At the center of the council hall, a crystal orb manipulated by Seth projected an image.

A squad of Temple Knights, led by a statuesque female knight, marched through the gloomy, crumbling Undercity labyrinth!

Tianlin Fayin!

The tall, raven-haired girl with voluptuous curves at the forefront was Senior Sister Tianlin! Truthfully, her bust wasn’t obscenely large—it was the near-perfect proportion complementing her slender frame that made it just a hint too generous!

She’d been my senior at the academy back when I was male. The Empire’s Flower. Tender and forgiving to all, her nurturing warmth radiated like her curvaceous figure—a stark contrast to her Temple Knight vows. Yet she kept everyone at arm’s length! Any gesture crossing the line of classmates or casual friends met her icy resolve!

And… what else? My memories blurred under the Dark Princess’s lingering influence. Tianlin Fayin… why did her name stir such unease? Beyond my current female body’s instinctive irritation at her flawless bust, a deeper melancholy tugged at me…

My gaze turned hollow. The surroundings blurred. Towering stone pillars multiplied into ghostly afterimages. Distant, crude roars of Fiendish Monsters echoed like a nightmare.

“Ah—!” A sharp headache pierced my skull.

“Princess! Princess!”

“Your Highness!”

“Those insolent humans’ Temple Knights are rampaging through our Undercity! Shall we teach them a lesson…? Princess, what’s wrong?”

I slumped sideways in my throne, delicate fingers pressed to my damp forehead. My body squirmed weakly from the pain. “Mmh… just seeing that big-chested human woman… makes me feel ill… Water…?”

My cheeks flushed. My misty eyes gazed thirstily into the distance.

“PRINCESS!!! SO ADORABLE!!!” The Fiendish Monsters went wild! Several even brawled over who’d fetch my water.

“That big-chested wench dares sicken our Princess!”

“Is she trying to knock Her Highness out with those things!?”

Cruder demons clamored to curry favor with insults.

*Ugh. If souls could vomit, I’d empty mine completely.* But this charade was necessary—and effective. Simple-minded monsters only saw their Princess pouting, ignoring the cracks in her memories and thoughts.

I stole a glance at Seth. My body tensed. As expected, the old man watched me with sharp, unimpressed eyes. *Hmph. This muscle-bound steward can’t be underestimated. What even is his true form?*

A victorious demon scrambled over, kneeling to offer water. I took a delicate sip, then set the cup back on his upturned palms, leaving him frozen as a makeshift table.

I crossed my legs slowly, flipping my twin tails behind me. My free hand instinctively shielded my skirt—a detail only years of ladylike upbringing could produce. Not from real modesty, but to perfect the act. Then, wisdom glinting in my eyes, I turned to Seth. “Estimate their combat strength.”

Truthfully, I knew little of real battle. Academy dungeon drills were my limit. As a boy, I could barely best a goblin one-on-one. But now? I was the Demon Realm’s Dark Princess. Surely I held power beyond status… Yet those memories remained locked, surfacing only with triggers. For now, I had no clue—and no chance to test it.

Asking Seth served a purpose. I didn’t know this Undercity’s true strength. A direct question would raise suspicion. I needed him to reveal it.

Seth’s thick white brows furrowed. “These Temple Knights move like veterans. Our first-layer surveillance wards are crude—they must know they’re watched. Their arrogance means they dismiss us entirely! But our wards only transmit images, not power levels… Still, a team that defeated a lich? And injured Buqu without visible strain? Each walks with calm confidence…” He grimaced. “This is the strongest force to invade our Undercity in years.”

*Perfect.* I nearly smirked. *Now I can say it freely.*

“Seth!” I declared. “How great a threat are they? What’s their goal?”

“Their purpose? Unknown. But humans enter Undercities for three reasons: treasure, training, or vengeance. None we can afford. A squad this strong won’t settle for cheap trinkets from the upper levels!” Seth’s face darkened.

I ignored his warning. Instead, I sneered at the image of Senior Sister Tianlin—her chest swaying above, hips swaying below. “Seth. I heard Temple Knights take vows of chastity. True?”

Seth blinked, then bowed. “Rumors suggest so, Your Highness.”

“Hmph!” I scoffed. “If chaste, why grow such obscene breasts? Aren’t they… redundant?” I jabbed a finger at her image, eyes locked on Seth.

“This… old man cannot say.” Sweat beaded on his brow. *Good. Let him doubt his doubts.* If I was the Demon King’s daughter, unpredictability was my shield.

“Your Highness,” Seth sighed, “how shall we respond to this invasion?”

“Against chests like that, brute force won’t work. Only humiliation and exposure…”

“No, Princess. I meant the Temple Knights.”

“Eh? Ah, hah… right! Such formidable foes demand caution. Seth—I summon every elite commander in this Undercity to this hall. We convene immediately!” I feigned reluctance, though the order had been my plan all along.

“At once, Princess!” Seth bowed without hesitation. *So this is how to command demons? Better to act spoiled than sensible when trouble strikes.*

Once Seth left to gather my officers, I dismissed the leering monsters with a wave. Only the crystal orb’s glow remained.

My eyes drifted back to Senior Sister Tianlin. Her white armor gleamed with gold filigree. Even barefoot, she’d tower over my former male self—easily over 175cm. Her raven hair, long and straight, was my absolute favorite type. She radiated a pure light—a warmth I, trapped in this dark Undercity, could only yearn for. A light that promised peace.

Even through magic, her gaze held sacred grace—warm yet dignified, tender yet untouchable.

*One degree warmer, and it would burn. One degree colder, and it would freeze the heart…*

As if reading my thoughts, the image zoomed in on her face.

Her skin glowed porcelain-white, flushed with health. Her delicate cheeks seemed carved for reverence—a masterpiece defiled even by unclean eyes. Yet within that aloof elegance lived a warmth that melted resistance.

Her lips, glossy and full, contrasted starkly against her flawless skin. Proof she wasn’t some detached angel, but a vibrant woman brimming with life… though Temple Knights swore absolute chastity. That tension—human desire restrained by holy will—made her all the more awe-inspiring.

*She’s never known a woman’s pleasure.* But to possess such a body, such vitality, yet master it with sacred discipline? *That* demanded true respect.

From her lips, her nose, her eyes—I thought I saw that struggle. Or was I just overthinking again?

My gaze fell to her hair. Unlike my own chestnut-tinged black, hers was pure, liquid night.

*Even as girls, I’d envy that hair. And I’m still a boy inside.*

Her ears peeked shyly from behind those silken strands…

“Princess! Your Highness!” Seth’s voice jolted me.

“Eh?” I snapped back, cheeks burning, breath quickening. *Thank goodness he thinks I’m just a girl. He’d never guess I was drooling over the enemy knight.*

*Stop staring. That woman’s poison.*

I forced my eyes to the girl beside her—a chestnut-haired warrior in scandalously revealing green armor. Less armor, more metal bikini. Memories of her were clear: Tianlin’s classmate, deputy, and errand-runner. Loyning.

*How is this “adventuring”? Is she baiting Fiendish Monsters?* I scowled. *Walking beside Senior Sister like that… doesn’t she taint that purity?*

“Princess!”

“Hm?” *Damn it. Staring at girls again. Am I the Demon Realm’s biggest lesbian princess?*

“Your commanders await in the Grand Arena, Your Highness!” Seth announced.

*Why not here?* I bit back the question.

As I rose, Seth suddenly knelt, head bowed deeply.

“Your calm handling of this crisis honors our race, Princess!”

*He suspects nothing. Should I exploit his loyalty?*

“Haven’t I always been calm and decisive?” I parried—words that could be truth or challenge.

Then—

*Flash.*

Memories not my own flooded in: petulance, obsession, cruelty. The Dark Princess’s unbearable past.

My eyes glazed over.

Blood mist swallowed me whole. An uncontrollable bloodlust surged. Anything near me shattered under invisible black force—I couldn’t even see what I’d done… Only the thick stench of blood, and a terrifying, exhilarating rush from the slaughter…

“Ah—!” A whimper escaped my lips—so girlish, my former self would cringe. I collapsed onto the icy throne, utterly spent.