Aiden crouched down in the floor puking all of the contents that Selveria fed him.

  Selveria crouched down with a handkerchief in her hand. She held Aiden’s jaw and made his face look at her. She wiped Aiden’s lips and said “I know you humans have a nature that leans toward compassion but I was expecting that you will merely remain indifferent, after all those demons aren’t your kind. But I seemed to have a miscalculation.”

  Aiden exhaled sharply as he gathered his thoughts “I’m not exactly the compassionate type,” he admitted. “I don’t go out of my way to care about others. But…” He hesitated, his gaze drifting back to the carnage on the stage. “They walk on two legs, they wear clothes, they talk, they think. Even if they’re demons, my brain keeps comparing them to humans.”

  Aiden slowly stand up from the floor and met Selveria’s gaze. “How about you? Why doesn’t this disturb you? It’s your own kind being slaughtered.”

  Selveria sighed. “Aiden, the demons you see dying are all criminals. One purpose of this Colosseum is public execution. It’s important in demon society—it reminds everyone of the consequences of breaking the law.”

  Aiden frowned. “That’s not what I meant. Couldn’t you at least pity them as your kind? Even if they deserve death, shouldn’t it be a mercy kill? Why does their punishment have to involve… role-play?”

  Selveria explained further “Aiden—what kind of things do you think these demons must have done to be labeled as criminals by other demons? You humans struggle to imagine the kind of violence and brutality demons are capable of," she said, her voice smooth yet condescending. "Compared to the atrocities they’ve committed, this public execution is mercy."

  "If we truly punished them according to their crimes," she continued, "we’d be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of it. There wouldn't be enough executioners to keep up. And considering how often these things happen, well… It would be an endless job."

  Selveria put a hand on her chin and looked up “As for why it has to be a role-play… well, public executions were originally meant for everyone to witness, not just a select audience. But because of the staggering attendance of demons, someone realized it could be profitable.”

  Selveria smirked. “Since demons are willing to pay, why not make it more entertaining than just boring torture? Then it boosted the city’s revenue. All of the cities here in Hell copied this business idea.”

  Aiden scanned the arena, his gaze lingering on the demons being slaughtered on stage. Their screams were filled with horror and desperation, yet the voices from the crowd sang a different tune. The audience erupted in cheers, their excitement growing with every limb severed, every agonized shriek that echoed through the Colosseum.

  There was no hesitation. No pity. No discomfort. Just eager amusement.

  Aiden watched as the condemned were slowly torn apart, their suffering displayed like a grand performance. The crowd reveled in it, their enthusiasm unshaken, their laughter blending seamlessly with the dying cries.

  It wasn’t just cruelty.

  It was as if demons lacked the very concept of empathy itself.

  “This is insane,” Aiden muttered.

  Selveria smirked “Demons can walk on two legs like a human, they can wear clothes like a human, they can talk like a human, and they can think like a human but never compare demons to humans Aiden. Demons are rational because we’ve adapted to society but by our very nature, we are still savages.”

  “No matter how long you try to domesticate a demon, even after hundreds of thousands of years, our nature will never change. A wild beast in fine clothing is still a beast.”

  Aiden let her words sink in as he observed the crowd more carefully. These demons wore robes, tunics, and extravagant garments, but their forms betrayed their monstrous origins.

  A towering grey wolf with curved goat horns stood on two legs, his robe barely concealing the thick fur underneath. A serpentine woman coiled her lower body beneath her seat, her scales glinting under the arena lights, a silk turban wrapped elegantly around her head. Another figure, humanoid in shape but with skin painted in unnatural shades—reds, blues, and purples—grinned with jagged, shark-like teeth.

  Then there was the girl. Long, flowing sea-green hair cascaded down her back, her gills faintly visible along her slender neck. But it was her eyes that unsettled him most—serpentine and shifting, their gaze flickering like Medusa’s curse, cold and inhuman.

  No two demons were alike, yet they all shared that same wild, predatory essence. It wasn’t civilization that restrained them—it was only the illusion of it.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Aiden found the display deeply disturbing, yet he remained steadfast. If he wanted to survive in Hell, he had to adapt—had to get used to watching cruelty unfold as if it were nothing more than entertainment.

  So he sat on the chairs together with Selveria and forced himself to watch. Both of them have completely forgotten the messed Aiden did with the floor.

  The absurdity of the spectacle was almost surreal. The so-called King delivered judgment after judgment.

  Without hesitation, he strode toward one of the wounded, grasping a massive spear resting nearby. With a single, forceful thrust, he drove the weapon through the demon’s torso. A piercing scream erupted as the victim writhed, his limbs flailing helplessly. Blood gushed from the wound, cascading down the shaft like spilled ink, splattering onto the King’s face.

  Unfazed, the King hoisted the impaled demon high, letting him dangle like a grotesque banner. The crowd roared in approval.

  Then, without pause, he turned to another whimpering figure, plunging the same spear into their flesh. A sharp gasp of agony rang out as their body twitched violently. With deliberate slowness, the King lifted the second victim, forcing them down onto the same spear, their wounds pressing against one another as the weapon sank deeper.

  Now, two demons were impaled upon the same shaft, writhing together in a shared torment.

  Onstage, Malphas wiped the blood from his face and stepped back, observing his ‘installations’—numerous towering pillars of writhing bodies impaled together, trembling in their final moments. He tilted his head, considering, then nodded in satisfaction.

  The audience erupted into applause.

  Selveria clapped boredly, a slight smile on her face was seen by Aiden.

  Selveria noticed his hesitation and tilted her head. “Aiden, don’t be rude. This is art.”

  Aiden thought, Didn’t she just say she was bored by the show?

  Letting out a slow breath, he raised his hands and clapped. A small, slow, awkward clap—the kind someone gives when they don’t know what else to do.

  Selveria smirked. “Judging from your expression, it seems you’re not too pleased with demon culture.”

  Aiden sighed. “Honestly? Yeah. The common sense I had on Earth doesn’t apply here. Everything feels so foreign and absurd. I need more time to adapt.”

  Selveria nodded. “That’s understandable. It takes time, but I think you’ll fit in before long. How about we leave? Neither of us is really enjoying the show.”

  Yeah, but for different reasons, Aiden thought. “Where to next?” He could only hope it wouldn’t be more absurd than this.

  Selveria didn’t answer. Instead, she held out her hand. Aiden hesitated, then took it. A flock of crows swarmed around them, and in an instant, the scene changed.

  When Aiden opened his eyes, he was standing in front of a mansion. Selveria stepped away from him, turning with her hands behind her back.

  “Aiden, this is the mansion you were in earlier. You’ll be staying here as a guest. Anything you need—clothes, food suitable for a human—it’s all provided.”

  Selveria handed Aiden a golden bell.

  Aiden frowned. “What is this?”

  “If you need anything in the mansion, just ring this bell, and a servant will come to hear your request,” she explained.

  To demonstrate, she grabbed another bell and rang it casually. “A servant will come and get you here.”

  She turned slightly. “Unfortunately, this is where our journey ends, for now. I have some unexpected family matters to attend to. I’ll be leaving you here, but my servants have already been instructed to take care of you.”

  Aiden nodded. “Thank you Selveria. When will you be back?”

  Selveria smiled. “Missing me already? Don’t worry, Aiden. I’ll return in a few days.”

  “What is the purpose of you summoning me in Hell Selveria?” Aiden asked one last question, he needs to know what his purpose of existence here. “I am curious to know why I am here.”

  “To be my companion Aiden, nothing more.” Crows gathered around her, and as she disappeared, her last expression was a playful smile, eyes closed.

  Aiden felt unsatisfied by her answer and just looked around. He was alone.

  The mansion was beautiful, covered in gold, its stone-brick pathways arranged neatly beneath his feet. Alien trees of various colors lined the area, their leaves swaying gently. If not for the dark, grey clouds stretching endlessly across the sky, the eerie crimson light piercing through them and the walls that surround the place which are as tall as 100 meters, this place could have been mistaken for a grand European estate.

  As he was observing the spectacle around him. He heard footsteps coming towards him, he turned his head to see a figure in maid’s clothing. He could guess the figure coming towards him is servant of Selveria.

  Now that servant was close to him. He could take notice more of her features. While her beautiful figure tells Aiden that she is a woman, He couldn’t help but be disturb at this maids appearance. She had a metallic box on her had and some chains attached in her neck as if binding her.

  Aiden tried to break this awkwardness by speaking. He has to get used on how to live in this dimension if he wants his sanity to remain.

  The maid remained silent, offering only a polite bow before making a subtle gesture for Aiden to follow. He complied without hesitation—who knew what would happen if he refused?

  As he stepped inside the giant mansion, Aiden confirmed that this was the same mansion that he was in earlier. The corridor which the maid guided him had golden chandeliers, crimson curtains, and intricate carvings of demonic lore. The polished black marble floors echoed their steps. Silver-framed windows.

  The maid led Aiden back to his room—the same one where he had been resting earlier. As soon as the door closed, he threw himself onto the canopy bed, letting his body sink into the soft mattress. The events of the day replayed in his mind. The demons, their degenerate and brutal society… it had only taken a single day for his common sense to shatter. Everything he had learned on Earth—morality, reason, logic—it all felt useless here.

  If one day in Hell could break him this much, what would a year do? Would he still be sane?

  Aiden clenched his fists. No, he couldn’t let himself fall apart. If he wanted to survive, he had to adapt. He had to be independent. Relying on Selveria for everything wasn’t just reckless—it was stupid.

  She might be entertained by him now, calling him her ‘companion’ like he was some kind of pet, but that didn’t mean she’d always keep him around. If she ever got bored, what then? He couldn’t trust her to hold his life in her hands. He needed a way out. He needed to break free from whatever spell she had placed on him.

  Thankfully, everything he needed was right here in the mansion. Food, a place to sleep, a bathroom to clean himself—all of it was given freely.

  But the library was what mattered most.

  If he wanted to survive, he had to understand this world. Their culture, their history, their rules—everything. Knowledge was his best weapon.

  He wasn’t just going to sit around and accept his fate.

  He was going to change it…

  A week has passed.

  His habits stayed the same as he was on Earth. He locked himself in his room, reading book after book—not because he was interested, but just to pass the time. Anything to keep his mind busy, to stop himself from thinking about the past.

  The mansion was enormous, filled with eerie silence and servants who moved like shadows. They had the same metal box containing their heads. They appeared when needed and vanished just as quickly, watching but never speaking.

  At first, Aiden had found them unsettling—the way they kept quiet, the way they comply without any disapproval, the way they bowed without a word. But now? He didn’t even react. He felt... disconnected, like nothing here really mattered.

  They could be ghosts, puppets, or something far worse, but it didn’t matter. Nothing did.

  He turned another page without thinking.

  What was the point?

  He had already died once. He worked so hard for his mother to survive, but for what? If Hell wouldn’t kill him, maybe he was already dead inside.