Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 53

Pearl POV

The paper was still warm from my touch as I slipped it into the corner of my bag, tucking it beneath a small bundle of clothes. Just as I finished pressing the flap down, Cecil stepped into the room, wiping her hands on her apron. Her eyes immediately flicked to my bag, narrowing slightly with that familiar, quiet intuition of hers.

“You were writing something,” she said softly, more of a statement than a question.

I blinked, then forced a small smile. “Just… some notes. For the academy. You know, boring scholar stuff.”

Cecil raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. “Hmm. Alright.”

She reached for her shawl near the door and began adjusting it carefully over her shoulders.

I tilted my head. “Where are you going?” I asked, noticing how the shadows outside were growing longer. “It’s getting dark, Cecil.”

She turned toward me with a shy smile and a faint flush on her cheeks. “I was chosen to serve at the Moon Mansion for a few days. Just some temporary help. They needed more hands, and my name came up.”

My eyes widened. “The Moon Mansion? That’s… quite far. And prestigious.”

Cecil gave a small nod. “Yes, it’s an honor, really. I couldn’t say no. It won’t be forever, just a few evenings, perhaps a week at most.”

I frowned. “Shouldn’t you wait until morning? The woods…”

“I’ll be alright,” she assured me. “There’s a guard post nearby. One of the mansion’s carriages is coming halfway to meet me. I’ll be safe.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, not entirely convinced. “Still, I could come with you, at least to the edge—”

“No,” she said gently, resting a hand on my arm. “You’ve only just arrived. Stay and rest, Pearl. Lock the door, stoke the fire. I’ll come back in one piece.”

She gave me that same soft, reassuring smile I’d seen so many times in the past. Then she tugged the hood of her cloak up, gathered her small satchel, and opened the door.

Before stepping out, she turned back. “Oh—and if you write more of those boring notes… don’t forget to breathe.”

With that, she disappeared into the soft evening air, and the door clicked shut behind her.

I stood there for a moment, feeling a strange tightness in my chest. The silence of the room crept in slowly, wrapping around me like a memory.

“Be safe, Cecil,” I whispered. And then I locked the door.

The house felt too quiet the moment Cecil stepped out. I tried to busy myself by lighting the lamp and folding my cloak neatly, but the silence kept growing heavier, wrapping around me like a fog. The thought of her walking through the forest alone, even with a carriage halfway, stirred unease deep in my chest.

Cecil might be brave, but I know the forest isn’t kind at night.

Without letting myself second-guess it, I pulled on my cloak and slipped out of the house, closing the door silently behind me. I kept a careful distance as I trailed her through the thin winding paths, hiding behind trees and moving with soft steps. The moonlight filtered down through the canopy above, painting everything in silver and shadow.

Cecil moved swiftly, her steps sure, but just as I thought I had gone unnoticed, she stopped abruptly.

“Pearl,” her voice was calm she didn't and her voice laced with worry, “you’ve never been good at sneaking.”

I froze behind the tree.

Slowly, she turned around and sighed, folding her arms. “What are you doing here? I told you it wasn't safe.”

“I know,” I said, stepping out, brushing the dirt off my skirt. “But I didn’t feel right. I couldn’t sit still knowing you were going alone.”

Her expression softened, but she still frowned. “You’re stubborn. Just like before.”

“Maybe,” I replied, stepping closer. “But I wasn’t going to let you walk into the dark alone.”

She sighed, this time deeper, and after a moment of quiet contemplation, she nodded. “Fine. You’re coming with me. But—” she hesitated, “they only allow female servants in the Moon Mansion.”

I blinked. “Oh.”

“And you are currently very much Perin.”

Realizing what she meant, my cheeks heated slightly. “So… I’ll have to…”

“Change,” she said firmly, her eyes already scanning our surroundings. “Come on. There’s a small hunting shack nearby. No one will be there this time of the night.”

She led me to a narrow path, and soon we reached a small wooden shelter nestled between a cluster of trees. Inside, it was dusty but usable. Cecil immediately pulled a small bundle from her satchel, it was clear she had been prepared for more than just a visit to a mansion.

Within minutes, she had laid out a simple but elegant maid dress, a cloak, and a pair of soft shoes. I hesitated, running my fingers across the fabric.

“I’ve heard about the Moon Mansion since I was little,” I murmured, more to myself than to her. “But I’ve never seen it.”

“You’re about to,” Cecil said with a small grin. “Now hurry, before the carriage passes us by.”

She helped me out of my cloak, and together we adjusted the dress, tamed my hair, and tied the ribbons around my neck. Looking at my reflection in the small hand mirror she carried, I barely recognized myself. I didn’t look like Perin. I looked like Pearl.

The soft moonlight outside beckoned us, and as we stepped back onto the path, I clutched the sides of my skirt. “Are you ready?” Cecil asked.

I took a breath and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be

The road wound like a serpent, flanked by tall hedges and lantern-lit trees that swayed eerily with the night breeze. As the carriage came to a slow halt, I felt a chill crawl down my spine not from the cold, but from the sheer scale of the place.

The Moon Mansion stood like a sleeping beast, grand, imposing, and veiled in mystery. Its marble walls shimmered under the moonlight, and the towering silver gates looked less like an entrance and more like a threshold between two worlds.

“We’re here,” Cecil whispered, smoothing down her skirt.

I nodded, trying to keep my nerves in check.

But the moment we stepped out of the carriage and approached the gate, two guards dressed in black and silver uniforms held up their hands. One of them was tall, with sharp eyes that scanned us like daggers. The other, broader and rougher looking, stepped forward.

“Names,” he demanded.

Cecil answered calmly. “Cecil and Mira.” My alias, she had told me before stepping into the carriage.

The guards said nothing at first. Instead, they opened our bags and began checking every item. They flipped our aprons, inspected the hem of our dresses, and even shook out our shoes.

Thorough much? I thought dryly, watching one of them sniff the inside of Cecil’s scarf like it might contain black magic.

If they spent this much effort watching the mansion's inside, maybe they wouldn’t need to fear imposters.

One of the guards looked me straight in the eye, narrowing his gaze like he could see through every layer of cloth and pretense I wore. I swallowed and lowered my gaze, trying to remember the meek posture Cecil taught me. Eyes low, voice soft, steps light.

Finally, the tall one gave a sharp nod. “Proceed.”

Cecil let out a small breath. We were in.

Just before we passed through the final iron door, a handmaiden approached with a tray. She held two pieces of sheer silk fabric.

“The faces must be covered. Red for the night helpers, green for the linen assistants.”

I nodded quietly, taking the red one. It matched the ribbon on my waist.

Cecil helped me drape the cloth across my face, it was transparent enough to see through, but it gave an air of anonymity, elegance, and distance. I helped her with hers in turn, adjusting the green silk over her gentle features.

We stood at the threshold for a moment.

Cecil glanced at me. “Once we go in, we don’t speak unless spoken to. And never walk ahead of the Head Maid.”

“Got it.”

Together, we stepped into the Moon Mansion. The halls were vast, carved of pale stone with obsidian floors so polished they reflected the hem of our skirts. Soft music played in the background somewhere far off and the scent of burning myrrh floated through the air.

The mansion was every bit as ethereal and daunting as the stories said.

And I was here.Not as a guest. Not as a scholar. But as a maid with secrets hidden behind a red veil.

The soft clicking of dozens of slippers echoed through the long corridor as we were herded like silent shadows into a grand common room. The walls were a rich velvet blue, adorned with silver-framed mirrors and crystal sconces that bathed the room in a soft, ethereal glow. Several other maids, all veiled like us, stood in quiet rows with lowered heads, awaiting instructions.

A tall woman entered from the far end, regal, composed, and dressed in dark plum robes with a silver crescent brooch on her chest. The Head Maid, no doubt. Her voice, when she spoke, was sharp yet calm.

“You are here to serve. To obey. To disappear when not needed. You will be watched, and judged. Fail once, and you’ll never step in here again.” Her eyes roamed across the room like blades. “Night Helpers—step to the left. Linen Assistants—right.”

Cecil and I exchanged a look.

“I guess this is where we part for now,” she whispered, her voice tinged with hesitation.

I nodded, adjusting the red veil over my mouth. “Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

She smiled softly. “I should be the one asking you that.” She hesitated before adding, “Thank you, Pearl… If you hadn’t come with me, I don’t know if I could’ve managed this. I only need to do this one time. Before completing this task, I switched to switch being a night helper, which I’m used to. But knowing you’re here—even just tonight—makes it easier.”

Her words warmed me more than I expected.

I gave her hand a small squeeze before stepping back. “Be careful, okay?”

“You too. And don’t get caught sneaking glances at anything fancy,” she teased with a wink.

We parted, Cecil to the right where the linen assistants were handed bundles of folded silk sheets and instructed to head upstairs. I moved left, among the night helpers. The Head Maid handed each of us a small brass lantern and a set of thin gloves.

“You will rotate hall watches and attend chambers that request nighttime assistance. No speaking. No lingering. Move when summoned, return when dismissed.”

As I held the lantern close to my chest, my eyes briefly flicked across the grand staircase, up toward the shadows that pooled on the upper floors.

So this is the Moon Mansion. What secrets lie behind those locked doors?

I didn’t know yet. But something told me I was going to find out.