«Are you ready Jim? »(Mirim)

«Yes. »(Me)

«Meet with us at sunset at the canyon. Until then you have your time. All good? »(Mirim)

«Good for me. »(Me)

I am visiting the village to see if they are doing good. No matter what it's just too hard to start hating your own family. The one you grew with. So I will care for them one last time. After that, I will cut my ties to this village.

(...)

I arrive at the village. They are still having problems with the reconstruction of some houses. They were destroyed during the battle between Galgo and me. Some still have the marks of his claws. By the way, they don't recognize me because of the mask that I am using. It's a mask that covers the whole face. It's nothing but a simple white mask with some drawings.

I watched over their work until, after many hours, I was prepared to head to the canyon.

At that moment I saw something unexpected.

«How is the search? »(Laura)

«We are not searching and we won't search for him! That bastard is a monster that will ruin us! »(Village chief)

«How can you say such thing from the person that saved you?! »(Laura)

«HE-IS-A-MONSTER! Being saved by a monster is already a disgrace!»(Village chief)

«He is still my brother and the son of your lord! »(Laura)

«Then it's a good thing that he died! »(Village chief)

«He isn't dead! He couldn't possibly be dead! »(Laura)

My sister is discussing with the chief.

They are probably talking about me.

«Brother?! Is that you?! »(Laura)

Shit, she saw me! I'll try to fake being another person... If I slightly change the way I talk she won't notice it's me right?

«I am not your brother... »(Me)

«You... you aren't? *sniff* »(Laura)

«No...Why are you searching like that for your brother? »(Me)

«My brother is being accused of being a monster! Even if he has a great power within him, he is still a very good person! But when he was on a trip with our father he fell from the air dragon! He is said to have gotten eaten by something... And now no one wants to search for him! »(Laura)

«That is sad... »(Me)

That is not the actual story... That bastard of a father covered the true story... He is the only witness, so he can do it with no problems.

«But who are you then? What are you doing here? »(Laura)

«Me? Just a peddler I think? I was just roaming around and decided to stay here for a bit and look at your hard work... »(Me)

«But who are you?! Answer! »(Laura)

«I... Am nothing more than a dead man... »(Me)

Sorry for those kinds words, you are not at fault, but you are still innocent. I don't want to break such innocence.

With such thought, I leave the village in the direction of the canyon.

I hope we meet again... My little sister.

(...)

I arrive before everyone...

I wait for about half an hour before they appear.

«Sorry! We are a bit late! »(Mirim)

«No problem. Let's just go already. »(Me)

«YEAH! »(Galgo)

And like that, my journey in the direction of the demon academy started.

«So... Where is the Academy exactly? »(Me)

«On the furthest demons country. Degilia. »(Mirim)

«Isn't that really far away? »(Me)

«Yes, it is. Did you really think that there would be a demons school next to the humans? »(Mirim)

«No, but why there? »(Me)

«Because it is not only a school but also a fort. Kind of a last defense where everyone runs to when needed. »(Mirim)

Do they use a school for that? Wow, I sure have much to learn.

I fear the answer to this question but I'm going to ask anyway...

«How much time will we take to arrive there? »(Me)

«1 week and we should be there. »(Mirim)

Huh? 1 week for such a long travel?

«We are going to use a teleporter. It's incredibly handy! »(Galgo)

Thanks, Galgo. You answered my question without even knowing.

«So we'll be there in a week? What are we waiting for? »(Me)

«For you to finish your damn dish! »(Mirim)

Oh... yeah, I was having dinner. Kind of forgot about it. I finished the large dish that Galgo made. Although it looked like old puke from a beast, it was somehow edible.

Wait... Will I be eating stuff like this for a week? I hope nothing happens to my insides in the meanwhile...

After a horrible week, we stopped next to a house in the middle of nowhere.

We didn't see even the slightest sign of wild or civilized life in the meanwhile. It sure was weird, but thankfully we brought some food and ate some veggies from the forests we passed by.

«It's here. »(Mirim)

«What is here? »(Galgo)

Galgo is just as confused as me somehow.

«The teleporter! Can't you even remember where one of the main teleporters is? »(Mirim)

«Weeeeeeeeell... no. And you know it. »(Galgo)

«You good for nothing... anyways the portal is this house. »(Mirim)

«What do you mean? »(Me)

Now it's me who is confused beyond belief. How is the house itself the portal?

«Go through that door, and you'll understand. We'll be right behind you. »(Mirim)

Why do I have to go in first? This is a bizarre house as if used to plot something evil... While I thought of conspiracy theories I went through the door and found myself outside again. But it was nothing like the human kingdom. It was greener, healthier, and looked cozier.

«Welcome to the demon country! »(Mirim)

The two of them are right behind me as promised. This place really has a different atmosphere from the human country.

«This is... beautiful. It's just so different... »(Me)

«It is! AHAHA! Welcome to our home country! »(Galgo)

«Thanks... »(Me)

So this is the place where I'm going to pass most of my life...

«We are camping close to the portal tonight. By tomorrow we depart and it'll take some days to the capital of Degilia, Dism. »(Mirim)

«Well Galgo, set up the tents! I'm going on a stroll. »(Me)

«Don't get lost!And don't order me around! »(Galgo)

I Couldn't hold a giggle while going away.

When was the last time I even giggled with a group of people? It sure was some time ago... I don't remember it happening anymore.

While I was on my stroll something strange caught my eye. It was a strange light. It had some shades of white and blue. A truly beautiful light.

«What brings you here, little one? »(?)

While I look at it I hear a voice. A really old sounding voice. It was a tree. Neither did it have eyes to see me nor a mouth to talk. But she saw me looking and talked to me. Is this what they call an Ent?

«Just having a stroll. Just arrived in this country so I wanted to go sightseeing. Then you caught my eye with such a beautiful light. »(Me)

«You seem not to be lying. So there are still demons who use that old house as a teleporter? »(Ent?)

«Yes... How did you know? Can you move from here? »(Me)

«No... I wish I could. But over the many years that I lived, many used that house to meet the divine tree. What brings you to this country? »(Ent?)

«I'll be attending the combat school in this country. »(Me)

«So you are a fighter... you must be strong. For you to adventure in such a country alone. »(Ent?)

«I am not alone. I have two friends. »(Me)

«That is good. »(Ent?)

I spent some time talking with the tree. She must be lonely here all by herself.

Wait just remembered something.

«Didn't you talk about a divine tree a while back? »(Me)

«Yes, I did talk about that. Want to know about it? »(Ent?)

«Yes, if you please. »(Me)

«it's said that there is a tree, somewhere in this vast forest which is known to be the divine tree. That tree is said to connect the heavens and hell with the earth and is the tree of all creation. It's known as "Tida" »(Ent?)

«A tree is capable of such thing? »(Me)

«Who knows... That is just a bit of the legend. »(Ent?)

«It's really amazing how a tree is capable of doing something that no one is. Wait. FUCK! I got distracted! It's past the time I was supposed to head back! »(Me)

«Then go little one. I thank you for the time you spent with me. Take this on your journey. It's a gift for spending your time with the old me. »(Ent?)

The branches bend and a glass bottle falls on the ground. It somehow didn't break.

Inside the bottle, there is a liquid and some large seeds or the like.

«What are these? »(Me)

«Those are some of my seeds and sap. They have great potential if used well. »(Ent?)

«Thank you! »(Me)

I start running in the direction of the camp. When I looked back both the tree and the lights had disappeared.

How mysterious...

«Jim you are late! Where have you been? »(Mirim)

«Sorry I was keeping company of a tree. »(Me)

«A tree? What is an Ent doing here? »(Mirim)

«What do you mean? »(Me)

«There are no Ents in this country. At least there were supposed to be none.»

But the tree said that she had been there for many years... How did no one know of her existence then?

Well... Thinking about it too much will get me nowhere... I think.

After about two days we arrived at the city of Dism. It looks just like a human capital... but better somehow? I can see lots of smiles on the faces of all the humanoid and not humanoid demons. It feels like this is heaven and a human capital is hell even though they look the same on the surface. That's how different it feels.

«The Academy is on the opposite side of this city so let's hurry! We might not be able to do it tomorrow!»(Mirim)

«WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT NOW?!»(Galgo)

We all start running as if our lives depend on it. It technically does, after all this school will be our lives for quite a while.

I only noticed now, but it seems like my physical capabilities were somehow improved in the meanwhile so I'm running alongside with Galgo and we arrived there in less than 5 minutes. Mirim arrived right after. She is surprisingly fast because of her nature magic. She can control most plants and summon a few of those from the ground.

We were greeted by bulky minotaur security guards at the entrance of the academy. The academy is GIGANTIC! It's basically the size of the terrain my Fa... that traitor owns.

It has lots of different spaces from outside fields to a cafeteria and bedrooms.

«Are you three here to join the school?»(Bulky minotaur guard)

«Yes, we are. Where do we take the test?»(Mirim)

«Straight in this direction and you'll arrive at the place you want to go.»(Bulky minotaur guard)

«Thank you very much!»(Mirim)

«You welcome, milady.»(Bulky minotaur guard)

We went in the said direction and arrived at a building with an old man in front of it. After seeing us, he suddenly shouts.

«HEY! Are you here to join the Academy?»(Old man)

«YES!»(Us three)

Unanimous answer to the question. They really are excited. Everyone is smiling right now.

«Then come here! Go up the stairs and enter the first door you see. It says "Appraisal room".»(Old man)

Seems like we are going to be appraised. We probably need to be strong enough in status to join. They want no weaklings here.

We go up the stairs and enter the said room.

There we see a table with a crystal ball on top and a man behind it. That man has long silver hairs and red eyes. Such a weird combination. He is also really skinny which makes him even weirder.

«Oh? So there was still people coming? Here was I thinking that I was already done for this year...»(Weird man)

He looks like he is being forced to do this job... He looks so bored and uninterested.

«Come on, young dryad come here, let's get this done with.»

He is really rude. He looks like a human but with two horns on his forehead. Is he from a higher species of demon? When I was about to say something against him, Mirim did it.

«Why the hell are you talking like that to us?!»(Mirim)

«Because the last ones are always the least interesting ones! All the promising ones are already in...»(Weird man)

He looks at the crystal ball and stops talking. It seems like Mirim is interesting for him. A broad grin forms on his face.

«Nevermind... You are interesting... hehe... You beast-men! Now your turn! Dryad you are in!»(Weird man)

«ALRIGHT!»(Mirim)

«This has great statuses! AHAHAHA! You in! Now you!»(Weird man)

«LET'S GO!»(Galgo)

When I approached, he looked at the ball and every little bit of his smile disappeared.

«What is a Human doing here?»(Weird man)

Looks like what I feared did happen. The appraisal shows the race you were born with.

«I am no human.»(Me)

«NO! NO! YOU ARE HUMAN! There's no denying it! The appraisal is always correct!»(Weird man)

«I was born from humans... Feared by humans... Disgusted by humans... I'm not like them.»(Me)

«...»

Great pressure is felt in the entire room.

«Did you 2 know about this?»(Weird man)

«Yes, we did. He was nearly killed by humans because of his power, and we saved him.»(Mirim)

«HE WAS BETRAYED! Otherwise, he could not have lost! He defeated me after all!»(Galgo)

«He did?!»(Weird man)

He double checked my appraisal as if my stats didn't match with the result of the battle. After a few long seconds, his face changed from confusion to shock and then a broad grin like no other formed.

«You devouring monster... This is interesting! YOU ARE VERY INTERESTING! YOU ARE IN!»(Wierd man)

It seems like I was accepted.

«Isn't there a problem with accepting a human?»(Galgo)

GALGO WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING!? HE MIGHT JUST GO BACK ON HIS WORDS NOW!

«NOPE! I'm the principal after all!»(Principal?)

We were all dumbfounded.

This kind of guy is the principal?

It looks like this is going to be fun huh?

This is how we entered the best demon combat academy, and my new life started