Days blurred into a week, though the concept of time remained elusive in this place. It was only natural that Aiden lose track, as the sun never rose fully over the horizon nor set entirely below it.

  There was only sunlight peaking it’s yellow and crimson glow on the thick black and grey clouds. The air carried a strange stillness, as though the land itself resisted the passage of time.

  The environment reinforced the feeling of being suspended in limbo. Without any natural rhythm to anchor Aiden, the days blurred together into an endless loop. The mansion only added to this feeling of disorientation. The grand halls were silent, save for the occasional click of footsteps on the polished floors.

  Selveria’s servants—silent, emotionless, and eerie—were a constant presence, but not a comforting one. They were like living statues, a part of the architecture, more akin to enchanted furniture than people.

  One day, a maid entered his room unannounced. Normally, they only appeared when he rang the bell.

  The servants of the mansion were... odd. Silent. Incapable of forming even the most basic speech. Aiden had tried talking to them before, and while they seemed to understand his needs, they never uttered a single word in response.

  But this time was different. The maid stood motionless by the door, staring at him with unsettling stillness. She didn’t speak—of course, she never did—but instead raised a hand and gestured for him to follow.

  He followed.

  The maid brought him outside of the mansion and entered the garden. The crimson light bathed the flowers in the garden. The various petals from the colorful trees that fell is shimmering faintly. On each side, a sprawling hedge maze stretched out, its towering walls made of thick, twisted vines and dense, dark-green leaves.

  Aiden saw a figure that he hasn’t seen in a week. In the center of the garden was Selveria, seated elegantly in the marble gazebo. Her crimson dress and cascading golden hair gave her an almost regal aura, like she belonged here more than the plants themselves.

  She gestured to the seat across from her as Aiden entered the gazebo. Aiden watched as Selveria poured the tea, her movements elegant. The tea was already prepared, its fragrant aroma drifting through the air.

  Selveria gestured Aiden to take a seat without even talking. Aiden pulled the chair from the table and sat directly in front of her.

  "Drink," she said, sliding the cup toward him.

  Hesitantly, Aiden took a sip. The warmth spread through his chest instantly, and his eyes widened. The tea was exquisite—smooth and rich, with hints of honey and herbs that lingered on his tongue.

  "What is this?" he asked, setting the cup down.

  Selveria smirked. "A rare blend from Maltrix's finest gardens. It calms the mind and sharpens focus.”

  Aiden taking another sip. With each taste, he could almost feel the tea working on his mind.

  "It's… addictive," he muttered, almost to himself. Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Wait... this is one of your businesses?"

  Selveria leaned back in her chair, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. "Of course. The tea trade is one of my most lucrative ventures. Are you amazed?”

  Aiden replied “Honestly yes, I don't even know how to balance a checkbook, let alone understand this web of insanity."

  Selveria smirked again, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Are you familiar with schools?" Aiden blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Schools? Like, in Hell?"

  "Yes," she said, her tone almost mocking. "I'll be attending one soon, and you'll be joining me. Consider it a… crash course in surviving this world."

  "Wait," Aiden said, sitting up straighter. "You're sending me to school? Here?" She laughed, the sound ringing out through the garden. "Oh, Aiden, don't be so dramatic. It's not as though I'm throwing you to the wolves. Well… not entirely."

  The Academy isn’t just some school, Aiden. It’s the heart of Inferica. Demons from every corner of Hell compete just to set foot in that place. Do you know why? Because the Academy holds the resources, knowledge, and training needed to become someone of importance. If you want power, influence, or even just survival, that’s where you start.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Aiden thought to himself that the Academy would give him a far better head start than wasting away in the mansion. Here, he was just existing—fed, clothed, and housed like some pampered pet.

  She smirked. “Think about it. Where else will you have professionals—some of the strongest in Hell—personally monitoring your growth? Do you think demons in the outside world will just hand you that kind of guidance for free? The Academy is a rare place where your potential actually matters.”

  Selveria leaned closer, her red eyes gleaming. “And it’s not just about learning. It’s about connections. The heirs of powerful noble houses will be there—brats with enough wealth and influence to shake the foundations of Hell. If you’re smart, you’ll use that to your advantage. Forge alliances, build friendships—hell, if you play your cards right, you could even get close to the royal family.”

  She grinned. “Make yourself desirable, Aiden. Impress the right people, and who knows? Maybe you’ll end up serving under the royal family. Maybe you’ll even marry into it.”

  Selveria leaned back, her grin widening. “And let’s not forget—the Academy is at the forefront of progress. Every year, new discoveries, groundbreaking inventions, and revolutionary techniques emerge from there. It’s the bastion of growth. The best of the best compete to etch their names into history—into the murals that future generations will revere. If you want to be more than just a lost human in Hell, this is your only real shot.”

  She crossed her legs and gave him a knowing look. “So tell me, Aiden… Do you really want to sit here and rot, or do you want to carve your name into history?”

  Aiden mulled over her words. This could be his chance. If the Academy was truly as powerful as she claimed, then it was his key to independence. He wouldn’t have to rely on Selveria anymore.

  Still, doubt gnawed at him. It all sounded too perfect. If he were still the same person he was before coming to Hell, he might’ve believed it. But after witnessing the bloodbath at the Colosseum? He knew better. What Selveria said might’ve been common sense to the world he live in—but never here. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at Selveria.

  "Is all of this really true?" he asked.

  "I'm grateful you noticed," Selveria said without hesitation.

  Aiden blinked. His brain stalled for a moment before processing her words. He just stared at her.

  Then, she laughed. "What I just told you is what the royal family wants you to believe, Aiden. And plenty of desperate lesser demons from commoner families fall for that trick."

  “They walk into that place expecting a fair system, thinking they'll gain knowledge, resources, and connections—dreaming of carving out a future for themselves. And what do they get instead? They get called mudbloods by nobles who think they're gods just because of their last names.”

  "The Academy isn't some prestigious institution for the talented," Selveria sneered. "It’s a glorified daycare for inbred brats and worthless heirs. A bunch of arrogant children who think they’re special just because their bastard blood comes from some deadbeat father who nutted and ran, leaving their whore of a mother to incubate half the goddamn species in her overused womb."

  Aiden's jaw dropped slightly. He didn't immediately process her vulgar words. He just stared at her, his brain lagging like a cheap secondhand computer.

  Aiden muttered “Yep, and there it is.”

  Selveria pretended she didn’t heard what Aiden muttered and continued. “The Academy is less of an institution and more of a battleground—a miniature version of the politics that rule Hell. It’s where the most powerful heirs from noble families gather, and when you cram that much ambition, arrogance, and entitlement into one place, the result is never pretty. It’s not about education. It’s about power, influence, and proving who deserves to stand at the top.”

  She leaned back, crossing her arms. “The moment you step foot in there, you’re stepping into a pit of snakes. Every noble house has enemies, and if rival families have their brats enrolled, there will be blood. Assassination attempts, sabotage, blackmail—hell, even professors have their own allegiances. No one is neutral. The only real lesson you’ll learn is how to survive.”

  “Not even your siblings are safe from you. They might see this academy as an opportunity to discredit your validity to your ascend to the head of your family.”

  "The place is rife with scandal. The noble brats who strut around like gods don’t just settle their differences with words. Duels end in deaths, feuds last for generations, and if you’re weak? If you’re unfortunate enough to have no family name to shield you? You’re nothing but a plaything."

  Aiden frowned. "That doesn't make any sense. If it's that bad, why does anyone even send their kids there?"

  Selveria leaned back, a smirk playing on her lips. “The Royal Family, in all their benevolence, has kindly ordered every noble house to dump their precious heirs into the Academy.”

  Aiden raised an eyebrow. “Ordered?”

  “Oh yes,” she continued. “They dress it up as some grand rite of passage, backed by the highest religious institutions. According to them, it’s a sacred tradition—a brutal crucible where noble brats are purified through suffering, molded into perfect heirs. They claim it strips away weakness, leaving only those worthy to rule.” She scoffed. “A load of self-righteous bullshit.”

  She leaned in slightly, her red eyes gleaming. “The truth? The Academy is just the largest hostage camp in all of Hell.”

  Aiden blinked. “Hostages?”

  She chuckled darkly. “Think about it. If the Royal Family ever clashes with a noble house, they don’t need to wage a full-scale war. They already have their enemy’s heirs locked inside their institution. If negotiations turn sour, they can always remind a rebellious lord that their precious little spawn is within arm’s reach.”

  Aiden swallowed. It made sense. The Academy wasn’t just a school—it was a chessboard, and every noble heir inside it was a piece waiting to be played.

  “Not that it always works,” Selveria continued. “Demons aren’t exactly sentimental creatures. Plenty of nobles would gladly sacrifice their own flesh and blood if it meant gaining the upper hand.”

  She leaned back, her red eyes gleaming with amusement. “But even demons aren’t completely devoid of attachment. Maternal instinct still exists… it’s just twisted beyond recognition. Where humans see love and nurture, demons see possession and control. You’re not raising a child—you’re molding an extension of yourself. That’s why some nobles do care about their brats. Not out of love, but because they see them as their legacy. Their property.”

  Selveria let out a low laugh. “Even if they truly love their children then it is in the borderline of obsessive love.—there are no normal parental instincts here in Hell. Every single demon is fucked in one way or another.”

  Aiden stared at her, dumbfounded. “And you're going to this place? Is there nothing you could do to prevent from entering it?” Aiden could only hope that Selveria had a loophole preventing her from entering the Academy, he didn’t really want to be dragged to this mess.

  Selveria said. “I don't have a choice. I'm this year's representative for my family. My presence there is part of a deal my family made with the royal family. If they fail to honor that deal, let's just say…” She gestured to her neck with a finger, mimicking a slicing motion. “My head won't stay attached for long.”

  “What kind of deal?” Aiden asked, narrowing his eyes.

  “That's none of your concern,” Selveria said sharply. “All you need to know is that I'll be attending that accursed place, and so will you.”

  Aiden scowled. "Why me? Why not get someone more competent? Surely you have better allies than a human who can't even survive in Hell on his own."

  Selveria smirked, leaning forward. “My allies are already enrolled. And besides, you're mine now, Aiden. You'll do as I say, whether you like it or not.”

  Aiden hesitated, gathering his courage to speak. “I've been thinking. Maybe it's better if I just stay here in the mansion. I mean, this academy you mentioned sounds dangerous, and—“