Chapter 22 - Dekan Conducting Military-style Education

“Not bad. Baron Bacher, you’re finally honest for once.”

Dekan clapped his hand and praised Baron Bacher.

His actions caused Baron Bacher to confirm that he was able to read thoughts!

Lies were completely meaningless before him.

He was able to determine what he was truly thinking!

“Well then, your prior actions, that surprise attack, had scared my frail spirit. It left behind an irresistible damage. You’ve caused cruel torment toward me. Do you admit to it?”

Dekan asked.

Baron Bacher did not dare to hesitate and started to crazily deceive himself. He replied, “I… I admit.”

He suspected that Dekan was testing his loyalty and was using his lie-detecting magic as a method to conduct re-education.

No matter how absurd the things Dekan says, he must cooperate with him.

Dekan asked again, “Now, Cornelia is attempting to rescue me. You’re a benevolent person and decided to let me go. Thus, she successfully rescued me. That happened, correct?”

Baron Bacher: “Correct, correct.”

[Mission Objective 2: Rescue at least 3 humans. Current progress: 1/3]

A brilliant smile appeared on Dekan’s face, “Suddenly, you forgot that I was a human. Isn’t that so?”

Baron Bacher: “Yes, you’re absolutely correct!”

[Mission Objective 3: No more than three humans are detected by the demons. Current number of humans still in disguise: 6/6]

As Dekan expected, the mission interface changed again.

“Very good. Baron Bacher, you are now an honest demon. Furthermore, it seemed like you’ve finally opened your heart to me.”

Dekan had an extremely satisfied look on his face. He praised Baron Bacher without holding back.

Baron Bacher shivered. He didn’t know how to accept those words.

Even now, his fear toward Dekan surpassed all his other emotions.

‘Opened his heart.’ Those words were simply too excessive.

However, he didn’t dare refute Dekan. He could only continue to hypnotize himself. I’ve opened my heart to him! I’ve opened my heart to him!

It was only after he confirmed that he started feeling a sense of adoration toward Dekan did Baron Bacher finally open his mouth: “Yes, I’ve completely opened my heart to you.”

“Such an obedient child!”

Dekan clapped his thigh and stood up from his seat.

He finally succeeded.

He felt great joy as he instructed Baron Bacher: “Very well. I’ll have to trouble you for a bit now. Do you still remember the process of our prior conversation and your train of thoughts?”

“Ah?”

Baron Bacher was confused.

Dekan revealed a frown: “Did you forget already? Must I help you remember?”

Baron Bacher shivered from instincts: “...remember! I remember!”

“Good! Baron Bacher, repeat the course of events from earlier a hundred times. Shout it out!”

Dekan ordered with a serious expression.

Baron Bacher: “Yes!”

With that, Baron Bacher started shouting toward Dekan: “You’re a human! I tortured you! You’ve been rescued! I forgot that you are a human! I opened my heart to you!”

[Mission Objective 3: No more than three humans are detected by the demons. Current number of humans still in disguise: 5/6]

[Mission Objective 2: Rescue at least 3 humans. Current progress: 2/3]

[Mission Objective 3: No more than three humans are detected by the demons. Current number of humans still in disguise: 6/6]

A quick look at tinyurl.com/37k7u89t will leave you more fulfilled.

[......]

……

Elsewhere, the other Shadow World raiders also noticed the strange occurrence. Among them were veterans that had raided multiple Shadow Worlds.

With their experience as a basis, Mission Objective 1, Exploration, was the one that required the most work to complete but also a comparatively easy ‘standard’ mission.

As for Mission Objection 2, rescue 3 humans, it was most likely something that could only be completed by clearing the Mini Boss room or the Boss room. In other words, it was an ‘extremely difficult’ mission.

None of the raiders discovered any sign of humans in any of the classrooms they’ve entered.

Likely, it was only possible to rescue humans in the much more challenging Mini Boss or Boss rooms.

They would need to gradually gather clues to find the Boss room and what the weak points of the Boss room might be.

But!

Why would this mission be completed already?!!

They even discovered that the quota for Mission 2 was still increasingly nonstop!!!

In the end, it stopped at an unbelievable number. [Mission Objective 2: Rescue at least 3 humans. Current progress:101/3]

As for Mission Objective 3, it was jumping back and forth from disguised humans 5/6 and disguised humans 6/6.

Could it be… some sort of malfunction appeared in this Shadow World? Was it broken?

While the surprise brought them joy, it also caused them to feel even more uneasy.

Never had they heard, much less experience, this sort of situation…

They could only hope that nothing terrifying would occur later.

……

Outside the Shadow World, the people at the Hevenlit Magic Academy’s Viewing Hall were in a complete outburst.

Both the students and professors were frenziedly talking about Dekan’s unreasonable manipulation of the Shadow World’s objectives.

Many people’s mouths were twitching just from watching what was happening. They were completely stunned.

How could one mess around with a Tier 4 Shadow World in such a manner?

Never have they ever heard of someone acting in such a manner and doing whatever they please in a Shadow World Raid before!

Even if it were veteran raiders, it would still be impossible for them to complete the extremely difficult mission 101 times in just over an hour since the Shadow World raid began!

“Is it an issue with Dekan or is it an issue with the Demon Academy…”

Many students couldn’t help themselves from thinking that way.

“Could it be… that Dekan discovered a school most suited for him…?”

……

Knight College. In a conference room.

It was awfully quiet.

The initial worries the professors had for Dekan and Cornelia gradually disappeared. But, their expressions also gradually became more and more distorted.

They’re this year’s freshmen?

What the hell is this?

Humans brainwashing a demon?!

This is completely unprecedented…

The people present started becoming skeptical of Dekan… no, they became skeptical of Dekan ‘and’ Cornelia!

Could the two of them be demons to begin with?!

“.... Could our worries for the two of them be unnecessary?”

Professor Arnold pressed on his temples as he looked to the College Dean.

He had thought that he would no longer be shocked by Dekan’s actions anymore, no matter how excessive and unreasonable they might be.

But, from the way it stood, he cannot judge Dekan using human limits.

If Dekan was to encounter a ‘Challenger Battles’-type Shadow World, Arnold cannot imagine what Dekan would do.

“......”

The College Dean didn’t say a word.

From his memories, Dekan from the entrance exam wasn’t as terrifying as he is now.

Ever since he met Cornelia…

Everything changed.

The two individuals that shouldn’t be allowed to meet the most met each other.

The popular story plot of ‘boy meets girl’ would usually have the two characters uplift each other and help each other find redemption in their lives.

But the meeting between Dekan and Cornelia…

… was a meeting where they blocked each other’s path toward humanity and, together hand in hand, stride toward the endless abyss…