Chapter 4

### How to Live Like a Demon - Chapter 4 (4/385)

How to Live Like a Demon Chapter 4

004 Lucius Kendrick (4)

Demit, having finished his report, couldn't shake off his confusion.

The Demon King was sitting at his desk with a pleased expression on his face.

Normally, he would have a stern look upon seeing the towering stack of papers that seemed ready to collapse, but today, even while working, a gentle smile never left his lips.

The same went for Marielle, who stood by the Demon King's side.

"You two seem to be in a good mood today."

At Demit's words, the siblings exchanged glances and put down their pens in unison.

She replied with a voice tinged with a smile.

"General, you also look bright today?"

"Haha, is that so?"

Demit scratched his cheek awkwardly.

He was in no position to comment on others.

It seemed he, too, had been wearing a smile.

"How is Lucius doing?"

The Demon King's tone was unusually familiar, perhaps because it was a private setting.

Demit shrugged at the Demon King's question.

"He says he can't do anything about losing and is preparing diligently."

"Is that so?"

The Demon King smiled contentedly.

He found it endearing that Lucius, who had been so defiant in his presence, would obediently carry out his tasks when given a mission.

Meanwhile, Demit, who had finished his report, was subtly observing the Demon King's reactions.

The Demon King found such scrutiny secretly pleasing.

Before raising Lucius, Demit had been unimaginably soft and passive.

Tap, tap.

The Demon King tapped his fingers gently on the desk. Was it Lucius who changed him, or was this his true nature all along?

'No... I'm not much different, am I?'

He was the only one who could fall for Lucius's unreasonable provocations and tolerate his impolite remarks.

The Demon King leaned back deeply into his chair, his eyes drooping lazily.

"If you want to take a break, ask any questions you have now."

As if waiting for this, Demit immediately asked.

"What did Lucius say this time? When he challenged Your Majesty?"

"Hmm? Oh, he said he needed a punching bag."

Unlike the amused Marielle and the Demon King, Demit's face turned pale, and his mouth gaped open.

It was a statement worthy of punishment for blasphemy.

However, the Demon King's voice was filled with amusement.

"I don't get angry at Lucius. It's truly amazing."

The Demon King propped his chin on his hand and chuckled softly.

He then recalled the first time he discovered Lucius's nest.

The Demon Forest is thick with demonic energy and teems with powerful monsters, making it under the management of high-ranking demons.

Among them, the Kamel Forest is particularly dangerous, directly overseen by the Demon King. The Kamel Forest, with its intense toxicity, is an impossible place for a nest to grow.

The first nest that formed in Kamel was surprisingly large, with a dense and powerful demonic energy that made the surrounding monsters cower.

It was clear at a glance that it was an exceptionally strong demon's nest.

"That kid has already grown so much. Time flies."

"Indeed, it does."

"Lucius is going to Cyrus, right?"

"Yes. Speaking of which, which academy did Your Majesty attend?"

He reminisced about his forgotten childhood.

"I attended Thorben."

It was a story from when the academy system was still new.

At that time, only Thorben and Kiara academies existed, and they were fierce rivals due to their different natures.

"Despite appearances, I am calm and intellectual."

The Demon King's casual tone made Demit's eyes twitch and frown.

The Demon King laughed lightly at the subtle but clear change.

"Thorben would have been good for Lucius too."

Initially, the Demon King wanted Lucius to attend Thorben.

It was his alma mater and seemed to match Lucius's racial characteristics the best.

However, Marielle had a different opinion.

"It's all good, but the uniform is terrible. Plus, the buildings are old and dreary."

The Demon King laughed heartily, acknowledging her words.

Marielle added to the Demon King's words.

"Since Lucius can go anywhere, wouldn't it be better to choose a place with a nice uniform and beautiful buildings?"

Thus, she chose Cyrus.

Cyrus's uniform was neat and sophisticated.

The soft, warm-looking black fabric, the gold embroidery on the collar and cuffs, the buttons with the Cyrus emblem.

The gentle curve from the shoulders to the waist.

But what caught her eye the most was the uniform top.

A plain white shirt, and over it, a black leather harness.

That was the epitome of restrained beauty.

"I also like the garnet cravat. It would go well with Lucius's silver hair, wouldn't you think?"

The elegant red cravat, contrasting with his cold demeanor, would surely make him stand out.

"It would suit him well."

The Demon King, who had become endlessly weak for Marielle, agreed.

Submitting the application to Cyrus was her insistence, but since Lucius made the same choice, her decision was ultimately correct.

Demit, listening to the story, asked a question.

"By the way, did the First Elder also attend Thorben?"

Assuming the siblings, who cherished each other, would have attended the same academy.

However, if that were the case, Thorben would have been proud of producing both the Demon King and the First Elder, but he hadn't heard such rumors.

Unlike Demit's expectations, the siblings couldn't hide their bitter expressions.

"Unfortunately, Marielle couldn't attend an academy."

"Well, my body was very weak back then."

"Was it...?"

Demit couldn't help but be puzzled.

Regardless of the past, today's Marielle was a renowned authority in the Demon World, known for her agility.

"It was when I was young. Thanks to my brother's efforts, I'm fine now."

"What a surprise."

The Demon King waved his hand dryly.

"Anyway, I hoped Lucius wouldn't feel the same regret I did. I'm already too late."

Hearing her words, Demit understood why Marielle wanted Lucius to attend an academy so much.

"Thank you for taking care of even the things I overlooked."

"No, I did it because I wanted to. By the way... what events can outsiders attend? There must be festivals and ceremonies, and maybe even classes to observe?"

Marielle's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

She seemed like a parent sending their child to school.

"There will be events that allow observation. It would be good to slip in during those times. Lucius would be angry if he found out."

"I might stand out, but few demons would recognize me. Ah, Demit."

"Yes."

"If Lucius brings friends home, please let me know. Got it?"

"I will do that."

Seeing her excited, Demit smiled faintly.

* * *

Cyrus, being the youngest of the academies, had never seen its graduates make a significant impact.

Recent graduates have shown outstanding skills, but they haven't yet reached the level of named individuals.

However, the first elder in the academy's history was about to enroll. Lucius's admission would give them a boost.

"First, I extend a deep welcome and encouragement to the new students who have joined Cyrus today."

As a student, Lucius attended the ceremony, feeling out of place for his age.

If he had come as an elder, he would have been the one giving the speech, not the headmaster.

Moreover, the skills of the students and teachers gathered here were not impressive.

The headmaster of Cyrus, Glen, continued his boring speech.

"Haah..."

10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes.

The longer the speech, the more unbearable the boredom.

As the end seemed nowhere in sight, Lucius's frown deepened.

How could the headmaster's speech be more boring than the Demon King's?

Frustrated, he ran his hand through his soft silver hair.

Lucius's gaze, which had been lowering, met the headmaster's.

"...Therefore, our school... Huh!"

The headmaster, whose gaze met Lucius's, gasped and swallowed hard.

He quickly averted his eyes and coughed, hurriedly ending his speech.

"Ahem, I wish the new students good luck. That's all."

At least he had good reflexes.

In front of the podium, students of the Delta class held flags with large numbers, guiding the new students to their classrooms.

"The fourth class of Absylon, follow me!"

A student holding a flag with the number 4 confirmed that all the new students had gathered and began leading them to their classroom.

Cyrus divides students into five classes.

From top to bottom: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Absylon.

Absylon is the class assigned to all new students, regardless of skill. After one year, they automatically advance to Delta.

To advance to higher classes, they must perform well in regular promotion exams.

Students graduate after 10 years, but early graduation is possible based on their skills.

"This is where you will be staying. A teacher will come to you shortly."

While lost in thought, the student who guided them finished his task and left.

Creak.

Lucius opened the door to the classroom.

A wide space with neatly arranged desks and chairs.

The faint scent of wood that permeated the room.

The attendance book on the teacher's desk.

'One year here...'

Lucius hesitated to step into the classroom, feeling the unfamiliarity and awkwardness of a place he never thought he would see.

The students behind him gently pushed him aside and walked past.

'Interesting.'

Lively, dynamic, and noisy.

The youthful energy of demons who hadn't yet reached adulthood.

'Did I feel this way after the second coming-of-age ceremony?'

Recalling his own past, he sat at the back.

The classroom scene came into full view.

Some students greeted each other, some introduced themselves skillfully, and some wandered around, looking shy.

He first observed a few students he had marked.

One of them was talking to other students.

A fairy named Rayel, who had topped the written exam.

'Fairy... Rayel, right? He was the top in the written exam.'

Fairy demons were generally small before their coming-of-age ceremony.

However, Rayel was even smaller than Lucius had expected.

He looked more cute and adorable than impressive or handsome.

His fluffy hair and baby fat might have contributed to this impression.

Rayel, feeling Lucius's gaze, looked around and finally met his eyes.

Rayel talked to the demon next to him and then approached confidently.

"Hello, I'm Rayel Feo."

Rayel greeted him with a smile, his face full of excitement and joy.

His impression was as soft and fluffy as a cloud.

"I'm Kian Boer."

Lucius turned his gaze to the other voice. Kian, a towering student standing next to the unusually small Rayel.

Kian was a Werebear, who had topped the practical exam.

'Typical beast-type demon.'

His tightly pursed lips, his fierce red eyes filled with discontent.

Kian's gaze, which had initially focused on Rayel, turned to Lucius. His frown deepened.

Lucius alternated his gaze between Kian and Rayel.

They were childhood friends, right?

But how could they be so different? In appearance and in their top ranks in the written and practical exams.

Lucius smiled, finding the situation amusing, and asked.

"What brings you to me?"