Chapter 3

I had always felt a vague sense of unease, but now it had become a real, tangible problem.

The issue was the funds—money—needed to keep the Blue Palace running.

Of course, if anyone else heard about our situation, they’d doubt their own ears.

After all, it’s absurd to think that a member of the royal family would lack the money to maintain their own palace. An ordinary person would probably see it as a blatant lie.

But the real problem was that this was an undeniable reality.

Every month, the royal family receives a stipend for maintaining their dignity.

While other members of the royal family receive astronomical sums they’d never even spend in a lifetime, the funds allocated to Lady Yuria, who’s practically invisible, don’t even come close to matching theirs.

Well, to be fair, the comparison is a bit extreme. The amount is enough for one demon and two automatons to live on, but maintaining the Blue Palace, even though it’s old and small, is still a tight squeeze.

Until now, we’ve managed to scrape by thanks to Mark’s help and my frugal habits, but this time, the problem seemed a bit more serious.

If I slowly retrace my steps, it seems the main cause was a few days ago when Lady Yuria, overjoyed at officially coming of age, spent way too much money…

Realizing that the root of this crisis lay entirely with me, I let out a deep sigh.

At that moment, the only solution—and the simplest way to resolve this situation—flashed through my mind, but I quickly shook my head.

While it was indeed the easiest path, I personally wanted to avoid that method as much as possible.

Shaking off the lingering hesitation and temptation, I returned to reality and vigorously resumed sweeping as I spoke up.

“I’ll leave that part to you. Oh, right! And I’ll be stepping out for a bit this afternoon, so please take care of Lady Yuria for me.”

[Are you going out to shop?]

“Yes, I noticed this morning that we’re almost out of groceries… Don’t worry too much. Mark mentioned some tips, so I’ll try to save as much as I can while shopping.”

[I trust you’ll do well, as you always have, Kaya. Please take care of yourself.]

With that, Mark activated his flight mode and headed off on his original path, leaving me to watch his black box figure gradually disappear. I quickly picked up the pace with my broom to finish cleaning.

If I left too late, it might get dark before I could return.

—–

Located almost at the center of the continent, this blessed and fertile land is the current capital of the Demon Emperor’s Nation and the most prosperous city in the empire. It’s a place all demons dream of entering.

The Eternal Night’s Sanctuary, Tracion.

At its center stands the vast Imperial Palace, surrounded by a gradually expanding circular structure. Tracion is a source of pride and confidence for the demons.

In the long history of conflict between demons and humans, the side that controlled Tracion always held the upper hand, which greatly influenced this sentiment.

As usual, today I slipped out through a hidden hole under the tacit approval of the guards, emerging into the sparsely populated outskirts of the Imperial Palace. After confirming no one was around, I quickly grabbed my basket and hurried off.

Though I had casually told Mark I was just going for a walk, it was strictly forbidden for a palace maid like me to leave the palace grounds without permission. After all, the Imperial Palace is a place where high-ranking officials of the empire reside, so it’s only natural.

And if a mere automaton like me were caught doing something like this, punishment would be the least of my worries.

Yet, I had no choice but to make these risky outings regularly. The reason? The monthly food supplies allocated to the Blue Palace were ridiculously insufficient, and sometimes they didn’t even arrive at all.

Even when they did, the supplies were often old, low-quality, and barely fit for a street beggar. So, the only option left was for me to go out and buy the groceries myself.

I had tried protesting this issue before, but there was nothing I could do against those who were blatantly embezzling the supplies.

If they had pulled this stunt on a proper royal family member, they’d have lost their heads. But they knew better. They knew that no one cared about a half-blood princess who had been cast aside by the royal family.

It was frustrating and infuriating to think about, but I had no choice but to calmly accept reality. The alternative was this risky, secretive outing.

Of course, I didn’t choose this method blindly. There were several rational reasons for it.

The most important factor was the Blue Palace’s location within the Imperial Palace. Being on the outermost edge of the central area gave me the geographical advantage of avoiding the palace’s strict security, making it the perfect route.

Moreover, the Blue Palace was home to only Lady Yuria, Mark, and me, with no visitors whatsoever. This made it the ideal place for secret outings.

Well, during one of these outings, I was accidentally discovered by the guards patrolling the area. Fortunately, nothing major happened.

After hearing my pitiful situation, they thought it over and decided to turn a blind eye.

Later, I learned that they were aware of the Blue Palace’s existence and the rumors about the forgotten princess who was practically imprisoned there.

Public opinion about Lady Yuria among the demons fell into two categories: disgust at her mixed human blood and sympathy for her being cast aside despite being royalty.

Luckily, the guards who caught me were clearly in the latter group. Thanks to their tacit approval, I’ve been able to continue my outings more safely, leading to the present.

Honestly, looking back now, I’m sure my cute appearance played a big role in stirring their sympathy.

I mean, while I can’t compare to the utterly unique Lady Yuria, I was designed to be prettier and cuter than most mechanical dolls!

As I walked down the street, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a shop window and felt a surge of pride. But noticing some strange glances in my direction, I coughed lightly and quickened my pace to leave the area.

After walking for a while, I finally reached the dazzling commercial district, filled with sparkling lights.

Though the sight was familiar by now, I still found it breathtakingly beautiful. I took in the stunning view with wide eyes.

Countless ordinary demon citizens and various non-human races filled the streets, shopping under the crimson sun hanging in the pitch-black sky. The endless rows of shops emitted bright, shimmering lights, creating a kaleidoscope of colors.

According to Mark, in the distant past when humans controlled Tracion, the red sun in the black sky emitted an overwhelming light that was almost blinding.

The light from the sun was so intense that the entire land was brightly lit in the morning, eliminating the need for additional lighting.

But after the Demon Emperor conquered Tracion and demons began settling in, the dense miasma gradually suppressed the sunlight, resulting in the current appearance.

Mark also mentioned that in other parts of the empire that hadn’t been fully developed, the miasma’s influence was weaker, and the sun still shone brightly.

Having never left the capital, I couldn’t imagine what such a place would look like, but I secretly hoped to see it someday.

As I was about to continue on my way, a faint noise suddenly clouded my vision.

*Crackle—!!!*

“Ugh…!?”

Caught off guard by the sudden disturbance, I closed my eyes and bowed my head for a moment. When my vision returned to normal, I tilted my head in confusion.

It felt like the sun had suddenly shone brightly, and the entire area had lit up all at once. At the same time, an indescribable, nostalgic sensation lingered in my mind, deepening my confusion.

Though the unfamiliar phenomenon bothered me, since nothing major happened afterward, I decided to brush it off.

I convinced myself that the miasma in the commercial district must have been unusually thick today, causing a temporary glitch.

If I kept wasting time like this, I might not make it back to the Blue Palace before nightfall. So, I quickly pulled myself together and continued walking through the crowd.

The lingering unease in my heart remained unresolved.