"But at that ti, the prince didn’t realize that accepting her as his maid would draw a firm line between them," Ban said softly, his voice tinged with regret.
He sat down slowly, hands resting on his knees, eyes distant.
"So the prince ended his incognito journey and returned to the empire, bringing the maid with him. At first, the Emperor and Empress were shocked. Their little genius son had brought ho a mortal girl. They assud he was just playing around."
Ban smiled faintly. "But after hearing his explanation, they accepted her. They offered her a position as the prince’s personal maid."
"Then ca the matter of cultivation. After officially becoming the prince’s maid, she couldn’t remain diocre. She would be constantly seen beside royalty. The Emperor and Empress didn’t want their son to be heartbroken by a fragile, mortal companion. So, as parents, before being rulers, they sought to elevate her talent."
He paused briefly, his smile softening.
"To support their efforts, the previous Emperor, his grandfather — brought out a treasure. One capable of giving mortals a chance at cultivating."
Ban’s tone shifted slightly, taking on a thread of awe.
"But their concerns turned out to be unnecessary. The girl had imnse talent — so much so that it bordered on the abnormal. Upon further testing, it was revealed that she possessed the Ancestral Spirit Physique — which is said to appear only once in a generation. A blessing of the ancestors."
Yu Xuan listened in silence, fully absorbed.
"This physique usually awakens within the royal bloodline. When it appears in outsiders, those individuals are often married into the royal family to preserve and honor the bloodline. Anyone who awakens it gains instant prestige."
He gave a short, humorless laugh. "So when it was discovered that the prince’s ’ordinary maid’ possessed this rare physique, the entire royal court erupted in uproar. Whispers turned into shouts. So even suggested the Emperor and Empress adopt her directly. But... she was stubborn — just like the ancestors who once carried the sa spirit."
Ban’s eyes dimd, lost in mory.
"She was still young, still innocent. Guided by emotion more than politics. One day, before the court could reach a decision, she made a vow. Not just any vow — she swore upon the Great Dao itself that she would serve the prince, and only the prince, as his maid. She said it was her wish, and her grandparents’ will."
Yu Xuan inhaled sharply. He understood the weight of swearing to the Dao, just few monts ago he did one — it could not be broken.
"The royal court was stunned. So called for punishnt. They said she had made a rash, reckless choice. But it was too late. The vow was binding."
Ban’s expression darkened.
"In the aftermath, the Emperor made a decree. What happened that day would stay in the court, and all who were present had to take a vow of silence. But even so, many in the court never forgave her. Not for the vow, but for defying the natural order."
He looked down.
"The prince was embarrassed as well. The girl he had fallen in love with, openly declared herself his servant. But he held onto hope. He found a loophole: the vow stated she would be his maid, but it said nothing about other types of relationships. So technically... there was still a chance."
A glimr of bittersweet amusent flickered in Ban’s eyes, but faded quickly.
"Yet the biggest problem wasn’t the vow. It was... her."
Ban’s voice softened, almost a whisper now.
"After her grandparents passed, her smiles grew fewer and fewer. She beca quiet. Dutiful. Focused. The prince wanted to confess his feelings, but the words never ca. And she... she no longer saw him the sa way. Maybe she’d once thought he was just a noble. When she learned he was the prince, everything changed."
"She poured herself into being the perfect maid — learning to clean, cook, wash, serve. Day by day, she beca more of a servant... and less of the girl he had co to love."
Ban closed his eyes, his hands clenched faintly.
"And when she began calling him ’Master’... she never used his na again."
A heavy silence filled the room. The air felt thick.
Ban slowly opened his eyes again.
"The royal court still wanted to cultivate her. Her talent couldn’t be denied. Among her peers, she shone brighter than all. But to resolve the growing pressure — and to preserve harmony, the Emperor issued another decree. Both the prince and his maid would be sent to the Heaven Immortal Sect."
"The officials protested, saying the empire could provide all the resources she needed. But the Emperor insisted. He wanted her to compete with the geniuses of the worlds, to grow beyond the court’s shadows."
Ban exhaled.
"And so, reluctantly, the prince and his maid arrived here, in this sect. But because of everything that happened... the prince could never bring himself to express his feelings. He buried them. Suppressed them."
His voice trembled slightly.
"But not anymore."
"I see... it’s ti," Yu Xuan said, in a deep voice.
"Yes. It is ti," Ban replied, matching his tone.
There was a brief pause.
"It’s a good thing your na is Ban and not Fan," Yu Xuan muttered absently, thinking that Ban, Fan, and Xuan sounded odd or maybe even? together.
"What was that?" Ban blinked, clearly confused.
Yu Xuan coughed twice. "Ah, nothing, Senior Ban. Just a stray thought."
Then he grew serious again. "But truly, after everything you’ve gone through... why write a letter? Why not confess directly? I don’t think courage is sothing you’re lacking."
Ban fell silent for a long mont, his eyes drifting toward the window as if searching the sky for answers.
"...She has a peculiar habit," he finally said, voice quiet and thoughtful.
Yu Xuan leaned in slightly, curious.
"She loves letters. Not just receiving them, she collects them. Preserves them. She says they hold a kind of sincerity, words spoken aloud sotis lack."
Ban smiled faintly. "Even when we lived together, she would keep old grocery lists, festival flyers, any written words that had even the slightest emotional trace. Once, when I left her a small thank-you note after she bandaged my hand, she pressed it like a flower and tucked it in her journal."
Yu Xuan blinked. "That’s... oddly specific."
"She says paper rembers," Ban added with a wistful look. "And I thought... maybe if I write it down, in a way that she can keep... maybe it’ll reach her heart better than anything I could say out loud."
There was a weight to his words that silenced even Yu Xuan’s usually ready wit.
"...I understand," Yu Xuan finally said. "Then let’s write sothing worth keeping."
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