"Why do you want to work here?"
The petite young woman fidgeted with her sleeves, her eyes low. "I... I want to provide food for my family, sir."
A soft hum escaped the man seated across from her.
The Second Prince of the Empire, Arsene Von Albrecht, leaned back in his chair. Rumors had it that he was a monster. Most people are afraid to make mistakes, as this man is capable of snapping one's head if it displeases him.
Such rumors scared this young woman. Just by staring at this infamous prince alone, she already felt that 'bloodlust' in his eyes.
His ashen white hair, still slightly tousled, caught the faint light seeping through the window. He was still half-dressed in his military uniform, and his sword rested beside him.
Indeed, perhaps those rumors weren't a lie at all.
"Mhm... Right." Fortunately, that said prince seems to not be in a bad mood.
He put her application aside and turned to the next.
"So, why are you here?" His crimson eyes now focused on the black haired man standing calmly near the wall.
"Are you asking why I want this job, sir?" Chengyu asked, voice even and polite.
"Well, yeah, but—" Arsene blinked. 'Wait a second. Isn't that the otherworlder? What's he doing here?'
"I wish to take this job," Chengyu replied without pause. "First: "I may be new to this line of work, but I'm a fast learner with a strong work ethic. I'm drawn to this role because I admire the discipline and high standards it requires, and I'm eager to grow within this field."
There was silence.
Arsene blinked.
'Did he just read me his personal mission statement? Is he applying as a servant or for Minister of Internal Affairs?'
"You know you don't have to work, right?"
Before Chengyu could respond, Arsene's attendant suddenly stepped in, face pale.
"Sir, you can't reject him!" he yelped.
Arsene raised a brow. "We're… not even done with the interview."
"We are short-staffed! We need this man!"
Arsene's face clearly read: Really?
"No one even wants to work here," the attendant pressed, practically pleading. "The rumors going around about you make people think this mansion is haunted!"
"It's not haunted!" Arsene snapped, mildly offended.
"We can't even prove its not when this mansion have creaking walls, drafty hallways, and unlit corridors? A literal raven flew in yesterday, inside the dining room, and stared at me for ten minutes!"
Chengyu remained motionless, unfazed by the chaos.
"And this man," the attendant now clung to Chengyu's sleeve with both hands, "he's capable of doing everything. Cooking. Laundry. Cleaning. Inventory. He fixed the east corridor's rotted wood panels yesterday when no one asked him to! And he does it all perfectly!"
Arsene's eye twitched. "Isn't he supposed to be a guest?"
"I don't care if we hire no one else for the next ten years—PLEASE, JUST HIRE THIS MAN!"
There was a pause.
Chengyu simply adjusted the cuff of his sleeve and spoke, voice as calm as ever. "Should I consider that a recommendation?"
Arsene let out a slow exhale and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine... I'll hire everybody here."
'Well, whatever, I'll just accept him... surely he will not last long here anyways.'
*****
The early morning sun peeked through the heavy curtains of the Second Prince's estate, its rays filtered in gold and gray over polished stone and dust-laced bookshelves.
Arsene Von Albrecht groaned softly as he stirred from bed.
His head pulsed, pain clawing from the base of his skull to behind his eyes. His limbs felt like they were carved from cold iron, heavy and uncooperative. He reached for his temples with trembling fingers, breath slow but strained.
The weight never faded. Every morning, without fail, he woke like this.
A gentle knock interrupted the silence.
"Your Highness, shall I assist you in dressing today?"
He exhaled sharply through his nose. "No need." His voice was clipped, colder than usual. "Also… avoid letting anyone into my room. I mean it."
"...Understood, Your Highness."
When the footsteps faded, Arsene forced himself upright, legs wobbling beneath him. He staggered toward the mirror, grabbing the edge of the vanity for balance.
And then he saw it.
Himself.
But... also
A monster stared back at him.
Sunken eyes, pale skin with a faint bluish hue, and hair clinging to his forehead with sweat. The regal beauty he was often complimented for was nowhere to be found. All he could see was the burden. The face of a monster in a human appearance.
Fear. Greed. Lies.
Every emotion he tried to conceal clung to them like perfume, and he could never escape it. That's why he hated mornings, why he hated this body.
Then, as always, he looked away.
The moment he stepped out of his room, his thoughts screeched to a halt.
"…Huh?"
He blinked.
The hallway—usually dusty, dim, and crumbling at the edges—was gleaming.
Sunlight poured across spotless marble. The antique vases were all polished. The chandeliers were dust-free. Even the cursed raven that had once haunted the dining room now sat daintily atop a manicured windowsill.
"Did I… accidentally go to the Crown Prince's residence?" he muttered.
Or worse.
"...The Emperor's?"
He walked through the corridor, still dazed. His boots echoed with new clarity, as though the house had never been old and forgotten.
Then it hit him.
That scent.
A clean, sharp thread of mint—crisp, fresh, and unmistakable. It slipped into his senses like balm to his burning skull. The pain in his head that had been clawing him moments ago melted into nothing.
He inhaled once, eyes fluttering shut.
"...The smell of mint again."
His steps followed instinct.
And there he was.
Chengyu.
Polishing the massive hallway windows. The cloth in his hand moved in steady, perfect strokes. The sunlight framed his posture like a painting.
Arsene stared and whispered, "It's you..."
Chengyu turned around as if he heard his silent words. And then, with that same unbothered face, he spoke.
"Good morning."