NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 5
Chapter 5 Dark Demon Tries to Become an Ace Student
“After returning, don’t forget to use the Selection Card to check the school rules. Lastly, I wish all new students find their own value within the next six years at Saint Maryann Academy!”
The opening ceremony ended amidst the cheers of the students.
Principal Altair did not make any hints that would steer the plot like Headmaster Dumbledore from *Harry Potter*.
This left Dark somewhat uncertain.
But upon careful reflection, even if something bad were to happen, the protagonist would handle it; what did that have to do with him, a villain?
Better take care of himself!
Saint Maryann Academy was a closed campus, allowing students to leave only during holidays.
Once the gates closed, money, power, and connections were cut off.
Knowledge, abilities, and credits were the decisive factors.
Even being a duke’s son, falling behind would lead to scorn.
Moreover, those admitted to Saint Maryann Academy were future magi, unafraid of noble authority.
Dark knew his reputation was poor, but as a pure-blood noble, some students might sympathize with him.
This suited his plan to reduce socializing, cultivate, and focus on knowledge. Before the demonic bloodline fully awakened, he aimed to remove it completely!
Saint Maryann Academy, besides the Secret Rite Academy of the Saints, had the deepest roots and most extensive library. If even here he couldn’t find a method to remove the demonic bloodline, it was hopeless.
…
Following the seniors out of the grand hall, climbing the marble stairs, passing through the winding corridors filled with portraits, crossing a high bridge, the freshmen of the Noble Academy finally arrived at the tower in the southwest corner of the academy—the dormitory building for the Noble Academy!
Saint Maryann Academy had four such towers, each with nine floors excluding the basement.
The first floor was the Common Room.
From the second floor up, rooms were allocated from first year to sixth year.
The eighth floor was the Dueling Practice Room, and the ninth floor was the Observatory!
The guardian construct of the Noble Academy was a legendary creature known as the “Feathered Serpent”!
Feathered Serpents had colorful wings, deep and wise eyes, gentle and elegant.
They never lied, seeing through illusions and revealing truths, known as “Truth Speakers”!
The Noble Academy’s dormitory was the only one among the four houses that could be directly entered without needing credentials, passwords, or other “keys.”
This was due to the presence of the Feathered Serpent construct.
As long as one passed by this construct, it would know whether you were a student of the Noble Academy.
Dark watched as Diana rushed into the tower and followed her.
When he passed by the Feathered Serpent, the construct guarding the door suddenly opened its snake-like eyes, pupils dilated, bright and spirited, unlike a lifeless construct!
Dark was chilled to the bone.
But the white light emanating from the Feathered Serpent’s eyes scanned over him and then receded.
The Feathered Serpent then closed its eyes again, making no further sound.
Dark hurried his steps, entering the tower, and breathed a sigh of relief.
“I almost thought my demonic bloodline was discovered!”
Originally, Dark thought there was still room for error since the awakening of the demonic bloodline had a progress bar.
But now, even if only 1% was awakened, the Feathered Serpent’s true eyes wouldn’t miss it!
“Is this the so-called ‘hell difficulty’?”
…
“Dark, what’s your room number?”
Diana ran back with the Selection Card.
Dark glanced nervously at the door and injected mana into the card.
The crown pattern on the front of the card faded, showing the information he wanted.
“201.”
“Oh? Diana is 233. That’s far away!”
“Aren’t we all in the same building?”
Dark casually responded and quickly went upstairs, finding the room at the very front of the second floor.
Only after entering the room and locking the door did he gradually relax, unable to help but laugh bitterly.
“Never felt so pressured in two lifetimes.”
The dormitory was a single-occupancy room, equipped with a soft large bed and an independent bathroom.
New living supplies and a complete set of first-year textbooks were laid out on the bed.
Dark barely made the bed before his brain, exhausted, went blank.
“Think about it tomorrow!”
…
Just as dawn broke…
Dark, exhausted, opened his eyes. Opposite the bed, a copper clock on the wall showed the time at exactly six o’clock.
“Six? Classes start at eight… I’ll sleep a bit more!”
**[Laziness +1]**
A cruel system prompt flashed before his eyes.
Dark jolted awake, no trace of drowsiness remaining!
“Ca… a plant.”
The “Wrath” index didn’t increase, and Dark wiped his sweat.
The smallest margin for error was “Pride” and “Wrath,” while “Envy” and “Gluttony” were slightly more forgiving.
A quarter later.
Wearing the school uniform, Dark arrived at the first-floor Common Room.
The Noble Academy’s school uniform was black with gold edges, featuring a small crown on the chest. The school also provided a card pack capable of holding twenty-one mana cards.
The Common Room was quiet, and the mana lights on the walls automatically lit up when someone entered.
Deprived of the pleasure of napping, Dark sat down dejectedly and took out his textbooks from his shoulder bag.
To remove the demonic bloodline, correct methods and necessary knowledge and abilities were crucial.
Imagine having a mana book with the right method in front of you but being unable to understand it—it would be utterly despairing.
“The antonym of ‘Laziness’ is ‘Diligence.'”
Dark picked out the textbook needed for today’s first class from a pile—*Introduction to Basic Summoning*!
“Summoning Spells,” as a means to awaken mana cards, were fundamental spells every magus must master!
Setting summoning as the first class on Monday was to teach new students how to summon familiars from their Selection Cards!
In the dim light, Dark Demon opened the textbook and began previewing alone in the Common Room.
…
A few minutes later, Dark gradually got into the rhythm.
In his previous life, he was at least a college graduate, with above-average text interpretation skills.
Among peers, no young magus had stronger writing skills than him.
“Perhaps becoming an ace student isn’t so bad?”
**[Pride +1]**
Dark suddenly realized he had improved and didn’t mention the plant.
…
If learning could get into a good state, it actually felt quite good.
Because one could genuinely feel the progress.
Humans are naturally eager for knowledge, constantly acquiring it, exploring the unknown, and solving mysteries to open up era after era.
After an hour of diligent studying.
**[Greed +1]**
“Damn!”
**[Wrath +1]**