There were many places I never wanted to be.
1. A battlefield. (Too dangerous.)
2. The middle of an angry noblewoman's scandal. (Too dramaticâeven for me.)
3. And, most importantly, the royal quarters.
Which, of course, was exactly where I was being sent.
[New Task Assigned: Clean the Royal Quarters (Difficulty: Intermediate)]
Reminder: Failure to complete your task will result in a penalty.
I stared at the system notification. "Intermediate difficulty?! What does that even mean? Am I going to have to fight dust demons?!"
Mara winced. "Well... rumor has it the King is kind of... terrifying."
...Great.
I clutched my cleaning supplies like they were a shield and trudged toward my doom.
The royal wing of the palace was eerily quietâa stark contrast to the bustling banquet hall from last night.
As I tiptoed through the marble corridors, I spotted two golden doors slightly ajar.
Curiosity pricked at me.
That doesn't look like a bedroom...
I glanced around. No guards. No witnesses.
Just a suspiciously open door and a very bad idea forming in my brain.
Before I could talk myself out of it, my feet betrayed me and moved forward.
One step. Then another.
I peeked inside.
A grand study filled with towering bookshelves, velvet chairs, and a massive desk covered in neatly stacked documents.
Important-looking documents.
I inched closer. Just a quick peek. Not snooping. Just... observing.
But as I leaned forward to get a better lookâ
A deep voice cut through the silence.
"You shouldn't be in here."
I froze.
Very, very slowly, I turned.
A man stood near the window, his gaze fixed on me.
Tall. Dark hair. Sharp, calculating eyes.
Dressed in a crisp black coat with golden embroidery, he radiated an aura of authority and quiet danger.
And even before he stepped forward, I knew exactly who he was.
King Alistair Vaelmont.
The ruler of this entire kingdom.
My soul left my body.
I opened my mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
Words? Gone. Brain? Empty.
The King's gaze narrowed slightly. "Well?"
I panicked. "IâuhâI was justâDUSTING!"
Silence.
"...Dusting?" he repeated, unimpressed.
"Yes!" I grabbed a random book off the shelf and wiped it furiously with my sleeve. "See? Spotless! No dust at all! You're welcome, Your Majesty!"
He stared at me.
I stared back.
The tension stretched dangerously long.
Then, after what felt like a century, he sighed. "Put that book down before you drop it."
I immediately placed the book back. (Totally not upside down.)
Just as I was about to run for my life, a new voice came from the doorway.
"You're late."
A tall man entered the roomâdressed in a military uniform, his silver hair tied back neatly.
I didn't know who he was, but he looked important.
And suddenly, I realized something horrifying.
I had wandered into an Important Royal Meeting.
My disastrous existence was interrupting palace business.
Kill me now.
I immediately bowed. "IâI'll be leaving nowâ"
Before I could escape, the silver-haired man gave me a sharp glance.
"...Is this one of your spies?" he asked the King.
I choked. "SPY?!"
King Alistair exhaled heavily. "No. She's a maid."
The silver-haired man frowned. "Then why is she in your study?"
GREAT QUESTION. I'D LIKE TO KNOW TOO.
"Iâuhâgot lost," I blurted.
The man did not look convinced.
At this point, I should've been dismissed.
But they kept talking.
And I was still in the room.
Which meant I was now overhearing something I definitely shouldn't.
"...The northern border is unstable," the silver-haired man said. "There are rumors of rebellion."
I froze.
Rebellion?!
The King's expression didn't change. "I've already sent Cassian to investigate."
Cassian?
...As in Lord Smugface Valenhardt?!
I stared at the King, then at the general, then at the very important-looking maps spread across the desk.
Oh.
Oh no.
I had accidentally stumbled into national security secrets.
King Alistair must have noticed my very guilty face, because he finally said, "Leave."
I saluted. (Why did I salute?!)
"Yes, Your Majesty! Right away, Your Majesty! I was never here! You never saw me! Iâ"
I backed up so fast, I tripped over the carpet.
CRASH.
I landed flat on my back, staring at the ceiling in horrified silence.
The King and the general stared down at me.
I prepared for imminent death.
...But instead of ordering my execution, King Alistair just sighed.
"Get out," he repeated.
I scrambled to my feet. "Yes! Of course! Leaving! Gone! Never coming back!"
I practically ran out of the study, heart pounding.
As I raced down the hall, I ran straight into someone very familiar.
Cassian.
Who steadied me before I could fall again.
"Where's the fire?" he asked, clearly amused.
I clutched his sleeves dramatically. "I almost DIED."
His golden eyes sparkled with amusement. "Did you, now?"
I nodded frantically. "The King saw me! I walked into a SECRET MEETING. They were talking about REBELLION."
Cassian blinked. Then smirked.
"So... you accidentally became a spy."
"...NO."
He laughed, clearly enjoying my suffering.
I groaned. "I need a drink."
"You're a maid. You need to get back to work."
I gasped. "How dare you use logic against me."
He patted my head. "Welcome to palace life."
I dramatically collapsed against the wall.
This job was going to kill me.