Li Mei's accidental victory at court had made the palace hum with whispers louder than the kitchens during a festival banquet. Every corridor, every marble landing, every gilded archway seemed to vibrate with the silent gossip of nobles and servants alike.

"Did you see the maid? She dared speak at court," one noblewoman hissed behind a fan, her painted eyes darting toward Li Mei's retreating back.

"Under the Empress's nose, no less," another whispered, clearly delighting in spreading fear—or envy.

"Bold. Or foolish. Or both," a chamberlain muttered, shaking his head as he passed.

Li Mei's ears twitched at every murmur. She pressed herself against the cold, polished marble walls, imagining herself as a chameleon blending into the palace décor. She sidestepped a gossiping maid, nearly tripping over the hem of her plain uniform, and contemplated a temporary retreat to the broom closet until the entire structure imploded.

But the truth was simple: her position under Empress Celestia's direct observation meant there were no truly safe corners. Every shadow could hide an eye. Every echo could be a trap.

"System," Li Mei muttered under her breath, her fingers clutching the edge of a tapestry as if it were a life raft, "you really know how to ruin a girl's life."

Ding! The system chimed in, its dry, sarcastic tone cutting through her panic.

Reminder: Life is ruined, but XP is gained.

Li Mei groaned so loudly that a passing page turned toward her, suspicion flashing briefly in his wide eyes. "Thanks, System. That's comforting."

Her first real test came almost immediately. Empress Celestia had summoned her for a morning inspection—a ritual Li Mei had learned was less about praise and more about judging how expendable you were today. The Empress moved down the corridors like a tempest given flesh, her robes whispering against the marble, silver hair catching the sunlight in a thousand strands of cold fire.

Every servant she passed straightened, every basket and broom was aligned with a precision Li Mei didn't even know existed. And then the Empress's gaze landed on her.

Li Mei's stomach pitched. Her cheeks flamed. She considered collapsing face-first onto the marble and pretending to be dead.

"You survived court without major incident," Celestia said, her voice low, measured, but carrying the weight of authority that could crush a lesser human like a grape. "Remarkable."

Li Mei swallowed hard. "I-I… thank Your Majesty, but it wasn't… um… intentional."

Celestia arched a single, perfect brow. "Do not lie. I can see through pretenses."

Li Mei shrank a little. Great. So she could see my panic, my fear, and probably my bad hair days too.

The Empress's lips curved faintly, almost amused, almost predatory. "Your methods intrigue me. The Empire runs on strategy and subtlety. You, little maid… disrupt both. Tell me, do you enjoy chaos?"

Li Mei froze. Chaos? How do you answer that without sounding like a total idiot?

Hint: Flustered honesty may work in rare cases, the system suggested.

"I… kind of like it?" she whispered, immediately regretting the words as her face flamed hotter than the Emperor's ceremonial braziers.

Celestia's laughter was soft, musical, and dangerously beautiful—like bells ringing through fog. "Interesting answer. Keep it in mind."

Before Li Mei could even attempt a reply, the Empress turned and continued down the corridor, her presence still radiating authority that made the walls themselves seem to bow. Li Mei scuttled behind, clutching her skirt and silently praying that no nobles were watching.

But of course, someone was. Lady Yun, a minor noblewoman with eyes sharper than a hawk's and fingers that drummed constant plots, had caught sight of the flustered maid. She leaned against the balcony rail, whispering to herself, plotting already.

"That maid… she's dangerous," Lady Yun muttered, teeth barely showing. "The Empress favors her, and the Crown Prince notices. If I do not act soon, she will disrupt everything."

Meanwhile, Li Mei had reached the relative safety of the kitchens, where the warm scent of freshly baked bread and sweet pastries enveloped her like a soft blanket. She sank into a corner, clutching a stolen flaky pastry as if it were the last morsel of hope in the Empire.

"Congratulations, little maid," the system chirped in that relentless monotone. New Skill Unlocked: Chaos Instinct. Passive bonus: +10 to accidentals causing unexpected advantage.

Li Mei choked on her pastry. "Accidentals?! That's literally all I do!"

Ding!

Achievement Unlocked: Lucky Idiot.

Her stomach twisted into an awkward knot. Lucky Idiot. That sounded like her entire life summed up in two words. She stared at the vaulted ceiling, trying to calm the chaos in her mind while crumbs fell silently onto the kitchen floor.

And then, as though summoned by her internal screaming, a shadow fell across the doorway.

"Practicing stealth and pastry theft, little maid?"

Li Mei's heart jumped. She looked up and froze. Crown Prince Jianyu leaned against the doorway like he owned the entire palace, his dark hair slipping over one eye, lips curving in that infuriating smirk she knew so well.

"Y-you—uh—Your Highness! I—um—I—"

His laugh was low, teasing, silk draped over steel. "Relax. I'm not here to scold you." He stepped closer, eyes glinting as they assessed the pastry in her hand. "Though I must say, I admire your choice of sustenance. Very… resourceful."

Li Mei's face burned hotter than a forge. "I… I was… uh… testing the dough quality?"

Side Quest Activated: Convince Crown Prince of Innocent Motives. Difficulty: Medium.

"You test dough?" Jianyu raised a brow, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

"Yes! Um… for… science?" Li Mei waved her hands helplessly, as though that explanation could rescue her dignity.

Jianyu's smirk widened. He leaned casually against the counter, dangerously close. "Science, hm? Curious that your experiments yield political results as well."

Li Mei froze. "I… I… I don't—uh—mean to!"

"Of course not," he murmured. "Yet somehow, you do."

Her cheeks burned so fiercely she could feel the heat on the tips of her ears. "I-I… I just want to survive, okay?"

His gaze softened just a fraction. "Survive? Or play games?"

Li Mei wanted to vanish into the pastry basket. She felt every system notification flare in her vision:

Warning: Emotional entanglement detected.
Warning: Heart rate elevated dangerously.
Hint: Avoid prolonged eye contact.

She shook her head violently. "I… I… must go!"

Jianyu simply chuckled, letting her slip past with a faint tug of gravity. "Run carefully, little maid. The palace is filled with traps. And I… enjoy watching how you navigate them."