The servants, who had been proudly boasting of being from the Succubus Queen and Incubus King lineage, surrounded Reed, saying they would attend to his needs.

They couldn’t quite attach themselves completely but moved in a flirtatious manner, swaying languidly on the floor as though they were about to crawl onto the couch.

‘Truly, a perfect example of a harem drawn in a picture.’

[‘The Architect of the Tower of Trials’ is highly satisfied.]

At least Reed seemed tolerable to be around, sitting like a statue with an expression of boredom. He appeared to be making an effort to blend in with the banquet hosted by Infernos.

After all, she had come with the intention of utilizing Infernos’ power to make rules, so it made sense to play along with her.

Anyway, since I couldn’t approach Reed directly, it seemed my only choice was to either wait for him to come to me or for the banquet to end.

“Did you attend the banquet in such a stiff, conventional outfit? Of course, I notice your intellectual grace flowing through your soul more than your outward appearance.”

“...Elantia?”

A devil with a sky-blue short haircut and a long side fringe spoke to me as though she were familiar. It was Elantia Levant, the part-time librarian I had passed through the Grand Library earlier.

She was now wearing a gothic dress to match the banquet’s dress code, so her appearance was entirely different from the usual neat librarian outfit.

She was sipping a drink of some eerie-colored alcohol, and her face was already flushed—perhaps she had drunk too much.

“Shall I help you?”

“Help with what?”

“I could get you into the VIP area.”

Despite the friendly smile curving her eyes, I couldn’t forget that she was a demon, especially with her vertically slit pupils.

“Don’t tell me you expect something in return?”

“I’m not asking for anything big...”

“I said no.”

“It’s just that... it might be nice to take a long break while you’re on probation. A little vacation, you know? Forget about your rank and live free from all the constraints, then—”

“Stop it.”

Elantia, looking embarrassed, was making a mocking proposal that didn't sit right with me, but I didn’t need to get involved in it.

The situation was still calm as I tried to take a break while the banquet continued. I was feeling thirsty, so I took out a non-alcoholic drink from my inventory and drank it.

It went down smoothly, as I had been parched. But something strange happened right after.

[ ‘Unusual Drunkenness (1 stack)’]

What is this debuff, considering I didn’t even consume anything from the demon realm?

“Why am I drunk?”

“There are many ways to get drunk, aside from alcohol. The scent of flowers, reading a book, and... your gaze?”

“Stop flirting.”

“It’s the rule of the Demon King’s banquet. The atmosphere intoxicates you every time you breathe in the air of the banquet hall.”

So it seems that unless I held my breath, I couldn’t stop getting drunk.

“By the way, your resistance seems quite impressive for a low-tier nightmare. You’re not getting drunk easily.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s normal for low-tier demons to lose their speech, have unfocused eyes, and be unable to move properly the moment they enter the banquet hall... but you’re not showing that. Are you really a low-tier nightmare?”

<Sharp observation?>

I felt the need to change the subject.

“Elantia.”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t you get disciplined?”

“I was given a suspension and a probation order. It’s fortunate that I wasn’t dismissed from my position.”

But a permanent transition to a full-time position seems impossible.

Seeing her face expressing frustration, I couldn’t help but sympathize with her, even though she was a demon. I instinctively went to pat her shoulder to offer some comfort.

“Did you hear, sis?”

A female demon wearing a white mask approached.

She had the same hair color as Elantia, and when she removed her mask, I was taken aback to see how closely she resembled her.

“Elantia.”

“Yeah. Long time no see, sis.”

It looked like they were twin sisters, but the atmosphere was tense. In the demon realm, blood relatives are rivals and often targets of violence, so this wasn’t too surprising.

“Didn’t you get disciplined for not properly managing the library? You must be feeling down.”

“Why do you care about me?”

“I’m your sister. Of course, I’d worry.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So, since you’re on probation, it might be a good idea to take a long break. Go on a trip to clear your mind, forget about your rank, and live free from all restrictions. Relax for a few decades... then when no one notices, let’s have you die quietly, and I’ll inherit the marquis title. How about it?”

“Not happening. Just go away.”

Standing face to face, they glared at each other with the same face, but their eyes reflected identical madness and coldness, almost as if mirrored.

Elantia, now wearing her white mask again, calmly walked away, but her dark aura betrayed her agitation.

“That girl, if only I could...”

The demon at rank 477 in the demon hierarchy, clearly not weak, seemed to make other demons nearby retreat in fear.

It wasn’t pleasant to draw attention like this.

“Calm down. Your sister will turn back soon. You know? It’s a battle lost if your excitement shows.”

“Oh, I see now. Phew, I’ve calmed down.”

“Well done. Now, have another drink.”

“Yes.”

She listened so well that, before I realized it, I thought this demon was actually kind of cute... but then the system flashed.

[ ‘Unusual Drunkenness (5 stacks)’]

Right, I’m drunk.

The debuff seems pretty strong, probably because we’re in the Demon King’s territory.

“I’m feeling bad, so I think I’ll get completely drunk tonight. You should drink with me.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re depressed too.”

Elantia nodded toward the center of the banquet hall. Reed, still surrounded by nightmares, didn’t seem to have the slightest intention of coming closer to me.

“Hah.”

“See? I was right.”

“Okay, let’s get drunk.”

“Sounds good!”

It seemed like I’d have to wait for the banquet to end before I could meet Reed again. It would be easier to kill time by indulging with this obedient demon.

Elantia and I spent a long time drinking and eating. Gradually, her speech became slurred, and her pupils lost focus.

“Why aren’t you as drunk as me? This is strange. You’re definitely not a low-tier nightmare, are you?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“No, this is important. I like demons of lower rank than me.”

“Is that a preference?”

“Yeah. That way, I can control you...”

“Uh, better stop right there.”

“Why? Your pink hair and my sky-blue hair would go so well together.”

“This doesn’t make sense. You’re definitely drunk.”

I humored her drunken ramblings while looking around the room.

Elantia was in better condition than most. The other demons at the banquet were nearly out of their minds.

It wasn’t ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ just that they were “drunk” — some were convulsing as if they were about to die or foaming at the mouth, yet they continued to enjoy the banquet. It was madness.

Like a girl cursed to dance forever in red shoes, they were acting as though they were eternally bound to this party.

‘A curse... could this be part of the rules?’

That thought struck me suddenly.

<Aylet! Aylet!>

“...Agnes?”

<Finally responding. Are you okay? Are you tired?>

“...”

Agnes’ questions were frenzied and unlike her usual calm self. That alone was enough to snap me out of my stupor.

‘Something’s wrong.’

As soon as I became more aware, I realized my body had grown heavier, as though I’d been awake for two days straight without rest.

Rubbing my eyes in confusion, I stretched my neck back — and saw a red sunset.

‘A sunset? What’s going on?’

I felt a chill run down my spine. I distinctly remembered that a crescent moon had been high in the sky when the banquet began.

“Wait, Elantia.”

“Hmm?”

“My sense of time feels off.”

“Why’s that?”

“How long has the banquet been going on?”

“Hmm... I’d say... about 44 hours? In another 4 hours, it’ll be two full days.”

“What?”

Agnes confirmed it for me when I couldn’t believe it.

<It’s been 44 hours. It seems your sense of time is broken. Is this part of the dungeon rules?>

[‘The Builder of the World’s Commands’ advises you to check the debuff.]

I checked immediately.

[ ‘Unusual Drunkenness (10 stacks)’]

A fatal debuff that decreases your sense of time and accelerates the depletion of your vitality.

Your body is pushing itself beyond its limits without you realizing it, and continuing to drink and party will lead to serious problems. If you don’t rest soon, you might experience overwork death after surpassing 30 stacks.]

At that moment, the sound of demons collapsing and dishes breaking echoed loudly. Demons falling to the ground turned to ash and disappeared in an instant.

“They’re dead?”

“Yes!”

The lighthearted confirmation felt oddly indifferent.

“Isn’t it natural to risk your life to attend a Demon King’s banquet? You could die from not sleeping and drinking too much.”

“Elantia, you don’t look too good either.”

“Yes. I think I’m going to die soon too. But I can’t sleep...”

It must be the rules.

My suspicion was correct.

“The banquet was hosted by the Rule Maker, so there are rules. Do you remember what Infernos said when the banquet started?”

– Chaos Demon, this banquet will continue without end. Until you are satisfied and fall asleep, no one is allowed to rest...

There was a clear rule hidden within those cryptic words.