(A/N: I changed the scene with alice as the previous one was not feeling upto the point)
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To absolutely no one's surprise but my own, I survived.
Not only did I not get murdered by the demon I supposedly "disrespected," but I also walked out of that magic duel like some kind of sparkly shoujo anime prince. You know, the kind with fluttering rose petals and a wind machine following him everywhere.
Seriously. I dodged his spells, reflected one with the chant scroll (still don't know how that worked), and somehow left the arena without a scratch. All while maintaining my innocent "Oh no, please don't kill me, I'm just a weak human" face.
And Alice Asmodeus? The terrifying, top-ranking, prideful honor student?
He kneeled.
Like, full-on, head bowed, one-knee-on-the-ground, noble-vassal-level kneeling.
"Please allow me to serve you, Iruma-sama."
Oh boy.
On the outside, I tilted my head like a confused baby chick and stammered out a totally believable, "U-uhh, sure?"
On the inside?
Jackpot.
Loyalty: achieved.
Demon servant: unlocked.
Potential muscle: recruited.
What? You thought I'd come to Demon World and not use my knowledge of the plot to my advantage?
Come on now. This brain's running on survival instinct and anime meta-knowledge, baby.
After that whole drama in the arena, I got dragged—er, escorted—back to the principal's office.
Chair-demon Sullivan looked like he was about to pop with joy. I swear, if this guy could, he'd put glitter cannons in every hallway with my face on the banners. He kept patting my head like I'd just won the Demon Olympics.
And then Asmodeus showed up again.
"I have made my decision."
The doors burst open like we were filming a soap opera. Asmodeus strode in, cloak flaring, chin high, and then—boom. Back on one knee.
"Iruma-sama, I have severed ties with my previous allegiances. From now on, I pledge my loyalty to you alone."
...
Dude.
I'm trying to stay low-key here, remember?
I glanced nervously at Sullivan, who was smiling so hard I was worried his face might split. Opera was practically vibrating with excitement in the background. And me? I just tried to look as normal as possible.
"Oh, uhh… okay? Sure! Friends, right? Just… normal school buddies?" I offered with the world's fakest chuckle.
Asmodeus didn't even blink.
"No. I shall be your servant. Your sword and shield. Your flame in the darkness."
Oh great.
He's dramatic and loyal.
This was going to get complicated fast.
Later, back in our dorm—which is surprisingly fancy for a school in literal hell—I found myself alone for the first time since I'd been dumped into this world.
I flopped onto the bed, stared at the ceiling, and let out a long, slow sigh.
Okay. Time to think.
I had one loyal follower now. A strong one. That's a huge win. Especially since the other students still think I'm just some weirdo who read a chant scroll instead of giving a speech. (By the way, thanks, Sullivan, for handing me the wrong paper.)
But I can't just wing it anymore.
If I want to survive in this world—and maybe even thrive—I need more than just dumb luck and plot armor.
I need allies.
Followers.
People who'll protect me, believe in me, and do my bidding without realizing they're doing my bidding.
The key? Friendship.
Not the honest, open, sparkly kind. No, no.
The kind where you smile, nod, help them out of a jam or two, become their "precious person," and then quietly guide them from behind like a shadowy mastermind.
Yes.
That kind of friendship.
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The next morning, I made my grand entrance into class. Well, more like I tried to sneak in, but Asmodeus threw open the door like we were royalty arriving at a ball.
"Make way for Iruma-sama!"
I died.
Internally.
The other students stared. Some whispered. Others backed away like I was radioactive.
Great. So much for staying inconspicuous.
"Please stop doing that," I whispered through clenched teeth.
Asmodeus smiled serenely. "As you wish, Iruma-sama. But I must warn you, your presence is too majestic to be ignored."
...He's not going to stop, is he?
Still, I had to admit, having a powerful demon constantly declaring loyalty to me did make me look kind of cool. Intimidating, even. People stopped messing with me. Some even looked impressed.
And then came the big moment.
The Class Summoning Ritual.
It was time to summon our familiars—creatures that reflect our inner strength.
This was a big deal in demon society.
Which, of course, meant I was absolutely terrified.
If I summon a squirrel or something, I'm done for.
But if I remembered right, I wouldn't be summoning anything.
I'd be summoning Kalego.
Yep. Our terrifying, rage-fueled teacher.
Totally normal student, remember?