I naturally couldn’t understand how it worked. It must be magic or something.

However, as a powerless earthling who had never encountered anything like magic outside of a movie, I couldn’t help but be amazed.

The paper read as follows.

You are invited to the Masquerade Ball.

Please note the following.

1. Please wear sufficient gold ornaments. It will make you stand out.

2. Due to the nature of the masquerade ball, everything should be kept confidential.

3. Excessive competition is prohibited.

Well then, I look forward to meeting you at the enchanted night.

I wrapped my head around it and pondered.

A masquerade ball.

Let’s think simple.

Why would the crown prince need this invitation?

I needed to write something down.

I searched around and found nothing but a diary. It was a little uncomfortable, but I had no choice.

I grabbed a cheap and uncomfortable fountain pen and scribbled down the words in Korean.

1. The relationship between the protagonist and the royal family.

In the original work, the protagonist is depicted as a tyrant.

A tyrant who mercilessly kills his brothers.

But even a tyrant needs a justification.

Why did he kill his brothers?

I tried to rule out the fact that this is fiction.

And then I tried to think very logically based on the knowledge I had.

Tyrants on Earth, as far as I know, often kill their siblings to consolidate their power.

And in the process, they need a ‘good reason’ for the ‘brother’ to be killed in order to gain the trust of the people.

‘Clearly, this invitation belongs to the third prince, right?’

If so, I could roughly guess the nature of the party he was hosting.

The “sufficient gold ornaments” mentioned in the invitation would probably refer to funds, and the need for confidentiality meant that there would be something significant at stake if revealed publicly. I diligently unfolded my political maneuvering. And if it was excessive competition…

‘An auction?’

It was a reasonable assumption.

I immediately tried to think of nobles who could be invited to this party.

Unfortunately, Rose’s mind lacked such knowledge.

It was regrettable.

Why does she know so little?

I abruptly stood up from my seat and tore out the diary pages.

Then I crumpled them and put them in my pocket.

I had to see Milla.

I need someone to help me right now.

* * *

Milla was the most obvious choice.

Milla had been working in the palace since she was young, and unlike Rose, who was of noble birth but had an ordinary appearance, Milla, being of commoner origin, had a much closer relationship with the palace servants. Therefore, she was much more knowledgeable about palace rumors than I was.

Apparently, people were a little wary of me because I came from a noble family.

I was marveling at my fantastically destitute situation before coming to my senses.

First, if I wanted to obtain the third prince’s invitation, I had no choice but to manipulate one of the nobles invited to the party to obtain it. But to do that, I needed to know who was close to the third prince.

But as you can see, Rose didn’t know anything.

So, if I wanted to search for a genealogy of noble families or something similar, the only option given to me was the library.

There probably wouldn’t be much benefit from going there, but I had to do something, right?

I asked Milla as I tidied up a basket of laundry nearby.

“Can maids also enter the palace library by any chance?”

In response to my question, Milla furrowed her brow while squeezing the dripping wet laundry with all her might, and she answered with an air of superiority.

“What are you talking about, Rose, how are we supposed to get into the imperial library?”

Then she pitifully placed her wet hand on my shoulder.

My shoulder got damp.

“Hmm, well, it’s not the Imperial Library, but there’s a bookstore in town ……. That’s what you want, right?”

I tilted my head at Milla’s mysterious words, and then she whirled around and whispered with a suggestive look on her face.

“It’s a secret, but I know a good place.”

Then she pointed at the pen sticking out of my chest pocket and made a gesture as if asking for a piece of paper.

“What? Don´t you have another piece of paper, Rose? “

“Huh? Uh…….”

I handed her the piece of paper with Korean writing on it.

“What’s this? A drawing?”

For a moment, my brain went white from the horror of showing her Korean, but fortunately, she seemed to recognize it as just a picture.

Milla casually drew a simple picture on the back of the paper and explained it to me.

“It’s Crimson’s bookstore. There are plenty of things there that will satisfy you. This is valuable information. You’re welcome!”

Milla smirked at me as she handed me the paper with a simple map on it.

I forced myself to smile back at her.

A bookstore. It was a bit unsatisfactory, but what else could I do with my limited options.

I had to grab onto any rotten straw I could find.

I made up my mind to repay Milla with money as a gesture of gratitude. Putting aside the laundry I was supposed to help with, I let it drop and clasped her hand.

“Milla, thank you!”

“Huh? Rose? Where are you going instead of helping with the laundry!”

“I’ll see you later!”

To leave the palace, I needed a permit to go out.

But I couldn’t ask the head maid, who was clearly a lapdog of the duke who was trying to kill me, nor did I have the audacity to go to the prince and ask for a permit.

“I’ll do anything necessary. Ugh.”

I sneaked into the storage room of the laundry where Milla worked and hastily found an apron to wear.

The damn pink hair color was irritating, but since there were plenty of people with unusual hair colors in this world, I thought I could roughly cover it with a coif.

Anyway, the kitchen was not under the jurisdiction of the maids, so the chances of being searched were rare.

I had a strong gut feeling that they wouldn’t search the back of the kitchen for terrorist threats like they do on Earth.

I figured I could just walk into the palace who brought in ingredients during dinner time and not be suspected.

Moreover, it was currently the time for dinner preparations.

I quickly headed towards the back entrance of the kitchen.

Creepily enough, my prediction about the weak security was spot on.

“This is how you end up in the hands of the male lead……. Ugh, don’t tell him.”

It occurred to me that the protagonist hadn’t thinned out the workforce in the original for nothing.

I casually picked up a box lying around and blended in with the group of cooks heading outside.

The ingredients were piled up right in front of the palace walls, and for the first time in three days since the transmigration, I could finally see the scenery outside the palace.

It may be a slightly inappropriate observation given the situation, but the outside was quite beautiful.

Contrary to my expectations, people were bustling with afternoon energy, moving hurriedly.

The streets were bustling, as befits an imperial city, and the sky was crystal clear without a trace of pollution.

Green ivy vines grew on the tall palace walls like a painting, and the scent of slightly unripe tomatoes tickled my nose, as if someone had stepped on one.

I scurried towards the vendors and shoved my apron into a shopping bag.

I quickly rounded the corner and let out the breath I’d been holding.

The difficulty was easier than I had expected, but my heart still raced, perhaps due to the tension.

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you think I’m doing, heuk!”

I was about to scream at the face that appeared in front of me, but I quickly covered my mouth with both hands.

In front of me was a man with orange hair, smiling brightly and gently shaking his head.

I moved my eyes up and down, quickly scanning to figure out who this person was.

Judging from his attire, he seemed to be working in the kitchen.

……I messed up.

I’ve been doing so well! And now I’ve been caught!

“Huh? Surprised?”

I wanted to grab him by the scruff of the neck and ask him what he was doing, but I decided to stay calm.

Since I took off the apron, I was practically a civilian.

“Rose, right?”

Oh, I felt like swearing.

Who is this guy?

“You, you, you, what!”

“I’ve got a good memory. You told Teiron you were His Highness’s new bedchamber maid!”

I looked him up and down, frowning.

“Don’t you remember? I was there too!”

The orange-haired intruder smirked as he patted me on the head proudly, he rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a baby carrot, offering it to me.

“Do you want some? I snuck two of them out without Teiron’s knowledge, I’ll give one to the pink-haired one as a special treat.”

And then he popped the other one in his mouth and took a bite out of it.

It was unbelievable.

I don’t have time to deal with you right now!

I’m in a hurry and you’re holding me back!

“Oh, thanks. Haha…….”

I tried to look away and walk past the boy.

But things in this world never go as I want.

“Where are you going, pink-haired girl? Aren’t you going to ask for my name?”

I wondered why I should ask.

I forced a smile through my unmoving eyes.

I was in a difficult situation, as I didn’t want to attract attention and get caught.

“Oh, I have something to do outside.”

“What? Outside? Aren’t you the crown prince’s maid?”

As I tried to distance myself slightly, he followed me and pushed his face towards mine.

“I don’t know why a maid would be outside, but if you’re a chambermaid, you would be stuck in the palace and wouldn’t know anything about the outside. Let me guide you! I heard you came from the countryside?”

Where on earth did he hear that from? I forced a smile and waved my hand.

He was actually quite nice looking, to be honest which made me a bit hesitant, but he was quite irritating.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Well, I didn’t want to work anyway, so it worked out well.”

Very, very irritating.

“I mean, I’m fine.”

“I’m Aaron! Nice to meet you!”

Damn it.