Author Note: Still active. Really sorry for the unscheduled Hiatus; a lot of things came up.

Still trying figure the story ahead so I don't hit so many writer's blocks.

I hope this chapter is good enough for the long wait.

Waiting On Her

Have we met?

Chapter 8: The Maid Interview

Klein walked along the table distributing sealed envelopes to each of the nine young women. The tenth one still sat out in front in her isolated chair; her hiding forehead peaked over the envelope, the cold gazes of Jacques and Weiss were felt penetrating the envelope. Ruby turned her pleading face over her shoulder, she said to Klein: "I would like to go back. Back there if possible, please!"

Klein spun around, a warm and cheerful aura enshrouded him. "Young miss, I would argue that you situated yourself in a predicament that has offered you a great and insightful opportunity if you stay there."

Ruby turned back around, her bowing head underscoring a defeated sigh.

"You should listen to him." the quiet voice of Weiss brought Ruby to look up. The Heiress remain completely still. With her gaze passing through Ruby, she wasn't even sure if Weiss spoke at all.

A longer held gaze at the stoic heiress had Ruby accidentally catching the stern eyes of Jacques, he lean in slightly. "If I were you, I would listen to him. You may had screwed up but perhaps you be the perfect one to be broken and molded into a model servant. I seen Klein do it before."

Ruby uneasily nodded, and resigned to hear Klein's request of opening the envelope and studying the inside continents for rules and ethics that will be engaged while on the manor grounds. She opened the envelope, slipping her hand inside she felt nothing, she peeked inside and found it empty. Ruby panicked and turned around again, then she saw all the others in the same predicament: All asking questions to Klein in increasing stress.

There was a satisfied smugness in Klein's smile that clashed with his happy disposition. "Rules in the Schnee household are subject to change, so why write them up?"

The young women at the table shared the same bewilderment. Jacques leaned over his table, his stare frighten Ruby and she cowed as Jacques saw past her and into the women and their murmuring chorus. He addressed them, "You don't have the job yet-So why would you need the rules? This is an interview; have you not been in one yet? When and if, you are considered for the job, you'll be allowed to go over the terms of agreement between staff and family."

Klein spoke up, "I have served the Schnee household for a decade now, in that time I have achieved an extensive system of rules and consequences for fellow staff, present and future, to fall back on. But a good servant always adheres to common sense, and the will of their masters."

Jacques stood up as if on cue, his knees carelessly bumped into the underside of the table and lifted the surface against Weiss' elbows, the shake resonated her upper body to her face where the precarious glasses bounced off the bridge of her nose and into the air. The glasses tumbled in loops in the air above Weiss who watched its fragile trajectory in anticipated horror, Ruby lazily looked above and saw and felt something land on her fair nose. Ruby found her vision blurred, she delicately inspected and found the glasses frame resting on her nose bridge, Weiss showed quiet relief and a tentative look at Ruby.

Ruby looked back and forth at the glasses and then at Weiss, though the lenses were without scratch or smudges they seemed highly expensive, Ruby felt only right to cleaned it with her red scarf and just as quickly handed back it back to its owner while wearing a sheepish grin. There was no fuss or a hurry to take it. Weiss showed an unreadable face at Ruby before gently taking it back and readjusting it back on her face.

"Thank you." Weiss said hesitantly, she snapped to her right without another word and followed her father through the red curtains of the stage.

'Sad', Ruby had finally found the word on how she felt around Weiss.

Ruby reported back to Klein who announced to the women to give their full attention to him and follow him out the door.

Ruby held her eyes to herself, right behind her were the other young women out of their high-maintenance clothing and into the modest attire of the maid uniform provided for them. After they left the interview room the Secretary showed up and implanted herself into the interview. The unique interview took them into a false wall that was a part of a hidden room full of lockers, the beige walls with its angled roof created a constricted atmosphere. Each locker was assigned a clean and pressed blue dress, white frilly apron and hair band. Klein stood alone in the hallway while the Secretary personally explain some information to the young women.

The small changing room was a handful of such similar rooms that were only a fraction of the hidden labyrinth inside the Schnee manor. Dozens of rooms built for different domestic purposes, connected by a web of corridors used exclusively by the staff: hidden doors in false walls throughout the manor to ensure they (the staff) would pop up when needed. The labyrinth was already used by the current staff while the interview conducted. For the interview, only this room would be used and only four of them will use the room again.

The Secretary finished explaining and left to join Klein in the hallway, leaving the room to the women to change. Ruby stuck herself on the isolated corner of the farthest locker row. She was shy, young, and very much still respected the privacy of her physical image; no doubt if she had to share a room with others, at the very least a curtain surrounding her bed would be needed. The wish for her older sister's protection was called briefly, then the thought of Yang making fun or adoring-whichever was worse-her in the maid uniform shot that wish down in its infancy.

The young women were now lining out the door and back into the hallway, Ruby took her chance to change, all the while hoping that her lagging behind wasn't noticed. The nine young women gathered around Klein in a half circle of blue and white. Ruby adjusted her apron as the door behind sealed with slight hiss, the closing door spooked her.

"Careful," the Secretary stepped over to Ruby. "While relatively easy to use, the hidden access door is a little challenging to the initial new to find and open. And with it closing by proxy sensors there is still cases with the door closing on loose cloth."

"Sorry. It," Ruby flopped the dress apron around. "gets some getting use to."

"Hmm." the Secretary turn her head to Klein in subtle gesture to Ruby.

"Dress for the job you want." said Klein. "Though, only four of you will have that privilege."

'No pressure.' Ruby pensively rubbed the edges of the apron, the long, blue dress that past her knees to her ankles wasn't something that she was accustomed to; and the whole costume looked loose on her short frame didn't help. She began to look around at the others looking to take the job and how they fair against her.

One of the maid candidates raise their hand high above the group. Klein turn to her and she spoke, "Wouldn't this interview go better if our resumes were reviewed, instead of...actually dressing up?"

"Miss Raskopf- the president's secretary-has taken to dutifully review hundreds of resumes, and has pick you ten to participate in this interview. But that was only the first threshold." Klein said. "If you truly want this job then you would need to adopt the lifestyle of the Schnee manor first hand. I give you all an honest butler's word that this will be enlightening experience." he pivoted away from them, "Please follow me to our first trial, fair ladies."

A march of footsteps followed Klein and the Secretary down the hallway. As they pressed ahead, Ruby fell behind with the clumsiness of the maid outfit still a fresh challenge, she tried adjusting the clothing numerous times but still ended with sagging shoulders and a loose collar. The group moved at a brisk pace as Ruby awkwardly walked and twisted and turned her torso, standing at the end of an intersection hallway was Jacques and Weiss waiting to meet them. Ruby's slumbering stubborn nature showed itself when a final pull meant for her collar ended up pulling herself forward for an uncontrollable roll across the floor that pushed Ruby into the forefront of the group, and to the attention of her potential employers. Unexpectedly, Ruby grip the edges of her dress and curtsy respectively to them; but in reality, it was an absent minded attempt to stay on her feet after the dizzying experience.

Jacques nodded approving in his stern way. "Despite your earlier delinquency, you're willing to show the right respect when presented. Keep it up."

Ruby's spinning eyes stopped, Weiss and her unreadable face looking back at her became clear after the dizzying vision blur. Ruby nervously smiled which saw Weiss' face lighten around cheeks, Ruby felt like she deciphered a relatable feeling inside the heiress. But Weiss' dismissive sigh and the long walk away was its own admonish to Ruby.

Klein strolled past Ruby, glancing from the side. "Right, well, let's hope the respect can translated to good work ethic, for every candidate here. We shall see to that with a series of tasks that will make up the main interview. With the help of young lady Weiss." he turn to Weiss with a knowing look and she silently nodded back at him. "And permission from the house-head." he then turn to Jacques who rolled his eyes and nodded. "Well then,"

Weiss set an ominous tone that invited the potential maids to watch her silently explore the hallway; Klein began to walk alongside Weiss, sharing the nose high admiration of the hallway filled with rather expensive taste of impersonal items that included furniture, vases and fragile artistic figures, subject paintings, and other statues and display knight armor. Their traipse stopped, both turn to respectively face an armor knight and marvel statue of a fencing figure; each figure holding real weapons-a broadsword and a saber-which were removed of by Lady and Butler. And what soon began was an elegant display of hedonistic destruction of property.

Ruby's jaw dropped as Klein heaved the steel broadsword from the knight and clashed against the armor, he steadied the blade from the crushed remains and ran it down the hallway. The maids including Ruby felt their lower jaws unhinged when Weiss made the saber in her hand dance so fast that it was only seen in flashing glints, and when she held the thin blade solid, the marvel statue burst into white powder.

'How?!' Ruby shouted in the walls of her mind. The dainty looking heiress strode on her side of the hall and left a wake of destruction, nothing was safe from the flicking of her saber bisecting vases and tearing paintings and their frames. Klein caused an upheaval of his own with his broadsword splintering wooden furniture and ripping across the wallpaper.

At the end, both Weiss and Klein stood stoically in the middle of their quick work, a heavy haze of debris, fragments, and shredded wallpaper fell silently around them. Weiss and Klein dropped their instruments of demolition and walked back. The maids watched bug-eyed, the once elegant decorated hallway reduce to an ugly mess.

"Good help are always waiting to clean up a mess; whether a piece of lint, or a surprise mishap. Good help are reasonable with a given request. Good help are expected to solve the problems of their field with good heads on their shoulders." said Klein. "So how about we demonstrate our first trial: I expect this hallway back to the pristine condition that it was, by any means you can think off. No method to complex or simple will rebuke, ladies."

"What? You cannot be serious." the woman who raised her hand from before snapped. The other maids still in the mixture of shock and horror.

Klein said without a hint of a joke, "I assure you that this request is very reasonable. This has happen many times before. We wouldn't push anything out of the realm of a maid. We need this hall clean, and need it done now."

In midst of the hesitation Jacques spoke,"This is not even a drop in the pocket for me as this happens more than I want to admit, but I don't tolerate waste of time either, do as he says."

Over the murmurs of contemplation, the one woman resigned with a dismissive snort and promptly left, loudly proclaiming to head for another job. Jacques chuckle derisively, he then turn to the remaining women. "Any others?"

The maids did a simultaneous shake of their heads and turn to assessed the damage. This was impossible. The common consensus was not where to start but how. Ruby watch as the women began to pick up chunks in theirs hands and not know what to do next, while they felt the pressure loom over them in the form of Klein and Jacques, Ruby felt like they were there to observe rather than wait for the task to be completed. The older men had the same observational gaze Ruby had always saw in Yang when leaving her to try and solve her own problems.

Ruby pondered in the middle of the room. 'They expect us to clean this, and watch us all day? And they done this before? No. Maybe we're just overthinking this.'

"You." Jacques pointed at Ruby, she didn't realize that she made herself the only one just standing around. "Are you planning on leaving as well?"

"No." Ruby responded calmly. "But you said this happens a lot. So, isn't there like, some kind of specialize crew who has experience on this, that we can call?"

"I do." said Jacques.

"And you may." Klein said, he began walking towards the corner of the wall, he then pressed his knuckles on a small section that receded to square recess, in place of it a holographic com materialized He lean in a spoke brief words.

On the other side a false wall gave way a door, as soon as it open a horde of servants in white coveralls poured into the hallway, they carried equipment to repair the biggest and even the smallest cuts, carrying identical furniture and expensive items to replace the damaged and destroyed. After two minutes of work that felt like five seconds they went back to the false wall and disappeared. The hallway was like nothing had ever happened; even the blades were back with knight and fencing figure. Again, the maids were left stammering, but Ruby looked impressed.

Klein smiled at them. "You all must not see us as unreasonable. We are to scout for simple help staff, certainly not magical maidens to conjure up the impossible. The Schnee household is run tip-top by a well organized staff of servants with their own abilities and duties assigned to them. That being said, asking for help among each other is encouraged, never be afraid to ask to shoulder the problem. However we stride to be, nothing is perfect, accidents happen and that is why communications to other staff members exist in corners of every hallway in the manor like so. All accident no matter how big or small should be reported here."

"'Accident', sure." Jacques beckoned Weiss to his side. They began walking the clean hall to a door to another hallway.

Ruby wasn't sure she liked the tone her potential employer hinted at.

"It is just the trials life brings." Klein addressed nervously to them. "Speaking of trials, the next task of a good servant is to know the daily life of their master. Particularly, the young lady of the house."

The beginning of a song strung from the violin played for an unintended audience. Weiss sat comfortably on blue cushions of a silver colored chair frame, in the middle of a corner room specify for music study, Weiss did as she has always implied to do and practice.

The maids stood lined up on the raised level that bordered the open archway entrance of the corner room. Upon arrival Weiss took the violin from a stand, propping it and sat down, she place the delicate neck of the instrument on hers and soon began playing. Ruby was mesmerized by the music. The first rhythmic notes were brittle and distant and played with the cold blue and white accents of the room; mournful music that Ruby in her younger days would image being played in the beginning of a bleak start to an unfolding story, before the hero made their heroic entrance.

Soft strings made a quirky sound during an adjustment which were quickly forgotten by the transition towards a complex piece. Weiss shut her eyes in a pointed scowl, breathing chest raising the instrument with every draw of the bow, trying hard to focus. Her dedication was seen in admiration by Ruby, her music was something else but the fact she was so casual and patient in front of an audience inspired Ruby of the public confidence she felt she had little of.

Ruby and the rest of the maids were told of a lesson they must learn: They must cater to a family member's comfort and whim, even if it's not put across by words, even if it's in the middle of their hobby or activity. They must read the body language and social cues of their masters. Weiss ended her practice in an inspire jubilant note. She still held the instrument and turn her head to right whereupon opening them met Ruby. The stare of icy blue and innocent silver held for a prolonged second that ended in Ruby blinking from the surprise meet, opening them saw Weiss scanning across the room to her father who was just outside archways of the corner room and in a much larger space room that the corner room occupied. Jacques was the only one facing away, giving a list of orders to the Secretary. Although Weiss' expression did not change, Ruby felt the sadness that she place on the heiress as more obvious.

A long plane mirror was prop in front of Weiss, the reflection helped her better position and pose for her daily recitals; but now Weiss remained motionless, just watching the reflection stare back. It brought an unsettling quietness, Ruby noticed that most of the young women to her side felt the same, but unexpectedly, two maids were shoving shoulders against each other-glowering and arguing. Klein did brought to mind to all the maids just before they entered the room that they are in competition with each other. Both women clearly had embraced that idea long before; bickering and bantering on the current lesson of who would complete the task.

The rivals took their competition to Weiss while still shoulder to shoulder, stopping in front Weiss she slowly turn to face the troublesome two. In between the grinding of their teeth they said together: "Would you like any refreshments, Miss Schnee?!"

Weiss stood up, her eyelids pointed slightly enough to tell she was annoyed by their arguing and overall rudeness. "What do you two think you are doing? I had never made a gesture that I needed something, so please stand back in line until call forth."

Klein made a stern path to them, he snap his fingers at them, he only partially gain their immature glares. He shown a red glare of his own. He shouted: "Alright! We don't need you two lasses around making a shouting match in here. So get!" his warning, angered bellow had them saucer eyes before they scurried off.

An audible gulp resonated from the rest of the maids. The quietness return briefly, the loud growl from a stomach soon ended that. Weiss' face became flush from the obvious stares on her.

"Right." Klein did his best to contain his doting smile. "It is almost time for lunch. Which brings use to our next task,"

'Don't eat it, don't eat it, don't eat it!' Ruby cried out in her mind. A basket of strawberries before her and a nice young woman next to her that she did not want to disappoint made the basket more enticing. Ruby thought back on how it started.

The next task brought the maid candidates to one of the handful of kitchens of the hidden labyrinth, the numerous kitchens were compensated by its small size accommodating only a select few staff.

Klein stood front of the kitchen area, the father and daughter behind him, the Secretary motionless on the corner like an observing fly on the wall. "I have mention that the staff of the Schnee manor prides itself in being a well oiled machine when it comes to many different responsibilities. The old saying rings true for this household: 'There is no I in team'. For this exercise pairs will be created for specific localized situations common for staff at large."

The room while small was long with rows of six table counters that each held cook-tops and a sink. Ventilation hoods hung common kitchen utensils over them from tile ceiling, the four corners of yellow washed walls brought to mind the color of egg yolk; Ruby thought it fitting. Ruby felt the heated stare coming from Klein and she snap her attention back him.

Klein continued, "Cooks and chefs are rarely absent, but if any are, then it is up to butlers and maids of good quality to temporarily take up the helm; making breakfast, brunch, lunch, and supper at any moment's notice or especially if requested. This scenario is doubtful to ever transpire. Nevertheless, you are to handle and know very well the food you'll be serving. So I hope you have experience in preparing a meal because for this lesson you will be offering your best to your potential masters-if you don't have experience, try a taste test first."

"Try not to kill us." Jacques said dryly. Some of the maids chuckled awkwardly until his sour face stayed long after. "I'm not joking."

Once again Klein brought the spirit of competition over their heads, the pool was to be eliminated as the senior staff member saw fit, and if none of the batch met the satisfaction then so be it. Ruby did want this job but the kind heart of her's wish her competitors a fair fight at the position, if she failed at least it be her own misfortune. Klein then announced that for this particular task, two would be selected to work together.

Klein began announcing names out in random, pairing were created and they assigned themselves a table. Ruby had never much experience working with others-other than group projects of educational curriculum that always ended up with her working by herself-and she in fact gotten used to the idea of working alone; she often envision herself as lone warrior, taking on trouble alone. Ruby had a better experience with Jaune, but she felt lucky to have an understanding (and forgiving) guy like him, and she doubted she find another in the person pair up with her. Confidence zapped right out of her, and Ruby felt the nervous wave crash over like so many times, worsening as the names dwindling down to her and an older girl.

"Umm?" Ruby twitched and turn her head to the short man tilting his rounded head at her, looking as if he is guessing at something. The Secretary leaned in his ear and discreetly with covered mouth whispered.

"Ah! Ruby Rose," he then pivoted to the other candidate left, "and Peony Oophaga. Would you two ladies please pair up and take a vacant table."

Ruby faced the older girl, she moved a quick nod Ruby's way and a tiny and graceful smile that was enough to calm the nerves of the younger girl. Or just to set up a bigger failure later on.

A time limit was placed with an egg timer set at thirty minutes, Ruby watched it from its place on the front table on the right row. The rest of the women were working ingredients for a simple enough meal as the strict time would allow, Ruby turn her side and saw her partner, Peony, chopping vegetables and itemizing them.

Peony paused midway and met Ruby with a pleasant smile. "Would you fetch that pot, fill with water and heated up, for us, miss?"

"Umm sure, yeah." Ruby investigated under the counter and found it without much trouble. Filling the pot and heating it until the water bubbled, Peony cheerfully asked her to look for a steamer basket and set, which Ruby did-and she went back to waiting.

Ruby felt bad she couldn't find a way to advertise her skills in the kitchen. They were provided with meats, vegetables, sauces and spices to make for a light meal, lunch as it was specified. And while she could only think of one or two recipes to impress, Peony had already started, and Ruby fell into the subordinate role. Ruby delegated herself to Peony's whim for the sake of cooperation, she could only help by waiting on an order. Ruby felt quite useless.

"I think a nice and ordinary salad without too much fuss would be a good enough. Wouldn't you agree? Or do you have a suggestion, I'll gladly hear it." Peony asked sincerely.

Ruby was given a chance to contribute, she didn't want to disappoint; which of course feed that nervous feeling in her. Ruby eyed the variety of fruits set up in green plastic baskets, organized in a rainbow of colors and sizes that had her beg herself not to eat the strawberries. Her indecisiveness let her back to the older girl.

Peony was a girl in her late teens, not much older than Ruby, who had an occupying vibe of responsibility to her. During the pause for Ruby's reply, Peony tried not get her juice covered hands from touching her hair, a curly ponytail of orange swirling with deep blue, a very complex hairstyle to mess up just for readjusting her frilly headband. Her light blue eyes were reassuring to Ruby that she could contribute any way she wanted.

"Can we add some fruit?" Ruby asked meekly, as if to expecting a 'No'.

Instead, Peony nodded positively while unloading the steamed vegetables from the steamer basket to a bowl for later mixing. Ruby spurred by Peony's okay started selecting a variety of sweet and tart fruits to add to the salad, together they prepared a bed of leafy spinach to complete it. As for the competition that was laid out to them, Peony and Ruby were actually ahead of everyone else.

On the right back row, two of the maids were whisking bowls for a pastry while moving, they kept pacing back and forth into each other until finally smashing together in an explosion of batter which splattered flammable mixture on the turned-on stove that started a chain reaction that chucked a tray of appetizers that made a mess of one of the maids in front. The maid promptly left the room in disgust, leaving her partner alone in defeat. The only other remaining pair of girls just stood around behaving accomplished despite not preparing anything.

Jacques scoffed at the poor competition, he turn back to his secretary, "Where on the world of Remnant did you search of this candidate? The bus stop? Train station?"

The Secretary adjusted her shining glasses. "Do you want another 'Daisy' incident? Then please, sir, trust me."

Jacques didn't offer a retort to the secretary, as he handpicked her to oversee his choices it would feel as if he question himself. He shook his head, in between holding his forehead Jacques saw his daughter quietly and timidly taking the opportunity to step aside from his side, he swiftly grasped her shoulder and brought her close again. Weiss stiffen her lip and her glazed eyes away from him as her father sternly stared daggers at her.

The maids that were not preoccupied with any work walked over to them. The two maids became the focus of the austere father and daughter because of their odd audacity. Jacques asked the two teenage girls before him, "And what do you two think you are doing? You were asked to make a meal."

The blue hair, dark skin girl step up. "Sir, after deliberating with my assigned partner Beck Melody for exactly one minute and forty-three seconds, we have come to the conclusion that the time and service would be better used in a real situation if we ask you both what you would want instead of choosing an ill guesswork." her brunette partner nodded silently.

"Good. You have a pass." Jacques said approvingly. He turn to the rest of the maids. "At least we have an act of professionalism. Why would I or any of my family members want guesswork to eat? We eat what we order."

Jacques held his daughter's shoulder with a tighter grip, they left the kitchen room, a sulking Klein followed them out. The rest of maids were left disappointed.

"That was for nothing?" Ruby asked Peony confused and a little hurt.

Peony, instead of showing the same crestfallen feeling, brought the tasty salad for two and beamed at Ruby. "Well, we have our lunch. I'll say that is just as plan for us."

Ruby was under pressure to keep up with the surprisingly light on his feet Klein, who was leading the handful of maid recruits in a quick tour of the interior of the manor which consisted of four building wings extending from the main building: inside there were hundreds of rooms, all huge sizes, dozens were made for specialized recreational activities. The father and daughter were having their own lunch at the behest of the Secretary. The maids' march made sure to burn calories from their lunch, and then some.

Klein pivoted and kept his feet stomping softly in place on the carpet floor. "Alright maids, we're only half way of the east wing tour. Come on now, this is all to prepare you all for the fast pace world of servitude."

Most of the women didn't responded, they huffed and wheezed, and some look downright crossed. Ruby was used to her youthful energy and unnatural speed carrying her on any activity, the unending pace of the tasking march and sheer journey through stacking stairs and continuing hallways that all look familiar made it seem like it went on forever made her very tired. Ruby realized that they were passing through the same hallway that they initially started from.

One of the maids tore her headband, stomped it on the ground once Klein informed them that they still have yet to be done, and she left a verbal complaint. And so the group as dwindled to just the four. Ruby had a lingering suspicion that she might be next to go on and quit.

The week long airship trip had tired her, a charged anxiety of up and leaving her home on a sure thing of a job quest that ended up being denied to her, compounded with the jet-lag. Anxiety and pressure started to zap energy from the girl but Ruby tried not show it on her face, her body, however, started to be writhe with muscle pain. Peony was next to Ruby, the other two were just behind the coattails of Klein, Ruby just wanted the day to end, back in her bed all the way back in Patch. Then she felt an arm latch under her underarm.

"Come on, miss." Ruby looked up see Peony, silently encouraging to stand up straight. "We didn't go this far to quit now."

Ruby nodded. Her developing smile was startled by a series of bangs against a hard surface and a loud commotion that surrounded it. Both girls turn to see all of the previous candidates huddled around the wall, inspecting for the hidden door into the changing room, and just letting out their frustrations in angered grunts. Klein wasn't impressed as he pushed himself into the crowd of failed maids and hurried to do as they wish so they may be out of his thinning hair once and for all.

"If I may say, this is an odd bunch." Peony said mirthfully.

Ruby smirked. "I feel a little better."

For the final task that was yet to be explain, the remaining four were led back to the original interview room; the darkness seem to obscure more of the features than before. Jacques, Weiss, and the Secretary haven't shown themselves yet for this last conduct. There was only Klein who stood in the middle of the empty stage. The remaining four were seated back around the long table, ready to hear the task.

Klein had his arms crossed, looking around seriously. "I haven't accounted for numbers to dwindle down so much. Even if we do hire all of you, there still the need to be another hiring batch. But don't expected to be hired right away because of our current circumstances. That is where our final task comes to hand." his serious face lighten, he snap his fingers, "Don't be alarmed. The last test starts now."

There was a blinding flash that was brief, all four maids instinctively stood up as their eyesight recovered. They were shock to see the room that they were in was now different. The room was that of the manor's foyer in its grand display, the red and the darkness of the room were replaced by the uniform colors of blue and white of the Schnee moniker. Much more surprising was the stage and its red dramatic curtains gone; Ruby and the others looked around and saw the table and chairs that were solid to them a moment ago vanished into thin air. As Ruby looked around she saw up in the banisters that led to twin spiraling stairways, Weiss and her father watching back stoically on the left side, at the far right the Secretary observed behind her shining glasses. It was hard to imagine they and everything else was hidden by that stage. But how was that possible?

"Just an old trick of mine." Klein showed high spirits, he was slowly gliding off the air from where the stage floor was and landed on the floor. He walked toward the maids and stopped in front of them. "A play on the eyes, the senses. These are valuable to service people. I don't have to remind you that in this line of work you have to keep your station tidy. Have a good scan around you, no moving around, just stay there, and tell me of any flaw in this room using only keen observation and your best judgment. Your hiring depends on one correct answer. Is this room clean: yes or no."

Ruby gulped. She already had gone this far in this interview, either through sheer luck or asking the right questions, now it's up to a good answer. Ruby began to turn her head to look around and saw the others doing as well. Peony had an inquisitive hold on her chin while focusing mainly on the doors and other entrances and exits, the most serious of the maids perform studious inspection of every minimalist furniture was admirable even if it was just too much, the quiet maid of the bunch shifted her brown hair left and right only once and was satisfied with a blank happy if clueless expression. Ruby did her best to see all around the room to see it just perfect-it was a shot in the dark answer, it's not like she ever been in a fancy place like this before-and she hope that was the right answer.

A minute passed and it was time. One by one, from right to left, Klein asked them for their answer. The answers seem to be outstanding once they gotten to Ruby, who felt exhausted by the end of it, felt confidence in her unanimous yes.

There wasn't any change in the butler's serious face, he turn around and went over the nearest table at the foothold of the right stairs, Klein looked over the oval surface which held an expense vase of Mistral origins, then he slapped vase off the table and it shattered in half on the hard surface floor. The loud clash surprise the maids. Klein wheeled to face them. He said bluntly, "I'm afraid you all were wrong. Flaws can happen at any time, always be on a look out. And also that vase was clearly a counterfeit." seemingly out of nowhere a pulled another vase from behind him and place on the table. "There we are!"

The Secretary silently glided over to Jacques, she consult him, in the middle of this Weiss tried to distance herself but was guided back by her father. The Secretary then traversed down the stairs, stopping half-way so she held higher ground over the maids. "Congratulations. I believe all of you are fit serve the world famous Schnee household." she said.

"To be honest," Klein tempered the maids excitement. "We needed four spots to be filled in. And while I don't doubt the skills of you four…" he rubbed the back of his head in a flustered manner.

All four girls look at one at each other; the limit of choices were obvious. Regardless, they were happy.

Back at the top of the upper level, Jacques turn his head to his secretary in tired frustration. "They're the only candidates who stuck? I might as well call in more interviews."

"Must you, sir?" the Secretary set a tired tone that worm its way into her boss, Jacques grown tired too.

"We'll see how it goes." Jacques turn to his daughter. "Tomorrow, Weiss, you make sure to approve of a Lady's Maid that won't distract you. I'll make sure of it myself."

Weiss stared at Ruby as the new maid silently celebrated. "Yes, father."

Author's end notes:

Let me know any spelling mistakes or grammar in pm or reviews, I'd appreciated.