The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 1 - Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

The Ex–Demon Lord and His Mission to Make One Hundred Friends

A week later, Ireena and I said farewell to our parents and boarded a carriage. The trip to the royal capital of Dycaeus took a few days.

When we arrived, I instantly noticed the place was markedly different from my past life. I guess that was to be expected. First things first, there wasn’t a single wall or gate in sight. Back in my day, we’d all agreed that the capital needed to be fortified to the max, but this era clearly had other ideas. That, or this city was out of its mind. It seriously looked like a bustling cityscape had been chucked into an open field and left there without any thought to military defense. The whole concept was novel to me.

Anyway, after we reached the drop-off zone near the entrance and thanked the coachman, the two of us took in the royal capital in all its glory.

“My… This certainly is splendid.”

It was as though I’d entered another world altogether: The capital was nothing like our village back home. There was a smattering of stone and brick structures, which I’d become well acquainted with, but most of the buildings were constructed in unfathomable ways using mystifying materials. I would’ve lost my mind if I’d seen some ginormous buildings piercing the sky above me back in my day.

This was the best part of reincarnation, as cliché as that sounded.

With that said, it wasn’t as if we could stand around taking in the scenery forever. Our next engagement involved meeting with the head of the academy, which wasn’t exactly something we could bail on. We lined up side by side and set out, weaving through the main street. It was bustling with activity and buildings sandwiched tightly on either side of the cobblestone road, where people sauntered on. We made our way to the academy at a leisurely stroll. Peace at last.

…Well, except for the constant flood of vulgar gazes directed at Ireena.

“Hey, that chick’s hella cute… Dare me to talk to her?”

“Give it up, dude. She’s wearing the uniform of the academy. I bet she’s a noble or rich.”

“Geez, she’s way outta my league.”

Those scumbags had one thing right: We were both in uniform, even though we hadn’t officially enrolled at the school yet. They were sent for us to wear as students, even though our admission was technically up in the air and contingent on a few things. Nothing about my uniform was worth mentioning, but Ireena’s was…very revealing to say the least.

Thanks to this crafty design, Ireena’s thick thighs and shapely breasts were on full display. Coupled with her irresistible good looks, she made twelve out of every ten people do a double take.

“Heh-heh-heh, they can’t get enough of me!”

“It’s inevitable. Your beauty will always turn heads, Ireena.”

I was prim and proper on the surface, but I seethed with anger internally. Anyone who directed their carnal desires at my sweet daughter would face certain death for their sins.

Maybe I should get half-naked and redirect their attention.

I was just about ready to seriously put this plan into action.

“Shaddup! All I did was kill some dumb stray cat!” sneered a dicey voice that caused us to stop in our tracks.

I knew this would cause me to get tangled up in some annoying mess, but I humored them and turned toward the source. By a wall in the corner of the main street, some orc boys were looming over…a beautiful girl who looked around eighteen.

Since she didn’t have any bodily characteristics or auras that suggested otherwise, I surmised she was a human. In any case, her appearance immediately caught my attention. Her features were delicate as a doll’s and framed with long platinum-blond locks. She looked absolutely divine.

“…Well, I think you lot are worth way less than that ‘dumb stray cat.’”

“What?! Just try and say that again!” bellowed an orc in a murderous fit.

…They were so far gone that I wouldn’t be able to deescalate the situation by talking.

“I have to help her!” Ireena yelped, trying to rush to the scene, but I held her back.

“Please wait, Ireena. You spectate. I shall see to it.”

As my dear friend and student, she had to know the rules of combat. That said, she wasn’t exactly at the level where she could take on a group of orcs. Especially since they were known to be stubborn. Which left me with one option: It was time for this humble ex-Demon-Lord-turned-villager to make his entrance.

Ireena complied, and I made my way toward the group—smashing a nearby orc in the back of the head with a one-hit KO. The color drained from the faces of the rest of the group at this surprise attack. Spotting an opportunity, I swiftly turned to take out the rest.

Palm strike to chin. Front kick to groin.

Two down in one blow. The remaining three lined up before me.

“Who the hell are you?!” one screeched.

They lumbered over, fueled by rage and readying themselves as they closed in…but I rushed toward them, closing the distance between us in an instant, and bashed each head in succession. They toppled to the ground in a crumpled heap.

“How rude,” I spat curtly before turning to the girl. “Are you all right, my lady?”

She blinked in momentary surprise. “Yeah, all thanks to you. Those were some pretty impressive moves just now,” she commented with a grin.

Ireena chimed in. “I know, right?! Isn’t he so cool?! Ard here is my friend, y’know!” she blubbered excitedly as if she’d been the one praised by this stranger. Ireena’s totally an angel.

“Yeah, it really was something else. I mean, not just anyone can cast buffing magic. I couldn’t help but cheer on as I watched you take ’em down—”

“I’m sorry, but that altercation involved no magic whatsoever.”

“What? …You must be kidding. You’re human, aren’t you? A human couldn’t possibly take down an orc with his bare hands,” she blurted out with a clueless expression stuck on her face.

I smiled and shook my head. “It’s all about how, where, and when you strike. Once you know that, it’s simple.”

“B-but, uh, the way you rushed in? I mean, you moved faster than a human can.”

“Another clever trick. I could tell these amateurs had no understanding of magic. I thought it’d be overkill to cast a spell on them, which was why I chose to engage them in hand-to-hand combat.”

“I see…” The girl’s eyes narrowed.

I shivered as a chill ran down my spine.

What’s going on? There shouldn’t have been any reason she’d make me feel this way.

As my suspicions about her mounted, she violently thumped me on the back. “Ha-ha-ha, you’re a wild one, huh? I like you!”

Soon enough, she changed the subject. “By the way, you two. Those uniforms. Are you students at the Academy of Magic?”

“I’m afraid not. I haven’t enrolled yet. Same goes for Ireena over here.”

“Hmm. Ah, come to think of it, I heard there might be two students with contingent admission joining this year. Must be you guys. In that case, I doubt we’ll hear any complaints.”

“…Are you connected with the academy in some way?”

“That’s right. I’ll be an instructor this year. The youngest in its history,” she boasted, flashing us a triumphant look that clearly said, Whaddaya think of that?

“I’m Jessica. Jessica von Velgr la Melldies de Rainsworth. I’m the third daughter of a marquis, but no need to act all formally with me, y’hear?” She flashed us a cheery smile and stuck her hand out assertively.

I accepted it, and we introduced ourselves in return.

“Ard and Ireena, huh? Well, I’ve got business at the academy, too. Why don’t we all head over together?”

We strolled alongside one another to our destination and passed through the gates into the grounds proper. The Laville National Academy of Magic was the largest school in the country, and it had a cutting-edge curriculum. Its grounds stretched out farther than its outer appearance let on… And to be honest, the sprawling campus overwhelmed the two of us.

Jessica giggled. “Give it three days, and it’ll feel like old news… Well, I’ve gotta go to the staff room, so this is where we part ways. Next time we meet, we’ll be teacher and students.”

With this lighthearted farewell, she waved at us and took her leave.

After Jessica departed, we cornered a few students on campus as we tried to figure out our way to the headmaster’s office. As we meandered across the grounds, I noticed two variations of our uniform, which signified status. Based on this info, I bet there were remnants of a social hierarchy that separated the rich from the poor.

I mulled this over while traveling through the school building with Ireena until we finally arrived at the door to the office, on which I gave a few quick raps with my knuckle before entering.

“Oh, you’ve made it. Thank you for coming,” croaked the headmaster, an elderly man named Golde, as he ushered us in congenially and assumed his position in front of a desk smack-dab in the center of the spacious room.

He looked like he couldn’t have been more than a couple days away from hitting one hundred, but he overflowed with a vitality that belied his appearance. He was a count and held the sixth position of mageship, known as “Hexagon”—only one rank away from the very top. There were fewer than ten people who’d earned this title throughout the nation. It wouldn’t be possible for an average villager (read: me) to be bestowed with this honor, though that wouldn’t have been the case back in my heyday.

Next to Count Golde was an attractive young woman. I guessed she was his secretary or something. She’d kept silent until now, staring daggers in our direction.

“…As expected from those three. Irregular, indeed. Like parent, like child,” she muttered quietly.

This woman was a piss-poor judge of character. What about us was irregular?

“Ooh, yes, quite fearsome. It seems they’ll do much better than we’ve been told.”

…Apparently, the count needed to get his eyes checked, stat, especially if he was expecting something from a normal village boy and a less-than-mediocre girl.

“We’ve heard of your heroism. You will be exempt from the practical exams. There’s no question you’d receive full marks. Especially you, Ard. If you were to go up against an exam proctor, he’d die if he wasn’t careful. Yes, indeed. Such frightening talent.”

It was all lip service. And I had nothing to do with it. Our parents were renowned as some of the greatest heroes in history, so the academy could hardly afford to flat-out reject their kids.

“However. We ask that you take the written exam. I think it’ll be an easy enough task for you both, but…I’m afraid I cannot allow you to enroll otherwise.”

Gotcha. That’ll test our basic education. They could never allow two uneducated students into their school. We both nodded obediently.

“Very good… It’s a bit preemptive, but perhaps I should say it now. Welcome to the Laville National Academy of Magic. I’m honored to have you here with us.”

Sheesh, talk about overkill. Ireena and I were perfectly average.

Well, probably less than average.

A few days later, I was right in the middle of scribbling through the written examination at the academy, joined by a few other students.

…Weird. Totally bonkers. The test is way too easy. This must be what they call a trick question, I bet.

It had to be one of those problems where you squeeze out an answer by reading between the lines and words and spaces. Yeah. That had to be it. I mean, otherwise a three-year-old could pass with flying colors.

It was obvious. After all, this academy stood at the forefront of all other institutions in the country, founded during the earliest days of the nation to provide a well-rounded education.

Makes sense that they’ll have some tricky problems on their test. Nice. This is gonna be fun.

On the morning after the exam, I headed to the academy with Ireena in tow.

The results were posted on a signboard at the front gate, swarming with a crowd of students—smiling or sobbing in typical post-exam fashion.

“Well! There’s obviously no way we’ll fail! We’re gonna knock this one outta the park!” Ireena powered forward, her chest swelling with confidence.

I trailed after her and took a good look at the results.

It didn’t take long to confirm that we’d gotten in. After all, both our names were at the very top of the list. Ireena scored full points. Amazing. My darling little girl was so smart.

I, on the other hand…

“Hey. Hey, Ard. Doesn’t this seem strange?”

“I-indeed. I don’t understand it, either,” I said, bewildered.

It made no sense. I’d scored a grand total of…zero points.