The kitchen was a chaotic mess of noise and smells. Pots clanged, steam hissed, and the thick scent of roasting meat and boiling broth filled the air. A towering stack of greasy, food-crusted dishes waited by the sink, a task clearly meant to break the spirit of someone like Aria. The other maids bustled about, chopping vegetables, stirring pots, and casting sidelong glances at her. Their whispers followed her like shadows.
"Wash them!" Marta ordered, jabbing a finger at the pile. "Make them spotless and shiny. And don't you dare break a single one, or it's coming out of your wages!" With that, she stormed off, leaving Seraphina alone with the mountain of work.
Seraphina stared at the dishes, her arms crossed. In Aria's memories, she saw countless times when the girl had fumbled this task—shattered plates, cut fingers, tears of frustration. The other maids had laughed, calling her clumsy, useless. But Seraphina was not Aria. She rolled up her sleeves, her movements precise and deliberate.
She plunged her hands into the soapy water, scrubbing each plate with a focus that bordered on obsession. The grease melted away, the porcelain gleaming under her touch. She moved to the potatoes next, peeling them with swift, clean strokes, not a single nick on her fingers. When the floor needed sweeping, she worked with the efficiency of a soldier, her movements sharp and practiced. She mopped, stacked firewood, and even polished the silverware, all without a word of complaint.
The other maids noticed. Their whispers grew louder, tinged with confusion and suspicion.
"Did you see her? She's... not useless today," one muttered, a young woman with a freckled face.
"Did she hit her head or something?" another replied, her voice low but not low enough.
"What's she up to this time?" a third added, her tone sharp with distrust.
Seraphina smirked, her hands never pausing. "Let them talk," she murmured to herself. "I'll show them soon enough."
She finished the tasks in half the time Aria would have taken, her work flawless. The kitchen gleamed, every surface spotless, every dish sparkling. Marta returned, her eyes narrowing as she inspected the results. For a moment, she looked almost disappointed, as if she'd hoped to find fault. "Hmph," she grunted, turning away. "Don't think this makes up for all the times you've slacked off."
Seraphina's smile was cold, but she said nothing. She'd won this small battle, and that was enough for now.
.
.
With her tasks done, Seraphina slipped out of the kitchen, her curiosity pulling her through the sprawling corridors of the marquess's estate. The house was grand, its polished marble floors and gilded chandeliers a faint echo of the palaces she'd once known. But this world was different. She passed a maid giggling into a shiny black box, her voice bright as if speaking to someone inside it. In the kitchen, she'd seen cold drinks pulled from a humming white cabinet that kept things chilled without a trace of ice magic. The strangeness of it all fascinated her, though she masked it with her usual icy composure.
She paused by a window, watching another metal carriage rumble past outside. "Interesting," she said softly, her fingers brushing her chin. "So, technology has replaced mana here. Clever... but soulless."
Her exploration was cut short by a sharp voice. "Aria! You've been summoned by the Madam!" It was the head maid, Clara, a stern woman with gray streaks in her hair and a permanent scowl. Her tone was like a whip, meant to cow Aria into submission.
"Madam?" Seraphina asked, then froze as a memory surfaced. The Madam was Lady Loraine, Aria's stepmother—a woman whose cruelty was matched only by her ambition.
"Move it!" Clara snapped, grabbing Seraphina's arm and shoving her toward a set of ornate double doors. "Don't keep her waiting!"
Seraphina stumbled into the room as Clara slammed the doors behind her. The chamber was lavish, with velvet drapes and gleaming mahogany furniture. Sitting tall in a high-backed chair, dressed in silks and lace, was Lady Loraine. Her fan half-covered her painted lips, but her eyes were sharp and predatory. Behind her, lounging on velvet chairs, were Aria's three half-sisters—the triplets, Celeste, Clarisse, and Corinne. They weren't identical, but their smug expressions and heavily made-up faces made them seem like one sneering entity. Their dresses glittered with embroidery, their jewelry catching the light.
Seraphina's amber eyes narrowed. She dipped into a deep, graceful bow, her voice smooth as silk. "You summoned me, Madam?"
A flicker of surprise crossed their faces at her polished tone and perfect courtesy. Celeste, the eldest triplet, arched a brow, while Clarisse whispered something to Corinne, who stifled a giggle. Lady Loraine's fan paused, her eyes narrowing, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Indeed," Lady Loraine said, her voice cool and clipped. She tapped her fan against her chin, studying Seraphina like a hawk eyeing prey. "For your information, your sisters will be attending the Royal Academy soon."
Seraphina's mind raced. Ah, of course. They'll send me along as their maid, to fetch their tea and mend their dresses. How predictable. She kept her face neutral, waiting for the inevitable.
But Lady Loraine's next words hit like a bolt from the sky. "You will also attend the Academy," she said, her tone sharp and deliberate. "But not as yourself. You will go as a man."
The room fell silent, the air thick with tension. Seraphina froze, her breath catching. "...A... what?" she managed, her voice steady but laced with disbelief.
The triplets smirked, their eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. Celeste leaned forward, her voice dripping with malice. "You heard her, Aria. You'll be one of the boys now."
"Yes," Lady Loraine continued, her eyes glinting like steel. "From this day forward, you are no longer Aria Loraine. You will be 'Arin,' your sisters' loyal informant. You will live in the male dormitories, attend classes as a man, and do the task that'll be assigned to you. Do not disappoint us, or you'll regret it."
Clarisse giggled, twirling a lock of her hair. "Oh, this is going to be so entertaining. Little Aria, pretending to be a man? I can't wait to see you trip over your own lies."
Corinne leaned forward, her smile vicious. "Don't mess this up, Aria. Or should I say, Arin? One wrong move, and you'll be out on the streets where you belong."
Seraphina's noble mask slipped, just for a moment. Her jaw clenched, and she bit back the hysterical laughter bubbling in her chest. A maid. A debt-ridden villainess. And now, a false man? This world was testing her, mocking her, daring her to break.
She straightened, her amber eyes burning with defiance. "I understand, Madam," she said, her voice calm but edged with steel. "I'll do as you ask... for now."
Lady Loraine's fan snapped shut, her lips curving into a cold smile. "Good. You're dismissed. Prepare yourself. You leave for the Academy in three days."
As Seraphina turned to leave, Celeste called after her, her voice taunting. "Don't forget to practice your walk, Arin. Boys don't sway their hips like you do."
The triplets burst into laughter, their voices echoing as Seraphina stepped into the corridor. She closed the door behind her, her hands trembling with suppressed rage.
"I already dislike this new world," she muttered, her voice low and dangerous.
But as she walked away, the system's screen flickered to life again.
[Mission Unlocked: Infiltrate the Royal Academy as Arin Loraine.]
[Objective: Gain the trust of your sisters and avoid having your true identity as Aria Loraine discovered during your first month at the Academy]
[Reward: +100,000 Virtue Points, +5 to Charm, +5 to Luck.]
Seraphina stared at the screen, her lips curling into a predatory smile. "Fine," she said softly. "I'll play your game. But I'll play it my way."
After all, she was Seraphina D'Arlais, and no matter what this world threw at her... a new name, a new body, a new role... she would rise above it. She would turn their schemes against them, and when the time came, she would make them all regret underestimating her.