I was reborn as a maid to the cruel tyrant prince!!

Chapter 4.4 The affair 2

For once we had found ourselves now outside the tiny office and inside of the prince's main room-  mostly due to it's space.  We stood beside a small seating area in the room where the prince and the other boys all sat, Lady Irian now sat on a chair between us.  Meridaya didn't seem to be very phased about her surroundings or our current situation- in fact she appeared overwhelmingly full of self confidence as she played with her hair staring the very uncomfortable in comparison me in the process.  She continued to look me up and down once more before the scoffing once again-  this felt like going against a mean girl you would see in a teen drama!
"So, you think somebody like you even stands a chance? I'll save you the embarrassment and let you stand down now to save face!" She jeered at me, not even trying to hide her distaste for me at this point. Honestly Meridaya... no I didn't think that I stood a chance at all against someone like you and if I got much of a choice in the matter I would have already been back in the maid quarters by now, getting my biweekly therapy session from Sana... but... my eyes looked back to a rather ferocious feeling Dante glare that was setting my back ablaze.  I don't think Dante would ever forgive me if I backed out at this point... also... I stared back at the noble girl who had done nothing but heckle at me since she realised my real identity... I had my own pride too you know...
"N-no, I think I'll cope..." I gave Meridaya a fairly ambiguous rejection as she simply raised an eyebrow at me.
"Is that so... well I'll love to see just how much you manage to screw this up, it'll be entertaining, fufufufu" she continued to laugh at me maliciously as I could only feel more off balance by her words.  Urgh really, could we just get this over and done with, I wanted to get away from this villainess as quick as possible!

Trial one: Introduction etiquette

Each contestant had to introduce themselves in the royally accepted way! To make things unbiased, Lady Irian would be the judge!

With a dainty raise of both sides of her dress, Meridaya gave a elegant courtesy towards the head maid. "Your majesty..." she began, keeping her head low in the maids presence and only looking up slightly once the head maid had acknowledged her. "I am Lady Meridaya Set Albuenes, of the Albuene's estate, daughter to the great prime minister of Isen, Fredrick Ente Set Albuenes and Lady Erika Set Albeunes of the Mayafield estate. It is a privilege and honour to be in your presence!" The elaborate introduction seemed to roll of her tongue like butter, spoken not too imposingly but not too softly either- it held the refined edge of a princess let alone a noble. There came a small clap from the head maid.... tears now rolling now her face much to out shock- woah I don't think I had ever seen the head maids face soften so naturally like that, maybe years of failing to teach Dante this etiquette had gotten to her.
"Glorious, spoken like a true noble! Better than some adults, here posture was immaculate and her head angle was at the perfect 215 degree's...." the head maid dabbed her tears away with a hanky in bliss- THERE WAS A PERFECT ANGLE TO TILT YOUR HEAD?! Meridaya looked over to me before giving me a haughty smirk... urgh, well okay then...

I stood before the head maid, doing my best to recall the steps Meridaya had taken, putting my feet into a courtesy and - guh- how on earth did foreigners in films hold this pose so long, this hurt?
"Y-your highness..." I bowed my head taking a moment to let it hit in... before almost buckling a little- I- I couldn't... I couldn't do this with the head maid looking at me so seriously.
"AHEM" the head maid as I shot my head straight up in a panic.
"AH- YES! My- my name is Antoinette Silverston, a maid who works in the Du Mont estate!" I declared to her confidently as the head maid's brow furrowed.
"And?" She asked?
"And?" I repeated confused.
"And you parents? Any titles? A follow up?" She pushed on as I flinched to this- parents what parents I was a maid an orphan.
"Uh-uhm, I do not know who my parents were and I only hold the title of maid... unfortunately... but it is a pleasure to meet you!" I quickly tried to round all of this up as after my act I looked up... the head maid was not crying instead she had a very judgemental look on her face.
"So you have no heritage at all.... and evidently you have no class either-"
FUGAA...
Was the sound of my inner who once again getting a sucker punch to the face with the cold facts- what the, she knew this didn't she... there came a snickering from Meridaya from behind me as I looked up the maid realising something... she wasn't going to go easy on me was she... no by the look her eyes it was clear to see that this was my punishment.