The next few days at the academy were anything but normal. Wherever Vax went, he could feel the weight of countless eyes on him—students whispering behind his back, instructors studying him more intently than before. Even his F-rank classmates, who once ignored him, now approached him with cautious curiosity.

But not all attention was benign.

In the shadows of the courtyard, nobles gathered in hushed conversations. Aisha stood among them, her expression cold as ice. “It doesn’t matter how powerful he is,” she said, her voice firm. “Someone like him doesn’t belong here.”

Scene: A New Presence

Late one evening, after another grueling day of whispered rumors and judgmental stares, Vax wandered outside the academy walls. The moon hung high, its pale light casting long shadows over the forest that bordered the campus. It was a place he often went to clear his mind, away from the suffocating atmosphere of the academy.

But tonight, he wasn’t alone.

“Troubled, aren’t we?”

The voice came from the shadows, smooth and melodic yet carrying an edge of danger. Vax spun around, his hand instinctively going to the small dagger at his belt.

A figure stepped into the moonlight—a young woman with dark crimson hair that cascaded down her back like a river of blood. Her eyes glowed faintly in the dark, a deep shade of violet, and her lips curled into a faint smirk.

“Who are you?” Vax demanded, his grip tightening on the hilt of his dagger.

The woman tilted her head, her expression almost amused. “You don’t recognize me, do you?” she asked, taking a step closer. Her movements were graceful, almost otherworldly. “Perhaps this will help.”

She raised a hand, and for a brief moment, a dark aura flickered around her, pulsing with raw, unrestrained power. Vax felt his chest tighten as the energy washed over him, its weight unmistakable.

“You’re… you’re connected to the Demon Lord,” he whispered.

“Very good,” she said, her smirk widening. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Selena. I’m the daughter of the Demon Lord you humans fear so much.”

Scene: A Proposition

Vax’s instincts screamed at him to run, but something in Selena’s gaze held him in place. She didn’t move to attack; instead, she folded her arms and studied him with interest.

“You’re different from the others,” she said. “Not just because of your power, but because of your potential.”

Vax frowned. “What do you want from me?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Selena replied. “Why are you hiding your strength? Why let those arrogant nobles walk all over you when you could crush them?”

“I’m not like that,” Vax said firmly. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

Selena chuckled softly. “You’re too naive, but I suppose that’s to be expected. Tell me, Vax—what would you do if the people here turned on you? If they decided you were too dangerous to keep around?”

Vax hesitated. The memory of the principal’s warning came rushing back, and for the first time, he felt the full weight of what it meant to be different.

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

Selena’s expression softened, and for a moment, she almost looked… sympathetic. “You’ll need allies, Vax,” she said. “People who understand what it’s like to be feared for what they are. I can help you, but only if you’re willing to trust me.”

“And why would I trust the daughter of the Demon Lord?”

“Because,” Selena said, stepping closer until they were face to face, “you and I are not so different. The world sees us as threats, monsters even. But that doesn’t mean we can’t carve out a place for ourselves.”

Scene: A Hidden Ally

Selena turned to leave, her crimson hair catching the moonlight like a living flame. “Think about it,” she said over her shoulder. “When you’re ready to stop playing the academy’s game, come find me. I’ll be watching.”

And with that, she vanished into the shadows, leaving Vax alone under the moonlit sky.

He stood there for a long time, her words echoing in his mind.

Was she right?

Would the academy ever truly accept him? Or was he destined to walk a different path, one where he could embrace his power without fear of judgment?

For the first time, Vax wasn’t sure of the answer.