Chapter 26

“My lord, shall we retire to our chambers?” Cassie’s voice was smooth but firm, leaving little room for argument.

I hesitated. “But I have a lot of work to do.” Surely, she could understand that I couldn’t just abandon my responsibilities on a whim.

Cassie, however, was having none of it. “We will see about that later, My Lord.” She turned to my father with a respectful nod. “Lord King, may we be excused? We have some matters to discuss.”

My father, ever the traitor, waved a dismissive hand. “You are dismissed, Cassie.”

I turned to him in desperation. “Father, please, save me! Don’t be so heartless. At least give me today to adjust!”

He simply ignored me, his amusement clear as he took a sip from his goblet.

Before I could protest further, a sharp pain exploded on the back of my head. “I said move.” Cassie’s commanding tone left no room for negotiation.

Rubbing the sore spot, I sighed in defeat and began walking.

On the way to my chambers, I spotted my mother. A spark of hope ignited within me—surely, she would show mercy. I hurried over and pleaded, “Mother, at least give me a day off. Just one. Please.”

She barely spared me a glance before delivering a cold, merciless verdict. “Serves you right. Let this be a lesson—never mess with me again.”

I stopped in my tracks, utterly defeated, as Cassie continued leading me forward with the authority of a general marching a soldier to battle.

This was going to be a very, very long week.

As soon as we reached my new chambers, Cassie excused herself without a word, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I let out a sigh of relief, hoping for a moment to breathe and process everything that had just happened.

I took a seat on the luxurious bed, rubbing my temples. Seven days of training. A banquet to choose eighteen concubines. A pirate woman already accepted as my second. The sheer absurdity of it all made my head spin.

Just as I was beginning to relax, the door creaked open. I turned—and immediately froze.

Cassie stepped back into the room, now clad in an outfit I could only describe as a dominatrix’s attire, complete with thigh-high boots, leather straps, and a gleaming whip hanging from her hip.

My throat went dry. “What ... are you wearing?”

She smirked, her eyes glinting with amusement and something far more dangerous. “Your royal training begins now, Your Highness.”

I suddenly had a very, very bad feeling about this.

Cassie crossed her arms and fixed me with a firm, unwavering gaze. The smirk she had earlier was gone, replaced by the cool, disciplined expression of a seasoned tutor.

“First things first,” she said, her tone sharp and authoritative.

“I will only say this once, so listen carefully. You are a royal prince, and you must speak and act like one. When you’re out in the world, I don’t care how you behave—be reckless, be carefree, do whatever you want. But within these walls, at royal banquets, and especially in the royal court, you will conduct yourself with the dignity befitting your station.”

She took a step closer, her presence towering despite her smaller frame. “Earlier, I smacked your head just for fun. That was a warning. Next time, it won’t be a joke. If you embarrass yourself or this household in front of nobles, foreign dignitaries, or the royal family, I will personally ensure you regret it.”

I swallowed hard, resisting the urge to rub my head at the memory.

“Understood?” she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Understood.”

Cassie held my gaze for a few seconds, then nodded in approval. “Good. Now, let’s begin your training, Your Highness.”

“What were the tasks you wanted to complete? List them aloud,” Cassie commanded, her tone sharp and expectant.

I hesitated for a brief moment before responding, “There are many things I need to do.”

“Such as?” she pressed, irritation evident in her voice.

I took a deep breath and began listing them, “First, I need to meet with the beasts and slaves within my Dimensional Planet, as well as those working outside, to ensure everything is running smoothly and address any concerns they might have.

Second, I need to place my own bet with my elder brother regarding the upcoming competition.

Third, I intend to acquire more beasts to strengthen and expand my domain.

Fourth, I must oversee the delivery of prior orders and ensure everything arrives as expected.

Fifth, I need to make the necessary preparations for the tournament, including finalizing participants, logistics, and security.

And finally ... well, I know something unexpected will come up, so I want to be ready to adjust my plans as needed.”

Cassie crossed her arms and smirked. “Those are easy to handle,” she remarked confidently, as if I had just outlined a mere afternoon’s work rather than an extensive list of responsibilities.

I sighed, knowing full well that nothing would be as easy as she made it sound.

Cassie let out an exasperated sigh, crossing her arms as she listened to my list. “Those are easy to handle.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Easy? That’s a lot of work.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s about efficiency. Let’s break this down.” She began listing out solutions with a practiced ease, as if she had already anticipated my workload.

“First, meeting your beasts and slaves—do it during your free time in the evening. Since you only get three bells for personal business, you’ll have to prioritize.”

I frowned but nodded. That was reasonable.

“Second, placing your bet with your brother— write a letter to him. Its nothing related to Royalty. Its between brothers so a simple letter would do. We will handle that later.”

“Third, buying more beasts—your royalty. Just send out an official request, and the traders will bring them to you instead of you running around like a merchant.”

“but what if I find something valuable, like before.”

“Then do it tomorrow at your free time.”

“Fourth, deliveries of prior orders—simple. Have them sent directly to your domain. I’ll assign someone to oversee the check-in process, so you don’t need to micromanage it.”