“Ugh… Hnn… Ah, no… Aghyaaaah!!?”
“Something… something pierced my neck!”
“…What? What was that again?”
It feels like I’m just about to recall something, but it soon disperses like a mirage—a memory shrouded in mystery.
As my consciousness slowly becomes clear and my vision fills with the familiar sight of a well-known room, I realize my state only after touching the blanket atop my bed.
Letting out a small sigh, I muttered to myself.
“It had been quiet recently, yet here I was, having another one of those strange dreams.”
I was certain it wasn’t a pleasant dream, but the details always vanished like mist upon waking, leaving nothing but an eerie, uneasy feeling.
Of course, it was nearly impossible for an Automaton like me, a mere mechanical doll, to dream like living beings.
Yet, for reasons I couldn’t quite understand, I was capable of it.
It was a unique feature, one that set me apart from others of my type.
Though, considering it was nothing but an unpleasant and faintly remembered experience that ruined the mood of the day, I had grown to hate it.
***
[Good morning, Kaya. Did you sleep well? Judging by your expression, it seems like you had another restless dream.]
“Good morning to you too, Mark. Sigh, I went to bed feeling great last night, but why do I keep having these nightmares? At times like this, I truly envy you, Mark.”
[Haha, well, as a non-humanoid Automaton, I don’t sleep per se; I merely recharge. Frankly, Kaya, I envy that special ability of yours.]
The familiar deep voice of Mark spoke cheerfully as the black box on my desk powered up and greeted me.
Mark wasn’t human, just like me.
He was a mass-produced Automaton built for assisting with daily tasks.
His full name was Mark Prototype 1142, but I simply called him Mark.
He and I worked together to maintain this modest yet cozy Azure Palace.
He was a steadfast companion, akin to a colleague.
Together, we served the same master—the one who occupied my thoughts and filled my heart.
My dear and noble mistress.
Feeling a surge of determination at the thought of her, I bolted upright and glanced toward the clock on the desk, only to freeze in place.
The hands of the clock pointed far beyond my usual waking time.
For a moment, I thought I was still half-asleep and had misread it.
Staring hard at the clock for what felt like forever, I finally grasped the reality of the situation.
Forcing a stiff smile, I turned to Mark.
“Mark, could you please confirm the time for me?”
[Certainly. Here it is.]
Still as polite as ever, Mark displayed the current time on his interface.
Looking at the numbers, I realized I had no escape.
The truth was glaring at me—I had overslept!
‘How could I, with years of experience as a maid, commit such a rookie mistake?’
Groaning in frustration at myself, I buried my face in my hands.
The nightmare wasn’t bad enough; now I’d made a fool of myself.
But there was no time for self-pity.
The damage was done, and sitting here lamenting wouldn’t change anything.
I quickly shed my pajamas and reached for my neatly folded maid uniform.
With practiced efficiency, I dressed and tidied my disheveled silver hair in front of the vanity.
In record time, I was ready and dashed out of my room, heading straight for the only dining hall on the first floor.
***
‘Please, let the mistress have overslept too!’ I prayed silently as I cautiously opened the old dining hall door.
Unfortunately, my desperate hope was not answered.
At the center of the dining hall, seated with graceful poise, was my mistress.
She was sipping tea elegantly, as if she had been waiting for some time.
Her long black hair, crimson eyes, and the pair of horns atop her head marked her as a demon.
The black wings on her back only added to her striking presence.
She wore a neat blue dress, slightly worn but still dignified.
Her beauty was breathtaking—a living embodiment of perfection.
She was the mistress of this Azure Palace, the eighth princess of the Demon Kingdom.
And above all else, she was my one and only master.
“Lady Yuria… I’m so sorry. You must have been waiting for a long time because of my oversleeping.”
“Hmm? Oh, it’s fine, Kaya. Sometimes you oversleep when you’re tired. You don’t need to worry so much. If anything, I feel bad for leaving everything—this palace’s upkeep and attending to me—entirely to you.”
Though she must have been hungry while waiting, instead of reprimanding me, my kind mistress expressed her guilt for relying on me so heavily.
Facing her radiant, angelic smile, I clasped my hands together, my eyes sparkling with emotion that I couldn’t suppress.
It was impossible for an Automaton to feel fatigue.
Her words, therefore, meant that she genuinely cared for me—not as a scrap heap meant to do chores, but as her precious maid and an individual.
Just that thought was enough to instantly brighten my previously gloomy expression.
As I silently thanked the heavens for the blessing of serving such a beautiful, kind, and truly perfect mistress, I couldn’t help but notice her worn dress and the desolate state of the dining hall.
Yuria, as the eighth princess of the Demon Kingdom and a child of the Demon Emperor, carried the status of royalty.
However, her circumstances were far from those of her royal siblings.
The Azure Palace, located on the outskirts of the grand, opulent Imperial Castle, was so small and shabby it was almost an insult to call it a palace.
The only attendants were me and Mark, making it effectively abandoned and neglected.
The reason for such treatment was simple—Yuria was the Emperor’s illegitimate child, a hybrid born of both demon and human blood.
Unlike other demons with their distinctive blue skin, Yuria’s skin resembled that of a human.
Most significantly, while the Emperor’s other children had inherited exceptional power, Yuria had no such abilities, making her an easy target for discrimination and scorn.
If not for the horns and wings that marked her as a demon, she likely wouldn’t have been allowed to remain within the Imperial Castle at all.
Every time I thought about Yuria’s unfair treatment, anger welled up inside me.
Yet, as nothing more than an Automaton, there was little I could do.
All I could do was stay by her side, assist her as much as possible, and manage the Azure Palace, her only sanctuary.
Despite the harsh environment, Yuria had grown into a remarkable woman instead of succumbing to resentment or bitterness.
Having witnessed her journey over the past ten years, my affection for her was unparalleled.
In the past, I had tried numerous ways to protest her treatment and improve her circumstances, but over time, I had come to accept reality.
What I wanted most now was to continue these peaceful days with her, even if we had to endure a little poverty.
Considering how everyone in the Imperial Castle treated her like air, self-sufficiency didn’t seem entirely out of reach.
Thinking this to myself, I hurried to the kitchen and began preparing breakfast, recalling the menu I had planned the night before.
Having overslept and kept her waiting, I was determined to make something extra delicious to make up for it.
***
“Mark! Seriously, this is too much! If I oversleep, you should wake me up! That’s just mean!”
[I must apologize. It was bad timing—I was running this month’s financial simulation for the Azure Palace during my sleep mode and failed to notice. I’ll be more mindful in the future.]
The commotion of the morning had passed, and time flew by.
It was now the lazy hours of the afternoon.
While I was busy sweeping the corridor, I happened to run into Mark and, without hesitation, pouted and voiced my complaint.
Since he had apparently woken up before me, he could have easily prevented the morning’s fiasco with a little effort.
But his response quickly turned my mild annoyance into deep concern.
“You needed to run a simulation? Is our budget that tight this month?”
[Well, there were significant expenses this month. While it’s not your fault, the cost of Yuria’s coming-of-age party exceeded expectations. On top of that, we spent quite a bit on the various specialized books she requested. I’m exploring ways to minimize costs, but it’s not an easy task.]
With that, I fell into thought, my broom momentarily forgotten.