Just like any inhabitant of the Netherworld, the Demon King Academy Infernal Library Keeper had a strange and peculiar appearance.
He stood with a human-like build, but his head was that of an octopus, complete with several writhing tentacles. Despite his unsettling appearance, his posture exuded a sense of authority as he was dressed in a formal black suit. The tentacles extending from his head occasionally adjusted the tie at his collar or flicking through the pages of the book he was reading. His many eyes, hidden behind glasses, observed everything with a dispassionate gaze, as though nothing could surprise him in his endless duties.
Standing before such a disturbing figure, Lu Zhuoxing couldn't help but feel a flicker of disgust. However, he quickly suppressed the emotion, making sure not to let it show on his face.
After all, he had no intention of being disrespectful to someone simply minding their own business. Besides, this was one of the few demons who didn't look down on him.
As a librarian, the tentacle demon's job was to remain polite and neutral. He wouldn't discriminate or act out unless a visitor broke the Infernal Library's rules or caused a disturbance. Lu Zhuoxing had also noticed that this particular librarian had a decent personality.
Clearing his throat with a small cough, Lu Zhuoxing addressed the quiet librarian in a polite tone.
"Ehm... excuse me?"
The librarian paused, his many eyes flicking toward Lu Zhuoxing, a subtle shift in his posture indicating attentiveness. He set the book he had been reading aside, the tentacles around his head momentarily still. Despite his alien appearance, his voice was surprisingly calm.
"Yes," he replied, his tone a mixture of professionalism and mild indifference. "How may I help you?"
Lu Zhuoxing could feel the librarian's gaze assessing him, though it didn't carry the weight of the usual judgmental stares he had grown used to. Instead, it was the look of someone who had seen every kind of visitor imaginable.
Forming his thoughts, Lu Zhuoxing placed the books he had collected from the shelves onto the reception desk. He glanced at the librarian and explained,
"I wish to borrow these books for a short duration and return them later."
After a brief pause, he added,
"Also, I found this strange book on the shelves. It doesn't have a title, so it seemed out of place. Could you take a look at it and scan it?"
He pulled out the unmarked book and placed it gently on the desk. One of the librarian's tentacles extended forward, delicately picking up the strange volume.
The tentacle demon's many eyes narrowed slightly, though his expression remained impassive. He didn't immediately speak but instead seemed to concentrate, as if trying to summon a distant memory.
Tilting his head, he regarded the book curiously.
"Hmm. Interesting. It's rare for an unmarked book to end up here, let alone one without a title. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I'll check it out for you."
Fortunately, Lu Zhuoxing didn't have to wait long. Once the librarian finished scanning the rest of the books, his expression grew noticeably strange as he turned his attention back to the mysterious volume.
For a long moment, he simply rubbed what might have been his chin, if he had one, before suddenly bursting into laughter.
"Ho ho ho! Now I remember. So it was here all along."
Lu Zhuoxing blinked. "Sorry, is something wrong?"
"No, no, not at all. I'm laughing because of the origins of this book. Some time ago, Principal Osric Necrath left it here, saying he had no further use for it. I even tried reading it myself, but I couldn't make any sense of it, so I completely forgot it existed."
Confused, Lu Zhuoxing raised a question.
"If nobody can read it, then what's the point of leaving it here?"
The librarian merely shrugged.
"Who knows? No one can really understand how the principal thinks. Most of the school officials haven't even seen him in person, let alone had a conversation with him. Regardless, abandoned books aren't all that unusual around here."
His words were indeed true.
Osric Necrath. The Elder Lich was one of the Four Divine Generals, serving under the Dream God.
During the Mythical Age, more precisely, two thousand years ago, it was recorded that they were demons second only to the Demon King in power: the Vampire King, the Crimson Steel Knight, the Deep Sea King, and Osric, known as the Undead King. Their actions throughout the Holy War of Saints and Demons, from its beginning to its bitter end, ultimately led to the formation of the Fifth Epoch, the era in which the present age unfolds.
For reasons unknown, while the other Divine Generals pursued their own agendas, Osric Necrath chose to establish an academy — one that would eventually be known as the Demon King Academy — and took on the role of its principal.
Rumors spread that he was attempting to create an Artificial Demon King, though Lu Zhuoxing knew little about the truth of it. Thinking about it, the idea was rather terrifying.
Thankfully, nothing of the sort had ever happened and no students had mysteriously vanished or been turned into laboratory experiments overnight.
Lu Zhuoxing eyed the book warily. Up close, it looked even stranger, though perhaps that was just his imagination.
It was, after all, just an ordinary book.
Which made no sense. What were the chances that the principal or rather, one of the Divine Generals, would come to the Library just to drop off an ordinary book and forget about it?
No matter how he looked at it, something about the mysterious book reeked of suspicion.
Maybe I'm just overthinking it. If it were something valuable, he wouldn't have left it in the Library. Still, it's strange... the Librarian can't even read it. That alone makes me curious.
After a bit of thinking, Lu Zhuoxing finally asked:
"Is it possible for me to borrow this book as well?"
Hearing his inquiry, the librarian adjusted his glasses, an odd gesture given that he had so many eyes, and leaned slightly forward. One of his tentacles was absentmindedly tapping the side of the desk.
"Hmm. It should be possible. You might as well take it with you permanently," he said, his tone almost casual.
Lu Zhuoxing's eyes widened in surprise.
"Wait, I can? Are you sure that would be alright?"
The librarian gave an affirmative nod.
"You have no need to worry, this doesn't go against the rules of the Infernal Library. It was an abandoned book to begin with. If you hadn't found it, someone else likely would have taken it and who knows what they'd have done with it."
His voice grew a little sharper, almost grumbling. .
"Younglings these days are so careless! Some of them even throw borrowed books away or forget to return them altogether. And with their powerful families backing them, the payment penalties are practically meaningless."
Realizing he had veered off-topic, the tentacle demon let out a weary sigh and straightened his posture once more, regaining his formal demeanor.
"In any case, you're free to take that book with you. Just be sure to return the ones you've borrowed. Consider it a small gesture of goodwill from this old librarian."
Seeing the genuine smile that briefly softened the demon's unsettling features, Lu Zhuoxing couldn't help but smile in return.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
† †
Several reference materials on demonology, demon history, spatial theory, dimensional structure studies, and countless other complex subjects spanning sorcery and machinery.
These were the volumes Lu Zhuoxing had borrowed from the Infernal Library.
Unfortunately, his peculiar situation wasn't going to resolve itself, leaving him with no choice but to take action. Of course, pouring over books wouldn't grant him an immediate solution, but it would provide something far more valuable.
Knowledge!
Even if he couldn't fight, that didn't mean his intellect was without value. In the Netherworld, there were many roles that didn't rely on strength — particularly in the realm of politics.
Of course, this was only a temporary measure. His true goal remained unchanged: finding a way back to Earth.
Burdened by the towering stack of books in his arms, Lu Zhuoxing could only partially see the path ahead. As a result, he failed to notice another student stepping out from the staircase.
The outcome was inevitable.
Without realizing it, he accidentally crashed into the female student, knocking her to the ground along with the stack of books he was carrying.
"Ow! Geez, can't you watch where you're going?!"
The girl scratched her head and shouted with clear displeasure.
A red-haired woman.
Her long crimson hair cascaded down to her waist, contrasting with her blood-wine eyes and pale skin that almost seemed drained of blood. 175 centimeters tall, she wore a red sweater shirt over the standard black Demon King Academy female uniform. Despite the loose sweater, her curvy figure was impossible to hide, especially her rather impressive chest.
If he had not known better, he might have assumed she was a succubus.
However, fully aware of who she really was, Lu Zhuoxing trembled in horror.
The redhead was a vampire. Not just any vampire, but a noble one. More specifically, her name was Kaitlyn Valentine.
And why was she so dangerous?
It was not merely because she was a demoness of the Seventh Order, but because she was the biological daughter of Scarlett Valentine!
Not only was that monster a countess recognized by the Vampire King, Vlad Alucard Tepes himself, but also a demoness of the Third Order, earning her the title of Hell's Strongest Woman.
Most concerning of all were the rumors surrounding the countess, which caused him great distress. Some claimed that Countess Scarlett was a bloodthirsty vampire with a ruthless disposition. Some even suggested that she had mercilessly slaughtered a group of rogue demons who had already surrendered.
If such an act had occurred on Earth, it would have been considered a war crime!
To make matters worse, Countess Scarlett was rumored to be fiercely protective of her daughter. Any threat to Kaitlyn would be met with brutal, unyielding retribution. There was even an incident where she had been kidnapped, used as leverage, and... well, it didn't end well for the captors.
What would happen to him if Countess Scarlett found out he'd bumped into her daughter?
Surely, she wouldn't kill him over such a trivial mistake, would she?
A sudden chill crept over Lu Zhuoxing as an unsettling premonition began to take root in his mind.
"I'm sorry!"
Lu Zhuoxing hurriedly apologized, his fear palpable as he scrambled to gather his books. He dared not meet her gaze, hoping that by keeping his head down, he'd avoid any more trouble.
But Kaitlyn had no intention of letting him off that easily.
Faster than a speeding bullet, she shot to her feet and snatched the books from his hands. Before he could even blink, she cornered him against the wall with her left hand with a sneer.
"Hey now, you do realize the word 'I'm sorry' doesn't exist in the Netherworld, right? Do you think a simple apology can make up for your mistake? If you're truly sorry, then you should...?!"
Kaitlyn suddenly paused mid-sentence as her eyes widened.
She stared into his eyes, transfixed, as though she were mesmerized by something that felt completely out of this world.
It was an understandable reaction for someone witnessing his
Lu Zhuoxing struggled to maintain a straight face as he glanced at the wall that had caved in under Rose's palm strike.
He casually gestured toward the damaged area.
"Would you mind controlling your strength? Any more and the wall might actually collapse."
"Ah..."
Kaitlyn's expression faltered as she realized she had gone overboard. Embarrassed, the lively redhead took a step back, her cheeks flushing crimson. It was hard to imagine how someone so frail and beautiful could wield such frightening power.
However, he didn't have the luxury of lingering. Seizing the moment, Lu Zhuoxing slipped away while she was still stunned, making a timely escape.
Meanwhile, Kaitlyn remained frozen in place, dazed. Slowly, she blinked once.
"Those eyes... aren't they..."