Chapter 6  

The bathhouse was even larger than You Mi had imagined.  

When he entered, the attendants didn’t even notice the arrival of a new guest.  

You Mi walked through the main entrance and quickly found the front desk based on the signs on the wall.  

When he stood on his tiptoes and waved his Bathhouse Ticket vigorously, the girl at the front desk was startled.  

However, her professionalism quickly took over as she composed herself, smiling as she accepted the ticket. Then, using her mycelial tentacles, she lifted him onto a high stool. “Please wait a moment, sir. Your ticket needs to be activated first.”  

You Mi sat stiffly upright on the chair and followed her instructions, using his Optical Brain to complete the activation.  

“All set. Please proceed this way—the bathing area and hot springs are ahead, the massage and beauty zones are over there, and the lounge is to the right…”  

“Got it, thank you.”  

After climbing down from the stool, You Mi followed the front desk girl’s directions and headed straight for the bathing area.  

Once he finished washing up, an attendant outside handed him a drink. “Would you like a massage? If so, we can arrange for a specialized masseuse.”  

They were worried that an ordinary masseuse’s strength might be too much for someone his size.  

You Mi shook his head. After tying his robe securely, he went straight to the beauty zone, found the barber’s room, and pushed the door open.  

The barbershop’s decor was strikingly similar to the chain salons You Mi had seen in the human world before his transmigration—brightly lit, with the air thick with the scent of various hair products. Customers sat in front of rows of mirrors, snacking while barbers of different hair colors chatted with them, scissors snipping away.  

The only differences were the massive sizes and the unsettling glimpses of monstrous features.  

You Mi’s small stature made things inconvenient here. Fortunately, while he was bathing, the front desk girl had already informed all the attendants about his situation via the internal Optical Brain. So the moment he entered the barbershop, a prepared monster barber wrapped him in a tentacle and gently placed him on a swiveling barber chair. “What would you like, little sir?”  

“Just… a trim, please,” You Mi said, trying to stay composed. “I start work tomorrow.”  

“Leave it to me!”  

The barber swiftly draped a cape over him, picked up the smallest pair of scissors and a comb, studied the shape of his head, took a deep breath, and began snipping away.  

Meanwhile, in the VIP section of the bathhouse…  

Amidst the bamboo grove, a red-haired man lounged in the hot spring, his eyes half-lidded. Tall and well-built with solid muscles, he turned slightly—revealing the terrifying shark fin on his back.  

“Young master, how long do you plan to stay here? The Marshal and Madam have been searching for you,” a servant standing at a distance said helplessly.  

“At least for today, I’m not going back. If you let them know where I am—”  

“I wouldn’t dare! But please don’t make things too difficult for me…”  

The man snorted. “Relax. I already told them I left the main city district. This bathhouse blocks Optical Brain tracking—as long as you cooperate, they won’t find me. Now, stop bothering me.”  

The servant had no choice but to retreat. Before leaving, he glanced at the figure in the water and couldn’t resist adding, “Young Master Jinwen… running away won’t solve anything. Sooner or later, you’ll have to make a choice.”  

The man in the water stiffened, his expression darkening. “…Get lost.”  

Truthfully, he knew that better than anyone.

As the only son of the Marshal, not only his father but even the emperor now leaned towards Prince Joseph.  

Those within the imperial family knew all too well that Crown Prince Anshus would have great difficulty succeeding to the throne. His disability was only part of the problem—what was even more terrifying was that after sustaining severe injuries, Anshus seemed to have fallen into an uncontrollable state of rage. Such a man could never become the future emperor of the empire.  

Jinwen understood this perfectly well.  

But he had been on the battlefield. He had witnessed firsthand Anshus’ formidable prowess as a commander, as well as his terrifying ability to obliterate battleships. In his eyes, no matter how much he loathed Anshus’ cold, lifeless expression, he had to objectively admit that Anshus was a hundred times superior to Joseph in every aspect.  

Deep down, he looked down on Joseph—how could he possibly submit to him?  

Jinwen’s ambition was to become a Marshal even greater than his father. But his family was already entangled in the struggle for imperial power, making it difficult for him to remain uninvolved.  

These past few days, his father had been pressuring him relentlessly to attend the banquets arranged by Prince Joseph. Yet Jinwen couldn’t bring himself to feign courtesy with those people. Still, the web of conflicting interests left him torn and conflicted.  

Pushed to his limit by his father, he finally sought refuge in a place they would never think to look—just for a moment of peace.  

All he wanted was for this brief tranquility to remain undisturbed.  

……  

Half an hour later, at the barbershop.  

At this moment, everyone’s eyes were drawn to the small figure in astonishment.  

“I didn’t even notice there was someone there before…”  

“I’ve been sneaking glances for a while now.”  

“He’s real!”  

“Ahhh, so adorable!”  

“It’s like he stepped right out of a manga…”  

In the mirror, the boy’s originally slightly long black hair had been trimmed to a neat and refreshing length. The dark locks fell just above his forehead, creating a striking contrast against his porcelain-white skin.  

Even the barber himself was momentarily stunned by the sight of the handsome youth with flawless features. “This hairstyle suits you way too well!” No—even if he were bald, that face would still make him the most attractive bald person alive!  

With his haircut successfully finished and plenty of time to spare, You Mi decided to soak in the hot spring.  

This bathhouse had many outdoor hot springs, but business seemed slow lately, as there were very few customers around. You Mi didn’t encounter anyone on his way. Following the directions given by the barber, he walked straight ahead, turned right, passed through a small door, and after a few more steps, finally spotted the staircase the attendant had mentioned.  

He continued forward, descended the stairs, and saw the hot spring shrouded in mist.  

The surroundings were much nicer than expected, with various recreational rooms nearby. However, there were fewer pools than he had imagined—only three in total.  

One was enclosed by bamboo groves, where someone was already soaking.  

The other two were empty.  

With so few people around, the place was incredibly peaceful.  

Satisfied, You Mi stepped into the smallest of the blue pools. The moment he sat down, warmth enveloped his body. He closed his eyes and relaxed into the soothing water.  

Meanwhile, an attendant headed toward the public bath area. Midway, he suddenly noticed that the soundproof window of the neighboring VIP passage was left open. Pausing in surprise, he casually reached out and closed it.  

Mist curled through the bamboo grove.  

Exhausted, Jinwen rose from the hot spring—only for his expression to shift abruptly the next second.  

In the small blue pool not far away, a tiny figure with lamb-like horns was soaking!  

?!

This was the VIP area he had booked exclusively, with guards stationed at the entrance. Aside from his own people, absolutely no one else should have been able to enter.  

Jinwen’s shock lasted less than three seconds before the tiny figure opened its eyes. Noticing his gaze, it even gave him a slight nod in acknowledgment.  

Jinwen: “…”  

Instead of immediately questioning his subordinates, he strode over and crouched by the edge of the hot spring, peering curiously at the little creature.  

Upon spotting his shark-like dorsal fin, You Mi swam to the opposite side of the pool, keeping a wide distance.  

With his back to Jinwen, he propped his arms on the edge, idly playing with his Optical Brain to pass the time.  

His skin had turned slightly pink from the hot spring’s heat, so flawless that not a single pore was visible—as if he were an exquisitely crafted doll.  

His hair was jet black, soft and fluffy, with a perfectly formed crown swirl that made one want to reach out and press it.  

…So tiny. Was he even human?  

Jinwen scratched his head and couldn’t resist asking, “Hey, can you talk?”  

The little one turned around, eyes wary. “Do you need something?”  

…He really could talk!  

Jinwen perked up. “How did you get in here?”  

The little guy immediately held up the Bathhouse Ticket tightly attached to his Optical Brain, his face flushing red—clearly mistaking Jinwen for a ticket inspector.  

Jinwen nearly laughed out loud. He glanced at the ticket, then checked his own Optical Brain’s surveillance feed… This little guy had actually squeezed in through that tiny window!  

He was certain the little one had taken a wrong turn but didn’t say so. After giving him a few more intrigued looks, he let him continue soaking in his private area and turned to head back inside to rest.  

Once he was gone, You Mi visibly relaxed.  

He submerged everything below his neck in the water, projecting a documentary about the Sina Star People from his Optical Brain into the air, lazily watching as he lounged.  

By the floor-to-ceiling window, Jinwen sipped his coffee, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on the “little doll” swimming around in the water.  

…This was too entertaining!  

He could watch this all day!  

After finishing the documentary, You Mi drowsily stepped out of the hot spring. Wrapped in a towel, he yawned and began making his way back.  

As he passed the room, the door suddenly swung open. The red-haired man strode over with a cool expression, handing him a glass of juice.  

Heaven knew how long Jinwen had searched to find a cup this small!  

You Mi had already assumed he was either staff or the manager of this area. Just as he was about to leave to find a drink, the offered juice made him murmur a grateful “thank you” before settling onto a stone bench and gulping it down.  

After a few sips, he even flashed Jinwen a small smile.  

Jinwen froze, his heart inexplicably racing. Acting on instinct, he sat down beside him. “Do you come to this Bathhouse often?”  

You Mi shook his head. “It’s my first time today.”  

Jinwen: No wonder he got lost…  

You Mi continued, “My boss gave me the Bathhouse Ticket as a bonus when I was working part-time. Since I start work tomorrow, I came to get a haircut and soak in the hot spring.” He took another sip of juice, set the cup down, and waited for Jinwen to respond.  

…This was an invitation to chat!  

Jinwen immediately said, “Same here. My boss gave me the ticket too.”  

You Mi blinked in surprise. “I thought you worked here…”  

Jinwen began spinning nonsense. “This place is understaffed—no attendants. I just checked on you earlier because I was worried you might faint from soaking too long.”  

You Mi: “Oh, I see.”

Jinwen slowed his breathing and exhaled deeply:

So adorable!!!

You Mi continued chatting with him, mostly about how great the bathhouse services were here and how skilled the barbers were. Jinwen wasn’t listening at all, his gaze fixed solely on the swaying cowlick and horns atop You Mi’s head.

In the end, it was the notification sound from his Optical Brain that snapped him back to reality.

It was a message from his father, insisting he attend the banquet hosted by Prince Joseph this week.

Jinwen immediately shut off the Optical Brain, his irritation evident in his eyes.

You Mi looked up and noticed, asking at once, “What’s wrong?”

Not wanting to alarm him, Jinwen tilted his head back and said, “Nothing, just work troubles.”

You Mi adopted a serious, attentive expression. “Can’t it be resolved?”

Jinwen: “It’s complicated. I’m a private chauffeur. My boss has two sons—one is capable but got into trouble and likely can’t inherit the family fortune, while the other is mediocre but has a lot of supporters… Their relationship is terrible. The boss keeps making me chauffeur his younger son around, while the elder son seems like someone you don’t want to cross… Honestly, I don’t want to deal with either of them.”

“Isn’t your job to drive the boss?” You Mi asked, puzzled. “You could just refuse to chauffeur them.”

Jinwen chuckled wryly. “Is that so? If only it were that simple.”

Of course, he wasn’t really a chauffeur. The dynamics within the royal family were far more complicated.

You Mi said, “You could change jobs.”

Jinwen looked down at him but didn’t respond.

You Mi continued thoughtfully, “If the employer pays well, changing jobs might not be ideal… Oh! You could modify the car seat to be exclusive to the boss! Make it impossible for anyone else to sit there.”

Even in human form, the Sina Star People had their quirks—like the person before him, whose seat needed space to accommodate a shark’s dorsal fin.

Jinwen froze abruptly.

His expression shifted repeatedly until, just as You Mi grew confused, he suddenly threw his head back and laughed. “So that’s how it is… Thank you!”

If he steeled himself, the solution wasn’t actually complicated—he just needed to break away from his family.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought of it before; he simply hadn’t dared to consider it.

Hearing this little one suggest it so casually, he instinctively followed that line of thought to confront his own dilemma.

He had to make a choice.

If he was willing to take the plunge and pay the price, he could establish his own residence!

…Even if the losses were great, it would still be better than living in avoidance like this!

Jinwen hurried inside to change. When he emerged excitedly in his military uniform, the small figure outside was already gone.

Only a tiny glass cup remained on the table.

On the shaded path outside the bathhouse, You Mi, refreshed and carrying a basket full of laundry, headed home.

……

Deep in the underground palace chamber of the Sanctuary Palace, the atmosphere was tense.

Dozens of armored attendants struggled to restrain the Crown Prince, who had once again descended into a frenzied state.

Carl stood at the front of the crowd, shouting, “Prince Anshus, please calm down!”

The enormous monster beat its wings, flinging aside the dozens of attendants trying to hold him back. His golden eyes, now bloodshot, locked onto the palace walls—which instantly crumbled into dust.

Carl’s eyes widened in panic. As Anshus’s rampage spiraled further out of control, he had no choice but to grab the lifelike doll behind him and step forward. “Your Highness, l-look! What’s this?”

The monster froze for a moment. Just as Carl was feeling relieved, it suddenly lunged forward, smashing the mannequin into dust with a single swipe of its claw.

Carl was so terrified he nearly cried, “Your Highness…!”

In just a few days, there was an important event in the capital that required the Crown Prince’s presence. But in his current state, forget speaking calmly—he probably couldn’t even cooperate enough to wear the Humanoid Skin Suit!

As the figure turned to leave again, everyone’s faces turned deathly pale.

“Prince Anshus!” Carl racked his brain desperately, struggling to placate him. “We’re doing everything we can to find that person named You Mi! Just now, we’ve already uncovered some leads!”

The monster stopped and stared at him silently.

“…B-but, that person is very timid and comes from far away. He’s definitely never seen Your Highness in this form. If you appear like this, you’ll surely scare him…” Carl panted. “Don’t worry, the designers are rushing to finish a new Humanoid Skin Suit for you. It’ll be ready soon.”

Anshus’s Humanoid Skin Suit was crafted by designers based on his original humanoid transformation. Wearing it made him appear exactly as he once had, which was why the outside world still didn’t know the secret of the Crown Prince’s disability.

The bodies of the Sina Star People remained in a growth phase until the age of 25, after which they stabilized. This meant that Anshus, now 20, was still in his developmental stage… and thus required periodic replacements of his human skin suit.

And his previous one had already been torn to shreds by his own hands.

Carl’s words did have an effect. Anshus glared at him coldly, no longer in a frenzy… but the next moment, he immediately moved to retrieve his skin suit!

Panic ensued. Seeing they couldn’t stop him, the attendants scrambled to prepare a starship to send him off…

Meanwhile, in the lifelike doll shop, the photographer was snapping away at the little horned figure in front of him.

“Yes, smile! That pose is perfect!”

“Let’s try covering the horns with a beret—perfect! Just like that!”

“With the horns hidden, it looks completely like a flawless human doll!”

“Wow, these shots are amazing! Perfect, perfect!”

After a morning of posing, You Mi wiped his sweat as he stepped down from the platform. Removing his hat, he asked, “How were today’s photos?”

“They were incredible!” Vera couldn’t resist poking the tip of his little horns. “Mimi, you photograph even better than real dolls! Do you know how popular the outfits you’ve modeled have been this week? Ahhh, hiring you as our model was the best decision I ever made!”

You Mi smiled shyly, a growing sense of accomplishment warming his heart.

The studio was a bit messy. He took a sip of water and sat down beside one of the lifelike dolls on the sofa.

Before long, Vera finished editing the photos and uploaded them all at once to the online customer group.

[Vera: New arrivals! Autumn collection details…]

The group chat exploded instantly:

[!!!]

[This set is too adorable!]

[Honestly, is the recent model even real? I suspect the shop made life-sized clothes, hired a good-looking model to pose, and then used effects to enlarge the surroundings… That way, you can’t even see the actual details of the doll’s outfits!]

[…Are you new here? I’ve been to this shop offline—the model really is that tiny! Super cute!]

[Uh… you’re not a plant for the owner, are you?]

[“I’ve seen it too, does that make me a shill? They say she’s from outside the Main City District, don’t make such a fuss…”]

[“I’ve been to areas outside the Main City District, how come I’ve never seen such a small Sina Star Person?!”]

[“Just because you haven’t seen it means it doesn’t exist???”]

[“Hey hey hey! Don’t get off topic, the new outfit is really beautiful, I’ve already ordered it for both my doll and my friend’s! Ship it quickly!”]

[“Boss, does this outfit come with the model? So adorable, I really want to buy and raise her, I’ll take good care of her [shy]”]

[“…”]

You Mi was drinking water when she suddenly heard Vera burst into laughter while looking at her Optical Brain. She turned her head just in time to see the message about someone wanting to buy and raise her, and froze.

Vera teased her: “Little Mimi, you’re so popular!”

“…”

Suddenly, a thunderous roar came from above.

“What’s happening?!”

Everyone in the room was startled.

Vera was the first to pull open the window, sticking her head out to look—it was a starship slowly descending.

The woman’s expression immediately relaxed as she closed the window to return to work, only to find You Mi had followed her and was looking at her nervously.

Vera paused, then explained with a smile: “Don’t worry, it’s probably just some big shot coming to visit… anyway, it’s got nothing to do with us!”

You Mi had never seen such a scene before and had nearly thought it was an interstellar war breaking out. Wiping her sweat, she said: “That’s a relief.”

“…”