The Author's POV

Turning off the shower valve, putting on some clothes, and drying my wet hair with a towel, I headed back to my room and jumped on my bed.

-Pamf!

"haaa..."

As I felt my body sink into the white mattress, I exhaled and relaxed my body.

I was honestly quite tired.

Training for four hours with Donna really took a toll on me...but if I had to be honest, I didn't dislike the feeling..

Even though after every session it felt as though all my bones had been broken, the feeling of continuously finding my strength improving overwrote all of the pain and suffering I felt.

...it was honestly addicting.

Staring at the white ceiling of my room for a couple of seconds, recalling something, and lifting my head up, I stared towards the corner of the room where a black cat quietly rested on the seat of a chair.

After hesitating for a second, I spoke up

"Hey Angelica, can you turn into something other than a cat?"

Turning her head in my direction, Angelica warily asked

"Why are you asking?"

"No, I'm just curious"

Squinting her eyes suspiciously, Angelica nodded her head

"Yes, but I won't be able to turn back for a week"

"A week? That long?"

"Yes, the skill has a cool-down period"

"I see.."

That made sense.

With how strong her skill was it was understandable that it had a cooldown period.

If she could change into whatever she wanted without a cooling period, I wouldn't be surprised if she told me that her skill was an <S> ranked one.

It would honestly be that strong.

Seeing my reaction, Angelica became even more suspicious as she asked

"...why are you asking me this?"

Turning my attention back to Angelica I casually replied

"Ohh, it's because I might need you to change into something else"

To put it bluntly, I wanted to bring Angelica to Immorra with me.

No, I needed her to come to Immorra with me.

With her being a demon, it was only natural that I brought her along with me. Although I wasn't sure about whether she had ever been to Immorra, I needed her for a specific task.

One that would involve her demonic powers...

In fact, if Angelica didn't come with me, the plans that I had been preparing for the past two months would go down the drain.

...that's how important her participation was. Therefore, I needed her to change into something else other than a cat as it wouldn't really be ideal for the environment we were going to be in.

Hearing my answer, Angelica shook her head and firmly denied

"No"

It was already humiliating enough for her to be a cat, now he wanted her to change into something else?

No.

Angelica wouldn't stand for this.

"No what?"

"No, I will not turn into something else. Don't push your luck human"

Frowning, I protested.

"But you didn't even hear what I wanted to say"

"Human, being a cat is already hum-"

Before Angelica could finish speaking, I cut her off and told her about my plans

"Next week I'm going to Immorra"

Opening her eyes wide, Angelica's voice rose a few pitches.

"You what?! Immorra? That Immorra that I am thinking of?"

"Yes, that Immorra"

Angelica's outburst was understandable.

With Angelica being a demon, she naturally knew where Immorra was.

...in fact, although she had never been there, she knew just how much of a strategic asset it was for the demons. Just the fact that the demon king had not devoured the planet yet went to show how important of a place it was...

Nodding my head, I repeated.

"You heard me right, next week I'm going to Immorra"

With her eyes wide open, Angelica looked at me as if I was crazy. As she spoke, her voice shook.

"H-how? Are you trying to kill yourself? Moreover, how can you even travel all the way there?"

"Don't ask how just know that you're coming with me and you being in a cat form isn't ideal"

Shaking her head, Angelica immediately refused

"Are you crazy? We demons can tell each other presences apart, if I go I will just be dead weight as well as a target"

Deeply staring at Angelica, after a short pause I said

"...Not if you transform"

What Angelica said was true.

If Angelica was in her normal form, demons would more or less be able to tell he presence as they shared the same source of power.

However, if she transformed, they wouldn't be able to as her power would be directly cut off...

Frowning, Angelica angrily said

"Are you stupid human? What is the point of me going if I can't even use my powers?"

Smiling, I reassured her.

"Don't worry about that, I've already thought things through"

...yes, I've already thought things through beforehand, or else I wouldn't have been asking.

Although I knew about the fact that demons could tell if a demon was in the vicinity due to them sharing the same source of power, I also knew that if Angelica was using her skill, she wouldn't be found out.

Still, it honestly didn't matter if she was going to be found out or not.

...that was because my plan in fact required for her to be found out. As long as everything worked out in the way that I wanted, the trip to Immorra was going to be a fruitful one.

After a short pause, Angelica still shook her head as she refused.

"...no"

Regardless, she still didn't want to go. Knowing how dangerous the place was, there was a high chance she could die...

He could die for all she cared, but she still didn't want to die.

Seeing Angelica once again refuse my offer, I firmly said

"I won't take no for an answer. Don't forget I still have your core in me, if I die you die, you've got no other choice"

Noticing that I had already set my mind to bringing her to Immorra, Angelica was left speechless.

She didn't know what to say.

...what he said was true.

Just now she was reminded of the fact that her life was no longer in her control...

Since her core was with him, Angelica really didn't have an option. If he died she would die alongside him...her fate was no longer in her hands.

Her life was now tied to the human before her...

As Angelica thought along those lines, a sense of helplessness washed over her body as she lowered her head in defeat.

'Is this what my fate is now? From the Matriarch of a clan to a demon that is forced to hide in the form of a cat and do the bidding of a human...?"

Was this how low she had fallen?

"..."

Seeing Angelica's crestfallen expression, I sighed and reassured her.

"Don't worry I won't be doing this for free, there's something in it for you too"

To be honest, I understood Angelica's feelings.

I mean who would want to be treated like a slave? I for sure wouldn't.

Knowing this, there was no way I was going to force Angelica to do something against her will without giving her an appropriate reward. Especially since I wanted her to be a part of my mercenary group. Not forcefully, but in a way that she wanted to be a part of it...

...that was not the type of relationship I was looking for. One of mutual trust rather than a forced one.

If I forced her to do my bidding without rewarding her, what made me think that she would stay after the five-year time period ended?

That would just be stupid and naive of me. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she decided to hunt me down for the rest of her life after she got her core back.

Lifting her head upwards, Angelica softly said

"...like what?"

Smiling at Angelica, after a short pause I said

"I can help you breakthrough to Viscount rank"

Abruptly opening her eyes, Angelica looked and me in shock as her voice increased a few pitches

"What?"

"Yeah..."

I wasn't lying.

As I mentioned before, Immorra was a land filled with treasures. Although I didn't know every single treasure that was there, I knew a couple of them.

...and one of them was specifically made for demons as it was something that could help her break to the next rank.

The viscount rank.

A rank that a lot of demons longed for...

Suppressing her shock, Angelica's sharp eyes landed on me as she warily said

"How should I trust you?"

Taking out the mana contract from my dimensional space, I smiled and flashed the contract before her eyes.

"Easy just add it in the mana contract"

If I wrote down that by the time she would come back to Immorra she was going to have something that would help her break through the Viscount rank, Angelica wouldn't have to be worried about me scamming her.

After all, if I didn't hold my end of the contract, I would die.

Seeing the contract, after a short pause, Angelica nodded her head.

...she didn't even need to think twice about agreeing.

It was either signing the contract and going to Immorra or not signing the contract and potentially dying because the human that had her core died in Immorra.

It wasn't a hard decision.

Moreover, Angelica longed to reach the Viscount rank ever since a long time ago...if he really did as he promised and helped her breakthrough to the Viscount rank, Angelica wouldn't mind risking her life for it.

Thus, staring at Ren for a couple of seconds, Angelica said

"fine, but you better keep your promise Human"

Seeing Angelica agree to the deal, a trace of a smile appeared on my face as I thought to myself.

'...as long as she comes with me, everything would be set'

With her joining me, everything should go as I had planned and envisioned.

At least that's what I hoped.

However, considering my previous track record, I wasn't too sure about whether or not I was going to succeed, but...I had to at least give it a shot.

For my sake, and the people that were relying on me.

I had to succeed no matter what.

...

The next day, class A-25, Lock

Sitting in my usual seat on the left-hand side of the classroom, today, an odd atmosphere enveloped the room.

Many different emotions were displayed on the face of some of the students present.

Some of the students were wary, some were excited, and some were nervous...however, if there was one thing that was noticeable it was that everyone was acting strange.

The most notable thing that could be observed from the students in the classroom was that almost everyone was staring at the entrance of the classroom with extra apprehension. Almost as if an enemy was about to come through that door and fight them.

Noticing their odd behavior, I didn't think too much of it...and that was because I understood where they were coming from.

Today was the day that the exchange students from the four great academies were going to arrive...

-Clank!

Entering the classroom, unbothered by the strange atmosphere shrouding the classroom, Donna lowered her hand as she tried to get everyone's attention.

"Alright, everyone please be seated and pay attention to me"

Seconds after her hand lowered, the classroom quieted down and Donna resumed speaking.

"As most of you already know, today we will be having exchange students coming into our classroom. So I would like for you all to be at your best behavior"

Pausing and looking at the students in the classroom, Donna's tone became firmer.

"For the next two months, before the inter academy tournament starts, students from the four great academies will come to our class and study alongside us. They will participate in many things such as electives, activities, and much much more."

"In short, what I'm trying to say is that you guys will be seeing them a lot"

Once again pausing, Donna's tone became incomparably serious as her pitch increased.

"...Therefore, you better be at your best behavior for the time period they are here as you are all representing the Lock. Your behavior will be the thing that will set an impression on the other academies"

Looking at the students in the classroom, Donna threatened as she finished her speech.

"If you do anything stupid that will affect the school's prestige, prepare yourself to face the consequences..."

As Donna's words drifted towards the ears of every student, a stifling silence enveloped the classroom.

After a while finished with what she wanted to say, taking out her tablet and scrolling through some files, Donna cleared her throat and spoke

"Alright, enough with that, I will now call the name of the pairs of students that will be in charge of bringing the new students around the campus and familiarizing them with the academy"

Pointing towards two individuals sitting on the right side of the classroom, Donna said

"Alright, the first pair will be Jin Horton and Troy Derekz. You two will be the first group. Following them, the next group will be comprised of Kevin and Emma, Amanda and Arnold, Donald and..."

As Donna was stating the name of the pairs of students that would orient some of the exchange students, my eyes couldn't help but shift towards where Jin and Troy were sitting. The first pair that Donna mentioned.

Sitting in his usual seat Jin was staring intently at the board with an indifferent expression. As his name was called out, his expression didn't change once. He just sat there indifferently completely unfazed by the fact that he would soon be meeting students from other schools.

Next to him, a relatively handsome boy with black hair and yellow pupils smiled amiably as he similarly stared at the front of the classroom.

Squinting my eyes, a frown involuntarily appeared on my face.

...if I didn't remember wrongly, this was the event that would cause the relationship between Jin and Troy to completely fall apart resulting in Troy becoming a villain.

At least that was what was supposed to happen in the novel. However, I was no longer sure about this outcome. With Jin's personality suddenly changing, I was aware that this might not happen.

Did their relationship get better or did it worsen? That was the question in my mind.

...I really didn't know. However, what I did know was that if after this Troy was still not approached by professor Thibaut, it meant that he would no longer turn into a villain...or at least not yet.

Squinting my eyes, I wasn't too sure how to feel about this.

I already acknowledged the fact that things were going to change and that the story was no longer going the way that it was before...but still, it felt somewhat odd.

However, perhaps this was for the best...

"...and last but not least, the last group will be that of Melissa and Ren"

Snapping me out of my thoughts, hearing the name of my group, I lowered my head and grabbed my hair as I couldn't help but curse.

'Are you kidding me...?'