Welcome to demon school Kai

28

Pov of Kai
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I couldn't explain the events of the day for the life of me, and I didn't really want to think about it either. I just couldn't be sure of anything. why there were so many violent animals just out and about I had no idea, but standing around wondering wouldn't give me an answer.
Right now I was just ...taking a bit of a moment to be quiet and actually stop thinking. a hyena was evaporated in front of me like 3 minutes ago as far as I could surmise.
that was Probably not what happened but...
w h a t else could that have been?
I'd had a long day, truly- so as worried as I was, I felt also a little relieved Id finally be going into the "school." Dead or alive I'd get my rest today.
As shichirou led the way through the gates and down a side path, the sun was slowly sinking into the dark orange sky.
my illusion still kept my appearance up, but as he'd mentioned shichirou had also lent me a pair of "warding" glasses.
I didn't bother to ask questions. I could at least figure they helped me stand out less in some way despite looking like normal sunglasses.

First Through a pair of large thorn patterned doors we walked, and around long halls, high ceilings, and spiraling stairs. we were not the only people here. I struggled not to stare and gape at the demons who minded their own business here and there around the place.
Looking right now,
shichirou was different from humans, having pointed ears and avian looking legs- I had no clue what the metal mask he had was for- but he still resembled a human otherwise. Many of the demons I encountered here did not resemble anything I knew. The Animal-look-alikes I had seen before in my own town, and I expected them, but also present were demons with different counts of eyes, ears, tails, wings, some in toxic colors, and any pattern you could name, a few of them Mounds of walking fur, or scales but all of them standing out like inksplatter on paper. There were lots who were still human like but there were none who did not have some unusual characteristic.
I was glad they didn't pay me any mind that was for sure.
...
By the time shichiro finally stopped at a simple looking wooden door, I let out a breath.
Honestly I would have been surprised if anyone had noticed me in a group like that.
I could hardly believe what I'd seen a moment prior, but as I stepped into what vaguely resembled a cluttered office I got my next surprise.
Among the many shelves of books and desks absolutely bursting with files and papers there were also -many- jars full of small animals severed appendages and a significant number of eyes... They followed my movement eerily as if they still lived.
I was having strong second thoughts about being here, my uneasy mind was restless, even knowing that shichirou had done nothing to warrant such strong mistrust so far.
I felt like if I stepped into the room any further I may not ever leave to speak of it. I couldn't tell if it was intuition or claustrophobia and that only made it more worrisome.
Shichirou still stood just a few feet away holding the door open, and starting to seem a bit confused by my hesitance.

...I had come so far to be here.
To have this one opportunity to be relatively safe. To learn about where I was and how exactly it was possible to be here-
It wasn't just a day or two of effort- I'd spent every waking and sometimes even sleeping moment since I got here struggling for my life. Even in my own town I'd struggled, as much as I didn't like to admit it.
Certainly I had never met a stranger who was so willing to help me at their own expense anywhere. I had already agreed to be here, How could I turn my back on such a good chance?

Well, I couldn't.

As usual there was no turning back. Not after getting this far. It was here or boarder patrol I already knew it. Here was very likely better, so
I took a fresh breath and stepped forward, my feelings of fear did not ebb, but there was no graphic murder, no dramatic slam and lock of the door, and no evil laughter from shichirou...
I felt stupid but I knew plenty well I wasn't being that irrational.

It did help that as soon as shichirou closed the door his serious air diminished. He hurried past to wheel over stools for both of us. I was glad to sit and thankful to finally see him holding up the notebook, "questions?" Written right at the top of a new page.
As I began writing he dug through desk space and got his own notepad, a much thicker one, and started using it right away.

I couldn't even remember half the questions I had, but I was going to get at least a few,
Like...
What happened if other demons knew about me? Was the sphinx a demon? What happened with the hyena? How did magic work? And looking at the room right now I really wondered what kind of class shichirou was teaching...

After several minutes I had my answers as the following-
S: I apologize if you weren't aware but If any other demon found a human they would likely kill and eat them. Humans aren't recognized as real creatures by most people so fortunately not many of them will think to connect you to them.
If it wasn't clear my reaction to you was not standard by any means so be careful around demons.
To answer your other questions
sphinx meet the conditions to be considered demons but they are closer to a combination of magical beast and deity. There are other sphinx who are true deities but they are all at least as intelligent as demons if that's what you want to know.
The "hyena" earlier was a familiar out of control, so I had its master send it away temporarily. No harm done. Familiars are connected to magic, but
Magic... is difficult to explain. in broad terms it's the ability to manifest will, or desire. You need mana to use magic but as a human I'm not sure you have mana.
Now, the class I teach is imaginary biology, which is why I know more than most about imaginary creatures like yourself, but I also do work as a monitor and substitute on occasion.
Since It's relevant- I'll mention it, you are posing as a guest of the school not a student. I plan to get a spell to teach you the language soon, which is why I bring this up, but please don't roam the building until then.

Well, I had my answers and a few more questions... but it sounded like it might be a good thing I had been distant from demons since coming here. I knew nothing of deities but maybe they were the holier contrast to demons? Were they on good terms with each other?

Despite my reservations and discomfort with the office I wasn't up for wandering right now anyway. If this was truly the place I'd be staying I'd have to get used to it.
Right now was a good time to do so, More than anything because I just wanted to finally sleep.
I had more questions but plenty of them could wait.
I asked shichirou about where I could sleep, and he seemed to get the idea. By the time he returned with a futon the warding glasses, my cloak, coats, and belongings were set aside- the illusion previously cast on me was dispelled, and I had finished briefly poking around the room for any trouble.
The room had an L shape to it, so the futon was being set around the smaller corner
-out of sight from the door- which I now had a key to.
I was surprised shichirou was giving me a key but certainly not against it.
The only condition he had was that I only leave if it was necessary. (Or for the bathroom which was just a few doors down from this one)
After a few other simple ground rules he left water and (upon my insistence that a full meal could wait) some odd looking fruit, then collected a few documents and belongings and said he would be in the attached room next door if needed.
I couldn't believe how smooth this was going.
I could practically walk right back out to the woods if I felt like it!

Rather than sleeping right away, though it was tempting- I collected my bag again and stepped out to visit the restrooms.
Just across the hall, there it was. a simple tiled white room.
...
I was actually here for the running water- (though it was great not having to dig a hole) hopefully the sink water was safe enough but rather than having what was already in the office I decided this was less likely to be tampered with. I still had no trust.

When I looked up from the sink I could hardly recognize myself in the mirror.
I really didn't look well, after all this time I was eerily pale, wild eyed thin and rat haired. I could at least wash my face, but I had no change of clothes so there was only so clean I could get.
It was disheartening to see I didn't look like me... I didn't feel like me either, but

...maybe here I could get back to being myself?

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Author time!

Aaaaaah 28 chapters in and I finally have an audience! :) thanks for reading im so excited to see that people like these! I'll keep on doing my best, so happy reading!