The Strongest Demon Lord Reincarnated as a Commoner

The aftermath of the Grand Ball was a seismic shift in the academy's social landscape. Leo was no longer just a rumor; he was a proven, terrifying fact. Lord Kaelan von Valerius had been quietly sent back to his family's estate to "recuperate," the official story being a sudden, severe magical backlash. No one believed it, but no one dared to question it either.

Leo's fame, or rather infamy, came with a host of new problems. He received dozens of letters a day. Some were challenges from foolhardy students seeking glory, which Lyra summarily incinerated. Others were fawning declarations of loyalty from strange cults he'd never heard of. Many were anonymous, perfumed love letters.

His life had become a complex administrative task, the very thing he had reincarnated to escape.

The faculty now treated him with a mixture of extreme deference and sheer terror. Professor Finch, the alchemy teacher, would break out in a sweat whenever Leo entered the classroom. Even Commander Blade, during combat practice, would no longer critique his form. She would simply demonstrate a technique and then pointedly avoid looking in his direction, as if afraid to see him casually disprove another thousand years of martial theory.

This new status created a rift in his "team." While Luna's connection with him had deepened, Elara and Kaia felt a growing distance. He was becoming less of a classmate and more of an untouchable deity. Their own pride and ambitions made it difficult for them to approach him as easily as before.

The tension came to a head a week after the ball. A new notice appeared on the academy's quest board, personally posted by the Headmistress.

Urgent Expedition: The Sunken City of Aeridor.

Objective: Investigate a severe magical blight corrupting the Blackwood Forest and trace its source, believed to be within the sunken ruins. This is a Class-A threat.

Reward: Substantial academic credits, royal commendation, and access to the restricted section of the Grand Library.

Recommended Team: Valerius, Ironhand, Brightwood, Vance, and Lyra.

Faculty Supervisor: Professor Morgana Shade.

The naming of the team was a clear message. This was now their official designation. But it was the supervisor that raised eyebrows. Sending the seductive dark arts professor on a mission to investigate a blight was an... unorthodox choice.

The team gathered in a briefing room, the atmosphere thick with unspoken issues.

"Another high-risk mission," Elara stated, her arms crossed. "It seems we are now the academy's designated problem-solvers." There was a bitter edge to her voice. She felt like her own considerable talents were being overshadowed, reduced to being a supporting character in the "Legend of Leo."

"A blight in a sunken city sounds like a good fight to me!" Kaia said, trying to inject some enthusiasm, but even her voice lacked its usual fire. She kept glancing at Leo, unsure how to act around him anymore.

Leo, for his part, was already tired. "A sunken city. That means mud. And dampness. I'm against it."

"Your opinion is noted and irrelevant, My Lord," Lyra said with a serene smile. "Your presence will purify any blight."

Just then, Professor Morgana Shade sauntered in, a wave of her intoxicating perfume preceding her. She wore a practical-looking but still alluring adventurer's outfit.

"Good morning, my little prodigies," she purred, her eyes immediately finding Leo and lingering on him with possessive heat. "Ready for a trip into the spooky woods?"

Her flippant tone grated on Evelyn Blade, who had entered behind her. "Professor Shade," the Commander said, her voice like ice. "I am here on the Headmistress's orders to provide a secondary briefing on the military intelligence." She clearly did not trust Morgana to lead this mission alone.

Evelyn unrolled a map. "The Blackwood Forest is three days' ride from here. The blight is spreading faster than projected. It doesn't just kill plant life; it corrupts it, turning flora and fauna into aggressive, twisted versions of themselves. The source, the Sunken City of Aeridor, was a city of powerful water mages that was magically submerged during the ancient wars."

Her gaze hardened as she looked at Leo. "It was submerged during the wars against the original Demon Lords." The implication was heavy. This was his legacy. His fault.

Leo met her gaze, unfazed. "I wasn't the only one fighting. Things get broken in a war."

Before the tension could escalate, Morgana stepped between them, placing a hand on Leo's arm. "Don't mind the Commander, darling. She's just grumpy she's not invited on our little field trip."

Evelyn's eyes narrowed at the casual, intimate touch. A flicker of an emotion she couldn't identify—a cold, sharp possessiveness—shot through her. It was the same feeling Elara had felt at the ball. The Commander, the untouchable war hero, was feeling jealous.

"My Lord," Lyra said, her voice dropping a degree in temperature as she looked at Morgana's hand on Leo's arm. "This woman's aura is tainted with forbidden pacts. Perhaps it would be unwise to allow her such close proximity."

"Now, now, little priestess," Morgana chuckled, not removing her hand. "We all serve him in our own way, don't we? Some of us just prefer a more... hands-on approach."

The room was now a minefield of female rivalry. The stoic Commander, the seductive Professor, the devoted Priestess, the proud Noble, and the fierce Warrior—all vying for a piece of the oblivious god-king at the center.

Luna, seeing the storm brewing, decided to act. She stepped forward, holding out a small, leather-bound book to Leo. "I... I went to the library," she said quietly, drawing everyone's attention. "This book has information on the water magic of Aeridor. It mentions a central conduit that controlled the city's barriers. If the blight is coming from there, maybe this will help."

She had taken the initiative. She had used her own skills—research and diligence—to contribute, to be useful to him. It was a quiet power play, but an effective one.

Leo took the book, his fingers brushing hers. The brief contact made Luna blush, but she held his gaze. "Thank you, Luna," he said, and there was genuine appreciation in his voice. "This is useful."

He had validated her effort, cutting through the bickering of the others. For a moment, she was the one who had his full attention. The glares she received from the other women were practically tangible.

The team dynamic had shifted once again. It was no longer just about power or proximity; it was about who could prove themselves most valuable to their enigmatic leader.

"Alright," Morgana said, clapping her hands together, a sly smile on her face as she retracted her hand from Leo's arm. "Now that we have our reading material, let's get going, shall we? I have a feeling this is going to be a very... educational trip."

Her eyes promised a different kind of education altogether, one aimed solely at Leo. The mission to the Sunken City was not just about fighting a magical blight. It was the next chapter in the increasingly dangerous and complicated battle for the Demon Lord's heart.