Lucian was having a wonderful time. Near the academy was the town of Elmsford, which was built mainly to serve students, faculty, and the auxiliary staff who worked for the academy. Many of the buildings here had an academic look, with plenty of book-like designs carved into things like benches and lamp posts.

  After the exam, Elysia gave Lucian a pouch filled with gold coins and told him to explore the island, since his first class would start next week. He took that advice to heart, wandered into Elmsford, and picked one of the town’s nicer looking restaurants for a nice meal.

  He was now sitting in a private dining room at the back of the restaurant. His own table looked like the aftermath of a war he'd committed against food. Empty plates were stacked everywhere, some still smeared with sauce and herbs. And countless bones of what were once chicken drumsticks were scattered all over the table as clear proof that the meal never stood a chance against mankind's finest.

  Across from him, Belle ate a much simpler meal, as she usually preferred. Her plate only held roasted vegetables and a small piece of grilled chicken.

  Lucian swallowed the last bite of his food before speaking. “It’s still rather surreal to think I’m a professor now. I didn't expect it to be so easy."

  Belle took a measured sip of her tea before setting the cup down. “Of course it was easy, Master Lucian. The only real challenge was persuading you to accept the position in the first place.”

  “That much is true,” Lucian said, nodding. “Still, I must admit I was underwhelmed by the instructors who examined me. They called themselves A-rank mages, after all. Then again, perhaps standards truly have fallen off a cliff in the centuries I was away.”

  “I’ve observed the same decline myself. Mortals no longer seem capable of reaching the heights their ancestors once did.”

  “Hearing that makes me wonder why the Demon Lord hasn’t taken advantage of it. If the mortal realm is weaker now, then this whole System of theirs is practically an invitation to invade.”

  “The demon lord is already aware of the System, and has been for quite some time.”

  “He is? Then why hasn’t he made a move?”

  “Because you are still alive, Master Lucian.”

  “…Ah, right.”

  “And besides, compared to the previous Demon Lord, the current one is far too gentle.”

  “You don’t sound particularly pleased about that.”

  “Of course not,” Belle said. “My kind is the strongest there is, and the Demon Lord is meant to embody the greatest power demonkind can offer. Watching that power wasted on a peace-loving fool is infuriating. He isn’t even biding his time or preparing for an eventual invasion. Honestly, I would be tempted to take his seat myself, if it were possible.”

  Lucian let out a laugh. “You may want to be careful. That almost sounds like you’re planning a coup.”

  “I am not. At least, not yet."

  “Well, if you keep working for me, maybe one day you’ll get strong enough to overthrow him yourself.”

  Belle held his gaze for a brief moment, her expression unreadable. Then, to Lucian’s surprise, the corner of her lips curved into a faint smile. It vanished almost immediately, as if she refused to acknowledge the satisfaction the thought had given her. Soon after, she rose and began gathering his plates.

  “You know we have waiters for that, right?" Lucian asked.

  Belle stacked a plate anyway. “I am in a somewhat pleasant mood, Master."

  Once she finished stacking all of the plates, Lucian paid the bill at the front desk, though he had to pause when he saw the final number. The meal had cost him nearly a whopping twenty seven gold coins, an amount that would’ve bought a few months of luxury living back in his era. In his time, a feast like this would’ve cost maybe four to five gold at most.

  Inflation, it seemed, had been its own unstoppable monster. But, he couldn’t say he had any regrets since he had money to spare, thanks to Elysia's generosity.

  After that, he and Belle stepped out into the streets. Night had fully settled in, but the town was still lively, with students wandering in small groups and shopkeepers keeping their doors open for late customers.

  Belle walked beside him. “Where do you wish to go next, Master Lucian?”

  "Not really sure yet, let's just have a look around."

  “Should we return to the academy? You did mention that you wished to observe how magic worked in this world.”

  “You’re right, but I’m fairly certain we can see someone using some kind of magic just by walking around town. And I’m not particularly eager to head back to the academy just yet, to be honest.”

  "As you wish, Master."

  Lucian walked at an easy pace through the streets, with Belle following a step behind him. His eyes moved from side to side as they went, and a growing sense of disappointment slowly settled in.

  He saw shopkeepers closing their shops for the night, counting coins by lamplight instead of using a light spell. And he saw a baker swept crumbs from his doorway with a normal broom instead of using prestidigitation, while a lamplighter lit each lantern by hand, with no spell usage in sight.

  There was nothing wrong with what these people were doing, and Lucian knew that. But what did unsettle him was the lack of magic that he used to see woven into the rhythm of daily life.

  In his time, magic had been a convenience as much as a weapon. Farmers used spells to enrich soil, travelers relied on light charms at night, and even children knew minor tricks here and there.

  Lucian had expected things to change to some extent. Still, seeing magic reduced to something rare left him with an odd sense of loss.

  “You know, for a town built around one of the greatest magical academies in the world, this place is strangely mundane.” Lucian said out loud.

  Belle tilted her head. “In what sense?”

  “In every way. There simply… isn't as much magic here as I expected, and no, I wasn't hoping to see some advanced spellwork or anything like that. But the lack of even basic magic use here is odd to me."

  “That's because magic today is far rarer now than it was in your adventuring days. Most commoners you see here are incapable of using it at all.”

  "Well, back in my day, even peasants knew a few basic spells. Nothing impressive, but enough to make life easier."

  “You are comparing the present to a time that ended centuries ago. Even back then, you were already considered old by human standards.”

  Lucian gave her a sideways look. “I was only a couple thousand years old or so, I think."

  "I'm quite sure you're older than even I, Master,” Belle said flatly.

  Lucian sighed. “Anyway, are you certain there isn’t somewhere around here where magic is actually used? Surely the academy isn't the only place with magic on the entire island?"

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  Belle gestured toward a wooden notice board mounted near a lamppost. Several posters were pinned to it, and one in particular had exceptionally bright ink and bold lettering. “What about that?”

  Lucian followed her gaze and stepped closer, quickly reading the poster. He paused as the details sank in.

  It was an advertisement for a stage play, filled with dramatic artwork. At the center of the poster was a heroic figure holding a staff of bright light, standing over fallen demons. Across from him rose a massive, horned shadow marked as the Demon Lord. Large letters at the top read: Now Showing: Lucian the Lightbringer - The Final Battle!

  Lucian stared at the poster for a little longer, then turned to Belle. “There are plays about me now?”

  “I am not sure why this surprises you, Master Lucian. You defeated the Demon Lord, and that tends to leave an impression on people."

  “I suppose it does, and I’ve lived a long time, but I can’t say I’ve ever been this famous."

  “There is only so much you can hide, and the defeat of a Demon Lord is a memorable event for all mortal races. It was always going to become legend one way or another."

  “Yes, I can see that.” Lucian said, glancing back at the poster. “Do you think they’ll use actual magic in this thing?"

  “Theatre productions in this era usually employ magic for added spectacle,” Belle said. “Nothing particularly special by our standards, but sufficient to impress an audience.”

  “Then I guess we're going to be watching this show."

  “Very well. I will acquire tickets.”

  Belle walked ahead, leading Lucian toward a building that could only be a theatre, judging by its design. The structure had tall columns framing a broad entrance. Carved masks of all sorts were set above the doors, and faded murals along the walls showcased famous plays performed there in the past. A small crowd had already gathered at the entrance, chatting with excitement as they queued.

  They waited in line for a bit with the rest of the crowd, slowly moving forward as people bought their tickets. Lucian listened to the chatter around them with mild interest.

  When it was finally their turn, Belle stepped up to the counter. Lucian stayed just behind her, watching as she moved to purchase the tickets. The clerk glanced at her, then stiffened slightly. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but the show is completely sold out.”

  “Are you certain that is the case?”

  The clerk swallowed and nodded quickly. “Y-yes. Well. There are technically some tickets left, but they’re all reserved for VIP customers."

  Belle looked the clerk in the eyes and spoke calmly. “Those tickets are not reserved. And you would be quite happy to sell two of them to me.”

  The clerk blinked a few times, saying nothing for a few seconds. Eventually, he just nodded. “Yes, these tickets are not reserved, and I am happy to sell two of them to you, Ma'am."

  Lucian watched as the clerk pulled out the tickets and handed them over as if nothing was out of the ordinary, and he couldn't help but be impressed. Belle’s mind manipulation magic had clearly improved since the first time he had met her. She always had a talent for controlling others, but back then it was way more noticeable and less subtle.

  Belle accepted the tickets and passed one to Lucian. He took it with a smile. “Thank you, that was very clean work.”

  “I have had a great deal of practice."

  He chuckled softly. “At this rate, you might even manage to use some of that mind magic on me someday.”

  She sighed, already turning toward the entrance. “Please don't give me false hope, Master Lucian. You and I both know that is impossible."

  They entered the theater and walked down the aisle into a wide hall filled with rows of seats. Lanterns hung from the walls and ceiling, lighting up the room and the stage ahead.

  When they reached their seats, Belle waited until Lucian sat down before taking her own. He leaned back and stretched slightly. “You know, I’m very curious how they plan to portray my personality. I suspect it will involve far more shouting and heroic posing than I ever managed in real life.”

  Belle glanced at him. “It is a show, after all.”

  Lucian shrugged at that. If nothing else, the show should be entertaining, even if only by accident.

  The curtains rose to the sound of music, and the play opened by showing a world on the brink of ruin. According to the narration, the land had suffered greatly since the early years of the demonic invasion, when demons went to war against an alliance of humans, elves, and dwarves. As the narrator laid out the history, Lucian listened and noted that, for the most part, it was surprisingly accurate.

  Some details were exaggerated, like how the number of casualties on both sides was far higher than he remembered, but he supposed that was an easy mistake to forgive. Tragedy always grew larger with time, especially when retold for an audience.

  Eventually, the actor playing Lucian made his entrance with a loud speech and an overly heroic pose. The man at least had impressive biceps, and while the performance was a little too excessive, there was something faintly flattering about seeing himself portrayed on a stage.

  When Elysia appeared on stage, Lucian nearly laughed. She was played by a human actress wearing fake elven ears that were very clearly taped on and poorly painted to match her skin. The illusion was far from convincing, but despite the obvious flaws, the portrayal was oddly endearing, and Lucian found himself smiling despite his better judgment.

  The real inaccuracies showed up when the play turned to the rest of his party. They were portrayed as fearless heroes, standing proudly beside him and delivering bold speeches about justice and sacrifice.

  Lucian watched the actors rush into danger without hesitation and secretly scoffed, because that was not how he remembered things going down at all. Most of his party members had panicked the moment things went wrong and cared far more about saving their own skin.

  Elysia was the only one who stayed when it truly mattered. She had wanted to fight the Demon Lord beside him, and he had needed to reassure her more than once before she finally agreed to leave. Watching the others portrayed as brave felt strange, though Lucian understood that the truth probably wouldn't have made for a very inspiring play.

  As the performance continued, he began paying closer attention to the real magic being used. During the battle scenes, the actors relied on simple spells to create flashes of light and minor weather effects. It was amusing at first, but the longer he watched, the more uneasy he became.

  Every spell came with loud chanting, spoken clearly so the audience could hear every word. To the play’s credit, the chants were woven into the dialogue well enough that they did not feel out of place. Glowing magic circles appeared in the air each time a spell was cast, before the appropriate spell effect followed.

  All the magic that Lucian saw in the play felt oddly stiff. It was as if everything followed the same pattern, the same timing, and the same limits. In Lucian’s time, beginner mages were rarely that clean.

  Their spells often went too wild because they could not fully control their mana. In contrast, the magic shown on the stage was so controlled that it felt almost lifeless.

  When the final battle played out and the Demon Lord fell, the theater erupted in applause. Lucian clapped along out of courtesy, even as he shook his head in quiet disbelief at how far the story had drifted from reality.

  Soon after, the lights came back on and the audience began to walk out of the theatre. Lucian stood and stretched as he and Belle made their way toward the exit.

  “What did you think, Master Lucian?” Belle asked as they stepped out into the night.

  Lucian hummed thoughtfully. “Wildly inaccurate in places, strangely flattering in others. But what really caught my attention was the magic. It weirdly felt… stiff."

  “Is that necessarily a bad thing? Mortals may have simply found safer ways to cast spells after all."

  “I won’t rule that out, but something about it doesn’t sit right with me, because—"

  Lucian suddenly fell silent as something prickled at the edge of his mind. If there was one thing he was especially sensitive to, it was the presence of demons. “Belle, do you feel that?”

  She nodded immediately. “One of my kind is on the island, likely possessing a mortal since that would explain why neither of us noticed up until now."

  “Then it must have slipped up and tried too hard to take more control of its host. We should move before it's too late."

  "Understood, Master."

  Belle quickly cast invisibility, and Lucian followed a moment later. Soon after, they teleported and reappeared flying above a large mansion. The estate looked well kept, though most of its windows were dark, with only a few lights on inside.

  Lucian kept hovering for a moment, giving the area a quick look to make sure no one was around. Once he was satisfied, he landed lightly and dropped his invisibility, and Belle did the same.

  She looked at the front door. “Why don’t we just go in?”

  “Because I don’t like being rude if possible,” Lucian said, and knocked.

  The door opened after a moment, and a young maid stepped back in surprise. She had light freckles across her cheeks and round glasses that slid slightly down her nose as she stared at them. “Y-yes? Who are the two of you?”

  Lucian turned his head slightly toward Belle, giving her a look. She stepped forward and met the maid’s eyes. “We are here to help, and you will let us inside.”

  The maid blinked, her tense expression loosening just slightly. “Please, come in.”

  She ushered them inside hurriedly, wringing her hands as she spoke. “The young master’s been sick for months, but just now, his illness got worse all of a sudden, and he…"

  As Lucian kept listening, it quickly became clear to him that the maid had no idea what was actually going on, and he didn't blame her. It wasn’t unusual for people unfamiliar with demons to mistake possession for a serious illness.

  Eventually, Lucian gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “What is your name?”

  “Nia,” she replied.

  “Everything will be fine, Nia, I promise. Now, please take us to the young master.”