In a shadowy alley of the Darklord Citadel,
The warm afternoon sun was swallowed by dragon-scale clouds. A damp, metallic tang seeped into the wind as thunderheads pressed low, chilling the air.
*One autumn rain brings one chill*—if memory served, this was the first rain after two weeks of relentless sunshine.
A werewolf captain shuffled down the street, vacant eyes glazed over, reeking of alcohol. Clutching a stack of file folders, he hurried into the alley.
There, a veiled woman in a wide-brimmed witch’s hat had been waiting.
“I offer my loyalty… Master.”
The werewolf captain knelt before the mysterious Witch, presenting the files with both hands.
“Well done, Doggo One.”
A raspy, magnetic voice—deliberately disguised—filled the alley. The Witch extended slender fingers adorned with glittering diamond rings and bracelets that caught the dim light.
“So easily obtained… the Demonlord’s top-secret files—*heh heh~*”
Her elegant diction and poised posture were flawless. Voluptuous curves beneath her robes could make any onlooker weak-kneed. Porcelain-smooth skin glowed beneath the veil, adding an aura of untouchable mystery to her mature allure.
“You’re dismissed. Remember this: you’re sleepy. Take a nap now—and when you wake, you’ll forget everything about these files.”
After taking the files, the Witch smiled faintly at the kneeling werewolf. She snapped her fingers lightly beside his ear.
A ripple of magic pulsed from her. The werewolf’s head drooped, eyes hollow as he mumbled:
“Yes… I’m sleepy… time for a nap…”
He collapsed onto the ground, instantly asleep.
…
…The pitter-patter of raindrops jolted the werewolf awake. The alley stood empty.
“Huh? Why’m I here…?” He scratched his head, bewildered.
“Wasn’t I drowning my sorrows at the tavern…? Damn!” He slapped his forehead. “Forgot to bring in the laundry—why’s it raining all of a sudden?!”
He scrambled up and vanished into the rainy street.
…
*Heh heh heh~*
Inside a cheap inn room in Demon City’s Second District, the veiled woman shed her black robe and witch’s hat at the door, revealing silky golden hair.
She stepped into her single-room suite, tucked the files under her arm, then raised a finger:
“Scan.”
A thin blue sphere of magic flared from her ring, expanding to envelop the entire room.
Silence.
“No surveillance devices… good.”
Tension bled from her shoulders. She placed the files on the nightstand, then flopped onto the bed, bouncing twice before burying her face in the pillow with a contented hum.
“Damn mission… exhausting…”
After sprawled rest, she sat up, eyes fixed on the top-secret files.
“Effort pays off… smoother than expected. Got the files on day one. Should I just retreat and report now…?”
She examined the sealed folder.
“Let’s verify the goods… see if this is worth handing in…”
She tore the seal and pulled out several documents.
“Hmm… *On Flavor Differences Between Tomatoes and Watermelons in Bloodline Specialty Drinks*…”
The veiled girl paused, sapphire eyes clouding with confusion. A bad feeling prickled her spine.
She flipped through the rest:
“…*Statistical Survey on Otaku Preferences in the Holy Kingdom*
*Love Letter to Feliana, My Old Friend*
*New Dragon Tongue Proficiency Exam: Vocabulary Mastery (Detailed Guide + Exercises)*
*Child Psychology: Winning Over Teenagers from a Position of Authority*
*How to Please Your Lover II: Decoding Gender-Specific Subtext in Conversations*”
*What… is this?!*
Forget secrecy—these topics had *nothing* to do with each other! Why cram them in one folder?! Didn’t the Darklord Citadel believe in filing systems?!
Her elegant smile froze.
*Did my hypnosis fail…? Did that werewolf trick me with fake intel…?*
No… impossible. Her innate hypnosis had never failed. Even the strongest-willed targets succumbed unprepared—though the effect might fade faster.
*There must be hidden intel beneath these absurd titles!*
She frantically flipped the remaining pages:
“*Analysis of Abnormal Spatial Particles Outside the Darklord Citadel*
*Three Years of Demon Exams, Five Years of Drills: Spring Succubus Promotion Test Compilation (72nd-78th Cohorts)*
*Mastering Postmodern Coloring Techniques: Beginner to Expert*
*How to Please Your Lover IV: 100 Kissing Techniques*
*Classic Eastern Yokai Tales: Illustrated Edition*”
“…”
Her wrist trembled as she pulled the last sheet.
“*Reward Arrangements for Recruiting the Hero in the Dungeon Department*”
*Damn it… I’ve been duped!*
This wasn’t top-secret intel—it was a junk drawer!
The folder slipped from her shaking hands, hitting the floor with a soft *crack*.
As she bent to retrieve it, a sliver of white caught her eye inside the lining.
*What… a hidden compartment? Clever… almost missed it.*
Her gaze sharpened. She snatched up the folder.
“Hidden this deep… with all those decoys… but I found you~”
Her pulse raced as she drew out the final document.
*“Discussion on the Demonlord’s New Strategy and Shift in Focus: One Day and One Night Main Plot Leak & Contract Terms”*
Her pupils contracted. Her shoulders trembled.
*This—!*
“One Day and One Night… the Demonlord’s new plan… strategic shift…?”
Images flooded her mind: mountains of corpses, rivers of blood. The grinning Demonlord leading monstrous hordes in a lightning strike—overrunning the capital in a single day. He’d kick the old king off his throne, cackling maniacally from the sacred seat as screams echoed under his rule. Ruined cities. Wailing refugees. A wasteland of broken dreams.
“Yes… this is it! The real intel!”
She scanned the details—but found only mundane trade terms: meeting times with black-market dealers, fan-mail replies, profit splits. Boring clauses she couldn’t decipher or care about.
“Tch… encrypted. The true plan’s hidden in this gibberish!”
She knew this double-layer trick—like military diaries disguised as grocery lists. Real intel might hide in the first word of every page, or every third letter. Primitive, yet effective. Without the cipher key, even genuine secrets were useless.
“Damn… these demons are sharper than I thought. This title alone won’t satisfy my handlers.”
She sighed, then her eyes hardened with resolve.
“But this won’t stop me. Just a minor setback—”
She’d never expected to finish the spy mission in one day. Her meticulous infiltration plan could place her deep within the Citadel’s inner circle.
“Next step: gather intel on the Demonlord’s ‘One Day and One Night’ plan… I must uncover its details before it’s too late—”
She checked her crystal wristwatch.
Time to move.
Time for the “interview.”
The crucial first step into enemy territory.
“I hear the examiner is *her*… *heh heh~*”
The young, wet-behind-the-ears Dragonmaid rumored to be greedy and lustful.
A smirk curled beneath her veil. *A textbook second-rate villain. Easiest prey of all.*
To boost success—and as a contingency—she’d change into that *special* outfit she’d prepared. Something… more revealing.
…
Distant thunder rumbled. The drizzle swelled into a torrential downpour.
