"Damn, it's so big," I said while looking at the giant mansion in front of me.

With high fences crawling around it, the mansion hid the joy and happiness inside it. Only a grim-looking old cat stood at the front, guarding the gate by himself. Yet the way he calmly breathed and his strong posture told me he was powerful. Must be a seasoned adventurer, I thought.

Elysia, Arthur, and I were watching the orphanage from the second floor of a crowded restaurant, blending with the many families enjoying their vacation.

“That’s one of The Order facilities run by Bianca. On the outside, it looks like a prestigious orphanage, however, on the inside… it’s far away from that.”

"So what's the plan? Should we storm the orphanage? Or maybe assassinate the old guard to gain access inside? Whatever your decision, Junior always follows her senior, " I asked Arthur.

Arthur flicked my forehead, "No way, violence isn't the answer for anything, Princess."

Elysia shrugged, "You're being mean to her, Master Arthur. Except for her strength, she's nothing but a newbie," she said while flipping her tiny book, "But even with your power, I still have doubt you can take out that old cat, Princess."

I raised my eyebrow, "Uh, why?"

"That cat was Old Danius, the Previous Thundering Pulse. A year ago, Bianca inherited the title from Danius who longed for freedom. Yet Pater killed him and turned him into a puppet. He erased all of his old memories and installed new personality inside the puppet. But though the memories had gone, that cat still had the body of a Lector. If we fight him… I'm worried that the Children would get hurt."

I smiled and clapped my hands, "Then, how about a disguise? We can pretend to be a married couple who struggled to have a child, thus looking to adopt one, right?"

Elysia baffled, "That's freaking graphic, Princess."

Arthur nodded thoughtfully, "Actually, that's not a bad idea. That way, we can enter the orphanage without raising suspicion. Fortunately, we have the master of infiltration, Elysia. She can easily fool the eye of a Lector!”

"Are you testing me, Master?" Elysia closed her book and stood up, “Suit yourself. But I rather not do this half-heartedly.”

Elysia dragged us into the store, full of shiny dresses. As we tried on various clothes, I couldn't help but feel like a doll being dressed up by Elysia. She was like a fashionista on a mission, determined to transform me from a fashion dummy into a fashion queen.

But then my eyes widened as I browsed the collection, "This is… cute," I commented on the frilly white dress in the store. I cringe, oh my, a single mother like me wore something cute like this? Hehe.

"You like it? Alright, Miss, put it on my tab too," Arthur said as he wrote a check and gave it to the clerk. He was already dressed up as a gentleman, charming everyone in the store with his sharp eyes and charisma.

I was pleasantly surprised when he bought me the dress that I like. But, it made me wonder. Why was it almost felt like… we were on a date?

"W-What? N-No, this is too expensive. And probably it's not going to look good on me," I declined.

"What are you talking about? It's for the mission! We have to look like a perfect married couple," Arthur crossed his arm, "While we're at it, why don't we practice our role?"

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"H-huh? Y-you never said anything about—"

No… I took it back. This guy is a fricking maniac!

"Hey, c'mon, closer! "Arthur scolded me.

"S-Shut up, I-I never did this before," I grunted as I clumsily clung my hand to Arthur's arm.

"Ehem, you're forgetting something again," he scolded me again.

Flustered to my ear, I look away from the dashing man dan grunted, "… d-d-dea, ugh, forget it, I-I can't do this," I let go of the man's hand and hold my chest tightly.

Oh, my poor heart! We were practicing to be a couple in the store while being watched by everyone! I was so embarrassed that I wanted to crawl into one of the clothing racks and disappear forever. But this guy, he was like a pro - cool, calm, and collected. Meanwhile, I was a hot mess, sweating and blushing like a teenager on their first date.

Ugh, why did I agree to this in the first place?

Elysia giggled, "Oh, I never expected our Princess to be a pure-hearted maiden like this. On the other hand, even if Master Arthur is the last man in the world, I don't want to become his wife," she said sarcastically.

Arthur grasped his head, "You're not helping, Ely,” he replied but Elysia just laughed.

Fidgetting, I suggested an idea, "W-Well, perhaps if Arthur becomes a girl, I-I'll be a little more comfortable in this mission?"

Arthur looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eye and said, "That's a fantastic idea- let's switch roles! I'll be the wife and you'll be the husband."

I couldn't believe my ears - had he lost his mind? I could feel my palms getting sweaty as I imagined myself trying to pull off a deep voice and a manly swagger. Arthur, on the other hand, seemed positively thrilled at the prospect of playing the blushing bride. Oh my God, is it too late to back out now?

"You know what, it sounds fun! Let's do it!" Elysia replied with the same enthusiasm.

G-Geez, are the two of them in their right mind?!

After haphazardly trying to pace myself against the two, I found myself looking at the mirror, surprised at how easily I had transformed into a dapper gentleman. With my hair cropped short and my chest bound flat, in addition for the fake glasses added a touch of sophistication, I looked like I had stepped straight out of a gangster novel. Of course, it helped that I didn't have much to hide - my small breasts were a blessing in disguise today. Uhh… why did I feel so defeated at the same time?

"How do I look, dear? Do I charm you with my beauty?" Arthur asked.

Arthur, on the other hand, was a different story. Despite his best efforts, he still looked more like a bearded lady than a blushing bride. I tried my best to stifle my giggles as we headed out the door.

"You're the most beautiful lady I've met, honey," I replied.

"Perfect. Let's finish this quickly," Arthur smiled so confidently, while Elysia hid her laughing.

But then Elysia crossed her arm, “Hmm, Princess, to be honest… You’re still to beautiful to be a man.”

"Uh... Thank you," I replied awkwardly, uncertain whether that was a compliment or not. But she had a point. If we truly aimed to infiltrate The Order's stronghold, I couldn't cling to such a simple disguise.

"Alright, but please, don't be startled," I nodded and retreated to the changing room. I faced my reflection, considering my options.

Now, whose appearance should I take? A random man on the street? No, that would be too risky. I recalled the enigmatic man whose voice had whispered in my ear persistently. He had existed a thousand years ago; if I assumed his appearance, no one would recognize me! Yes, that’s right. He was the most befitting choice to me.

Finally, I touched my heart, whispering, "Awaken, Bloodwalker.”

A swirling torrent of blood enveloped my body, forming a cocoon. Within its crimson confines, malevolent cells reshaped my form, altering my height and distorting my facial features to match that man's. My skin cracked and changed hue, mirroring his complexion. At last, my once-bright jade-green eyes transformed into a menacing shade of crimson, completing the transformation.

As the cocoon dissipated, I surveyed the man in the mirror, a mischievous grin spreading across my face. "They won't see this coming, hehe.”

When I emerged from the changing room, the two waited anxiously. Their eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of me.

"It's me, Princess!" I beamed cheerfully.

"This can't be real, can it?" Elysia blurted out.

Arthur shook his head, saying, "No, this could actually work. "

“Hmm, what are you guys talking about?” I asked, confused.

The two looked at each other for a while before nodding together.

The pair exchanged glances for a moment before nodding in unison.

Elysia grinned, "Nothing, really. We were just thinking how much easier this would be if only Arthur had your incredible ability, Princess!"

As we stepped out into the street, all eyes were looking at us some were intrigued, and some were laughing at us. Haahh… I couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble we were getting ourselves into.

All I know this was going to be a long day.