Come to think of it, I am the Great Demon King. How could my subordinates confine me so easily?

Before, I stayed put fearing a mole—but fine. From my chat with Carol just now, those two idiots who knocked on my door "were beautifully cleaned up." So why should I obey Carol like a good girl, staying locked in this room just because she said so?

Hmph. Can this circle-drawn prison really trap this Overlord?

I pursed my lips slightly. Once Carol’s footsteps faded, I jumped off the bed, tiptoed to the door, and tentatively gripped the handle.

I pulled down.

Resistance met my hand, but it was light. Leaning my weight into it, the door swung open smoothly.

Before me stretched a corridor deep as a black hole. In an instant, abyssal darkness swallowed my entire vision.

Startled by the tide of blackness, I instinctively stumbled back two steps.

What the heck? Why’s it so pitch-black?!

Carried here by Carol earlier, I’d been too tense to study the path. But I faintly recalled eerie blue magic lamps lining the walls, skylights spaced evenly along the way. Do Demon Kin practice frugality—snuffing all lights at night? Or has dusk fallen already?

No, that can’t be. Outside my room’s window, twilight had just begun. Even indoors, skylights shouldn’t plunge everything into darkness this fast.

“...”

The little tuft of hair on my head drooped slowly. This child’s body recoiled from the unknown dark, flooding me with deep unease.

I froze for seconds. After hesitation, I turned back toward the room—no exploring this gloom.

Forget it. Nothing worth seeing here anyway. And danger lurked—who knew what monster might devour a pink-haired little Overlord it didn’t recognize?

I had zero interest in starring in some perverted adult comic. Better to sneak back to bed.

Nodding to myself, I spun around—

Only to find the door gone.

Ahead: endless dark. Behind: endless dark.

Eyes wide with shock, I lunged forward two steps, hands outstretched. Where the door should be—empty air.

I groped left. The wall had vanished too.

Darkness pressed in from all sides.

Panic seized my heart instantly, devouring my reason as I shrank into a corner, trembling.

...

Meanwhile.

In the council chamber, three High Rank Demons pored over secret intelligence delivered through covert channels.

A magic mirror floated beside them, showing a live feed from Sibyl’s room.

Evelyn watched the pink-haired little Overlord collapsed gracelessly before the door. She sipped glistening blood from her wineglass, then laughed with a mocking lilt:

“Oh dear, Lord Carol—your ‘obedient’ Great Demon King Sibyl lies sprawled at the door. Won’t you lift her illusion barrier?”

Carol, engrossed in documents nearby, didn’t look up. “No need. It lifts automatically in five minutes. Great Demon King Sibyl will wake soon.”

Alan, the Demon Kin strategist, set down a sand-chess piece depicting warring factions. He frowned. “Carol, I said tie her up. She’s no well-behaved child. A simple barrier isn’t safe. If the hidden traitor spots her escape—even if she dies, we can’t replace the rare materials used to summon her.”

“Lord Alan, relax. The Great Demon King can’t leave her room. Even if she tries the door again after this little lesson, five more barriers await her.” Carol’s gentle smile held emerald-eyed confidence.

“Good.” Alan nodded, indifferent to Sibyl’s state. “Our informant reports the next human assault comes in three days. Carol, Evelyn—you must make the Great Demon King truly obedient by then. Is your training plan ready?”

“Not~ yet~”

Evelyn stretched lazily, drawling the words.

“Kidding. Carol and I each train her one day. The last day’s yours, Lord Alan. She’ll meet all our standards.”

“Hmph. Training brats? Women’s work. I lack time for games. I want an Overlord as obedient as a puppet in three days. Can you deliver?” Alan snorted.

“Perhaps.” Carol shrugged.

“A puppet? Impossible. But obedient? Easily done~” Evelyn grinned.

“Evelyn, so sure? Great Demon King Sibyl isn’t some ordinary girl.”

The silver-haired vampire’s confident smile widened. “Carol, watch me tomorrow. Prepare to be amazed~”

Trapped in illusion, the pink-haired little Overlord sensed none of this.

Well. Ignorance might be bliss.