Prison Cafeteria, second floor.
Lilith was making her daily rounds as usual when the commotion downstairs caught her attention from the corner of her eye, causing her to stop in her tracks.
At that moment, a small jet-black bat silently fluttered through the second-floor window, circling around Lilith’s body.
It wasn’t until a slender, pale hand slowly reached out that the little bat found a perch, hanging upside down from the girl’s silently outstretched index finger.
The girl was none other than the Blood Queen, Sidella!
Lilith’s heart jumped in surprise.
She quickly came to her senses and bowed.
“Your Majesty!”
Sidella’s gaze fell upon the restless crowd below, an intrigued expression on her face.
The collusion between the Human Race’s Saintess and the Hero Hualí had happened even earlier than she had expected.
“So, if the idea of rescuing the Hero Hualí didn’t originate from the Human Race Royal Family, then what exactly is this Saintess aiming for by acting on her own?”
Sidella lightly stroked her chin with her slender fingers, pondering.
“Your Majesty, it seems they’ve run into a bit of trouble. Should we intervene?”
Lilith sought Sidella’s opinion.
Logically speaking, a Human with restricted magic power would rarely be a match for a Minotaur specialized in combat.
Humans were already outsiders in this prison, destined to face hostility.
If left alone, the two would likely suffer greatly.
“Intervene? But I kind of want to see what Hualí will choose.”
Lilith gazed at Sidella’s stunning profile.
The faint sunlight filtered through the stained glass, scattering star-like points across the girl’s silvery hair.
It was as dazzling as the night sky.
Unlike the regal dignity Sidella had shown in the main hall that morning, she now appeared as a mischievous and cute girl, a playful smile lingering at the corner of her lips.
Up to now, every king of the Demon Race had been known for their imposing presence.
Before the new Demon King’s Succession Ceremony, few of the Demon Race even knew what the Blood Queen looked like.
Lilith could almost already imagine the reaction of the uninformed Demon citizens in the Royal City when Sidella, looking like this, claimed the Crown at the Succession Ceremony a few days from now.
Noticing the stare, Sidella lowered her eyes slightly and glanced at Lilith, who was spacing out beside her, from the corner of her eye.
“Is something wrong? You keep staring at me.”
“No! Forgive me, Your Majesty. I just think you’re truly beautiful…”
Lilith answered honestly from her heart.
“And I’m outraged by those slanderous rumors about your cruelty circulating on the Human front lines.”
Sidella smiled noncommittally.
“Or maybe you simply haven’t seen what I’m like on the battlefield.”
“Then next time, please allow me to fight by your side!”
In Lilith’s fiery red eyes, the spirit of battle blazed.
They say the Red Dragon Clan is a war-loving race, and it seems there’s truth to the rumor.
But perhaps these matters are best discussed another time.
Sidella pointed at Hualí downstairs and spoke to Lilith, who was always on standby beside her.
“Usually, just let her be. But watch out for anything dirty that might hurt her.”
With those words, Sidella’s figure vanished without a trace, drawing no attention—just as on any ordinary noon in the prison, the busy Demon Queen did not make an appearance.
Only a small bat, no bigger than a palm, remained, fluttering its wings in place.
“Her Majesty’s servant…”
It was as if Lilith instantly understood the Queen’s intentions.
Imitating Sidella’s earlier movement, she removed her leather glove from her right hand.
The little bat circled above Lilith’s head twice before hanging upside down from her outstretched finger.
It was time to end this pointless commotion.
***
“Hualí, save me!”
The so-called Saintess of the Human Race was no different from any other Human without magic power, outside their own domain.
She could be scared witless by a Minotaur towering like a mountain, just the same.
Penina looked hopefully at Hualí.
Even if I’m not your wife, I’m at least a temporary teammate, right?
At the very least, a fellow countrywoman!
Surely you can’t just stand by and watch me get dragged off to date that foul-mouthed Minotaur!
He’s literally showing off in front of you!
“Huh? Is this person someone important to the Brave Lady?”
Two streams of thick white breath shot from the Minotaur’s nostrils as he flexed his arms, confidently displaying his biceps to Hualí.
Hualí swallowed hard, her eyes shifting away.
Then she forced a smile.
“Haha, not really.”
Saintess Penina turned to stone.
Murmurs of disdain rose from the watching crowd, mixed with comments like “the Human Hero is nothing special after all”.
The Minotaur grinned victoriously, grabbing Penina’s hand to lead her away.
The next second, the Saint Sword slammed into his face, leaving a red mark.
Taking advantage of the shocked Demons, Hualí seized Penina’s hand and ran for it.
Urgent words snapped Penina out of her daze.
“What are you standing around for? Run!”
“Don’t you want your Saint Sword?”
“Oh, sorry!”
Before the Minotaur could snap out of his confusion, Hualí doubled back, snatched the Saint Sword from the ground, and dashed off at full speed.
“Dammit!!”
Realizing he’d been tricked, the Minotaur flew into a rage, flipping a table in anger.
“I’ll kill you! I’ll make you watch your own companion—”
They fled all the way to the bathroom.
The Minotaur was a three-hundred-year-old Old Inmate of the prison.
Now completely unhinged, not even the guards could stop him.
Several Doghead Guards rushed over, only to be pounded into dog-meat patties a moment later.
His iron-like fists hammered the bathroom door, and in no time, the door was on the verge of collapse.
Inside the bathroom.
“What do we do? Am I really going to die here today as…”
Penina unconsciously crossed her hands and prayed to the Goddess of Light, only to remember that even the Sunlight struggles to reach the land in the Demon Domain.
“Hualí, what are you doing?”
“What else? Writing my will. We’re doomed!”
Curious, Penina glanced at what Hualí had written.
Lines of ketchup scrawled crookedly on toilet paper read: [The brave Hero Hualí defeated the terrifying Demon Queen, but was ambushed by the evil Minotaur while saving an innocent girl, upholding justice…]
“At a time like this, can you stop trying to make yourself sound good?!”
No wonder she’s a Saintess—the Human brain really works fast.
Scanning the surroundings, Penina quickly devised a way to counterattack the Minotaur.
She pulled the squatting Hualí up and whispered in her ear.
“Do exactly as I say in a moment…”
“Ohhh, I see!”
Hualí nodded vigorously, half-understanding.
Bang—!
At last, the iron door gave in, torn apart by brute force.
The Minotaur squeezed halfway inside, but didn’t see either of them at first glance.
Just as he was about to step in fully and search for the two hiding “little mice”—
A sharp cry split the silence.
Penina turned the water valve to full, pinching the hose connected to the faucet into a narrow opening.
A torrent of water shot straight into the Minotaur’s face.
Scalding hot water blasted his eyes, filling the air with steam and blinding his vision.
All he could see was white.
At that moment, Hualí—who had been hiding behind the door—leapt out.
She drew the Saint Sword and thrust its tip directly at the Minotaur’s precious spot.
“Taste our Hot-blooded Combo Attack, Hero’s Millennium Strike!”
“No… don’t…”
In an instant, the Minotaur’s expression twisted from rage to terror and then to pain.
All his strength vanished.
He staggered forward.
Then he stepped on a bar of soap, slipped, and crashed to the floor, foaming at the mouth.
“Whoo…”
Hualí wiped the sweat from her brow.
“That was an exhilarating battle!”
After such a hot-blooded fight, even her freshly filled stomach felt empty again.
She wondered if there would be any food left in the cafeteria by the time they got back.
Penina dropped the hose and approached Hualí with a worried look.
“With all this mess, do you think we’ll get thrown into solitary?”
Compared to Penina, who was new to the prison, Hualí was already a half-veteran Old Inmate who knew more about the rules here.
“Lilith isn’t unreasonable. As long as we blame everything on him, we’ll be fine~”
As she spoke, Hualí pointed behind her at the Minotaur lying on the ground—
Wait! Where is he!?
“Are you looking for me?”
Suddenly, the altitude rose.
The two were lifted off the ground by the Minotaur, who grabbed them by the scruff like kittens.
Hualí’s face instantly went pale.
Damn, I knew I shouldn’t have celebrated too early!
She glanced at Penina—she looked equally resigned.
Enraged beyond reason, the Minotaur only wanted to smash the two Human brats who had dared to harm his precious part.
Hualí had already closed her eyes, counting down her last moments.
At that instant, a small black bat flew into the bathroom, landing on Hualí’s snow-white neck.
Its pitch-black eyes fixed intently on the Minotaur.
The Minotaur’s movements froze.
He felt an overwhelming pressure from the tiny, unremarkable bat.
It was the weight of life itself—he knew that if he took another step, his body would be obliterated in a spray of blood.