"Everyone! I have brought Sir Alex!" Mira exclaimed excitedly, catching the attention of everyone in the throne room. The room was filled with demons of all sizes and shapes, crowding inside. There were also several important-looking demons that were lining up in front of the throne, likely those who had achieved significant feats during yesterday's heroes' invasion.
"Oi, Mira! What took you so long?" A familiar voice called out. It was none other than Casey, the lizard lady, leader (and the only member) of the Wyvern Cavalry Squadron. She waved excitedly for both of them to join the lineup near the Demon Queen's throne.
Among those lined up were also two familiar faces that Alex already knew: the ever-serious General Bella, who only gave them a glance before returning to line up neatly; and the ever-alluring Roxane, who was smiling upon seeing them both and waving them over to join them. There were also a few demons there that Alex didn't recognize: a green-feathered harpy, a brunette pony-tailed lamia, a bald red-skinned man with a single horn on his head, and a few more. They were all already neatly lined up as well.
As both Alex and Mira began to approach the line-up, murmured between the demons can be heard.
"Is that a human?"
"Why is a human here?"
"Isn't he the summoned hero?"
"Doesn't he look weak?"
These kinds of murmurs could be heard by Alex, which made him quite nervous. These demons were still wary of humans, especially towards a summoned hero from another world. Given their long history of constant war and the recent conflict with said humans that they had just thwarted, it made sense why they weren't as welcoming to a human like him.
As soon as both Alex and Mira reached the lineup, the announcer for the ceremony shouted. They were positioned on the edge of the throne room with a few demons nearby.
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed demons of our realm, please welcome Her Majesty, Demon Queen Anna Bael, Sovereign Ruler of the Demon Kingdom!" The announcer's voice echoed through the room. As soon as they finished speaking, the large doors of the throne room slowly opened, revealing Demon Queen Anna. Everyone inside immediately kneeled in her presence... except for Alex, who stared at her dumbfoundedly. Anna noticed his gaze and offered a small smile in return, to which he responded with an awkward smile of his own.
Mira noticed that Alex was not kneeling like the others. "Sir Alex! Please show your respect to her majesty!" She urged him.
"O-oh, yeah," He replied, flustered, and then knelt as well.
Anna then walked forward to her throne, passing through the lineup in front of it, and eventually sat down.
"Please rise, everyone. Let us begin the ceremony," she ordered. Everyone complied, standing up from their kneeling positions. The announcer then continued.
"Today, we gather to honor the valor and resilience of our brethren, who had repelled the heroes' invasion! Let us show our gratitude and respect to these brave demons!" As soon as the announcer finished speaking, claps and cheers erupted from the assembled demons in the throne room. After a few moments, a nearby demon signaled for them to stop, and the room fell silent once more.
"Now, let us begin the presentation of awards," they declared. "First, Lieutenant Primo Annu Ciato, who led the initial resistance at Fort Envilous during the heroes' invasion!"
The announcer continued to call out names of demons unfamiliar to Alex, causing him to zone out with each successive name.
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"Next is the brave and brilliant General Bella Aurochs, whose strategic brilliance and unwavering leadership were instrumental in repelling the heroes' invasion!" The announcer declared. On cue, General Bella stepped forward and kneeled in front of Demon Queen Anna.
"General Bella, I applaud your bravery on the battlefield. Your unwavering dedication to the defense of our realm and your strategic brilliance have ensured our victory against the invasion of the heroes," Demon Queen Anna stated, addressing the General and the entire audience. "As a token of my gratitude, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Countess, along with lands and estates to match your valor. May you continue to serve our kingdom with honor and distinction."
"Thank you, Your Majesty! I promise to continue serving our kingdom with all my heart and soul!" The General exclaimed proudly, eliciting a loud cheer from many of her demon brethren. She then stood up and returned to her previous position in the line-up.
Throughout the demon awarding ceremonies, Alex was mostly zoned out, his own thoughts empty. This was not just from boredom (mind you), but also because he was still tired after all the running around. Even after sleeping for almost half a day, the tiredness lingered. His eyes were battling with his own willpower for some shut-eye.
"Last but not least! The Summoned Hero, Alex Lee!" The announcer called out his name, jolting Alex awake from almost nodding off on the spot. Dumbfounded, he wore a blank expression.
Then, Mira jabbed his side, "Sir Alex, please step forward to our majesty!" she whispered loudly.
Quickly stepping forward, Alex knelt in front of the queen. The throne room fell silent when his name was called. Almost every demon, except those who had interacted with and known Alex personally, wore a tense expression. They were unsure whether to applaud this human who had suddenly entered their ranks, especially after facing one of those 'heroes'.
Demon Queen Anna abruptly stood up from her throne, shocking everyone. She approached Alex and stood in front of him, their eyes meeting.
"Sir Alex... you have demonstrated strength, kindness, and bravery beyond measure. Your willingness to understand us demons, to befriend us, and to support us, has not gone unnoticed," Anna began, her gaze unwavering. "Once more... I ask you... will you stand by my side and aid me in achieving my dreams and ambitions?"
Her words reminded him of their conversation atop the wyvern, where he had made an oath to her. But this time, she wanted him to make that oath in front of her subjects to prove his friendship with the demons, with her.
Alex then offered his right hand to Anna while kneeling.
"Yeah... I swore that I will stand by your side and aid you in achieving your dreams and ambitions, my Demon Queen Anna." he declared loudly, his words resonating throughout the throne room. His statement brought surprise to everyone, as nobody had expected a Human Hero to swear an oath to the Demon Queen.
Anna smiled, remembering the same oath he had made with her before. She then extended her right hand to Alex's, which Alex slowly grasped. "I am honored to receive your help, Sir Alex," she said, accepting his oath once again.
The demons in the room were still in shock. But then... a few claps were heard. The source? Mira, Casey, Roxane, and even General Bella were clapping at his oath. Soon, everyone followed suit, clapping and even cheering for Alex.
"Hero of the Demons!"
"Serves our Demon Queen well, Hero!"
Cheering filled the room. Alex looked around from where he knelt and saw many of the demons cheering for him. He was quite touched. Standing up, he met Anna's gaze and showed his biggest grin and a thumbs up, earning a giggle from her.
"Thank you, fellow demons, for joining us in celebrating the valor and dedication of our brethren." The demon announcer started their announcement to end the award ceremony. "With that, I hereby declare the award ceremony concluded! Long live Demon Queen Anna! Long live the Demon Kingdom!" The announcer concluded.
"Long live Demon Queen Anna! Long live the Demon Kingdom!"