The first step of the plan was to secure a disguise.
More than just hiding the fact that I was an automaton, there was no way I could do mercenary work while wearing the maid uniform I usually wore.
To do this, I used the excuse of having forgotten to buy certain ingredients last time and went out of the palace again.
This time, I purchased a modest outfit suitable for a typical traveler.
Additionally, I bought a mask to cover my face and bandages to conceal my skin, then returned naturally to the palace.
This was the first phase of the plan.
The next step marked the beginning of the real stage.
It was time to set aside my duties as a maid temporarily and work as a mercenary, all to restore my financial state and purchase Lady Yuria’s dazzling dress.
***
On the day of the operation, in the dead of night when everyone was fast asleep, I awoke alone in the darkness of my room.
I quickly changed into the outfit I had prepared beforehand and stared at my reflection in the mirror with a determined expression.
Gone was the maid uniform.
Instead, I wore simple, plain clothes that a traveler might wear.
A pristine white mask covered my face, and bandages wrapped around every bit of exposed skin.
To complete the disguise, I added fake cat ears—the highlight of this transformation—and a green robe that concealed them from view.
Once fully prepared, I reviewed my disguise in the mirror.
Satisfied with the result, I moved around in place, marveling at my exotic new appearance.
This time, the concept for my disguise was none other than a mysterious and highly skilled feline beastfolk traveler.
According to the story, I had stopped by the capital on my journey, temporarily taking on mercenary work because I had run out of funds before moving on to another region.
Trasion, with its bustling traffic hub connecting various regions and its diverse population, was the perfect place to conceal one’s identity.
Unlike the demonfolk, who mostly settled in one place, it was said that many beastfolk left their homelands to wander.
This meant my appearance would not arouse much suspicion.
As long as nothing major went wrong, I believed I could achieve my goal without incident.
I repeated this to myself in the mirror, trying to calm my excitement, but I couldn’t completely suppress my lingering concerns.
Most of all, I felt guilt for keeping this a secret from Lady Yuria and Mark and acting so recklessly on my own.
The guilt weighed heavily on me, dampening my spirits whenever it surfaced.
Still, imagining Lady Yuria enduring humiliation at the party if I gave up now made me resolute once more.
Determined, I carefully left my room.
I confirmed that Lady Yuria was already asleep and knew that Mark would have ceased functioning at this hour, so leaving the palace wasn’t particularly difficult.
The next obstacle was passing through the hole in the outer wall of the imperial palace that I usually used when going out.
While the guards patrolling nearby had silently permitted me to use it during the day, my current appearance—with no maid uniform and at this hour—would certainly raise suspicions.
Fortunately, I had become familiar with the guards’ patrol patterns through our interactions, making it easy for me to slip past their lax security unnoticed.
‘Apologizing silently for taking advantage of their goodwill, I promised myself that I would bake them delicious homemade treats once this was all over.’
With that thought, I smoothly slipped through the hole and exited the palace without anyone noticing.
***
The first thing that greeted me was the sight of Trasion at dawn—a completely different world from what I had seen before.
A clear, full moon hung high in the sky.
The streets, usually bustling during the day, were eerily empty, with the lights of the shops all extinguished, giving the area an unsettlingly quiet atmosphere.
Only the streetlights, placed at regular intervals, cast their glow on the silent roads.
This nighttime version of Trasion felt so alien and mysterious, as though I had stepped into another world.
Though I had expected it, considering the hour, it was still jarring for someone like me who had only seen the city’s vibrant daytime.
I did see a few people walking the streets, but compared to the usual crowds, the silence was undeniable.
Feeling a strange sense of unease, as if someone might be watching me from the shadows, I rubbed my bandaged arms repeatedly and moved cautiously, keeping a vigilant eye on my surroundings.
Since I had only ventured into the nearby commercial district on previous outings, most of the areas I passed were unfamiliar to me.
At one point, I even got lost, which led to a small, embarrassing incident.
Still, I managed to reach my destination safely, as it was fortunately near the city center.
At the end of the broad avenue, I stopped and stared in awe at a massive, brightly lit building that stood out among the surrounding structures, which were shrouded in darkness.
This was the guild—a job brokerage that operated across the entire Demon Kingdom.
Countless merchants and professionals were registered here, connecting various requests with suitable individuals.
In short, it was an essential hub for finding work.
Although it started as a small organization that simply copied the structure humans had already established, the guild grew exponentially alongside the Demon Kingdom’s development.
Now, it had become an indispensable institution, working closely with the commerce of each city.
Expanding its influence into finance, mercenary work, and various other industries, the guild had deeply rooted itself in multiple areas.
Its reputation was so immense that no one living in the kingdom could be unaware of it—including me, who had learned the basics of the kingdom from Mark.
And here… there had to be requests that could earn me a lot of money in a short time.
Whether everything would go smoothly was still uncertain, but I decided to just go for it.
‘If any troublesome situation arose, I could always dash back to the palace without looking back.’
With that final resolution, I cautiously stepped into the grand building before me.
***
The moment I entered, a dazzling light filled my vision, and the interior scene before me was no less astonishing than the building’s impressive exterior.
“Wow…”
Rather than being overwhelmingly glamorous, the atmosphere was warm and cozy, with an antique charm.
The various wooden furnishings exuded the scent of age, and the air itself was so calming that just standing there made my body relax.
I couldn’t help but marvel at how this contrasted completely with the stark silence of the outside.
After a moment of awe, I regained my composure and began walking deeper inside, taking in my surroundings.
There was a waiting area for visitors to rest or wait, a large bulletin board dominating the center of one wide wall covered in numerous job postings and requests, and even a brightly lit counter that remained open despite the late hour.
As expected of a guild—especially the branch located in the capital.
The first glimpse of the guild’s interior left me utterly overwhelmed, far exceeding anything I had imagined.
To be honest, even compared to the palace, this capital branch surpassed it in every way—a fact I reluctantly had to admit.
Although there were only a few visitors inside due to the late hour, I imagined that during the day, the place would be bustling, crowded with people, and filled with endless chatter.
Of course, as someone who could only move around quietly during the early hours, I would likely never witness that scene.
“Welcome, guest!
You’ve come to the Trasion branch of the guild! My name is Karune, your receptionist. What brings you here today?”
After taking in my surroundings for a while, I finally felt it was time.
With a mix of nervousness and excitement, I approached the brightly lit counter.
The receptionist—a demon woman with long brown hair dressed in the guild’s uniform—greeted me warmly with a bright smile, as if she had been waiting for me.
The moment our eyes met, however, my resolve faltered, and I froze like ice on the spot.
As if that weren’t enough, the thoughts I had clearly formulated in my mind just moments ago scattered, throwing me into complete confusion.
On one hand, this was a natural reaction.
Having spent my whole life as a maid, suddenly hiding my identity and pretending to be someone else overnight was never going to be easy.
Moreover, the receptionist was unmistakably a demon.
Though she couldn’t compare to Lady Yuria in any respect, her presence still inevitably reminded me of her.
As the silence dragged on, the receptionist’s bright, businesslike smile gradually turned into one of curiosity, and the atmosphere grew awkward.
Finally, I managed to regain my focus by imagining Lady Yuria in the dress I wanted to buy for her.
Slowly but surely, I began to speak.
My voice was hesitant and timid, even to my own ears, but it was clear enough to convey my intentions.