The Duke, the Lord of the Magic Tower, and the Knight Commander.

It took them only—

a mere three seconds to recognize the death staring them in the face.

“Run!”

Baang!

A flash of light blinded me, and by the time my vision returned, some force had already shoved me backward.

Was that Natasha’s light shield magic?

“I’ll buy time. Everyone, evacuate. And spread the word!”

A towering column of water erupted like a tidal wave, and razor-sharp icicles came hurtling in.

All aimed at a single point.

“The Demon Lord has appeared!”

The desperate cry shook the air.

Other voices immediately joined in.

“Contact the homeland. Request reinforcements.”

“You won’t be enough anyway. Leave this place to me and go!”

And then everything dissolved into a cacophony.

Belated screams, dazed people demanding to know what was happening, the pounding of running feet.

Pure chaos. A scene as though a bombing raid had hit.

Under an impossibly clear sky, the Demon Lord had truly descended.

‘Why?’

My head went blank. I had certainly met the Demon Lord before, and had even played my character with perfect composure in front of him.

But the aura I felt now was unmistakably different from then.

I could feel in my bones just how much stronger the Demon Lord had “grown.”

‘Now I understand why the quest said to survive rather than confront or eliminate.’

What’s more…

“Ah, how underwhelming the welcome is. But you lack manners. I have business with Chris.”

A gaze unmistakably directed at me.

I couldn’t think of how to survive this.

Instinctive terror.

What crashed over me was thousands of times the emotion I’d felt before being swallowed by a monster during my first practical exercise.

‘Fuck, I need to snap out of it! At this rate I’m basically asking to get killed like an idiot!’

The moment I bit down hard on the inside of my mouth—

“…Professor! Professor! Are you alright? Professor!”

The word “Professor” pierced through to my ears.

It was the students.

‘They haven’t run yet? These crazy bastards!’

My mind snapped sharp. A fiery shout burst from my mouth before I could stop it.

“Do you have a death wish! Run, now!”

“B-but—”

But nothing, nothing!

“Get out of here, I said!”

Rationally, I knew that this group of overpowered characters had more than enough strength to face the Demon Lord.

The Protagonist, especially, would have the capacity to take him on single-handedly.

That was why I’d felt reassured, why I’d been so casual about picking a fight.

‘I know. I fucking well know! I’m the one in the most danger here, and I’m the only one who’s panicking! But!’

But they’re students.

They’re still kids.

They’re standing there with those lost expressions, looking only at me.

Under these circumstances…

‘I absolutely cannot show them anything more pathetic than this.’

I pulled two items from my pocket.

The Pain-Numbing Spray I’d received as a reward from the Legendary Weapon quest, and the Protective Talisman from the Job Trial quest.

The latter could only protect a specific area temporarily, but that would be enough.

Because there was only one thing I needed to keep safe in this body.

“Bell, gather everyone and fall back.”

“Professor, are you really alright?”

“Tsk. What exactly do you all take me for.”

I turned to look at their worried faces.

Even though ‘Chris’ was supposed to be the strongest character roleplay, they’d always worried about me.

I’d once wondered whether my character roleplay had grown too loose, whether these kids were simply too kind for their own good…

Now I understood.

‘It just… happens.’

Because you’ve grown attached to someone. Even knowing they’re many times stronger than you, you can’t help but care.

I suppose that’s what it means to be master and disciple.

“Michael.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Wait for me.”

“…Yes.”

The Protagonist was soon led away by the Healer’s hand.

“You’re turning away the spectators, Chris. Isn’t that a shame? A duel between the two of us, after so long.”

The Demon Lord still stood amid an endless barrage of magic.

But the moment he snapped his fingers just once—

“Urk, guaaagh!”

“Ugh, damn it!”

“Guhaak!”

Everyone who had been clinging to him was sent flying, vomiting black blood.

A defeat so swift it was almost absurd.

The difference in class was palpable.

I struggled not to tremble at all, as befitting ‘Chris.’

“But if that’s your choice, I’ll respect it.”

Jeobeok, jeobeok. The Demon Lord walked toward me.

And without any warning, my left shoulder was pierced by a black thorn.

“……!”

“You’re not dodging. Don’t tell me even I am not worthy of being your opponent?”

I felt something digging deeper, but I deliberately didn’t look down.

[The Pain-Numbing Spray’s effect will numb your sense of pain for a certain period of time.]

Lest seeing it would only throw off my breathing.

‘This time, I have to be mindful of even the sound of my breathing while staying in character.’

Enough to convince the Demon Lord.

“Not even a groan, let alone a reply. What a vicious child.”

With every step the Demon Lord took closer—

Thunk.

“……!”

The thorns piercing my body increased one by one.

Two, three, four…

Before I knew it, I was suspended in the air.

‘Ha, fuck. It’s grazed my forehead and blood’s running down. It’ll block my vision soon.’

But maintaining composure in moments like this was something I’d been doing since my very first day at the Academy.

No problem at all.

“How truly strange. Even for you, this is excessively calm. Not even your usual irritation shows. Why don’t you try to kill me?”

The Demon Lord, now right in front of me, grabbed my chin.

And whispered.

“Ah, I see. Have you returned to your old self? To the beautiful monster who knows neither love nor the human heart. A stimulus this mild is too weak to provoke any reaction—”

That was far enough. Any more and the cringe would make my brow furrow.

“Twae.”

I spat blood-tinged saliva right in his face.

Then, with a perfectly calm expression, I replied.

“You’ve always had an overinflated ego. That’s your problem.”

“…What?”

“You believe everything falls within the palm of your hand, that everyone is subject to your influence.”

A smile with only one corner of the mouth twisted upward.

This was ‘Chris’s’ signature move.

Quite effective at pissing people off.

“You build an army, yet you love showing up alone before crowds. Why? Because it’s entertaining. Because watching everyone scatter in panic at the sight of you amuses you.”

“Chris, this isn’t like you. If you’re trying some pathetic trick as a last struggle—”

“Demon Lord. Did no one ever teach you?”

I forced my barely-moving hand to reach out and lightly scratch the Demon Lord’s chin.

As one would a dog.

“When you want to play with your friends, you say ‘Please play with me.’ You don’t just throw a tantrum.”

The Demon Lord could never be a king, nor a father. Before either of those, he couldn’t even be a proper adult.

Because one who doesn’t know boundaries will always remain a child.

We must live together, so you can’t just do as you please. You have to consider others. You can’t rely solely on violence and power.

Only those who understand that deserve to grow.

“I no longer wish to play with you. Get lost.”

And so Chris, no longer a child, made a declaration.

That she would not live like the Demon Lord.

Even if it meant suffering like this, she would never show him the slaughter he desired.

That was right.

‘Chris’ had resolved once more.

To distance herself from the reckless wielding of overwhelming power.

And so she would declare her independence from him. At last.

“…Kuh, Chris Dotton…!”

The Demon Lord’s composed face began to contort in an instant.

“You truly want to die! A mere traitor! A traitor, a traitor, how dare you! To me! To me, the Demon Lord!”

The Demon Lord literally began to throw a fit.

His trust in ‘Chris’ must have been surprisingly deep, judging by how worked up he was getting.

‘Anyway, it worked. At this rate, the Demon Lord will soon reveal his true form.’

And then he’d actually be easier to deal with than now.

Betrayal. And shame.

Such petty, human emotions were poison to the Demon Lord, who had spent his entire life striving to become a monster that transcended humanity.

‘Then the Protagonist and his friends can handle the rest—’

Ah.

Did a thorn pierce my eye?

I can’t see.

Come to think of it, he’d been driving thorns into me even while throwing his fit.

Losing your sense of pain isn’t always a good thing…

‘Thank god I protected my heart with the talisman.’

I think that was the last thought I had.