“Room Serv-“

Meya paused midsentence, interrupted by the click of a handle. The door opened and an innocent face appeared shortly after.

She stowed her employee token, which allowed her to amplify her voice through the entirety of the 401 unit.

“There you are, Little X.”

Light reflected off her pearly teeth, while her smile blossomed like flower petals caught in the wind.

The first thing the youth noticed was her change in clothing. It was clearly the same woman from the front desk, but instead of wearing a uniform style jacket, she donned a simple maid outfit composed of a black skirt and white blouse.

“My name is Meya, and I will be your caretaker for the duration of your stay. May I come inside?”

The boy responded by opening the door fully and stepping to the side.

Meya hummed a tune as she stepped into the unit, hands clasped behind her back. An awkward silence rose between the two once the door sealed shut.

“With your permission, I’ll be staying in one of the spare rooms.”

She gestured towards a half-opened door further within the unit.

Normally, the caretaker of the fourth floor would have the option to live in the unit with the resident. This wasn’t seen as a bad thing; in fact, under normal circumstances it would be even better if a romance ignited!

Due to the high price of the fourth floor, only individuals of high status and wealth could afford to stay there. Most of the hotel workers dreamed to capture the heart of a powerful man, Meya being one of the exceptions.

“Staying in a spare room?”

The boy hesitantly spoke.

“As in… living together? But we don’t know each other.”

Meya froze upon hearing this.

Was she being rejected? Anyone would have jumped at the opportunity for a live-in maid—anyone but him!

“Y-yes, well. It’s part of the service, you understand. It helps me perform my duties better. Often times it’s customary for the guest to reserve a room for the maid.”

Her cheeks burned red as she explained. She neglected to spell out the implications that surrounded a maid staying with a guest, even if that wasn’t the reason she was here.

If a maid didn’t fancy the guest, they would never even offer to stay within the unit itself. Such was the case with Sun Fang. No maiden wished to reside in the same unit as that man by choice, but sometimes money spoke louder than emotions.

“So it’s like that. Please come in.”

I should learn these customs...

The boy thought to himself as he invited her in.

Seeing as the boy gave her permission, Meya happily waltzed over to a spare room. She then reached for the pouch by her side and pulled out a large stuffed toy animal, placing it neatly on the bed.

“Perfect!”

She turned to the boy.

“If you ever need me during your stay, just knock on the door and I’ll come.”

She eyed the boy’s oversized and torn clothing.

“For now… I think we need to find you some new clothes.”

Even though he had a face crafted by the gods and his body was coming into maturity, he still dressed like a beggar on the streets. Any well natured guardian would never let their charge look so disastrously.

He glanced down at himself with a grimace. A moment later he reached into his pouch and pulled out a single mid rank spirit shard.

“Is this enough for new clothes?”

He handed the spirit shard to her without hesitation.

Although Meya saw him pay with mid rank spirit shards before, it still shocked her that this homeless looking boy was able to do so again. She secretly wondered what kind of background he had, causing her imaginations to run wild.

Is he really some young master from a famous family?

“Is that not enough?”

The boy thoughtfully pulled out another mid rank spirit shard, breaking the young maiden out of her fairytale.

“Ah! Um, no, no, this much is perfect. I know just the person for the job.”

Meya gave a small bow.

“I will be right back with the seamstress. Please wait here for me. I will only be a handful of minutes.”

She promptly rushed downstairs, leaving the boy to fend for himself.

----------------------------------------

On the third floor, the entrance to a specialty room burst open.

“Seamstress Cai!”

Meya stumbled through the door in a rush, disturbing the tranquil peace of the room’s only resident.

A sharp middle-aged woman sat at a desk, which had a multitude of different cloth and fabrics neatly organized on it. In front of the woman was an unfinished drawing that described the dimensions for a new style of clothing.

“Meya, I am currently working, can you come back later?”

Seamstress Cai dismissed the poor girl, her attention never left the drawing.

“Seamstress Cai please listen. I have a client who really needs a new outfit, and-“

“Everyone needs a new outfit. That’s why I have to work constantly with new designs to satiate the ceaseless desires of these rich good for nothings.”

The woman snipped back—she wasn’t in the best of moods.

“But-“

“No buts, leave me for now. We can discuss this tomorrow.”

Meya bit her lip after seeing that she wasn’t going to get her way. A helpless sigh escaped her lips and she shuffled toward the exit.

“This damned dress. No girl could possibly have chest like this, and yet that man shamelessly placed this order. What? Does he want to suffocate her? Useless!”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Seamstress Cai crunched and crumbled the paper in front of her and threw it away—another failed design.

“Meya wait.”

Meya’s ears perked up. She turned back to see the woman putting on a uniquely decorated violet peacoat.

“Going for a walk to clear the head won’t hurt. Very well, take me to this client of yours. Although I won’t be able to start working on their outfit, I can at least get the measurements.”

Meya lit up with her signature dimpled smile.

Seamstress Cai appeared uncaring and harsh, but she was only interacted this way due to their familiarity with each other. Although both refused to acknowledge it directly, Seamstress Cai was something of a mother figure for Meya.

Not a day went by without the seamstress lecturing Meya to pick up a trade and become independent, even frequently offering to teach her.

However, each time she was met with rejection. Meya was still young, and it was always the young that were the most ambitious with regards to their future.

“Mm! I promise you won’t be disappointed!”

Meya swiftly lead the way out with an ecstatic reply.

Of course, no matter how quickly Meya rushed, the seamstress walked with her usual pace. She watched in amusement as the energetic girl raced back and forth ahead of her.

“Oh? We’re going up the stairs?”

Seamstress Cai’s eyebrows went up in surprise.

She was expecting to go downstairs to the second or first floor, but to her surprise she was being led to the fourth floor.

“I didn’t realize you had a thing with that Sun Fang. I always warn you that men like him are no good and that you should –“

“Yuck! It’s not what you think! That dirty old thing isn’t staying in the hotel this week. You know that I wouldn’t go near that man.”

Seamstress Cai’s eyes lit up as she just thought of something.

“It’s good that you know then…”

She followed Meya upstairs and into the fourth floor.

To have gained Meya’s favor and wealthy enough to stay on the fourth floor. This man isn’t simple. Has Meya’s heart finally been claimed? Or is this something else?

The older woman couldn’t help but muse with new anticipation to meet her client.

After a short walk upstairs, they found themselves standing in front of unit 401, which Meya promptly helped herself inside.

Previously she had asked for permission, but now that permission had been granted it was no longer necessary to ask each time, especially considering that she was going to stay inside the unit itself.

“Little X!”

Meya called out as she looked around for the boy.

Little X?

Seamstress Cai did not recognize the name.

Even though guests often used fake names, they rarely changed the fake name that they used. Since this was the first time hearing the name, Seamstress Cai assumed that this person wasn’t a regular and was just passing through.

But if they are just passing through Moldun, then how did they get this room? Either this person has a very powerful background or…

She glanced at Meya who wandered off in search for the missing Little X. The woman knew that Meya worked the front desk all night, which led her to suspect something was amiss.

“Eep!”

A subdued peep broke the seamstress out of her thoughts. She started towards Meya, who locked eyes with her from a distance. She held a finger over her lips in a shushing manner.

Seamstress Cai unconsciously made lighter steps as if she were trying to conceal her presence.

“He’s sleeping.”

Meya whispered and gestured towards a chair positioned to face the beautiful view of the city. Seamstress Cai’s curiosity was piqued as she crept around the back of the chair.

Standing next to Meya, she inspected the sleeping guest.

Her eyes traced his features intensely, even forgetting to breathe. It was an image carved from the most captivating dream, and it was sleeping just in front of her.

Her job was to design clothes that complimented the body.

Measurements were the foundation of crafting a unique design befitting the client. Some body shapes were able to wear certain styles better than others, and she was an expert at envisioning that perfect picture.

Her eyes lit up, instantly taking in every one of his physical dimensions. Even though his frame was somewhat hidden beneath oversized clothes, it was delicately proportioned nonetheless.

Her thoughts accelerated as design after design flashed through her head.

Details that she never considered important suddenly became paramount as she mentally pieced together her thoughts. Lost in her epiphany, a formless aura soon radiated from her body.

A small chime dinged in the woman’s mind.

“No way…”

She uttered in shock.

“Seamstress Cai?”

Meya questioned her strange reaction.

“After all these years…”

Tears formed in the corners of the woman’s eyes.

“Are you okay?”

Meya had never seen Seamstress Cai behave in this way. It was unnerving to say the least.

“Am I okay? I am better than okay. In fact, this young man will be the last client I ever take.”

Seamstress Cai smiled gently.

“Oh okay good… Wait, whaaat?!”

Meya’s voice rose another pitch after processing Seamstress Cai’s words.

Due to the loud noise, the sleeping youth’s eyes fluttered open to a state of alert. Any man would have enjoyed waking up to the sight of two beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, the appreciation went missed and was instead replaced with apprehension.

Nestled tightly within the depths of the large and comfortable chair, the boy quickly found himself in a rather awkward and embarrassing situation. He quickly remembered that he was supposed to be waiting for Meya to come back, but exhaustion overtook him just as soon as she left.

He sat up straight, crossing his legs over each other.

“Young man, my name is Roanne Cai. I’ve been the seamstress for the Flowering Lotus Hotel for some years now. Even though I only work through the hotel, I am still one of the best within the city. Or at least, I was. I will be working with you as my final client before I leave this place.”

Roanne gave a slight bow, which caused Meya to give a double take.

In all the years she had been around Seamstress Cai, she had never seen her willingly bow to anyone.

“Seamstress Cai, I don’t understand.”

“Hmm?”

Roanne turned to the young girl.

“W-Why are you leaving this place? Is this hotel not good enough anymore? Is it because I asked you for this favor?”

Meya’s voice grew smaller and smaller.

“I don’t want you to leave me…”

A fragile silence hung in the air, leaving the boy very confused as he quietly eyed the two woman.

“Silly child.”

Roanne filtered her fingers through Meya’s hair.

“Just because I am no longer a seamstress doesn’t mean that we aren’t connected anymore. I am simply moving on from this job as it has fulfilled its purpose.”

The seamstress placed her hand on Meya’s shoulder and smiled brightly. The young girl’s ears perked up.

“But why are you quitting then? It doesn’t make any sense. You’ve been the seamstress for as long as I can remember, and you’re really good at it. The hotel pays you very well, and everyone here respects you a lot!”

Roanne shook her head.

“Everything you said is true. However, do you know why I became a seamstress?”

“To make money and be independent?”

Meya replied with all the reasons that Seamstress Cai tried to use in the past in order to teach Meya the profession.

“Perhaps money and independence is incentive for some. However for me it was my trial…”

Meya was stunned once she heard the word trial.

“You mean the tower’s trial?”

Mistress Cai nodded.

“That’s correct. My trial for the first floor of the tower was to become an innovative clothing designer. When I first entered the tower… I didn’t know a thing about fashion or creating clothing. It’s been many years since that day. I had all but given up on the tower’s trial, until I met this young man here.”

Meya was shocked upon hearing the bizarre trial that Mistress Cai had received.

“Meya, child, what’s your trial? Perhaps you have forgotten due to your growth, but never settle here. If you never pursue your dreams and ambitions then you will be forever tied down in the trenches of the unremarkable.”

“My trial…”

Meya mumbled before holding her hand out and briefly closed her eyes.

A few seconds later, a small token materialized in the palm of her hand. The token was smooth and flawless.

Roanne gently closed the girl’s fingers over the token.

“Don’t lose sight Meya. Follow the trial that’s been engraved into your soul crystal. Understand?”

The two women made eye contact for what seemed an eternity. Eventually, Meya adopted a look of determination, which allowed the older woman to finally set down her worries.

“Once I leave here, you’ll have to work hard in order to follow me to the second floor of the tower. Don’t make me wait too long little girl.”

Meya nodded her head before noticing a very confused boy out the corner of her eye.

“Oh! Sorry, this is Little X. As you can see he needs new clothes. These ones are simply too big and worn out. Now that I’m looking at them, how did these clothes even get into this state? Look at these tears here and over there. It’s like you fought for months in a series of life and death battles.”

While Meya may have been joking about how the clothes had been ruined, Mistress Cai was in fact inspecting the tears herself. Her eyes narrowed in thought with a serious expression.

Life and death battles… might not be far from the truth.

Being an expert in the craft of clothing also meant she was able to discern the multitude of ways that the clothes become damaged. The different jagged rips definitely came from claws, fangs, or other sources of combat. However, she didn’t mention anything.

“Tsk. You really should take better care of your clothing in the future young man.”

Roanne gave the boy a stern look.

“If I find that you’re mistreating the clothing I make for you, I’ll hunt you down myself and make sure you run around the city naked for a week. If you can’t take care of the clothing you wear then you don’t deserve it.”

The young boy silently gulped.

She’s scary.

He secretly thought while nodding his head in agreement.

“Great!”

Mistress Cai clapped her hands together before walking towards the exit.

“I’ll have your clothes ready later today. They’ll be free of charge. Consider them a gift for taking care of this silly girl.”

She waved her hand before slipping out of the room, leaving behind the bewildered pair.

They’re free?

The boy thought, while Meya’s mind was elsewhere.

Who’s taking care of who?!