It then came to the palace that a young girl with dark blue hair with unique silver on the tips of her hair was now missing. The young maid who was found with her clothes were interrogated then released afterward given new sets of maid-clothing apparently she has to pay for the missing clothes that were taken away from her.

As for the clothes she borrowed from the noble girl.
It was temporarily taken while they are now constantly on the search for her.

Fortunately for Estel, some of the maid and knights held the same dark blue hair like her.
Though despite how uncommon they were in the palace.
The silver color of the tips that seem to grow naturally is her only weakness.

As there was no other trait on her body that would show she is part of the demon-king.

[All I have to do is cut off the silver on the tip of my hair every time it grows.
And I'll be fine!]

Were what she thought.

Chapter 3: A bump in the night!

Meanwhile, after I was captured by the head-maid, it appears a party was about to begin at night.
I was questioned by the head maid.

Only to give out an alias name as Luria my past-life name.
Well, it is technically my name, just not in this life.

She was puzzled because she didn't recall having a servant with a name like mine.
It made me feel queasy, but thankfully she simply shook her head believing I'm a new recruit of the palace.

[I was lucky.]

As for memories of my past life with my family...
Well, I could scarcely remember them anymore.
Though a part of me feel sad about it.
I feel like, I've done something happy for them for some reason?

Regardless...
here I am in the middle of the party serving food to aristocrats while restraining myself from eating the food here. The chandelier, the food, and people around the palace were all gorgeous people.

It's kind of a fresh of breath air with everyone not having wings, but still, this predicament where I'm in plain view when every single guard and servant is searching for me in the palace made me feel like the world has turned into one big mess.

Estel's hair was currently neatly tied up in a French twist/seam, she was perfectly blending in as a maid.
Her past-life knowledge of maintaining cleanliness came in handy as she has never done any chore's before.

Estel castle life was mostly handled by the servants.

This made her a bit anxious-making her doubt her actions while she continued her work.

Gazing upon the many beautiful women and men whilst boosting their children and heritage within the palace. Estel could only worry that she will be discovered, hence she kept her wits about her preparing for the worst. Reading her words, and observing intently on the people around her.

Upon glancing at the number of people as they continue their chatter's.

Estel saw the maid she stole her clothes from.
Her brown chestnut hair was now braided pigtails while wearing a small hairpin on her head. She has a petite body similar to herself.

 [Ugh, I somehow felt like some kind of criminal for doing such a thing.
But my life was on the line!?] she thought as Estel continued to observe her.
But then a nobleman then accidentally bumped into her.
As the man said.

"Watch where you are going!
Peasant!" As he angrily made his way.

Estel grinned as she walked beside the young girl giving her a hand up.

"Are you alright..." she said.

Her eyes moved to the sides unable to look at her properly.
As the young girl look's at Estel she doesn't seem to recognize her.
She grabbed her hand as Estel pulls her up.

But then the man shouted from a small distance away from them.

"You thief!"

Estel flinched a bit, but instead of fear, she held a grin on her face.
She then bowed to the nobleman as she dumfounded looks around.
"Thief where?" she asked while calmly smiling.

The nobles attention within the palace were then directed at the three.
With mutter's and curiosity, they began to look at the noble who was now claiming a maid as a thief.

"There!
The girl beside you!
Who else!"

The young maid beside Estel trembled in fear as she heard it.

"Isn't that the maid, who was wearing the missing noble girl dress?"

"A maid trying to become a noble? hah!"
As others continued to mutter.

New's of the noble girl had already spread throughout the palace.
Even the visitors in the party were curious about who this mystery girl was.
As the queen intended to use the party on that day to search for the noble responsible for the child.

"I heard the queen was searching for the parents of a missing noble child.
We came because we were curious." another noble said.

Estel was relieved she escaped when she did.
A crawling itch was reaching her back, but she endured and focused on the problem at hand.

Estel then simply tilted her head.

"I see no thief here..." She calmly said.

But the furious nobleman then shouted at the guards with a smile on his face.

"Search her!
Surely that young miss had stolen my beloved ring."

As the young maid was panicked while the two guards held her down to search her.

She felt something hard on her pockets her face paled.
But when the guards checked her pockets, what they pulled were...

It was a fork, with a piece of cake in it.

Her fear turned into shock and confusion.
She then noticed.
Estel had a bit of chocolate on the side of her lips as she licked it.

[There are many kinds of thieves and tricksters in this world.

In my past life, I was a thief who liked dealing with other thieves.
Especially those who liked to twist the truth around them.

My Family lost our home to a con-artist pushing us to a disaster we could never recover from.
Though my parents were pretty much slaving away and my siblings were weeping for food. I was left with no choice but to steal food for my family and live without being caught.

My parents didn't know anything about it.
So does my siblings.
For many years, I've lived like that.
Using false names and identity.
Twisting words and evading dangerous situations.
It was a strange encounter to meet the man who conned my family.
Tailing him, and exacting vengeance was something I desired most.

I succeeded but, it came with a price.
In a stroke of bad luck, I ended up being a criminal because of it.  

But now I remembered.
The type of people I hated the most are those who twist truth's just to make others suffer for their own entertainment. It was the type of situation I enjoyed the most.]

"Oh my... what a beautiful stolen fork." with laughter on her face she held the face of a villain gazing at the man who tried to condemn an innocent girl of a crime she didn't commit.

"Wha?" the man pointing fingers was shocked.
[In the life of a trickster the most important thing is...
To never get caught on another tricksters webs...]

The man then saw Estel as he cried out.
"Show us your pockets!, I'm sure you're in cahoots with that girl."

She pulled out her pocket's and showed it to the guards.
It was also empty.
The guards then had a dumbfounded and annoyed expression on his face as he gazed at the noble.
His pale expression then went sour as the laughter of other nobles then echoed.

"Gyaa!?" Another noble cried out from where the cake was located.

In his mouth, he pulled out a large ring, with his saliva and cake in it.
"What the &@#^!*" he angrily said.

How did this happen?
Before the man called out to them.
Estel swiftly approached the maid and kneeled beside her,
she sneakily moved her left hand into her pockets.
While she pulled her with her right hand.

During that moment...
She was able to pull out the ring while the fork acted as a weight replacement.
Throwing the ring away directed at the cake behind her leaving a small hole inside it.
While everyone's attention wasn't directed at them.

It was a swift movement that should be noticeable but...

The girl was already distressed by the fact she had her clothes stolen and left in the middle of the gardens with nothing but a dress left by her attacker. This left her distracted and for Estel who already knew her circumstances simply took advantage of that fact and was about to become a victim.

Well... she simply couldn't allow that to happen.

[This... girl seriously have bad-luck.] was what she thought.

The angry man then approached them.
He had short grey hair with a large goatee and a fit body paired with a rugged face.
She could only describe him as one of those actors from movies she once sneaked to watch.

"Is this perhaps the ring you are looking for..." with an annoyed expression on his face.

He showed it to everyone on his hand,
It was a ring with an amber jewel on it with engraved letters used in weddings.
It also has, a bit of chocolate still stuck to it.

But everyone gazed at him simply paled.

The nobleman then had a dumbfound and pale expression on his face.
As he gazed at the ring with his saliva on it.
He swiftly then kneeled before him.

"My apologies your royal majesty!" he shouted.

There was another person behind him, a young man with blond hair and a pretty face.
He had a tall stature and were currently looking away while chuckling behind him.

"Now.. now father, you don't need to be so angry.
It's his precious ring after all." as he continued to chuckle at the scene.

[What is he laughing at... I wonder.]

He then waved his hand at the maids signaling Estel's escape from the scene with the young maid beside her. But then...

"You there with the dark blue hair," he called out to her.

"Stay with us."

Estel turned with a calm expression and a smile but inside her mind was in utter chaos.

[#*@&#!*
What the hell!
Leave me alone.] as she cursed and cried out in her mind.

But she politely said.

"Is there something you need of me, your Royal Highness?"

As he gazed at her, he then looked away and chuckled a bit.
"No... just stay at my side for now.
I have something, I need you to do for me."

Estel had a bad feeling about it but she could never refuse him.
Otherwise, her cover will be blown away in a single instance.

She simply nods to him in response while giving them a calm face.

His father simply raised a brow at his son.
And then said.

"Raise your head,
My servants has done nothing wrong.
And surely you should keep that ring where it belongs next time.

Let us continue the festivities.
After all...
Today is my son.
Lance birthday!"  he proudly said.

The crowd cheered as he said that.
His father then placed his shoulder on his son.
The prince simply gave him a wry smile in response.

As for Estel.
Her face was completely stiff, still wondering and preparing herself.
For what the prince had in store for her.

________________________________________________________________________________

A few moments has passed in the party...
The girl I saved was gone.

As for me, I'm in another predicament.

"That was quite a fun show little maid." as he said this words.
He cornered me in the balcony of the palace.
I swallowed the saliva as it fell down my throat and watched his movement intently readying myself should he try something funny.

But in her thoughts, she continued to complain.

[What the heck is with this new development!
Like what the heck!
First the queen.
Now you!

His looks, the lines on his body and height were my ideal type!
He was like those guys from the model magazine!

Aaaah!
If I was one of those ordinary girls.
I would have swooned over him.

But I refuse to get myself involve with a guy like him!
There's no way in hell I'm returning to that painful life!, my people called royalty!]

Was her greatest fear.

[Should I put him to sleep? No...
That will likely just cause more problem,
At worst case scenario the people inside will notice its presence.]

While magic is possible in this world,
It's presence is obscenely noticeable to those who are nearby.

[Then I have no other choice.
I need to know, how much he knows.]

"What do you mean your royal highness?" While smiling brightly at him.

He then grinned at her with a smile on his face.

"You can play dumb all you like, but I saw what you did back there."

Estel was silent...

"For a maid your size.
You are awfully nimble." while he continues to observe her.

[Uwaaa... this guy is too damn perceptive.]

Her bright smile then faded, as she then calmly confronts him.

[My life has always been running away,
There's no point in hiding it anymore.]

"Haaa... so you figured it out.
What do you intend to do now?
Your Highness."

He then looked blankly at her as he said.

"Nothing."

"What?" her face stiffed at his response.
It left her with a strange disturbance in her mind as it became paranoid.

"You dragged me here, with no intention in mind?"

He then gave her a smirk and laughed while raising his eyebrow.

"Did you really think, I would do something to a little girl like you?"

He then walked back to the palace hallways where the party continued.
Estel had a blank face.

"What the heck just happened?"

Finally free from his questions she returned to her work.
Though, she felt a bit relieved of his words.
But for some strange reason, she felt defeat for another reason.
Shrugging it off while planning her next move of escape,
While continuing her struggle as a maid.

________________________________________________________________________________

After the party.

Prince Lance who was alone, in his room.
In a small hand-made rack made out of crafted wood.
There were long strands of blue hair hanging on it with silver color on its tips.
His assistance beside him had disgusted expression on his face.

"Prince Lance...
Is it wise to display something that you just found in the fountain basin?"

He had a grin on his face while retorting to his question.
"This was the only evidence I could find aside from her clothes.
Even the knights and servants right now are wandering the palace.

After picking it up from the fountain and cleaning it a bit.
Look at how amazing it's silver color remains shining even though it was thrown away."

"Ugh..." repulsed by his words he took a step back.

"I don't think, Miss Estel is a noble girl from this country."

"What made you think that?"

"Her hair alone is evidence enough that she may not be human at all."

"It sort of explains why she suddenly disappeared.
Could she perhaps be a demon-kin?"

"Most likely...
If what my mother and the observation of the maid spoke true...
Then she is likely a demon-kin who were of noble lineage connected to the demon-king.

But the war between our races has long ended.
A treaty to preserve that peace has lasted for years.
Why on earth would a noble of the demon-kin be in such a faraway place like this?"

His assistant could only tilt his head in confusion to his question.

"I'll tell father and perhaps ask him if there were any other movements from their race."

But little does he know,
He had already met that person.

Ch.3: End.