The Art of Love (And Accidental Demon Evolution)

Carrion sat in class, staring intently at Elena.

Not in the way humans or other species would consider “normal.”

No, he was studying her.

His pale golden eyes didn’t waver, didn’t blink, didn’t even shift.

Just—unmoving observation.

Elena, on the other hand, was dying inside.

Why is he staring at me?! Did I do something?!

For the past ten minutes, Carrion had done nothing but stare.

Elena could feel his gaze burning into her soul.

She shifted uncomfortably, before finally sighing and whispering,

“…Do you need something?”

Carrion blinked for the first time in ten minutes.

“Yes,” he said, nodding.

Elena raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“I need…” Carrion tilted his head, thinking. “To understand why you are my mate.”

Elena froze.

Her brain short-circuited.

“…H-huh?”

Carrion continued as if explaining basic mathematics.

“I find you pleasant to look at.”

“…T-thank you?”

“Your scent is nice,” he added. “Like freshly ground mana and a hint of arcane combustion.”

“Uh… okay…?”

Carrion narrowed his eyes.

“Your skin is smooth.”

At this, Elena subtly pushed her chair a little further away.

“Great. Thanks. Still don’t know why you’re saying all this.”

Carrion frowned.

“But I still do not understand why you are my mate,” he muttered. “I have examined you. You are appealing, but it does not explain why the soul chose you.”

Elena, now very much uncomfortable, decided to pretend she didn’t hear that.

Before Elena could redirect the conversation, Professor Zaran clapped his hands.

“Alright, class, settle down.”

The students turned toward the front, though a few were still snickering at Carrion’s weird behavior.

Zaran flicked his wrist, and a complex magic diagram appeared, glowing bright red on the board.

“Today’s lesson—Advanced Arcane Formulae and Structure.”

Carrion glanced at the diagram, unimpressed.

Zaran continued, “This is a Level 8 Magic Array, used by High Sorcerers and Supreme Mages—”

“It’s trash.”

Silence.

Everyone slowly turned toward Carrion.

Professor Zaran’s golden eyes flickered with amusement.

“Oh?”

Carrion shrugged.

“This diagram is unnecessarily complicated. You’re wasting time drawing useless symbols. Any species with half-decent mana control could simplify this.”

The class collectively gasped.

One student, a high elf, narrowed his eyes. “Excuse me?! That’s an advanced technique! What do you know?!”

Another noble, a dragon-kin, snorted. “If you’re so smart, fix it, new guy.”

Zaran leaned against his desk. “Indeed, Carrion. If this diagram is so flawed… please, enlighten us.”

Carrion nodded. “Fine.”

He walked up to the board, grabbed a piece of chalk, and effortlessly erased the glowing diagram.

Then, he drew a new one.

A simple circle.

Then, another smaller circle inside it.

Then, two small triangles on top.

The class stared.

It looked like…

A very simple, crude drawing of a demon.

Silence.

Then, all at once—

"PFFFFT—!!"

Half the students burst into laughter.

The high elf wiped a tear. “Oh, I get it! He’s joking! Haha, good one, new guy!”

The dragon-kin smirked. “Yeah, yeah. Maybe next time, try actually drawing a real array.”

Even some of the less serious students chuckled.

But Elena…

She didn’t laugh.

Her fingers twitched.

Her instincts—her deep, ancient magical intuition—screamed that this was not a joke.

She looked at Carrion’s expressionless face and felt unease.

No… He wouldn’t joke about something like this…

Which meant…

This “simple” demon face drawing…

Was the correct answer.

Professor Zaran, at the front, had gone completely still.

His pupils shrank.

Then—

His entire body began trembling.

A strange, deep rumbling noise came from his throat.

His aura fluctuated violently.

“…I see.”

Carrion blinked. “You do?”

“…I see it,” Zaran muttered again, more to himself than anyone else.

He stepped back.

His aura expanded.

The windows shattered.

The sky darkened.

His demonic energy erupted, swirling violently.

And then—

He flew straight out the window.

BOOOOOOM!

A massive shockwave blasted through the room.

Students screamed as papers, chairs, and desks flew in every direction.

They rushed to the window—

To see Professor Zaran floating in the air, engulfed in a black and red storm of energy.

His form shifted, evolved.

His horns grew longer, curling like a crown.

His wings darkened, expanding into abyssal tendrils.

His golden eyes became burning suns.

At that moment—

Professor Zaran ascended.

A High Demon had become an Elite Demon.

The class stared.

Mouths open.

Eyes wide.

The entire school was now watching, as one of the most respected teachers evolved on the spot.

“…D-Did we just witness a historical moment?” someone whispered.

“…FROM THAT DUMB DRAWING?!” another screamed.

Carrion looked at his chalk, then back at his drawing.

Huh. Guess it really was the right answer.

The headmaster stormed into the room, eyes blazing.

“WHAT HAPPENED HERE?!”

Carrion turned to the nearest student.

“…Is this not normal?”

HE JUST EVOLVED A HIGH DEMON BY ACCIDENT.

THAT SIMPLE DIAGRAM CHANGED A DEMON'S ENTIRE EXISTENCE.

WHAT. IS. THIS. GUY?!

She turned to Carrion.

He was still completely unfazed.

He even looked slightly confused.

At that moment, Elena realized something terrifying.

This ancient being, this monster of an existence…

Had no idea how absurd he truly was.

One homeroom teacher evolved into an Elite Demon.

Half the students were questioning reality.

Elena was now deeply concerned for her own sanity.

And Carrion?

He was simply wondering why everyone was making such a big deal over a basic diagram.