Chapter 281 - [Bonus] Demon Lord Duties (1/2)

As the youngest and newest Demon Lord, Beelzebub didn't know what to expect after graduation. Rhinestone had been caught and given his punishment. Hell was at peace again and Zero was leaving.

Morning Star Academy's graduation ceremony wasn't very grand as the public made it out to be. However, there was still the recent destruction of campus property to take into consideration. Beelzebub didn't really care much about the formalities and the glory. He just wanted to go to the feast after the valedictorian speech. From the conversation of the cooks in the cafeteria, the school was catering for this year's graduation party. Belles and Begonia had also been very busy lately and Beelzebub hoped that his guess wasn't wrong.

The thunderous applause alerted Beelzebub that the valedictorian's speech was over. Now, it was time for the closing speech by the dean and Lucifer stepped forward. Beelzebub found that with his sight returned and his lost angel heritage semi-recovered, the Demon Lord looked a lot more intimidating.

The dean's speech was short and professional. Beelzebub took mental notes about how regal Lucifer behaved. Was this what would be expected of him as well? Mammon also looked rather cold and aloof. Perhaps all Demon Lords are this way with the exception of Baal who was usually seen sleeping in his pyjamas even if he had to make an appearance. Beelzebub admired Baal's ability to not conform to the expectations of a Demon Lord. Then again, of all the Demon Lords, Baal had the shabbiest domain and not a single devil note to his name. His castle was in shambles and he had no aides until Coux came along.

Finally, the graduates were dismissed for Beelzebub's favourite part of the graduation ceremony - the feast.

The cafeteria was redecorated into something worthy of a noble's party. Beelzebub felt slightly out of place with everything looking very sparkly. He was even slightly afraid of touching any cutlery in case they got dirty. The Academy really went all out on the graduation ceremony and Beelzebub didn't know if he should wait till most of the students have eaten their fill to start eating.

”Lord Beelzebub?” a waitress smiled and greeted him.

Beelzebub turned around with a puzzled expression. ”Yes, can I help you?” he asked, shocking the lady slightly. It wasn't usual for Demon Lords to be so courteous to lower class demons and the waitress stammered.

”Th-there's a special table of the feast reserved for you. Please follow me... sir.”

Beelzebub was pleasantly surprised that he had special treatment from the school. Then again, the woman looked terribly flustered. Beelzebub didn't quite understand what was going on but having his initial dilemma resolved so easily made him grin widely. There was nothing more that he desired other than being able to savour good food.

The reserved table was actually a duplicate of the food he'd seen for the general public. There was a cordoned off tape with some signs indicating that the section was reserved for Lord Beelzebub and it finally sank in for the glutton. He was now an official Demon Lord on the same title and status with Lucifer, Baal and Mammon. No wonder the waitress was stuttering and looking so nervous.

He usually got hostile stares when he was at the cafeteria but today, nobody bothered him at his reserved area. Discarding all manners, Beelzebub decided to eat as much as he wanted, taking time to savour the food. Lucifer really called for Belles and Begonia to do the catering of the feast. He was touched by the gesture. The cafeteria cooks were culinary experts too but Beelzebub still liked the taste of human food from that small cafe. After all, that was the first place that he could eat so much without having to be judged for it.

Thinking about it, the turning point of his life is because of Belles and Begonia. If it wasn't because of that competition, he would never have been discovered as the new Demon Lord. That insatiable hunger would have driven him crazy for much longer if the other Demon Lords didn't help him awaken the stigma on his back.

Awakening a Demon Lord's stigma helped them to control their instinctive urges. By governing a designated domain, it stabilised the mental state of the Demon Lord but it also anchored them to the plane. Beelzebub would not be able to leave the abyss for a very long while but on the bright side, as more people decide to settle in his domain and pledge their allegiance, the constant hunger that he feels could eventually be quelled.

Mammon and Lucifer told him that there were many matters he had to attend to after graduation but Lilith told him to simply enjoy the graduation party as much as he could and put everything off until tomorrow. The succubus might not have given Beelzebub the best advice because everyone was already treating him as a Demon Lord.

”Why the long face?” a woman asked and Beelzebub turned around quickly.

”Amaraline?” he asked in disbelief. Weren't the ladies going to be busy?

The fortune-teller giggled. ”You should have seen yourself. I've never seen you eat so mechanically. Usually, you're more expressive when you eat. Is the food not to your liking?”

Beelzebub looked horrified at the thought. ”No! Of course not! The food is exquisite as always, I could never dislike it.”

Amaraline smiled. She helped refill Beelzebub's empty plate before getting two glasses of water and offering one to the Demon Lord.

”Eating tastes better in the company of people you enjoy,” she told him.

Touched, Beelzebub nodded and followed her to a private table. ”What's really on your mind? This is very unlike you... is this about Rhinestone? Zero said that you might still be troubled over what happened back there.”