Before setting off on an adventure, thorough preparation was essential—maintaining gear, organizing supplies, gathering intel on the destination, and more.

Professional adventurers always followed this rule.

Those who rushed around unprepared were either brave pioneers charting the unknown… or reckless rookies sprinting toward their doom.

Suran fit neither category.

To craft the perfect adventure for Lyasis, Suran spent days meticulously researching until settling on an ideal route.

Now came packing time.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

Suran tapped lightly on Lyasis’s door, standing respectfully outside.

“Come in~” Lyasis’s voice chimed from within.

The moment Suran stepped inside, Lyasis bounced over. “Suran, finished packing your things?”

“Yes. Now I’ll pack yours, Young Mistress,” Suran replied.

“Then I’ll leave it to you~ Off to change!” Lyasis skipped toward the dressing room, excitement sparkling in her eyes.

“Miss, please walk carefully—don’t trip,” Suran called after her, a fond, slightly exasperated smile tugging at her lips.

Time to get to work.

Suran opened the wardrobe, carefully folding each dazzling dress and skirt. With a camera-like hand gesture, the space where the clothes lay shimmered and vanished—replaced by a pocket dimension.

This storage space, crafted via Spatial Magic, worked by erasing a section of space and manifesting it elsewhere.

During their last shopping trip, Suran had carried everything in bags deliberately—to stay low-key and avoid alerting the Solflare Legion lurking in Harmon Forest.

But for this journey’s convenience? No more pretending.

After storing the dresses, Suran opened the top drawer. Lyasis’s intimate apparel lay neatly inside.

The first few were sweetly innocent: a pure white bra, blue-and-white striped panties—adorably girlish.

Then the tone shifted.

“Wh-what’s this? A lace set?”

“And this?! A thong?!”

Suran swallowed hard. The sensual lingerie in her hands was unmistakably Lyasis’s size. Her mind flickered with images; a blush crept up her cheeks.

*No, no, no—stop!*

She shook her head sharply, as if slapping the thoughts away.

*Young Mistress… at her age, secretly collecting mature lingerie behind my back? Discipline! She needs proper guidance!*

[Stored: lace set.]

*This is utterly inappropriate! She must understand it’s wrong!*

[Stored: little devil thong set.]

Her words were stern, but her hands never paused—tucking every alluring piece neatly away.

Well… this time, mouth and hands weren’t exactly in sync.

“Suran~”

A voice sounded behind her. Suran turned.

Lyasis had transformed—from the Night Demon’s young mistress into an adorably petite mage. Yet her outfit differed slightly from the trial fitting.

Her mage hat was enlarged (“Bigger hats look more imposing!” she’d claimed).

The robe was tailored into a cloak over a sleeveless mini dress—elegant, noble, with a subtle hint of allure.

Stockings shed, her bare porcelain legs gleamed under the light, skin so flawless it’d make any girl sigh with envy.

“Well? Does this look suitable, Suran?” Lyasis asked, tilting her head.

“Perfectly suitable, Miss,” Suran replied with a respectful bow. “Luggage is packed. Ready to depart.”

“Hmm? *Everything* packed?” Lyasis narrowed her eyes slightly, gesturing toward the wardrobe with a knowing smile. “Suran… you haven’t opened the second drawer yet, have you?”

“Hm? True, I haven’t.”

Suran pulled it open. “I thought the second layer was empty…”

Her words died.

Inside lay an assortment of suggestive props: soft cotton ropes, rough hemp cords, premium beast-hide cuffs and shackles, iron chains, clamps, candles, whips—the collection was exhaustive.

“Th-this… how…?!”

She’d braced for *something*… but not this scale, this variety!

*When did the Young Mistress collect all this?!*

While Suran stood frozen, two slender arms wrapped around her from behind. Lyasis pressed close, whisper brushing her ear:

“I heard adventures build up stress… so I prepared these to help us *unwind*. Aren’t you starting to look forward to it?”

“Miss… isn’t this a bit too…”

“Don’t hesitate. Bring them all.” Lyasis’s voice turned devilish. “And I’ll personally… experience every single one… with my body, okay?”

“Miss… this is practically criminal.”

Hearing those words felt like Pandora’s box cracking open. A restless itch stirred in Suran’s chest, heartbeat accelerating—until she spun around, pinned Lyasis to the bed, and gently immobilized her slender wrists.

“My, my~ So impatient?” Lyasis giggled. “The rookie little mage has fallen into the wicked maid sister’s hands~ What will become of her, I wonder~ Mwah.”

“Miss, please stay quiet.”

“Mm~ Silencing just *this* mouth isn’t enough, you know?”

“MISS!? P-please watch your words!!”

Later, they shared a blissful interlude.

…

Night fell.

Suran and Lyasis arrived at the grand gate of the Crimson Garden. Night Raven stood waiting.

“Your Majesty, Lady Suran.” He bowed deeply. “Departing now?”

For ordinary folk, night travel was perilous.

For the Night Demon clan? Perfect.

“Mm. This journey… we cannot say when we’ll return.” Suran gave a slight nod. “Night Raven, are the Thicket’s people prepared?”

“Yes. Following your guidance these years, they’ve quietly strengthened themselves. The Crimson Garden will be safe.”

“Everyone also gathered to see you off.”

“I see. Thank you.”

A faint smile touched Suran’s lips. She unleashed her Nightfiend Bloodline—amethyst eyes flashing crimson, the moon above bleeding into a blood-red glow.

Bathed in crimson light, countless red eyes emerged from the pitch-black Thicket, watching silently.

The Nightmare Retainers had gathered… to bid their masters farewell.