The Strongest Demon Lord Reincarnated as a Commoner

The journey to the Blackwood Forest was a tense affair. The academy provided them with sturdy mounts and supplies, but no amount of preparation could ease the strained atmosphere. They rode as a tight-knit group, an island of simmering tension in the vast countryside.

Professor Morgana, true to her nature, used the long hours on horseback to subtly assert her claim. She would ride close to Leo, her knee occasionally brushing against his, her conversation filled with double entendres and veiled references to dark powers that only he would understand. It was a private dialogue conducted in public, designed to exclude the others.

Lyra countered with quiet, unwavering service. Every time they stopped, she would have a waterskin ready for Leo before he even realized he was thirsty. She would inspect his horse's tack with a critical eye, ensuring his comfort and safety above all else. Her devotion was a silent, constant rebuke to Morgana's flashy seductions.

Elara and Kaia formed an unspoken, grudging alliance. They found themselves pushed to the outer circle and didn't like it. They rode together, their conversations clipped and focused on the mission. They were trying to reclaim their own identities as powerful individuals, not just members of Leo's entourage. Yet, their eyes would frequently drift towards the center of their formation, where Leo rode, seemingly oblivious to the currents of jealousy swirling around him.

Luna remained his quiet anchor. She didn't compete. She simply existed in his orbit, occasionally offering a piece of information from the book she'd found or pointing out a landmark. Her calm, non-confrontational presence was a stark contrast to the others, and Leo often found his gaze resting on her, a silent acknowledgment of the peace she brought.

On the second night, they made camp on the edge of the Blackwood Forest. The air was already colder here, and the trees ahead were dark, twisted silhouettes against the twilight sky. The blight's oppressive aura could be felt, a faint, sickly feeling in the air.

After a simple meal, the group settled around the campfire. Kaia was sharpening her sword, Elara was reviewing the map, and Luna was reading her book. Lyra was meditating a short distance away, her senses extended to form a protective ward around the camp.

"My, my, all this work is so stressful," Morgana announced, stretching theatrically, the firelight accentuating her generous curves. "I think a little relaxation is in order. The river I spotted nearby should be perfect for a late-night bath to wash away the dust of the road."

Her eyes locked onto Leo. "Care to join me, Leo? We could... discuss the esoteric properties of magically-infused water." The invitation was a blatant, seductive challenge to everyone present.

"No, thank you," Leo said without opening his eyes. He was leaning against a log, trying to rest.

"Oh, don't be shy," Morgana purred, undeterred. "I'll even wash your back." She winked, then sauntered off into the darkness towards the sound of the river, confident that she had planted a seed of temptation.

A tense silence fell over the campfire. Elara's grip on her map tightened. Kaia made a disgusted noise in her throat. Luna's face was bright red, and she buried it deeper in her book.

An hour passed. Morgana did not return.

Leo, who had appeared to be dozing, suddenly sat up. His lazy demeanor was gone, replaced by a sharp, focused alertness.

"What is it?" Elara asked, her own senses tingling.

"She's in trouble," Leo stated simply. It wasn't a guess. He could feel the sudden spike of dark, corrupted magic from the direction of the river.

Without another word, he stood up and walked into the forest.

"Wait! We should go with you!" Kaia called out, grabbing her sword.

"Stay here. Guard the camp," Leo ordered over his shoulder, his voice leaving no room for argument.

He moved through the dark woods with an unnatural silence and speed. He followed the magical disturbance, arriving at the riverbank in moments. The scene was alarming.

Morgana was in the water, but she wasn't bathing. She was ensnared. Vicious-looking, thorny vines, corrupted by the blight, had erupted from the riverbed. They were wrapped around her limbs and torso, their thorns digging into her pale skin, drawing blood. The vines were glowing with a sickly purple light, actively draining her magical energy. Her dark arts, powerful as they were, were ineffective against these life-draining, corrupted plants.

She was pale and gasping, her strength fading fast. "Leo..." she managed to say, relief and shame warring in her eyes. "A little... help."

Leo looked at the scene, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. Her recklessness had created a problem he now had to solve.

He didn't bother with brute force. He simply stepped to the river's edge and placed his hand on the surface of the water. He released an infinitesimal pulse of pure, ordered energy—the polar opposite of the chaotic blight.

The effect was instantaneous.

The entire river, for a hundred yards in either direction, glowed with a soft, golden light. The corrupted vines shrieked, a high-pitched sound only audible to a magical ear. They recoiled from Morgana as if burned by acid, retracting back into the mud and dissolving into nothingness. The water around her was instantly purified, the blight's taint erased.

Morgana, suddenly free, collapsed forward, her energy spent. Leo moved in a blur, stepping into the shallow water to catch her before she went under.

He now held her in his arms, her completely naked, wet body pressed against his uniform. Her skin was cold, and she was shivering. The firelight from the distant camp cast flickering shadows on her glistening form, highlighting the red marks left by the thorns and the perfect, voluptuous curves she had so proudly displayed earlier.

It was a scene of extreme vulnerability and raw, unintentional intimacy.

"You're an idiot," Leo said, his voice flat.

Morgana let out a weak, breathless laugh. "Perhaps," she whispered, her head resting against his chest. She could feel the steady, powerful rhythm of his heart. She could feel the sheer, overwhelming power radiating from him, a power that had just saved her life effortlessly. Her attempt at seduction had failed, but her foolishness had resulted in something far more potent: she was in his arms, utterly dependent on him, saved by him.

"Thank you... Leo," she said, her voice soft and genuine. All the masks, all the seduction, all the games were stripped away, leaving only a woman who had been rescued by the man she was beginning to worship. She tilted her head up, her violet eyes locking with his, her lips slightly parted.

Leo looked down at her, at the raw vulnerability and dawning adoration in her eyes. This was the moment of connection, the point where a harem member's affection solidified. He understood the formula perfectly.

He picked her up out of the water, bridal style, his arms securely under her legs and back. "Let's get you back to the fire before you catch a cold," he said, his tone practical, completely sidestepping the charged, romantic moment.

As he walked back towards the camp, carrying the naked, shivering Professor of Dark Arts in his arms, he knew this would create yet another problem.

He was right.

The first to see them emerge from the trees was Elara. Her eyes widened, taking in the scene: Leo, his uniform soaked, carrying a completely nude and vulnerable-looking Morgana. Her mind jumped to the most obvious, and most infuriating, conclusion. The "bath" had been a success after all. A hot, jealous anger, more intense than she had ever felt, flared in her chest.

Kaia saw them next, and her jaw dropped. Her fists clenched. It was one thing for the Professor to be a shameless flirt, but this... this was a victory she hadn't earned. It was a prize won through weakness, not strength.

Luna peeked over the top of her book, and her heart sank. A painful ache spread through her chest. The gentle warmth she had felt from his touch after the ball now felt like a distant memory, replaced by the cold reality of the other, more aggressive women in his life.

Lyra, ever serene, simply watched them, her silver eyes narrowing. The Tainted One had used her weakness to engineer a moment of physical intimacy with her Lord. It was a clever, underhanded tactic. One she would not forget.

Leo strode into the center of the firelight, placed Morgana down on a bedroll near the fire, and covered her with a thick blanket.

"She was attacked by blight-vines," he announced to the silent, accusing audience. "She'll be fine."

His explanation, logical and true, did absolutely nothing to quell the storm of jealousy, suspicion, and heartbreak that was now raging around the campfire.

The mission to the Sunken City had just become infinitely more complicated.