As the old saying goes: "Hesitation leads to defeat."

While I hesitated over whether to gamble on that one percent chance and hurl a Minor Fireball at Evelyn, the silver-haired vampire had already buried her face against my neck. A pleasant scent drifted from her silvery locks—something floral, delicate and sweet.

It smelled so good. After a few breaths, I felt strangely lightheaded, like stepping into an air-conditioned room on a scorching day. Pure bliss washed over me, deep in my soul.

*So this other world has shampoo too?* I mused. *If that’s true, body wash must exist as well. At least I won’t have to worry about bathing.*

Wait. No.

A small pink box suddenly flickered into view at the lower right corner of my vision—the same real-time combat stats panel I’d seen when I’d accidentally hit myself with a Minor Fireball. I glanced at it. My limbs turned ice-cold. Instant clarity.

[Real-Time Combat Stats]

[HP: 300/300]

[MP: 1000/1000]

[Buffs: None]

[Debuffs: Mild Hallucination (Rosemary Blossom Scent)]

[Reputation (EXP): Lv.1 0/100]

Evelyn’s shampoo was made from rosemary blossoms! I’d never seen or heard of such a flower before, but the debuff description made its effects clear.

Terrifying.

*What was I even thinking?* I scolded myself. *I’m practically fish on a chopping board, and I’m worrying about shampoo and body wash?*

Honestly, Evelyn was going too far. As a Lv.1 loli Overlord, I was utterly powerless against her. Did she really need to drug me *before* biting me?

No. She had no reason to. More likely, she simply favored shampoo made from rosemary blossoms—and I just happened to have zero resistance to it. The hallucinogen’s concentration was low; I’d broken free through sheer willpower. Close call.

But worse was coming. Evelyn’s lips were now pressed against my neck, sliding slowly as if searching for the perfect spot to sink her fangs. A soft, teasing friction danced over my skin—ticklish, maddening. I wanted to scratch it, but horror struck: my hands were pinned behind my back, trapped effortlessly in Evelyn’s left grip.

No. I couldn’t just wait. I had no idea what her bite would do, but every vampire novel I’d ever read promised nothing pleasant. If I became her blood thrall—mind and body enslaved—my dream of counting coins on a Valiant Heroine’s lap would vanish forever.

I tried to cast a spell. Impossible. With my hands bound behind me, I couldn’t perform the gestures needed to chant Minor Fireball.

*Done for.*

I squeezed my eyes shut, abandoning all hope of resistance. Waiting for the sting.

One second. Two. Three.

Nothing.

Four. Five. Six.

Still nothing.

All Evelyn did was shift her lips, lightly trace my neck with her tongue, and audibly swallow. No fangs pierced my skin.

I opened my eyes. My ahoge—ever attuned to my mood—curled into a perfect question mark. *What’s this vampire doing? Licking the frosting before eating the cupcake? Just bite already! Why tease my neck like this? So slow!*

Her actions screamed craving, yet she held back. I had no idea why.

Then I felt it—her restraint fraying. Her fangs grazed my neck, testing spots with featherlight pricks. The skin didn’t break, but a faint sting bloomed. My own patience wore thin. This felt like deliberate torment.

*Seriously. Stop dawdling. Get it over with.*

As if hearing my thoughts—or finally surrendering to temptation—Evelyn adjusted her fangs, took a sharp breath, and lunged—

—but froze an inch from my skin as a familiar voice cut through the air behind me.

"Evelyn! Stop at once! What do you think you’re doing to the Great Demon King?!"

Evelyn’s body jerked. She pulled back instantly, lifting her head to face my rear with practiced nonchalance. "Ara~ra~ High Priestess, Strategist," she drawled, "you’re sooo slow. His Majesty and I have been waiting ages. As for what I was doing? Just sampling Sibyl’s flavor during downtime. Perfectly normal for a vampire, wouldn’t you agree?"

"Is *this* how you welcome honored guests, Evelyn? Release her immediately!" A stern male voice followed—the violet-haired High Rank Demon I’d noticed earlier.

"Tch. Spoilsport." Evelyn released me without hesitation, stepping back with a theatrical shrug. "We’ll continue this later, Your Majesty."

Before I could react, arms wrapped around me from behind. The soft pressure against my back could only belong to High Priestess Carol.

"Great Demon King Sibyl! Are you unharmed? Did Evelyn hurt you?" Carol’s voice trembled with worry.

"...No. I’m fine now," I replied flatly in my soft, childish tone. Inside, my trust in these three High Rank Demons had plummeted to rock bottom.

This "damsel rescue" was painfully cliché. They truly saw me as nothing but a clueless little girl. I’d suspected it when Evelyn delayed her bite; now I knew—they’d staged the whole scene to make Carol and the violet-haired demon seem like my saviors.

I’d once thought of awarding them an "Isekai Oscar." Now? Their acting didn’t deserve a participation trophy.

These so-called subordinates held no loyalty. Their schemes threatened my world-conquering plans. As a pink-haired, Lv.1 loli Overlord... how could I possibly break free from this trap?