The Interview
In this world, there are a total of 10 mage tiers, but no one has ever achieved the 10th tier mage, Leviathan.
Only a few 9th tier mages existed in the past, and currently only a small number of 8th tier mages remain.
Why create a setting for a non-existent 10th tier?
Why? Because the protagonist will achieve it.
Considering the happy ending, the protagonist will ultimately reach the Leviathan tier. Saving the world and bringing peace goes without saying.
It's a story of a protagonist with painful memories rising from trials to become the strongest — not unusual, right?
However, if it's a story in a game, it changes. Because there's a variable called 'difficulty'.
Even if based on a common story, setting the difficulty to the worst makes it quite troublesome.
And unfortunately, this game's difficulty was the worst of the worst.
'That protagonist's nickname was late bloomer, right?'
He dies easily.
Gets hit in unexpected places, betrayed by unexpected people.
Even if almost all triggers in this world are made for the protagonist's death, it's not an exaggeration.
That's why I'm infiltrating as a professor.
To help from the position of a friend or colleague, the story needs to flow at least to the middle.
Of course. Only after friendship or camaraderie develops can one help each other.
However, the late bloomer protagonist can't hold on until then.
The protagonist's EX-grade trait is 'Late Bloomer'.
At the beginning, it shows late bloomer-like survivability, but towards the end, it shows explosive growth and the protagonist's true colors.
My role is to make the protagonist safely pass the early to mid game. Therefore, there was no choice but to be a professor.
[Interview Waiting Number 82]
Well, let's get to work.
* * *
The city of Anaity, the background of the game 'Leviathan of the Academy'.
Just the fact that the continent's most prestigious educational institution, Rahal Academy, is located there makes the city extremely bustling with people coming and going.
It was an early time with faint morning mist, but the academy was much more lively than usual. It was natural since the interview was on that day.
I checked my appearance in the mirror in the bathroom.
'My eye color is definitely concealed.'
Not just the eyes.
Fangs, sharp ears, overly pale skin — all thoroughly hidden.
To me, who has lived over a hundred years in the Demon Realm, this level of disguise magic is trivial. The wings can be adjusted anyway, so it's fine.
Preparation is complete. I joined the interview line with a natural gait.
"Have you come for the interview?"
A large, burly man in the academy's uniform approached and spoke to me.
Instead of answering, I showed the interview waiting number I was holding. The man nodded his head.
"I hope you obtain the desired result."
I responded with a plain nod to the plain answer.
On the floor of the corridor, there were signs indicating where to stand for this number.
'10… 20… 30…'
After carefully checking the numbers, I could see the 80s section where I was assigned.
Among the waiters, I seemed to be the last to arrive. There was an empty seat only one spot away, as if it was my place for anyone to see.
Again, naturally stood in that gap.
From front and back, the scent of human perfume wafted strongly. It's perfume to evoke affection.
Since it's different from what we use in the Demon Realm, it really feels like I've infiltrated the human realm.
I thought about faking a tense face, but it's not easy.
After living in the Demon Realm for over a hundred years, I've seen countless cruel things.
Scenes where souls are torn apart by dogs, scenes where organs are displayed like decorations...
After experiencing such things, other disguises are easy, but faking a tense expression is not as easy.
'Well, it doesn't matter.'
Even the hiring side would prefer to hire participants who show off their skills calmly rather than those with obvious tense expressions.
The participant in front seems to be having trouble standing still because his legs hurt a lot.
For a vampire like me, waiting is easy.
No, rather than easy, I should say that waiting feels natural. After all, it's just a fleeting moment. It ends in an instant.
How did I end up like this?
This guy's name is Jekiel de Navarus. A vampire lord.
And the alias to be used in the human realm is Adrian.
Originally, I was just playing games normally on Earth. With determination, I clung to it. This game was too difficult.
And the moment I saw the game's bad ending 666 times, I was reincarnated.
Because of the number related to demons, I was reincarnated into the Demon Realm. A hundred years ago, so now the feelings of resentment or curiosity have faded a lot.
I just want to see the happy ending.
"Excuse me."
At that moment, a clear voice shattered my thoughts.
I turned my head slightly and saw that the 83rd participant was calling me.
'Elf'
Pink braided hair and sharp ears. An elf participant who looked quite pretty.
The glasses resting on her small eyes were impressive. One would have to say she looked extremely intelligent.
'So Rahal Academy has a good reputation.'
Even elves come for the interview to become a professor. I can't say anything as a vampire, though.
Anyway, she greeted me again.
"Excuse me?"
"Hello."
I just gave a basic greeting.
Other participants were each reciting their prepared answers one after another, so our conversation wasn't particularly noisy, but since the elf had good intuition, she was a target for caution.
I didn't particularly want to talk for long.
But perhaps because even my blunt answer was satisfactory, she kept moving her lips.
"Are you not tense?"
"Not particularly."
"Wow, I'm envious... I'm too tense right now... ehehe.."
It looks like it from a glance.
Probably because she couldn't overcome her tension, she needed someone to talk to.
Even in the middle of that, the line didn't shorten much.
Given the reputation of the best educational institution, they seem to be pouring enormous time into each participant to select the best educators.
About ten minutes passed.
She spoke again with a clear and pure voice.
"Um... my name is Valery."
"I'm Adrian."
Since we'll never meet again after the interview, it's fine to tell the alias.
"Was the journey here not scary?"
A random question. Interest faded here.
"Not particularly."
"Ah, I see. Actually, I'm a bit scared right now too..."
Where is a participant not afraid of the interview?
At least if aiming for acceptance, one has no choice but to overcome that fear.
As I was about to turn away casually, I realized that what she was afraid of was not the interview.
The countless materials she was holding in her arms.
I wouldn't look at those, but my eyes naturally went to the newspaper tucked between them.
[Anaity Shock Chain Murder]
[A total of 13 people died]
In the headline, it was written in large letters: "A total of 13 people died"
"May I see it for a moment?"
"Uh, huh? Ah, this. Yes, please."
Valery readily handed me the newspaper. I immediately unfolded it.
The unfolded newspaper had photos.
The corpses, all left in a gruesome state, make it hard to believe they were once alive.
"There is one common point among the thirteen: they were all people preparing for the professor interview..."
Valery muttered while trembling.
"So this happened."
I handed the newspaper back to her casually.
"The cause of death needs to be investigated quickly, but it seems to be going smoothly."
Fear filled Valery's eyes.
You're also preparing for the professor interview. With this happening, aren't you scared? She looked at me with those eyes.
"Is it not magic killing?"
"Yes. It says no magic was used at all. Not even dark magic. It says no traces were left."
No traces left.
"Could it be a demon?"
"Ah, that's a bit creepy part. The killer is unknown, but it turns out all the victims were demons! They were disguising as humans!"
Her eyes widened and she jumped up and down.
"Is that so."
"It's really scary! In a world where demons disguise as humans to prepare for the academy interview... Could there be demons hiding among the people standing in line here?"
"This is inside the Rahal Academy space. It can't be."
"Y, y, y, that's right?"
Valery let out a big sigh, as if relieved.
"But... who could the culprit be? Why would they do this?"
"I don't know."
"Even if I don't know who, it seems really scary..."
As I heard Valery muttering like that, I couldn't help but smirk.
Because I was the one who assassinated the ten elite demons of the Demon Realm.