I Became a Demon Who Can Never Be Headpatted in the Academy?!

《Save Sitri》

《Remaining Time: 49 minutes 10 seconds》

It’s sudden, but the ending of ‘Legend of Academy’ can be categorized into three types.

First, there’s the normal ending where the protagonist graduates from the academy somehow. In this ending, the future is determined based on the relationships the player has built with the characters through the events they’ve experienced so far.

For example, if you reach the normal ending with a high favorability with Nikea, you’ll end up with an ending where you work in the imperial palace. However, in this ending, the player cannot know about the many incidents, events, and secrets of the characters that occur in the Legend of Academy.

It’s literally a normal ending. Why is Nikea suffering? What purpose did Colette Bloodberry have in appearing at the academy and acting so high-handed? What is Sitri’s secret? What is Lachesis’s talent? Why does the Crown Princess enjoy such crazy things?

Because it’s a normal ending, you can’t know anything.

“Ugh…”

Next, there’s the hero ending, which most users, including me, think is the ‘true ending.’ This ending allows you to learn the truth of the world, the characters’ pasts, the background settings, and even hidden stories after faithfully completing all the events called the ‘Hero Route.’

Personally, there are many touching scenes, and since Cosmos Academy itself is a ‘place to select a hero,’ I think this is obviously the true ending.

From the beginning, there were quite a few characters in the game whose purpose for attending the academy was completely unclear unless you properly followed the Hero Route.

And basically, the Hero Route itself is good. You help people in danger, repel demons attacking villages, and save heroines. There’s also a touching event where you lift the hero’s sword, and if you get together with a heroine, there’s a dedicated CG at the end, so no matter how you think about it, this is the ‘true ending.’

“Ha…”

Finally, there’s the ‘Demon King ending,’ which guarantees extreme freedom. Once the ‘Demon King Route’ starts, it doesn’t matter what crazy things you do in the middle.

You can kill the headmaster of Cosmos if you don’t like her.

You can poison Professor Aiaie after learning all the magic from her because she’s annoying now.

You can tear off Professor Malea’s prosthetic hand.

You can kill Nikea.

You can sacrifice Lachesis to learn the ultimate magic.

You can do whatever you want. It’s okay no matter what you do. It’s a crazy ending where the developer says this world is free.

Moreover, the Demon King ending could be seen unconditionally if you just stuck to the beginning and the end. There’s no need to raise Sitri’s favorability to the end. There’s no need to join the New Helheim club. There’s no need to kill a specific NPC.

Even if you start the Demon King Route and suddenly change your mind and enjoy the game in a normal way, it’s fine. Since the ending is fixed as the Demon King anyway, you can play as much as you want.

It was literally a sandbox for players with evil tendencies. Moreover, there was a surprisingly detailed storyline called the ‘Demon King Route,’ with a series of quests and linked events, so it was also fun to nurture a terrifying sprout of evil in the land where heroes are born.

“Murmur, are you okay? Your horns are still hot.”

“Yeah… I’m okay, thanks Esme.”

《Save Sitri》

《Remaining Time: 49 minutes 05 seconds》

I digressed a bit, but that’s why I don’t particularly like the Demon King route.

There are definitely touching parts, but in the end, you can’t know all the secrets of the world in the Demon King route. It’s more like a route overflowing with pleasure and dopamine.

You can really play as you please, as you like, or as you dislike, but the ending is always fixed.

Murmur becomes the Demon King.

The endless battle between demons and humans, the chain of hatred that can be called meaningless, is never broken.

Considering the various truths you learn while progressing through the Hero Route, it’s not just unsettling, it’s an ending where the developer is openly trying to convey a message.

Of course, there are people who praise it, saying things like, ‘Isn’t it a god-tier game for guaranteeing this much freedom?’, ‘Wow, lol, I killed all the professors and the academy is still running? Leoa is crazy!’, ‘Can’t I see the hero ending? I accidentally killed about 10 students;;’, and I don’t deny that it’s fun either.

『Stress has increased by 20!』

And there is also a character who can only be saved by progressing through this Demon King route.

Sitri is a prime example.

Considering Sitri’s secret and background, she cannot be happy unless the Demon King route is followed.

In the normal ending, her true identity is never fully revealed and is only vaguely hinted at, so it seems like Sitri is recognized by the ‘Crimson brand’ Duchess and lives a happy life, but that is absolutely not Sitri’s happiness.

If an actress playing a beautiful role has a happy ending in the play, can we say that the actress is also happy? Absolutely not.

“Murmur is…”

However, even so… I think it’s a bit too much to say!

If I were to weigh Sitri’s true happiness against the happiness of everyone else in this world, which should I choose?

I ultimately chose the latter.

You can call me a coward, but I didn’t accept Sitri’s gold pouch because I had no intention of starting the Demon King route.

She may be given a moderately created, moderately fake happiness, but Sitri will not die.

It had to be that way.

Sitri should not be in danger.

Worried that things might go wrong, I even told Sitri about the dangers of ‘Rowan.’

Was that the wrong thing to do? Even though I didn’t receive the gold pouch, the Demon King route started on its own.

《Save Sitri》

《Remaining Time: 49 minutes 01 second》

From the beginning, why did she get into danger?

The start of the Demon King route is when you receive the gold pouch from Sitri and team up with Professor Malea for the cooperative quest.

Rowan draws his sword to cut off Sitri’s bud, who has begun to show ‘competence’ beyond what they had imagined, and Murmur defeats Rowan, learning Sitri’s true identity.

At the same time, you slowly learn about the dark stories hidden in the shadows of Cosmos Academy, and you can become the master of those shadows at any time if you choose to.

Thinking about it that way, Sitri wasn’t competent today. She struggled to seduce me, but she was rejected every time, wasn’t she?

Can that be called competence? Can it be called being out of control?

“Murmur? Is something wrong?”

“…There’s someone I have to save.”

“Huh? Save? Wh…who? Everyone’s here, right?”

“Esme, stay here with Thorrin! Okay?”

“Huh? Huh? Huh?! Wait a minute! Murmur! So, tell me who you’re going to save…!”

《Save Sitri》

《Remaining Time: 48 minutes 59 seconds》

I’m sorry to Esme, but I can’t tell her.

I honestly don’t know exactly what situation Sitri is in, but if the Demon King route is progressing, I shouldn’t take Esme with me.

Sitri’s secret that she wants to protect at all costs.

Because it will be revealed that she is a ‘demon,’ using transformation magic that is considered a crime.

* * *

“Huuu…”

Sitri wiped the sweat from her forehead with a satisfied expression.

“Sitri~!! I don’t think there are any more treasure chests around here!”

“You did well! Is there still room on the cart?”

“Yeah! There’s still a lot of room! Sitri is amazing!! How did you know there were so many treasure chests?”

Sitri wore a proud expression at the words of her classmate, Cornelia, who smiled brightly.

“Hehe, everyone foolishly followed Murmur, you see. With the dowsing rod, finding all the treasure chests that haven’t been found is easier than eating a piece of cake!”

“Still, you’re amazing. The monsters guarding the treasure were stronger than I thought… but you dealt with them well?”

“That’s because Leon and Rowan used their strength.”

“Thanks to the weapons Sitri lent us.”

Sitri shrugged at the praise.

‘If I were with Murmur, I could have aimed for first place… Hehehe! This isn’t bad either! If you suffer over having happiness that you can’t grasp, you’re bound to lose.’

If not first, then second.

If you don’t lose, then you’re making a profit.

Sitri, who is the type to calculate numbers thoroughly in her head, did not feel much dissatisfaction with the current situation.

“But this chest, isn’t it really big? I wonder what’s inside?”

“Hmm… I’m a little curious too. Shall we open it? Sitri?”

At Leon and Cornelia’s innocent questions, Sitri wiggled her fingers for a moment.

“Yes, I think it’s good to open it. Professor Malea didn’t say we shouldn’t open the treasure chests, did she?”

“Right? Right? It’s a treasure chest, so there must be something pretty inside!”

“I hope there’s a sword! It wouldn’t compare to the sword Sitri lent us though!”

Unlike the two who were chattering and laughing, Sitri slowly raised the corners of her mouth.

‘Professor Malea told me that there’s nothing inside, but I don’t think I need to tell them the truth myself, that’d be boring.’

Sitri watched Cornelia open the treasure chest with a somewhat whimsical, proud gaze like an adult watching a child.

“Huh…?”

“What is this?”

The inside of the treasure chest was filled with purple smoke. The moment the chest was opened, the smoke poured out in all directions, and Cornelia and Leon blinked in bewilderment, then slumped to the floor and fell asleep.

“…Cornelia? Leon?”

Sitri was startled and grabbed their shoulders, shaking them.

“G, get up!!”

“You won’t be able to wake up. It’s a rather rare sleep magic.”

Sitri looked back in surprise at Rowan, who had spoken from behind her.

“Rowan…? How did you know that there was sleep magic in this chest?”

“I think the answer is obvious.”

A moment of silence.

Sitri quickly got up from her spot and backed away, but Rowan’s attack was a little faster.

— Thwack!

The red mana emanating from Rowan’s hand, the shape of a sword made of pure mana, was swung mercilessly towards Sitri’s abdomen, and blue flames erupted between them.

“Ugh…!”

“As expected, you were wearing expensive armor. I can play with you a bit more before killing you.”

Sitri lowered her right hand and touched the scaled armor that was radiating heat. It was the moment when her butler, Balkan’s stubbornness, shone through.

“Haa… haa… Rowan, why are you attacking me?”

“Well…”

As gray smoke emanated from Rowan’s body, Sitri vaguely realized the truth.

Rowan, who was the same height as Sitri, had already returned to the form of a ‘demon’ who was difficult to look up to, like an ‘adult’. His face, except for his eyes, was obscured by a grotesque mask from which a hissing breath was emitted.

“The era of the Nectar’s descendants is coming, yet you still don’t join us and instead try to cozy up to the vermin, what great reason is needed to kill a traitor?”

“You’re… c, crazy.”

Sitri took a step back, regretting it.

‘Murmur… you were right. Rowan was a dangerous piece of trash.’

Looking at the demon slowly walking towards her, Sitri shed a single tear.

‘I was going to be your bride, but I ignored your precious warning, so I’m a fool who deserves to die.’