Chapter Text
After three long days, the high and frantic energy of the Harvest Festival has finally come to an end. Students spent their time trying to achieve one common goal…it was to achieve the title of being the young kings.
The three days of endless chaos, filled with anticipation to achieve this goal. Just the title to be given to the two students of the misfit class: Suzuki Iruma and Shax Lied. Something that almost no one has foreseen.
But still…the both of them achieve this goal.
Now that everything is over. Students gradually made their way home, filled with laughter and chatter slowly fading into the night like it was the last echo of a song, leaving the school grounds strewn with confetti, torn banners, and the remnants of a whirlwind celebration.
The day might be already over for the students, but for the teachers…the festivities were just about to start.
This day is marked as the beginning of an ancient tradition, made by the first teachers who once taught at the Bablys and left it for their descendants to fulfill, becoming an annual faculty gathering. Now happening at the infamous Brawl Inn, a raucous tavern renowned for its strong drinks and greasy foods.
Each year, the faculty hosts a celebration for the success of the Harvest Festival giving them the chance to let their frustration out. The role of being a host normally went to what they called as ‘newbies’ no matter what their status is, they make sure they’ll experience this sense of responsibility to handle things giving them the chance to leave good expression to their seniors.
Normally, it wasn't a problem who would host or what are the things they wanted to do on such an occasion. But…to Kalego’s great irritation, for this year’s occasion, the role fell into Robin’s care. More than he hated to admit it himself, Robin is a great teacher to his students–cheerful and determined to teach them—and he is also a great colleague who did everything he was told to do.
The only problem that he has is his boundless energy and over-the-top enthusiasm, not leaving him alone no matter how hard he tries, telling him to leave him alone. But still, tradition is a tradition, no one dares to break just because of an irritation.
It's not like he will go to that thing. His plan is to immediately disappear once everything is finished, not wanting anyone to get a chance to drag him to that place. It is something that his colleagues are already accustomed to, where the only chance they could see him in a gathering like that. Is when the chairdemon would force him to attend or if he's the one hosting.
By the time the dark sky could be seen outside, one teacher after another began to arrive at the tavern. Finally revealing their true personality outside of their professional personas of what their students used to. Much more chaotic a student could imagine their teacher would be outside of their jobs.
Over time, the place began to fill with laughter as the sound of the clink of glasses could be heard as the rich aroma of roasted meat could make anyone's stomach rumble with the delicious scent. Robin, as observant as ever, scanned the crowd with a growing frown.
As he walked around trying to find them, he then approached the teachers near him, then asked them in a confused but respectful tone. “Buer-sensei, Murmur-sensei…do you two have any idea where the others are?”
“Who exactly do you mean by others?” Murmur asked the green haired teacher, clarifying his question as he lifted his drink lazily to his lips, slowly drinking it.
“Orias, Kalego, and Balam-sensei,” Robin replied immediately, realizing his mistake for not clarifying his question.
Buer leaned back in his chair, swirling his glass. “Oh, them? Orias never comes to places like this. He doesn't drink alcohol.”
Murmur then continued explaining. “While Kalego-sensei would rather get killed than go on his own will, well unless someone dragged him into places and events like this. Right now he's probably slinking off to his lair right now."
Robin’s brow began to furrow with the explanation they'd made, then he finally asked “and what about Balam sensei?”
“No need to worry about him….he always comes to events like this. Wanting to release all of the frustration he has for the past few days. He is just late, as usual.” Murmur said, drinking the drink in his hand.
Just right after both of the teachers explained, the tavern doors burst open with a dramatic crash. All eyes turned through the door, revealing Balam dragging a visibly irritated Kalego by the collar of his coat.
And because of their sudden appearance the whole room suddenly fell dead silent. Kalego's presence at these events was so rare that some of the younger faculty couldn't believe their eyes seeing him present at this event.
The last time they saw him attend was when the chairdemon, forcibly gave him the task of hosting a gathering since that year the school hadn't hired any new teachers.
As Balam took notice of how the teacher went silent, he began to explain with a grin, “Caught him sneaking home,” he said, while patting Kalego's shoulder like a proud older brother who was able to bring his younger brother trying to hide into their shell, then continued, saying, “Also, Dali-sensei said to drag him in; use force if it's the necessary thing to do.”
The room erupted into laughter. Even the most reserved among them cracked a smile at the sight of the ever-stoic Kalego being manhandled like a rebellious student. They knew that they would get into trouble by doing so, but it was still worth the risk.
Muttering under his breath, Kalego couldn't do anything since he was already dragged into the party. All he could do was sit in an empty chair and immediately order a glass of Daikoku Makyu—The Thousand Years' Drop of Evil—the hardest and most expensive liquor available. If he had to endure this idiocy, he was going to do it drunk. The bill is on the Chairdemon's tab anyway.
As the night wore on, the atmosphere grew louder, livelier—and messier. Some teachers were already stumbling home in pairs, tipsy and laughing, while others remained, immersed in chaotic debates or slurred confessions.
Just right after most of the teachers have gone into the dorm rooms, only few left behind.
Dali-sensei, Balam, Robin, Buer, Kalego and Stolas-sensei sat at the same table still enjoying the night. They are all talking, telling different stories.
Everything seems fine, until the moment alcohol dulled his sharp edges and loosened his tongue, Kalego leaned back in his chair and, in a rare and unguarded moment, slightly mumbled. “I’ve been courting Iruma for quite some time now.”
Teachers stared at him in disbelief, as the silence slammed down over the table as if someone had just dropped a deadly bomb that could kill everyone on the table. Even the drunkest among them, suddenly sober up on the spot.
In just a few minutes of their silence where all of them just stared at Kalego. Dali was the first to speak, as his lips formed a mischievous grin. “Our lord of the darkness is in love with our sweet little Iruma huh? Never in my years knowing you, having the thought of hearing those words from you.”
Kalego slowly blinked, starting to realize what he just admitted to his co-workers. Once he fully realized what he had done, his face turned to a deep shade of red. Surprising most of the demons, sitting at the same table. Normally, they weren’t able to see him either embarrassed or flushed in deep red.
Then those who were still in disbelief, turned their gaze to Balam who was seated beside Kalego, as if they were asking for confirmation. Balam, knowing the looks he’s getting, calmly nodded and just simply told them “it is true.”
The tension enveloping around them slowly cracked by the time they heard his words, giving way to stunned murmurs and curious glances.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Buer said under his breath
Robin, who's been quiet for a moment of time, widely grinned, raising his glass and said, “Congratulations, Kalego-sensei. You've finally found someone worthy of breaking your character for.”
Kalego, who couldn’t do anything longer, could only mutter something inaudible—yet he didn't
By the next morning, in the teachers’ dormitories, it's unusually silent. As most of the teachers were still having their own episodes of their own hangovers.
Kalego, who slept in the dormitories despite always going to his own home. As punctual he is, was ready to slop away unnoticed, at least that was the plan—until Robin intercepted him when he was almost near the door.
“Care to stay for breakfast?” Robin asked, far too cheerful for someone who also got drunk the day before.
"I'm not in the mood," Kalego replied, already walking past, wanting to go back to his home.
Robin leaned in, then said in his low voice trying to tease him. "If you don't, I might accidentally tell a few more people about what you said last night."
Kalego stopped walking, then slowly, he turned with a dark scowl, remembering his sudden confession the night before, and said, "...Fine. I'll stay." As he knew that Iruma would not want to face the people explaining their relationship to them yet.
Unbeknownst to him, a nearby teacher had overheard the entire exchange—and wasted no time spreading the word.
By the next day, the entire school already knew everything about the relationship they tried so hard to hide from everyone. As Iruma walked through the hall, the students and teachers alike greeted him with knowing smiles and silently said to him in a whispered congratulations.
Then in a particular afternoon one of the students then, “Thank you for taming Kalego-sensei” they said cheerfully that their stoic teacher already found someone who could tame him.
Iruma who is still not aware of the fact that their relationship already said asked in confusion, “what do you mean by taming?”
Then another student added, “We all noticed that there's something off with him lately. Recently, he's been so…relaxed. Now we know about it, everything seems to make sense.”
Iruma’s face turned bright red as the realization hit him…Their relationship has already been revealed. As he rounded the corner, he nearly collided with Kalego himself, who looked like he’d rather vanish into the ground.
“K-Kalego-sensei,” Iruma whispered urgently, “Did you hear the rumors?”
Kalego sighed, rubbing his temples, stressed about the sudden revelation of their relationship, even if it's his own fault that it got out in the first place. "Yes. I...may have let it slip while I was drunk."
Iruma stared at him, stunned. Then, despite the sudden stress, he still smiled at him as if the stress had just stopped after discovering that it wasn't just from someone trying to spy on them. "Well...at least it wasn't on purpose or anyone who wanted harm on us."
As they walked to the Royal One classroom together, quietly strategizing damage control. But as they stepped inside, they were instantly swarmed.
"Congratulations, Iruma-kun!" Clara said in her usual cheerfulness. "We knew Kalego-sensei had a soft side!"
The teasing was endless, laughter filling the room. Yet, beneath the embarrassment, Iruma felt a strange sense of comfort. They were accepted. Maybe even supported. But not everyone was happy.
In the shadows of the celebration, two demons stood apart, their expressions dark with jealousy. While others laughed, they whispered to each other, their voices laced with venom.
"If they think this is going to last, they're wrong," one hissed.
The other smirked coldly. "We'll tear them apart. And no one will ever suspect us."
And while everyone else believed nothing could shake the newly exposed relationship...the storm had already begun to gather.