"HAHAHAHAHA—!"

An arrogant yet oddly immature feminine laugh echoed through the shadowy depths of the underground palace.

If I could rewind time to yesterday, I’d never have believed this voice came from my own throat!

Yet, I had to admit—even I was impressed by how quickly I’d slipped into character.

Just twelve hours ago, I’d been an ordinary sixteen-year-old boy—so ordinary I didn’t even want to mention my name. Now? I was a lithe, raven-haired girl with long, haughty twin tails and a face straight out of a fantasy.

Okay, maybe I hadn’t been ugly as a guy—just slender and delicate. But that didn’t matter anymore.

Right now, I had no time to process the shock, panic, regret, or even that tiny spark of excitement swirling inside me. Not when I was dressed in scandalously tight black leather and ornate dark-gold armor no normal teenage girl would wear—and kneeling before me was a sea of fiendish monsters, each one capable of swallowing me whole three times over.

Just hours earlier, I’d been cornered by these very monsters, certain my short life was ending—or worse, as punishment for meddling with forbidden magic. Instead, they’d dropped to their knees, calling me "Princess!" with bone-deep reverence.

What was going on? Why would these bloodthirsty beasts obey a powerless, twin-tailed little girl like me?

Then, fragmented memories—not mine, but *hers*—surged forward. My name was Kuroti. Daughter of the Dark Overlord. Ruler of this shadow realm. The Dark Princess Kuroti. A name that supposedly made human children stop crying at night.

*That* terrifying?

The dim purple crystal mirror didn’t show it.

But having these flesh-eating fiends fear *me* was infinitely better than me fearing them.

So I forced myself into the role.

"Princess!" A towering skeletal warrior in tattered armor and a cracked crown knelt on one knee. His voice rasped like dry bones. "What amuses you so? You’ve never laughed like this before."

"Have I not? Ahaha… eh?" My smile froze. A bead of sweat trickled down my temple. "Ahem! Of course! This princess merely realized her past lacked proper dignity. Just thinking of those foolish, lowly surface-dwellers fills me with… lethal mockery! Heh heh heh… Li’orx, fetch me some young boys and girls. I’m famished."

The skeletal king and surrounding fiends exchanged uneasy glances. Li’orx had no eyes to speak of, but his hollow sockets radiated suspicion.

*Did I mess up again?*

"Princess," rumbled a deep voice. A broad-shouldered elder in a crisp black suit stepped forward, bowing deeply. Seth Nolrenbe, my palace steward. "You jest. The sight of those filthy humans always made you ill. You only ever eat fresh fruits and vegetables."

"*What?* Fruits and vegetables? Are you trying to starve me? Where’s the *meat*?" Sweat slicked my palms, but I squared my shoulders. Weakness meant suspicion.

"Princess…" Seth’s brow furrowed. "Down here, meat is worthless. Sun-grown produce is the rarest luxury. Our kin risk their lives stealing it from the surface. Only you, Princess, have always enjoyed it."

"Ah… hahaha! How could I forget? But so many of our clans suffer for my selfish cravings. From now on, I’ll eat meat like the rest of you." I lied with perfect solemnity.

Silence. Every fiend stared. My skin prickled. *Busted?*

"PRINCESS—!!!" The hulking monsters burst into tears, kowtowing frantically. *What did I say?*

"Princess!" Li’orx’s jaw clattered with emotion. "It’s the humans’ fault! If our Dark Princess can’t enjoy simple fruits, it shames my entire legion of a million undead! If only I could walk under the sun…"

"Princess, your kindness moves us!" bellowed a seven-meter-tall, one-eyed giant from the back, tears carving paths through his ashen skin. "I, Ugulu, will send my Cave Giant Legion to plunder every orchard and field! Please, never speak of eating meat again! Feast on fruits as you deserve!"

"Eh? Heh… hehe… This princess is deeply touched." I forced a smile. *I really wanted meat…*

---

The Undercity sprawled endlessly beneath the earth—a labyrinth of darkness feared by humans. At its heart lay the Dark Princess’s private chambers, behind her throne room.

"*Phew…*" Alone at last, I slumped before the purple crystal mirror. Strange, exquisite artifacts lined the room. A massive black bed draped in silken white sheets. Glowing crystals cast amethyst and crimson light over everything. *This is my life now?*

The reflection showed a girl barely 160cm tall—shorter than my old self. Slim. The tight black leather barely hinted at curves beneath it.

"*A-cup? Or A-minus?*" I muttered, heat flooding my face. *Sorry, Princess body… but I need intel. How different are demon girls from humans, anyway?*

I fumbled with the skintight leather bodysuit. Supple, but impossible to peel off. Twisting around, I spotted the zipper down my spine. *Bad idea. What if I get stuck halfway and Seth walks in?*

*No. That only happens in trashy novels.*

Gritting my teeth, I strained to reach the zipper.

***SLAM!***

The chamber doors burst open. I froze halfway turned, a strip of pale back exposed where the zipper had parted.

"*Ara~?* Princess… doing something *naughty*…?"

*Seriously?! That trope actually happened?!*

Wait—the voice was high-pitched. Sultry.

I whirled. A tall, horned demoness stood there, bat-like wings folded behind her, a heart-tipped tail swaying. Her russet skin glowed in the dim light. She wore a maid uniform three sizes too small.

*A maid? I have a maid?*

Memories flooded in: a succubus. Former queen of the conquered A’yela Imp Kingdom. Gifted to me by my father on my birthday. My head maid… Be—Bess something…

"Your name again? This princess has been forgetful lately."

"*Hehe~*" She cradled her ample chest, avoiding my gaze as if I’d wronged her. "Princess forgets? I am Bessdaitiel, former queen of the A’yela Imps, conquered by your father. Your loyal maid since childhood."

Staring at this otherworldly beauty—enough to make my old male self blush—I felt a hollow ache below my waist.

"Oh. I’m Ainz Ual Gown."

"*Eh?*" Bessdaitiel’s sultry expression crumpled into confusion.

"Heh… never mind." My voice turned grim. *The cruelest irony: gaining everything only to lose the ability to enjoy it.*

"PRINCESS!"

Another figure filled the doorway. *Seth.* I yelped, spinning to hide my exposed back against the bedpost.

"WHAT?!" My face burned.

"*Ahem.* Apologies, Princess. Urgent matter. Please attend the war council when… finished." The silver-haired steward coughed, eyes politely averted.

*Finished what?! Stop implying things!*

"F-fine! Wait outside!"

"As you command."

Once Seth left, I turned my bare back to Bessdaitiel. "Zip me up."

---

Twenty-four jagged obsidian pillars held up the hundred-meter-wide Gothic war chamber. Purple hellfire burned eternally in braziers along the walls, casting eerie light over the Undercity’s seat of power.

***ALARM RUNES FLARED*** at the chamber’s entrance. A tiny imp stumbled in, tripping over its own claws.

"B-bad! H-humans! They’ve broken through! Th-that…!"

"Calm yourself!" Seth snapped. "Surface adventurers breach the outer tunnels daily. Why trigger the golden alert and disturb Her Highness?!"

"N-no! It’s *her*! First Layer Guardian Buqu… he’s been critically wounded!"

"*Her?*" I lounged sideways on the obsidian throne—easily three times my size—chin propped on my palm.

"Th-the…!"

"Breathe! Slowly!" Seth ordered.

The imp straightened its hunched back, gasping out weak yellow flames before speaking:

"Tianlin Feiyan! Granddaughter of the Demon-Slaying Duke! The saintly warrior born of divine light! At seventeen, she led crusades against the Lich King Belamorn! The Empire’s youngest Holy Knight—!"

"*Huh?*" My cheek slammed against the armrest. My expression shattered—shock, crimson blush, longing, regret, despair swirling like a storm.

*Tianlin Senior Sister?*

*N—no way…!!!*