Chapter 22: Side Quest! Why Are You Still Here?
[In A Large Medieval Style Academy Floating In The Sky]
NADIR ACADEMY—
Whoosh!
"All rise and pay respect to the dean!"
The buzzing crowd in the auditorium fell silent as a woman in black gothic attire emerged from backstage.
She had messy pink hair with matching eyes, each marked with a vertical slit.
"You all seem to be enjoying yourselves."
The students seated in the hall wore wide smiles across their faces.
Why wouldn't they?
Each of them had gone through hell to earn a place in this school.
The greatest academy in the demon realm: Nadir Academy.
However, one man stood out among the students.
Though they all resembled humans, distinguished only by horns, strange ears, or sharp fangs, he, on the other hand, looked entirely human.
Blonde hair, a strikingly handsome, almost divine face, and piercing blue eyes.
Almost every female cadet found themselves stealing glances at him.
"Before I give my speech..." The Dean's words echoed through the hall. "I would like to call the first year's top student, Jake Kim."
Silence reigned for a moment.
But as soon as the blonde-haired man rose to his feet, several people broke into applause, while others shrank back in fear.
With graceful steps, he walked to the podium and faced the students.
"Hello, my fellow applicants. I am your leader and the one you will serve. I don't care how noble your family is because I stand at the top."
He slipped one hand into his pocket and raised the middle finger of the other. "If you've got a problem with that, come lick my ass, because none of you can ever hope to defeat me."
Without another word, the man left the stage.
The Dean, Selvaris Nocturne, smiled seductively. "That was a nice speech, Jake."
She continued addressing the students, giving them a rundown of their soon-to-be life at the academy.
Once the ceremony ended, all the students left for their dorms, leaving only two figures behind.
Jake, seated directly opposite the podium, looked at Selvaris who stood upon it. "What exactly do you want with me, Lye?"
Selvaris chuckled softly before leaping down the stairs and approaching him. "Why are you so cold, Jake?"
She sat on his lap, caressing his face. "Don't you love me anymore?"
Jake Kim remained silent for a while. "I still love you, but that doesn't explain anything."
Selvaris sighed. "I suppose you're right. Ever since I saved you from your fight with the Duke, you've been plagued by those nightmares."
Jake nodded and rested his head against her chest. "I'm scared."
The beautiful young woman stroked his hair gently. "Don't worry, I'm here, aren't I?"
Selvaris didn't know much about Jake Kim, except for one fact—he was human.
Six years ago, during one of her trips to the human realm, she discovered a small house in the forest tainted with an undeniable trace of demons.
When she entered, all she found was a massacre and a single large rift in the living area.
Though she despised humans, she used her healing potion to save the eldest girl.
And with her own and the Demon King's blood, she managed to preserve the life of the younger sister.
At the time, she hadn't understood why she acted so, but she entered the rift regardless, only to find a half-dead young human lying atop the corpse of an injured Duke.
Despite being human, his bravery had awakened him as an SSS-rank. Yet he was on the brink of death.
By some cruel twist of fate, he had crossed paths with a dying Duke. Even then, it was still a Duke.
She saved him by binding their souls together.
The boy lost his memories, and over the years, their feelings for each other grew.
She even told him about his family, but he refused to leave her side.
'Maybe it's because of that light.'
It happened when she brought him to the demon realm, where he fully bonded with her.
A brilliant golden light burst forth, one even she couldn't resist.
Part of it shot out of his body and scattered into the world.
It hadn't harmed him, but she still longed to uncover what it was.
She let out a long breath. "Darling, we can think about that later, okay? For now, you should head to the dorms and prepare for classes."
Jake Kim lifted his head slightly from her chest and nodded. "Okay."
He hesitated a moment before continuing. "Perhaps I'll get my answers once mid-terms arrive."
Selvaris smiled. "Yes. If you join the first years, no cadet at Apex Academy will defeat you in the attack."
She cupped his cheeks tenderly. "You're my only disciple, my lover, and my masterpiece."
A vertical slit appeared in Jake Kim's eyes as they glowed golden. "Yes."
...
After Selvaris's words, Jake left for his dorm, leaving her alone.
Gazing blankly at the ceiling, she whispered into the silence. "Did you find out?"
There was no response at first. Still, she continued.
"What was that golden light, and who the hell dared to hurt my Jake?!"
Suddenly, a voice emerged from her shadow.
"It was Marquess Dornathis of the Order of Gluttony, my lady."
Selvaris's aura burst forth, fury burning in her eyes. "Those damn gluttonous bastards dare lay a hand on my Jake!"
She clenched her teeth, struggling to restrain her rage.
"Tell Kevin to ready the flying carriage. We'll be paying Marqu—no. From this moment on, House Dornathis will cease to exist."
The hall went still for a moment. "Yes, my Grand Duchess. I shall call Kevin and all members of the Lust Order."
Selvaris paused before asking, "And the other matter?"
The voice, clearly belonging to a young woman, answered. "I discovered in an ancient script that the light from Jake Kim is the Light of the Hero..."
She hesitated, then finished. "...The mark of the protagonist."
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A/N: Guys I will really appreciate some power stones. It makes me remember you guys are rooting for me. So pump me with some, okay?🙃