I Became a Demon Who Can Never Be Headpatted in the Academy?!

The changeling, Sitri, whose very existence was not easily forgiven, was wearing a bright smile.

“What happened? Sitri?”

“Why is she acting like that all of a sudden? What’s going on? What happened?”

“Why is she like that with Murmur?”

The students waiting for Professor Malea’s announcement were all whispering, staring at Sitri without exception.

It was only natural. Sitri had a blissful expression as if she possessed all the happiness in the world, and she was clinging to Murmur like a mochi.

“Murmur… what is this, what happened?”

“Was that you running out earlier to meet Sitri?”

Esme and Thorrin were also talking, unable to grasp the situation, but Murmur had no intention of telling the truth.

“Hehe, it’s a secret!”

From the start, Murmur wasn’t even given a chance to say anything.

“… Why a secret all of a sudden?”

“A secret is a secret!”

“… Why did you suddenly become so close with Murmur?”

“Hehe, Esme doesn’t need to know.”

“I’m asking you!”

Esme was so annoyed that she was stomping her little feet on the floor, but she couldn’t get an answer.

“Murmur will tell you later.”

“Oh my! If Murmur-nim says so, I will be quiet!”

Smiling brightly!

Sitri was smiling so brightly that she would dive into hell if Murmur asked her to.

Esme stared at her, looking very suspicious.

‘The person she had to save… could it be… …’

Esme bit her lip slightly, remembering the desperate expression Murmur had when she ran out of the giant treehouse.

‘It was an expression that made it impossible to say I would follow. The person she went to such lengths to save was Sitri… it must be right to think that way, right?’

What on earth was the story behind it?

Esme was incredibly curious, but Murmur’s current expression looked quite pitiful, so she decided to stop poking her.

“Everyone, quiet. I will now announce the results of the collaborative task.”

The noisy atmosphere of the children was neatly settled as Professor Malea appeared, clapping her hands loudly.

“Oh~hohoho! It’s obvious that Murmur-nim will be in first place!”

“Sitri, please…”

No one could deny Sitri’s words. Even the students who usually looked down on Murmur had to acknowledge her achievements.

“… The group that achieved the best results in today’s collaborative task is Group 6! Esme! Thorrin! And…”

Professor Malea glanced at Murmur for a moment.

A small and young demon. With huge horns, a being who was often talked about among the faculty.

From Malea’s point of view, a very, very, very, very annoying brat.

“It’s Murmur!”

“Wow…! Murmur is in first place after all.”

“They say they found three of the most difficult treasure chests?”

“Sitri found the most treasure chests herself, right? Is it because of the Black Mudman?”

“That monster was so scary…!”

Esme and Thorrin could finally smile comfortably at the loud applause.

Unlike Murmur, who knew the results of this collaborative task from the start, they were a little anxious. They had defeated the huge and scary ‘Black Mudman,’ but Sitri had appeared with a cart full of treasure chests, so they couldn’t help but wonder if they would lose first place.

“Group 6 showed the best skills in today’s collaborative task. They weren’t afraid even in the face of the powerful monsters that were placed! Rather, they showed a friendship by making the most of each other’s strengths!”

Malea looked at Murmur with an expression that made her feel self-loathing even while praising her.

Considering the scars left in her life, it was a very shameful thing to praise a ‘demon’ like this.

“You did a really good job. It’s also very good that you found the exact number of treasure chests for the number of people. You also made sure to fill the share of the respected Princess Nikea, who had to leave her seat today due to unavoidable circumstances, which can be said to be a sign of friendship.”

Malea closed her eyes tightly and shouted.

“Everyone, praise Group 6! Esme, Thorrin, and Murmur!”

The students applauded again as if they had been waiting for it.

“Tsk… there won’t be such a thing next time.”

“Still, wasn’t it amazing that she fought the Black Mudman?”

“It was kind of cute too!”

They were still soft, young children.

They would say they didn’t like what they didn’t like, but they would honestly say what they thought was amazing.

Since Professor Malea had even praised them, the students who participated in today’s collaborative task naturally approached Murmur, Esme, and Thorrin and started talking to them.

As soon as Sitri saw those students with her own eyes, she smiled brightly and grabbed Murmur’s shoulders.

“Plea, se…!”

“Oh~hoho! Everyone, come here! If you want to hear more about Murmur-nim’s exploits, now is the only chance to ask questions!”

“… Stop it!”

Murmur’s face turned red, and she waved her hands in the air, and because she looked quite cute, everyone burst out laughing.

“… … So, why did you two become close?”

Esme was on the verge of flipping out.

* * *

I guess the day I thought would never come has finally arrived.

『Sitri’s favorability has increased to stage 1!』

I knew this would happen since I heard the line that signaled the start of the Demon King route, but Sitri’s favorability went up without waiting for me.

And to be honest, even without the status window, Sitri was showing me her favor so clearly that I knew it right away.

“Murmur-nim! Please eat comfortably! Today, you saved me and worked hard in the collaborative task, so you deserve to be treated!”

Sitri, with sparkling eyes, was clinging to my right arm and talking to me.

It would have been fine if she just talked to me, but as soon as Professor Malea’s announcement was over, she grabbed my body and begged me to eat at a restaurant in Starlight Alley. I tried to avoid it by using Esme and Thorrin’s names, but it was no use.

“Wow… is it okay to eat this kind of thing?”

“Is it okay to order this much?”

Sitri had brought Thorrin and Esme to the restaurant as a matter of course.

Well, money wouldn’t be a problem for Sitri.

“Oh~hoho! Of course! Thorrin and Esme also helped Murmur-nim today and achieved wonderful results, so please don’t feel burdened and eat comfortably!”

“… I can’t say I know Sitri well, but I know that she’s not the kind of person who would treat us to something like this for free, right?”

“It’s not free? I told you. I’m buying it because you helped Murmur-nim.”

Esme blinked.

“Murmur, what happened with Sitri?”

“Sitri was attacked by a monster, and Murmur helped her.”

Now that things have turned out this way, let’s just eat leisurely for now.

Sitri, who is clinging to me, doesn’t seem to have any intention of letting go, at least for now.

And after this, let’s check the reward I got from Rowan. It was definitely a very helpful item, right?

Because of Sitri’s overwhelming affection, I didn’t even have time to roughly check the items I acquired.

“… … How did you know that Sitri was attacked by a monster?”

“Hehehe, Esme? It’s a simple story.”

“There’s no way it’s simple, right?”

Esme’s question was natural.

“Because Murmur-nim and I are connected by the red string of fate!”

“… … …”

“Wha, what is the red string of fate? It’s a magic tool I’ve never heard of.”

“Oh~hohoho!! Thorrin? The red string of fate is not a magic tool! It’s a beautiful metaphor for the destiny that will surely connect me and Murmur-nim! Murmur-nim saving me is literally fate!”

Sitri, with her hands together and her eyes sparkling, was on a rampage.

In a way, I’m really grateful.

“Ugh, my head hurts… Murmur, please answer.”

“The spirits told me. And the flow of mana was blatantly strange.”

“Spirits? Ah… Murmur is definitely close to the spirits.”

Esme closed her eyes once and twitched her eyebrows.

“When you were finding the treasure in the treehouse, Murmur definitely got help from the spirits, right?”

“Y, yes. A spirit that looked like chocolate pudding was running around diligently.”

That was just a convenient cover-up, but Esme and Thorrin accepted it right away, so I felt relieved.

“The monsters that were placed in this test were incomparably stronger than last year.”

“… Huh? I felt that way too.”

“Since Murmur-nim is so perceptive, she must have predicted that a student would be attacked by such a monster.”

Sitri’s voice was serious, and Esme finally started eating her steak with a fork.

“I understand. Murmur is the kind of person who would never leave a friend in danger, right? In the end, Murmur saved her, right?”

“Hohoho, that’s right.”

“Then I’m Murmur’s friend too, so please take care of me, Sitri.”

Sitri looked at me for a moment, then looked at Esme. Please, please, don’t fight, you two.

“I will also take care of you! Esme Bloodberry-yang.”

Whew, that’s a relief. I was worried that Sitri would say something like, “Why should I?”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry. I’m so late, right?”

Just as I was sighing in relief, Nikea appeared, as if she had been waiting for it. Seeing her wipe the sweat from her forehead, it seemed she had run quite hard.

“You’re not late at all. Welcome, Nikea.”

“Hmph…”

Sitri looked up at Nikea quietly, then clung to me so that her bottom was touching mine.

What, isn’t there enough room?

Nikea looked at Sitri and then sat next to me.

No, but why is she also clinging to me?

“Congratulations on getting first place today, Murmur.”

“Thank you, Nikea. Were you worried?”

“I thought Murmur would definitely get first place. But I’m still sorry for not being there.”

Nikea smiled and stroked my back.

“Oh my, weren’t you, the respected Princess Nikea, very busy today and had to leave your seat? You seem to know quite well what kind of things Murmur-nim experienced today.”

“… Because it’s Murmur’s business. I’m keeping track of it properly.”

“Are you keeping track of it so that you can eat Murmur if she does something bad?”

… You two?

“I think there’s a little thorn in your words, Sitri? How much have you seen to be sticking so close to Murmur?”

Nikea grabbed my waist and pulled me towards her.

“Hmph! What kind of relationship do you, the great princess, have to be trying such intimate skinship? I made a beautiful secret with Murmur-nim today!”

“Isn’t it a troublesome promise involving money, not a beautiful secret?”

“How can you say such a thing about a person?!”

Nikea snorted and looked at me.

For a moment, her eyes wavered subtly. At the same time, she grabbed my shoulder tightly and pulled me even more blatantly into her arms.

“Murmur? As your friend, I’ll ask you for one favor.”

“Murmur-nim! Look at that! It’s not a favor, it’s an order!”

“… Don’t be close with Sitri.”

Nikea said it in a very serious voice.

“Murmur would like Nikea and Sitri to be close.”

“I can’t do that, ever!”

“I don’t have any such thoughts either, but it seems we agree on that?”

Why are you fighting?

I want to check the items that Rowan dropped, but you two, can’t you just be friends?!