Two weeks until the expedition to Mount Marrac.

"Selef, are you really going alone with Miss Isirid? The four of us could make a good team. At least try asking her," said Derio, who had become friends with Selef.

"I'll try... I'll try." But I can't promise anything. Even so, you two should make sure you have a backup group. For today, I bid you farewell. Selef said to Derio and Leyla.

As the teachers had already finished their classes, they allowed the students to organize themselves, since the format of the test on Marrac Mountain had changed. Previously, it had been individual, but now it would be in groups, and each group had to consist of a maximum of five students who had to hunt two rank 4 monsters or demonic beasts or one rank 5 beast or monster.

"That Derio is quite similar to Carl in personality," thought Selef as he approached Isirid and said cheerfully:

"It's time to go, Isirid."

Isirid, who had been waiting for him, nodded, got up, and the two walked toward the Danteriar Gardens.

••••

When the two entered the area with the black rose garden, Mart created the circular platform, and then a bench.

"The weeks here have allowed me to adapt to this area of the labyrinth, and it has also given me an idea for a new type of magic, although that would require an enormous amount of demonic energy, so I will postpone it," thought Selef, who saw Isirid sit down on one corner of the bench, then he lay down on the bench, placing his head on Isirid's lap.

"Is it so good to have friends?" Isirid asked Selef.

"I don't know, it's a matter of chance. Some beings are suited to be friends, and others are not. If you encounter the latter, you will be very unhappy if you call them friends. I think power is more reliable. At least, as long as you have power, you can protect yourself. That's how the world is," said Selef, summarizing his knowledge of human and demonic history, conspiracies, betrayals, spies, and disastrous endings, in which the winner always smiled in the end.

"But you..." Isirid looked at Selef, and he looked back at her.

"Yes, I chose to love the demon women by my side, so I only choose those who believe in me." Like you." Selef said in a calm and sincere voice.

"You really are greedy and lustful," Isirid said with a subtle smile as she took out the book she had been reading for the past few weeks.

"You liked that book so much, I doubt there's anything in it you can't understand," Selef said.

"I just read it over and over again because, according to the book, you need to be a wizard at the starting point of the sixth rank, and I'm currently at the midpoint of the fifth rank. I want to find a way to apply these kinds of demonic spells," Isirid said.

"I think you should focus on consolidating your power. Your talent is overwhelming, I don't think you should rush." There are people who long for the fifth rank their entire lives, and others who only reach it at age 50 or older," said Selef, then closed his eyes.

[Laziness trait activated]

[The host will hibernate for 1 hour]

When Selef awoke, Isirid was stroking his hair. In recent weeks, the two had grown closer, and Isirid had left behind her dignified and imposing attitude when she was with him, appearing calm, polite, and warm.

Selef sat down beside her, and she created a small tea table and then rang a bell with an imperceptible sound.

Shortly after, Skailis appeared, carrying a silver tray with a cake and a tea set.

"I should order something else, or I'll get sick of cake," thought Selef, because in recent weeks, every time Isirid called Skailis, she brought cakes.

"I think Isirid thinks this is my favorite food. I hope I don't get sick from so much sugar," was Selef's thought as she was served a piece of cake.

"Do you want us to team up with them?" asked Isirid.

"Whether we do or not, they'll find us." A determined look appeared on Selef's face, and that was enough for her to understand the meaning of his words.

After the two finished eating, they talked a little more, and then Selef said goodbye to Isirid and went to her room to practice her demonic spells and cursed arts.

••••

A few days later.

Human city. One hour after midnight.

Duke Versariac was sleeping in his room when he suddenly felt a powerful presence that woke him instantly.

The duke pushed aside the green blanket covering him, sat on the edge of his bed, and saw a man in a white robe. The man threw a letter at him, and then his body turned into withered leaves that remained on the floor of the duke's room as proof that what he had seen was not an illusion.

"This group has powerful magicians. I couldn't even estimate the power of that apparition because it disappeared so quickly," thought the duke, after which he turned on the lights in his room and read the letter, which clearly described the date and time when he was to begin his attack.

"Soon, I will begin my revenge against the damned demons who hurt you, my daughter," thought the duke, who stood up, unable to sleep due to the tension generated by the idea of beginning his revenge.

"Tomorrow I must gather the military council to finalize the preparations," The duke murmured as he approached the window of his room and looked outside the mansion.

••••

With only a week left before the expedition to Mount Marrac, Selef left the academy to go to the commercial district of the city, wearing his black uniform with gold trim, accompanied by Leyla and Derio.

Leyla wore a pretty pastel blue dress and a white blindfold over her eyes.

In recent days, Selef had discovered that Leyla's blindfold was due to her ability to see at night as if it were daytime, but during the day, the light hurt her eyes. This led Leyla to develop her demonic perception, with which she could walk and move around easily without relying solely on her sense of sight.

As they walked through the shopping district, Selef could sense two strong demons hiding and watching him closely.

"Apparently, they've started to act. They must be thinking that I'm an unexpected piece on the board they set up, but that's why I left the Academy, to see how determined and infiltrated they are in the land of demons," thought Selef as he entered a high-end demonic artifact shop followed by Leyla and Derio.

The store had white walls that were slightly golden in color from the lights of the luminous stones in the crystal chandeliers hanging from the amber-colored wooden ceiling. The floor had white tiles with golden designs and beautiful images created with great meticulousness.

"Wow, you chose an expensive place," Derio remarked as he looked at the prices of the beautiful demonic swords that looked more like collector's items than combat swords.

Leyla didn't dare touch anything, for fear of getting into debt. Selef, meanwhile, looked at the mid-level and high-level wands and staffs.

"The price is quite high," thought Selef, who had little more than 5 million gold coins.

"I shouldn't have left my staff at the Abernal Academy," said Selef with feigned regret when he saw the prices.

"I don't think that's a big problem. If you're engaged to Miss Isirid, the Goethe family must be rich, right?" Derio said in a relaxed tone.

Selef smiled and replied:

"That's true, but why spend twice on something you already own?"

"True... that's true." Derio agreed and went to browse the store.

Since Selef wasn't too keen on spending too much, he ended up spending 1 million coins on a sixth-rank demonic staff, which was black in color and had a purple demonic gem at one end that matched Selef's beautiful eyes.

"I do think this staff is worthy of me," Selef said enthusiastically.

Derio just laughed when he saw how happy Selef looked with the demonic staff he had bought, and Leyla smiled without saying much.

"It's time to go eat. Any recommendations?" Selef asked the two of them.

Dario looked at Leyla and said in a relaxed tone:

"Let the lady who accompanies us choose. We must show that we are gentlemen."

"You're absolutely right," agreed Selef, and Leyla chose the restaurant where they would have lunch.

"It looks like they're going to watch me until I return to the Academy," thought Selef after confirming that they were still following him.

In the end, the three of them entered the restaurant chosen by Leyla, where they had dishes fit for demons. Selef was not disappointed again.

••••

At the end of the day, they went to a store selling demonic artifacts and objects at affordable prices for Leyla and Derio, as they had declined Selef's offer to give them high-end artifacts.

When the three had bought everything they would need for the expedition to Mount Marrac, they headed back to the Academy with only two hours to go before nightfall.

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