In one of the royal castles, a woman held her one-year-old child while gently whistling.
Behind her, a maid dressed in a traditional uniform spoke. "Queen, can you not take the prince outside yet? His fever has only just passed."
She smiled and replied, "It's okay, right? Look... he's healthy now." She then hugged her child closer and nuzzled his head. "Right, Paul?"
The baby, though still confused about his situation, blinked in wonder.
"Where is this? Wasn't I just on a plane? Why am I in the arms of this giant, beautiful woman? Wait a minute... my hands—they're smaller. My legs too. Like a baby's... Is this reincarnation?"
He stared at his tiny hands while still being cradled by his mother.
Just as he was lost in thought, the queen lifted him slightly and offered her breast. "Paul, aah~" she cooed with a smile.
Surprised, his mouth instinctively opened, and after a moment of hesitation, he began drinking.
"I guess I should drink this... since it's necessary for my growth," he thought.
As he nursed, he took in his surroundings—a grand, lavish home. No, it looked more like a royal castle. Countless female servants stood attentively, and even the guards appeared to be women.
While breastfeeding, the queen turned to the head maid and asked, "What is the matter?"
The head maid bowed slightly. "Nothing urgent, Your Majesty. Only that the king will be returning soon..."
Hearing this, the queen's expression softened, her gaze shifting to her child.
"Oh... I hope he's no longer angry about this situation," she mused.
The atmosphere grew slightly tense, but the baby was still trying to process the conversation, most of which he couldn't understand.
"What language is this? I don't recognize it... Not even one of the 200 languages on Google," he thought.
Before he could dwell on it further, a voice rang out from the hallway.
"The king has arrived!"
At those words, everyone immediately stood at attention, preparing to welcome their ruler.
As the doors swung open, thud... thud... thud... firm footsteps echoed through the chamber. In an instant, the guards and maids knelt, bowing their heads.
"Your Majesty," they greeted in unison.
The king raised his hand. "At ease."
At his command, the attendants returned to their positions.
The king walked toward the queen, his expression unreadable. Still holding her child, the queen met his gaze with a slightly sorrowful look.
"Dear, are you still angry?" she asked gently.
The king's face remained emotionless. "That is not the issue. You know how this country's factions operate... especially the nobles."
"Yes..." the queen murmured, glancing down at the baby in her arms.
"I only hope he grows strong enough to lead this country one day," she whispered.
The king's cold gaze remained fixed on the child.
"Yes..." he said, his expression unreadable.