Demon King Daimaou: Volume 1

by Shoutarou Mizuki

  The mana screen on the desk opened suddenly. It displayed the figure of an old man, tucked away behind a white beard. His appearance made him look like a white ball of fur that sprouted up from a thousand-year old tree, and it was impossible to tell exactly how old he was. This old man spoke with a frank and candid voice.

  “Somehow, it appears that you will become the Demon King.”

  “Huh?” Akuto exclaimed rudely, forgetting that he was speaking with the school principal.

  “I said, it appears that you will become the Demon King. The Demon King is the one that started that war a hundred years ago. We really had a rough time back then, didn’t we,” the principal cackled in an old, withered voice.

  “If you know the circumstances, then please tell me. What is a ‘Demon King?’”

  “He’s a man that revolts against the world and seeks to annihilate it,” the principal replied, casually.

  “That’s... That’s not an occupation, right? Why do I have to be told to become that? If that’s the case, then there should be ways to prevent it, right?” Akuto desperately refused to accept what he was being told, but the principal let out another dry, withered laugh.

  “That was the exact lesson we learned a hundred years ago. With the development of magic, when we gained the ability to ascertain a person’s destiny, there was a debate as to whether or not to take measures to prevent that destiny. At the time, we decided not to. Rather, we decided we would even spare the lives of those who would cause others harm. We would keep an eye on them and observe them, but anything more than that we would leave it up to their free will to decide. Until they committed a crime, of course. That’s why even though you might become a master criminal, cause wars, and slaughter and massacre those around you, until that happens you are still a student of this academy. I think that we should work hard to make sure no one ends up becoming like that, but no one truly understands what the end result will be.”

  The principal’s verbosity did not match his appearance. Despite his cheerful tone of voice, the contents of his speech were serious. All he said was that Akuto would probably become someone who inflicts harm on other people, but until that actually happened, there was nothing they could do.

  “That’s...”

  Akuto could only sit there speechless, but he was able to understand the logic behind why it had to be this way. In fact, if the principal hadn’t been talking about Akuto, then he would have been satisfied with his explanation.

  “Essentially, both your personality and your abilities are an ideal fit to become the Demon King. Nevertheless, I’m sure that in itself signifies your troubles from here on out, doesn’t it?” The way the principal seemed to enjoy saying the word “trouble” caught Akuto’s attention.

  “By trouble, you mean...?”

  “Many of our students can be quite hot-blooded and get worked up easily. Hm... I suppose you might even get attacked out of the blue, you know?”

  “This isn’t a joke,” Akuto said as he shuddered in fear. If and when the students attacked him, they would naturally use their magic.

  Looking at Akuto’s troubled expression, it seemed that the principal suddenly came up with an idea.

  “That’s right. Hmm, if you’d like, we can send a request to the government to assign you a bodyguard for your time here at the Academy.”

  “Bodyguard?”

  “A bodyguard, but they would also be an observer. They would become a student, and stay by your side. Of course, that is only if you desire one.”

  —I see, so they could do that, huh... But, that would mean I would be under surveillance twenty-four hours a day...

  “And if I don’t like that idea?”

  “The Academy will do anything it can to help you, but you won’t be able to lead a normal student life.”

  “It feels a bit like I’m being threatened...”

  “If that’s how you feel, then for the time being, I think it would be fine for you to do as you like. Just let us know if a bodyguard becomes necessary.”

  “I will try that,” Akuto replied.

  The screen disappeared. Miss Mitsuko stared hard at Akuto, put her hand on her waist, and let out a long sigh.

  “We received the data from Yatagarasu on why he concluded that you were going to become the Demon King, but the amount of data was so massive that only an artificial spirit would be able to process it. Even then, that data might not be correct, either...” Suddenly, Miss Mitsuko grabbed Akuto’s hand.

  Akuto was startled. Miss Mitsuko’s eyes behind her glasses had a serious look to them.

  —Oh, she’s worried about me.

  Akuto was touched, and in a solemn voice, Miss Mitsuko continued.

  “From here on out, you’ll experience difficulty and pain. The rumors must have started already, and you’ll attract attention as an extraordinary presence here at the Academy. I’m sure you’ll deal with harassment, too. The bullying will probably be so harsh you’ll wish you were dead. And there might be some students, burning with a sense of justice, who’ll try to assassinate you! It wouldn’t be strange for them to think that if you’re to become the Demon King anyhow, that it would fine to kill you now. But, killing you would be a crime, wouldn’t it? That’s right, there’s no doubt that there will be a clever and ingenious murder, one that even a god would have a hard time passing judgment on. Maybe they’ll force painful and difficult risks on you, under the assumption that it wouldn’t matter even if you died, or hide your possessions from you, or take embarrassing photos of you and spread them around the world, or pressure you into committing suicide...”

  Miss Mitsuko’s tone was filled with enthusiasm as the conversation gradually veered off in stranger directions. Her eyes, too, had become filled with a frightening fervor.

  “Um... Why all this talk of being killed and suicide...”

  “Don’t worry! If you happen to die, I’ll quickly use necromancy to turn you into a ghost! If that happens, even if it is nothing more than a representation of you, your data will be left for future generations! I wonder if there is anything more fabulous for a researcher than to be able to completely analyze the data of someone who was born to become the Demon King. Well, of course, I’m not thinking about how if you live, your data will change day after day and become less useful. And I would never even think for a moment that I would want you to die. So it’s fine, okay? But if you ever want to die, consult me first!”

  —The fact you’re this excited is already worrisome.

  Akuto thought to himself that Miss Mitsuko had quite a blunt personality. However, it seemed that his hardships were never going to end. In the present situation, he was sure that allies would be few and far between.

  Akuto managed to shake himself free of Miss Mitsuko, who seemed to have some kind of lingering attachment to him, and exited the (fortunately empty) main campus building. He headed towards the student dorms, following the directions given in the documents he received when he transferred.

  Not to be outdone by the main campus building, the student dormitory was massive and looked like a large castle. Of course, it had actually been used as a fortress in the past, which meant that the garrison facilities that the knights used had been kept and used as a dorm. The Academy was a boarding school, so almost all of the students lived in the dorms. The castle was divided, with the boys’ dormitory in the east and the girls’ dormitory in the west. Walking in through the gate, immediately to the side was the dorm mother’s room where a receptionist window had been set up. Somehow it looked like the rumors hadn’t spread yet, and Akuto was able to receive his room key and information about the dorm from the elderly dorm mother. Then he was able to escape to his room without meeting anyone else. Because he was a transfer student, his room was at the very end of the first floor.

  With a desk, bed, closet, and storage cabinet, the room was simple but by no means uncomfortable. His student handbook was closed and sitting on his desk.

  Akuto sat down on the bed an
d let out a sigh.

  “Demon King, huh...”

  He still couldn’t believe it. Contrary to how he’d imagined the Demon King, it turned out that he was a real person. It was common knowledge that he was a villain who tried to bring about the downfall of society. His true identity was unknown, however the government announcement described him as a ferocious magician who was in command of a host of demons that he led in battle to conquer the world.

  Even though everyone knew that demons existed, it was difficult to imagine that there were any with the intellectual capacity to be commanded by a human. Akuto didn’t know what the demons from that time were even like. He had just heard that there were demons like the ones out of a fairy tale. Ever since that incident it seems that, just as the principal had said, something in the world had changed. But since it happened over a hundred years ago, it didn’t feel real at all.

  However, the impression left by the Demon King hadn’t faded or changed at all. Especially at this school. As the students had come here to learn magic, they most likely had complicated thoughts about the Demon King as being a symbol of evil magic.

  That being the case, just as Miss Mitsuko had pointed out, her desire for his data was practical. It was certain that, rather than bullying and harassment, these complicated feelings would manifest with Akuto being feared and antagonized.

  —However, I’ve tried to do good for as long as I can remember. As far as I am aware, I have never done a bad deed before in my life. And as such there ought to be no chance that I’ll become the Demon King, and I’m sure everyone will understand that if I act properly and accordingly. In order to do that, the first impression is absolutely key. Even among my previous classmates, those who were good at lighthearted jokes and idle banter were the popular ones. I’m positive that if I greet them properly, they’ll think that is no way anyone set to become the Demon King would act.

  Akuto began to imagine how such a conversation would play out.

  —Hello, nice to meet you. I believe you’ve all heard the rumors already, but I was told that in the future I’ll become the Demon King. But if anything, rather than becoming a Demon King, I’d hope to become a Deviant King...

  —No way...

  —That’s too stupid even for a joke... Anyway, I’m just not really cut out for these kinds of jokes. I’m already way too serious to begin with... Even if I tried to break out of my shell here in high school, those kinds of jokes are still impossible for me to pull off.

  —So then, what should I do? If the good-humored approach won’t work, then all I can do is make the most out of my seriousness. I’ll try to speak my mind, and proactively work to benefit the Academy. I know, what if I offered to be on the cleaning committee? No one wants to deal with a terrible job like that. If I work hard, I’m sure I’ll get in the teachers’ good graces as well...

  Akuto finished his inner monologue, and felt relieved. Just then, a message started being broadcast throughout the dorm.

  “It is mealtime. Please gather in the cafeteria.”

  When Akuto entered the cafeteria, he soon realized that the situation had taken a quick and complicated turn, and in a much shorter time span than he had anticipated. The cafeteria had three long tables, wide enough to sit close to two hundred students each. The large gathering of students looked around carefully and suspiciously for an unfamiliar student — or rather, a transfer student. This was a natural reaction when someone new joins a group, but this atmosphere was something else altogether. If you had to draw a comparison, the air in the cafeteria was like a murder had occurred in a large mansion on a snowy mountain, and no one inside knew who the killer was.

  —This is really bad...

  Feigning composure, Akuto sat at the edge of the cafeteria table. The difference between the murder in the mansion and Akuto’s situation was that the international students in the cafeteria already knew who was going to become the Demon King. Gradually, the other students followed the gazes of the international students and began to realize who the Demon King was.

  “He doesn’t really look that violent...”

  “Yeah, but aren’t the intellectual types the most cold-blooded and cruel?”

  “He does look clever...”

  Akuto could hear their whispering voices. This was shocking to him, and he couldn’t just ignore it. However, it was against his nature to sit there and sulk about something like this. After he saw that all the seats in the cafeteria had been filled, he clapped his hands down on the table and stood up.

  “To all of my new classmates, and my upper classmates, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Akuto Sai. The rumors you’ve heard are correct, I am the transfer student who Yatagarasu claims has the potential to become the Demon King!”

  The complete acknowledgment of the rumor, in addition to the suddenness of the outburst, had all of the students gathered in the cafeteria in an uproar. Akuto had raised his voice, but in a cafeteria this size, it was difficult for his voice to reach far. So, a young boy who had a clever, but exceedingly unruly look about him, quickly raised his right hand and shouted, “Speaker!” In response, an artificial creature that resembled a camera that had sprouted wings flew from the entrance of the cafeteria and came to a rest on top of Akuto’s head.

  The creature turned its head — or at least what Akuto thought was its head, looking out from the base of its wings — toward Akuto. There, he could see something resembling the lens of a camera. On the other side, there was also a similar lens-like apparatus on its behind, and as it began to glow, a close-up of Akuto was projected in the air near the ceiling of the cafeteria.

  Akuto looked at the unruly-looking student, who gave Akuto a thumbs-up with a big grin on his face.

  “It is indeed true that I am the one who was prophesied to become the Demon King. It seems that that aptitude diagnosis has never once been wrong.” As he continued to speak, his voice was amplified and echoed across the entire cafeteria.

  —I didn’t think this through, did I?

  Akuto felt a twinge of regret, but it was too late to stop now. He thought that it would leave a worse impression if he simply stopped talking and left things unspoken. With his personality, he couldn’t feel closure unless he said everything that he wanted to say. To hell with it, Akuto thought and continued to speak.

  “Nevertheless, I would like to point out the flaws of that very examination. A person’s destiny isn’t something that can be decided in such a way, right? Isn’t it more likely that, after hearing your prophecy, you decide to follow that path because of it? While it’s true that these predictions have been formed from the judgement of the gods, and from the data they have collected as they watch over us and how we’ve lived our lives up until this point. But the possibilities available to a person can’t just be limited to a single path! Isn’t it necessary to free ourselves from this limiting preconception? If not, it will be impossible for our world to progress and move forward!”

  Although there was booing and heckling at the start, as his unprepared speech started coming together, the students became entranced. The booing gradually grew quiet as they all listened to what Akuto was saying. He raised his voice even further as he continued.

  “Allow me to address those doubtful and suspicious looks you’re giving me... Actually, I want to condemn you for that very behavior — not a single person has tried to verify these rumors by directly asking me about it. Isn’t that the result of you giving into fear? If I was truly supposed to become the Demon King, then I suppose it would be wrong for you to associate with me. But avoiding me without asking about my side of things even once is just one-sided prejudice! You should feel ashamed for fearing me without knowing anything about me.

  “There are many citizens of this nation who hold those who study magic in high regard. Even so, whether or not someone learns magic shouldn’t determine that they are inferior or superior to anyone else. These errors will continue as long as we magic-users are under the impression that we are
the elite, and so long as these career aptitude examinations run our lives!” Wrapped up in the momentum of his speech, Akuto immediately began to question himself after blurting this out.

  —Wait, have I ended up criticizing the very institutions of this school, and the magic policies of the country?

  Since only the best students were accepted into this school, everyone there surely understood what Akuto had said. It seemed that some of them had studied the past Demon King, and they began whispering to each other that what Akuto was saying sounded exactly like the Demon King’s proclamation of war from one hundred years ago.

  —What have I done?!

  While relying on his momentum to keep his speech going, he’d said too much and expressed his true feelings. He had no idea things could go so wrong. To make things worse, the way he had given the improvised speech with such smooth confidence had made them think even worse of him.

  “He’s way too eloquent, speaking like this without a script.”

  “I was taken in at first, and I started to feel like I agreed with him... But then he started questioning the system. That line of thinking is dangerous.”

  “It’s the Demon King’s ability...”

  “The second coming of the Demon King...”

  Akuto could clearly hear the buzzing murmurs.

  —This is bad. I’ve gotten myself into an extremely dangerous situation. Why does this always happen to me? I’m just trying to do what I think is right. Why did it turn out this way?

  Though Akuto stewed with regret, he didn’t realize that this persuasive ability came naturally to him, with his look as a shrewd and handsome boy as well as his logical personality and baseless self-confidence. More so, his secret desire to impress his new classmates meant that even though he had gone too far already, he didn’t even consider ending his speech there.

  “It is true that I criticized our established way of life. But that does not mean I intend to destroy it! I came to this academy to change the system from within. I will prove that I won’t become the Demon King. So I am seeking your support! Even if we don’t agree with each other, I will not oppose you, because I believe that we can resolve our differences through open communication and tolerance!”