There was no court assembly today, that much was true, but it didn’t mean Seraphina could relax.
They really weren’t allowed to speak during the assembly, yet not a single official document was left unread.
This was the primary reason for Seraphina’s overwhelming busyness.
She sat in the back study, gazing down at her hands—slender and pale, without a single callus formed by years of wielding a blade.
Now, even after long hours of holding a pen, her fingers remained untouched by any signs of wear. They looked just as elegant as ever—truly a work of art.
She threw herself into the wide armchair, the armrests seeming so close, yet she couldn’t bring her body fully to rest against them.
If it were her from a year ago, she probably could…
The pile of documents on the desk had long surpassed the threshold of being “mountainous,” collapsing instead into a despair-inducing terrain.
“The Whiplash Demon is once again complaining about conflicts with the Goblin Tribe…” she mechanically picked up the top document, eyes skimming the title while her mind refused to process any of the information.
The conflict between the two tribes had dragged on for quite some time. The Whiplash Demons had secretly told Seraphina that the Goblins were too ugly and wanted to “relocate.” But where could they possibly move to?
“There isn’t enough land in the Demon Realm to offer new territory. I hope you will fight bravely and seize land from the Orc Tribe.”
Having written that line countless times before, Seraphina once again added her signature “Reviewed” at the end.
This familiar form of annotation was something rarely seen even in the Human Empire nowadays.
Indeed, as a complete transmigrant, Seraphina had originally thought she would become a knight, win battles, marry a princess, and live a carefree life.
Instead, she had met defeat before her first campaign even truly began, triggering a Battle CG in the very first fight.
She sighed deeply, the lingering scent of the decadent incense from the Demon King’s Palace still faintly drifting in her nostrils—a sweet, cloying aroma that made her head spin, much like Movira’s seemingly lazy yet utterly unyielding commands.
“…Let Erasia help you tonight…”
Those words, accompanied by the incense’s scent, echoed in Seraphina’s mind like a repeatedly poisoned needle, piercing her nerves.
“Don’t even think about it…”
But her voice lacked any conviction. The electric shocks of punishment went deep into her bones, the tingling sensation nearly driving her mad each time. It was difficult to say whether it was pain or an unwillingly admitted form of pleasure…
Whatever it was, the indescribable weakness gnawing at her willpower made her realize that running away was the only salvation.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, focusing her gaze on the Geographical Survey Map and the Patrol Shift Schedule in the corner of the desk—results of her careful information gathering over time.
She kept them here purely because she believed the most dangerous places were the safest—after all, there were plenty of official documents nearby, which Movira wouldn’t bother to read carefully.
“The Giantwing Demon got scammed again?”
The next document contained yet another familiar issue. The Giantwing Demon’s territory was the closest in the entire Demon Realm to the Human Empire and often traded with humans.
Of course, they weren’t exactly clever and got tricked frequently…
“If you’re not smart, don’t engage in complicated business deals… Reviewed!”
Issuing instructions in plain language was one of Seraphina’s styles. As mentioned before, some races simply weren’t as intelligent. If she followed Movira’s flowery wording, probably only a handful of tribes would be able to execute the orders accurately.
“Scammed out of… a dozen slaves, a dozen gold coins? Are they coming to me for such a trivial loss?”
Seraphina felt a headache coming on. If every single trivial matter in the Demon Realm was brought to her, she might as well forget about resting… Well, it was already starting to happen.
She felt like the smartest person in the entire Demon Realm right now. As for the Demon King… who knew what strange thoughts filled her head? She obviously hadn’t invested any skill points in intelligence!
Lunch was a matter of just nibbling on a few bites—after all, the food in the Demon Realm was simply inedible for humans! It was far inferior to what the Human Empire had; to Seraphina, it felt like going back to the age of eating raw meat and blood!
Though, not quite that extreme.
“Your Highness.”
Towards evening, with most of the “little mountain” of paperwork removed, there was a gentle knock at the study door.
A maid’s voice came through the wood, low and respectful, “Miss Erasia has arrived.”
“…Let her in.”
Seraphina forced her voice to sound steady, even carrying a faint numbness from having grown used to this.
The door opened, and a female demon clad in a pure white robe entered. She wore a single gold-rimmed monocle; her blood-red eyes and pointed ears marked her as a member of the vampire bloodline.
Her posture was upright and calm. Her silver hair was meticulously tied back, and in her hands was a wooden box emitting a faint chill and the scent of herbs.
“Tch~ She just went to study in the Human Realm for a few years and now acts so high and mighty…”
Seraphina harbored no goodwill toward this woman, mainly because the medicines she was forced to take were all concocted by her!
Though she hated her, she dared not speak out loud and only cursed quietly in her heart—after all, this woman reported directly to Movira, and Seraphina had no say over her.
“Your Highness the Regent.”
Erasia bowed slightly. There was nothing to fault in her outward etiquette.
Yet her gaze was as sharp and precise as a blade, quickly sweeping over Seraphina’s clenched fists hidden beneath the table.
Seraphina showed no reaction.
“By order of Her Majesty, I have come to conduct your routine physical examination and to present today’s medicine.”
“Mm…”
Seraphina forced a sound from her throat and tried to avoid Erasia’s gaze, her eyes drifting toward the garden outside the window.
She knew resistance was futile and would only bring harsher coercion and punishment.
Erasia set down the box and opened it to reveal various delicate yet unsettling tools and several bottles of shimmering medicine.
She skillfully withdrew a few vials and mixed them in an empty cup, the colors gradually shifting into a ghostly blue potion.
“Your Highness, please.”
The words sounded less like an address to the Regent and more like a threat to a prisoner—yet the tone remained respectfully polite.
Seraphina resignedly extended her hand. The cold touch of the cup transmitted through the walls to her palm as Erasia probed a faint magical energy into her body, weaving and weaving to meticulously examine every change within her.
“Ah!”
For a moment, it felt as if Erasia had touched some unspeakable part of Seraphina, and she couldn’t help but cry out…