* * *

The former Holy Relic, now Bead, had lived for quite a long time.

Decades as a human, decades as a Holy Relic.

But I can say with certainty—there had never been an ordeal as grueling as this one.

[Bead: Hey, Chris.]

[Bead: Can I just pass out for a bit? Please…….]

[Bead: Your disciple keeps biting and sucking on the necklace every single day, I’m seriously going to die…….]

But Chris was busy at the Demon Lord’s castle, so this agony belonged entirely to Bead alone.

“Professor…….”

‘Agh! Agh! He’s kissing the necklace again, this crazy bastard! Agh!’

If a romance author were to describe this scene, they could fill an entire page beautifully—the image of carefully bringing one’s lips to an object belonging to someone respected and beloved…….

Unfortunately, from Bead’s perspective, it was simply a scene of tragedy.

‘Bead is a living being too! I have feelings! Show some restraint!’

But Bead’s wailing reached no one as the carriage rolled quietly along.

The X-Class members were currently heading toward a wasteland known as the Land of Death.

The fact that a secret passage to the Demon Realm was hidden there was known only to Michael.

“Is it really okay to do this……? Even if Professor Yujin is doing everything he can to cover for us.”

Bell muttered in an anxious voice.

She had been drawn out by Michael’s charisma, but this was still an act of directly defying the Principal. Unlike the other children, Bell had no backing whatsoever—she could be expelled from the Academy.

“If anything happens, House Serif will help you, so don’t worry too much.”

Andante offered a word of reassurance, having noticed her anxiety.

“Yeah, yeah! If it looks like we’re going to get in trouble, just say I dragged you here by force! I’m the Principal’s nephew, after all!”

“That’s exactly why they probably brought you along as a hostage…….”

“Less of a backing and more of a minimum safety device, I’d say…….”

The twins whispered to each other about how pitiful that was—whispers that only Ryan couldn’t hear.

“Ooh, I love how everyone’s brimming with energy! But from here on, it might be best to conserve a little!”

At Nika’s words, everyone turned their gaze out the window.

There, things awaited a visitor in a very long time.

“……The Land of Death.”

One of the reasons it was called that was because the road leading to that land itself was dangerous.

Countless monsters, the corpses that piled up because of them, and the monsters born anew from those corpses…….

Only those filled this desolate space.

“Let’s all get ready. Make sure this carriage doesn’t stop.”

At Michael’s words, everyone nodded and readied themselves for the battle ahead.

For a bunch of mere teenagers, their eyes were remarkably resolute. Probably because they had a goal.

‘Reach…… her.’

And Bead, watching the situation unfold, typed another message into the chat window.

[Bead: Come and stop these kids!]

[Bead: I think they’ve been infected by your whole character act or whatever.]

* * *

‘Infected? What’s that supposed to mean?’

Bead seemed to be struggling a lot alone—messages that sounded half-delirious came frequently.

Then again, I could roughly guess how recklessly my terrible disciples were charging ahead.

‘The problem is Bead can’t stop them……’

The conclusion was that I needed to escape before the kids went mad and crawled all the way here.

So I was planning to make some excuse about needing to wrap up my spy work and walk out.

‘But then I saw this……’

I looked down with a bewildered gaze.

Wolf-humans lined up in formation. Chimera monsters. Demons biting at each other in a sparring match that wasn’t quite a sparring match. People picking up weapons one by one and walking somewhere…….

Anyone could see this was an army preparing for war.

‘The protagonist is still in his first year, second semester, and an army this size is already assembled?’

Even accounting for how much faster things have progressed compared to the original story, this was too fast. Even with a bit of exaggeration, it wouldn’t be strange if war broke out right this instant.

“Surprised? Things have changed a lot since you left.”

The Demon Lord said with a pleased smile.

It was difficult to manage my expression right now. My peaceful Academy slice-of-life is ending already? No, how much time has even passed?

“Actually, a lot has happened in the meantime. In particular, a very capable child joined us—that made a big difference. You know, don’t you? The one who followed you around calling you Master……. Ah, I can’t keep it to myself. Look over there.”

A bad feeling crept over me. Bad enough that I found myself wishing that Bandage guy had shown up instead.

But the one who appeared before my eyes was none other than……!

“Long time no see, Master.”

……A disciple I’d never seen before.

Who are you?

* * *

Given ‘Chris’s’ character roleplay, the X-Class kids are her second disciples.

The backstory was that the memory of failing to properly teach her first disciple made her harsh toward her current ones.

So it was true that I’d been playing the role while freely imagining a first disciple who was bright and warm as sunshine.

‘Wait…… Real Chris actually had a real disciple? Wasn’t he a teenager when he was active in the Demon Lord’s army?’

Moreover, according to my character roleplay, the first disciple was dead. The story was that his death was what made ‘Chris’ disillusioned with the Demon Lord’s army.

Yet here he was, alive and well.

This is a character roleplay collapse, you bastard!

“You seem quite surprised. Well, it would be hard to believe even for the great Master.”

‘His speech pattern is a miniature Chris……. Even the nasty look is the same.’

With this, it was hard to deny. I barely managed to keep my mind from going blank.

‘Let me listen carefully to what this guy is saying. Because of ‘Chris’s’ taciturn character roleplay, they let me keep my mouth shut at first, so I need to assess the situation within that grace period.’

Sure enough, the self-proclaimed first disciple…… let’s just call him First. First continued speaking, his eyes fixed on me with a mixture of hatred and affection, pouring out words as if vomiting them.

“The disciple you personally cast into the deepest pit of the Demon Realm has returned alive.”

“…….”

Oh, um. Right, got it. ‘Chris’s’ first disciple was indeed supposed to be dead. This guy just somehow clawed his way back. Impressive skills, X-bastard.

“I waited a long time. For the sealing magic that blocked the pit to disappear. It was a seal that would never be broken before you died, so I intended to at least find your corpse and exact my revenge…….”

As First’s emotions surged, a chill ran down my spine.

‘Wait, did that seal disappear when I possessed Real Chris’s body?’

When a magic caster dies, the spells they cast naturally disappear as well.

But in this case, wasn’t it simply because I, the one who possessed the body, couldn’t use magic, so everything got cancelled? Ugh, this skill lock is really tripping me up at every turn!

“To think you were alive and well. It seems you had at least a shred of conscience, coming to me of your own accord to suffer at my hands.”

My train of thought was cut off. First had closed the distance and was now right in front of me, his face exactly like that of an enraged bull. He looked itching to gore me at any moment.

I could guess what line would come next.

“My master, Chris. Your former disciple challenges you to a duel. Let us settle this once and for all, until one of us dies.”

Yeah, I knew it! I swallowed a sigh internally.

‘I suppose it’s a relief he didn’t just charge at me to kill me outright.’

Of course, the answer was predetermined. ‘Chris’s’ roleplay was that she wouldn’t waste effort on something like fighting her own disciple. If I openly rejected him with a dismissive expression…….

“Why should I indulge your childish——”

“Chris, how about you hear him out first?”

Ah, Demon Lord, seriously! Read the room! I clenched my jaw to hold back the profanity that was about to burst out.

“Despite how he looks, ‘Aron’ has served the Demon Lord’s army with utmost devotion all this time, in exchange for my promise to let him see you. He even diligently kept a journal every day about how to kill his enemy.”

You just scammed him and put him to work. He’s huge, but he believed that?

‘Hah…… the Demon Lord is really something else.’

Whether my fearsome irritation was conveyed or not, the guy belatedly added something.

“Of course, both of you are essential talent for our future plans, so we must ensure no lives are lost. A match between Chris, once called the Black Disaster, and her top disciple Aron—we could hold it in an arena where everyone can watch. It will surely serve as a fine example.”

The way he said it, he didn’t care how many spectators died in the process.

Of course…….

‘If things go like this, the first one to die would be me.’

No lives lost? Are you insane? I die if someone so much as brushes against me.

There was no need to listen further. I turned on my heel.

“Hah, you want me to perform that kind of clown show? If you need entertainment, that guy alone is more than enough.”

“Chris, everyone wants to see you in action. The underlings won’t be convinced unless they see it with their own eyes, won’t they?”

“Not worth my time.”

“Dear me, for your very first disciple, you’re cold. In that case, let’s do this.”

The Demon Lord’s voice sank ever so slightly.

“If you don’t accept the duel, you can’t leave.”