Time: Dusk, around 5:00

//For the sake of Cocoa.//

After Estel has left the greenhouse and returned the trolley in the kitchen,
She felt a bit refreshed while humming carrying a fresh pod of cocoa bean.

Then her armlet asked.

"Why did you help that man? I thought you didn't want to get involved."

Estel then explained.

"When you mentioned he was cursed.
It's not like I can just turn a blind eye to it.
If it ended up getting him killed,
I'd likely have nightmares about it.
So I tried to find an opportunity to break it."

Her armlet then retorted.

"So it was our fault then?"

"No."

"In the end, it was my decision.
Beside's my real objective was this plant."

She happily carried in her arm's a single pod of cocoa.

"You did it for that strange plant?"

Estel then said.

"Hey, this is more than just a plant!
This is the key to my yearning for that sweet bitter taste.
Aside from using coffee as an alternative.

All I've been making so far are sweet and sugary tea drinks.
I wanted to at least make something good similar to my own world."

 

As she gazed at its oblong shape.
It felt familiar to her.

[This fruit reminds me of my part-time job as a barista once.
They told me to keep the seeds in a container after use to turn it into dried beans.

Guess its shape.
Reminded me of the day, I stole them from my boss when my siblings birthday was coming and didn't have the critical ingredient for making it.
Never imagined it to be so useful.]
________________________________________________________________________________
//Surprise, Surprise.//

As she reached the courtyard leading to her majesty room.

Her armlet then noticed something strange around her while she continued to walk happily carrying the pod with both hands. It then whispered to her.

"Is it just me or is everyone gazing at you?"
[Eh?]

It was an hour where students where coming back to their dormitories and assigned rooms.
The place where Estel room resided was in the same building except larger and specially made for the princess herself.

As she then looks around her,
gazes of students were looking at her while whispering to one another.
Words and whispers as they continued talked.

"Who is she?
She looks cute." ???

"A new student?
Might be from a powerful family.
Look at that..." ???

"But why is she wearing a maid dress?" ???

As Estel noticed their strange gaze,
She looks at her clothes *Nothing was wrong.*
But when she pulled out a mirror, then understood.

[What the #@*&#!(*&]

________________________________________________________________________________

//Chaos of using her power.//

It's been atleast three weeks after Estel had cut her hair.
Not once did the color silver return as she often looked at the mirror watching over it.
Worried about being discovered.
But now it was exposed but something was different.
Her hair had completely turned into a shining silver color.

[Oi? was shapeshifting a part of my fingers into a dragon caused my hair to change like this?]

She asked her armlet, with a troubled look on her face.
It then whispered to her.

"When you use the power within your blood,
It appears your demon blood overwhelms your human blood,
Then affect your outside appearances."

[Why didn't you tell me!?]

"I've only recently discovered this myself."

[GAAAAH.] her expression turned into panic as she was then about to run.
A person call's out to her.

"Aren't you the owl's maid?" he asked.

A young man appeared wearing a brown coat with dark eyes.
His red hair was visible underneath his newspaper cap.
While radiating a mysterious air around him.

Estel halted as she was about to flee.
"Eh?" was her response to him.

He approached her at arm's length to question her.

"I recall you had dark-blue hair, what happened?" as he casually asks.
He then noticed her eyes have also changed to silver.
"Even your eyes had changed."

But Estel noticed the number of a student beginning to crowd as they looked at her.
Before the situation escalates she decides to ditch him.

"Uhh... my apologies.
I'll explain later.
Goodbye." as she took a few steps away from him.
But with Estel's misfortune, the man grabbed her hand with his own.

As she felt a heavy tug.

She then begged while feeling anxiety from the people around her.
"Please let me go..."

But he gave a condition.

"Only if you let me talk with you."

"Tsk."  with a click of her tongue she accepts.
"Fine, now let's hurry!" as she pulls his arm he then followed with the word *Fine*.

________________________________________________________________________________

//Purple matches silver quite well!?//

Soon they approached the entrance of the building where she stayed.
But it never stopped people to gaze at her silver hair.
Even the servant felt at awe as her mere presence could only be depicted with beauty.
Though they only wondered why her clothes was that of a maid dress and not that of a noble.

She then spoke to one of the servants to store her precious plant.
As the servant shyly nods to her.

But then the man beside her said.

"Your hair completely fits you."
As the man continued holding her hand.
She could only look at him with worry.

"I'd be happy if this was intentional.
Unfortunately, this is merely an accident."

As she said these words, he was puzzled at her words.

"Does that mean those hair and eyes are fake?"

Estel exhaled deeply in her frustration.

"If only it was fake."

They soon reached the entrance to her room.
As Estel noticed the sound inside it, she then knocked.

*Tok* *Tok*

"Who is it?" Lana called out from inside.

"It's Estel,
but we have a guest."

"Oh... give us a moment then." Leanne who overheard by the door said.

It  then opened for the two of them.
As Lana greets them.

"Oh my..."
Lana gave out a surprised look as she saw Estel.
Leanne who then glanced at the door as she drinks tea.
Then chocked at what she was seeing.
She nearly dropped her tea while sitting in a chair with a tea set on the fine wooden table.

*Cough* *Cough*

"Lana please write me a message.
Tell Happei, he really did a great job."

Lana swiftly left the two as she pulled out a pen from her pockets and reached out for the paper in the room.
Estel could only give a wry smile at their initial reaction.

________________________________________________________________________________

//Marriage hunt.//

"Never thought Estel would snatch a man so quickly by simply changing her hair." Leanne said while chuckling.

Estel swiftly retorted.

"I would be happier if it was on purpose!
But it's not!"

As she said this words the man beside him then introduced himself.
He removed his cap as spiky red hair revealed itself, his dark eyes calmly gazed at the princess.
Then elegantly bowed to them.

"My name is Levere Art's."

"A pleasure to meet you,
Your Highness," he calmly said.

 Leanne then observed him with a glance.
"Your that person whose business is booming and spreading across the nations.
I recall you sell a large variety of special dishes, different with each place you've visited."

As Leanne said this he then gave a smirk.

He then threw a sale's pitch.

"Bussiness is business and each nation has its own stock of supplies.
When someone invents something useful or delicious, then selling them is only natural."

As he then gave them a wink.

Leanne then turned to Estel as she said.
"I like this person.
You're free to marry him if you want."

The young man had a wry smile as she said that.

But Estel then curled like a ball
as she gave her an exhausted expression while placing both her hand on her face.

"He persisted I bring him with me, to begin with...
That wasn't my intention at all!"

Everyone in the room gave her a wry smile as she expressed her frustration.

________________________________________________________________________
//His curiosity//

"I came to ask her how she changed her hair and eyes in just a day.
There was no scent of dye's used and her eyes look incredibly natural" He said with sparkling and intrigue.

"Uuuuuggh..." Estel felt even more frustrated as he asked that question.

Leanne then asked Estel.

"Should I tell him?"

"If it doesn't cause me to trouble then it's fine."
Estel said as she stood then limply walked to her bed.
*Pomfp* head first to the pillow she fell.

Leanne then gazed at the man before her.
She touched her lips a bit then said.

"Well, you heard her.
Are you going to cause trouble if we tell you?"

He gazed at Estel whose small size as she rests in her bed.
Her eyes then glancing at him with an exhausted expression on her face.

"I see...
She's a demon-kin right?"

"Very close...
But you seem to be a man that knows how to keep a secret so I'll tell you.
She's a half-demon kin.
An outcast of their kingdom."

________________________________________________________________________________
//Her limits.//

He then touched chin and gave a curious look.

"I can guess only recently, right?
She still doesn't even know the worth of a single gold coin here."

As he said this words Estel rose from her bed like a robot.
And turned to him with a flustered look on her face.

"Ho-how did you know?" as she said these words.

Lana giggled as she gave Leanne a smirk.
She had a face that says's
*Told you so...*
Leanne, on the other hand, had a worried look while a drop of sweat fell from her cheeks.

...

...

"You gave me three gold coins
When I showed you three fingers.
Its suppose to mean 30 silver coins." He explained to her.

as she recalls the moment of her shameful actions.
"You... your that vendor?"

"That's right!?" he chuckled.
"I was checking and testing on my sale's.
Until I met a strange lass that threw me gold coins at me, like a king.
After that, I grew curious about you then asked around.
Only to find the Owl's maid."

Estel scratches her head in frustration.

"Give me a break!" she shouted as she plops to her bed again.
Then complained.
"Ugh... I'm so tired."

Leanne and Lana gave her a worried look.
As both of them turn to the young man who was invited in a chair.

He then turned to Estel with a worried look.
"Is it really fine for a maid to act like that?"

Lana answered with a calm smile.
"She rarely acted like this, though looking at what happened to her looks.
It's not that surprising for this to happen."

"Ho... to be concerned for my maid.
Do you wish to be her husband?
I'll gladly give her to you if she accepts."

"No thank you," he said.
But then stood and made his bow.

"I believe its time for me to leave.
It was a pleasure meeting you young ladies."
He said with a bright smile as he once again wore his cap.
The shadow of his dark figure then exits the room.

As the two then gazed at Estel with concern in their eyes.