(17.) Who Would Have Thought that The Demon King Struggles in Studying.
A Week Later. . .
I was sitting silently in a class as a teacher wrote away on the blackboard at the front. It's been around a week since I entered this education building and I've quickly learned one thing — Jesus all mighty, I should have paid more attention in school. Things being taught here aren't as easy as I would have hoped — but then again, the physics of this world work a little bit differently compared to my 'Old' one.
....It feels weird to call my home — the world I was born in as 'old' or my life as 'previous'. Doesn't feel right — but then again, not really like there is a better way to call them. Anyways — currently I am stuck inside of mathematical class, learning some kind of math theory. To be honest, I am not quite sure what is being taught to us right now as I kind of zoned out at the beginning of the class. I don't know why, but when it comes to anything complex in math, I just zone out. It's like my brain just chooses to ignore anything more complex.
All I was really doing is following what the teacher was writing and writing it down in my notebook, which was what all the rest of the class seemed to be doing at this exact moment as well. I didn't understand what I was writing in the notebook all that well, but hey — atleast I was doing something.
Time passed and eventually the bell rang throughout the school halls, signalling the end of the current class and telling the students to basically get their asses up and move to their next class. I quickly gathered my stuff and placed it all into my bag, before looking at the other students — most of them all already had gathered their things and left, only a couple of either lone or duo students being left behind. Oh and also—
Karla: "Come on already Kris! We don't have all day!"
Kris: "Could you not shout at me?! I have a lot of things to pick up!"
Alis: "Hey now guys... Let's not fight..."
The trio of friends spoke amongst themselves, with the two 'twin' siblings arguing and Alis trying to break apart their small argument... If you may call it that. Honestly — those three are almost always the last ones to leave any class and are also always so lively and loud during breaks and what not.
In-game I already figured that they might be small nuisances to the other students and what not, but now that I am in person, in the same class as them? Well... Let's just say, they can be very annoying at times. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see three friends being so 'alive' if you may say it like that, but seriously — do they need to be so loud? I exhaled lightly, before picking up my bag and throwing it over my left shoulder before moving out of the class and off into the hall, where Daniela suddenly rushed towards me in a slight panic.
Daniela: "Ankeer! Felix is scaring me again!"
She shouted running up to me before quickly hopping behind me, with an exhausted Felix running up as well, breathing heavily and panting as he stopped infront of me, leaning down a bit to catch his breath.
Felix: "Oh come on! I am not scaring anyone! I just asked if you needed help to move through the hall!"
Felix stated, panting lightly as he looked a bit annoyed. I chuckled lightly, before patting Daniela on her head lightly and then walking up to Felix, before taking in a breath and whacking him on the back of his head with my bag.
Felix: "Owowow— The hell did you do that for?!"
"No reason. Just felt like it."
I replied, before moving down the hall, with Daniela sticking to my side and throwing a slight side eye at Felix, who simply looked around, confused as hell at why he was being ganged up on by both of his friends all of a sudden, before exhaling and walking right after us, catching up and walking beside us.
Alis and her two friends also came out of the class right around the same time as we left, and I could catch her throwing a slightly nervous gaze over to us using my strong detection magic. Something I had also noticed over the course of this week is how Alis almost seems... wary of me. It was probably nothing, but I had noticed her throwing nervous stares at me and whenever I got close almost get defensive all of a sudden. I wasn't quite sure why she was like this at this time, however I have been doing my best to try and see what's on her mind using a mind reading spell — however with how chaotic her mind is AND her strong mental resistance to any mental type spells, it hasn't been easy. Haven't gotten anything good yet.
Keyword; yet.
Anyways, I'm sure things will clear up with time. At this moment, I should be worried about my current problem.... This learning institutes fucking lessons. I swear, this institutes learning program was 100x more complex than anything from the world I know. Yes, there is the usual language lessons of the human language, mathematics, sports, music and so on — all of which I was pretty average at, the only one I really excelling at being history and sports. However, there were also lessons which were only possible in this world — such as magic structure, magic history and practical magic. All of these lessons however were a piece of cake for me, as I have quite literally studied the history and magic of this world for the last 13 years.
Of course I also had a pretty deep and good understanding of the magic and regular history of this world even before coming to this world due to playing through every little bit of content that the game had to offer, but don't talk about that, alright?
In short, studies were a hit or miss, with me actually even struggling to follow along to some classes at times, which is something I don't think a Demon King of Sins should be struggling with... Y'know, with all my knowledge and power, I expected to breeze through school like it was nothing - a task as easy as taking a lollipop from a toddler, however it was quite the opposite. It was like trying to take a lollipop from a toddler, only that toddler was heavily armed with miniguns and bazookas as well as sitting in a impenetrable and bomb proof tank, that also doubled as a bomb shelter.
An over-exaggerated description of the studies at this school? Absolutely, there is no arguing there. However, just enough to give you an example of just how complicated and difficult this shit was for me at times — oh no doubt about it. You bet your pretty penny that it is a good way to give you an idea of the way things are for me at this place.
Anyways, back to what I was doing right now...
Right now was actually a long 25 minute or so break from all lessons. These long breaks were given specifically after the first two lessons and the 7th lesson of the day, being intended for the students to use the time to either catch up on homework, rest or just enjoy some leisure activities. However, me, Daniela and Felix used this time to... Well....
Water the flowers in the institutes backyard, since we volunteered to help with it to the schools gardener. Yeah — not the best thing to do with our free time, but hey, atleast we aren't bored for the whole break any time it comes around.
I was on watering duty this time around, holding up and watering the flowers in the backyard, which included the rose bushes, cecilias and other flowers that bloomed here. Felix meanwhile was in charge of removing some weeds that the gardener had missed during his working time and finally Daniela she was....
Daniela: "Hey little friend, we meet again huh..?"
She stated to a rabbit that was rubbing against her hand.
Yeah... Daniela had a bit of a problem where she just was easily getting distracted by everything around her. Her duty at this time was to actually get rid of any bugs or animals that found their way into the flowers and garden, to protect the plants growing here. And while she was completely fine with getting rid of the bugs, whenever it came to animals such as rabbits or mouses, or something — she was completely powerless almost, not doing shit about them all.
This meant that me and Felix basically had to make sure to babysit her every moment here and there to make sure she does her duty and doesn't let the animals here eat away at the plants.
I exhaled, before looking over to Felix.
"Hey Felix? Daniela is at it again...."
Felix picked up his right arm above his head, gesturing to me that he was unable to help at this moment.
Felix: "Sorry, can't do anything. This one weed will... Not.. budge—"
Felix replied, before pulling with all his might on the weed he was struggling to remove, only for the weed to not move even a millimetre from where it was. I exhaled heavily, before placing down my watering can and walking over to Daniela with a slightly disappointed expression.
Once I walked up from behind, the rabbit rubbing against her right hand immediately picked up its head and looked at me with curiosity and confusion. Daniela looked back at it with confusion herself.
Daniela: "Is everything alright little friend...?"
She asked, as the rabbit locked eye contact with me. After a small moment or two, I let out a small fake cough — sending slight shivers down Danielas spine before I lightly placed my right hand onto her left shoulder and crouched down, keeping a smile across my face as I moved a bit closer to her.
"Daniela, what did I say about not doing your duty and making sure that the animals leave? Are you trying to challenge fate at this moment in time?"
Daniela: "A-Ah! A-Anker, I swear I wasn't... I was just uh — I was just trying to tell this bunny t-to leave! Yeah! I swear I wasn't talking to it or something..."
Daniela replied in a nervous tone, clearing nervous and shedding a sweat about my sudden appearance behind her, trying to talk her way out of fault of not doing what she needed to do.
I simply exhaled, before grabbing her by the back of her shirt and pulling her over to the watering can before placing her down, the girl looking very sad. She then pouted as I let go of her and crossed my arms.
Daniela: "It's not fair — I always end up on the watering duty at the end."
"Well, maybe you should stop talking to the animals that slip into the garden and actually do what you have to do — not kill them, but get them to leave."
I replied before exhaling and turning around, walking over to the bushes that Daniela was at earlier and picking up the rabbit that was still there, before placing it outside of the schools backyard, with the rabbit throwing me a blank stare before rushing off into the small forest located within the Kingdom walls that also strangely enough had a gate that was always open and led outside of the kingdom and towards the woods in which I slew that Behemoth a couple years ago.
Speaking of which — I believe the kingdom guards and Sorcerer Order are still investigating what had happened there with the Behemoth and how it died. At least, I have been seeing guards and sorcerers around that part where I had killed the Behemoth and as far as I understand, no one is allowed to enter the forest at that location as it is off limits.
Very interesting things going on around here.
Anyways, for the next 16 or so minutes of our break, we did what we were tasked to do — Felix finished up removing the remaining weeds, Daniela, thankfully, watered all of the flowers and plants and I, like the responsible person that I am, got rid of all the animals that had gotten inside the backyard using peaceful methods. I did NOT kill even one of them.
Don't even try to ask me if I did that, because I did not. Anyways- After finishing up helping the Gardener, the three of us left for our classes, which was sports for me and Felix and mathematics for Daniela. At sports, we mainly were just doing some physical 'training' — doing different exercises and what not to keep and I quote: "Our bodies fit and healthy while studying at this institute." — yes, that is what the school board actually said when trying to explain why sports was an important subject.
And you know what — I completely support them. Exercise is important no matter what age you are. You can be very young or very old, you should at least do some kind of walking around to make sure your body is moving.
...Unless you are incapable of moving around, but that's a topic for another day - alright?
During the sports lesson, me and Felix got benched the whole three lessons, due to apparently 'not being fair to compete against, when it came to different physical games we were playing'. Yeah, we got called unfair to compete against in sport games, because we simply are more fit and physically well than our classmates. What an outrageous thing to do if you ask me.
Well, nothing can be done about it. While we watched the others play a good old game of football, Felix tapped my shoulder to get my attention.
Felix: "Hey Anker? I've been meaning to ask - how come you are so knowledgeable when it comes to anything surrounding history or magic?"
He asked, catching my attention just enough for me move my gaze away from watching our classmates and over to him in slight confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Felix: "I mean that whenever it comes to any topic that has even a slight link to history or magic, you're like the number one smartest person around. But when it comes to things such as mathematics or even Humanian language, you aren't the greatest. Why is that?"
He explained his way of thought a bit, making damn I say a pretty valid point. I was insanely excellent when it came to Magic or History but at best pretty average when it came to math or this worlds human language. Honestly, pretty surprised no one else has asked me what's up with that up until now.
I remained silent for a bit after Felix asked me his question, before leaning back against the wall behind us and exhaling, closing my eyes for a second before opening them again and turning my head over to him.
"I guess I simply have a knack for those subjects and aren't really all that grand and the others."
Felix: "Even then... You always seem to know things even the teachers don't exactly know or understand and I find that a bit strange... Of course, I am not trying to say that you should be dumb or something, and if anything, your unyielding knowledge in those subjects is admirable but..."
I lifted my arm up as a gesture to him to stop it right there before exhaling and looking up to the ceiling.
"You feel like you can't keep up, I know."
Felix looked at me confused.
Felix: "...No? I just think it's weird that a thirteen year old like you has such grand knowledge for also being someone who was sheltered his whole life in a secret noble family."
Felix corrected me, causing my confidence in reading other people slightly drop. Sure, I could have read his mind using a mind reading spell, however I tend to not wish to use it on my friends and only use it on those who are either my enemies or individuals crucial to the main plots story progression. I have already gotten Daniela to be sort of 'removed' from the pack of individuals crucial to moving the story forward by ensuring that she doesn't get to know Alis that closely, however there were still a couple more people on my list that I either had to avoid or also make sure they didn't get involved with the protagonist.
Anyways — getting sidetracked again.
Felix once again made a good point and to be honest, if I was the average guy who got isekaid, I'd be probably panicking by now and making up nonsensical excuses. However, I wasn't like that - I remained calm and simply exhaled.
"13 years of having nothing else to do other than read books in my familys library does things to you, you know?"
I replied, with Felix nodding in agreement before looking away.
Felix: "Touché."
He stated.
Shortly after we finished our chat, the lesson ended and all of us left the sports hall, before changing back into our school uniforms and leaving to the next class, which was the last one for today. And unfortunately for me — it was Humanian Language... One of the subjects I wasn't all that good at. Oh boy, finishing off with a bit more struggle.
How fun.
Later...
At Night.
It was late at night and almost everyone was asleep at this moment. The school was like an empty graveyard, with not a single soul moving through its halls nor even moving around its territory. It was honestly a rather chilling atmosphere that was present in the school halls at this time. One that reminded me a lot of the horror movies my girlfriend was a fan of in my 'previous' life.
I was standing ontop of the school building, looking out at the stars in the night sky, having morphed out of my small kid look. And before you ask, yes it was completely safe to do it at this time — it was too dark to see who I was and even then, no one really was moving around in the city at night. Only really the stationed night watch guards at the kingdoms gates were still awake, everyone else? Asleep. Or at least, they should be.
A small amounts of time passed, before Dvirt appeared on the roof behind me, still in his human disguise before walking up to me and kneeling down before me.
For a moment, it was silent, before I exhaled.
"Any news for me Dvirt?"
Dvirt: "Not exactly Your Excellence. The only thing I can report that I can deem as even a little bit important is that the next time there is a school practical in magic, the Grand Sorcerer of the Humans, Merlin, will be here to oversee the lessons."
Dvirt replied, keeping his voice calm and quiet. The news he brought were definitely news to me. In the game, none of the big guys of the Human Kingdom appeared until the end of the Second Year, so the fact that Merlin was coming to the school to 'oversee' the Magic Practical lessons made me a bit suspicious. Something was telling me that he was coming here to oversee Alis or something, not the lessons themselves.
"Anything else?"
I asked. Dvirt shook his head in denial.
Dvirt: "Unfortunately, No — I have no more information to relay to you, Your Excellence."
Dvirt replied. I exhaled a bit in disappointment, before gesturing to him to return back to his position, to which Dvirt immediately responded by nodding and disappearing in a cluster of smoke, leaving me all alone at the top of the school building again. Afterwards, I sighed and looked back towards the stars in the sky, my red pupils shining lightly as I gazed up at them, before exhaling.
Looks like I have successfully changed the main plot enough for it to start generating new events that transpire.... Merlin overseeing the practical could be trouble. I have to be careful to not use any spells or magic that may give away my identity or even make them assume that I am a Demon or a Damned.
Of course things have to be made a bit more difficult for me... Things can't ever go smoothly and the big guys gotta go and snoop around, and stick their noses in everything. So annoying — but as long as I am careful, it should be fine.
I continued to gaze up at the stars for a little while longer, before eventually being engulfed by black mist and morphing back down to my Anker appearance and smiling lightly. Even if Merlins arrival here is troublesome, part of me can't help but feel excited at the same time.
• Next Time •
[ (18.) Demon King captivates the Practical Lesson. ]