chapter 31
Tu Nan returned home, and as expected, her father was still asleep.
She tiptoed upstairs, went back to her room, sat down at her desk, and took out the slip of paper with the Rules that Araya had given her.
[Maid Rules:
Rule One: Maids must arrive at their post one hour early.
Rule Two: Maids must not defy guests and must do their best to fulfill guests’ requests.
Rule Three: Maids must finish the day’s work before leaving.
Rule Four: If encountering a troublesome guest, maids are obliged to soothe the guest’s emotions and politely escort the disruptive guest out of the Ball.
Rule Five: The orders of the King, Queen, and Prince take precedence over everything else.]
She memorized all the Rules and destroyed the slip of paper.
*
On the night of the Ball, Serenity, Bella, and her father left early.
Tu Nan saw them off at the door.
“Layla, stay home and rest well.”
She obediently agreed.
Her father drove the Carriage, flicked the reins, and the Carriage set off smoothly.
Tu Nan watched as the Carriage gradually disappeared at the end of the road, then hurried back to her room at top speed, changed into the Maid uniform Araya had lent her, grabbed a mask she’d bought at a roadside stall, and slipped out the back door.
There, a Carriage was waiting.
Last night, she’d taken a detour to the Carriage rental and hired this Carriage and Coachman, instructing him to wait for her at the back door at this time.
Tu Nan climbed into the Carriage and put the mask on her face.
The Coachman was a taciturn middle-aged man who said little, and he drove the Carriage swiftly toward the Royal Palace.
Maids were different from invited guests; they had a special entrance.
Tu Nan got out of the Carriage, told the Coachman to pick her up here at Midnight, then took out the Maid Token Araya had given her and entered the Royal Palace with ease.
Araya was just an ordinary Maid, doing all the physical work-her tasks were many and varied, mainly serving tea and drinks to guests in the Front Hall, promptly delivering wine and replenishing pastries.
The Maids in the Royal Palace weren’t much different from modern workers: first, they checked in with the supervisor, then took their assigned tasks and got to work.
“Tonight’s Ball is extremely important; not a single mistake is allowed.” The supervisor gathered all of them and gave an important speech. “If I catch anyone slacking off, I’ll throw her out of the Royal Palace.”
Tu Nan blended in with the Maids, shouting the silly slogans along with them.
The supervisor lectured them for a full half hour before finally letting them go.
…So arriving an hour early was just to make it easier for him to give his speech.
She was assigned to the Front Hall, with the main task of carrying a tray of wine to serve the guests.
The Ball began quickly.
In the dimly lit hall, a bright spotlight suddenly shone at the top of the staircase on the second floor.
At this moment, no one paid attention to her; Tu Nan hid in a corner, leaning against the wall, content to slack off.
The strong light illuminated a man and a woman, both wearing exquisite masks and dressed in luxurious, expensive clothing, slowly descending the stairs.
If she wasn’t mistaken, it should be Cinderella and the Prince.
The Prince took Cinderella’s hand and slowly led her onto the Dance Floor. Music flowed through the hall as, under everyone’s gaze, they began the opening dance.
Cinderella was like a true princess, every inch of her flawless, with no trace of the “Cinderella” she once was.
Tu Nan also spotted Bella in the crowd; even with a mask, Bella’s figure was unmistakable.
Was the person next to Bella Serenity? She frowned-where had her father gone?
“Give me a drink.” Suddenly, someone beside her spoke in a rough voice.
The familiar voice struck like thunder; Tu Nan’s hair stood on end.
She thought she now knew where her father was.
“Didn’t you hear me?” her father said impatiently. “I want a drink.”
Tu Nan quickly handed over a glass from the tray, lowering her voice: “Respected guest, please enjoy.”
Her father picked up the glass and downed it in one gulp, his gaze lingering on her as if she seemed vaguely familiar. “You…”
Tu Nan instinctively tensed up.
“Darling, what are you doing here?” Serenity’s voice sounded just in time. “It’s time for us to dance. Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten the steps.”
“Of course not, Serenity.” Her father’s attention immediately shifted away from her as he placed his now-empty wine glass onto the tray. “Ah, such fond memories. Back in the day, my dance moves bewitched many young ladies…”
Tu Nan sneaked a glance at Serenity. The latter cast her a light, fleeting look. Even though both wore masks, Tu Nan was certain Serenity had recognized her.
Tu Nan breathed a quiet sigh of relief and gave her a barely noticeable nod.
Her father and Serenity left together.
The Prince and Cinderella had finished their dance. Cinderella was now leaning in a corner of the hall, surrounded by a group of flattering noblewomen who encircled her tightly.
She needed to find a way to be alone with Cinderella for a while.
Tu Nan was about to leave when someone suddenly called out to her.
“You-yes, you. Make me a Bloody Mary.” A man wearing a Vampire Mask ordered her.
Tu Nan was slightly taken aback. Instinctively, she wanted to refuse, but forced herself to stop just before speaking.
She was a Maid now, and it was her duty to fulfill the guests’ requests.
“Sorry, sir,” Tu Nan lowered her head and replied, “I don’t know how to make a Bloody Mary, but I can find someone to prepare one for you, if you’d like?”
The Vampire Mask let out a cold snort. “I want you to make it. Bloody Mary is such a simple drink-if you can’t even make that, then you might as well…”
The air around them suddenly chilled. A cold wind seemed to blow across the back of her neck, as if someone was breathing down it.
“Why aren’t you speaking?” The Vampire Mask let out two sinister laughs from his throat. Tu Nan glimpsed the sharp fangs in his mouth beneath the mask. “Can’t make it? Actually, that’s fine. All you need to do is give me a glass of your…”
“Bloody Mary, is it? Very well, please wait a moment. I’ll prepare it for you right away.” Tu Nan replied quickly.
The Vampire Mask paused, then curled his lips into a wicked smile. “Are you sure you want to do this? If you get it wrong, you’ll have to face my wrath.”
“Of course.” Tu Nan smiled and nodded. “Please wait just a moment.”
Bloody Mary is famous for its blood-like appearance, but in reality, it’s made from tomato juice.
Tu Nan didn’t know how to mix drinks and had no knowledge of bartending, but she was certain that what the Vampire Mask wanted as a “Bloody Mary” was not simply a cocktail.
During the supervisor’s lecture earlier, although she was impatient, Tu Nan had listened carefully so as not to miss any possible Rule.
The supervisor had emphasized: You must understand what the guest truly wants.
“You have to speculate! Guess! Understand the guest’s inner world! That’s what a qualified Maid should do!”
What did the Vampire Mask want? Using “Bloody Mary” as a hint, the most likely answer was fresh blood.
Tu Nan headed to the Kitchen. Many chickens had been slaughtered today, and she remembered that the blood had been stored in a large jar.
She quickly found the chicken blood, filled a glass to the brim, and garnished it with a decorative slice of lemon before delivering the glass of chicken blood to the Vampire Mask.
The Vampire Mask took the glass, sniffed it under his nose, and spoke in a rather peculiar tone, “Oh, I didn’t expect there to be someone clever among the Royal Palace Maids…”
“It is my honor to satisfy you.” The slogan from the supervisor’s lecture came in handy again. Hidden behind her mask, Tu Nan’s face was expressionless, but her voice was full of enthusiasm. “Wishing you a wonderful evening!”
“Here’s your tip.” The Vampire Mask tossed something to her.