You knocked on the door three times and heard a muffled “come in” from inside the room. You awkwardly opened the door while trying to juggle a plate full of teacups and a kettle.

You were a maid at the Seat Of Divine Foresight, and had been so for a long time. Recently though you’d been getting pulled out of your duties to tend to Jing Yuan more than clean up around the palace. You didn’t know why, as no one offered you any explanation to the switch in roles, but you didn’t mind since at least you didn’t have to scrub away at the dishes in the kitchen anymore or mop the endless floors in the behemoth of a palace. The only problem though was that you still weren’t used to your new duties, leading you to come off as very awkward when trying to perform them.

As you walked in the room and set the platter on Jing Yuans office desk you noticed he looked very disinterested in the work in front of him, just gazing boredly at the pile of papers in front of him. You didn’t pay that any mind though as you poured his tea, setting it in front of him.

Just as you turned around to leave though, he gently grasped your hand, making you turn around in surprise.

“If I have to look over another tedious report on boring politics I think I might go mad. Come, play a round of chess with me,” he said with a leisurely smile as he moved his paperwork’s aside to make room for the chess board he kept on the right side of his desk, all the while pulling you towards the seat facing him.