_ Death is the punishment for rule breakers

It was tense, the atmosphere in the duplex as the gawking eyes of the matron scrutinize all the girls one after the other.

From their heads to toes.

Afina felt uncomfortable being sized up with such a distasteful gaze which almost devoured her confidence.

The matron it seemed somehow recognized her.

She knew because of the way the look in her eyes changed from pleasure to displeasure when she saw her after sizing the other girls.

The pause in the matron's countenance made the other girls search for the object of her mercurial temperament when they discovered that it was Afina whom the matron had awarded a minute of intense glare.

That led to the meticulous shakes of the head from the other girls.

Why was it so bad to be the girl that she was in this high house? Afina wished she could yell out loud and smear some of her spit on the matron's polished face.

After a malicious clear of her throat, the matron began to address them and all attention was torn away from Afina.

Finally!

"You do know your lives will not remain the same after being appointed as a maid of the high house of our benevolent prince Cargan, do you?" her euphonic voice reached the ears of Afina and the other nineteen girls that should be her age who were equally dressed in a matching straight blue satin skirt that barely reaches below their buttocks and a clear white shirt tucked in a formal way under into the spaces left by their stomach in the pencil skirts.

There was no response from any of them, they all looked on at the older woman– listening with mighty attention as she delivers the usual welcoming speech to the rookies in the high house. A speech that was not so welcoming in Afina's terms.

Even though their heads were slightly bowed, Afina allowed her eyes to take a risky peek at the faces of the other girls to see if there were just any of them like her.

Any who had a smug expression like herself, and who also seem to not be too excited to be here. But what did she find?

All of the other girls have a fulfilled countenance as though their greatest wish had just been granted by a genie.

What was so great about being a high house scholar anyway? The post was presented as a post of maids since they would serve under the prince's wives for a while but she and everyone else knew the post was actually called 'the high house scholars post'.

"There are rules that must be obeyed at all costs, rules that contain a sole punishment for its breakers. Anyone knows what the punishment could be?" the matron crossed a leg over the other in her standing position, maintaining still the royalty composure at which she stood.

If any of the girls knew the answer, none made mention.

The Matron, as if the silence her question generated was the only answer she wanted smiled, her red-painted lips slacking with the movement of her face to deliver the cute smile. " Good," she breathed. "I see we have picked well. Know that all questions from me are rhetorical and I hate to be interrupted as I speak so, discard any of my question-like statements and only listen to me with rapt attention."

What sort of woman was this? Afina was getting irritated already. No wonder her name preceded her. The great Matron of the high house was one of the personalities known across the sandline.

" Death is the punishment for any who breaks the laws I am about to list out. Punishments for other offenses will be bargained but not for this, not for who breaks the house laws." she further affirmed, her voice rising.

Hell - can the woman just list the darn rules already?! Afina wished she could cry out that but considering the dying state their financial life was back at home, she wanted to do this one thing Mama Xylia wanted.

For her to become a distinct divine person of the high house, the heavens had already blessed her with a green qi- one of the reasons why she made her way here even with the large number of divine maidens that had enlisted for the posts.

Although, mama Xylia's sacrifice was the greatest ingredient that prompted her success on the list.

The Matron's voice reverberated and sent Afina's thoughts on a marathon. She allowed herself to listen to the rules as she was determined to make no mistakes. She would definitely make Mama Xylia's sacrifice worth it.

" Rule number one to five- all events witnessed by a maid in the high house shall remain with them and not to reach the ears of another, never ever!" the Matron delivered sternly.

Rule number one to five?

The high house must have some dirty secrets for confidentiality to be accorded that much attention. Not that rumors didn't fly around anyway.

The princes were unholy vessels cursed with a red qi, that was what the everyday whisperings carried whenever things gets harder in the line.

Also, that prince Cargan was a flirty monster. Some of the rumors carried the news that all the princes were monsters. That they have allowed the demons associated with having a red qi to take over their soul.

The matron continued the speech while Afina reprimanded herself to listen and not slip away. If she missed any of the rules and errs, mama Xylia and father Atticus would forever shed tears of sorrow – earth could barely hold the diverse ocean their tears would have concocted.

And— she did not want that.

" Now onto rule number six. Rule number six; a high-house scholar must adapt to any situation whether it is a comfortable one or not regardless of your background at home. Remember, you are in the high house now and that makes you nothing. To be something here, you fight your way up, and I think that relies solely on the usage of your powers that is why only the best were chosen. We also considered entries from other lines because we want to explore firsthand how it looks like to use the tree element" she pointed to the tree line girl. "And the flame element" she pointed at Afina.

Explore?

"We feel confident having under us girls from other lines. Yet, we made sure to pick only the best among them. Rule number seven- never involve in any activity that might dispute your title as cultured divine maidens. Any action that goes against the high house rules will lead to the disqualification of individuals involved." she finished.

The shitty rules were over?

All glory to the divine lord!

"Disqualification will apply to offenses apart from the first five of course," the matron added with a smile. "Now, answer me. Understood?" she demanded.

"Yes, ma!" Afina asserted.

To her surprise, the other girls struck a bow and spoke ever so softly. "Yes, divine matron Valentina!"

Damn! such conspiracy!

No one told her about the responding tactic.

All eyes turned to her and the matron gave a disapproval shake of her head again. "Pay no attention to the blue-haired girl. She will learn the hard way." She heard the woman say.

Oh, Afina hates her!

Sorry, mama Xylia. Hating the matron is inevitable!

With a click of her fingers, seventeen more maids emerged from the doors of the rooms on the first floor which they all were.

The maids walked to join the other three who had been standing in the living room before.

"I will give you the welcoming grace of picking your personal maids." the matron smiled.

What in the world was going on?

Were they not like the ones who came to be maids? Why were they being appointed maids instead?