Much less doing anything, Bai Xing didn't even have any time to think of a plan. He was too busy being ordered around for the preparation of the ball. If he didn't exercise daily, he would already collapse by now.

What was worse, they were speaking in a foreign language. He didn't know if it was random, since the story of Cinderella has many versions, or was it dependent on the version it took.

He doubted that M didn't give the previous helper an automatic translating function. This was more likely because he was out of power.

Fortunately, he understood the language. He just hoped that the rest of the stories would also take the versions from the countries he knew the language of.

He jolted when the head servant shouted at him again.

"You, over there, are you done with the window? Hurry and bring the new curtains from the laundry."

He nodded a little and went out of the ballroom. Maybe because he has a decent amount of strength, the head servant has been ordering him around more frequently than the others.

Hopefully, he would be left alone when the ball commenced. Until now, he hadn't seen the prince at all because of this.

He reached the laundry room with the help of the directory and the maids gave him the curtains the head servant asked for. Fortunately, they lent him a cart to deliver them.

The laundry maids were also very busy with all the table cloths, curtains, and royal garments they needed to wash. There was no such thing as a laundry machine, so they could only use their hands. Moreover, the prince and king would wear 3 different garments, one for each night. The amount of time they took to wash one was taxing since they needed to be careful.

He was walking back to the ballroom when a blonde man with rich garments appeared from the stairs in front of him. His cape fluttered majestically behind him with each step he took, probably designed to be like that. Next to him was another man, seemingly older, wearing the royal guard uniform.

Bai Xing quickly hid his phone and bowed respectfully.

Is this the prince?

He should remember his face then.

"I have never seen you here before." A deep velvety voice spoke to him.

Bai Xing inwardly sweated.

Is the prince talking to him? Is there someone else behind him? No, could be someone in front of them too maybe?

He stiffly checked his front and behind. Much to his dismay, there was nobody else there except for the three of them. And the cart.

How high is the possibility the prince was talking to the cart?

Haha…

"Raise your head. His majesty is talking to you." The royal guard ordered.

Huh? Wait.

'His Majesty'?

Does this mean the person in front of him is actually the king? Not the prince?

Bai Xing timidly raised his head in a slow manner and met eyes with the king. The king's oppressive golden eyes were staring directly at his. His face didn't seem like someone in their middle-age, but Bai Xing could see the solid maturity and authority in it. His sculptured figure was straight and confident, filled to the brim with dignity and honor.

He didn't expect the king to be an Adonis out of all things. He could probably still talk to him if he looked like that round old man from the cartoon.

But this??

Bai Xing couldn't handle the pressure and looked away. He sweated buckets.

What to do? What to say? Should he just say he was a new servant? How did the servants here get recruited? But would they even believe new servants were being recruited in the middle of the ball's preparation? How could the king even remember every servant working here anyway?

"Are you from the newly recruited batch that the head servant picked to help with the ball preparation?" The king suddenly asked.

Bai Xing became even nervous.

Did the king just read his mind? Is there magic in this world? Is this a trap? Should he say yes? No? Which one is the correct answer? If he answered wrongly, will the king think he is a spy and orders his royal guard to decapitate him right here and then?

He opened his mouth to answer, but he was too nervous that no sound came out. His mouth flapped open and close like a fish struggling to breathe.

The king and the royal guard, "…"

Is he okay?

The king saw the curtains in the cart, "I see you are delivering the curtains for the ball. You may leave."

Bai Xing felt like he was saved from the guillotine and hurriedly rushed away after giving a bow.

"Should we keep an eye on him, Your Majesty?"

"No need. He was just too nervous to speak. Do not scare him further." the king chuckled.

"As you wish, Your Majesty." The royal guard bowed.

The much-anticipated night has finally arrived. Ladies of all status entered the palace with hidden excitement behind their elegant gait. Whether they were royals, nobles, or commoners they were all equally hopeful to be the bride of the kingdom's prince charming.

Bai Xing was finally permitted to rest along with the other servants who were tasked with the preparation. He flumped to the bed tiredly but soon got up. He needed to go to the ball and see which person was Cinderella and what the prince looked like.

He couldn't imagine how charming the prince would be if the king was already an Adonis. A super Adonis? Would his face be too handsome to see that it generated golden lights instead?

Thankfully, it was a masquerade ball and there were other men inside, accompanying their daughters and siblings. He could sneak in as a guest.

Bai Xing opened the app. There was a wardrobe icon on the screen, and he tapped on it. He chose a black suit with simple silver chain ornaments to not stand out and a black mask to pair with it.

After tapping on it, his clothes instantly changed with glittery effects circling him.

"…"

That was really…unnecessary to say the least.

But it was convenient, so he couldn't really complain.

He wore his mask and head to the ball, making sure he wasn't spotted by anyone. It caused him to take several detours, but it wasn't a problem. Cinderella would come fashionably late anyway.

Once he reached the ballroom, he was instantly pressured by the number of people there.

He quickly stood behind a pillar, away from the rest. Not being able to see their face fully helped him calm down to some degree. He adjusted his mind thinking of them as characters instead of real people while trying to find the prince.

He should be the only one not wearing a mask in this ball.

Bai Xing soon found the prince surrounded by a flock of ladies. When he saw him, he was slightly disappointed.

There was a resemblance with the king, but his features looked downgraded from the original. Also, instead of gold, his eyes were sky blue. The prince was still very charming, but for Bai Xing, the king was way beyond that. Though the prince bore a royal aura, it didn't give Bai Xing any majestic feeling about it.

When the guests' attention was all to the prince, the ballroom door opened, and people gasped in awe.

A beautiful maiden with resplendent golden hair walked in, catching everyone's breath away. She wore a shimmering silver dress as mesmerizing as the full moon. Her mask matched her dress with jewels and pearls adorning her neck and ears.

As expected, the prince instantly fell in love. He walked away from the crowd of mediocre ladies around him and personally welcomed the fair maiden.

He reached out his hand and bowed, "May I have a dance with you, My Lady?"

Of course, Cinderella wouldn't refuse him and took his offer. The music started their accompaniment to the beautiful couple on the dance floor.

So far, the princess didn't look any different than he expected. What he was curious about though was whether or not the virus needed to follow the story or not?

Bai Xing looked at the clock tower seen outside the window. There were still 4 hours before midnight. Now that he knew what she looked like, he should find where her house was just in case he needed to go there.

The climax would happen there after all.

He promptly left the ballroom and went outside. He already tried searching for Cinderella's house in the app, but as M said, it was a directory, not a map. It was only limited to the palace ground because he was inside it.

Thankfully, M put a note there that it would automatically change depending on the location he was at.

He exited through the back gate and quickly head out.