[ Morning – On the Way to Babyls]
The rising crimson sun barely peeked over the Netherworld's horizon as Iruma, Clara, and Alice trudged up the winding path to Babyls.
Iruma walked at a slightly slouched pace, a massive canvas sack strapped to his back. The contents—textbooks, enchanted cooking sets, and scrolls Sullivan insisted were "absolutely essential"—threatened to flatten him like a pancake.
Beside him, Clara bounced gleefully under the weight of a similarly enormous sack, which audibly giggled and gurgled with every step. Whether it was alive or not was anyone's guess.
Meanwhile, Alice Asmodeus, ever immaculate, strolled effortlessly beside them with only a single elegant shoulder bag. Not one strand of his hair was out of place.
"This feels like… three years' worth of supplies." Iruma panted.
"Heehee! My bag's full of toys, snacks, snakes, and a tiny Iruma doll!" Clara sang.
"You were both over-prepared. I told you: quality over quantity." Alice sighed, adjusting his crimson scarf.
[ Babyls Entrance – The School Gates]
As they reached the towering obsidian gates of Babyls, the Student Council stood in formation. First-year students were arriving in waves, chattering excitedly.
At the front, Jazz, Allocer, and other Misfits already in uniform gave nods of acknowledgment as Iruma's trio passed.
"Good morning!" Iruma smiled, bowing politely.
Then chaos descended.
From behind the gates came a thundering roar of footsteps.
"IT'S IRUMA-SAMA!!"
"KYAAAA~! He's even cuter in person!"
"The Hero of Walter Park!"
"Did he really fight side-by-side with a Dragon?!"
A flood of students surged through the doors, eyes starry, arms reaching, and mouths full of praise. Iruma's eyes widened in horror.
"No—No... I was trying to keep things quiet.!" he gasped, but it was too late.
They were swarmed.
--
[ Within the Mob]
Clara giggled like a maniac as she swung her sack like a flail, twirling around gleefully.
"It's like a party! WAAAGH!"
Alice gritted his teeth, his eyes glowing faintly with magic as he kept students from touching Iruma too roughly.
"Back away from Lord Iruma, you unruly Demon!"
Despite his efforts, their sacks were torn open—supplies flying into the air like confetti. Books, pencils, even magical lunchboxes tumbled through the crowd.
[ Named Reactions – Supporting Characters]
From a balcony, Eiko gasped, nearly dropping the diary she used to secretly record her observations of Iruma.
"He's... surrounded! Should I intervene? No! This is perfect for me to see him!"
Near the courtyard pond, Gaako pointed toward the chaos.
"That's the demon—I mean, Iruma-kun, right? He really is kind of dreamy."
Donsako, lounging on the steps, scoffed, arms crossed.
"Hmph. Not that impressive. Though… that was a nice counter spell he used last term."
--
[ Distant – Student Council Balcony]
High above, perched on the polished marble balcony of the Student Council, Azazel Ameri stood, arms folded tightly.
Her brows twitched slightly as she watched Iruma struggle with the crowd below.
"…Foolish… He attracts attention without even trying…"
Her cheeks puffed just barely. A vein throbbed near her temple.
"And yet… they just throw themselves at him."
She turned away sharply, her long black hair swinging like a cape.
"Tch. Not like I care."
She absolutely cared.
[ Back in the Crowd]
"Clara, Alice—help! I think someone just took my—wait, is that my toothbrush!?"
Iruma flailed, halfway through being hoisted into the air by several enthusiastic first-years.
Alice, eyes twitching, muttered a single word:
"Enough."
With a wave of his hand, a controlled blast of heat magic rose around him, swirling and elegant—not enough to burn, but just enough to scatter the crowd back a few paces.
"Give Lord Iruma some space."
Clara pouted. "Aww, but I was having fun..."
Iruma stumbled back to the ground, red-faced and breathless.
"T-thanks…I appreciate it. Both of you.."
[ Classroom Door – Moments Later]
Eventually, the trio made their way to their classroom. Their supplies were in disarray, and Iruma's bag was now comically deflated.
"Not… exactly the entrance I was hoping for."
Alice adjusted his cuffs. "You're admired. This is the cost of fame."
Clara popped a magical candy in her mouth. "I still have my tiny Iruma doll! So, all is well!"
As the classroom doors opened, more eyes turned their way.
The new term had begun—and Iruma's plan to "lay low" was already in flames.
--
[ Outside the Royal One Classroom – Morning Glory]
The doors to the Royal One classroom loomed tall and black, embossed with golden symbols that shimmered faintly under the shifting Netherworld light. But rather than being a place of mystery or reverence today…
…it was the epicenter of noise.
Outside the door, several members of the Misfit Class lounged about like celebrities on a red carpet. Sabnock Sabro, arms crossed and cape flaring in the wind, stood tall on a small crate someone had dragged out.
"You wish to touch greatness?" he boomed to a cluster of wide-eyed underclassmen, handing out signed headshots of himself mid-battle. "Very well! Only the worthy shall receive my mark!"
Next to him, Shax Lied leaned coolly against the wall, sunglasses half-lowered, posing with a smirk while a pair of younger students eagerly snapped photos.
"What can I say? We're icons now," he said, lifting his sharpie pen with a flourish. "One per demon—front of the line gets the real signature. The rest? Hmm…maybe just a wink."
Jazz and Allocer sat behind a merch table they'd mysteriously acquired, distributing commemorative "Misfit Mayhem" pins—Jazz collecting coin while Allocer corrected the pin quality and balance.
Clara, of course, was skipping around in circles wearing three different backpacks, trading weird candy for oddly shaped plushies with passing fans.
"WHEEEE! You get a bunny-chu! And YOU get a slime-goo! Everyone gets a squeaky-squid!"
Iruma, in the middle of the chaos, stood politely to the side, overwhelmed but smiling nervously as yet another demon girl shyly asked for his autograph with trembling hands.
"Uh… sure! Here you go. T-thank you for supporting us!"
Azz stood nearby like a personal guard, glowing with pride at how admired Iruma was.
--
[ The Applause]
Eventually, the bell chimed, magical and melodic.
"MISFITS! TO CLASS!" Sabro roared, gesturing dramatically toward the grand doors.
As if rehearsed, the entire class struck proud poses and strutted into the Royal One classroom. The surrounding students clapped and cheered. Applause echoed through the corridor like a standing ovation.
Iruma, face now flushed red, whispered:
"This is not laying low... at all."
The doors shut behind them with a magical thunk, silencing the outside world.
--
[ Inside the Royal One Classroom – Bragging and Doom]
The moment they stepped inside, Shax Lied slung his bag onto the nearest desk and flopped dramatically into his chair.
"Ahhh~ Fame is exhausting. I signed twenty-seven things today! I even autographed someone's shoe! And don't get me started on the workload—Kalego-sensei gave us enough homework to write a grimoire!"
"You didn't even do it, did you?" Jazz muttered without looking up, flipping through a demonic magazine.
"Of course I didn't!" Lied puffed out his chest. "Famous demons don't need to do homework. We radiate charisma!"
"Tch. Idiot," Allocer added, adjusting his tie. "You realize we still need to raise our ranks, right? Or we're out."
Lied waved it off. "Relax, guys! This is our era! We're untouchable!"
"Is that so?"
A frigid silence settled.
Everyone froze.
From the front of the classroom, rising like a summoned shadow, stood Naberius Kalego—arms crossed, eyes glowing with patient disdain.
"S-Shax Lied."
"U-uh... yes, Kalego-sensei?" Lied turned slowly, voice cracking.
"If you are so 'untouchable,' then surely this punishment won't bother you."
With a flick of his hand, enchanted ropes erupted from a corner of the room, snaring Lied by the ankles and hoisting him upside down into the air. He dangled like a poorly hung banner, flailing and shouting.
"WAHHH! Wait! This isn't how celebrities are treated!"
"You are not a celebrity. You are a student." Kalego replied, flicking his finger for extra rotation.
Lied spun gently.
"We will now begin homeroom."
The class collectively exhaled.