I had faced many challenges in my past life.



Like that time I had to choose between a limited-edition designer bag and an ultra-rare diamond necklace.

Or that tragic moment when my private chef went on vacation, forcing me to survive on takeout for a whole week.



But this?



This was cruel and unusual punishment.



[New Task Assigned: Fetch water for laundry (Difficulty: Beginner)]

Reminder: Failure to complete your task will result in a penalty.



I stared blankly at the glowing blue screen.



"You have got to be kidding me."



Fetch water? Wasn't that a servant's job?! Oh, right. I was a servant now.



"Thalia! Stop standing around and get moving!" a nearby maid snapped.



I turned to see a tall, no-nonsense maid with a sharp gaze, her uniform perfectly pressed and not a strand of hair out of place. She looked like the kind of person who took her job way too seriously—definitely someone to avoid.



"I—I was just about to go," I lied, giving her my best innocent heiress smile.



She didn't look impressed. "Then move. The well is in the courtyard. And be quick about it!"



With a sigh, I grabbed the large wooden bucket nearby and staggered under its weight.



Why is this thing so heavy when it's empty?!



As I stumbled out of the laundry area, I caught sight of Golden Eyes—the ridiculously handsome man who had witnessed my first major humiliation.



He was leaning against a pillar again, watching me struggle.



With amusement.



Like this was some high-quality entertainment.



I gritted my teeth. "What? No sarcastic comments today?"



He smirked. "Oh no, please continue. I'm simply observing how a lady of noble birth expertly carries a bucket."



My eye twitched.



With great difficulty, I hoisted the bucket onto my hip like a sack of gold bars and trudged toward the courtyard.



The well wasn't far—which was the only good news. The bad news?



The well looked deep.



And I had no idea how to operate it.



~~~



I peeked over the edge.



Dark. Deep. Possibly haunted.



I turned to a young maid nearby who was effortlessly drawing water like it was the easiest thing in the world.



"Hey," I called. "How do you do that?"



The maid gave me a strange look. "...You've never drawn water before?"



"I've never even touched a bucket before," I admitted.



Her eyes widened in horror.



Before she could question my entire existence, I grabbed the well's rope and pulled down with all my strength.



The bucket shot down so fast it nearly dislocated my arm.



I barely held onto the rope, my feet skidding forward dangerously close to the edge.



Holy crap—



Golden Eyes chuckled behind me. "Careful. Wouldn't want you to end up at the bottom."



"Don't just stand there!" I snapped, struggling to keep my balance. "Help me!"



"I would, but I'm still enjoying the show."



"You—!"



Before I could scream at him, my grip slipped, and the rope burned against my palms as the full bucket of water shot back up—straight into my face.



SPLASH!



The impact knocked me onto my back, drenching me from head to toe.



For a moment, there was only silence.



Then—



Laughter.



Golden Eyes was laughing.



I lay there in shock, soaked, humiliated, and debating whether it was worth getting a second system penalty just to throw this bucket at his smug face.



~~~



[Task Completed: Fetch water for laundry]

Rating: Terrible.

+1 Maid Experience.



I sat up abruptly. "I got experience points for that?!"



Another maid peeked over, looking horrified. "Are you alright?"



I ignored her concern, glaring at the system message. How was that fair?! I did the task, didn't I?!



Golden Eyes strolled over, still grinning. "Congratulations. You fetched water. Rather dramatically, I must say."



I clenched my fists. "Who are you, anyway?"



He tilted his head, amused. "You don't know?"



"Would I be asking if I did?!"



He chuckled. "Interesting. You really are new here."



Before I could demand an answer, a sharp voice cut through the air.



"Thalia!"



I whirled around to see the no-nonsense maid from earlier, now marching toward me like an executioner.



She stopped in front of me, her eyes flicking to my drenched state. Then she sighed like I had already failed her expectations.



"Not even an hour into your job, and you've already made a mess of yourself," she muttered.



"It was an accident!" I protested.



She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Change into a dry uniform. Then get back to work. The royal banquet is tomorrow, and we don't have time for your nonsense."



Banquet?



That didn't sound good.



I scrambled to my feet. "What do I have to do for the banquet?"



"Polish the silverware," she said flatly. "Properly, this time."



[New Task Assigned: Polish the Silverware (Difficulty: Beginner)]



...That sounded easy enough.



~~~



Back in the maids' quarters, I changed into a dry uniform and sighed dramatically.



"How long is this stupid training period supposed to last?" I muttered.



[System Notice: Maid Training Duration – Minimum 3 Months]



I choked.



THREE MONTHS?!



I flopped onto my cot, groaning. How am I supposed to survive three whole months of this?!



Unfortunately, I had no choice. The system was merciless, and apparently, so was palace life.



As I prepared for my next task, one thing became painfully clear:



If I wanted to avoid more system penalties, I had to figure out how to be a proper maid—fast.



But with a mysterious nobleman watching my every move, a strict head maid breathing down my neck, and a banquet that could end in total disaster, one thing was certain—



This was only the beginning of my suffering.