Yeluo lifted her dress and sprinted down the corridor with all her might.

She knew this was serious, but couldn’t tell right from wrong.

Beastmen weren’t the smartest among demi-humans, yet she sensed the Dark Lord wouldn’t harm the Hero—they seemed close.

Though not clever, beastmen had great stamina. She reached the Hero’s door quickly, only to see Lott storming out, furious.

“Hero-sama…” Yeluo finally mustered courage as they nearly passed.

“What is it?” Lott stopped politely.

“Um, Miss He Yu asked me to say she didn’t run away. She wants you at the small conference room upstairs.” Yeluo’s voice faded.

“Got it, thanks.” Lott paused, then softened. He ruffled her hair.

Seeming relieved, he straightened and gazed down the corridor’s end, pondering his next move. With a grave look, he left.

—I crept toward the room but spotted silver armor from the corner.

Guards were there.

I couldn’t reach the door anyway—it was too dangerous.

I thanked my unique trait again: immunity to detection. A Dark Lord’s body couldn’t be sensed or affected by magic.

The Hero probably shared this.

Soundproofing here was terrible. Pressing my ear to the wall, I faintly caught their talk.

They didn’t use soundproofing magic—likely no bold eavesdropper like me.

“…Thoughts on this?”

“The Hero’s justice is beyond doubt; he wouldn’t rebel under doctrine.”

They were discussing something huge—debating if the Hero was a traitor.

“So his loyalty is trustworthy?”

“Mm. He was just being kind.”

Lott must’ve said something wild to stir them. I’d thought they’d only argue whether to fry or dismember me.

I’d bite my tongue and die before either.

“Whether the Hero has ulterior motives, moving against him is tricky. Priority is the Dark Lord’s execution.”

Here it is! I came for this. Where’s Lott? Listen with me—you’re a public figure; they won’t touch you.

They won’t spare me. “Execution” means death is the lightest option. I miss my carefree Earth days: reading, painting, gaming.

How many days? I’m living in constant fear. I won’t escape tomorrow, but I’ll do something meaningful the day after.

Hard to tell voices through walls.

“Isn’t the Dark Lord in our hands?”

“What do you mean?”

“Kill the Hero, blame the Dark Lord’s escape?”

Damn it! Scheming against me? Me killing the Hero? If I could take him out, I’d have wiped you all out already—why be locked up?

“Frame the Dark Lord? Too risky. He won’t obey, and the Hero’s too strong to eliminate silently.”

Good—I won’t take the fall!

“And wouldn’t that waste him?”

Waste? Am I edible? Wait… do they want to eat me? Mom! Help! My virtue’s at stake!

But I was wrong.

“Is His Holiness using the Dark Lord’s body as a vessel to summon a Void Beast?”

Vessel… I shuddered. Did I transmigrate again?

“The Dark Lord’s body can withstand ‘Void’ power—yes, that’s my plan.”

“How?”

“Summon a Void Demon, destroy the Dark Lord’s soul, and use her body to contain its power—controlling it.”

A vessel! Making me the sacrificial lamb, hmph!

Void Beasts, from my inheritance, were near-invincible rift creatures.

Truly terrifying.

“Your Holiness, I have a brilliant plan.”

“Speak.”

“After summoning the Void Demon, use it to kill the Hero and frame the Dark Lord. Seal the Void Beast then—two birds with one stone.”

“Not bad…”

Footsteps behind me—I turned to see Lott.

Furious, brows furrowed, he ignored my shushing gesture and whispered sharply, “What are you doing here?”

“Who’s there!” A guard’s shout. I hissed one word: “Run!”

This was Lott’s fastest reaction since we met. He scooped me up instantly. His foot slammed down, shattering the floor. Stone and carpet debris flew as he shot out like a cannonball.

Pursuers rounded the corner. Through dust, a spear hurled blindly.

A sonic boom shattered windows. Glass shards glittered with rainbow hues.

The spear pierced the glittering curtain, chasing us like Death.

“Zhu Long, Flame Wings!” Battle Aura surged from Lott like a tidal wave, igniting into scorching flames that wrapped us. The spear melted to molten iron.

“Whoa, won’t we burn?” Flames nearly singed my hair!

“Battle Aura Flame won’t harm those it protects,” he whispered. Such pure Battle Aura—terrifying power.

“This is magic-level output! This flame could pass for fire magic!” I clung tight, heat rolling behind us.

“Quiet—the Pope’s coming.” He kicked off the wall, soaring like a nimble fire swallow.

I understood: this Battle Aura Flame blocked all detection magic.

This Hero isn’t dumb—except for that initial slip-up.