How to Live the Life of a Demon Chapter 27 - What Happens in the Desert (2)

 

“Lucius!!”

 

Lucius, who was enjoying a leisurely tea time at the designated time, furrowed his brow at the noisy sound coming from afar.

 

He put away the documents he was looking at and waited for the unwelcome guest as Rayel appeared on the other side of the door with an uncharacteristically bustling entrance.

 

A cute face appeared beyond the open door. He approached with a big smile and sat opposite Lucius.

 

When Lucius put down his cup, Rayel’s eyes lit up. 

 

“It smells good! What is this? It seems like a mix of various things… Is this the scent of roots and hibiscus? And…”

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

“Oh, right! Lucius, wouldn’t you like to go out for a stroll? They say there’s a lot to see in Rudd both during the day and at night.”

 

“Are you asking me to tour a desert city?”

 

He’s not just any other race, but a dryad.

 

Of course, even though he can do ordinary activities and even battle in the desert, he doesn’t prefer land that is dry and has little vitality.

 

It’s an inherent problem.

 

Rayel pouted his lips. Still, he dragged on his words.

 

“Even Professor Arnold… Hm, he said it’s not a good place to have fun, so it’s better to rest in the lodging. Properly managing your condition is one of the important qualities… or so he said.”

 

Clearing his throat and mimicking Arnold’s tone, Rayel slumped down on the table.

 

“It’s a new environment, so I want to go out and see what the atmosphere is like. Everyone has gone out to have fun! Huh? Lucius, let’s go together!”

 

‘Well, it’s a bit annoying to just let it go.’

 

It might be good to take a look at the city for once.

 

Although it is an unwritten rule not to get involved in events happening in other territories, if Arnold is acting sensitive, it might not be a trivial matter. 

 

And considering Tariq’s personality, he would undoubtedly know about the incidents occurring in the territory.

 

‘He is probably turning a blind eye.’

 

Or he is doing it himself.

 

Lucius, who was silent for a moment, nodded.

 

“But what about Kian?”

 

“Oh, Kian’s passed out now. He went on a rampage yesterday… I heard that beast-type demons have hunting instincts. He seemed to be resisting it. I thought he might collapse, so I just put him to sleep.”

 

Rayel said and lightly spread his wings. Transparent wings resembling butterflies flapped once, and fine powder sparkled.

 

“I guess he won’t be able to get up today.”

 

“Hehe, that’s right.”

 

Fairy wing powder had a powerful sleep paralysis effect. It was often used by the Fourth Elder during large-scale demon riots.

 

Rayel added, “Kian is sleeping, so it’s a bit boring, don’t you think? We should find a friend at a time like this.”

 

Don’t you think?

 

Rayel grabbed Lucius’s hand and urged him to go outside with him. 

 

“Come on! Let’s go together. It seems like Senior Lennox won’t be waking up today either.” 

 

He’s quite perceptive. 

 

Lucius shrugged his shoulders. 

 

If he has to reluctantly accompany him, then so be it.

 

* * *

 

Lucius carefully looked around the market square.

 

Buildings made of mud were clustered in a circular fashion around the square.

 

The square was in the very center, in a hollow area. True to its desert city nature, there was an oasis in the square.

 

Clean water flowed from various sources, supplying the entire city through well-maintained canals. 

 

Since the residential areas were higher than the oasis, there was no worry of flooding.

 

The city was supported by tightly packed sand pillars, with water flowing through them. 

 

There was also green moss growing along the path.

 

At first glance, it looked like a city of water.

 

Rayel said as he walked.

 

“Lucius, is there anywhere you’d like to see? The Colosseum is nice, and it’s pretty to look down on the city from the spire. There’s also a lot to see in the square.”

 

“Let’s first go to the square along the road.”

 

He had visited Rudd once before. However, at that time, he was busy carrying out orders and didn’t have the leisure to enjoy sightseeing, so he immediately returned to the mansion.

 

‘No, that’s not it.’

 

In fact, since becoming an elder, it was the first time he had spent time so leisurely.

 

Before that, he was always busy training, so he rarely had a chance to relax.

 

‘In a way, I’m still on duty now…’

 

Compared to his usual routine, this was like a vacation.

 

“…”

 

Did he intentionally send him to the academy to give him a vacation?

 

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Lucius shook his head. The other party was the Demon King. He wouldn’t issue such lenient orders.

 

Besides, it’s just a school trip, so he’s inevitably taking a break. When attending regular classes, he’s actually busier than before.

 

“Okay, let’s go!”

 

Rayel smiled brightly and often ran around to lead the way to the square.

 

There were quite a few demons gathered in the square.

 

Not only nearby residents but also students, tourists, and traders.

 

It was a very lively atmosphere.

 

“Do you want to ride that?”

 

Rayel pointed to a row of floating boats. It seemed like they were using the city’s waterways to transport goods or provide guidance.

 

‘Come to think of it, there are no flying demons in Rudd. The entire city is a no-fly zone.’

 

While there are demons who can move through the sand, there are none who can freely soar through the sky.

 

Looking up, instead of the sky, a thick sand ceiling filled the view.

 

“How about taking a ride around the city on that boat and getting off at a suitable spot?”

 

“Then let’s do that.”

 

A sight unseen in any other city.

 

As a place rarely considered a tourist spot, it was bustling yet exuded a relaxed atmosphere.

 

‘At a glance, it seems ordinary.’

Lucius slowly scanned the city.

 

Rayel quietly watched him survey the scenery.

 

It was an unexpected sight from Lucius, who always acted as if he knew everything and excelled in everything.

 

‘Now he looks his age.’

 

Among his classmates, Lucius had an unusually mature personality and way of speaking, making it very difficult to approach him.

 

It seems like the line has been clearly drawn.

 

Other children also said that they could hardly talk to him because of this.

 

Sometimes, they even said he looked very intimidating.

 

Rayel smiled secretly.

 

He was genuinely happy that he felt like a friend now.

 

However, contrary to such thoughts, Lucius’s gaze was not as carefree.

 

‘There are no suspicious demons around. They don’t seem to be wary of outsiders. It’s not something the teacher should worry about.’

 

“Lucius, come here!”

 

Rayel, who looked very excited, waved to Lucius. Lucius took his eyes off the square and boarded the boat he had prepared.

 

The boat, which had wobbled heavily once, began to move smoothly. The boatman glanced at them briefly and struck up a conversation.

 

“Are you students at the academy?”

 

He was an elderly-looking demon.

 

Judging by the weak waves of magical energy that seemed as if they would go out at any moment, it seemed like he was playing the role of a boatman to enjoy the rest of his life in peace.

 

“Yes. We came from Cyrus!”

 

“Cyrus is great. I know because I also worked as a teacher.”

 

“Wow, that’s amazing! What did you teach?”

 

The boatman looked at Rayel and chuckled, starting to tell his anecdotes. Rayel’s eyes sparkled as he got engrossed in the story.

 

Lucius watched them.

 

It was quite fascinating to see them warmly engaging with a stranger, striking up conversations, and exchanging banter.

 

The climax of their peculiar conversation came when they disembarked from the boat.

 

“Thanks to the students, I had fun after a long time! I’ll make it 500 cents as a special price!”

 

“I had a great time too! It turns out I have 1,000 cents here. Here you go!”

 

They exchanged small copper coins instead of platinum coins, as if they were bargaining with each other.

 

How refreshing.

 

Rayel met Lucius’s gaze, then smiled broadly and followed him with light steps.

 

“He says if you follow this road, you’ll find some delicious restaurants. And Tariq’s mansion, along with the bell tower next to it, is worth a visit.”

 

“Rudd surprisingly has a lot of open areas.”

 

“Yeah, that’s true. It’s rare for someone to keep their mansion open to the public. Maybe he can afford it since he’s number seven.”

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

Demons have a strong tendency to secure and protect their territories. Some are even uncomfortable with other demons from different territories setting foot in their mansions, let alone their territory.

 

Tariq is exceptional in that regard.

 

“Let’s go fill our bellies first!”

 

Lucius followed Rayel.

 

There were many shops selling delicious-looking food along the street.

 

Rayel was so excited that he bought various things and stuffed them into his mouth. Lucius couldn’t help but wonder if there were pockets on his cheeks.

 

“Can you eat all of that?”

 

“Oooh!”

 

“Eat first, then talk.”

 

Rayel was holding five skewers in each hand.

 

As he stuffed his mouth full, it was hard to make out what he was saying amidst the chewing. It sounded like he said, “Of course,” though.

 

Chew, gulp.

 

After finishing all the skewers, he smiled satisfactorily and immediately went to the next shop to check the menu.

 

Following Rayel’s slow pace and inside the shop, Lucius ran into a familiar demon.

 

Rayel also found him belatedly and greeted him.

 

“Oh, Teacher! Hello!”

 

“It’s been a while since I saw you.”

 

“It’s nice to see you after so long. You both look good. How have you been?”

 

It was Lipton, the health teacher.

 

Lipton seemed more tired than before. He managed a smile, but his eyes and mouth corners drooped weakly.

 

“The teacher’s complexion is worse than ours.”

 

Lipton scratched his cheek in response to Rayel’s concern.

 

“I’m fine. Since we’ve met, how about I buy you something? Choose something you’d like to eat.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Lucius politely thanked Lipton and approached him. Pretending to choose from the menu, he kept his head straight, subtly scanning the surroundings.

 

‘I suddenly feel someone’s gaze.’

 

There were a total of five of them. While their combat power wasn’t high, facing Lipton, a druid, was still a challenging opponent.

 

Is the target Mr. Lipton? Why?

 

Nothing good would come of messing with the academy.

 

Just then, the shop owner presented the appropriately ordered food.

 

A small cup contained fruits that could be found in the desert. Lucius picked up a piece of fruit and ate it.

 

“Teacher, if you don’t have any plans ahead, would you like to travel together?”

 

“It’s quite unexpected that you would make such a suggestion.”

 

“Teacher Arnold, cautioned us to be careful. It would be safer to have a teacher accompany us instead of just two students.”

 

“Right, I heard that, too.”

 

As Rayel helped from the side, Lipton said, “Huh,” and crossed his arms.

 

“Ah, he said the same thing to you, huh? Well, there’s no need to worry so much. He is just making a fuss to scare the kids.”

 

It appeared that Lipton had also received some nagging but seemed to be smiling and nodding in agreement, suggesting they travel together for the sake of that guy.

 

After three hours of traveling together, the gaze persistently followed. 

 

Seeing no other reactions, it seemed like Lipton wished to be left alone.

 

‘If my feet go numb, they’ll jump out.’

 

Another 2 hours later.

 

Still no movement, Lucius pointed to an alleyway.

 

If they’re not showing themselves because there are too many eyes on them, you can always lure them to places where they don’t have them.

 

“Let’s go this way this time. It seems like there’s something interesting over there.”

 

“Sounds great!” Rayel responded enthusiastically.

 

“It would be perfect to briefly explore that area and then return to the dorm. We don’t want Professor Arnold to worry if we’re out too late.”

 

Lucius walked into a moderately long, narrow, and dim alleyway, which was passable enough for others to walk through after passing by.

 

Rayel and Lipton followed without any suspicion.

 

And then.

 

Bang!!

 

“Oh my god! What’s this?”

 

The ground beneath his feet suddenly turned into a sandy swamp. As Rayel was about to spread his wings and fly, a hand made of sand emerged from the quicksand, grabbing his ankle and pulling him down.

 

At the edge of the rounded swamp, sand rose up like a sphere. As if to trap the three of them.

 

“Grab on!” Lucius shouted, extending his hand towards Rayel.

 

The sand filled up to their necks as their bodies sank lower and lower.

 

Lucius quickly summoned the plant as he saw Lipton fall into it together.

 

‘He might have taken the bait, so I have to comply, but not with Teacher Lipton.’

 

With many eyes watching, exerting power became difficult. Rayel might be fine, but Lipton was too much of a risk.

 

‘Should I take Rayel with me as part of his training?’

 

Dry branches from a tumbleweed grew around Lipton, shielding him from sinking into the swamp. 

 

“Guys!” Lipton called out.

 

Before long, their bodies were completely submerged. And as if nothing had happened, the sand swamp also disappeared.

 

All that remained in the darkened alley was Lipton and the tumbleweed that surrounded him.