I Became a Demon Who Can Never Be Headpatted in the Academy?!

【Preventing Mrs. Zepar's Plot (7)】

【Stamina 1, Mana 11, Hunger 0, Stress 13】

Even after checking my status window again, it’s still a mess.

If Gabriel hadn't granted my wish, I would have turned into a squishy hotteok.

"P-please don't kill me! Please! Murmur-nim!!"

Leviathan shouted, trembling.

What should I say about that sight?

"...Pathetic."

A demon who used Mrs. Zepar’s heart and played with people while pretending to be ‘kind.’

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.

But conversely, Leviathan was in a miserable state.

"W-whatever you w-want... You can eat me anywhere! J-just please don’t kill me!"

Leviathan was trembling, completely naked. Not a figurative expression, but in the state they were born in.

From their white chest, to their armpits and bare feet, thighs, and even the private areas that should not be seen, everything was exposed.

And although they brought it upon themselves, black blood was gushing out from their right wrist.

"Leviathan."

What should I do with this one?

They are an evil and merciless demon who committed absolutely unforgivable acts, so should I kill them?

Isn't killing them the right thing to do? They have committed a sin, haven’t they?

"I-I don’t... w-want... t-to die..."

I looked down at the old sword in my hand.

A failed hero.

What was the heart that ‘Seren Valkyris’ had conveyed to Murmur?

What story did I like the most in Legend of Academy?

"From now on, Murmur will..."

"P-p-please... s-save me!!!"

How pathetic.

When they were stabbing Mrs. Zepar in the form of a Phenex, they were having so much fun, but now that they are about to die, they are begging for their life?

They are even wetting themselves?

"...I'll heal you."

"Huh...?"

"M-Murmur?!"

I heard Nikea's horrified voice as she supported the mana pillar.

I’m really sorry, Nikea. But I have my own rational reasons.

Mrs. Zepar's plot went far off my expectations, but the end itself is the same.

In other words, there is still a high possibility that the stories I know will continue. In this situation, if I kill Leviathan, who will definitely appear in a super event later, I don't know what will happen.

In the worst case, the main story might completely change, and I, Murmur, might have to survive in this academy without any knowledge of the future through the eyes of a fifth grader.

"Haa... Murmur is an idiot."

To be a bit honest, I hate myself. The reasons I came up with were my way of looking for a place where I could gain ‘benefits.’

I really, really, really, really hate Leviathan who played with Mrs. Zepar's heart, betrayed her, mocked her, and toyed with her!

But I don’t have the right to kill this one anywhere.

A hero is not such a being, and there is no law anywhere in this world that says it is okay to kill someone just because they committed a crime.

I, Murmur, am a demon who will become a hero.

"Murmur-nim...?"

"Stay still."

I squatted down and grabbed Leviathan's right hand, using healing magic on them.

I never thought the day would come when I would use this on the Seven Sisters of Paradise. When I was learning it in the library, I imagined a different situation.

"...Why did you heal me?"

"Leviathan has committed a very bad sin. But that doesn't mean Murmur can kill them."

"But, but... Murmur-nim is..."

"Yes, Murmur is a hero. And a hero is not a being who kills demons."

I stood up and stepped back a little.

A good smell that was completely different from what I expected was rising up, but it's a bit much to stand on a puddle mixed with urine and blood.

"A hero is a being who protects precious people."

"... ...Murmur-nim."

"So, Murmur will not kill Leviathan. Because they committed a sin, I'll send them to Tartarus."

Leviathan gave a faint smile that was hard to understand.

So, you don’t want to go to Tartarus, do you? It’s a prison with no end.You're thinking of escaping. Since I was going to let you go anyway, I should put my mind at ease.

"If... if, Murmur-nim."

Leviathan’s eyes shone brightly like the sky after the rain had just stopped.

"If Leviathan and my sisters... become Murmur-nim's precious people, will you protect us?"

I thought they would run away immediately, but they’re asking a really weird question.

"Leviathan is ignoring Murmur again, aren't they?"

"H-haha... That can't be. Murmur-nim said you would become a hero."

"Murmur will protect you. I told you. A hero is a being who protects precious people."

It was such an obvious question that I smiled and answered without realizing it.

* * *

The shocking twist that lightly crushed my expectations, Murmur's, the plot of ‘Mrs. Zepar,’ was resolved without any major problems as expected.

First of all, the Seven Sisters of Paradise, ‘Leviathan of Kindness,’ had escaped as expected.

After that, Professor Aiaie and Sitri, along with Esme, appeared at the Piglet House.

The timing was so perfect that the mana pillar, which I couldn't do anything about with my own strength and magic, was neatly repaired by Professor Aiaie's appearance.

Then, just as Professor Aiaie was trying to somehow resolve the situation, the ‘Vice Headmaster of the Middle School Division’ who was digging a hole in the New-Helheim club appeared and caused a commotion.

Nikea, instead of getting angry, picked up the Vice Headmaster and was about to throw them to the ground, and Mrs. Zepar, who was watching the situation, declared that she would confess, bringing the incident to an end.

"So, did Mrs. Zepar end up going to Tartarus after all?"

"Yes, thanks to Murmur's efforts, the summoning of the gatekeeper demon Gabriel was meaningless, and Leviathan was no longer able to destroy the academy, but they were nitpicking about the fact that they were a demon."

"T-that's amazing! Murmur! You really, really! Accomplished something incredible?!"

Esme shouted in an excited voice and hugged me tightly from the side.

...What does me being amazing have to do with hugging me?

"However... I feel bad that we couldn't capture or kill Leviathan, who was the worst of them all."

Nikea glanced at me and gave me a smile full of secrets.

I didn't think I'd be understood, but surprisingly, Nikea gave me an answer that was different from what I expected.

─ "You did well, Murmur... If you had tried to kill Leviathan by force, I don't know what would have happened. You made a very mature choice."

Nikea even respected my choice. I wasn't expecting this at all.

"But, Murmur. Can I ask you a question?"

I nodded, reaching for a fork to the cake Sitri had bought.

"How did you talk to the gatekeeper demon?"

"...Huh? There's no way you could have talked to the gatekeeper demon Gabriel, is there?"

Sitri looked at me with wide eyes.

"Is there a reason? Isn't it possible to talk to demons?"

"That's impossible."

"But in the book I read..."

"Esme, do you believe the stories in fairy tales?!"

Sitri's reaction was very natural.

"In the first place, such demons that Esme mentioned disappeared a long time ago. It's basic common sense that spirits, magical creatures, and demons cannot talk to humans!"

"Hmm, but Murmur said she had a wish at first, and then sang a song? I thought you used some kind of magic like talking to spirits."

Sitri looked at me with surprised eyes.

Sitri, being a demon, seemed to have immediately realized what it meant for me to have exchanged words with a ‘demon’.

But that's a misunderstanding. How do I explain this?

"Murmur just sang a song with her heart. Nikea heard it too, right? Gabriel's voice was as beautiful as the melody of a harp."

"That's right? It was really beautiful. It was the first time I've heard such a beautiful stringed instrument performance."

"M-Murmur-nim...?"

Sitri suddenly poked my waist and put her face close to my ear.

"D-did you talk to them?!"

How do I answer this?

For a demon, the meaning of a demon being able to communicate with a ‘demon’ is enormous. It seems like they are very happy that I am such a demon...

If I don't explain this properly, they'll definitely think I'm a 'child of a demon god'.

But this is a very important matter for Sitri, after all, the meaning of being able to talk to a demon is the same as being able to talk to a 'demon god'.

However, if I were to explain this clearly, I would have to reveal my identity, Murmur, which would lead to even more terrible things...

"Ugh..."

"Murmur-nim?! Murmur-nim?! Please answer! You have to answer!!"

"S-Sitri? What did you whisper that made Murmur so distressed?"

"For me, who is going to be Murmur-nim's bride, this is a question that involves my life! Destiny! Existence itself!"

Ughhh!!

I can't answer any more!!!

─ Knock, knock, knock!

"Princess! Professor Aiaie and Mrs. Zepar have arrived. What should we do?"

Nikea's maid, Maris, peeked through the door and said.

"Murmur wants to meet them!"

I jumped up from my seat and shouted.

"I apologize, esteemed Princess Nikea, Mrs. Zepar said that she would like to speak with Murmur-yang just once, really just once, before she goes to Tartarus."

"It's okay. Murmur is okay with it, right?"

I nodded and looked up at Mrs. Zepar, who was carefully entering.

"Murmur-nim, thank you, really, thank you for forgiving this old woman."

That word forgiveness probably means that I didn't kill her on the spot.

"It's okay, Grandma Zepar. Murmur doesn't have that right."

"Murmur-nim... has shown a more compassionate side than anyone this old woman has met in the past 50 years."

Mrs. Zepar knelt down and sat down, making eye contact with me.

"This favor... if the day comes when I see the sun again, I will repay it without fail."

The old woman didn't run away.

She could have made excuses that she was just used by Leviathan, a changeling who had transformed into a Phenex.

So I forgave her a little. With that heart, I opened my arms and hugged the old woman tightly.

"Make a promise with Murmur, Grandma Zepar."

"I will keep anything you want."

"Let's eat pudding together later."

Mrs. Zepar didn't answer for a moment.

"Let's eat pancakes and make pretty cookies together too."

"Ah... of course. We must do that."

Mrs. Zepar sobbed and hugged me, gently stroking my back and the back of my head.

"Ah... Great and noble demon god... You are granting my wish to see my beloved daughter again like this."

Mrs. Zepar said, shedding tears of happiness.

I hope that one day we can meet again and eat delicious desserts.

* * *

Professor Aiaie and Mrs. Zepar had a few more simple conversations with Nikea and then returned.

"Ugh... But it's a shame! The Moonlight choir festival is the last chance to have fun before summer vacation, isn't it?"

"But summer vacation is just around the corner, so isn't that okay?"

"Still! I didn't get to see Princess Nikea and Murmur sing happily at the choral festival!"

I won't sing. I'll never sing.

"Ah, but speaking of summer vacation, I just remembered something. How are you all planning to spend it? There are really only a few days left, right?"

"I'm naturally planning to go back to my main house. There are things that Colette Auntie left behind and things that I have to learn, so the adults said they would help me."

As expected, Esme will be away from the academy for a while.

"I'm similar. I have things to do when I go back to the Imperial Palace. I want to rest a little, but it's not as easy as I'd like."

"Oh my? Then, is it just me and Murmur-nim who will be left at the academy?"

Sitri's eyes lit up as she grabbed my hand.

"Sitri isn't going back?"

"Ohohot! Of course not. I have something my mother asked me to do, so I have to stay at the academy during the vacation."

"Is it perhaps related to the merchant guild?"

Sitri smiled at Nikea's question.

Well, those are the stories I roughly expected.

I, Murmur, naturally don't have a home to go back to, so I plan to stay at the academy.

I've already made plans for this part too.

I'm planning to meet 'Saint Monica,' who I couldn't meet at the Moonlight choir festival.

In a way, it's a blessing in disguise.

If I meet her for the first time during the summer vacation, a very cute and soft event will occur, and my favorability will increase, so in a way, it's a benefit.

"It seems like I'll be able to have a fun summer vacation with Murmur-nim."

"Yeah, Murmur is looking forward to it too."

Although most of my time will be spent with Monica.

"In that case, Murmur-nim, how about we make a vacation schedule together!"

...Huh?

"From the first day to the last day! I have no intention of wasting this opportunity to monopolize Murmur-nim~"

"S-Sitri?"

"Hmm, how about we explore every corner of the academy together in the first week? And enjoy shopping a lot in Starlight Alley or Dragon Tail Street..."

"M-Murmur has plans..."

"Oh my! Oh my oh my! Do you have a plan to have a fun date with Sitri?"

No, that's not what I meant!

I'm doomed, I'm doomed! It looks like I'm only going to raise Sitri's favorability throughout the summer vacation?!

What does this even mean! It doesn't mean anything, does it?

Date events only open up from the middle school division, so it really doesn't mean anything in the elementary school division?!

"N-Nikea, help..."

I don't want to date a soft elementary schooler!

"I don't like Sitri monopolizing you, but it can't be helped. Have fun during the summer vacation, okay? I'll try to finish my work as soon as possible and come back."

"I'll try my best to learn my work and come back too! Murmur! Don't have too much fun with Sitri, okay?"

No, guys! Save me!

I have to meet Monica...!!!

Even though I always speak kindly! I could become good friends with you too, couldn't I?!