The morning air was crisp and the sky just barely lit as I got out of bed. The cold stone floor beneath my feet was a reminder of the harshness of this palace but there was no time to dwell on discomfort
There were tasks to complete; laundry, sweeping, mending clothes and preparing meals. I quickly dressed in my worn - out robe and tied my hair up in the usual tight knot
I gathered the laundry basket from the corner of my room, the heavy weight of it pressing against my frail body. The fabric inside felt soaked, the smell of sweat and dust wafting up as I made my way to the laundry room
As I entered, the familiar sight of the other maids busy at their work greeted me. They didn't look up as I set my basket down in the corner, though I could feel their eyes on me
"You think she'll manage to finish it today?" one of them muttered under her breath
"She can barely carry the laundry. What a waste of space" another one chimed in but louder this time, as she threw a glance in my direction
I pick up a piece of clothing and start my task. I had to work hard - do my best - so they wouldn't have more reasons to mock me. It was the only way to avoid attracting attention
But it wasn't long before one of the older maids, a tall woman with sharp eyes, approached me. She smirked, watching me as I scrubbed the fabrics in the large basin
"Minami" she called out sweetly, her voice dripping with sarcasm
"You know, you're not even doing it right. This laundry will be ruined if you keep going like that"
I didn't respond, I knew better than to argue
She stepped closer and to my shock, she grabbed a piece of linen from my hands and yanked it away
"You're so slow!!" she said with a harsh laugh "Maybe you should learn to actually work, instead of standing around wasting everyone's time"
Before I could even react, she pushed me aside - sending me stumbling into a nearby stack of clean laundry. My hands flew out to catch myself but I only managed to crash into a pile of towels, causing them to fall onto the floor
The other maids laughed, their cruel voices echoing in the room. I felt my face burn with embarrassment, my chest tight as I scrambled to pick up the towels
"Pathetic" one of them spat, her voice filled with disgust "Can't even carry laundry properly. What kind of maid are you?"
I kept my head down. It wasn't the first time this had happened and I know it wouldn't be the last
I gathered the towels and began folding them again, my hands start shaking
As I turned to pick up another basket of laundry, my legs suddenly buckled beneath me - the exhaustion from the past days catching up to me, making my knees hit the floor with a sharp thud
Before I could recover, I felt a sharp kick to my side knocking me onto the ground. I gasped, pain shooting through my body as I looked up to see the same older maids who had been tormenting me
"Lazy little thing" she sneered "I told you to work, not lay down. Don't you dare fall behind again"
I stood up slowly, using the nearby table for support. The room was silent except for the faint snickers from the other maids
In the corner of my eye. I noticed a man standing by the doorway, his posture calm but with an air of authority that immediately caught my attention
He was tall, his dark hair neatly tied back and he wore simple but well - fitted robes, our eyes met briefly before he stepped forward
"Minami" he said softly, his voice carrying through the room "Consort Akemi request you to take these linens at her chambers"
His words caught me off guard but I just nod, keeping my head low and took the basket he handed to me
The maids watched in silence as I moved past them, the older maid's expression was unreadable but I could feel the envy in her glare
"Thank you" I mumbled to the stranger as I turned away
He didn't respond immediately but kept his gaze on me for a moment longer "You've been working hard. Take care of yourself."
I felt a strange warmth in my chest but I tried to focus on the task at hand, carrying the linens to the consort's chambers but the words of the stranger lingered in my mind
It was a small thing but it was enough to make me wonder if there was more to this palace than just work and torment
Perhaps there was hope and freedom, after all