Leona then stood with the rest of the girls, as the "medical questions" round began—where nearly every girl failed to answer.
The turn was nearing a girl with bright pink hair named Medalia, one of Iselin's cheerful, slightly clueless friends.
She stood next to Leona, her hands trembling from fear and nerves. Leona noticed. She understood the situation immediately. She leaned in slightly and whispered softly:
"I'll help you… just keep your eyes on me. Don't make it obvious, understood?"
Medalia's eyes widened in surprise and joy.
"Really?"
Leona nodded, and before Medalia could contain herself, she threw her arms around her in a tight hug.
Leona didn't hug back, nor did she flinch. She simply didn't care.
It was Medalia's turn. She stood before the judges, trying to hide the tremble in her hands behind her back.
The chubby man looked over his papers and asked:
"If someone faints due to heatstroke, what's the first thing you should do?"
Medalia panicked, her eyes widening in visible fear.
(Oh no… what kind of question is this?! I don't know!)
Then she remembered what Leona had told her. Instinctively, she looked to the side—where Leona stood calmly and confidently, silently mouthing the answer with exaggerated clarity:
"Move them to a cool place... raise their legs... dampen their forehead with water..."
Medalia repeated what she read from Leona's lips in a shaky voice:
"Move them to a cool place... raise their legs... and dampen their forehead with water."
She paused a second, then mustered up the courage to add:
"That way they'll regain consciousness faster… right?"
The chubby man raised his brow, then silently wrote something on his paper.
The stern woman gave a small nod.
But the young man...
He, who watched every subtle movement and read body language like a book, caught a flicker of motion from Leona's side.
It wasn't obvious. Not a smoking gun. But he noticed the exchange of looks between her and the pink-haired girl.
He said nothing.
The test ended. Before the girls were allowed to leave, the strict woman stepped forward and spoke clearly and seriously:
"Listen carefully. Tomorrow, at exactly eight in the morning, the carriages will arrive.
If one stops in front of your house…
…it means you've been chosen.
If it doesn't…"
She paused for dramatic effect, shooting a glare as sharp as an arrow:
"…then it means you weren't selected.
Good luck to you all."
The girls began to exit one by one. Whispers spread like wildfire—everyone trying to ease the tension with chatter:
"Do you think they'll choose us?"
"I'm sure I messed everything up!"
"If I don't get picked… my family will never forgive me!"
In the middle of the noise, Medalia clung to Leona's arm like it was her last hope of survival:
"Leonaaa, we'll get accepted together, right?! You were amazing! Seriously, you were so cool!"
Leona didn't even look her way. She simply raised her brow slightly and answered in a cold tone:
"It's possible…
Or maybe I'll be the only one whose palace doors open."
Medalia gave a nervous laugh:
"Haha… you're joking, right? Right?"
But Leona didn't answer. She kept walking, calm and indifferent, as if nothing had been said.
Inside her, though, one thought was clear:
"I don't care who gets chosen…
All I care about is that I do.
So I can reach the palace library."
•••
While Leona stood beside Medalia—who was rambling on and clinging to her arm—Leona stared at the ground, trying to ignore her constant chatter and overly expressive glances. Then a calm, confident male voice called out:
"You... Leona, right?"
Leona slowly lifted her gaze, and Medalia turned with her. Just a few steps away stood the young supervisor, offering Leona a warm, spontaneous smile. It wasn't just his presence that drew attention—his smile alone sparked a chorus of whispers among the nearby girls. Even Medalia looked like her heart had leapt out of her chest.
But Leona? She didn't react at all. She glanced at him for a moment, then turned her gaze forward again with icy indifference.
The young man walked closer and stood before her, speaking gently:
"Would you come with me for a moment? There's something I'd like to discuss."
Leona glanced at him again, then pointed at Medalia, signaling: "He means you." Trying to dodge the moment, she recalled dramatic scenes from the novels she had read and had no desire to relive them.
Medalia looked like she was about to melt from happiness, her eyes sparkling like she'd just received a love confession—but then the young man lifted his hand and said:
"I'm sorry... I won't sugar-coat it—I truly meant Leona."
His words hit Medalia like an unexpected slap. Her smile slowly faded as she stepped back quietly, took a deep breath, and turned away. The disappointment in her eyes didn't escape Leona's notice.
Leona glanced at the other girls, who were now eyeing her with burning jealousy. She simply raised her hands as if to say, "It's nothing. Seriously." Medalia had acted like an annoying friend—though she wasn't quite that bad. Still, she walked away easily.
Leona turned sharply to the young man.
"What do you want? Speak quickly… I don't want to be the center of everyone's attention."
He blinked, confused, until she gestured toward the glaring girls.
Noticing the intense stares, he laughed awkwardly and ran a hand through his hair.
"I just wanted to say something," he said. "I know you gave Medalia that medical answer."
Leona raised an eyebrow.
"Then why didn't you stop her?"
He answered with calm realism:
"Medalia was one of the top candidates. Physically, she's excellent… I just wanted to see how you'd handle it."
Leona sighed, then replied coolly:
"I don't like standing next to people who are scared or hesitant… That's all."
He smiled again.
"You acted out of kindness… but be careful. If I hadn't noticed, someone else might not have liked what you did."
Leona paused, then gave a small nod.
"Got it… I'll be more careful next time."
She bowed slightly in a formal manner, politely excused herself, and walked away without a second glance.
But he stood there, still watching her retreating figure. He wasn't easily impressed—but that girl… she was different.
He smiled faintly and murmured:
"Stubborn… and smart. And annoyingly direct."
Then his eyes narrowed, as if an idea had just struck him.
"But… not like the others."
He looked back toward the other girls, still watching from afar with simmering envy. With a deep breath, he took a step back.
"This is going to be interesting," he whispered with a smirk, turning away—though his gaze lingered on Leona until the last moment.
It was as if he had just made a decision.
---
The next morning, exactly at 8:00 AM…
A distant bell rang through the quiet air, followed by the rhythmic sound of horses' hooves striking dew-covered dirt roads.
Simple carriages with faded colors and old engravings appeared one by one, moving down narrow alleys, coming to collect the chosen girls.
From a hundred hopefuls… only a lucky few would be leaving their homes today.
At the edge of town, Leona stood outside her new family's house.
Her eyes were half-lidded, fox-like—watchful and unreadable.
Cold, indifferent… as if none of this really mattered.
"Huh… so it really came."
She muttered sarcastically as she adjusted her plain collar. Behind her, Iseline was bouncing with excitement, spinning in place.
"Ooooh! We're going to the palace! The palace, Leona! Can you believe it?! We actually got picked! Aaaaah, do I look okay? What if we meet the prince? Or the crown prince?!"
She babbled as she tried to fix her hair into something halfway decent.
Selina, the eldest, stood nearby, clutching the hem of her shirt nervously.
Her anxious eyes followed the approaching carriage as she took slow breaths, trying to hide how overwhelmed she felt.
"I can't believe we're leaving Felene behind…"
She whispered so softly it was barely audible. Then she turned to the fourth girl.
Felene, with her frosty stare, stood by the house with her hands behind her back and shoulders tilted in bored detachment.
She didn't say a word—just watched the carriage stop in front of the house.
"I never wanted this to begin with."
She said coldly, raised her hand in a mechanical little wave, and turned to go back inside.
"As usual…"
Leona muttered as the carriage pulled closer.
"Accepted from House Hillman!"
One of the guards called out.
Iseline practically exploded.
"Heeere! We're here!"
She jumped twice, then grabbed Selina's hand and nudged her toward the carriage before turning to Leona.
"Come on, you frozen fox!"
Leona stepped forward silently, casting a dry sideways glance at the guard who opened the door for her.
"Let's just get this over with..."
She sighed as she climbed in.
A few minutes into the ride, another carriage joined theirs and stopped at a small cottage at the other end of town.
Out came Medalia, tiptoeing like she was walking on clouds.
"Eeeeeek! I didn't think I'd actually make it!"
She squealed as she clung to the door.
"Oh no, new girls! What do I do?! Say hi or cry?!"
She opened the door slowly—then froze the moment she locked eyes with Leona's bored expression.
"Ooooh… you look terrifying."
She said, plopping down next to Selina.
Another carriage pulled up next, from which stepped a tall girl with her hair tied back and confidence radiating from every step.
Maylit entered the carriage like she already knew her destiny.
"I'm ready."
She said with a radiant smile, sitting beside Leona (who was actually Katarina)—and that annoyed Leona. She thought this girl was just too cheerful.
And just like that, six girls were gathered in the first carriage headed for the palace.
Each with a different past, different dreams… and a fate unlike the rest.
Little did they know…
What awaited them in that palace wasn't just a job.
It was survival.
A tale that would be written in ink that never fades.
They arrived at the outskirts of the Palace of Purity.
It wasn't what Leona had imagined… not the usual fortress with plain domes and towering columns. No—this was something else. Inventive. Beautiful in a way that made you uneasy, yet still held traditional roots.
The palace was built in the shape of a colossal rose, with its gardens curling like soft petals around the center. At the very heart stood the imperial palace itself—the pulse of life, the source of all orders.
But what stood out even more were the numerous buildings arranged with meticulous precision. Areas designated for workers, servants, and other specialties—like the apothecary, infirmary, or the Ocean Court—each located on a distinct tier. The palace wasn't run chaotically, but according to a strict class system. It breathed history, all while cloaked in architectural brilliance that couldn't be ignored.
Medalia, who had by now unofficially declared Leona her "new best friend," leaned in to whisper as if spilling a top-secret confession:
> "Can you believe this rose has over a thousand buildings? They say the Empress never picks her personal maids randomly… she chooses them herself!"
Leona didn't respond. She gave a small nod. She wasn't the kind to reject those who tried to get close… but she always kept a wall up—a quiet, cold one that few could cross. Still, Medalia seemed like the kind of person who might just sneak past it… bit by bit.
---
Upon entering the grand hall, with its marble floor gleaming like a mirror, all the new maids were instructed to bow and offer their respects to the Head Housekeeper.
Each one bowed properly, holding their poise despite the flutter of nerves.
And then—suddenly—the atmosphere shifted.
Soft but confident footsteps… the distinct click of heels in perfect rhythm…
A young man passed behind them. His face wasn't fully visible, tilted to the side, his dark orange hair flowing gently. His clothing—traditional red and blue—was simple in design, but elegant beyond measure.
At his side walked an older man, beard trimmed, eyes full of nerves.
The young man, with a lopsided smile and chaotic energy, murmured:
> "Oh? The new maids have arrived? Looks like this year's going to be very interesting."
The older man, clearly flustered, leaned toward him and whispered:
> "My Lord… this isn't—appropriate…"
But the young man ignored him completely. He glanced—only briefly—over the bowed heads of the girls.
And when his eyes landed on Leona… time froze.
She felt it. A strange chill ran through her, even though she hadn't lifted her head. Something… unseen… passed right through her.
But then, the young man chuckled suddenly, as if nothing had happened, and said with cheerful nonchalance:
> "I'll finish my work fast. I have to get back before I miss the shows!"
Then he ran—yes, ran—through the palace corridors, the older man dashing after him like a father chasing a mischievous child.
> "My Lord! Please don't run! That's completely inappropriate!"
The maids slowly raised their heads, mentally preparing themselves for this new life.
Then—out of nowhere, from a void where no one had been—a soft, childish voice echoed through the air, as if the world itself had spoken:
> ✦ "Fate Thread Activated: ???"
Leona felt the air around her shift.
She glanced to the side, trying to locate the source of the voice. Nothing. No one. She didn't dwell on it—just turned her head and moved on.
To be continued…
1. What do you think about Leona's character? Do you like her cold and smart personality, or does she feel distant?
2. How did you find the evaluation and test system? Was it too harsh or realistic for you or too boring?
3. What are your expectations about the handsome supervisor? Do you suspect his intentions, or is he just an ordinary official?
4. Do you think Medalia will adapt to the palace and become a true friend to Leona?
To be continued…