Surviving in the Demon's Academy as a Human

Aiden stood in the garden, embarrassed and fuming as Lilith doubled over with laughter. Her laughter echoed around the mansion grounds, almost mocking him.

"HAHAHAHA!" Lilith clutched her sides, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I can't believe you didn't ask what the spell actually does before pouring so much effort into it. You've truly outdone yourself, Aiden!"

He groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, alright, I get it. I should've asked. No need to rub it in."

Lilith wiped the tears from her eyes and leaned against the garden table. "Rub it in? Oh, darling, this is far too rich. Watching you struggle so earnestly, thinking you were learning something groundbreaking, only to end up with a glorified fireworks display? Priceless."

Aiden scowled. "So, you're telling me this was all a prank?"

Lilith's smirk grew wider. "Not entirely. It wasn't a prank—it was a lesson. If you'd asked, I would've told you exactly what the spell was good for. You assumed too much. That's on you." She paused and then added, with a mischievous glint in her eye, "Besides, the look on your face when you realized it? Worth every second."

Aiden crossed his arms and sighed. "So, this spell… It's useless in combat?"

Lilith shook her head, amused. "Oh, entirely. With the tiny amount of miasma you can muster, there's no way to weaponize it. You're better off using it to entertain people. Perhaps impress some demon noble at a party." She gave him a mock-curious look. "Maybe they'll toss you a treat."

"Very funny," Aiden muttered, glaring at her.

Lilith leaned forward, her tone softening slightly. "Don't be too dismayed, Aiden. What you've accomplished is actually remarkable. An average demon spends their entire childhood just circulating miasma through their body, and you managed to finish that in a single day. That's no small feat."

He blinked, her words surprising him. "Wait… really?"

"Yes, really," she said, rolling her eyes. "But don't let it go to your head. While your progress is impressive, you're still far from being ready for the academy. It's a place that will eat you alive if you're not careful. The other students are much worse than you can imagine."

"Worse how?" Aiden asked, his brow furrowing.

Lilith smirked again. "Let's just say, if you can't entertain them, you'll be their entertainment. And trust me, you don't want that."

Days passed in a blur of training, reading, and relentless practice. Lilith was always present, observing him closely and occasionally offering advice. Aiden noticed her smirking often while he trained, though he couldn't tell whether it was amusement or approval.

Despite the whispers from the chapel fading entirely, Aiden kept returning to the altar to absorb more power from the demonic runes. Each time, the miasma within him grew stronger, and his body adapted further. His behavior began to change as well—he became almost obsessed with training and reading. Every book that promised knowledge about miasma, spells, or Hell's intricacies became his new fixation.

Lilith, for her part, pushed him harder with each passing day. She insisted he focus on circulating miasma through every part of his body, from his fingers to his toes, even his most sensitive areas.

"Ow! Ow, ow, ow!" Aiden winced, clutching his head. "Putting miasma in my eyes feels like shoving molten lava into them!"

Lilith chuckled, sipping her tea as she watched him. "Oh, don't be such a baby. Pain is just weakness leaving the body."

"It feels more like my eyeballs are about to explode," Aiden grumbled.

"Well, if your eyeballs explode, we'll know you're doing it wrong," she said with a teasing smile.

Aiden wouldn't admit it, not even to himself, but there was something undeniably captivating about Lilith. Her beauty was otherworldly, the kind that could make you forget to breathe if you looked at her for too long. Still, Aiden knew better than to let himself dwell on it. He had enough problems as it was—trapped in Hell, dealing with miasma, and now being dragged to a demon academy. Developing feelings for Lilith, of all people, would only complicate things. At least, that's what he told himself whenever he felt the heat rise to his face after one of her sly remarks.

The day finally arrived for Aiden to leave the mansion and head to the academy. He stood in front of a mirror, adjusting the black business suit and tie Lilith had made him wear. The outfit felt oddly formal for someone about to step into a den of demons, but he didn't dare question her choice.

"Shouldn't there be some kind of dress code?" he muttered to himself. "I'm pretty sure I'll stick out like a sore thumb in this."

He entered the meeting room where Lilith was waiting. She arrived minutes later, dressed in the academy's uniform—a red blazer with a crest on the right side, paired with a school skirt that reached just above her ankles. A blue-black cloak hung over her shoulders, adding an air of authority.

"You look like you're going to a funeral," she commented as she eyed his suit.

"Well, given where we're going, that might not be far off," Aiden replied dryly.

Lilith handed him the gun named Colt M1911, the same one he had pointed at her. "I had it upgraded," she said. "The bullets are made of a metal that's poisonous to demons. Blessed metal, at that."

Aiden stared at the weapon, he was glad that Lilith kept her promise about her letting him carry a weapon. Though until this moment Lilith didn't bother his answer as to what should he do in the academy and every time he asks Lilith would just dodge the question and talk about something else that would distract Adrian but there is still the questions he has in mind that still lingers Does this mean I'm not the first person you've summoned and if so what happened to them?

Another thing that possibility that he has is there might be other humans at the academy. Though their circumstances may differ, they all have one thing in common—they were forced into servitude.

Before he could press further, a iron gate materialized in the room, Aiden figured that this was the portal that links into the academy. The portal appeared as a massive, ornate iron gate suspended in mid-air, surrounded by swirling crimson and black mist. Intricate carvings of demonic figures, serpents, and runic symbols adorned the gate, glowing faintly with a hellish red hue. From it stepped one of the mansion's maids, her mouth sewn shut. Aiden shuddered slightly, recalling what he'd read about such servants.

They're cursed with aphasia to ensure their silence. It prevents them from leaking any information about the mansion. Popular practice in Hell. They communicate telepathically with their masters.

Aiden couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. If this is how servants are treated here, I can only imagine what happens to people like me and the other humans present.

The maid inspected the portal before nodding silently at Lilith. It was safe.

"Let's go," Lilith said, stepping toward the portal.

Aiden hesitated, glancing at the swirling void. "What's waiting for me on the other side?"

Lilith turned back, her expression unreadable. "A life much worse than what you've had here, most likely. But who knows? You might surprise me."

With a deep breath, Aiden stepped into the portal, bracing himself for whatever horrors lay ahead.