The bathroom’s a great spot—solves bodily needs, offers solitude, and lets you scroll your phone… Oops, slipped out. To me, this restroom’s a treasure chest.

Two days have passed, yet I still haven’t adapted to this body. Especially the bodily stuff.

After chanting “Emptiness is form, form is emptiness” hundreds of times to get through it, I slumped against the wall, exhausted.

Even if the Hero allowed me to bathe… I couldn’t cross that mental hurdle. Yesterday, I only washed my face and feet. Realizing short socks and little boots clash, I had Lott fetch long socks from a maid…

So embarrassing!

But thankfully, I’ve found almost everything I need. My dress even has a hidden pocket to stash items.

Plus… I spotted something wildly out of place—a baseball cap hanging on the wall, stamped with a Kantai Collection logo. The kind hardcore otakus wear at cons to block the sun.

I grabbed it, hugged it close, then pushed open the bathroom door.

“I almost thought you’d bolt again—or were doing something unspeakable,” Lott teased.

“I’m not as filthy-minded as you! And girls take way longer, you know!” I shut the door, leaning slightly on the frame, gasping. “This is your fault. Don’t you dare touch my head again!”

“…Didn’t you lean into it yourself?”

“Urusai!”

He coughed, flustered, then scanned the room. His eyes locked on what I held. “What’s that in your arms?”

“Your baseball cap. So otaku-core.” I waved it. “I, the Dark Lord, claim it. Hand it over!”

“But—”

“Hesitating? I’ll trade my coat for it.” I tossed his hiking jacket back.

“But this—”

One glare silenced him.

“But… this cap isn’t from our world. What’ll you use it for?” He hung the jacket up, helpless.

“To cover up.” I plopped the cap on my head. Loose and awkward. I adjusted the strap and repositioned it. “Better.”

“You’ve got a morning meeting, right?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Go. I won’t bother you.” I trudged to the cage, squatted down, lost in thought. The path ahead felt hazy. “I’ll nap first. Dead tired.” I eased the cage door open, crawled in, shut it, and clicked the magic lock. “Don’t worry. I won’t run.”

Lott stared at me, silent. I gripped the bars, eyes closed. Soon, the door creaked open and shut—he left.

Not yet. Rest first.

—Yet our protagonist didn’t realize her careless act sparked a shift in Lott’s mind. Watching the white-haired girl fumble with the cap to hide her Dark Lord horns, Lott wasn’t dense. With sharp intuition, he grasped it: “If even a Dark Lord denies her nature… does ‘justice’ even matter?”

—I jolted awake, horrified. I’d actually dozed off! Lightly, though. Not much time passed. I uncurled my fist—it held the bottom hinge I’d pried loose. Without that anchor, the door lost stability. The top hinge was fragile now. I pulled out crumbled soap wrapped in a towel, dampened it, and jammed it into the top hinge gap. I wanted that fox fur coat… but abandoned it. Yanking the cage door hard, it tore free. I escaped.

The corridor outside gleamed, lavish and empty. Palaces stay quiet, I guessed. Hide, regain strength, flee—that was my plan. With no one around, I bolted, guessing the direction. Minimize noise. Avoid people. No retracing steps.

Thankfully, I’m not directionally challenged. My nose stung from a bump, but I didn’t get lost or loop back. Still, the palace sprawled endlessly.

Wandering blindly, a figure appeared ahead. I ducked behind a door. Good—they turned away. I peeked left. A maid! No trouble today. I shrank into a recessed doorway.

But she was closing in. Risky! The door behind me stood unlocked—heavy wood, like the Hero’s chamber. Someone important lived here. I pressed my ear to it. Silence. Empty, probably. If she neared, I’d have to hide inside. Last time I stepped out, I got caught.

Damn it! She approached. I eased the door open and slipped in.

A bed. A huge princess bed draped in pink gauze. Pink sheets. Two embroidered pillows.

No one on it.

Phew… empty. I shut the door—just in time.

Why doesn’t the Dark Lord get a map ability? They’ll find me any second.

“Um… who’s there?” A soft voice floated from behind me.

Someone’s here! Mistake! Oh no—what now? Sounded like a girl. I’d trespassed into her private room. Huge error. Alone together… wait, I’m a girl too now. Still awful!

“I… um… playing hide-and-seek.”

Hide-and-seek in the palace? What a terrible lie! Panicked much?

“Hmm. I know you’re lying,” she paused, “but I sense no malice. Turn around.”

“But…” How could she judge that?

That tone—unquestionable. I relaxed and turned. At the desk chair, a cherry-blossom-haired girl watched me, serene as a painting.