There were many things I had survived since arriving at the palace.

1. Mopping floors without slipping and breaking my spine? ✔

2. Avoiding getting yelled at (too much) by the head maid? ✔

3. Not accidentally committing treason? Barely, but still a ✔!



But this?



This was something else entirely.



Because tonight, I wasn't just serving tea.



I was being tested.



~~~



"The royal banquet is the most prestigious event of the season," the head steward informed me. I stood at attention, back straight, trying not to look nervous.



"There will be over a hundred nobles attending tonight," he continued. "Many will be foreign dignitaries. The palace staff must be perfect."



I swallowed hard.



I am not perfect.



"You will be assisting in multiple tasks," the steward added. "Not just tea service."



I perked up. "Oh? What else?"



"You'll be expected to handle serving, coordination, and etiquette under pressure."



I blinked. "Wait, why am I doing all of that?"



"Because you need to prove," the steward said smoothly, "that you're not just some lucky maid who happened to impress a few nobles."



I froze.



Oh.



So that was it.



The palace halls felt different that evening. The usual quiet authority was replaced by an undercurrent of stress.



Maid uniforms were crisp.

Silver trays gleamed.

The air smelled of rich spices and warm candlelight.



And me? I felt out of place. I wasn't just expected to brew tea anymore.



I was being watched. Evaluated.



Was I truly a capable maid?



Or was I just stumbling into luck over and over again?



~~~



The moment the grand doors opened, the chaos began. The banquet hall was massive, filled with noblemen in rich attire, their voices blending in a constant hum of conversation.



The head steward signaled me from across the room. I hurried forward—balancing a tray of golden goblets. The moment I reached the first noble table, I bowed.



"Your drink, my Lord." I kept my voice steady. My posture straight. The noble barely glanced at me as he took the goblet.



But then—



His eyes flickered back. He looked at the glass, then at me.



"...This is the perfect temperature." I blinked.



I had instinctively held the goblets away from the heated lamps earlier. I hadn't even realized.



The noble gave a slight nod of approval. I exhaled slowly.



"Thalia!"



A maid rushed toward me, face pale. "There's a problem at the kitchen entrance!"



I felt my stomach drop. "What kind of problem?"



"The servers are backed up! There's too much food coming out too fast, and the nobles are getting impatient!" I immediately moved.



At the grand serving entrance, things were chaotic.



Kitchen staff yelled orders.

Silver platters clanked together.

Maidservants moved frantically, trying to keep up.



I gritted my teeth. The steward was watching. I had to fix this.



~~~



I quickly analyzed the scene.



Problem: Too many dishes being served at once.

Solution: Rearrange service so the highest-ranked nobles are prioritized first.



I grabbed a nearby footman.



"Take the main dishes to the nobles closest to the King," I instructed. "They hold the most influence. The rest of the room will wait if they see them served first."



The footman stared at me. "...That's actually smart."



Of course it is! I was a rich heiress in my past life!



Within minutes, the chaos eased. The flow of service stabilized. A few nobles raised their glasses in approval. I exhaled slowly.



One of the senior maids passed by, muttering.



"...Not bad."



It wasn't praise. But it wasn't criticism either.



Just as I thought I could breathe, a royal attendant approached me.



"His Majesty requests his tea." I froze.



Every single head turned in my direction.



The King.



The most powerful man in the kingdom.



And I had to serve him. Again.



I swallowed hard, grabbed the tea tray, and made my way to his table.



The King watched me carefully as I approached. His gaze was calculating, sharp. I carefully poured his tea. Then, I stepped back.



Silence.



Then—



He lifted the cup to his lips. Took a sip.



Paused.



I held my breath.



"...Hmph."



The King smirked slightly. "You're improving." I felt my knees nearly give out.



~~~



Later that night, I dragged myself back to my quarters. I was exhausted. But I had done it.



I had completed my first real test as a maid. And just as I collapsed onto my bed—



[New Skill Unlocked: Maid's Intuition (Lv.1)]

You are beginning to understand the flow of palace work. Your ability to read situations and act accordingly has slightly improved.



I stared at the notification. Then, I burst into laughter.



It wasn't just luck anymore. I was actually getting better.



For the first time, I felt like I belonged here.