Backlund, Capital of the Loen Kingdom.

The sun shone brightly, welcoming yet another brand new day for the residents of this world.

But here in Backlund, the sunlight seems to have a hard time penetrating the air pollution. As a dense smog can be seen anywhere in Backlund. One can only wonder how the citizens of Backlund can breathe here.

In a small room somewhere in East Borough, Backlund. A beautiful girl can be seen sleeping with her belly button exposed and saliva dripping from her mouth.

The girl–our lovely Angel appears to have a good night's sleep. But if we want to start the story, our Angel needs to wake up.

Instantly, a mysterious force blew the room's curtain open. The next moment, a fraction of sunlight spread throughout the room. 

The Angel–Alice's face frowned as a result of the sudden lights.

A moment later, a lullaby-like yawn can be heard as Alice opened her mouth. With drowsy eyes, she looks around her room. 

A glimpse of confusion appears in her face, but it quickly changed to that of confirmation.

Then, Alice looked down at her white robe.

"Ah, I forgot to sto-borrow clothes yesterday."

"Today's mission is to acquire clothes and other necessities I guess."

With that said, Alice went outside–and of course, after she cleaned herself. 

Already outside the apartment, Alice wanders around the street of East Borough.

The pedestrians of East Borough were staring at a beautiful girl wearing an expensive-looking white robe looking around the streets with curious eyes.

The pedestrians were puzzled at the curious eyes of the girl, as the only thing to look at here were tramps, the poor, and unmaintained buildings.

Alice, like a sore thumb, looks around the streets with curious eyes. 

But as time goes by, a frown forms on her glabella as she observes the poor quality of life the residents live.

"I feel sorry for the residents here, with the upcoming tragedy that will unfold here."

 

Alice mumbled with her mood turned sour.

'Okay Alice, you can do something about it when that happens. First, let's play to my heart's content!'

Alice thought, her mood seems to improve slightly.

Then, she rents a carriage to go to a clothing store in Cherwood Borough.

Arrived at the clothing store, she purchases 3 sets of clothes for 15 soli. Alice, now wearing a common Loen-styled dress walked out of the clothing store.

"Next, let's get something to eat–ahhh I can't wait to try the culinary here."

With that, Alice hastens her step towards a restaurant near the store.

Waiting for her orders, Alice sat at her table on the terrace of the restaurant. 

A moment later, her orders–a plate of lamb steak with a black pepper sauce, a wine, and an ice cream arrived at her table. With a total of 1 pound 3 soli and 2 pence used to pay for the meals.

With a drool on her mouth, Alice quickly digs in the food in front of her.

'Ooh, the lamb steak is so delicious!!'

Alice thought as she rapidly gobbles all of her meals.

Already done eating her breakfast, Alice went to the Cherwood Borough's Backlund Bulletin to see today's date and some articles about Backlund.

"June 29, 1348. Thank goodness, another year until the start of the story. I guess I have enough time to adapt to this world."

With that said, she proceeds to read some of the articles on the bulletin board. But sadly there's nothing that interests her. Then she counts the money she has, 8 pounds 10 soli and 10 pence left.

"..."

"I need to earn money somehow… hmmm, should I hunt some pirates to get their bounties? That's a fast way to get money, considering I'm a Sequence 2."

"But I just got here… becomes an Official Beyonder? But I'm from a demoness pathway, surely those officials won't trust me...hmmm–Aha!"

A comical light bulb mysteriously appears on top of Alice's head.

"Maybe I should find a job as a servant at the Servant Assistance Association that I saw on my way here…"

"Just imagine! A servant for hire is actually an Angel! Sounds like your long typical Japan title."

Alice said with joy.

"But the wage won't be enough to buy a Beyonder items … uuggh I wish I have a financial capability like Audrey Hall. Well, whatever it's not really urgent, and being an undercover Angel seems cool."

After musing herself, Alice went straight for Cherwood Borough's City Family Servant Assistance Association at 9 Canylowell Street.

Arrive at 9 Canylowell Street–as soon as Alice enters the building, she immediately walks to the receptionist. With a polite smile on her face, she greets the staff there.

***

Baylin, a female staff wearing a lotus leaf-colored dress was having a conversation with her colleague.

"Excuse me, Ma'am."

Then, she heard a lullaby-like voice from the front of her receptionist counter. Baylin hurriedly ended her conversation and looked up towards the voice. She saw a young lady, wearing a common Loen-styled dress. A beautiful young lady at that!

The beautiful lady had a pair of lovely pale-lilac eyes that reflect her innocence and straight dark brown waist-length silky smooth hair. Her polite smile and whole body exude her feminine graciously.

Even Baylin–a female herself, can't help but be stunned by the ethereal beauty in front of her.

"Young lady, how may I be of your service? Ah, right. How may I address you?"

Baylin hurriedly got up and said with a warm smile.

"Ah, my name is Alice Deloen. I wish to apply as a maidservant, please."

The young lady–Alice replied with a warm smile now.

Baylin was stunned yet again. A beautiful young lady that seemingly hasn't felt the cruelty of society applying for a job as a maidservant. 

'I thought she was a noble, then again she wears a common dress. An undercover noble maybe?'

With that thoughts, Baylin replied to Alice with a polite yet warm smile.

"Of course, Miss. Alice, you just need to answer this application form."

After Alice took the application form, Baylin guide her to a seat. After explaining each question of the application form, Baylin politely went back to the receptionist counter.

Alice looked troubled with the application form on her hand.

"Can I cook?–Of course, I can. Doing laundry–yes, take care of children–yes I guess."

'I'm not sure about the ingredients of this world tho'

"My belief? Right, I haven't thought about that. Hmmm mmmm, let's go with Evernight Goddess, even though I'm an Angel of demoness pathway. Sorry Primordial Demoness."

Alice mumbled as she write all of her answers.

'Name… age… date, and birthplace… my lodging address… and done.'

After finishing the application form, Alice handed it to the receptionist and completed some other procedures. 

With that wrapped up, Alice continues touring Backlund's North, East, Cherwood, St. George, and Hillston Borough with Backlund's Metro transportation for 1 soli 5 pence.

The Crimson Moon shone brightly in the night. Finally, Alice arrived at the room she rents in East Borough. 

Putting her clothes and other things she buys along the tour, she changed her clothes to a nightgown. Looking at a medium-sized mirror in her room, Alice starts her mirror traveling method. 

Inside the mirror world, Alice saw countless sizes and shapes of windows. Behind her, a medium-sized window–her room's mirror she assumes as she can see her room Interior through it. 

The mirror world, a void-like dimension with countless windows-like stars. Truly a magnificent and mysterious place. As this is a mirror world, the direction certainly altered. 

At first, Alice was having a hard time navigating through the mirror world. But as time goes by, our Angel soon adapts to the mirror world at a fast-paced.

Hours and hours went by, as our Angel roamed the mirror world with child-like curiosity. Peeking through many sizes and shapes of windows, Alice saw many different scenes, from a person sleeping–a couple's quarrel–a murderer scene–adultery—and many more.

Satisfied, Alice returned to her room.

"Mirror traveling method is incredible."

Alice mumbled with a smile on her face.

***

5 months passed since the 'Alice in Mirrorland' episodes.

In these 5 months, Alice keeps practicing her various abilities in the mirror world, and now she has already mastered her abilities.

Alice hasn't communicated with other Beyonder, as she was busy playing as a capable maidservant. During these 5 months, Alice earned herself a nickname from both the servant association and her various employers, that is 'the King's personal maid'–a maidservant with both beauty and talents–the culinary skill of a professional chef, managing skills of various fields–and many more.

With her reputation and status increased in the association, middle-class, upper-class families, and nobles, her wage quickly rose to that of noble's personal maid wage. 

Now, she was hired by one of the House of the Lords, Earl Hall. But, she asks to take a vacation for 3 months to visit her family first before the employment. And surprisingly, Earl Hall agreed to her request.

Alice was surprised as in these 5 months, she had seen many of her noble rank employers ignoring a request of a servant. And of course, that isn't a problem for Alice as she just uses one of her useful abilities in society–'Persuasion: Sequence 8, Instigator.'

With that said and done, Alice is now in front of Backlund's train station with a leather bag in hand. She's going to use her 3 months vacation to hunt some bounties, and of course to raise her funds.

Arriving in front of the metal behemoth, in the form of a steam locomotive, Alice took a step inside one of the carriages.

Destination: Desi Bay.

Inside the carriage, Alice went straight to the carriage's toilet. Inside the toilet, she looked face to face with a mirror and a reflection of her face and upper half body can be seen. Then she looked at her pocket watch, seemingly to check the time.

Shortly after that, Alice inside the toilet disappears without a trace. One can see a glimpse of her silhouette inside the mirror.

This is the ability of Sequence 5 Demoness of Affliction, Mirror traveling method!

Inside the mirror world, A flash of shadow can be seen flickering through various windows, seemingly searching for something. 

This is our lovely Angel searching for the entrance of Pritz Harbor in the mirror world!

True Destination: Pritz Harbor!

Silence shortly returned to the mirror world as the flash of shadow has left this place.

The sea waves rolled in, blowing away all the smog and making the clouds line up in various shapes, reflecting the reddish-gold sunlight.

This was Pritz Harbor, the largest and busiest port in the Loen Kingdom.

A girl suddenly emerges from the mirror hanging in a room somewhere in Pritz Harbor. The girl–Alice lowered her gaze to look at her pocket watch.

"10 seconds have passed, pretty dope traveling method. Now let's put on some disguise."

With that said, Alice proceeds to wear a pale blonde colored wig, a black Gothic regal dress, and a soft hat with a short veil attached to its front, covering her whole face.

"Hufft… I wish I have a sealed artifact of a faceless person. With that, I don't need to risk exposing my real identity."

"Anyway, I need a fake name if I don't want to risk my identity as Alice Deloen. Hmmm… what name should I pick?"

Alice said, self monologue yet again.

"Ophis? It's not original but still doable I guess…. Yeah, let's go with that."

Alice said as she went outside of the room. And of course not before she uses her invisibility.

Shortly after that, a veiled lady wearing a black gothic appear from an alleyway with a leather bag in her hand. The lady went straight to Pritz Harbor Ticket Company located in White Rose Borough.

The lady–Alice finally arrived at her destination, canceling her invisibility. The company was located in a rather old three-story building. There was a wooden notice board on the door.

Alice casually glanced at the door which said:

"Things to take note:

"1. Maintain order. Lines are strictly enforced; 2. Do not urinate or defecate, as well as spitting; 3. Find the guard in the lobby if there is a dispute; 4. Do not open canned wolf-fish in any rooms!"

"The famous canned wolf-fish, according to the novel—the smell is very stimulating, stinks, and disgusting."

Alice said with a complicated expression. Without further ado, Alice went inside the lobby.

The lobby of the Pritz Harbor Ticket Company was rather spacious, with seven ticketing windows. But it looks like Alice is lucky today–as there's no one there except the staff of the ticket company.

Alice then walked up to one of the ticketing windows.

Alice turned her gaze to the pieces of paper on the wooden board and searched for a ship scheduled to depart tomorrow, 1st December.

Among the ship headed to the Rorsted Archipelago, the White Agate suited her the most–as it's the only one mentioned in the novel.

'4 pounds for third-class, 10 pounds for second-class, and 35 pounds for first-class. And my budget is only 17 pounds…'

Alice thought as she read the cabin's price list.

"One ticket for the White Agate second-class cabin, please."

Alice said to the ticket seller with 10 pounds held up in her hand and using her ability-persuasion to avoid needing an identity card.

After receiving the ticket, Alice went to search for an inn to stay in for the day.

1st December, 9.00 a.m.

With a black robe covering her black Gothic regal dress, Alice arrived at Rose Wharf with her leather bag and a veil covering her face.

A suspicious get up if I say so myself.*Cough* don't mind me, just keep scrolling!

The White Agate was docked there, unusually large compared to the height of a human. It was said to be capable of ferrying hundreds of passengers.

It had the rich characteristics of the age, with its chimneys, sails, and its twelve canons on both sides of the ships—necessary for defending against pirates and other peers.

Under Captain Elland Kag's arrangement, the chosen stocky sailors and crew lined up at the mouth of the gangway, some even deliberately revealing their legitimate revolvers and rifles.

This gave the passengers on board the boat a greater sense of security. They were no longer afraid of the journey that would take them nine days to complete.

Looking up the boat from below, Alice can't help but giggle creepily.

'Thousands of pounds, here I come…' 

With that thought, Alice climbed up the hanging ladder in the undulating blue water.

***