The kingdom itself felt alive. The lights, smell, and sounds, everything was bright and festive.

I scanned the stalls, filled with a strange array of things. From enchanted paints to fancy looking hairdryers.

Instead of electricity we ran on mana stones for everything. I examined the cute white and gold hairdryer.

Though I didn't need it, I wanted it to see how it worked.

"What a good selection, young lady! That item happens to be on sale," the salesman smiled.

"Oh? How much?" I asked curiously.

"From 1,000 gold to the sale price of 400 gold, I'll even throw in this novelty clock bowtie for an extra 100. Bought separately, the bowtie is 150," the salesman smiled.

I looked to the saleslady in the stall next to his and she only rolled her eyes at the salesman.

"100 for a bowtie? How outrageous! And that's only if I buy the dryer with it!" I exclaimed as the lady looked at me with a slight smile.

"O-Oh, no, this isn't some ordinary bowtie! It's made from sea silk!" I glanced at the saleslady beside him again as she quietly sneered.

Bullcrap. I smiled.

"I'm allergic to sea silk, it irritates my skin," I lied.

Beasts do have allergies, but it's only ever uncomfortable, never deadly.

"150. The dryer is 150," the saleslady interrupted.

"Didn't think it was worth 400," I said, returning her gaze.

"You've got a good eye then. Take it," she waved dismissively.

"Veronica!" the salesman shouted.

"I'll pay for it, you've been having a hard time selling it anyway," she said indifferently.

The salesman whispered something to her as she just shrugged.

"So be it, wrap it up nice for the girl would ya?" she smiled as the salesman sighed and did so.

"And what shall I repay you with?" I asked skeptically.

"I just want you to remember my name. Veronica Hans," she smiled, handing me the gift.

Connection is better than something material. Could she have gotten a hint of my identity?

White hair isn't common, but enough people have white hair that I couldn't be recognized by my hair alone.

My whole face was covered by a mask, my bestial form was hidden.

Then she doesn't know. Maybe she thinks I'm just a noble daughter having some fun.

Which I am right now.

"Then I promise, I'll remember your name," I nodded.

"Esmeralda!" we heard shouts.

It was a woman walking out of a brothel.

"You're all scum! I would rather die than live another night like this!" she screamed, she took a knife and...

Veronica covered my eyes before I could see what happened next, but I think I could guess.

"Tsk, escaping this hell is one thing, but making a show of it? It's insulting," the salesman tsked.

"Leave it be. Slade isn't usually like this, the cleanup crew will come soon and I'll let you go on your way, but for now please stay here," Veronica said softly.

I don't think I noticed I was shaking until Veronica held my hand to calm me.

"... The poor girl is in a better place now. You're not from here are you?" Veronica asked.

I quietly shook my head.

"It's not safe here in district Viola, it's the heart of the kingdom and is crawling with scum," she explained.

"You should visit the lower districts, district Carolina has many cafés and dress shops," the salesman explained, feeling slightly sorry for me.

"What's your name, sir?" I asked curiously, trying to take my mind off of things.

"... It's Kenneth. Kenneth Howard," he said.

"Thank you both," I said quietly as the two looked at each other.

"Hey, why don't I escort you to the lower districts?" Veronica suggested.

"I'll keep watch of your shop. Be quick though," Kenneth said irritatedly, with a hint of worry.

Now that I looked at it, Veronica had hair like gold and eyes like the shadow of snow.

She was very pretty.

I followed Veronica as we were both wrapped in a comfortable silence.

As we turned a corner I saw a place unlike the main district, this place was a little more like Sterling.

But it was brighter, lanterns hung from strings that connected the beautiful, warm, and welcoming buildings.

"Welcome to district Carolina," she smiled fondly.

"It's beautiful," I said happily.

"Then it's time for me to go back," Veronica said dismissively.

"Wait!" I stopped her.

"I'll definitely repay you next time," I said cheerfully.

Veronica shook her head. "Don't go back to district Viola... It's not a place for a girl as pure as you," she smiled, patting my head then left.

She said that but I would definitely repay her someday. After all, Slade will become stable sometime in the future.

I walked around, there was a small stage in the middle of the buildings, musicians played near the bottom as actors performed for children.

Shouldn't they be sleeping? I asked myself.

I watched the performance in intrest.

It was about a prince on a journy to save his parents, with a clumsy undercover princess.

It was surprisingly very good. It was also a musical.

Though the Princess was falling in love, she was already engaged to the Duke of her kingdom, and the prince was still unaware of her true identity.

I love it! The story is funny and captivating!

There were plays in Sterling, but I've always rejected going since I thought they were boring, but something like this would be amazing!

"And that will be all for tonight! We will see all of you next week," the musicians bowed as the actors followed.

I heard groans and awws, and I was no exception.

"Tonight's chapter was great!" I heard someone say.

"I know! I absolutely love the undercover princess series!" another exclaimed.

"The writer is the same one who wrote the Night And Day series right? I love that writer!" I listened intently.

So this is a series that has episodes every week... But I want to know what happens next...

I sulked for a little bit when a girl that looked a bit younger than me tapped my shoulder.

"D-Did you enjoy the show?" she asked, her brown eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Yes," I replied plainly.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before, have you watched the rest of the series?" she asked again.

"No, actually it's my first time watching it," I said.

"Really!? W-Well, did you like it?"

I nodded my head, "Very much actually,"

"Well! Would you mind me telling you about the previous chapters?" she asked excitedly.

"I'd like that," I said as she pulled me to a nearby café.

"Okay! So! I think this chapter, you saw that the Princess is undercover and is starting to fall in love with the prince right? But! She's already engaged! But do you know why she's undercover in the first place?" she started.

"No, but I'm curious," I replied.

"Well, when her engagement was announced, she didn't really want to get married, so she asked for her last months of freedom," she explained as I nodded.

"The Princess was supposed to go camping on her own and agreed to keep herself chaste for her engagement, but she met the injured prince near a broken down carriage, but while the Princess was trying to take the prince to her kingdom they got attacked by fire wolves, "she continued.

"The princess managed to carry him into a cave where they hid, but when the prince woke up neither of them knew how to get out of the forest!" she laughed as I laughed with her.

"You quite love these stories don't you?" I said kindly.

"Of course! Someday I want to be an actress and portray the sun goddess Solaris in the Night And Day series!" she said enthusiastically.

"May I ask why you approached me?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, you seemed to enjoy the story the same way I did! A-And finding out that you didn't know the rest of the story, I couldn't just leave it at that!" she exclaimed as I laughed.

I liked her eccentric attitude.

"Oh, Kaiyo, you silly girl, aren't you supposed to be at home sleeping?" Asked a young waiter, going over to our table.

"Awww, but, uncle Baron! I'm making friends!" Kaiyo pouted.

The waiter glanced at me, slightly suspicious.

"I see, but that doesn't change the fact that you have class tomorrow, run along before I tell your father," he smiled gently as Kaiyo huffed.

"Well... It was nice metting you... Miss?" she asked.

"Snow, my name is Snow," I said as she smiled.

"I'll see you around, friend!" she said before running away.

"Well, well, well, I was wondering who was willing to listen to Kaiyo babble on about the Undercover Princess series," a female voice said.

I glanced at the waiter who smiled and nodded to the table behind me.

"It turns out, it's just the pretty princess," she pulled down her hood revealing a familiar face.

"Haha... Hi, aunt Bellatrix,"

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