The battle between the Venomous Green Tiger and Berner's group had reached a stalemate.
Irina and the four combat instructors were in a similarly even fight.
Mondo was getting pummeled by Rosalie, but thanks to an excellent healer, he was still in one piece.
"I-I'm starting to feel kind of good—" he shouted such dangerous things, which was a bit worrying.
Mondo, don't go any further. I wished I could warn him not to open that door, but I couldn't. How frustrating.
Still, these three fights were manageable. The real problem was Magnus.
I had hoped Julius and the others could talk Magnus down, but I'd been far too naive.
All four fights had reached a stalemate, but the one who finally made a move was, as expected, Magnus.
"Why are you doing this!?"
"I thought of you as more than just a classmate — I thought you were a friend I could talk to about anything!"
Julius demanded, and Calma shouted.
The one who answered was Magnus, with a self-mocking laugh.
"Julius, I thought so too. But you — surely you can understand how I feel?"
"What?"
"Like me, you carry a nation on your shoulders. I could see right through you — how you truly wished you could be closer to everyone. That soup tasted good, didn't it? Food always tastes better when you eat it with friends. In contrast… cold leftovers are barely fit to eat, no matter how lavish the ingredients, no matter how skilled the chef who poured their heart into preparing them. A meal eaten alone is nothing but bland and empty—"
These must have been his true feelings. Magnus's mutter carried a lonely ring to it.
"Magnus… what exactly are you—"
Julius asked.
And Magnus gave an astonishing answer.
"I'm a distant relative of Emperor Rudra. The Empire is currently in turmoil over selecting a new emperor. The former emperor never married, and naturally had no children, so the succession fell to choosing from among blood relatives. And my name came up. For the past decade, the Empire's politics have been run by the Aristocratic Council — a body selected and approved by the Demon Lord. That means we're essentially under the Demon Lord's control, and it's hard to say we're truly independent. The Imperial Capital is safe, and the citizens are all reasonably happy, I'm sure. But some people can't accept that. Because I'm a member of the imperial family who'd fled to a rural town far from the capital, I was judged to be free of the Demon Lord's influence."
Julius fell silent.
They still had their swords raised and were glaring at each other, but neither seemed to be putting any real force behind it.
"Magnus… you…"
Calma too was struggling to find the right words.
Well, that was only natural. It was heavy stuff — nothing you'd expect from his usual easygoing demeanor.
Even I found it thought-provoking.
True enough, the Empire's governance was carried out by the Aristocratic Council.
It had been under my management for about a year right after the war ended, but after that, I'd left everything to them.
But to think they believed they'd been under my rule all along…
If I'd wanted to conquer the world, I could have — but I had no interest in such things.
So it was a shock to learn that the people of the Empire thought of me that way.
The fact that the throne had remained vacant because no suitable candidate could be found was probably a problem too… but that was their issue — the issue of those living in the Empire.
Irresponsible as it might sound, I had absolutely no intention of going that far to look after them.
Besides, peace handed to you by someone else is the easiest kind to lose.
Whether they would maintain the monarchy or work together to achieve democracy — that was none of my business.
In fact, if the right person led them, monarchy wasn't such a bad thing.
"That's a pipe dream."
Maybe, but democracy doesn't work at all if the people are fools, either.
There could be policies designed to keep the masses ignorant, or people who push the public away from politics so they can do whatever they want… Democracy isn't absolutely correct.
There are no correct answers in politics.
So for the sake of diversifying risk and perspectives, I thought it'd be more interesting to have various forms of government coexist.
From a nation of monsters — well, I'd stick to what I believed was right.
But since I could be wrong, I had no intention of meddling in other countries' politics.
That was what I'd been thinking, though…
Maybe I should have set up a proper discussion table from the start rather than risk being misunderstood.
"I think that would have been pointless, Master. People's opinions are vastly different, and not every citizen could participate in such a discussion."
Yeah, true.
In the end, everyone is selfish.
What they want to believe in is justice, and everything else is evil.
They have no choice but to work through it via discussion, each side exercising a measure of patience, reaching reluctant understanding, and learning to coexist.
"If Master would use 'Thought Manipulation,' perfect unity of will would be achievable."
That, I refused.
A world full of nothing but yes-men — how utterly boring and hopeless that would be.
I could accept war, but I could never tolerate binding people's free will.
Setting that aside…
If my neglect had produced someone as unfortunate as Magnus, then I did want to do something about it, but— "I never thought I could beat the Great Demon Lord. But hundreds of thousands of soldiers have died in the war. There are those who can't stomach that, and they're ready to turn their blades against the Demon Lord. If they provoke his wrath again, the Empire could be destroyed… So I have to be the one to stop them — there's no other way!"
Magnus spoke as though coughing up blood.
Though really, just how much did they fear me?
Did they think of me as some bloodthirsty Demon Lord?
"Magnum! The Great Demon Lord is someone who will listen if you just talk to him!"
Teacher William chimed in, shooting me a glance.
I'd been on the verge of tears, and his words warmed my heart.
The other teachers were also trying to persuade Magnus, one after another.
More than half of it felt less like they were trying to convince Magnus and more like they were comforting a dejected me.
But Magnus didn't flinch at any of the teachers' pleas.
"I know that! But what choice do I have…? This is the only way — the only way we have—"
Hm? Something was off about Magnus…
"Magnum's mental energy is decreasing. Inversely proportional to that, his demonic energy is surging. This response is above a Greater Demon — it's Demon Duke level."
A Demon Duke!?
Was he trying to skip past the Demon Overlord rank entirely and summon something that massive? But I didn't think an ordinary human could even control a Demon Overlord…
"Magnus, stop! That is beyond your — no, beyond any human's ability to control!"
To everyone's surprise, it was Irina who urgently tried to stop Magnus.
She screamed desperately, trying to reach him, but her voice never got through.
"Demonic response continues to intensify. Mental contamination of the host is progressing. It appears this is—"
According to
The theory was that he'd kept it sealed away, intending to draw out only a fraction of its power.
For some reason, the core had begun to activate and was gradually working its way into Magnus's psyche.
Perhaps the demon had exploited the guilt Magnus felt from the previous night — from abandoning his classmates.
And now.
Black Magicules blanketed Magnus's body, transforming his form into the superhuman Physical Body of a demon.
It was Magnus, yet not Magnus… He had become something inhuman.
A being on par with the former Demon Lords.
Before their very eyes, a Demon Duke had manifested.
"Finally. At last, I've obtained a Physical Body I can move freely!"
The Demon Duke exclaimed in Magnus's voice.
I didn't bother listening — I just shouted.
"Everyone, evacuate! Get back here!"
Hearing my voice, the students all sprang into action.
The Demon Duke watched them with amusement.
The Venomous Green Tiger stepped forward to Intimidate the Demon Duke.
"Hey, you lot — get over here too!"
I called out to the "Human Liberation Alliance" members as well, but only two of them responded.
"Let's go."
"But Irina—"
"Hurry! That thing won't distinguish friend from foe!"
After that brief exchange, Irina and Rosalie crossed the defensive line and entered the barrier constructed by the magic division.
Inside the defensive barrier.
And that was what would draw the line between life and death.
"Hahaha! Magnus, it seems you've finally made up your mind. Good! Let's take the world together!"
"Hmph, finally. If you'd gotten serious from the start, we wouldn't have been looked down on by those students."
Berner and Clad said such things as they strode toward Magnus.
No — toward the Demon Duke wearing Magnus's form.
"Berner, Clad! Step away from there—!"
Irina's shout came a little too late.
"Fufufu, still not enough. It's insufficient, insufficient! Blood! Flesh! Despair and fear! Now then — I shall permit you to dedicate your laments to my birth celebration! Today! This day, this moment! Celebrate it with me!"
The Demon Duke spread his arms wide and roared.
This was very bad.
As expected of a Demon Duke — a Demon Overlord couldn't even compare.
Even stronger than this island's ruler, the inferior Demon Lord species — the Mountain Rock Elephant. And on top of that, his Magicule count was still climbing.
He possessed a fully formed ego and was unmistakably one of the ancient demons.
An intelligent demon.
A dangerous, troublesome existence that couldn't be compared to mere monsters.
And then— The moment the Demon Duke finished speaking, he moved.
*Crack!* *Squelch!* Two dull sounds rang out simultaneously.
In the instant that followed, several students let out screams of terror.
"Screams filled with fear."
The Demon Duke had moved casually and crushed Berner and Clad's heads in his grip.
Without effort.
The two of them probably couldn't even comprehend what had happened.
If the mercy was that they couldn't even feel fear, that would be something… but that seemed unlikely.
After all— "Fufufu, how pleasant. I shall claim your 'Names' — along with your souls."
Because the Demon Duke consumed souls.
Berner and Clad were pitifully devoured, their souls scattered and stolen.
They had become one with the demon, exposed to eternal suffering worse than death.
They brought it on themselves, but it was an anticlimactic end.
And as for the Demon Duke— "That's impossible… Naming himself, you say!? That can't be—"
Irina's shock was well-founded.
For a born demon, such a feat should have been impossible.
But this demon was somehow different.
It seemed to be driven by a deeper resentment than usual.
Could it be that Irina and the others had been conducting some absurd experiment?
Something that would enrage an intelligent demon?
"Hey, Irina. Tell me — you didn't do some kind of experiment on demons, did you? Don't tell me you went and did something to even a Demon Overlord…"
"That's—"
"You did, didn't you?! Are you idiots!? Do you not understand that there are domains you should never touch when you can't even control what you're dealing with!?"
I was so exasperated I was at a loss for words.
That about summed it up.
From what I gathered, they'd captured and disposed of several Demon Overlords.
One of them had been used for Magnus's demon-sealed body.
Since it could only produce power on the level of a Greater Demon, they'd thought it was safe.
The stupidity was almost impressive.
In the short time I'd been talking to Irina, the Demon Duke had completed his self-Naming.
The Magicule count, which had been threatening to go berserk, stabilized — perfectly controlled. You could tell at a glance.
As expected, demons were not to be underestimated.
"You've kept me waiting. You should consider it an honor to have witnessed the birth of yours truly — 'Bernaclad.'"
The Demon Duke announced his name proudly — Bernaclad.
A remarkably simple name, combining Berner and Clad. But what mattered was that he had a name now; the wordplay was secondary.
The significance of the Naming was probably lost on everyone present except the teachers and me.
Now then, what to do.
It might no longer be a situation where I could afford to just watch.
The situation had spiraled into something more complicated than I'd anticipated.
◇◇◇ The first to move was the Venomous Green Tiger.
It let out a deafening roar, then boldly stepped forward to face Bernaclad.
"You… you're trying to protect us…?"
Ignoring the students' bewilderment, the tiger took its stand against Bernaclad.
"Fwahaha! What a hilarious joke. A beast like you, challenging me? Very well — I'll humor you!"
Bernaclad laughed merrily.
And then, toying with it, closed in on the Venomous Green Tiger.
"Everyone — concentrate your support on the Venomous Green Tiger!"
Calma shouted.
As if snapping back to sanity, the students began moving with grim determination.
They'd grown quite backbone.
There wasn't a single student left who was still cowering and crying.
Streams of light in various colors poured into the Venomous Green Tiger, reinforcing its body.
Against Bernaclad, no amount of human enhancement would save you from being killed in a single blow.
Everyone instinctively understood that the Venomous Green Tiger was their lifeline.
Now then, what should I do?
I was genuinely happy to see the students' growth, but at this rate, they'd all be killed.
The Venomous Green Tiger was only buying time.
What mattered to me was ensuring no more casualties.
Rescuing Magnus, who was being held as the core.
And if possible, defeating Bernaclad without revealing my identity.
The third one might be difficult.
If it came to that, I'd deal with it then.
The students watched the battle.
For now, Bernaclad didn't seem to be taking it seriously, and it looked like a decent fight.
But that was only a matter of time.
I could see the gap in power between Bernaclad and the Venomous Green Tiger all too clearly.
That was when— "I never wanted things to turn out like this… I'm sorry. I truly never intended to drag you into this. I won't ask you to believe me, but… Please, run to the beach. Teacher Eugilas has already sent a rescue request, so a ship should arrive soon. The least I can do is buy you time — now go!"
Irina stepped forward and said that.
The first to react was Rosalie.
"Irina, I'm coming with you. I can't leave Master Magnus alone."
She said, and took her place beside Irina.
Now then, what to do.
It was probably true that Eugilas had called for a rescue ship, but I had a feeling his intentions didn't align with Irina's.
That old man was untrustworthy to begin with, so relying on the ship wasn't ideal.
"Hey, Irina. Do you have a grudge against Demon Lord Rimuru too?"
"A grudge? Of course I do. He killed my friend. An old friend from my hometown. I wanted to make him taste the same pain, so I thought I'd destroy the academy he cherishes—"
"You can't be serious. You're the type who can't bring yourself to let students die — you're too soft for that."
"You're so annoying. You won't know unless you try— Actually, what is your deal? Calling me 'Irina' this and 'Irina' that — have some manners!"
Irina had been answering my questions naturally, but being called by her first name by someone who looked like a younger student really got under her skin.
She didn't know my identity, so I couldn't blame her.
"Is that so? Well, the details don't matter."
I brushed off Irina's complaint and thought about what to do.
If the Venomous Green Tiger wasn't enough, Irina and Rosalie wouldn't even come close.
Adding the teachers to the mix wouldn't change the math either.
Now then…
"Calma! The Venomous Green Tiger — it's sending a thought! 'I called my allies. You guys, run!' It's trying to save us—"
A beastman student reported, tears in his eyes.
In such a short time, they'd formed a bond.
Still, the Venomous Green Tiger really came through when it counted.
That was when, accompanied by a strange cry from overhead, a Rotbeak Beast dove down and attacked Bernaclad.
The "allies" the Venomous Green Tiger had summoned appeared to be the magical beasts that ruled this island.
Bernaclad easily dodged the Rotbeak Beast's attack.
His feet sank into the sand.
A Hot Sand Scorpion had used its ability to turn the ground to sand beneath him.
Then, burrowing into the sand that had become its domain, it appeared and disappeared with ghostlike agility, firing Heat Needles from its snake-like tail at Bernaclad.
But even that— Bernaclad raised a hand, and a hexagonal magic circle appeared and swept it all away.
The gap in raw power was simply too vast.
The Ice Dragon's Frozen Dragon Dance was nullified as well.
The Dragon Scale Hail, an inescapable barrage from every direction, couldn't penetrate the barrier shielding Bernaclad's entire body.
And even the Mountain Rock Elephant, the last to arrive— The Mountain Rock Elephant plummeted from the sky with a thunderous impact, embedding itself in the ground.
Its titanic frame, which had to be four meters tall, radiated an overwhelming sense of weight.
A creature with the hard, rock-like hide of assembled boulders and the head of an elephant.
This twisted magical beast, the Mountain Rock Elephant, Intimidated Bernaclad.
As the island's ruler, it would not allow an outsider to do as it pleased.
"DOOOORRWAAARRRRN!"
Its full-body roar carried an effect that bound and suppressed its enemies.
But to Bernaclad— It was nothing more than a light breeze.
A loathsome grin spread across his face, and he seemed utterly convinced of his own absolute superiority.
"Hahaha! Good, good! Keep it up! Entertain me more! This anger, this resentment — show me something so amusing that I forget all about them! And after that, I'll gobble up that delicious-looking morsel over there!"
He turned his gaze toward us, his face dripping with malice.
A thoroughly disgusting fellow.
"Come on, hurry! You need to run!"
Irina urged everyone on.
But escape was clearly impossible.
Bernaclad — a demon so singular that he could give himself a Name.
He'd originally been a Demon Overlord, but had devoured several of his kind and evolved into a Demon Duke.
And with a Name, he'd anchored himself firmly in this world, drastically amplifying his power.
A bona fide monster that surpassed even the former Demon Lords.
His strength was on par with
No, he might even surpass Moss.
A demon whose pride as a demon had been wounded by humans… who, despite being a Spiritual Life-Form, had gone mad.
As a result, he'd devoured his own kind, growing stronger, and transformed into this aberrant existence.
The current Moss, who was merely a clone, would unquestionably be nothing but prey.
(Lord Rimuru, what shall we do? Shall I go and deal him a good one?)
He'd been observing from afar and had realized the Mountain Rock Elephant and the others were outmatched.
Now then, what to do…
(That's an option, but—) —That wouldn't save Magnus.
Perhaps it was time to draw the curtain on this.
These past few days had been genuinely entertaining.
I was satisfied, and perhaps it was time to bring things to an end.
If I was going to do it, then at the very end— "All right, I've made my decision!"
I stepped forward to the very edge of the defensive line, right in front of the students.
The students and teachers who'd been debating whether to flee all turned to look at me at once.
"What exactly do you think you're—"
Irina started to snap at me in her frustration, but I just smiled and brushed it off.
At this rate, the Mountain Rock Elephant and the others would all be killed too, and I couldn't allow that.
Most of all, that Bernaclad scumbag had the gall to say he'd devour my precious students.
I wasn't going to feel at peace until he got what was coming to him.
I sympathized with the fact that he'd lost his mind, but that was his problem, not mine.
(Moss, I'm going to deal with that demon. While I do, heal the magical beasts.)
(As you command!)
Moss bowed respectfully and vanished.
(Laplace,
(Understood~!)
(On it~!)
Laplace and Tear moved instantly at my command.
They appeared before me in a flash and knelt.
The students stared in shock.
"W-Wait!?"
"Huh!? Those two are the kidnappers, aren't they?! Why are they kneeling to Teacher Satoru?!"
Confusion and alarm rippled through the crowd.
The quickest to catch on were the teachers. Teacher William was the first to kneel beside Laplace.
I stepped past them and forward again.
One step outside the barrier.
"I'll show you all a special magic. A once-in-a-lifetime dream of a spell."
"S-Satoru — no, Teacher… what exactly are you—"
"It's dangerous, so step back! You're not a student here, and I appreciate your guidance these past few days. But beyond this, it's our turn as the students—"
"Teacher Satoru's magic is impressive, but there's no way it'll work on a Demon Lord-class monster like that!"
Mondo's shocked cry.
Julius's words of caution.
Masha's questioning voice.
I answered them all with a single wave of my hand.
"It's fine, it's fine. As your teacher, I'm going to protect you from that demon."
With that, I removed my swirly glasses.
My black-dyed hair shimmered into silver-white, and my eyes shifted to gold.
The effect was dramatic, and all the students stared at me, transfixed.
Some of the sharper students, picking up on the teachers' behavior, seemed to realize who I was — but perhaps they lacked the courage to accept it— "C-Could it be!?"
"The… the Great Demon Lord… Rimuru…!?"
"N-No way… that can't be right. There's no way the Great Demon Lord would be somewhere like this!"
"But Teacher… Teacher Satoru made our food and everything, right? There's no way—"
"Right!? The Great Demon Lord wouldn't be making meals for us!"
"You lot, stop joking around! If he really were the Great Demon Lord, there's no way Irina or I would still be alive!"
"…Right?"
They argued back and forth, trying to deny the conclusion they'd reached.
Some fled into denial, while others went limp and collapsed on the spot.
Thankfully, Irina had denied it too, so for now I'd managed to muddle through.
It was only a matter of time before the students' suspicion became certainty — before my identity was exposed — but before that happened, I should eliminate the threat.
Bernaclad.
I had no personal grudge against him, but the moment he said he'd devour my students, his fate was sealed.
—Now then, let me teach you the true power of a Demon Lord.
I allowed myself a small smile, and took one step forward.