Once more I need to talk about Welcome to Demon School Iruma-Kun! Specifically about Mephisto.
As such, manga spoilers ahead!
I've been thinking of the Scala exam a lot recently, and about Mephisto's reaction to Iruma. I realized that this is the first time in the manga that we see someone contrast Iruma from Delkira instead of compare him to.
If you think about it, it is often repeated through the series about how similar Iruma is to Delkira. Asmodeus saw him as Delkira during his first evil cycle when sitting on the throne. Repeatedly Sullivan sees Delkira in Iruma. Amduscias saw Delkira in Iruma during the musical festival. We are pretty consistently reminded the similarities between Iruma and the previous Demon King. It's kinda like we start to see Delkira as this amazing, never wrong being.
I think that is why it is so shocking when we get Mephisto's view point on the very beginning of Delkira as Demon King. For the first time, we see someone viewing Delkira in a negative light. We see Delkira be greedy and selfish enough that someone was essentially fired from the position that they had held for centuries. Mephisto was cast off on the whims of Delkira.
I think it is so interesting that it takes hundreds of chapters to get to this point. When I first read it, it felt wrong. Like 'that's not right.' Iruma is compared so often to this person that seeing something negative about them feels off putting. It's a reminder that Delkira was not perfect.
I also think that is why the conversation between Mephisto and Iruma is so beautiful. Mephisto realizes how different Delkira and Iruma are from each other, and because of those differences, Mephisto sees a future king in Iruma. That Iruma cares so much that he would never cast aside anybody. Everybody is important to him no matter who they are. This is the first time we finally get someone looking at Iruma as a future demon king because he is different from Delkira.
No one means ill by comparing Iruma to Delkira. Instead everybody means the highest respect by doing that, but there is something so refreshing about Iruma being seen as a future leader for being Iruma. For being greedy in a different way. Instead of making it all about himself and his desires, his greed stems from wanting everyone to be happy and fulfilled.
I was not expecting this outcome from the Scala exam. Initially I was very wary of Mephisto, but now I've come to love his character. He just wants to feel needed again, and Iruma offers that without even realizing it. Iruma is so clueless to the impact he has on the demons around him.
I hope my rambling was coherent. Basically, I am really excited for the series to continue and to see how this all progresses. To see Iruma continue to make a name for himself, as himself. This manga is just so beautifully done.
