“So this is it?”

Lydia, still in the form of the middle-aged man, Maro, walked comfortably into the building.

The structure had no windows, only allowing the faint illumination of the gems all around to shine their light.

‘They certainly didn’t make it easy to find…’ She thought to herself as she strolled in.

This secret building was completely undetectable from the outside. Having layers of barriers and defensive spells to protect it from any Sensory, Physical, or Magical breach, it was completely impregnable.

Then again, such a term was useless for someone like Lydia.

Gaining access was easy once she knew the Activation Spell that granted her entry. It was too convenient, but that was simply because her ability was suited for such a job.

‘Now, then, shall we see what we have here?’

The building’s design was akin to a warehouse—having a very massive space within.

It was very tall and wide, isolated from anything else. Lydia had no in-depth idea how the cooling and ventilation system worked, but it had to be the effects of Magic Technology.

‘These humans and their innovations…’ Lydia spat in annoyance… and slight fear.

The more she sorted through Maro’s memories, the more she realized just how dangerous they were in terms of advancement.

But, that would all be coming to an end soon.

>CLACK<

>CLACK<

>CLACK<

Before long, Lydia reached the center of the building and observed the massive structure that stood erect.

It had a weird design—similar to a pillar, or could it be better described as a tree?

It had a pronged head, and then its base was larger than normal. It was rooted to the ground, having deep claws on all four edges at its stump.

The brilliant machine warbled as it was still asleep—not yet activated.

Lydia could tell that it was a world of art… and destruction.

‘It matches the blueprint perfectly. This is what I’m looking for.’ Lydia grinned.

Using the Intel she got from Maro, the Demon Lord knew just how to dismantle the object. If she wanted to make it ineffective, all she needed to do was take away a few parts.

But, that was simply a temporary solution.

To completely wreck it, as were her orders, Lydia would need to take some time in dismantling the item.

‘It would be better if I could make it appear as though I haven’t tampered with it at all…’.

That way, even as the humans tried to depend on it in their last moments, only despair would await them!

‘Hehe… hehehe…hahahaha!’

>CREAK<

As Lydia was laughing internally, the door leading to the large warehouse opened, causing her to sharply turn her attention in that direction.

Her internal self was full of surprise, but she made sure not to show the slightest hint.

‘W-what is she doing here?!’

The person appearing before her—now closing the opened door—was none other than a little girl.

Calling her a child wouldn’t be an overstatement.

“Uh? You’re here already? That’s good.” The girl spoke in her childlike voice.

“E-er, yeah…” Lydia had no choice but to respond in her manly voice.

She was still full of doubts and confusion, but someone as skilled as her could always play along with a surprising turn of events.

“Why didn’t you turn on the lights? It’s pretty dark here.” The little girl clapped her hands, and instantly the Magic Ores placed on the walls and ceilings burst to life.

Bright light enveloped the Hall, causing Lydia to squint her eyes a little.

Unlike the Blacks, exposure to light had no effect on her body. But, since she was currently a human, and her eyes were suddenly exposed to light, Lydia was stunned for a moment.

“Ah, much better.” The small girl smiled, exhaling with satisfaction.

As Lydia recoiled from the shock, she was finally able to get a closer look at the intruding girl.

‘Tch. That’s Anabelle Frederick, from his memory…’

She was an apprentice that served under Maro—and an exceptional one at that. She also possessed immense talents in Magic, Engineering, and Alchemy.

But, that was pretty much it.

Compared to a Demon Lord like her, Ana was no threat at all.

‘Still, why is she here? According to the information I got…’

“… Shouldn’t you be buried with your research? I’m surprised to see you here.” Lydia asked.

“Oh? That…” Ana shrugged.

It wasn’t exactly an attitude a junior should put up when being questioned by a superior, but Lydia was in no position to emphasize that.

“Well, I just decided to check on the project. What about you? Why are you here?”

Ana just gave a flimsy excuse, but Lydia could not nitpick on it since Maro was also not meant to be there at that particular time.

“Same reason as you. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I can’t get enough of looking at it.’ Lydia used one of Maro’s frequent lines when he referred to the device being built.

Her eyes were on the weapon of destruction, and her acting was flawless. Definitely, it was enough to fool the girl.

However…

‘Do I really need to fool her?’

When she thought about it well, Ana was fodder compared to a Demon Lord. Even a Demon General would be able to face her and win.

Lydia could simply eliminate her and continue her mission.

‘Or better yet… I should capture her!’

Ana was close friends with Jared Leonard, a thorn in the flesh for the Demons. If she took the little girl, surely that would deal a big emotional blow to their enemy.

‘Even if it’s a little bit, it should make him falter a bit.’

The only question was whether their target, Jared, would care enough to act the way they wanted him to.

‘Hmmm… what should I do?’ As Lydia was still contemplating what course of action to take, she spotted Anabelle looking at her with unnatural interest.

It bothered her, especially since the girl’s piercing gaze was uncomfortable… and a bit unsettling.

“What is the matter, Ana?”

“Fascinating… you really look like him.” The girl’s voice came in a soft tone.

‘Uh??!’ Lydia’s mind sharply processed the meaning behind the human’s words, still maintaining her cool front.

“Jared was right, after all. This is quite interesting.”