What did I do to piss him off this time?

Naturally, I had no clue.

So I did what I always do when life throws something confusing at me:

I ignored it.

Honestly, attracting weirdos, especially powerful and unstable ones, had become my new normal.

Azriel being pissed was basically background noise at this point.

"The Noxvalen Academy only welcomes those who have the will to survive and adapt,"

Azriel continued, voice flat as a dead fish.

Meanwhile, my brain was focused on far more important matters.

Like… Why does my cloak look so majestic even when I am sitting?

And do I look more handsome with white hair of my terminally-ill state or black hair of my normal state?

You know, productive thoughts.

Useless speeches were never my cup of tea, especially not when delivered in Azriel's signature "I'd rather be anywhere but here" monotone.

To be fair, he was probably forced to read this whole thing every year.

But still, who cares?

After what felt like a long hour, probably because it actually was, Azriel finally wrapped up his speech.

Bless.

Orientation was over.

"The Noxvalen Academy does not force its students into a rigid curriculum," Azriel continued, expression unreadable, voice still flatter than my will to live during long speeches. "Each student has the right to choose their own path according to their interests."

He paused only long enough to make sure everyone was listening.

"And to make that possible, the first two weeks will not require compulsory attendance. Students may use this period to adjust to the academy and decide on the curriculum, subjects and training fields they wish to pursue."

The final important detail of orientation… delivered with the enthusiasm of a corpse.

"There will be a rank allocation exam after two months where all the things you learned in the academy will be tested."

"You may take missions from the Mission Hall during this time to earn academic credits," Azriel added. "Although you will not be charged anything for the first few months."

Yeah, the academy took credits from students for even basic amenities and Azriel had introduced that somewhere in his long speech which I ignored.

But I knew about it from the novel.

Thankfully, the first years won't be charged anything for the first two or three months until the rank allocation exam.

Then, without warning, he dropped the most Azriel line imaginable:

"I hope you all won't die soon."

…Right.

Very comforting.

With that cheerful blessing, he turned around and walked out of the hall without a single glance back.

But just before Azriel exited the hall, a voice slipped straight into my head.

'Principal Morvana wishes to meet you.'

It was unmistakably Azriel's voice.

…But the content?

Yeah, that was enough to make my brain start juggling every bad life decision I had made in the past twenty-four hours.

Why does she want to meet me?

Countless possibilities shot through my head instantly.

Maybe she did hear me calling demons "filthy parasites" on purpose just so Serafim would take the bait…

But what if Serafim wasn't the one tailing me?

What if Morvana had sent some other sneaky demon spy?

Someone who heard every word I said… and reported straight to Morvana?

And now she's summoning me for "clarification"?

I mean, I did expect the possibility, so, it wasn't a shock.

But still, I couldn't be sure.

For all I care, she could be just wanting to see my handsome face.

In any case, I would find out soon enough.

"Hey, Viola," I said, standing up casually. "You and Seraphina go ahead and check out the classes. I have got a meeting."

Her eyes narrowed instantly. "What kind of meeting?"

"I'm going to meet my mother-in-law." I waved her off before she could even process that abomination of a sentence. "Okay, cya now."

I could see Seraphina blinking three times as if her brain short circuited.

Ahh, right, she didn't know I was engaged now.

But I didn't bother explaining anything and just slipped away like a guilty criminal fleeing the scene before Viola could say anything.

—

It didn't take me long to reach the principal's office.

…Okay, that's a lie.

It took a shit-ton of time.

Because apparently every assistant professors in the academy had decided today was "Hunt the Demon King's Successor" day.

One after another kept stopping me in the halls, all smiles, glowing eyes and suspicious enthusiasm, trying to convince me how my life would become "more demonic, more enlightened and significantly cooler" if I joined the totally-not-shady courses of their godly professors.

I didn't even blame them.

The academy had hundreds of professors and they earned more the more students they pulled in.

So if they didn't hunt fresh meat like starving hyenas, they would get left in the dust and eventually be thrown out of the academy.

And I was a guaranteed magnet for clueless students since I was the successor of the Demon King and also a high-ranking noble of the human empire.

In other words… an easy bait who could draw fish from two races.

And to top it all, I was divinely handsome.

No wonder they kept trying to reel me in.

In any case, I was finally here.

I finally stopped in front of the grand double doors, the entrance to the lair of the evil witch herself.

My future mother-in-law.

The woman who, in another timeline, murdered my imaginary children out of pure greed.

Truly heartwarming family dynamics.

I knocked once and then barged right in without waiting for a response.

I mean, come on, she definitely sensed me coming from half the damn campus away.

And besides… isn't this exactly how entitled son-in-laws are supposed to behave?

I'm gonna commit to the bit, I might as well do it properly.

"Hey Mom—"

The moment I stepped inside, the scene hit me like a truck as my body froze mid-sentence.

Arza was standing there with her usual calm, expressionless face, the perfect picture of "emotionally neutral murder princess."

Beside her stood a man who looked my age but was older than half the universe combined, the Demon King himself.

And he was smiling at me.

Meanwhile, Morvana actually looked… nervous.

The Demon King's smile grew even wider as his eyes locked onto me.

"I heard," he said, voice dripping with amusement, "you want to marry my daughter?"

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