Chapter 1

Hm. A few hours have passed since Setsubun Festival started.

Not everything has gone smoothly; however, things are generally progressing as planned.

It seems the staff are considerably short-handed, so few demons have been hit by beans…

But as time passes, so increases the number of victims.

The demons who are being chased around are growing weary and worn down.

To make matters worse, those who have been hit by beans will change sides: The hunted become the hunters, and thus the damage suffered by the demons will increase exponentially.

Nevertheless, this is still according to plan. It would be troublesome for the demons to be disposed of so quickly, though, so I’ve made contact with those who’ve found themselves in a bind and led them to an escape.

I can get a grasp on the state of affairs by looking at the surveillance cameras set up around the school and the video footage being taken for the in-school TV program.

And of course, I can also get in touch with them by phone.

Yes, hello. Mm yes, there’s a group of staff members headed toward you. The passageway is undermanned, though, so you can either fight your way through or escape to another floor.

That’ll be fine. The demons have all scattered in their escape, so it will be quite the task to keep track of their locations.

I’m sure that the staff have begun to pick up on the unnatural movements the demons are making.

My own spies have infiltrated the staff, too, so they’ll be able to disrupt them.

They’ve been sending us footage they filmed in secret along with status reports in great detail. I’ve made sure not to overlook a single detail ♪

For the time being, I have everything in the palm of my hand.

You’re all up and at ‘em today, Sakuma-senpai~

Kukuku. Hinata-kun, by all means, you’re free to watch and learn from me, too.

I would rather not teach the children of UNDEAD such unorthodox, or rather such underhanded tricks.

You see, I want those boys to follow the straight and narrow, to walk a path bathed in sunlight. They are such good children; they should continue forward with heads held high.

Those who have once died shall become the undead, and then one day shall walk amongst the living. They will be part of this world and lead honest lives within it.

I would like to watch over them with pride from my grave.

Those boys have committed no crime. They are pure, innocent children who have been left unsullied, who have only been abandoned within a graveyard by happenstance.

I wanted to nurture them as in The Peony Lantern.¹

Most ghost stories end in tragedy, but perhaps it’s all right to entertain a dream here and there.

It’s merely a lingering attachment, but I still intend to give those boys, those children who so admired me, a brilliant, shining future.

And because of that, Hinata-kun, allow me to teach you my wicked ways.

I, who was once likened to a monster, who was once known as one of the Five Oddballs—Well, let’s say I have a few dastardly tricks up my sleeve… ♪

Umm… You’re kinda making it sound like I’m not a good kid?

You are a good child, yes. So much so that it terrifies others. Of course, the child of an ominous, mysterious monster deserves a suitable education.

And yet, I’ve given you so little…

As graduation draws ever closer, I’ve become possessed by the feeling that I’ve acted with far too much hesitation.

Child. Adorable child… It is a wonder that an old man such as myself, who has few remaining attachments in this life, can still have such a feeling.

What a frightening little monster you are ♪

What are you even saying…? You keep talking about monsters and stuff, but you do know I am a human, right?

Those around you would disagree. Have you not noticed it yourself? Your distorted, warped way of being?

Monsters are not born as monsters. They become monsters when they are named so. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, monsters, and of course demons too ♪

It is Setsubun. If you don’t return to your human form soon, you too will be cast out along with the demons—my beloved children who should be able to embrace the joy within them… ♪

But I will not be so kind as to hold your hand as I teach you my ways.

The lion tosses his beloved young into a ravine. He teaches them to survive by showing them how to hunt.

So observe me until you’ve had your fill. Child with the name of sunlight, come and see how creatures of the night survive.²

……

…Mm, it seems the young miss Anzu is calling me.

Hello? Little lady? Kukuku, I’ve gotten quite accustomed to using smartphones, have I not?

Just the other day, Hibiki-kun and Sakasaki-kun explained it all to me in a way I could easily understand ♪

Mm, I knew you would make contact with me, but this came sooner than I had anticipated. You’re all grown up now, aren’t you? Good girl ♪

Fuhaha, you wish to know what I have planned…? Why not try thinking for yourself instead of asking me for the answer? ♪

Oh, come now, little lady… It seems you’ve misunderstood something along the way. I am the same as always.

For some reason, people often think of me as a virtuous, kind person acting for the good of the world.

We have fallen in love with humanity, and therefore we devote ourselves to them and work tirelessly for their sake.

That said, you shouldn’t assume that I will always be your ally.

Have you forgotten who I am? I am the leader of the Five Oddballs, those who once tore across Yumenosaki Academy, extolled as the incarnations of chaos.

If you believe such a person to be virtuous, then I pity you. I won’t allow for such a misunderstanding.

Open your eyes, remove your blinders—and try to decipher my intentions.

I believe you, of all people, can do it. Are you not the girl who was able to nestle up to those stars of hope without being stained with malice, even in the pits of hell?

Yes. This time, I am your enemy. You’d do well to prepare yourself, for I am quite the formidable foe ♪

I pray for your success. Go, make your rounds, little lady—no, producer, you who will guide your idols to a brilliant future.

Now then, young lady. It’s about to get quite noisy, so I’ll go ahead and end the call here.

…Fufu. Forgive me if I put you on the spot; I do have my qualms about toying with innocent girls.

But you see… I really should act my age, but it’s been a long time since this old man’s gone on a rampage ♪