The boy, Gregory, wanted to stand up but couldn’t.
It felt like the eyes of all the female students were on him.
He thought if he stood up, he could at least appear above average, but there was no way he could stand up in this situation.
So, he couldn’t even go to the restroom.
But.
Then, the sun appeared.
A light so bright it could blind everyone or capture the attention of all.
He drew the gazes of all the women, making them focus solely on him.
Thanks to him, Gregory was able to stand up secretly.
He could now relieve what felt like it would burst at any moment in the restroom.
“Whew…”
Gregory saw it.
The confident gaze of the man.
For a moment, Gregory felt embarrassed and a bit prideful, overwhelmed by the magnitude of his confidence.
But his gaze wasn’t one of looking down on something inferior.
It was as if—
– Hey, you can become like this too.
Although he couldn’t say it out loud at that moment, his eyes seemed to suggest that there was a way for him to be like that too.
Gregory didn’t quite understand the meaning of that look, but he knew one thing for sure.
The special class.
Whatever made it special, it was indeed ‘special’ enough to allow for a special admission.
No matter what others might say—
Splash—
“Ahhh…”
Gregory was sincerely grateful to the golden sun, who had saved him from the predicament where he might have dropped out of the Academy.
* * *
Esdinas of Heaven.
According to the original, the final boss of the original protagonist was the ‘Demon King’.
However, I am now affiliated with the Demon World, and theoretically, I am filling the role of that Demon King.
In other words, I must confront the beings of the surface from the standpoint of the Demon King.
So, as the Demon King, who should I consider my enemy?
Adventurers or hunters who indiscriminately hunt demons?
Humans who, for countless ages, have persecuted demons as part of their ‘doctrine’?
‘Obviously, the Goddess.’
My main enemy is the Goddess.
While it’s partly because I use the power of the Demon World, I also need to eliminate the Goddess and the heavens, who bring about the Apocalypse.
There are two ways to do this.
One is to overwhelm them with sheer power.
But to do this, I would need to eliminate all the races in the Middle World, which is not what we want.
That could be perceived as the [Azure Flame Apocalypse], and we simply want to live in the civilization that humans have built on the surface.
So, we decided to go with the second method.
“We’ll steal their faith.”
A so-called religious war.
“We take away the faith they have in the Goddess and make them believe in us instead.”
“Is that even possible?”
Though Changyeom suggested this, I don’t know how to do it.
“I know how to burn divine power.”
“Solving everything with brute force is fine, but doing that would just turn you into a tyrant, right? You won’t see any events if you crush everything with your level and stats in the game, will you?”
“Do we need events?”
“Of course. You’re not trying to make the demons enjoy a cultured life on the surface, right?”
“That wouldn’t work.”
During my time in the Demon World, I had observed the lifestyle of the demons.
– Haha, it’s a fight!
– Conquer and win! Tear and kill!
– A fight?! Everyone, gather!!
“If demons became the dominant race on the surface, the world would become a survival of the fittest, with constant struggles and fighting, right?”
“So, you’re saying an era of barbarism would come?”
“Exactly. It would become a terrible nation of endless war, where no one could enjoy a cultured life.”
Even though she was the Archduke of Hell, Changyeom didn’t trust the creatures of the Demon World that much.
“Have you ever seen demons growing strawberries or running cafes to serve others?”
“No.”
“If demons become the rulers of the surface, no culture will be able to flourish.”
It’s not that we idolize human culture, but since I was originally human and Changyeom had read my memories, we both had a positive view of it—
“Maid outfits, swimsuits, nun habits, Academy uniforms. Are you going to abandon all that and make everyone wear those ancient Greek and Roman clothes from Demon World culture?”
“Absolutely not.”
Thus, we needed to go up to the surface and live in harmony with human civilization.
“That’s why we need to steal their faith. We’ll create a new religion, so they can believe in and follow someone other than the Goddess.”
“But I’m not a cult leader.”
“You don’t need to convince them with words. Convince them with appearances.”
Changyeom ran her eyes over my entire body.
“If you present a [miracle] that even divine power cannot achieve, humanity will revere you as a god for performing the miracles their current god cannot. You would become their first god.”
“But isn’t my role that of the Demon King?”
“Instead of someone from the Demon World conquering the surface, you just need to eliminate the Goddess’s forces and bestow [blessings] upon humanity, don’t you?”
Changyeom placed her hand on my head, pulling my hair back as if to stretch it.
“A miracle that makes the reckless grow.”
“Ah.”
I understood.
“A miracle that can make Vinyudan to enter the Bread Academy.”
“A miracle where 30mm becomes 30cm.”
“Exactly. The Goddess’s miracles may include reattaching severed limbs and curing diseases, but we’ll target the areas divine power can’t touch.”
“And the place where this would have the most influence is…”
“Bread Academy. Esdinas.”
Esdinas Academy is where the future crown prince, heirs to large corporations—also known as trading companies—and future heroes gather around the age of 17.
As such, if we could turn their faith from the Goddess to [another god], there would be no better strategy to undermine the Goddess’s church.
“A true god doesn’t give more to those who already have, but rather provides what is needed to those who lack or are wanting.”
And so—
“What kind of god would be best? Hmm… Let’s go with a [Sun God] that everyone can look up to.”
“Why a Sun God, of all things?”
“It’s my personal preference.”
Following Changyeom’s taste, I decided to become a Sun God who bestows miracles upon humanity.
…At least, that’s how I’d frame it, though I don’t actually intend to create some fanatical “Praise the Sun!” cult.
Esdinas Academy.
If I could become the one to bring warmth to those who are in darkness there, and lead them to stand against the apocalypse brought by the Goddess in the future.
That alone would be a huge help in the war against the angels.
And in a world like that.
The Goddess would no longer be able to exert her influence over this land.
“Once we eliminate the Goddess, let’s search together.”
And me.
“For a way for you to return to where you truly belong.”
As Changyeom said, I would eventually be able to return to the place where I should be.
* * *
‘I came with that plan in mind, but it’s worse than I expected.’
I attended the freshman welcome ceremony as the representative of the special class.
Most of the students gathered in the Hall of Courage have miracles they wish for, but their desires could be described as a form of ‘greed’.
The greed of those who already have, wanting more.
Of course, this is natural human desire.
It’s only natural to want more wealth and to be stronger or bigger than others. That’s the basic rule of the human world.
But—
‘Just because someone else’s cake looks bigger doesn’t mean you should try to forcibly take it.’
I can feel the gaze of desire on me.
A powerful longing to take what I have and make it their own.
– If I could just drain him dry, my mana pockets could reach 100 too…!
Even those who already seem to be at level 90 are thinking that way.
So what would the C-rank students who barely scraped into the Academy think?
‘They think their C can turn into a G.’
By adding the ‘G’ from the Golden Sun to their own C, they believe their mana pockets could grow to G.
It’s a miracle, yes, but the method of achieving that miracle is fundamentally theft.
Taking a man’s energy and making it their own.
In martial arts terms, this would be [Stealing Yang to Replenish Yin].
It’s truly terrifying.
So—
“Are you feeling the weight of their gazes?”
“…”
As I was glancing around at the sharp stares directed at me, someone confidently sat down next to me and spoke.
A student with blonde hair and golden eyes, wearing the Academy uniform.
“Who are you…?”
I know this person.
But since it’s our first official meeting, I have to pretend not to.
“Haha. It’s rare for someone not to recognize me when I’m not even in disguise. Or are you just pretending not to know?”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t think you wouldn’t know, whether intentionally or not. But this seat next to me is reserved for a special admission student.”
“I’m about to go give my speech, but I thought I’d sit here for a moment before that.”
The blonde-haired, golden-eyed young man pointed to a part of the freshman welcome ceremony schedule.
The Student Council President’s congratulatory speech.
“My name is Julius. I’m the Student Council President.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“…”
Julius extended his hand toward me, but I didn’t shake it.
“Ahem, a handshake—”
“I’m sorry, Student Council President.”
Without looking at Julius, I kept my eyes forward and lowered my voice.
“Because the Student Council President came this close, I’m in a bit of a predicament right now.”
“…What do you mean?”
“President, do you know?”
I gestured between my face and his.
“Me and the President, we’re both handsome and well-built men.”
“…That’s a bit embarrassing.”
“It’s about to get even more embarrassing.”
I subtly pointed behind us.
“Now, they’ll start linking the two of us together in strange ways.”
“Link us together… in strange ways?”
Julius tried to glance behind him but instead turned his gaze back to me.
Swish.
At an angle that no one else can see.
It’s visible from the front, but since there’s no one on the podium yet, only the Student Council President can see it.
Whirl.
I wrote on the back of my hand with magic.
My skin becomes a notepad, and the sparks of magic become ink, sending the message to the Student Council President.
[They’ll start creating stories about the two of us as a couple, indulging in male-on-male romantic fantasies.]
“!!”
Julius’s face stiffened.
[Are you aware of an unsanctioned private club within the Academy?]
“….”
Swoosh.
Julius shook his head seriously.
[They’re called the Rose Garden.]
Rose.
At the mention of “rose”, the color drained from Julius’s face.
[You’ve just given them an opportunity.]
“…”
[I’ll tell you how to solve this. Ask me this question.]
The Student Council President’s expression hardens for a moment at my instruction, then raises his voice as if he has no choice.
“…What talent did you display to be admitted into the special class?”
His tone was stiff, guarded.
“I’ve never heard of someone named Red Sol Phoenix.”
Displaying a wary stance toward a mysterious student as both the Student Council President and the Crown Prince.
‘Yes, that’s the right reaction.’
This young man is so innocent that he has no idea of the wild rumors being spun about him and his knights or retainers behind his back.
His middle name, Keyarnim.
Though he isn’t gay, in the Academy, he’s treated like an idol.
Thanks to the Rose Garden [Arpies], which pairs him with the protagonist.
“I am a Sword Master. What are you a master of?”
Therefore—
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
This is the right course of action.
“[Harem Master] Phoenix.”
Though this young man is so righteous and good that he doesn’t realize it, at least he has the judgment to choose between two options.
Being the subject of BL fan fiction vs. playing the role of a cautious Student Council President who’s suspicious of a shady freshman.
A rational person would obviously choose the latter, and Julius’s middle name is ‘Keyarnim.’
This man—
‘One of the three Sword Masters.’
Not even a candidate to be an angel, yet possessing talents equal to one.
‘A well-liked male character who wholeheartedly helps the protagonist build his harem.’
After becoming Emperor, he’s so kind that he even changes imperial laws to allow his close friend, the protagonist, to have as many members in his harem as he wants.
