Surviving in the Demon's Academy as a Human

Aiden stood frozen, his arm still extended, the gun trembling in his hand. The courtyard was suffocatingly silent, the kind of silence that comes after something utterly incomprehensible. The demon's lifeless body lay sprawled on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. Aiden's heart pounded so loudly he thought it might burst. He couldn't look away from the result of his actions.

As much as he pitied the demon, his mind was consumed with another fear—how would the crowd react? He was in Hell, after all, a place where power and cruelty were admired, but this? This was murder, plain and simple. Would they tear him apart for this?

For what felt like an eternity, no one moved. No one spoke. The tension in the air was unbearable. Then, breaking the suffocating quiet, a single, deliberate clap rang out. Aiden turned his head, wide-eyed, to see Lilith grinning like a cat that had just caught its prey. Her slow applause echoed in the courtyard, cutting through the stunned silence.

One by one, others began to join in, hesitant at first, but then with growing enthusiasm. The claps grew louder, filling the space until it became a thunderous ovation. Cheers erupted, and the demons began hollering in approval, their grotesque faces contorted into grins of excitement and admiration.

Aiden's stomach churned as he glanced back at the crowd. They weren't horrified—they were celebrating. The brutality of it, the efficiency. And worst of all, they were looking at him like he was some kind of hero. His lips curled into a nervous smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. He felt sick.

Lilith approached him, her steps slow and deliberate, her heels clicking against the stone floor of the stage. Her voice was low and smooth as she leaned close to him, her smile widening. "See, darling? They love you. And here you were worried about first impressions."

Aiden glared at her, his voice a strained whisper. "You planned this, didn't you?"

"Of course not," she said, feigning innocence. "But I'll admit, it's turning out even better than I imagined."

Above the din of the crowd, the announcer's voice rang out, jubilant and dramatic. "A truly astonishing display, ladies and gentlemen! A weapon so precise, so devastating, it takes down a formidable demon in a single shot! Behold the masterpiece of House Maltrix—the human warlock and his mysterious weapon from another world!"

The crowd roared in approval, and Aiden's face burned. His eyes darted to Lilith, who was basking in the attention, waving elegantly to the onlookers. He could barely process what was happening as the announcer continued to heap praises on both him and the supposed "technology."

And then it hit him—this wasn't about him at all. This was about Lilith's family. The gun was the star of the show, and his supposed "otherworldly origins" were just a convenient way to add mystique to the narrative. Lilith had spun the perfect story, and the demons were eating it up.

The crowd truly believed they were witnessing a breakthrough—a weapon that could be the ultimate stealth killer, undetectable and devastating. But Aiden could feel the skepticism bubbling beneath their excitement. He could see it in the eyes of the judges, who whispered furiously among themselves. They didn't really believe the story about him being from another world, but no one dared to voice their doubts aloud—not to Lilith Maltrix.

As the applause died down, the judge's indecision became palpable. Aiden caught snippets of their hushed arguments:

"It's ridiculous. A human from another world? Impossible!"

"But the weapon works. We saw it with our own eyes. Do you want to call Lady Lilith a liar?"

"Of course not, but we can't… this can't be real."

Lilith, ever the opportunist, took the moment to step forward, raising her voice so it carried over the crowd. "This weapon, crafted by the hands of House Maltrix, is but one of many wonders. And if you believe this is impressive, you'll be pleased to know we have even more in development. House Maltrix is always open to trade proposals." She cast a sly glance at Aiden, her smile sharpening. "Perhaps even partnerships."

The crowd erupted once more, though Aiden couldn't tell if it was out of admiration or fear. He stood stiffly by her side, feeling more like a prop than a person. His mind raced as the announcer declared the next phase of the competition, but all he could think about was how he'd been swept up in Lilith's web of lies and schemes.

He glanced at her, the triumphant gleam in her eyes unmistakable. Whatever her plan was, it was working. And now, thanks to her, he wasn't just a human stuck in Hell—he was a commodity.

The crowd wouldn't want to argue with Lilith on the validity of her claims so they decided to poke at other angles. A demon, feminine but muscular features, jagged tusks and ashen hair raised her hand. "What about the humans themselves? If they can make these weapons, why not trade them?"

Lilith's expression turned mockingly regretful. "Ah, if only it were that simple. Summoning humans from the other dimension is an arduous task—one that drains precious resources. My family has captured only a limited supply of these creatures. And, unfortunately, we've already depleted many of our reserves bringing Aiden here."

The crowd muttered in disappointment, though a few demons exchanged knowing glances. It was clear to many that Lilith was lying through her teeth.

Aiden, standing awkwardly behind her, whispered under his breath, "I'm not even sure what's worse here—the fact that I'm being used as a sales pitch or I am a limited edition slave."

In the midst of this chaos, someone in the crowd, growing impatient, shouted, "If the weapons are so valuable, let us see what else they can do!"

Lilith turned to Aiden, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Aiden, dear, I think our audience would appreciate another demonstration."

"What?!" Aiden hissed back, his voice rising slightly. "You want me to shoot someone again?!"