Extra Demon: Sacred Academy of Light

To reach the beastly clearings, you simply have to walk. At this very moment, we found ourselves in the heart of an immense and dense forest. The tree trunks were so wide they reached up to ten meters in diameter, and their towering heights stretched close to forty meters. The thick canopy of branches and leaves completely blocked the sunlight, though in some places a few rays managed to filter through — until the wind swayed the branches and plunged everything back into shadow.

The air here was crisp and fresh, accompanied by the distant songs of birds that were impossible to see. It was a calm and serene place, where the only real companions were the trees, so tightly packed together they seemed to huddle against each other. The ground was covered in soft, short grass, making every step feel light and silent.

We had only been walking for two days since we first appeared in this place. From the very beginning, the vast, leafy embrace of the forest and the endless stretch of dark green grass had welcomed us. According to Professor Emilia, we were approximately 1,500 kilometers south of the Empire — which meant we were very, very far from home.

In those two days, nothing in particular had happened, except for Professor Emilia telling us when and where to set up camp each night. Elizabeth, on the other hand, never strayed from the professor's side — although I suspected it wasn't her choice, but rather Emilia's instruction.

"This place is so monotonous," Daniela said, staring ahead, clearly bored.

And in a way, she was right. The first time you see a forest like this, it leaves you breathless — the towering trees, the quiet songs of invisible birds, the cool air brushing against your skin. It's all so impressive, so captivating. But once the initial wonder fades, you realize the scenery never changes. So far, we hadn't seen a single animal or any signs of life nearby. Maybe that's what Daniela meant... or maybe she was talking about the dim light that barely reached the ground.

"Students, don't move," Professor Emilia's soft voice froze us all in place.

Arthur glanced around, confused, trying to understand what was happening. But the moment the professor's voice echoed once more, the air around us seemed to change. He tried to look up — the best spot for an ambush — but he couldn't see anything.

"Look, over there," Evelyn tugged at my shirt and pointed straight ahead.

"Guardian of the Deep Forest," Emilia's cold voice snapped me out of my daze. My eyes widened as I saw an enormous shadow slowly descending from the treetops. Every student fell silent, not out of fear from the creature's presence, but out of sheer awe at its majesty.

It was a serpent. Its head was larger than five carriages combined, and its scales shimmered in a brilliant crystal-green hue. The scales were so massive they easily dwarfed a person, and the serpent's body stretched endlessly, blending perfectly with the branches and leaves, hiding its full size.

Suddenly, another great shadow appeared directly above us. As we lifted our heads, we spotted another serpent. This one was slightly smaller than the one facing Professor Emilia, with paler scales and soft green eyes. Then, a voice — gentle, like a mother's — drifted from the creature.

"So many children..."

No one moved. No one could feel anything. It was astonishing — a creature of such enormous size had approached us without making a sound, without even disturbing the earth beneath us, positioning itself right behind as if it had always been there.

"They're so beautiful," Daniela whispered, her eyes shining as she gazed at the two creatures that had appeared out of nowhere.

"Emilia, I understand you were granted permission by the Queen to enter the beastly clearings," said a deep male voice, coming from the larger serpent in front of the professor. His eyes glowed faintly. "But you are breaking the rules."

Professor Emilia remained silent for a few moments before answering calmly:

"I know exactly what I'm doing. Don't worry — I'll speak with your Queen."

The two serpents exchanged a long look, their hissing soft and almost musical. Then the female serpent's voice echoed once more:

"Emilia, we need a justification to allow you passage. We cannot simply rely on your word," she said, her tone polite and gentle.

The professor let out a quiet sigh and nodded.

"Very well," she said, raising one hand. I caught a brief, playful glance from Elizabeth at that moment.

Arthur, meanwhile, was beginning to suspect that all of this was somehow his fault, which made him visibly nervous. After all, these creatures could swallow him whole without the slightest effort.

Tiny crystals of pure ice formed in the air, floating gently until they reached the female serpent.

"Please, accept this," Professor Emilia said.

As the crystals neared the serpent, they shattered with soft cracks, and pale blue halos surrounded the serpent's massive head. She remained silent, as if observing something only she could perceive. After a few seconds, she finally spoke:

"Interesting. You may proceed," she said softly, her enormous body slithering up the trunk of a tree. "I wish you good luck," she added before vanishing into the branches.

The male serpent spoke once more:

"Emilia, be careful. You're playing a dangerous game," he warned before raising his body and disappearing into the treetops, just like the other.

Elizabeth smiled, turning back to face us.

"Guardian serpents have existed since time immemorial. They're enormous — they can grow up to five kilometers long. It's extremely rare to see them in person. As you've noticed, there are two here: a female and a male. This entire forest is their home. But beyond being the guardians of this part of the woods, they're the ones who decide who may enter and who may not. What they did just now was a routine check. Nothing to worry about!" she said, flashing a bright smile at the end of her explanation.

"They are the progenitors of all the serpents in this world, and at the same time, they serve as royal guardians to the Queen of this forest," Emilia added as she resumed walking, ignoring the wave of questions from the curious students.

"What are you doing?" Leslie asked, glancing at Daniela.

"Saving memories, of course!" Daniela replied, sketching eagerly in her little notebook.

"I wonder what kind of knowledge they must hold," Evelyn mused, wearing a serious expression as if lost in strange thoughts.

Arthur simply remained silent.