Following the slime’s lead into the room and closing the door behind them, the conference hall outside instantly erupted like a boiling pot. Monsters who knew each other huddled together, whispering in low voices.

"Just hiring a few dungeon guards—why all the secrecy? Demon City’s gotten weird this year…"

"I heard the Dungeon Department’s pay isn’t top-tier, but the work’s easy and it’s an iron rice bowl. You need connections just to get in—"

"Right! And rumor has it Dolores—the legendary succubus icon—joined after retiring. Half her fans’ hearts shattered when she quit—"

"Oh? You mean *that* Dolores? The one who set the world record at the last Tangerine Cup Finals—thirty-seven volunteers in one minute? The ‘37-Girl’ who still owns the title?"

*Sigh*. If I could just meet her once in Demon City, I’d die happy—even if a Hero chopped me down right after leaving the gates—"

A petite, underdeveloped succubus murmured anxiously, her pale fingers clutching her skirt hem.

"Wonder how many spots the Dungeon Department’s offering… A chance to work alongside her would be a dream…"

Not just these familiar monsters—every interviewee caught the buzz, joining the heated chatter. "Insider leaks" and "exclusive rumors" flooded the room, amplifying Demon City’s mystique and deep-rooted power.

Only the golden-haired girl stood apart from the crowd, eyes closed in silence. Her mind quietly sifted useful intel from their gossip.

"Relax, relax—it’s fine! Worst case, I fail this round. Plenty more chances later."

"Yeah! Other departments are hiring too. I heard the Demon King Army’s desperate on the front lines—standards dropped hard. Anyone halfway decent can join. Fallback option!"

"With your twig arms? You’d barely wash dishes in their army kitchen~"

"*Hahaha—!*"

Roars of laughter filled the room. Near-humanoid monsters doubled over, the air thick with mirth.

*Creeeak—*

The door swung open again. The silver-haired, crimson-eyed Bloodline girl stepped out, Holy Sword in hand. She crooked a finger, voice polite but firm: "Number Two. Prepare."

The elite slime that had entered earlier oozed out, deflated. Its gelatinous body twisted into a pained grimace—clearly, things hadn’t gone well. It squelched away under its raincoat without answering anyone’s concerned questions.

"Next. Number Two: Soroak the Serpent."

The mood turned heavy.

Everyone knew the slime’s caliber. Among monsters, its versatility—combat prowess, practical skills, handling odd jobs—was unmatched. What kind of interview could break such a naturally gifted elite into that state?

The haughty, pale-faced serpent dual-wielder—who’d just mocked others—rose on trembling legs. He stumbled after Alquett into the conference room.

Only the veiled golden-haired girl remained calm. She opened her eyes slowly, clear blue irises still as deep water.

…For this interview, she’d prepared meticulously. She’d memorized classic villain lines and worldviews from dozens of storybooks. She’d drilled answers to every basic test question imaginable.

And she’d brought the ultimate trump card to win Lilith over—a guarantee of success, paired with her own wit.

This interview? Merely a formality.

Smiling faintly, she rubbed the storage ring on her finger.

Inside lay half of Lilith’s severed dragon wing—a token from the night she’d "saved" her after their crash.

So far, the plan unfolded perfectly.

The only surprise? The missing Champion of the Night, Alquett—rumored kidnapped by dragons—had defected to Demonkind. Now she stood guard as the interviewer’s bodyguard.

*Good thing I wore a heavy disguise. She didn’t recognize me…*

The golden-haired girl glanced at the conference door, frowning slightly.

…Pity her hypnosis worked on one target at a time. Without Alquett interfering, she could’ve simply mesmerized the Dragonmaid interviewer in that private room.

……

……

"Final candidate. Number Sixteen: Lhasa."

Alquett reopened the door. Inside, Lilith sat at the conference table, face calm but shadowed with fatigue. Her voice was low.

The little succubus who’d just exited had red-rimmed eyes, dazed and unsteady. She glanced at the last candidate—the golden-haired girl—and croaked in a tearful whisper:

"…Good luck… I… need some air…"

Hearing this, the golden-haired girl’s gaze darkened.

*That difficult?*

*Surely not…*

"Ah… Miss Lhasa? Please come in quickly." Lilith’s tone held impatience after interviewing a dozen candidates, but she forced a polite smile.

"Right away."

An elegant voice, a graceful step—the moment she entered, Lilith and Alquett’s attention locked onto her.

…After so many bizarre monsters, Lilith hadn’t seen anyone so human since that little succubus.

"Take a seat."

Though a small interview, the room was spacious—Lilith had chosen it deliberately. If fighting broke out, Alquett would have room to swing her sword.

Dim light pooled only around the central table’s magic-crystal lamp. The shadowed corners felt like an interrogation chamber.

"I’m Lilith, Dragonmaid and lead interviewer. This is my assistant and bodyguard, Alquett."

Lilith offered a perfunctory smile as the veiled girl sat. Then she continued:

"Now… tell us about yourself."

Her eyes held quiet scrutiny. On a system panel only she could see, a new skill glowed:

**[Master Reader (Interrogation)]**

**[In interrogation-like settings, greatly enhances reading micro-expressions, breathing patterns, and subtle movements to gauge emotions—and detect lies.]**

She’d unlocked it mid-interviews and spent one of her last two Proficiency Points on it. Her real mission was hunting spies, after all. And the system kept nagging: *Points expire at midnight.*

*Ugh. My cheat system’s useless. Others get godly weapons, OP buffs, harem-system mascots… Mine gives time-limited points?*

"Pleased to meet you. I’m… Lhasa."

The golden-haired girl smiled back—veil hiding her face, but warmth in her voice.

Lilith’s heart lurched. *She’s lying!*

But… why lie about a name?

Lilith froze, studying her. The girl’s slight pause before saying "Lhasa," the way she tucked a golden strand behind her ear—it felt like she wasn’t used to the name.

*Could it be—?*

After screening a dozen monsters for enemy spies and finding nothing, Lilith made a subtle hand signal. Alquett instantly gripped her sword hilt.

"Let’s begin."

Previous candidates had been promising, but none suspicious. Except this one.

The door clicked shut. Locked.

……

Rain pattered against the sole window. Streetlights glowed outside.

Night had fallen. Two hours had passed since Candidate One entered.

Lilith studied the veiled girl, pulling out her evaluation notepad.

*Finally caught the big fish…*

*Looking this human was suspicious from the start.*

She sat up straighter, clearing her throat.

"Miss Lhasa… why wear a veil?"

Lilith stared intently. The veil was hindering her new skill.

"My apologies. It’s custom-made—I must keep it on. Privacy reasons… and disease prevention. Surely this won’t affect the interview?"

"Of course. Your choice of attire is respected."

Lilith kept her tone neutral, but unease coiled inside.

*Too suspicious. Hiding her face… and now, no nervous tells at all.*

Normally, people react differently to fake names versus real ones. Yet when Lilith deliberately called her "Miss Lhasa," even her enhanced observation found no cracks.

*Can she mask her tells that fast?*

*This gets worse by the second…*

"I’ve reviewed your application, Miss Lhasa. Now—why apply to the Darklord Citadel?"

Hearing the expected question, the golden-haired girl’s eyes glinted with quiet confidence.

"I hail from a demon den in the far north, and my favorite pastime is torture, abuse, and brutal interrogation—"

A faint trace of excitement and fanaticism lurked deep within her confident eyes for some unknown reason. She continued:

"The Darklord Citadel is a grand demon organization I’ve always held in high regard. This time, I’ve applied for a role in the Dungeon Department. To be honest, in that dark, damp, bloody dungeon, whipping, humiliating, and torturing disobedient, filthy human prisoners… has always been my dream job, you know."

"…?"