Classroom 1-A was a battlefield.
The seating chart was a disaster. I was in the back row, which is usually the prime spot for anime protagonists, but in my case, it was a death trap. The morning sun was angling through the window, cutting a geometric line of "Instant Death" across the floor.
I had to get to my desk without touching the light.
I stood at the door, calculating the trajectory. If I sidestepped the teacher’s podium and slid past the chalkboard, I could stay in the shadow of the curtains.
"Kibutsuji? Why are you posing like a ninja in the doorway?"
The teacher. A hulking man who looked like he wrestled bears on the weekends. I think his name was Himejima. He was currently weeping while reading the attendance sheet. Great. Even the faculty was insane.
"Just... stretching, Sensei," I muttered.
I executed the maneuver. Slide left, pivot right, avoid the sunbeam. I made it to my desk and collapsed, safe in the shadows.
"Hey, Kibutsuji-kun."
The voice was soft, melodic, and absolutely terrifying.
I slowly turned my head to the left.
Shinobu Kocho was leaning on her hand, watching me. She was small, delicate, and smiling. But her eyes? Her eyes were dead. There was zero light in those purple irises. It was like staring into the abyss, and the abyss was asking to borrow a pencil.
"You’re sweating a lot," she noted, her smile widening. "Is the room too hot? Or are you hiding something?"
She knows. She definitely knows. In my past life, this woman poisoned me, mocked me, and generally made my existence miserable. She was the Insect Hashira. The Poison Queen. And now she was the President of the Chemistry Club.
"I have a condition," I said, adjusting my glasses. "I’m allergic to UV rays. And social interaction."
"Is that so?" She tapped her chin. "How fascinating. Biology is my passion, you know. I love taking things apart to see how they work."
She emphasized the words taking things apart.
I swallowed hard. "That’s... nice."
"You know," she leaned closer, invading my personal space. I could smell wisteria on her. Literal wisteria perfume. My skin started to itch. "We have a rare specimen in the greenhouse right now. The Science Department is very proud of it."
I froze.
The Blue Spider Lily.
It had to be. It was the only reason I was suffering through this high school purgatory. If I could get a sample of that flower, I could synthesize the cure. I could conquer the sun. I could become the Perfect Being and finally drop out of this wretched school to become a chaotic influencer or something.
"A rare specimen?" I asked, trying to keep the greed out of my voice. "I’m... somewhat of a chemistry enthusiast myself."
"Are you?" Shinobu’s eyes glinted. "Well then, you should come by the lab after school. We need someone to help organize the storage room. It’s full of... volatile chemicals."
It was a trap. It was 100% a trap. She was going to lure me in, lock the door, and gas me with pesticide.
But if the Spider Lily was there...
I had to risk it.
"I'll be there," I said, trying to sound cool and mysterious but mostly sounding like I was agreeing to a dentist appointment.
"Wonderful." She clapped her hands together softly. "Don't be late, Kibutsuji-kun. I hate it when my ingredients spoil."
She turned back to the front of the class, humming a cheerful little tune.
I slumped in my chair, checking my "Karma Status" on the invisible holographic screen only I could see.
[Current Objective: Infiltrate the Chemistry Lab.]
[Reward: Clue to the Blue Spider Lily.]
[Failure Consequence: Detention (Death).]
I sighed, putting my head on the desk.
Being a Demon King used to be about domination and fear. Now, it’s about surviving a teenage girl with a chemistry set and avoiding a golden retriever boy with PTSD-inducing jewelry.
The bell rang for first period.
"Alright, class," Himejima-sensei boomed, tears streaming down his face. "Open your textbooks to page 45. Today we learn about the fragility of life!"
You have no idea, teach. You have no idea.
ns216.73.216.10da2
and then Add to home screen.