That was why Chi Zhan admired him so deeply. It also symbolized a crumbling imperial system, perhaps on the verge of a radical transformation.
“Your Highness, I would never hold back in combat—that would be a sign of disrespect toward my opponent. However…” He pressed his lips together, his voice low and strained. “During the assessment, I did nearly fail. It was my own lack of skill.”
Chi Zhan never made excuses for failure. He wouldn’t mention feeling unwell or try to justify his performance. All he could do was own up to his mistakes—then train twice as hard to catch up and overcome them.
His expression was stubborn, serious, and tinged with heaviness and regret. Clearly, he was earnestly reflecting on his shortcomings.
The Crown Prince took it all in.
“There’s no need to be so tense. I’m not here to reprimand you. Everyone makes mistakes. There’s an old saying: ‘To err is human; only saints are without fault.’ Pursuing perfection too obsessively isn’t always a good thing.”
The Prince spoke unhurriedly, his voice imbued with the natural elegance and authority of royalty. Yet his gaze flicked to Chi Zhan now and then, watching closely for any signs of discomfort.
There were none.
For reasons he couldn’t explain, a subtle sense of dissatisfaction and frustration welled up in the Crown Prince’s chest. Almost reflexively, he intensified the concentration of his pheromones.
But it was destined to be futile.
Chi Zhan showed no reaction whatsoever. He didn’t even notice the restless pheromones in the air, already probing through the fabric of his clothes, trying to mark his skin.
Just as the files had stated—Chi Zhan was a Beta.
A Beta entirely insensitive to pheromones.
Alpha classifications were determined by pheromone strength. The greater the pressure one’s pheromones exerted on others, the higher one’s mental fortitude, decision-making capability, and future social status.
Even a grimy street rat, if their pheromone index surpassed a certain threshold, could be immediately transferred to a top-tier aristocratic household, their life changed forever.
The higher an Alpha’s rank, the less likely they were to be affected by an Omega’s scent. But that also made it harder for them to find a compatible match. Conversely, lower-ranked Omegas were easily triggered into heat by high-level Alpha pheromones.
Betas, situated awkwardly between the two, had it rough. Most Betas lacked pheromones entirely and couldn’t perceive others’ scents. A few with slightly more sensitive constitutions could detect pheromones at around 10% concentration—a rare feat.
But clearly, Chi Zhan was not one of those sensitive types.
After listening attentively to the Prince’s “guidance,” Chi Zhan murmured, “Understood, Your Highness.”
Only then did the Prince release his grip on Chi Zhan’s hand. Chi Zhan stood up quickly. Though he hadn’t consciously taken note of it before, the Prince’s physique was indeed well-trained—unlike those perpetually frail young nobles, he had broad shoulders, a trim waist, long legs, sculpted pecs and abs—all of which were, regrettably, quite pleasing to the touch…
During those ten minutes of being forcibly seated on the Prince’s lap, even without deliberately paying attention, Chi Zhan had still gotten a very real sense of—
The Prince’s chest vibrated when he spoke, the muscles beneath his clothes were taut and springy, exuding steady, radiant heat.
Chi Zhan’s fingertips felt scorched.
Even after pulling away, that lingering heat refused to dissipate.
Finally, the Crown Prince rose from the cold ceramic tiles.
In all his life, he’d never lain on the floor so undignified, and willingly at that—likely only Chi Zhan could have compelled such behavior. Anyone else wouldn’t dare even dream of it.
Of course, Chi Zhan had never intended such an outcome either.
Yet the Crown Prince hadn’t shown the slightest hint of distaste. Instead, he’d calmly discussed assessment matters with him, and somewhere along the line, Chi Zhan had entirely forgotten his earlier panic.
“Have you filled out the Central Matching System profile yet?” the Prince asked as he fastened his cufflinks, which had somehow come loose.
It sounded like a casual question, but it made Chi Zhan’s heart skip a beat.
“Not yet,” he heard himself say. “I was planning to do it after I got back.”
“It requires a lot of information, but treat it seriously. The review process is strict. However…” The Prince paused, then locked eyes with Chi Zhan. “It’ll all be worth it, won’t it?”
Chi Zhan was momentarily stunned.
The Prince glanced down and noticed the black smart comms band wrapped around Chi Zhan’s wrist. Its dark sheen made his wrist look even slimmer.
The Prince’s brows twitched almost imperceptibly. As he turned to leave, he added coolly, “Make sure you review the qualifications for the secretary officer role thoroughly.”
The moment he exited, royal guards emerged from the shadows. They’d been stationed discreetly the entire time, ready to appear the instant anyone stepped within a meter of the area.
That was why the sanitation room had remained empty.
Chi Zhan was the only one granted access—though he remained unaware of this. Instead of entering the room, he stood in place, thinking over the Prince’s words. There had been something deeper hidden between the lines…
Was he overthinking it?
Still mulling it over, Chi Zhan reopened the profile requirements and studied them closely. That’s when he noticed an attachment: the secretary officer’s physical standards. One of the criteria was weight.
He absolutely did not qualify.
“……”
Starting now, he needed to eat more.
A royal hovercraft floated just beyond the corridor, its doors already open.
“Good afternoon, Your Highness. According to current meteorological data, the main city district will reach 23.4°C this afternoon, with light southeast winds. Conditions are optimal for a midday rest,” the onboard AI assistant, Raymond, reported as the light-sensing screen flickered to life. “Please enter your destination.”
“Dark Harbor.”
“Plotting optimal route from the Imperial Military Academy’s West Gate to Dark Harbor… Ding. Estimated arrival in fifteen minutes. Emotional threshold has dropped below optimal levels. Have you encountered an intractable issue? Now playing trending artist Xiao Xing’s hit single, ‘Cut Ties.’ We hope it helps you cut ties with all your worries.”
“Next.”
