The Demons All Took the Civil Service Exam, So I, a Human, Had to Become the Demon King

All the Demons Were Taking Civil Service Exams, So This Human Had No Choice but to Become the Demon Lord

That evening, the rooftops of the entire Demon Lord Academy were covered in Messenger Bat droppings.

But thanks to that, the Little Devils did not raid the all-you-can-eat cafeteria in the West Tower District today. They were all busy writing letters instead.

After three years at the academy, Leon finally had the chance to taste the legendary Charcoal Grilled Minotaur Beef Eye Steak.

Honestly, the texture was beyond words. It could only be described as exquisite.

Then again, would Professor Eunos really not mind? According to the records, the earliest Fear Demon seemed to have been created when a Minotaur "ascended into demonhood." Leon tried imagining someone placing a roasted monkey in front of him, and successfully lost every bit of his appetite.

Across the table, Ige carefully sat down opposite Leon with a plate of braised vegetables and nuts. Only after saying his pre-meal prayer did he pick up his fork.

This guy was probably the most polite High-level Demon in the entire Demon Lord Academy when it came to Leon.

Too bad he was a guy.

"Senior Leon, aren't you writing to your family?"

Though they were classmates, this guy called everyone senior... even students below his year.

Leon had found it awkward at first, but he had gotten used to it over time.

"I'm an orphan." Leon bit into his steak and spoke without a care.

Ige froze for a moment, then quickly lowered his head to apologize.

"I-I-I'm sorry."

Leon waved his fork, cutting him off.

"No need to apologize. Didn't Eunos say it? There's no such word as 'sorry' in hell. Next time you offend me, be a little more righteous about it."

The other demons really had acted that way, but later they no longer dared to do it openly—at least, they no longer dared to chant spells.

Because whenever someone provoked him, Leon immediately wrote to the Ministry of Truth to complain, stating that on such-and-such date, he had suffered discrimination from so-and-so, who happened to be the child of so-and-so. He made full use of his value as a pretext.

Not happy about it? Go have your dad complain to the Demon God!

The fact that I didn't take five-finger discounts when I ate or bought things was already me showing you demons plenty of respect! You should be grateful!

"Ha ha..."

Seeing that Leon was still in the mood to joke, Ige smiled along with him, though he still said worriedly, "Actually... my family happens to have some connections in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If you don't mind..."

"No, no." Leon waved him off. "Just write about your own matters. You don't need to mention anything for me. We're only classmates; it wouldn't be appropriate. Besides, I've already decided where I'm going."

Ige asked curiously, "Where do you plan to go?"

Leon gave a sinister grin.

"Heh heh, of course, somewhere a Demon Lord ought to go."

Ige did not understand at first. It took him a while before he snapped back to himself and widened his eyes.

"D-Demon Lord?!" He stared at Leon, his face full of disbelief. "Have you gone mad? I-I-I don't mean to look down on you, but you only got an F in practical classes. Wouldn't it be better to think it over more carefully...?"

F?

That was only because F was the lowest grade available!

If there had been a G, Leon believed he could have easily earned one.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Leon let out a self-mocking laugh, concealing his embarrassment, helplessness, and sorrow. He reached out and patted Ige's thin shoulder. "Magic is only one of the tools for achieving one's goals. Don't rely on it too much. Besides magic, I have other things."

"Other things?" Ige swallowed nervously, his petite body trembling.

"A secret."

Leon smiled mysteriously. In truth, though, he had no idea what to do himself. He could only take things one step at a time.

After all, he could hardly tell this fool that if he reached the surface and saw the situation was bad, he would just run away, could he? Other than being so handsome he barely looked human, he was not all that different from the humans on the surface.

But Ige seemed to have taken him seriously. His big eyes looked at Leon with admiration, as though he were looking at a true hero.

Leon had gotten carried away with his boasting and could not stop himself. He continued grandly.

"How could a man born between heaven and earth remain despondently beneath others for long?"

"A real man has to act like a real man! What kind of skill is hiding in the rear and stuffing your face? Ahem! Of course, I'm not saying you aren't manly enough!"

"What I mean is, if I don't enter hell—ptui! If I don't enter heaven, then who will? Not only am I going in, I'm going in hard! Once I become the Demon Lord, heh heh, heh heh heh..."

I'll definitely buy a house in humanity's Holy City!

Before Leon's words had even faded, Ige had no chance to express his admiration and reverence when a booming voice and the sound of clapping came from the cafeteria entrance.

"Ha ha ha ha! Well said!!!"

His gaze passing over the goblin exchange students busily eating, Leon instinctively looked toward the entrance to see who had arrived. But the moment he saw that face, he nearly slipped off his chair and under the table.

Aiven Kruger! A Demigod-level (X-rank) lich! The principal of Modu Demon Lord Academy! Leon's expression tightened as he silently recited a soul-stabilizing spell, terrified that his true thoughts would be seen through.

Fortunately, the esteemed Mr. Aiven Kruger had not used soul-stealing magic on a mere student.

In Modu, using spells above the fourth tier was forbidden, especially against humans protected by the Demon God.

It was no different from shooting a panda in the butt at a park in Sichuan or Chongqing back on Earth.

As he watched Leon's solemn expression, Aiven's face filled with approval. His kindly gaze was like that of a father looking upon his own child.

"Your courage is commendable... Over the past five hundred years, Hell's talent pool has withered away. Modu Demon Lord Academy has practically become a place for the children of Hell's nobility to gild their résumés. What a pity, what a tragedy! I never expected the one with the most guts to be a human! Of course, I'm not saying humans are inferior. All servants of the Demon God are equal."

It seemed even demigods could not escape political correctness.

Leon thought sourly to himself. So much for power.

Reining in his exaggerated expression, he continued with an honest, guileless look.

"Sir, you flatter me! As you said, all servants of the Demon God are equal... Though I possess only Bronze-level strength, I too wish to contribute my own strength to the Demon God!"

It sounded somewhat contradictory to what he had said before, but in truth, there was no contradiction at all.

The Demon God encouraged ambition, and had even uttered the famous saying, "A Demon Lord who does not wish to become the Demon God is not a good Demon Lord."

Of course, merely repeating that line was harmless enough. Actually trying to do it—or shouting it every day—would be a little stupid.

Aiven looked approvingly at the human youth, finding him more pleasing the longer he looked.

He himself had once been human when he was alive. At seventeen or eighteen, he had merely been an ordinary necromancer... Though he might not have been as low as Bronze-level, but rather two ranks higher, at Silver-level or even Gold-level, none of that was the point! The point was that he had possessed the heart of a strong man! By comparison, the Succubus sitting opposite him had Silver-level strength, yet she kept crying like a little girl... Even if that was probably just how Succubi were designed, he still had to say: what a disgrace! Succubi a thousand years ago were not like this!

Back then, they had eight-pack abs and were so terrifying that even Terror Demons feared them. They could crush human knights beneath their bare fists!

And now? All they had left was the ability to flirt and pose seductively!

He could not see even a shred of ambition to become strong in that girl!

Every demon who had written a letter today—even if they eventually found good jobs, landed cushy positions in good departments, and went on to live carefree lives without having to risk death on the front lines—he, as their teacher, despised them from the bottom of his heart!

Weaklings! Every last one of them was pathetic! Tapping his cane against the floor, Aiven looked solemnly at Leon and spoke with deep meaning.

"Young man, I'll remember you. Come to my office after dinner. I have something to give you... You may consider it a gift."

With that, the old lich in gray robes, his beard white with age, turned and drifted away.

Ige looked at Leon with utter admiration, clearly having already made him his idol.

Yet Leon could not bring himself to feel happy. Instead, his head began to ache.

This was a bit rough.

It felt like he had bragged too much...

All he wanted was to be a small-fry Demon Lord who stayed far away from Modu and close to the human city-states—one who could run at any time if things went wrong, or even throw himself at the Female Hero for free.

In any case, he was not truly undead. He was merely an unskilled necromancer and posed no real threat to humans.

As long as the surface Church did not mind, he would not mind changing his faith on the spot.

He hoped nothing troublesome came looking for him...

Leon prayed to the Demon God with apparent devotion.

After dinner, Leon went anxiously to the faculty building. Politely declining Professor Lilith's invitation for extra lessons, he headed straight to the headmaster's office at the top of the tower.

When he knocked and entered, the old lich was standing by the window with a curved pipe clamped between his teeth. The smoke rising from it looked like the torn remnants of a ghost's soul.

For all he knew, the tobacco really was ground-up ghost souls.

Looking at this old gentleman, worried over Hell's future, Leon forced himself to speak respectfully.

"Sir, I'm here."

Headmaster Aiven did not turn around. He merely said in a gentle voice, "Come here, child."

Leon obediently walked to his side.

"I'm glad you still remembered our agreement." Extinguishing the lit pipe, the old lich tucked it into his robe, then looked out the window. "Look outside from here. Tell me, what do you see?"

Unable to guess what the old lich was up to, Leon probed uncertainly.

"...The Demon Lord Academy?"

"What else?"

"The West Tower cafeteria... Uh, I mean Modu!"

"Look farther! Can't you see it? This gray, murky dome, that cheap imitation moonlight, and the lava that erupts endlessly day and night... Demon God above, this is Hell! The place where we have struggled to survive for a thousand years!"

The old lich spoke as though disappointed in Leon's failure to live up to expectations.

Leon could not help complaining inwardly, How was I supposed to know that? But he could not argue with the old man, so he smoothly went along with it.

"Of course I see it... It's just that, as someone who has merely enjoyed the fruits of others' labor, I truly have no right to say such things."

To be fair, life here was not too bad.

Sure, lava erupted nonstop day and night, but it had not burned him to death, had it?

But those old monsters from a bygone era might see things differently.

Headmaster Aiven wore an expression that said he was teachable, nodded approvingly, and turned his gaze out the window.

Staring at the city beyond the window, barren yet prosperous, the old lich spoke in a dreamlike voice.

"We have remained underground for so long that even our children think... we were born here."

Weren't we? Leon silently wondered as the old lich continued.

"A very, very long time ago, things were not actually like this. In the distant First Era, we were no different from the people on the surface. We too lived upon vast lands, had kingdoms of our own, and worshipped our Gods... Of course, since the undead were not suited to sunlight and demons preferred to travel at night, we generally found a sunless valley or cave to stay in."

Leon: "..."

What was the difference from now, then?! The old lich's gaze sank into reminiscence as he continued in a nostalgic tone.

"...Come to think of it, that was all a thousand years ago."

A thousand years ago, Nether God Hagen fell, and the Os Empire, which worshipped Saint Siss, unified the human world.

From then on, the Nether God's former followers retreated into the deepest reaches underground to cling to life... the place known as Hell.

Thus, the First Era ended, and the Second Era began.

In the early Second Era, the first Demon God, Udis, took up the banner of Hell in place of the fallen Nether God. He became the leader of the undead and demons, unifying the underground world.

However, Udis's abilities were limited. After that, the underground world remained divided and reunited time and again, while he himself was unfortunately killed in a civil war.

Three Demon Gods had ruled since then... and now, it was Bayeri's era.

Moreover, of the three Demon Gods, Bayeri had ruled the longest—more than five hundred years—and would continue to do so.

Under Bayeri's rule, although life in the underground world had improved greatly and even Little Devils could eat their fill, their fighting strength had worsened with every passing year.

Aiven had watched them fall into decadence day by day.

You had to know, five hundred years ago, becoming a Demon Lord required connections!

Back then, only useless trash who were nearly twenty yet still Bronze-level would go loaf around in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. How was it like now, where everyone rushed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs? The younger generation had forgotten just how prosperous a world they had once lived in, caring only for the pleasures before their eyes.

Compared to the prosperous surface world, the underground world's resources were no more than leg hair on a flea!

Still, it was comforting that he had finally seen ambition in a young student that was no less than his own in those days.

He decided to offer this young child some help.

For an old lich who had lived for a thousand years, that was hardly difficult. He happened to have a student in the Cabinet, one who was also a powerful Cabinet minister.

Unlike bureaucratic departments such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Truth, the Cabinet was Hell's true center of power. It was also a place closer to the Demon God than even the temple... saying it had direct access to the Demon God's ear would not be an exaggeration.

"I wrote a letter of recommendation to the Demon God's Cabinet, and I mentioned your name in it."

Leon was stunned.

Good lord, that letter had skipped right over the Ministry of Internal Affairs and gone straight to the Demon God's Cabinet!? Yet he did not rush to celebrate. Instead, he cautiously asked, "Thank you for your high regard... So that I can prepare myself mentally, may I know what the letter says?"

Aiven wore a kindly smile, greatly pleased by Leon's composure in the face of favor and disgrace.

"Recently, a Demon Lord Territory has just fallen. Its former Demon Lord was named Reggie Dragon. Not only was he a Diamond-level Fear Demon, he was also a Duke... If you know enough about Hell's noble circles, you should have heard of the Dragon Family."

"Though strictly speaking, your level does not qualify you to take over Mr. Dragon's position, the mess that fellow caused this time was simply too enormous. I heard even the core of the Demon Lord Territory was destroyed, and he himself was utterly annihilated. As a result, even the Dragon Family, famed for being the best at spreading fear on the surface, dared not take on this hot Flame Crystal... But what I want to say is, while it may be a hot Flame Crystal to them, it is an opportunity for a rookie like you who is just starting out."

Leon's heart suddenly clenched, and he nearly lost his footing.

A Diamond-level Fear Demon?! He did not know any Reggie Dragon, but he did know Professor Eunos, who could scare someone into wetting themselves with a single glance.

He had no doubt that a Fear Demon of that level could press him into the ground with a single pinky finger, the kind where he could not even be pulled back out! Likewise, Leon truly could not imagine what kind of terrifying human hero it would take to beat such a thing until its soul was scattered.

"Wouldn't it be rather inappropriate to hand a territory of that... level to a newcomer like me?" Leon carefully chose his words, fine beads of sweat already appearing on his forehead.

Yet Headmaster Aiven merely waved a benevolent hand, his expression seeming to say that Leon would not need to thank him once he soared to great heights.

"All servants of the Demon God are equal. What is there to say about whether it is appropriate or not? Besides, the front lines have been in urgent need lately, and everyone has been making excuses to avoid it. The Ministry of Internal Affairs truly cannot spare anyone. With my letter of recommendation, the appointment letter is as good as guaranteed. You can rest absolutely assured."

Who the hell was worried about that?! As if he had seen the "caution" on Leon's face, Aiven put on an understanding expression and smiled as he patted the young man on the shoulder.

"I know what you are worried about, but there is no need to worry too much. The reason your predecessor came to grief was entirely because he thought himself clever. He wanted to put on a show before the Demon God, so he took the initiative to attack, only to suffer defeat. But you are different. I believe you are a smart person, one who will do the right thing at the right time instead of letting momentary pride blind you."

"You... are right." Leon squeezed a smile onto his face. It was hardly more radiant than lava, but it was radiant enough.

The letter had already been sent. He knew there was no use struggling any longer, and he might even lose the favor of this big shot before him for being ungrateful.

This was the only thigh he could cling to right now.

"May I ask where that Demon Lord Territory is? If possible, I would like to look up information about the place, so I can prepare before going there."

"Haha, just as expected of a student who scored full marks in theory! I knew you would need those materials, so I already prepared them for you."

Aiven gave Leon an approving look, then turned and pointed with his index finger at the stack of books on the desk.

"The Demon Lord Territory you are about to take over lies on the border of the human Ryan Kingdom. It is within the fief of Grand Duke Campbell, a Ryan Kingdom noble. Nearby is a free city said to have a population of one million... But you need not worry too much about them. Those citizens are all weaklings. They are not of one mind with their lord or priests, and sometimes they even sell their souls to us."

"Different Demon Lord Territories have different strategic objectives. The Demon Lord Territory you are about to take over lies behind the human world, far from the front lines of war. Therefore, your foremost task is not to invade the surface world, but to develop and strengthen the Demon Lord Territory by every possible means."

If that was truly the case, it was at least good news. He would not have to lead Skeleton Soldiers out every few days to draw aggro.

If worse came to worst, he could hide in the city, blend directly into the crowds, and vanish without a trace.

Leon's unsettled heart finally calmed somewhat.

And at that very moment, dear Professor Ai Wen gave him another grand gift.

"...Oh, right. Speaking of Grand Duke Campbell's territory, I suddenly remembered a trophy we seized from the humans a very, very long time ago. Wait here a moment."

As if recalling something, Professor Ai Wen slapped his forehead, turned, and floated into the Meditation Room beside them. Five or six minutes later, he floated back out.

Looking at the necklace the kind-faced old lich placed in his hand, Leon gave him a puzzled look.

"What is this?"

"A relic of Isaac IV, the last king of the Isaac Dynasty, the first dynasty of the Ryan Kingdom—the 'Incompetent King.'"

Leon: "..."

That name alone did not sound particularly promising.

However, Headmaster Aiven apparently did not think so.

"He was much like you. He had no talent for magic when he was young, yet as time passed, he came to wield power comparable to the Gods. I acquired his relic from a knight of the Ryan Kingdom—the pendant in your hand. Judging by the energy field emanating from it, its maker possessed at least Demigod-level strength."

"Demigod-level?!" Leon was stunned.

"That's right." Aiven nodded, his expression meaningful. "Perhaps even beyond Demigod-level, but that is all I can sense... The residual power is very faint, but my instincts cannot be wrong. After all, I have only seen that same aura on those three lords."

Those three lords...

They were probably the three generations of Demon Gods.

Leon clenched the necklace in his hand, his heart pounding wildly. Yet he was also puzzled as to why Headmaster Aiven had given this to him.

No matter how highly this esteemed lich regarded him, this gift was far too valuable!

"You're wondering why I gave it to you, aren't you?"

Looking into Leon's eyes, Aiven smiled kindly and continued.

"Although this necklace was likely made by a Demigod-level powerhouse, judging from the power it displays, it may not actually possess Demigod-level magic. It is more like an antique, and my interest in it mainly stems from Isaac IV himself... Rumor has it that he was the only mortal among the human nations to break through to Demigod-level without relying on Saint Siss's power—and he did it while still alive."

Compared to long-lived races and the undead, humans only lived for a brief hundred years.

How had he mastered, within such a short span, power that even the Gods feared...? Aiven was deeply curious about this.

Rumor had it that the war in which the Os Empire conquered the Isaac Dynasty over nine hundred years ago had been personally orchestrated by Saint Siss through the issuance of an Oracle.

The stated reason was that Isaac IV had blasphemed against the Gods, but in truth, it was far more than such a superficial excuse.

After all, the entire Isaac Family had been ground to dust by the Os Empire, their bloodline utterly extinguished...

Such ruthless extermination was exceedingly rare even in the entire history of the human nations of the Os Continent.

"...Out of interest in the hidden truth behind it, I spent twenty years over the past millennium studying Isaac IV's relics. I even found a way to obtain his diary from the human lands."

"Unfortunately, most of that diary was written in obscure cipher. Deciphering it alone consumed a great deal of my time. Then many other things happened, and I tossed the matter into a corner of the Meditation Room."

As he said this, Headmaster Aiven broke into a radiant smile and took two books from his robes, handing them both to Leon.

"I think it is time to leave this unfinished work to the young... Your talent for scholarship has impressed me greatly. Perhaps pursuing academics suits you better than pursuing magic."

"In any case, you can study them when you have time. Even if you make no progress, they can still help you understand human society on the surface, as well as the Ryan Kingdom you are about to visit."