"Do you think His Majesty the Demon King is merely consolidating power, refusing to hand over the vanguard commander position?"

A militarily knowledgeable demon corrected him:

"Wrong. In terms of battlefield results, that woman Claire secured an extremely advantageous position for the Demon Race!"

"Though Falmond was reclaimed, it originally served as a human fortress’s supply depot. Now its stores are depleted, and frontline demands can’t be replenished immediately. When our main forces advance, exhausted human soldiers will be driven deep into enemy territory!"

"Moreover, His Majesty personally captured one of humanity’s most vital Holy Maidens—none other than the strategically crucial Healing Saintess—and brought her to the Demon King’s Castle."

"Future historians might even hail Claire as ‘the war hero who sealed our victory’..."

...

"Holy Maiden, this is the Demon King’s Castle library. Please feel free to explore freely."

Astolfo unlocked the door with a key, gesturing for Noah.

Before her eyes stretched a breathtaking three-story library.

The visible shelves alone held staggering numbers of books; counting all sections and private rooms, it might well contain the world’s entire knowledge.

"Oho!"

Even Noah, who prided herself on worldly experience, couldn’t suppress her wide-eyed wonder.

"Books are categorized by royal hierarchy: Commoner Section, Noble Section, and Restricted Section. Take anything you need," Astolfo said, his usually calm face glowing with pride at her reaction.

"Eh? Is that alright? These belong to the Demon King’s Castle, and I’m merely a human Holy Maiden. Aren’t there restrictions?" Noah tapped her pink lips with a slender finger, her expression innocently puzzled.

"You jest. As His Majesty’s consort, if you lack the right to take from here, few in the empire would." Astolfo bowed slightly, radiating respect.

"Ordinary guests may only borrow from the Commoner Section. Noble Section access requires clearance. The Restricted Section is forbidden."

"But for a Holy Maiden who perfectly fused with the Moon’s Essence in a single day? Nothing in this library could stop you."

"To avoid complications, though, kindly summon me before entering the Restricted Section. I’ll guide you along a safer path."

"Mm-hmm! Got it. Thanks, A-Fu~"

Noah skipped away with a light laugh, vanishing into the sea of books like a butterfly dancing through petals. Only the flutter of her skirt’s edge remained visible, delicate as a wing’s tip.

Her reason for coming here needed no explanation: to investigate her transmigration.

Whether she wished to return home was another matter. But ignoring the cause was like letting a time bomb linger beside her.

Without knowing the trigger, an accidental second transmigration could shatter her current life.

Fortunately, she had a clue: the two rings on her fingers.

They weren’t the Healing Saintess Noah’s possessions—but the player Baitong’s gear.

Players of *Light of Mystery*—called "Adventurers" here—had four equipment slots, three accessory slots, and two ring slots.

Plus an inventory bag and resurrection-point storage. Yet Noah retained only these two rings.

One, the exquisite blue ring that helped her fuse with the Moon’s Essence, was likely the culprit.

Named *Embrace of Rosemary*, it bore effects like "protects the mind from corruption" and "soul fusion"—though Noah, no longer a player, couldn’t view its details.

It was also *Light of Mystery*’s sole player-obtained World-Class Item since launch.

Such items shaped fundamental world rules. Wielded well, they could rewrite reality itself.

Obtaining one as a player was near-impossible—like winning the cosmic lottery.

Whether Baitong’s fate was billion-to-one luck or misfortune remained unclear.

Noah lifted her right hand. On her slender finger sat not the ornate *Embrace of Rosemary*, but a sleek silver ring: the *White Dragon Blood Ring*.

A treasure from a special event, it had propelled Baitong into Asia’s top three players.

When worn, striking a specific pose triggered a half-dragon state, boosting all attributes—knowledge Noah knew by heart.

A bold idea struck her:

*If I activate the dragon-blood state... could I regain my player identity?*

She pondered this absently while scanning book spines.

Action followed thought. She inhaled deeply, her chest rising slightly, and crossed her hands into the familiar stance.

Her blood seemed to heat in response.

"? Holy Maiden, are you... doing calisthenics?" Astolfo tilted his head, trailing behind her.

"N-nothing at all~"

Nothing happened.

Noah offered a slightly embarrassed smile, glancing away.

*Something’s missing.* She compared her current self to her player self.

Though NPCs and players differed fundamentally, player items originated from this world. There was no reason locals couldn’t use them.

"Eh?"

Her drifting thoughts snapped back as she spotted a notable title while searching shelves.

"*The Maiden Hero Astolfo*?"

She blinked, frozen for seconds, staring at the book.