Inability
Jingyi watched Linmin's swift handling of multiple utensils, switching in between them with a most bewildering confidence and speed that was making the girl sweat, was she expected to get as good as that? No, she could scratch that, even if the expectation was only to be half as good, she wasn't sure she could meet it, the foppoof was actually in the zone right now, the instant he began cooking, it was like he ascended to a different level of existence.
The pale girl had used to cook for her mother in the past, but it was just surface level stuff that even children could do, and furthermore, it had been a long while since she had actually done anything that could actually be called cooking, and what was happening before her eyes was even above that.
The cuts of meat were being prepared and sliced thoroughly before even seeing the cookware, Linmin had claimed that he just going to prepare 'simple' steaks, and he had seemed completely serious about it too, thankfully, the second wife wasn't going to throw the new maid into the kitchen alone for a while, if ever, considering how much fun he seemed to be having there, right now, Jingyi was simply observing and doing the simpler stuff under the watchful gaze of Linmin.
"Good, that's very good… Not bad at all for your first day, but do relax, I can that you are all tense… Say, what technique do you cultivate?" eventually, the second wife put the steaks to cook slowly as dinner wasn't quite for now, it was still a bit more than an hour away.
"I… I don't cultivate anything, when I try to do so, I get a sharp pain in my heart and I can't move for at least a day…" she replied, although she would usually say that she was just too incompetent to cultivate like others, or that it was because she had a fragile constitution, although the latter was true, she didn't actually believe that it was the real reason.
This time, she told the truth upfront not for any rational reason, but simply because it just seemed like Linmin would know if she lied.
"Is that so? Maybe you just have a weird physique, bloodline or something else that requires a specific type of technique? Did you have yourself tested for those?" leaving the meat to slowly cook by itself, the servant wife led Jingyi to the main dinner room, featuring a table that made it seem they were expecting multiple families to come by, but it was merely in anticipation of the future.
"...I… I was not, actually, can I really be the cause?" suddenly, she felt like an idiot for not even thinking of the possibility, in fact, why had no one ever thought of the possibility? She had told the truth to Yi and Li, andneither had ever seemed to even suspect that this might be the case?
It was… Weird… Like even thinking about it was wrong and abnormal…
"But don't worry about that for now, Jingyi, I'll ask Lord Edrick to get some tests for you, for now, watch how to properly set the table! Once again, we are a household of high nobility, the Elt family isn't only an ancient clan of cultivators, but also a family that has received titles of nobility from the crown, simply being of Elt blood grants one true noblehood, and naturally, once Lord Edrick is done with his initial training, he'll go and earn himself his very own titles without a doubt!"
Linmin clapped his hands.
"As such, the presentation of the table needs to be perfect, it must be good enough that the king could sit down at this very table, the different silverwares have to be in the right order, on the right side of the plates, and from certain distances from one another, take this ruler, I am confident you'll learn to do without it, but for now, be sure to check-"
Linmin went over many details, ranging from the tablecloth, to the fact that the patriarch was seated on one end of the table, and if they received someone of status, then they would be seated on the opposite end.
"Also, if a guest speaks poorly to you, or tries to touch you, report it to Lord Edrick, now that you work in this house, you are his property, and no one but him is allowed to do such things to what is his, in fact, if a guest behaves inappropriately, and they aren't of high status, you can beat them up!"
"I- I see…" she almost wanted to comment on the 'property' part, but had to acknowledge that this was probably how servants were viewed on average, although they weren't slaves by any means, they weren't exactly allowed much either and were, in fact, pretty much belongings to the one employing them.
Linmin checked afterward to see if she had done everything as told, and beamed a subtle smile.
"Very good, you are actually doing much better than I had hoped, you are actually setting a very high standard for the maids that will be coming in after you… By the way, you are actually the very first maid of this household, in a sense, that makes you the headmaid, you'll probably have to take charge of others in the future, do you think you can do it?"
"I don't think I could be leader right now"
"Honesty is a very good trait to have, don't worry, your training will make you into a great headmaid, but you'll probably be the only one for a little while, there is one that is lined up for certain Lord Edrick, and a few that me and the other wives are thinking to offer jobs to, but it will probably take a little while for any of that to come to fruition"
"You still seem a bit stressed, tired from stress perhaps? Why don't you lie down in your room? I'll come and fetch when it is time for dinner, you'll have to stand behind Lord Edrick, to his right and be ready to follow any order from him, alright?"
They arrived before the bedroom, and mysteriously, just next to the door, there was a plaque now, which read :
'Headmaid Jingyi'
'When was this put here? And when was it even made?' the white haired girl was certain that Linmin had not done it, but he didn't seem to find it strange, so it seemed like it wasn't surprising.
"Oh, and although you can't cultivate, here are some cultivation techniques, they are nothing but parlour tricks compared to real techniques, but they are important nonetheless, so read them in preparation for when you'll be able to cultivate, I am certain that Lord Edrick will find a way for you to do so" Linmin smiled at her and closed the door before Jingyi could respond, leaving her alone her dark room, which only faint rays of light peering through the only window.
'Pleasure Eel Pore Opening Technique, Flesh Sanctum Cleansing, Erotic Cauldron and Resilient Manikin? These… I guess I shouldn't hope too much…" she could only pray that he would go easier on her now that she was his maid.
'Where even is he right now?'