chapter 7.1

Psili’s life changed a lot after moving to the palace of Eradan. Psili

who seemed to have stopped growing due to poor nutrition, was grown remarkably tall. Her body, which was too thin to look at, started to gain weight, and her face, which seemed only to be sad and sunken, was raised and looked lively. The hair that got cut badly by Elisha’s hand was well-groomed, and the short hair that was awkward now shortened neatly to the base of the ears.

And as Psili was directly educated one on one by Shannon, she was making rapid progress in learning the imperial court’s etiquette. But some things still didn’t change. The expressionless face which was difficult to read, remained. She didn’t pay much attention to her job as a maid because her mood and emotions were not prioritized, so there would be no big problems.

However, the most important thing in this palace was the emperor’s mood and emotion. That one thing changed, but some have not. Even if Psili didn’t have to work at Asdan Palace, one of the necessary skills, the skill of brewing tea, was still terrible.

Psili, who scented the tea vigorously as if sticking her nose in a teacup, then put the cup down, did not understand why the drink has a bitter taste and aroma of grass in the garden. It was said that if she brewed it well, it would have a good scent, but despite much effort, the water in the glass was still full of grass scent.

“Still not good this time?”

“Yes.”

In response to Psili’s answer, Shannon put down the cup she had in her hand.

“I think we will have to stop here today.”

Even though Psili just only brewed a few cups, the teacup in her hand or the tea water in it was useless. Even if she brewed more, it would only increase the number of tea leaves that will end its life in Psili’s hands, and the result would be obvious. At Shannon’s decision to reduce the meaningless sacrifices of the tea leaves, Psili got up from her seat feeling liberated.

“Then, can I go out for a while and get some air?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

Psili politely thanked Shannon and left Shannon’s office. After Psili left, Shannon got up and headed for Psili’s seat. Then picked up the teacup, and smelled the tea. With an unknown expression, Shannon soon tilted her head and took a sip of the tea. Then she tilted her head with a more unknown expression. Shannon put down the cup, and soon opened the teapot and smelled the tea.

“That’s right. It’s weird. How are they so different even though they all use the same ingredients.”

Then she thought maybe there was a problem with Psili’s tea making process. However, the taste of Psili’s tea did not change even when Shannon handed over the teaware used by her. She tried changing the tea leaves, but it was useless. I just didn’t work, maybe it was a hand that couldn’t do well. Shannon sighed as she shook her head and removed the tea.

If Psili were to work at Asdan Palace, she would have at least once made tea for the emperor. Regardless of whether he felt good or not, he was the emperor who was sensitive to smell and taste. At one time, a maid, who wanted to catch the emperor’s attention with tea, had to be carried out of the office with her forehead torn with the teacup that she used.

That wasn’t all. Because of the tension, many maids were concerned about their lives if the tea was not made properly. On each day, it was important to understand the feelings and circumstances of the emperor, and make the tea accordingly.

“If your luck is not there, it can’t be helped.”

Some things couldn’t be learned just by teaching, so what could she do? Shannon felt sorry for Psili, who was only 16 years old.

******

Psili, who was satisfied with her current life without knowing what she was in, came out of Eradan Palace and looked up at the clear sky, feeling the warm sunlight on her body. From the warmth of the sunshine and the coolness of the wind to the mysterious humming, Psili’s mood seemed very good, even though her face had no emotions.

However, that good feeling didn’t last long. Psili, who was walking through the small garden in front of the Asdan Palace, was caught by a soldier and taken somewhere.

“It’s urgent. We must go now.”

It was Asdan Palace, which had a much larger size than Eradan Palace, where Psili followed the soldiers who were pulling her arm with urgent steps. Psili looked back and forth as she was curious to see the interior of Asdan Palace, which she had only seen through the window.

“I brought the maid here in haste.”

The soldier introduced Psili to someone. The middle-aged man, who was introduced to Psili by the soldier, looked carefully at her face with a thoughtful expression and tilted his head.

“I’ve never seen you before.”

“Yes? I am a maid in Eradan Palace.”

“We met her at the entrance and took her here.”

“Hmm. It’s the first time I’ve seen this maid. I understand. You all can go.”

Something felt off, but what could he do? The maid said she was from Eradan Palace, where senior maids live, so her skills would be outstanding, and the situation was too urgent to visit Eradan Palace once more. So he decided to pass the situation in front of him first and see. Heinley, the chief attendant, did not have time to dry his sweat from a crisis that had come from the morning.

The emperor was annoyed by the strong fragrance of his maid, who brought fruit for breakfast, as a maid who had been educated to the fullest extent set the temperature of the emperor’s washing water incorrectly. Moreover, the emperor was in a very bad mood when an aristocrat who had posted an appeal a little while ago. And the maid, who with trembling hands from being nervous, poured the tea in his cup but the tea splashed everywhere.

So I put up a cool-scented gourd tea, and the tea splashed into the teacup with my trembling hands to see how nervous the girl-in-law was watching the emperor. It was not very hot water, but it spattered on the hand of the emperor. He mercilessly ordered to get rid of the maid who fell on her knees begging for her life, and the maid was taken away just like that.

Then another maid took her place, but this time the results were disastrous. The maid who trembled when she saw the other maid who was dragged out in front of her also made an absurd mistake, and in the end, she was dragged out too. There were no maids left to fill in so Heinley urgently sent two soldiers to Shannon’s office because he needed another maid to fill in the empty place. Thus, the soldiers hurriedly went and came back with Psili.

“What is your name?”

“My name is Psili.”

“This is the first time I hear your name. Anyway, are you sure that you are from Eradan Palace?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. Did you learn imperial court etiquette?”

“I learned almost everything.”

Heinley paused at Psili’s words that she hadn’t mastered everything. However, as the situation was urgent, there was no time to do anything about it. Besides, if she knew the basics of etiquette, that was enough because making tea for the emperor was the most important thing.

“You probably know the basics of etiquette well. So you must not look at His Majesty’s face. You have to keep your head down unconditionally and be calm. No matter what happens in front of you, be calm. Got it?”

“Yes.”

Heinley nodded to the peculiar tranquility of Psili’s answering expression and speech, saying that it was enough. One of the characteristics of attendants and maids who entered Asdan Palace for the first time was that they were overwhelmed by the peculiar sense of coercion that Asdan Palace gave. Whether it was the pride of having the emperor next to them or the thrill of accomplishing the desired work, the nervous attendants and maids always trembled. Because of this, they often made mistakes and their first day always ended up as their last day.

However, Psili, with an expressionless face, accepted the sudden situation very calmly, and even now she didn’t know where she was heading, she still looked calm. Heinley felt a little sorry and a great deal of regret for Psili, but what could he do? After all, it was something that a maid has to experience at least once.