"Even Better"
Early in the morning, Gordon of the Dark Elf clan woke up humming.
"It's our first meeting—I can't afford to give a bad impression."
He shaved his beard, tidied his hair, and finished by putting on a crisp suit.
In the mirror stood a handsome dark elf with sleek black hair.
"Mm. Good."
Today was the graduation ceremony of the 99th class of the Demon King Officer Academy.
The trainees who had completed their education would officially become Demon Kings and be assigned to various dimensions.Gordon was a lieutenant—one who served such Demon Kings.
'Gordon Dyric, Valedictorian of the Demonfolk Training Academy.'
If the Demon King Officer Academy trained Demon Kings, the Training Academy raised the demonfolk who would assist them.
Especially among the top students—those with the highest ranks were assigned as personal lieutenants to Demon Kings.And as the valedictorian, Gordon was scheduled to serve the Demon King Officer Academy's own valedictorian, Berze Deias.
No—he had already been assigned and had received Berze's file beforehand.
'The great lineage of the Demon Dragons.''A genius who has never once missed first place.''Unrivaled talent.''The greatest student in the Academy's history.'
Page after page of praise delighted him even more.
As a lieutenant who served Demon Kings, it was only natural to want to serve the most outstanding one.
And in that sense, the valedictorian, Berze Deias, was the best possible lord.Gordon was the luckiest dark elf alive.
With him, I could conquer any dimension.
Aside from being the valedictorian, many privileges awaited him.If those privileges combined with a partnership between him and Berze, nothing would be impossible.
—We will now begin the graduation ceremony of the Demon King Officer Academy's 99th class.
With joy in his heart, Gordon arrived at the auditorium.It had already filled with demons of all kinds.
Gordon moved to the back of the stage with familiar faces.
"How is it?"
"Your Demon King—what's he like?"
"Not bad at all. Cold and overflowing with charisma… a perfect example of a great Demon King."
Soon-to-be lieutenants chatted idly about the Demon Kings they would serve.
Who was assigned to whom, how strong their lord looked—meaningless chatter.
Naturally, the one receiving the most attention and envy was Gordon.
"I saw Berze earlier. A valedictorian really is built different. He doesn't look like the others at all."
"I thought the same. There's something overwhelming about him. With him, it feels like anything is possible."
"They say he's of the Demon Dragon race. Makes sense."
Their praise made Gordon's shoulders rise proudly without him noticing.
No lieutenant disliked hearing praise for their future lord.He felt grateful toward Berze Deias, who was graduating in the same term as him.
While they chattered, the ceremony approached its climax.
Finally came the headmaster's badge-awarding ceremony, and Berze Deias stepped onto the stage.
"He looks incredible."
He was 190cm tall, broad-shouldered, exuding natural authority.Truly, the dignity of a valedictorian.
The one I will serve from now on. The one who will carve out legends.
Gordon's heart swelled with anticipation.
He imagined conquering countless dimensions together and leaving their names in history.
—Now we will begin the oath of the graduates who will become new Demon Kings.—The valedictorian, Berze Deias, will read the oath.
Up until the moment before the oath of the Demon King's Canon… everything had been perfect.
—Berze Deias?—Please recite the noble Demon King's Canon.
Even when Berze hesitated instead of reading it immediately, Gordon found it only touching.
After all, they said no one followed the Canon more faithfully than him. He assumed Berze was simply emotional.
Never—never did he imagine that he would…
"I refuse."
…say something like that.
"I cannot recite such an idiotic oath. Following the Demon King's Canon is no different from carrying a hatchling's corpse into a dragon's lair. It is a foolish, moronic act. That Canon—"
Berze raised his voice, veins bulging.
"—is garbage!"
Gordon had never imagined it. Not even in his worst nightmares.
"...."
His legs lost strength, and he collapsed onto the floor.
"That's him? The lunatic?"
"He insulted the Canon? Should be executed."
"And the one next to him? Who's the idiot paired with a lunatic?"
"I heard he's the lunatic's lieutenant. Already assigned—can't be undone."
"Poor guy. How unfortunate."
"Tsk. What a waste. A valedictorian rotting under a madman like that."
Surrounded by whispers, Gordon closed his eyes. His circumstances were so miserable he wanted to cry.
Across from him, Berze sat with no change in expression whatsoever and casually extended his hand.
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Berze Deias."
"...."
Gordon stared at that hand. He didn't want to take it.But in the end, he had no choice.
This bastard. This dog. I ought to rip him apart right now.
After Berze Deias' bombshell declaration, Gordon fully grasped how drastically things had changed.
And the rumors he heard now were only the beginning.
—What? He called the Canon—established by the First Demon Emperor himself—trash?—Entering a dragon's lair with a hatchling's corpse?—They said he was a valedictorian, but he's completely insane!—How can that trash be a Demon King!? What is the Academy teaching!?
The demons were furious.
The Demon King's Canon was the legacy of the First Demon Emperor—the doctrine that unified the chaotic Demon Realm and propelled its expansion outward.
To the demons, the Canon was a religion. A sacred, untouchable domain.
And Berze had violated it.
—The Academy must prove there was no manipulation in the grading!—Trash who insults the Canon cannot be a Demon King!—Strip him of his Demon King qualification and send him to the Golan Mines!
Protests broke out.And because demons were inherently violent, the protests naturally included violence and terrorism.
For now the target was the school—but Gordon did not know when that fury would turn toward Berze… or toward him, who had to serve Berze.
"…Why did you do it?"
His tone grew sharp despite himself.
"What do you mean?"
"The Canon! The Canon!"
He panted angrily.
"If you had just stayed quiet and taken the oath, everything would have gone perfectly!Your achievements and fame would have let you enjoy the pinnacle of privileges!"
Gordon couldn't understand it.To throw away the glory laid out before him—by his own words?How foolish could one be?Why would a valedictorian ever do such a thing?
Why insult the sacred Canon?How could anyone in their right mind say such blasphemy?Was he even a demon?
His faint disgust mixed with anger and spilled out.
But Berze answered by changing the subject.
"You went to the Training Academy, didn't you?"
"...."
Right after the ceremony, Gordon had visited the Training Academy's headmaster.
He had begged.Begged them to cancel the assignment.Begged them to not make him Berze Deias' lieutenant.
'I heard the news. They said the student with the greatest grades in the Academy's history had finally appeared, so I was looking forward to it… Never imagined he'd be such a lunatic. Makes me wonder if the professors there have all gone mad.'
'It's unfortunate, but I can't cancel the assignment. Once a bond is set, it must be honored to the end. That is a rule handed down from the First Demon Emperor himself.'
'Just because the lunatic insulted the Canon doesn't mean you should become like him, right?'
Gordon could still see the headmaster clicking his tongue and patting his shoulder sympathetically.
Why did I have to be valedictorian…? Should've made a mistake or two and become salutatorian instead!
But regret, no matter how fast, always comes too late.
"…The privileges."
"Hm?"
"The privileges… Do they still apply?"
All the benefits granted to the valedictorian.If he at least still had those, he'd have a tiny bit of comfort.
"Unfortunately, all of them were revoked. Because he insulted the Canon."
Damn it!
Well—of course.A reactionary who dared insult the Canon couldn't be allowed to receive benefits.Frankly, someone who deserved to be torn limb from limb was being let off lightly.
They probably stopped at stripping privileges because, despite everything, some still had faint expectations for Berze.
He's still the valedictorian. Might as well work him to death for the Demon Realm.
That was how the Demon Realm punished its criminals—not merely by killing them, but by making them work until they broke.
So why did it have to be me…?
He too must have been considered one of the "benefits" attached to Berze.
Oblivious to Gordon's misery, Berze extended his hand.
"Well, since it's come to this, let's get along."
"...."
Gordon couldn't bring himself to take that hand.
The office of Archduke Alkaine Blamiph of the Demon Realm.
I hurried there at his summons.
"Sit."
As soon as I sat on the plush sofa, Alkaine personally poured me blood-red wine.A faint metallic scent of blood coated my tongue.
"I don't like you very much. Whether it's your nature or the arrogance of being valedictorian, I don't know. But I'd very much like to kill someone who dares insult the Canon."
He spoke calmly, yet every word dripped with malice.
"Is that so?"
I sipped the wine without a hint of fear.If he truly intended to kill me, he wouldn't invite me for a private conversation like this.I knew his personality well.
"But listen. You may be a rebel and a lunatic, but you are the valedictorian. The demonfolk are questioning the evaluation, but I know the headmaster well. He never accepts bribes nor distorts grades for personal reasons."
Which was why he had been the headmaster for centuries.
"Your talent is real. Even if you're a lunatic, wasting that talent would be a shame. Though other Archdukes may disagree."
"..."
"If you repent now and apologize—"
Tap.
Alkaine set down his glass.
"—kneel before the statue of the First Demon Emperor and swear to uphold the Canon. Apologize again and again and beg for forgiveness from everyone."
If you do that, I can use my authority to minimize the harm that will come your way.
He whispered sweetly.
"But if you insist on being stubborn to the end, I'm planning to send you to my jurisdiction—Arein."
Arein.The worst of the five dimensions currently being processed by the Demon Realm.
The number one assignment all Demon Kings avoided.
The place where the most Demon Kings had died in history.
"With only a single lieutenant at your side, you should know exactly what that means."
I knew.Even Demon Kings who brought whole armies with them often failed there.Going with only one lieutenant was essentially suicide.
"What do you say? You still have a chance."
He smiled coldly.I could feel his confidence—he was certain I would beg for forgiveness.
It amused me, so I smiled back.
A normal Demon King would've bowed their head here.
But I wasn't normal.
"I'll go."
"Yes, good. …What?"
"My stance hasn't changed. I respect the First Demon Emperor, but the Canon is trash. Whatever it was in the past, now it's nothing but a stupid doctrine where means have swallowed the ends."
"You arrogant—!"
Rumble—
"Seems you really do need to die to come to your senses. You think being valedictorian gives you the right to run wild?"
The dense killing intent made the air tremble.But I didn't blink.
"Maybe so."
I had already died once.Dying wouldn't make me come to my senses.No—dying was what had made me come to my senses.
"So instead of apologizing, I'll just go to Arein."
The most avoided assignment?The place that devoured the most Demon Kings?
Even better.
Because that place… was where those worms who mocked and toyed with me lived.
It was my assignment in the previous timeline.
Wait for me, you hero bastards.
This time, I will rip out your throats with my own claws.