I am called Hyutaro!

"I am Hyutaro, the most adventurous of the Crimson Demons, destined to uncover the secrets of the world!"

No, no, that won't do. How should I introduce myself tomorrow? Should I do a Jojo pose? Which one though? Dio? Jotaro? Or should I just do a normal one?

After pondering for a while, I gave up. "Ah, who cares! I'll just wing it tomorrow."

"Time for bed, Hyutaro! You've got school and we won't be here tomorrow to wake you up!" my mother called from her room.

"Yeah, yeah!" I exclaimed, tearing my gaze from the bedroom mirror and flicking off the lights.

"It's unbelievable how quickly time flies."

As I blinked open my eyes, I found myself staring up at the ceiling, a yawn escaping my lips. Settling into the soft embrace of my mattress, I shut my eyes and taking slow, deep breaths in an attempt to drift off to sleep. But sleep escaped me, my mind relentlessly thinking about the events of the past twelve years.

At first, the introductions and the way of life of a Crimson Demon were cringey, as expected. But with each passing day, and the more time I spent with my family and their friends, my perspective of them began to shift.

The Crimson Demon unique lifestyles wasn't exactly hurting anybody.

While there were still times that made me squirm, those moments now rarely happened as I have gotten used to their behaviors.

In fact, I was proud of my heritage.

I was the son of Mimi and Kuroro, and the grandson of Tenshimuri and Seikatsusu, revered as the most formidable arch wizards among the Crimson Demons.

My parents were renowned adventurers, although, given the natural talents of Crimson Demons, it likely wasn't challenging for them to achieve fame.

As for my grandfather, he was the strangest member of our family and perhaps even of the entire clan. Not only was he a tsundere, but unlike other Crimson Demons who focused solely on mastering advanced magic, he had honed his body to perfection and was an arch wizard skilled in close combat.

Meanwhile, Grandma held the esteemed title of the greatest alchemist among the Crimson Demons, albeit she was the sole alchemist in the village.

So, while her title may seem exaggerated, it's not entirely inaccurate.

With this cast of avenger level characters, my anger and resentment toward Aqua for messing up the transmigration process had greatly diminished. Of course, even if I were to stand in front of her now, I doubt the baka Goddess would even remember me.

Anyway, the crux of the matter was this: If I was living in a wuxia world, my status would be equivalent to a young master.

I was content with my life and was grateful for Aqua's blunder. I enjoyed the pampering from my parents and grandparents, particularly the latter. My fantasy of seeing her drenched in frog saliva, stealing her booze for fun and seeing her cry had lessened.

That being said, there was still the matter of the cheats I was supposed to receive.

Had they failed to accompany me into this world, or had they simply yet to manifest? These questions had been lingering in my mind for many years.

However, I wasn't overly concerned about the matter as one might expect.

As a member of the Crimson Demons, I possessed a considerable amount of mana and was exceptionally skilled in all things related to magic. Therefore, even if the cheats I had selected failed to accompany me into this world, I wouldn't have to worry too much about the future.

Well, at least I will be more useful than a crazy explosion-loving mage in the future.

And speaking of that little shit, I found out we were the same age when I was just three years old, heading to my father's friend's house. On the way there, I encountered a young girl with dark brown hair. She had a fair complexion and a dainty frame, resembling a porcelain doll.

That girl, none other than Megumin, stood by the village restaurant and practically salivating over the menu.

Wanting to make a good impression and simply interested in making a friend, I had asked my dad for some money. I bought two sacrificial lamb sandwiches, one for me and one for Megumin.

Approaching her with the sandwich in hand, I offered it to her. She looked at me with drool hanging off the side of her lips, but despite her excitement, she managed to perform the traditional Crimson Demon greeting: "I am called Megumin! The foremost greatest genius among Crimson Demons and the one who will one day become the Demon King and conquer the world!"

Yunyun and I met on the same day. Our fathers were old school friends, so she was like family. We quickly became inseparable, and I often treated her and Megumin to food at my place.

But now, as I prepared for the first day of school tomorrow, I realized the importance of getting some rest. With Megumin and Yunyun to pick up, it was going to be a busy day ahead.

As I pondered this, exhaustion finally overtook me, and I gradually drifted into sleep.

The following day, I was woke up by the gentle rocking of my bed, accompanied by a familiar voice calling out to me. Blinking away sleep, I scanned the room, attempting to piece together what was happening.

It didn't take long to realize it was Yunyun.

"Hyutaro, wake up! Wake up!"

"Yunyun, what's the rush?" I grumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I sat up. Peering at the little beauty standing before me, barely reaching 4'6" tall, I added with a yawn, "It's still dark outside."

"Sorry, Hyutaro, I was just excited to make some friends. I, I'll..."

"Don't worry about, Yunyun," I interrupted with a sigh and gently patted her head out of habit. "By the way, have you had breakfast?"

Yunyun's mood instantly lifted, her eyes sparkling in excitement. She shook her head and replied, "No, not yet."

"Okay, wait for me in the kitchen. I'll get ready and cook us breakfast."

Yunyun nodded eagerly and left my room. After she left, I locked the door behind her, then proceeded to undress. I tossed my clothes into the laundry basket in the corner of the room before stepping into the shower. The runes etched into the shower walls glowed softly as the water, powered by a manatite crystal, cascaded down. It was a luxurious touch that certainly made mornings more pleasant.

After a few minutes, I finished showering and stepped out onto the tiled floor, still feeling the warmth clinging to my skin. Grabbing my toothbrush, I brushed my teeth, the refreshing burst of mint filling my mouth and rinsed my mouth.

With that done, I quickly dressed, knowing I had to prepare breakfast for two voracious eaters. Usually, my parents handled this task, but they were away on a mission suddenly requested by the king, responding to rumors of the Demon King's army mobilizing.

Even my grandparents decided to accompany them, leaving me responsible for the house in their absence.

Before heading downstairs to start cooking, I needed to check one last thing.

Walking over to the mirror, I studied my reflection. Looking back at me was a handsome boy, standing at a modest 4'9" tall. His face still retained a hint of baby fat, lending him an air of innocence.

The boy was dressed in a reddish-pink long-sleeved button-up shirt, neatly adorned with a striped red and yellow tie. His attire was completed by black pants paired with sturdy brown leather boots, while a mage robe draped over his shoulders. The robe boasted a striking contrast of black exterior and deep red interior.

This attire was the standard uniform for boys at the Crimson Demon Academy, mirroring the girls' uniform but with the substitution of black pants for a skirt.

Satisfied with my appearance, I exited my room and headed towards the kitchen.

The kitchen boasted the usual array of standard appliances found in any modern home. Its only distinctive characteristic was the old medieval design and function.

There was an oven and a fireplace tailored for roasting and cooking meats. These fireplaces were generously sized, allowing a person to stand comfortably within, all powered by Manatite crystals to preserve ingredient freshness.

As I entered the living room, I saw Megumin standing there in her school uniform with a proud look on her face, while Yunyun was on the ground.

At this point, it was a common sight to see Megumin bullying Yunyun and stealing her food. I was just that talented at cooking and the two always had a competition to see who would get the biggest portion.

While I felt like I should intervene and give Megumin a good scolding, I always held myself back as this was necessary for Yunyun's growth.

I didn't want anyone to take advantage of Yunyun.

Although I don't know the exact reason why Yunyun wore such revealing clothes in the anime, I had an idea as to why she did. Someone, an adventurer most likely, must have deceived her. Of course, there was nothing wrong with wearing such clothing. But it was clear to me, given Yunyun's personality in the anime, she would never consider wearing such clothes.

As a child, Yunyun had always been sensitive and timid. It wasn't really difficult to imagine someone suggesting to her that dressing provocatively might help her make friends.

Yunyun needed to learn to stand up for herself, think for herself and be more crafty like Megumin.

So, I often just ignore when Megumin sometimes cheats in their competitions. I knew that while she might not express it openly, I know she values Yunyun's friendship and wouldn't cross the line to hurt her.

"Good morning!" I greeted them with a smile as I gathered the ingredients for the Dark Lord's omelet and today's lunch—fluffy pancakes.

"I won again," Megumin said as she gave me thumbs-up gesture.

"Yeah, I can see that."

"Its not fair Hyutaro! She- she started tickling me when I was about to win the arm wrestle."

"There was no rule saying tickling was not allowed."

"But—but…. fine! I'll win next time!"

Fifteen minutes later, we were all seated at the table, indulging in fluffy pancakes. Megumin claimed the largest portion while Yunyun had the least. As they ate, their expressions were filled with delight and satisfaction, making me smile seeing how much they enjoyed the food I had made.

After finishing off our meal, we got our bags, perfectly matching our uniform design. Stepping outside, we were greeted by the radiant blue hues of the morning sun casting its glow over the village.

Living in the commercial district of the Crimson Demon Village meant our streets were already bustling with activity as villagers prepared for the day ahead. As usual, I could already hear my neighbor, the village blacksmith hammering away on the anvil.

Not wanting to stay around and disturb the balding old man, the girls and I started walking to school.

On the way there, Yunyun was still a little angry about this morning's competition, pestering Megumin not to cheat next time only to be ignored. She began pouting, but abruptly ceased a few moments later.

Then, I felt a tug on my robe.

"Hyutaro, Hyutaro," Megumin called out softly.

"What is it?" I turned my head toward where Megumin was pointing and caught site of a bakery nestled between two timber-framed buildings. The warm, yeasty aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, enticing passersby with its delicious scent.

This shop belonged to Chakamiya, who was known as the master of yeast.

Looking at Megumin's drooling face and Yunyun's blushing expression as she twiddled her fingers, it was obvious what they wanted.

"Don't blame me if you guys start gaining a few pounds," I ruffled their hair before walking over to the booth.

I bought two Croissants of the Fallen Angel and handed one to Megumin and another to Yunyun. I had given this recipe to Chakamiya-san in exchange for a bit of cash, and it had turned out to be a hit.

Unfortunately, Yunyun may not be able to enjoy her Croissants of the Fallen Angel today. As I watched Megumin hold the croissant in her hands and saw a smile spread across her face, I knew exactly what she was going to do next... Poor Yunyun.

"Hey, Yunyun," Megumin called out with a mischievous tone.

Yunyun, who was taking small bites from her croissant, looked up and replied innocently, "Yeah, what's up?"

"Do you want to have a competition?"

"Okay!"