Kempfer Royal Academy, the premier royal institution on Reno Continent, was slowly descending into chaos…

It began with—

Hilfa Saori Xandermore, homeroom teacher and dean of the newly established Enlightenment Class, vanishing one sunny day alongside her office assistant. She never returned.

Before that, a top student from her class had mysteriously disappeared.

Chaos swallowed the Enlightenment Class whole.

Normally, this wouldn’t matter.

Except the class housed two idols—idols deeply entangled with Kempfer’s highest authorities…

Beneath a blazing sun, inside the first-year dean’s office…

“Brother! I don’t care!!! You *will* process my withdrawal! I’m finding Sima Liangjie!”

Dilu clutched his forehead. A golden-haired goth loli rampaged across his spacious office.

—Alice.

Beside her stood a black-haired loli, silent and hollow-eyed.

—Alpha.

Ever since Ryosuke vanished, she’d been like this. Heartbreaking.

Alice kicked over an antique wooden stool without warning.

“I don’t care!”

She snatched the crystal lamp from Dilu’s desk.

“Alice doesn’t care!”

And hurled it onto the wood-crystal floor.

*Crash!*

Dilu’s heart lurched. His beloved, adored little sister now staggered toward a tea table, hugging a porcelain vase nearly her own size.

Alice’s small arms trembled as she raised the vase high, her cheeks flushed crimson.

“W-wait! Slow down!”

Dilu dropped to one knee before her, his expression desperate—tears threatening to spill.

“Spare the vase, my sister! I bought it from the black market with a fortune! Break anything else! Tear this office apart! But *this*—this one thing—you *cannot* shatter!”

“Then… then let me… withdraw!”

Alice’s voice wavered.

*Damn, this vase is heavy!*

“Of course! Of course! Just put it down first…”

Dilu’s eyes locked onto the swaying vase, his body swaying with it.

“Mmph… I’ll put it down… if… if you process my withdrawal first!”

Alice gritted her teeth, shaking violently.

Dilu’s heart hammered against his ribs.

“Good sister, set it down! I’ll do it immediately! Right now!”

Alice glared at him, leaning back slightly. Dilu backpedaled instantly.

“Wait! Sorry! I was wrong! *Now!* Right now!”

Dilu shot to his desk, yanking a communication crystal from a drawer while muttering curses.

A glowing rune flared across the crystal. An image projected out.

Bolong.

“Dilu! What is it? I’m busy!” Bolong snapped from the projection, sipping tea.

A vein throbbed on Dilu’s temple. *Damn Kempfer’s bureaucracy—escalate everything upward.*

Bolong was second-year dean.

At Kempfer, there was a saying: *Rank trumps reason.*

“Esteemed Dean Bolong… my sister Alice… suddenly wishes to visit home…” Dilu forced a smile. For a man always so composed, it twisted half his face.

“Hmm?” Bolong sipped his tea, narrow eyes gleaming. “The delinquent Golden Sorceress? Very well. Submit a written request to my office.”

Dilu risked a glance at Alice. The vase trembled violently.

“Dean Bolong! It’s urgent! I beg you!”

Bolong set down his cup, smiling enigmatically. “I’d help, Dilu, but without proof… how can I explain to my superiors?”

“Alice is right here!” Dilu blurted—then instantly regretted it.

Bolong’s eyes lit up like lanterns. “Show her! Seeing is believing.”

After a tense pause, Dilu twisted the crystal toward Alice.

Bolong’s grin widened into a crescent. “Consider it done! Wait right there—I’m coming!”

*Fzzt.* The projection vanished.

Dilu slumped into his chair like a defeated nation signing surrender terms.

For a moment, silence…

Then—Alice faltered.

“B-brother… how… how is it… ah…”

Her arms finally gave way. Only a demon’s unnatural strength had held the vase this long.

The priceless vase arced backward—straight toward Alpha, who stood motionless by the door.

The delinquent Black Reaper merely glanced at the flying porcelain.

—Then sidestepped slightly.

The vase shattered on the floor in glittering fragments.

*Crack!*

It wasn’t porcelain that broke. It was Dilu’s heart.

“NOOOO—!!!”

On the eleventh day of the eleventh month, in the ninth century of Reno’s Imperial Calendar, a soul-rending scream tore through Kempfer Royal Academy.

Its despair rivaled the legendary clash between the Silver Demon King and the Emerald Dragon…

Dean Bolong, meanwhile, was overjoyed.

—In Dilu’s projection, he’d glimpsed not just the lovely Alice… but strands of flowing black hair.

Yes. Even a few strands revealed their owner.

The pinnacle of loli perfection he’d dreamed of:

—The embodiment of blank-faced adorableness.

Alpha.

First-year students milled in the corridors between classes when a muddy-yellow blur shot past a window.

“Hey… what was that?”

“Huh? Nothing.”

“No, I saw a muddy-yellow shadow—right past this window!”

“Your imagination.”

“…Really?”

Outside the dean’s office window, a muddy-yellow figure materialized without warning.

Inside, a violet-haired man lay collapsed amid glass shards, his back radiating utter desolation. Beside him, a golden-haired goth loli patted his shoulder.

*Splinter!* The reinforced crystal-glass window exploded inward.

Bolong crashed through the frame.

“I’VE ARRIVED!” he bellowed.

“Tch.” Alpha turned away in disdain. Bolong stumbled.

*As Guildmaster of the Mercenary Union, I mimicked that silver-haired brat just to win this black-haired angel’s favor…*

*Was my imitation lacking?*

*Do I need silver hair too…?*

Dilu flinched at the shattering glass behind him. Slowly, mechanically, he turned.

The soundproof window he’d paid a fortune for…

—Was now just glittering dust.

“WHY NOT USE THE DOOR?!” Dilu roared. Bolong waved him off.

“Pfft. Just glass. No big deal!” He beamed, sidling toward Alpha. Alice blocked his path, scowling.

“Stay away from Alpha!”

Bolong stumbled again but kept smiling. “Right, right! Business first!”

He fumbled in his worn coat, pulling out a black communication crystal. “One moment…”

Bowing deeply, he detoured around Alpha to slip out the door.

*He’s closing it gently?!* Dilu stared, dumbfounded, as Bolong shut the door with tender care.

A wave of bitter injustice surged through him.

“IF YOU WERE LEAVING THROUGH THE DOOR—WHY NOT ENTER THROUGH IT IN THE FIRST PLACE?!”

*Bang!* The door flew open, slamming against the wall. A priceless scroll painting—once hung proudly—shook violently.

Then it fell. Split in two.

Dilu had no tears left. *Perhaps coming to the human world was a mistake from the start…*

*Forgive me, Father…*

Two pearl-like tears traced his cheeks.

“ATTENTION! I bring glad tidings!” Bolong announced, radiant and triumphant.

“Speak!” Alice tensed. *Will I get to leave…?*

“Heh~” Bolong’s grin turned shameless. Alice clutched Alpha tighter. Alpha remained blank-faced.

“After my *extremely* persuasive appeal… the Board has approved your withdrawal!”

“Hooray!” Alice jumped, jostling Alpha. A tiny, startled “Eep!” escaped Alpha’s lips. Her eyes flickered with life—then dimmed again.

“But…” Bolong’s smile deepened. Alice swallowed hard.

“Due to the chaos caused by Alice and Alpha, the Board decrees: you two bear primary responsibility. Thus, at the Academy Festival in three days, you *must* perform a stage act representing the Enlightenment Class and your club. This will soothe the students’ spirits. Upon successful completion, Dean Bolong will personally escort you on a special training trip—location of my choosing! You must return before the Radiant Ten Stars selection begins! That is all!”

Bolong finished with solemn grandeur.

Alice leapt up: “EH? EH? EH? EH? EH? EH?!”

Alpha tilted her head. “Perform? Will I see Master then?”

It seemed Kempfer’s chaos was far from over~

(Next chapter: The final chapter of this volume—*The Dark Lord and I After School!*)