Chapter 302: Secrets


    "Koooaarrrr!!"


    "Screeeeech...."


    The roars of the demonic monsters resounded from all directions.


    "Gasp, gasp..."


    Lulu, who was observing the scene from the rooftop of the academy, far from the sports field, breathed roughly and murmured inwardly.


    <i>My body... feels hot.</i>


    For some reason, her body didn’t move well. Her chest, stomach, and legs felt hot, as if they were on fire.


    <i>- Drip...</i>


    It was not a psychological trauma. Sweat was actually streaming down from every part of her body.<i>No... I can''t copse here.</i>


    Despite being quite bewildered, Lulu gritted her teeth and quickly stood up.


    <i>I can''t copse just because of the side effects of Magic Eyes.</i>


    As she had never operated her Magic eyes with such precision before, Lulu attributed her condition to the side effects of the Magic Eyes.


    Magic Eyes were densely connected to the mana circuit and consumed a lot of energy after all.


    <i>The things... Master asked me.</i>


    Despite her head pounding from the insane heat, Lulu gritted her teeth and once again lit up her eyes in ruby color.


    <i>Organize, let''s organize. I need to organize what I''ve analyzed so far.</i>


    And after a while, Lulu observed the overall situation at the academy while thinking that way.


    Although it was a bit early, it was time to gradually deduce the results.


    "Koooaarrrr!!"


    "Screeeeech...."


    Her eyes, which were moving busily, fixated on the demonic monsters copsing due to concentrated attacks.


    <i>The grade of the demonic monstersing out from the gate is approximately B-grade. It should be easy for academy students to handle them.</i>


    Soon, she reached her conclusion for the evaluation.


    <i>The mid-boss ones... are all at least A-grade? It would be difficult for students to deal with them.</i>


    Eventually, her gaze shifted to the mid-bosses that Kania, Irina, and na were facing.


    "And...."


    After a while, her mumbling continued.


    "Indeed, there’s something strange here."


    The demonic monsters that came out of the gate were nothing special. They were the typical form of demonic monsters mainlyposed of dark mana that was running rampant throughout the empire these days.


    It was unclear why demonic monsters that appeared in dungeons, deste ces, and dark ces were emerging from gates where space was distorted.


    However, she was quite relieved that she could at least analyze the patterns.


    "There seems to be something imnted in the heads of these monsters. Tentacles? Pupils? Whatever it is, it''s really strange..."


    As she continued to analyze the bodies of the demonic monsters through her Magic Eyes, she grew increasingly uneasy upon consistently discovering the same shaped foreign substances.


    Considering that they were mainly imnted in the heads or joints, it was probably a means to control the demonic monsters.


    So, was there someonemanding or controlling all these demonic monsters?


    "...Hehe."


    Though she didn''t understand much, Lulu was happy at the prospect of obtaining information that could earn her a lot of praise and pats from her master.


    <i>- Crash...!</i>


    <i>- Kugwagwang!!</i>


    As she snapped out of the thought of being petted by Frey, Lulu quietly turned her gaze towards the sound in front of her.


    "D-die!! Dieeee!!"


    "W-when is this going to end... Why won''t it die even if we kill them over and over again..."


    The second-year nobles were shooting mana or swinging weapons recklessly. They were frightened out of their wits, scattering due to the attacks of the demonic monsters.


    Lulu''s cold and passive reaction alone already spoke volumes about the results of their evaluation.


    "You two, take the front. I''ll take the rear. Is there anyone who can use healing magic? Even if you know the basics, lend a hand."


    "That one is exhausted from the continuous attacks! Since it has a big build, focus on attacking its legs!"


    In contrast, second-yearmoners were quite active in this situation.


    Each of them had fought against the public enemy ''Frey'' for the past year, and all of them had formed a close friendship.


    As a result, despite having slightly weaker firepower, they were still able to overwhelm the demonic monsters with their outstanding teamwork.


    <i>- Kugwagwang!! Kugwagwang!!</i>


    <i>- Crackle, crackle...!!!</i>


    "Screechh..."


    On the other hand, the first-year students were literally ughtering the demonic monsters.


    Despite being a few years younger, they were elite first-year students who had been recruited through the early admission system, and each one of them was recognized by the empire.


    Those weapons in human form emitted sword aura, mana, and a spectacle of magic from their bodies.


    The sight was majestic and beautiful, like fireworks.


    "Ouch! Wh-what was that?"


    “You’re in the way, Ms. Lenya.”


    "B-bullshit! I knew you deliberately shot that!"


    However, unlike the second year, theycked teamwork.


    "H-how could you send your sword aura this way!?"


    "You should be able to avoid that on your own... Eik."


    "S-sorry!"


    No matter how beautiful the instruments were, if each instrument ys as it pleases without a conductor, it would result in dissonance.


    Moreover, these kids, who had only met less than a week ago, were already bickering with each other and even engaging in faction fights.


    Considering the circumstances, it was natural that problems arose when they couldn''t get along.


    <i>Alright, if I deliver it like this...</i>


    Lulu, who had analyzed not only these facts but also the individual actions andbat patterns of the first-year students, quietly muttered to herself as she noted the information in the notebook given by Frey.


    <i>...Come to think of it, I was asked to do that, too.</i>


    With that thought, Lulu quickly turned her gaze once again.


    "..."


    Simultaneously, she fell into silence.


    "Ms. Kania, does it suddenly be more difficult to control the monsters?"


    "Yes, for some reason, it has be difficult suddenly. After obtaining that strange dark energy, I was able to control most of the monsters, but..."


    "Then, there’s no other option. We can only tear them all apart."


    The appearances of na, Kania, and Irina came into her sight.


    <i>They’re strong…</i>


    Watching their battle, Lulu quietly thought to herself.


    <i>I want to be strong like them, too.</i>


    Kania, who recently said to her that Master liked cats more than dogs, managed to overwhelm the monsters without using her true ability, the “ck Mana”.


    na, who was talented but carried an inexplicable sense of inferiority, could melt a mid-boss popping out of the gate with her sr mana alone.


    And Irina, who had just recovered her mana a week ago and was still adjusting, only used her power sparingly.


    If she managed to finish adapting to the mana in her body, she could instantly resolve the entire situation by herself.


    <i>Of course... that girl is capable of that.</i>


    Lulu, who was observing the three girls who were in control of this entire situation, soon muttered that and looked at her surroundings.


    "L-look at them... They''re really powerful."


    "Were they always this strong?"


    The attention of the entire school was focused on the three girls.


    “Princess na aside, I didn’t know those two were at that level.”


    "And those girls were acting like Frey''s underlings... tsk tsk."


    Serena, Ferloche, and na, thanks to their status and proven abilities, already exerted significant influence in the academy.


    And, with this incident, even Kania and Irina, who had rtively lower recognition, began to attract people''s attention.


    "As the Young Master’s ordered, we need to make our attacks as shy as possible."


    "I know that too. So, I n to use the Great Meteor spell. How about that?"


    "...Are you nning to erase the academy from the map as well?"


    Of course, that was Frey''s n to ''Minimize Ruby''s Influence'', which was one of the conditions for the main quest.


    Since he couldn''t personally take the lead, a simple yet powerful method to increase the influence of his peers was unfolding splendidly.


    <i>I also... want to be that strong.</i>


    Meanwhile, Lulu, watching the scene from the rooftop of the academy, quietly clenches her fists.


    <i>I want to be able to directly participate in the battle and be of help...</i>


    While possessing powerful analytical abilities and Magic Eyes with the authority tomand people, it was difficult for her to participate directly in battle.


    It was because, other than her Magic Eyes, her physical abilities and magical prowess were virtually nonexistent.


    Additionally, the overload issue could arise if she used her Magic Eyes for an extended period of time.


    Unless she addressed these problems, it was unrealistic for her to be involved in a short-term battle, let alone in a long-term one.


    <em><strong>I want to be stronger, I want to be stronger, I want to be stronger.</strong></em>


    While watching the impressive fight of the three girls, Lulu began to mutter with her head bowed deeply.


    "...I want to be stronger!"


    After muttering for a while, she looked up with shining eyes and shouted her desire.


    "I want to be strong enough to ce everything under my feet..."


    Soon after, she mumbled with a gloomy expression.


    "...I want to dedicate everything to Master."


    Just as she was contemting whether she should start learning swordsmanship now or go into the Magic Tower for an internship…


    <i>- Kigigigik...</i>


    "...?"


    Suddenly, strange sounds starteding from below.


    "Huh? Huuuhh?"


    As a result, she tilted her head and looked down, making a dumbfounded expression.


    "W-what? Why are these monsters acting like this?"


    The demonic monsters that were running rampant on the sports fieldall closed their eyes, kneeling or bowing their heads towards the rooftop where she was.


    "...!?"


    While Lulu observed this scene with a shocked expression…


    "..."


    Ruby, who was sweating hard as she diligently fought the B-rank demonic monsters along with the students gathered around her, fixed her gaze on her with a cold expression.


    "...Crazy."


    And then...


    <i>- Swift!</i>


    "Ouch!?"


    Before others could notice, Irina, who had discovered her on the rooftop, quickly used teleportation magic to move to her.


    <i>Now, even this girl...</i>


    Irina''splexion was gradually darkening.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    "Wh-what!?"


    "Shh...!"


    Lulu screamed as Irina, who was supposedly on the sports field, suddenly appeared next to her. In response, Irina urgently covered her mouth and looked down below.


    "..."


    Fortunately, the students below were too tense from the sudden abnormal phenomenon to pay attention.


    The only person looking up was Ruby.


    "Ptoo."


    After showing a sinisterexpression to her, raising her middle finger and even spitting at her, Irina then urgently grabbed Lulu''s arm and dragged her away while reciting a chant.


    "Disable Diabolic."


    <i>- Shaaa...</i>


    As a result, Lulu''s body gradually returned to normal.


    "Huh? Eaaaah!"


    The horns, which were about to grow, were gradually shrinking, and the swaying tail retracted below her tailbone.


    "Wh-what is this..."


    Only when the purple-colored skin returned to a flesh tone did Lulu realize the change in her body. She examined herself with a pale expression.


    "You didn''t know all this time?"


    "P-pardon?"


    Meanwhile, Irina observed her calmly with her arms crossed, then she spoke.


    "You''re from the demon race, Lulu."


    "...!?"


    Lulu listened to Irina’s next words with a nk expression.


    "Not only that, you’re a pure-blooded demon."


    At Irina''s calm statement, Lulu''s mouth dropped open.


    <i>Moreover, if I were to tell her that she is the direct descendant of the first Demon King from a thousand years ago... she might faint.</i>


    After swallowing her next words while looking at her, Irina, cautiously ncing at the sports field, murmured to herself.


    <i>Frey, did you know about this?</i>


    She questioned him, whom she couldn''t detect even with her mana searchwork spreading throughout the academy.


    <i>The fact that the awakening of this girl is still in progress and the uncertainty of what might happen.</i>


    Taking advantage of the chaos that everyone was in, Irina, scanning the area with her eyes for a ce where Frey might be, muttered with a furrowed brow.


    <i>...Among the heroines, I''m the only one who hasn''t even started awakening.</i>


    The red crystal Frey shyly gifted to her after their sex-crazed night contained tremendous power, even in her eyes.


    Kania and na, who had eaten crystals with their own symbolic colors, were almost at the end of their awakening.


    "..."


    In addition, Serena has alreadypleted her awakening, while Ferloche was the one who taught him how to awaken them in the first ce.


    <i>- Kugwagwagwagwa!!!</i>


    "This is the chance. I don''t know what it is, but... I can''t afford to miss this opportunity."


    Isolet, who tore apart five mid-level bosses with a single overwhelming strike, now stood at the end of the path of awakening to be a Sword Saint.


    "Am I... a demon? Then am I... Master''s pet demon?"


    And now, unexpectedly, even Lulu, who was quickly discovering her own identity, might be an entirely different existence once shepleted her awakening.


    "Sigh..."


    Everyone whose hearts were connected to Frey was on the path of awakening.


    All except for her alone.


    "Why... Why can''t I do it? What''s the problem?"


    Thanks to that, Irina continued to gaze down at the sports field with a mncholic expression.


    "...The progress of her awakening is very uncertain. She might end up being devoured by Frey soon. How envious."


    She continued to mumble, feeling depressed.


    “Should I ask him to devour me one more time?”


    Up until now, Irina had effortlessly ovee every obstacle with her innate talent alone.


    However, for the first time in her life, she felt the presence of a wall.


    <i>- Ssk...</i>


    Amidst her chaotic thought, Irina calmly soothed her depressed heart by quietly caressing her lower abdomen, where the tight feeling had been prevalent in her for a week.


    "...!"


    However, Irina soon noticed something and widened her eyes.


    "What''s wrong with them?"


    Ruby was leading all the first-year students into the gate.


    <i>- Shasyak...</i>


    Quickly following them were someone in a cloak and Alice.


    "...Bite."


    As so many people disappeared into the gate, Irina''s pupils began to glow red.


    <i>- Tzzzz...</i>


    The incident that wouldter be named the Academy Erosion Incident was heading towards itsst /genesisforsaken