Arrival at the Academy
With a bright, carefree smile, Rai Redford leaned against the carriage window and gazed out at the passing scenery. He ran a hand through his messy hair, shaping it neatly, and trimmed his beard to look far younger than his actual age.
His boyish eyes fixed on the view outside the window made him seem utterly vibrant, the kind of lively young man in his early twenties that almost everyone would believe. Rai appeared pure and innocent on the surface, yet Leila Cloud’s expression toward him was far from pleased.
The journey to the academy, his new assignment, had been nothing but hardship for Leila.
Managing Rai’s playful behavior had been surprisingly difficult. Inside the carriage, his limited range of motion made it bearable, but the moment the vehicle stopped at any village, his unpredictable antics became impossible to control.
He would buy roadside food with money he didn’t have, then insist on paying her instead. He would disrupt entire parties at inns without a second thought. Every single one of his conspicuous actions had been a headache.
The saving grace had been his red hair and red eyes, cleverly concealed by magic. They had transformed him into an entirely different person, making him almost unrecognizable.
Plain dark brown hair and eyes had turned the once-intense figure into nothing more than an ordinary, unremarkable man. At first he had grumbled about the ordinary color, but after seeing his new appearance in a mirror, he had stopped complaining altogether.
Even so, the fact that he still acted freely and never hesitated to cause a scene stressed Leila endlessly.
“That looks delicious! Sam! Sam, stop the carriage for a moment!”
“Hahaha, can’t do that. You’ll get scolded again.”
During the journey, Rai had even started calling the driver by name, and the moment they reached a town he leaned out the window and begged for a stop.
The coachman, who had no idea of Rai’s true identity and only assumed the high-ranking passenger was important, had complied several times. After one scolding from Leila, however, he refused to stop without her explicit order.
Because of Rai’s outrageous behavior, the group had passed through several villages and turned the journey into a forced march with minimal rest.
“Rai, even if the carriage is stuffy, just hold on a little longer. We’re almost there.”
“When we arrive, I’ll take you to the best food stall in my recommendation. Their secret sauce is legendary.”
Rai and the soldiers escorting the carriage exchanged light, friendly banter.
Leila simply couldn’t understand how he had grown so close to someone who had only joined the group a few days earlier, when he had once been a notorious criminal fresh out of Pentas Prison.
She wondered what face the soldiers would make if they learned Rai was the Devil of All Nations.
“Sit up straight.”
“Yes~”
When Leila’s stern voice cut through the air, Rai sat down instantly. The slave contract had granted him enormous freedom, but the moment she activated her authority, he had no choice but to obey.
She rarely used it, yet every time she did, her anger flared. Rai had learned to behave, staying well within the lines so she wouldn’t have to.
With nothing better to do, Rai simply stared at Leila as she read her documents. Her platinum-blonde hair and blue eyes were striking, yet the cold expression on her face made her beauty seem almost wasted.
The light streaming through the window and the steady scratch of her pen matched her focused posture perfectly.
Leila felt Rai’s heavy gaze and finally looked up, her voice cool and sharp.
“If you have nothing to do, memorize the new identity instead.”
“Done already. Forgetting a few scraps of new data is child’s play for someone who has spent millions of years studying.”
His blunt tone, slightly rough accent, and the exaggerated flourish that clashed with both created the perfect distraction. Leila’s head snapped up and she fixed him with a stare.
“Redford was a noble from the southern Brett region, and you actually used their dialect.”
“...”
“Just go back to how you usually speak.”
“Huh? Wasn’t it perfect? I’m pretty good at imitating people.”
“When was that? People in society keep calling me gauche. I’ve been changing it for ages. It sounds like something old people in their fifties and sixties would say. It doesn’t suit your age at all.”
“Old-man talk, huh.”
Seeing Rai slump back in defeat, Leila turned her attention back to her papers.
“The ability to prove you’re from the Brett region could still come in handy. Thinking carefully about the new identity is a good attitude.”
Leila had praised him without realizing it, but Rai simply lowered his head with a smug smile, as if he had been complimented.
He kept grinning even though Leila was ignoring him and concentrating on her documents, which made her frown.
“Your behavior is cold yet somehow kind.”
“Don’t get arrogant just because I gave you one compliment.”
“I never gave one? You must have misheard. Say it again.”
“Stop acting childish.”
Grinding his teeth, Rai lowered his voice into something deadly calm. Before he could explode, he sat up straight and turned his head toward the window.
Leila exhaled softly. She had never imagined the infamous Devil of All Nations would be reduced to this harmless, grinning man.
Time passed. The carriage finally rolled into Regandia Academy.
Founded on the principle of fostering creative talent and maintaining liberal traditions, the academy taught everything from combat to magic, alchemy, and strategy. Its wide courtyard allowed visitors to take in the entire complex at once.
Even the distant mountains were technically part of the academy grounds, so in scale it rivaled an entire provincial estate. The city at its entrance could almost be called the academy’s attached town.
As Rai wandered around taking everything in, Leila spoke quietly to the subordinates who had escorted them.
“Your mission is complete. Return to the capital immediately.”
“Huh? Without even a short break?”
“If we leave now, we can reach the next village before sunset.”
“But I was supposed to have dinner with Rai...”
Leila’s icy stare silenced the soldier’s voice.
Rai gave each soldier a double high-five as a farewell. The usually dignified coachman, who was also old enough to be proper, copied him with a deep, resonant “Yeah~” and slapped palms.
Leila found the sight bewildering. These had been ruthless warriors on their way to Pentas, yet now they were nothing more than carefree country youths playing with an old friend.
When she shot them a quick warning glance, they simply waved and left, offering Rai well wishes. Leila watched them go in silence.
I didn’t even say goodbye to him.
She felt bad for calling them back, yet she didn’t want to admit she had noticed. Instead she pretended not to care and pulled Rai inside the academy by the hand still raised in farewell.
The academy, supported by the empire and countless benefactors, was massive and equipped with the latest facilities. The old stone buildings stood spotless, their walls freshly repaired.
Every time Leila visited, the emphasis on elegance and balance rather than flashy ornamentation calmed her spirit. Rai, craning his neck to look everywhere, seemed genuinely impressed, his eyes sparkling.
“It’s wonderful. I love a country with that much land.”
“Buildings aren’t judged by size alone. The restrained balance starts from the very layout of each structure...”
“Where did you hear I’m from? The self-proclaimed land of beauty and art, or the second-rate pigsty of luxury and decadence known as Kaelan Kingdom?”
As Rai correctly identified his homeland, Leila’s face remained impassive. Kaelan, located at the continent’s center and bordering most nations, had poured its wealth into art and luxury to survive.
With no major industries or resources of its own, the kingdom used its gold to commission famous artists, hoard masterpieces, and build extravagant monuments. The result had been a nation rotten with excess.
The royal family and central nobles had indulged in pleasure and vice, while provincial lords had amassed even greater fortunes. Since foreign trade sustained the wealth, citizens never needed to be squeezed, which was why loyalty to the crown had remained high—yet the kingdom itself had been dangerously fragile.
By some stroke of fortune or misfortune, Kaelan had always produced great generals who solved the problems of neighboring nations. For a time these heroes had kept the kingdom alive, but over generations their rule had grown lazy and careless. A nation sustained by the talents of a few inevitably collapsed.
And the last commander, the greatest of them all—the Devil of All Nations—had surrendered the realm not through conquest but because of the central nobles’ foolish pursuit of pleasure and comfort.
As someone who once commanded an army, Leila understood exactly how hateful and pitiable the Devil had been.
Leila remained silent as she guided him. Rai, finding the atmosphere oppressive, spoke first.
“What kind of person is the headmistress?”
“She is an excellent individual. A learned scholar, and at a young age she became headmistress. Her abilities require no doubt.”
“Young... mid-thirties, maybe?”
“I don’t know exactly, but I believe she is in her mid-thirties.”
Rai’s eyes widened in genuine surprise at a headmistress so young.
“Hee~ It seems her political talent is just as impressive as her career.”
“She is the headmistress, so she belongs in the position. Don’t mix that with politics. She sits there because she possesses the ability.”
“Politics is one of those abilities too.”
Leila’s pure expression made Rai chuckle and shrug.
At the door to the headmistress’s office, Leila frowned and studied him.
“I will not comment on what thoughts are crossing your mind. But do not speak disrespectfully to Headmistress Celenas. She is the headmistress of this academy—and therefore the one responsible for the empire’s future.”
“The empire’s future... that sounds grand.”
“Educating great talents is the future.”
Rai could not say whether Leila agreed, yet compared with his own foolish kingdom, the empire clearly looked far more solid and admirable. He had no choice but to admit it.
Well, even if Kaelan had already fallen, the comparison is meaningless anyway.
While he mocked his homeland, Leila politely knocked and opened the door.
A woman at the elegant desk looked up. Wavy blonde hair, plump red lips, and large expressive eyes made her look far more attractive than a typical scholar.
Behind round glasses, deep black eyes stared at Rai with a light smile.
Leila began her greeting, but the headmistress said nothing. Feeling the strangeness, Leila waited for her to speak. Instead Celenas rose abruptly, beaming.
“Kyaa~! Welcome, welcome! The war hero Elliot!! I was dying to see you! Wait, wait. I must have lost my mind. I am Headmistress Celenas Gobera.”
“Ah... Rai Redford.”
“Yes, yes! Now it’s Rai-kun! That’s right, that’s right! Rai! What a wonderfully ambiguous name. It suits you perfectly. Just a moment, just a moment. Cheese~”
Racing to the desk, Celenas returned with a small box and stood beside Rai, extending her hand to activate it.
—Click.
Mana surged. A flash of light bloomed and vanished. Mana from the gemstone continued flowing, powering another spell, and soon the image of Celenas and Rai embracing appeared—still refined, though slightly less detailed.
“Waa, so cute~. Rai-kun, look! Isn’t the sleeping face adorable?”
Rai was receiving the new gadget, but the headmistress’s behavior shocked him more. He barely noticed the box before Celenas placed the image in a prepared frame on the desk.
Leila quickly spoke up.
“Um... Headmistress...”
“Ah, Lady Leila! Am I really the master of a war hero like Elliot... Rai-kun? The war hero who once made the entire continent tremble is now my slave... What shall I command first... Hehe... Hehe...”
Celenas cupped her cheeks with both hands, eyes gleaming with impure joy. Rai leaned close to Leila and whispered.
“The empire’s future really is bright.”
“...”
“It’s nothing more than an academy.”
“...”
Rai kept staring. Leila could not meet his eyes and turned her head away.
Why do I keep running into this mad Devil of All Nations and watching people fall apart?
Leila had encountered Celenas before— a dignified, elegant scholar. Even though she held the highest position, her presence was warm and approachable, which is why Leila had always liked her. But right now the headmistress seemed completely different, almost like a stranger. The soldiers who had guarded them at Pentas had felt it too. Even the headmistress. Was the Devil of All Nations using some spell to drive everyone mad?
While Leila was deep in thought, Celenas regained her composure, guided them to the central sofa, and personally poured the tea. The cookies that came with it were suspiciously close to Rai’s side, but Leila took a quiet sip.
Even though she was headmistress, Celenas had prepared the tea herself. When Leila asked the name of the blend, she realized the same leaves had been used, yet the taste was clearly different. She set down the cup and pulled out the prepared documents.
“Please sign here if you agree to transfer Rai Redford to Headmistress Celenas.”
“Of course, I’ll sign right away.”
Although she said she would sign immediately, Celenas read the contract with calm, meticulous eyes—unlike the excited woman from moments ago. She picked up her pen.
“Um... I do have a few clauses I would like to add, but I will sign.”
“If there is something you want to add, feel free.”
“Um... may I summon you at any time I wish, or dress you in any accessories I choose?”
Rai stared at the word “accessories” with obvious confusion. Celenas smiled sweetly.
“I was joking.”
Whether she meant it seriously or not, she signed without hesitation. A blue light flowed between them, binding the two. Externally nothing had changed, but the connection was unmistakable to those involved.
“It’s a pleasure working with you, Rai-kun.”
“Please feel free to be casual. I am your master now.”
“Master...”
Celenas laughed wickedly. Leila lowered her head in embarrassment, but Rai’s eyes never left the headmistress. The formal posture of a guest host made the slightly unnatural movements look perfectly natural.
What does “no politics involved” mean? It’s obvious she’s dangerous.
Whether her feelings were genuine or not was irrelevant. Behind the glasses, the eyes showed a light demeanor, but Rai had no idea what was really going on inside her head—especially when her gaze seemed to drift into the distance even while staring straight at him. It was the same way skilled interrogators observed everything without appearing to do so.
“Unlike other academies in the empire, Regandia has a free atmosphere. You will feel more at home here than in a rigid military school, Rai-kun.”
“You seem to know quite a bit about me.”
“Yes, I heard many stories from Vice-Commander Joshua and Lady Melanie. And I personally investigated quite a bit.”
Celenas smiled gently. When Rai heard the names of the vice-ministers, he reacted exactly as Leila had expected. She stole a glance at his calm expression.
“We will save the boring academy stories for later. The journey here has tired you, so today is for rest. Lady Leila, Rai-kun, I will ask you both to look after the academy students from now on.”
Celenas bowed slightly.
“Since I have become a member of the academy myself, feel free to call me by name.”
“I will. Celenas.”
Leila glanced at Rai. He was watching her with new understanding. She really is an instructor here now.
“You thought I’d leave you alone?”
“I don’t need looking after.”
“It’s not looking after. It’s monitoring.”
“Hehe, if I ever need care, just come anytime. The headmistress’s office is always open.”
Leila and Rai bantered like old friends. Celenas watched them with a warm smile.
“I have arranged lodging inside the academy. You know the boundaries are restricted to the academy grounds. Because the land is so vast, you can currently only access Region 1 and 2—classrooms and small training fields. Do not go too far; you will hurt yourself.”
“Yes, I’m a very obedient person.”
“Despite being a terror that made your kingdom’s people miserable.”
Rai had no reply. The fact that he had once caused trouble and committed acts of madness was well-known to anyone who had even a passing interest in the Devil of All Nations. He simply nodded.
Before leaving, Celenas called them back quietly.
“The moment you step outside this room, the Devil of All Nations no longer exists. Whatever happened to Kaelan Kingdom, whatever legend the war hero was—those things belong to someone else. Only Rai Redford remains.”
“Yes. Only the master-slave relationship remains.”
Rai left the headmistress’s office with those words.
Alone, Celenas gazed at the framed photo of Rai and smiled bitterly.
You can’t remember.
She knew it was a pity, yet she also understood that asking him to remember her back then had been unreasonable. She shook her head slightly.
She had saved his life, yet now she had to use him as a slave. His abilities were lacking, his personality even worse. The headmistress who should be responsible for the children was in this state. She could only feel sorry for everyone.
“Slave again... I’m sorry.”
Leila exhaled softly, straightened her expression, and picked up her pen to report the situation.