After nearly blowing up the training hall (again), I thought I'd earned some downtime. But no—Lilith had other plans.
"You'll be joining me at the royal banquet tonight," she declared over lunch, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Royal… banquet?" I repeated, mid-bite of something that looked like chicken but tasted suspiciously like fish.
"Yes! It's an important event where noble demons gather to discuss politics, alliances, and other boring things. And since you're my fiancé, you'll need to make a good impression."
"Define 'good,'" I said warily.
"Don't set anything on fire, don't insult anyone, and—" she paused, looking me dead in the eye, "—absolutely no exploding vegetables."
Dressed to Impress (Or Embarrass)
The castle staff decided I needed a makeover. Apparently, my usual outfit of jeans and a t-shirt with a ketchup stain didn't scream "future demon prince."
They stuffed me into something they called "formal wear," but it looked more like a cosplay of a 17th-century vampire. There were frills. Lots of frills.
"Do I have to wear this?" I asked, staring at myself in the mirror.
"You look dashing!" Lilith said, clearly holding back laughter.
"I look like I belong in a Dracula musical."
The Banquet Begins
The banquet hall was massive, with a chandelier made of glowing crystals and tables piled high with food I couldn't pronounce. The guests were just as extravagant, with horns, tails, and wings of all shapes and sizes.
Lilith walked in with the confidence of someone who owned the place—which, technically, she did. I, on the other hand, trailed behind her, trying not to trip over my frilly cape.
"Everyone, this is Kazuki, my betrothed," Lilith announced, her voice carrying across the room.
The room fell silent. Dozens of demon nobles turned to stare at me.
"He's… human," one of them finally said, as if pointing out the obvious would make me disappear.
"Yes, and he's also the Great Hero," Lilith added, her smile daring anyone to challenge her.
I coughed awkwardly, giving a weak wave. "Uh, hi. Nice to meet you all."
The Toast of the Evening
Things were going surprisingly well—by which I mean no one had tried to kill me yet. That is, until one of the nobles raised his goblet for a toast.
"To Kazuki, the Great Hero and future prince! May he bring glory to the demon kingdom!"
The hall erupted into cheers. I raised my own goblet, trying to look dignified, but I underestimated the strength of the bubbly purple drink they'd served.
The moment I took a sip, my throat burned like I'd swallowed lava.
"What the heck is this?!" I whispered to Lilith, coughing into my napkin.
"Demonfire wine. It's an acquired taste," she replied, sipping hers like it was water.
I wasn't sure what was worse—the drink or the smug look on her face.
Kazuki the Juggler
Things went further downhill during the entertainment portion of the evening. A group of performers was juggling flaming torches when one of them slipped and sent a torch flying toward the crowd.
Instinctively, I jumped up and caught it—then immediately dropped it because, surprise, fire is hot.
"Nice reflexes, Hero!" someone shouted sarcastically.
The crowd laughed, and I felt my face go redder than the turnips I'd exploded earlier.
To make things worse, Lilith stood up and clapped. "What a display of agility! Show us more, Kazuki!"
"Show you more?! I'm not a—"
But before I could finish, one of the performers handed me a set of juggling balls.
The Juggling Fiasco
Spoiler alert: I can't juggle.
I managed to toss the balls a couple of times before one of them hit a noble square in the face.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" I stammered, rushing over to help him.
The noble, who had a snake tail and a face like a gargoyle, glared at me. "You'll pay for this, human!"
"Wait, no, it was an accident!"
Before I knew it, the noble had challenged me to a duel. A duel! Over juggling balls!
The Duel
Lilith stepped in before things got out of hand.
"Kazuki is still mastering his powers," she said smoothly. "Perhaps we should postpone the duel until he's better prepared?"
The noble grumbled but eventually agreed. Crisis averted—for now.
As the banquet wound down, I slumped in my chair, exhausted.
"Well," Lilith said, leaning over with a grin. "You certainly made an impression."
"Yeah, as the idiot who can't juggle," I muttered.
Lilith laughed, patting my shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it."
Somehow, I wasn't convinced.