I never thought I'd miss my old human life.
Bills, deadlines, Wi-Fi outages—that all seemed like paradise compared to this.
Here? I wasn't just Rayan Arvale anymore. No. Here I was Director Arvale, a title spoken in whispers, a myth that seemed to grow with every hallway I walked through.
The problem? I had no idea what a Director actually did.
The next morning, a demon secretary knocked on my office door.
Yes, my office.
It looked less like a workspace and more like the penthouse suite of a luxury hotel. Crystal chandeliers glowing with soul fire, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the demon city, velvet carpets so soft I sank into them with every step. Even the desk was carved from some ancient beast's bones.
"Director," the secretary bowed so low her horns almost scraped the carpet. "Here are today's contracts for review."
She handed me a stack taller than my torso.
I blinked. "Contracts?"
"Yes," she said reverently. "Merchants requesting trade licenses, nobles petitioning for funds, guilds applying for recognition. All must be approved by you, Director."
I stared at the pile, then at her, then back at the pile.
If I read even one of these, my brain would melt.
"Hmm," I said, tapping my chin like I was deep in thought. "Place them… here."
She set them on the desk. I didn't touch them. I just leaned back in my chair, steepling my fingers like a scheming mastermind.
The secretary's eyes widened. "You don't even need to read them… You see through their lies at a glance!"
What?
The Ledger dinged.[ Reputation Reinforced: "Sees Through Deception." ]
I resisted the urge to bang my head against the desk.
Later that day, I decided to "inspect the facilities."
Really, I just wanted to explore without getting lost, but apparently, a Director's "inspection" was a big deal.
Demons bowed as I passed. Staff whispered, pointing. Some mocked quietly, thinking I couldn't hear.
"Looks too human.""Fragile body. Must be a puppet.""He won't last a week."
My ears burned. I wanted to shout that they were right, that I was weak, that I had no idea what I was doing.
But instead, I kept walking, face blank, back straight.
To them, my silence was arrogance. Authority.
"He ignores the gnats. Truly above us," one demon whispered in awe.
The Ledger purred.[ Reputation Reinforced: "Untouchable." ]
I bit my tongue to stop myself from screaming.
Of course, not everyone was convinced.
The training grounds lay behind the HQ, a massive arena where demons tested strength and skill. Word had spread of the "human Director," and the place was packed with spectators when I arrived.
"Director Malhotra!" a muscular demon with four arms bellowed. "If you are truly worthy of your position, prove it here and now! Fight me!"
The crowd roared.
My stomach dropped.
Fight? Me? Against that mountain of muscles?
I opened my mouth to refuse, but the Ledger buzzed.[ Objective: Survive Trial of Authority. ][ Penalty: Reputation Collapse. ]
"Ledger," I whispered in my head, "you're trying to kill me."
[ Correction: You're trying not to die. ]
Before I could argue, the crowd had already shoved me into the arena. The four-armed demon grinned, cracking his knuckles.
"Don't worry, Director. I'll only break a few of your bones."
He charged.
I froze.
Then the Ledger flared open in my vision.[ Transaction: Convert 10 Chaos Credits → Defensive Barrier. ][ Transaction: Gamble 1 Reality Fragment → Illusionary Clone. ][ Transaction: Do Nothing. Risk Death. ]
I slammed the second option before I even thought about it.
Light twisted. An illusionary clone of me appeared, standing tall and proud, eyes glowing like a god.
The demon stopped in his tracks.
The clone raised its hand, releasing a shockwave of chaos energy that sent dust flying. The crowd gasped.
"He didn't even move!""His power is beyond comprehension!""Unstoppable!"
Meanwhile, I was crouched behind a pillar, trembling so hard my teeth clattered.
The demon dropped to one knee, sweating. "I… concede."
The arena erupted into cheers.
The Ledger hummed.[ Reputation Reinforced: "Unstoppable Force." ]
I nearly fainted.
That night, back in my office, I collapsed into the velvet chair, face in my hands.
"What the hell is happening to my life?" I groaned.
The Ledger's pages turned, glowing softly.[ Answer: You are surviving. ][ Answer: Survival = Profit. ]
I laughed bitterly. "Surviving? More like pretending."
But deep down, I knew the truth.
For now… pretending was enough.
Morning in the Demon Realm was not like morning on Earth.
No sunrise, no chirping birds. Instead, a blood-red sky shifted its hue like a living canvas, and colossal shadow-beasts roared in the distance to mark the turning of time.
I leaned out of the massive office window, sipping something that was supposed to be coffee. It tasted like burning sulfur mixed with spoiled chocolate.
"This world doesn't even know how to make proper caffeine," I muttered.
Behind me, the secretary from yesterday entered with another bow. "Director, today's schedule: inspection of the demon academies, review of merchant stalls, and a meeting with the outer-city guards."
I nearly spat my sulfur-coffee out. "That's… that's three things."
"Correct," she said. "A light day, by Director standards."
Light day? I was already exhausted.
The demon academy was first.
When I stepped into the school courtyard, the air buzzed with magic. Students in tailored uniforms sparred with spells, wings, and weapons. The buildings looked like modern human schools—clean halls, lockers, classrooms—but with gargoyle statues glaring down from every roof.
The principal, a stern demoness with sharp glasses, bowed deeply. "Director Arvale, your inspection is an honor."
I cleared my throat. "Right. Inspection."
Students whispered. Some mocked.
"Looks human.""His horns haven't even grown in.""Bet I could crush him."
I wanted to run. But the Ledger appeared.[ Objective: Uphold Director's Authority. ]
Damn it.
So, I walked the halls, hands behind my back, nodding at random. Every time I frowned at a crack in the wall or tilted my head at a noisy classroom, the staff panicked.
"Director noticed the flaw!""He sees through everything!""His standards are terrifying!"
By the time I left, the academy had already promised renovations, stricter training, and a complete overhaul of their magic curriculum—all because I had squinted at a blackboard.
The Ledger chimed.[ Reputation Reinforced: "Visionary Reformer." ]
I wanted to scream.
Next stop: the marketplace.
If the academy felt like a school back home, the market felt like a chaotic mix of Las Vegas, Wall Street, and a bazaar. Neon signs glowed, stalls lined the streets, demons shouted prices, and everything—from soul crystals to enchanted clothing—was for sale.
Here, money wasn't just currency. It was respect.
A demon with gilded tusks shoved another aside, shouting, "I offered ten chaos coins!"
The crowd gasped. Ten coins was a fortune.
When they noticed me, silence fell. Merchants scrambled to bow, some even throwing coins onto the ground at my feet.
"Director Arvale,!""An honor!""Take this necklace, no charge!"
My eye twitched. "Uh… keep your necklace. Really."
But the refusal only deepened their awe.
"He rejects gifts! He cannot be bribed!""A true paragon of wealth!"
The Ledger purred like a smug cat.[ Reputation Reinforced: "Unbribable Titan of Commerce." ]
I nearly choked on my sulfur-coffee.
Of course, trouble had to find me.
A group of demons blocked my path near the market's edge. Unlike the bowing merchants, these wore ragged armor and sneers.
"Director?" one spat. "You don't fool us. You're just a weak human wearing the title."
The crowd held its breath.
I froze. My palms went clammy.
The biggest one lunged, swinging a crude axe.
The Ledger flared.[ Transaction: Convert 20 Chaos Credits → Auto-Defense. ]
A glowing barrier appeared around me. The axe shattered like glass.
The thug staggered back, stunned.
The crowd gasped.
"He didn't even move!""His barrier destroyed a weapon with no effort!""Terrifying!"
I hadn't done anything except panic. But my reputation was already spiraling upward.
The thugs dropped to their knees, trembling. "W-we were wrong, Director! Spare us!"
I swallowed hard, trying to look calm. "Don't… waste my time again."
The crowd erupted in cheers.
The Ledger hummed.[ Reputation Reinforced: "Untouchable Warlord." ]
Inside, I was screaming.
That evening, back in my office, I collapsed onto the velvet chair again.
In one day, I had been called a visionary, a paragon, and a warlord. All without doing anything but squinting, refusing gifts, and panicking.
My stomach growled.
I opened the drawer, pulling out a single chocolate bar I'd smuggled from Earth. My last one.
As I unwrapped it, I couldn't help but laugh.
If demons knew the truth—that their "Director" was a tired, broke student from Earth, faking his way through with misunderstandings and blind luck—they'd tear me apart.
But until then?
I would eat my chocolate, drink my sulfur-coffee, and survive another day.
Because surviving… was all I had.