Just as Yi Xiao’s heart swelled with joyful anticipation—imagining Xiao Yue accepting his confession with Lady Lilim’s help, becoming his girlfriend, and building sweet memories together—the little succubus’s actions utterly shattered his expectations.

Setting aside how riddled with flaws this “fast-forward-to-the-climax” approach was, logically speaking, it was deeply problematic. This wasn’t just questionable—it was criminal!

“Lady Lilim… are you joking? There’s no way we can do something like that!”

“Does my face look like I’m joking?” Ling Luo replied casually. “Just seal the deal already so I can collect my payment. What’s wrong with that? Besides, don’t humans say, ‘If you like her, just [do it]’? Makes perfect sense to me.”

That phrase was censored by the system, for heaven’s sake!

“No, no—those are just reckless online jokes! You can’t take them seriously! Doing that would land you in jail!” Yi Xiao hurriedly explained.

“Hah? So what? I’m a demon. Don’t judge us by human morals,” Ling Luo scoffed.

Yi Xiao’s expression tightened. True—he faced a demon who cared nothing for human ethics, wielded overwhelming power, and likely saw him as nothing but a pawn. Defiance would bring consequences. He felt like a fool for ever seeking a demon’s help.

Even so…

“I’m sorry. I won’t do it.” Yi Xiao’s voice was firm. “I want Xiao Yue’s genuine love.”

“To confess, earn her acceptance, become a couple, grow closer through time together, and one day walk down the aisle as lifelong partners—that’s what I truly want.”

“Well said,” Ling Luo clapped slowly. “But what’s it to me? I asked if you’d confess yourself. You refused. I acted. No turning back now.”

“Even so—I won’t!” Yi Xiao’s gaze burned with unwavering resolve.

Unfazed, the little succubus yawned. “Fine. I’ll just hypnotize you too. Didn’t I say? I have plenty of tricks.”

She locked eyes with him. Yi Xiao jerked his head away—he’d seen Xiao Yue fall under her gaze.

“Oh my~ A mere mortal dares avoid my eyes? Guess I’ll have to get forceful—”

“W-wait!” Yi Xiao shouted, voice trembling slightly.

“Changed your mind? Ready to obey?”

“I…”

Silence. A stalling tactic. He scrambled for a solution—*there had to be a way*—and found it.

“I cancel the contract! Without it, you can’t force me anymore, right?”

“Sure,” Ling Luo shrugged. “It was your affair. Cancel it, and I walk away. My time’s too valuable to waste on you.”

“Then I cancel it now!” Yi Xiao declared.

“No problem. But don’t say I didn’t warn you—breaking a contract unilaterally carries a penalty~” She leaned against the door, chin in hand, voice teasing.

Yi Xiao hesitated only a second. “I accept it. It’s the price for my indecision.”

“What if I take your soul? You’ll never see her again. Still sure?”

Yi Xiao closed his eyes, breathed deep. “If I did that… I wouldn’t deserve her love anyway.” He opened them, face calm despite facing death.

“Stubborn mortal,” Ling Luo murmured. “Anything else?”

Yi Xiao shook his head.

“Then… goodbye.”

Ling Luo raised her hand. Yi Xiao shut his eyes.

Silence. Then—a soft *click* of a door.

He blinked. Ling Luo stood at the open doorway, about to leave.

“Lady Lilim… what does this mean?”

“Leaving. I said goodbye.” Her expression was perfectly matter-of-fact.

“But… my soul?”

“I lost interest. That’s all.”

“The contract said breaking it brings punishment—was it fake?”

Ling Luo flicked her wrist. The rolled parchment appeared, then burst into flames, vanishing.

“I canceled it. No penalty.”

Yi Xiao didn’t smile. His chest churned with mixed emotions.

“You… really don’t care about the contract?”

“Hah? Why would you think that?”

“Aren’t demons supposed to be ruthless and petty?”

“That’s low-tier demons. I’m high-status—I don’t cling to trivial contracts!” Ling Luo sniffed.

Yi Xiao clearly didn’t believe her. She had zero aura of authority, no regal artifact—hardly “high-status.”

Seeing his doubt, she puffed up. “Let me be clear: I am the Succubus Princess! A princess like me signs contracts for fun, not payment. Back in the Demon Realm, I command oceans of spiritual energy with a word.”

Thanks to her succubus’s natural dramatic flair, Ling Luo lied effortlessly. Exiled and penniless in the human realm? Irrelevant. Few demons lived here. Claiming to be Demon King? Unverifiable.

She preferred “Princess” anyway. Childhood dreams ran deep—even if back then, she’d been a boy who secretly wore dresses, loved the attention on the street, and cherished that fleeting princess fantasy. (Boys can’t dream of beauty? Absurd.) She’d buried it after vowing to be “good.”

Yi Xiao watched her smug pose, sweatdropping slightly.

“Well… since Lady Lilim—”

“Call me *Princess*!”

“Y-yes, Your Highness. Thank you.”

“For what? Did I help?”

“You helped me find courage.”

“Hah? Your own doing.” She tossed him a coin. “Take this back.”

“I’m leaving.”

“Already?”

“Why stay?! Go confess! And *never* speak of me—or I’ll hunt you down! Goodbye! …Never again!”

The door slammed. Xiao Yue stirred, hypnosis lifted.

“Ah, Yi Xiao, you’re here.” She seemed to recall nothing.

“Mm…” Yi Xiao gripped the coin, turned to her, met her eyes. “Xiao Yue… no—just Xiao Yue. There’s something I need to tell you…”

…

Ear pressed to the door, Ling Luo heard the words. A faint smile touched her lips. *He finally got it. Worth playing the villain.*

She’d known he lacked courage. With magic nearly gone—no energy to gently nudge them—she’d chosen the harsh path. Guilt lingered, but now…

“I really want to hear his confession… but I’m in bad shape…”

Slipping out, she shifted back to human form. The mask of drama fell. Pain flooded her face. Invisibility held too long. Demon Eye used twice. Magic drained to a thread. Starving. Weak. Staggering against the wall.

She forced a faint smile at the quiet path ahead.

“Just… a little further…”

One step.

Darkness swallowed her vision.