At night, moonlight from outside filtered through the half-drawn curtains and spilled into the dormitory, spreading a silver-white veil across the floor.
This was a standard three-person girls' dormitory. While not particularly spacious, it had all the necessary furnishings.
Three beds were positioned against three of the walls, each with a small bookshelf and a desk at its head.
The bed near the window was piled with several plush dolls, belonging to a roommate who wore glasses.
The middle bed, neatly made, was Melina's.
The bed closest to the door, however, was somewhat messy. The blanket was half-tossed aside and the pillow sat askew, making it instantly recognizable as Juno's territory.
They had been temporary roommates for over half a month now.
Starting out as relative strangers who interacted with polite reservation, the three had quickly grown to get along quite harmoniously over time.
That was, until a certain incident occurred, causing the relationship between two of them to become rather awkward.
“Do you guys have any clothes that need washing? I'll take them along with mine.”
Juno's tail swished gently behind her as she held a few items of recently changed clothing in her arms.
Currently dressed in loose pajamas with her reddish-brown hair draped casually over her shoulders, she looked exceptionally relaxed.
A roommate looked up from her pile of books, pushed up the glasses on the bridge of her nose, and handed over a small bag of laundry.
“Thanks, I'll leave it to you then, Juno.”
“No problem!”
Juno took the clothes, then turned her gaze to her other roommate, who had been constantly avoiding her lately.
“Melina, what about yours? You're about to take a shower, so you should have a set to wash, right?”
Melina turned around, a gentle smile on her face. “No need to trouble yourself. I'll wash them myself.”
“It's fine! What trouble? It's just a few pieces of clothing!”
Juno waved her hand dismissively, her tail wagging along with her movement.
“I'm heading over anyway, so it's on the way.”
But Melina maintained her smiling expression, declining once more. “Thank you, but I will wash them myself.”
“...”
The red tail behind Juno drooped slightly.
She knew in her heart that Melina was definitely misunderstanding her because of what she had accidentally witnessed last time.
So, Juno tried to explain herself. “Melina, you might have misunderstood me about what happened last time. Actually, I—”
“What happened last time?”
Melina interrupted her with a smile. Her tone was still gentle, but there wasn't a trace of warmth in her dark brown eyes.
“What are you referring to? I don't seem to recall anything at all.”
Juno grew anxious, her tail stiffening. “You know, when I took the clothes you had just changed out of and—”
“I said...”
Melina interrupted her with a smile once more. This time, she spoke very slowly, as if patiently instructing a child who couldn't understand.
“...I really don't seem to recall.”
“...”
Juno opened her mouth, but ultimately failed to say anything. Her tail drooped completely.
The roommate who had been reading nearby finally noticed the strange atmosphere. Setting her book down, she asked in confusion.
“Are you guys talking about something? The vibe feels kind of weird.”
Melina shook her head slightly. “No, it's nothing. Juno just wanted to help me with my laundry, and I felt too bad about troubling her.”
With that, she turned and walked into the bathroom, softly closing the door behind her.
The lock clicked into place, isolating the inside from the outside into two different worlds.
Without the eyes of others on her, the quiet and proper expression on Melina's face gradually faded, replaced by a somewhat lazy demeanor.
She sighed, recalling the scene when she had pulled back her blanket earlier, only to find Juno holding her clothes and sniffing them deeply.
At that moment, even Melina felt her worldview take quite a shock.
“I really didn't expect the Dragon race to have such eccentricities... I'll have to be more careful next time.”
Melina shed her clothes and submerged herself in the bathtub.
The warm water rose over her shoulders, enveloping her body. Her tense nerves gradually relaxed under the soothing embrace of the water.
However, this tranquility did not last long—out in the night, a very faint tapping sound suddenly came from outside the window.
Melina turned her gaze toward the tightly closed small window. Reaching out, she opened a tiny crack. A cool night breeze drifted through, stirring the ends of her hair.
A woman's voice drifted in from outside, kept very low and filled with respect. “Divine Maiden, did you call for me?”
“Yes.”
Melina nodded calmly.
“Go and notify the other executives of the Demon King Cult. The operation begins tomorrow at six in the afternoon.”
The person outside fell silent for a moment, then asked hesitantly.
“Excuse me... but why in the afternoon instead of at night? In accordance with custom, a nighttime operation should be much easier to conceal.”
Melina raised her eyebrows slightly, her voice taking on a sweet, playful tone. “Oh? Are you questioning my decision~”
The person outside immediately grew tense, their voice carrying obvious panic.
“No, no! I am merely foolish and was simply curious. Please forgive me, Divine Maiden!”
Only then did Melina smile in satisfaction. She extended one hand, slowly spreading white foam over her other flawless, fair arm. Her movements were lazy and elegant as she spoke in a leisurely manner.
“Because tomorrow at six in the afternoon is when the Empire plans to execute their Fifth Imperial Princess.”
“Since the Empire claims that this Fifth Imperial Princess is one of ours, we might as well go and solidify that rumor. It won't hurt us anyway. When things get chaotic over there, it will surely draw the Empire's sensitive attention even more. And you, use that opportunity to slip into the dungeon and investigate.”
The person outside remained silent for a short while before responding in a low voice. “Yes, I understand, Divine Maiden.”
“Go then, and do not disappoint me.”
A faint sound came from outside, followed by complete silence.
Melina closed the window once more and leaned back into the bathtub, relaxing completely as the warm water covered her shoulders. The disguise on her face gradually melted away, revealing an exquisite and charming countenance.
Looking up at the dense steam rising toward the ceiling, she sighed softly.
“Lately, things that exceed my expectations seem to be happening more and more... but that only makes it more interesting.”
She closed her eyes, wanting to empty her mind for a bit. Yet just as her consciousness was on the verge of drifting, a certain figure unexpectedly surfaced in her mind.
Melina opened her eyes, blinking in slight confusion. Her fingertips lightly brushed the surface of the water, sending out ripples.
“Why do I keep thinking of him for no apparent reason lately?”
“Just because I feel like he has so many secrets hidden within him?”
Melina tilted her head. Her hair swayed gently in the water, as if she too were searching for the answer to this question, but ultimately, she was unable to reach a conclusion.
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