world’s most difficult dungeon, the Shadow Realm.

Over the next three months, he needed to complete his preparations. He planned to make some enchanted cards that matched his combat style and also purchase a few complementary cards to form a cohesive combo. Once that was done, Lance was confident he could pull off a performance so utterly mind-boggling that it would stun every single academy administrator!

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