The morning had barely begun when Chengyu was shaken by a flurry of voices.
"Mr. Chengyu, we're going in."
"We need to begin preparations."
He opened one eye.
Five maids were already surrounding his bed like a tactical unit, each holding a different brush, fabric, or bizarrely ornate container. Before he could mutter a single protest, his blanket was gone, the curtains were flung open, and someone was already pouring bathwater scented with rose and… something suspiciously expensive.
"Wait, I can handle it—"
No use. They had a schedule, and he was no longer part of the decision-making process.
By the time his mind caught up, he'd been scrubbed, dried, perfumed, and dressed in something so rich in texture and detail, it could probably pay off half a city's debt. The robes were thick and embroidered with imperial designs he couldn't name. Some kind of golden sash went over his shoulder, clasped with an insignia he'd never seen before.
He looked at himself in the mirror and frowned.
"This fabric alone could feed ten families. Why do I feel like I'm being sacrificed to the gods?"
The maids simply beamed, pleased with their work.
Once outside, the palace's front courtyard greeted him with a gentle breeze and the sight of fellow maids and servants of Second Prince gathering nearby.
Their expressions were filled of worries.
A young maid approached, wringing her hands.
"Mr. Chengyu… are you leaving?"
Chengyu was caught off guard by the question. He hadn't expected anyone to notice, much less care. For a moment, he felt an odd tightness in his chest.
"It's only for a few days," he replied with a shrug. "I'll be back."
The maid let out a breath she'd been holding. "That's good. We honestly wouldn't know what to do without Mr. Chengyu and his cleaning skills."
He blinked.
So that's what this was about.
The tightness in his chest vanished.
"I take it back," he muttered under his breath.
Outside...
Just as Chengyu was about to step into the carriage, he froze.
It gleamed under the morning sun—an opulent thing lacquered in crimson, trimmed in ornate gold with pure bright red painting.
He stared at it like it might bite him.
'It looks so expensive but at the same time, the color choice is so bad... it almost appear like a Chinese wedding...'
He gulped, expression unreadable but full of quiet resistance.
One step forward.
Just one.
But before his foot could touch the carriage step, a hand gripped his wrist.
Chengyu turned his head, expression mildly puzzled.
Standing beside him was Prince Arsene Von Albrecht.
Where did he even come from?
"Where are you going?" Arsene asked, his eyes locking onto Chengyu's with a sharp, unreadable glint.
Chengyu blinked. "They requested my presence. Something about measuring my mana."
"Ah…" Arsene's gaze dropped to the ground in thought, then lifted again. "The Saintess Ceremony. That's today?"
Chengyu gave a quiet nod.
Arsene tilted his head. "What a coincidence. I'm also attending."
Before Chengyu could reply, one of the attending maids stepped forward cautiously, voice soft and hesitant.
"Your Highness, the Emperor is requesting the presence of… His Grace."
Chengyu's eye twitched, he groaned inwardly. It still made his skin crawl.
He cant believe he was actually treated like a noble...
Arsene, meanwhile, gave a slow, thoughtful hum.
And then—without warning—
Swoosh.
Chengyu was off the ground.
"What—?!"
He stared down in horror as Arsene effortlessly lifted him in a full bridal carry, arms hooked beneath his knees and back.
"Y-your Highness?!" Chengyu's voice cracked.
"I'm going to borrow him for a while," Arsene said casually, not sparing a glance at the stunned servants.
'Borrow?' Chengyu's mind reeled. 'What do you mean borrow?!'
But before he could demand to be returned to the ground like a sane person, he caught a glimpse of another carriage approaching from the royal road.
It shimmered like starlight—pure white, gilded with divine gold. The royal family's ceremonial transport. The one meant for high-ranking clergy or god-blessed individuals.
And it was sparkling brighter than the sun.
Chengyu's stomach dropped.
It was an imperial carriage.
'No.'
He stared at it, wild-eyed.
'No, no, no.'
He wanted to scream,
'Put me back in the red one! or I'll ride in a vegetable cart, just not that one!'
But Arsene had already begun walking.
Chengyu swallowed his pride, his scream, and maybe a little bit of his soul.
This was going to be a long, long day...