Noah felt rejuvenated after his posh bath.
'My bros back on Earth, you've got to experience a royal bath at least once. Ten times better than a Thai massage with a happy ending.'
'....'
'Okay fine! Maybe only five times better than a Thai massage with a happy ending. But you get the jist.'
Aksai thought to himself and chuckled, remembering his army buddies from different units.
'Wait. Most of you don't even take regular baths. You just spray on perfume and call it "getting refreshed." Haah! You wouldn't understand. You really wouldn't understand at all.'
He then sighed to himself before focusing on his present.
As Elena gently tied the last ribbon on his robe, he stayed still and watched her quietly.
She was focused on her task, her fingers neat and careful. But every now and then, she looked at him with that same soft smile—the kind that warmed a room without needing a word.
Her eyes were full of kindness and something else. Adoration? The kind people gave to something small and precious.
Noah blinked slowly and smiled without disturbing his cute maid. Inside, a memory stirred. A voice from his past life, from a different world.
"No matter how steadfast you are in the gym," one of his army buddies had said with a laugh, "the guy with the big boat wins."
Noah had chuckled at that back then. Now, as a prince in this world, he finally understood the full meaning of those words.
Power had its own charm.
And it came from having stable, ever-growing political and economic strength.
Of course, individual strength was also important—especially in a world where the limits of human ability couldn't even be defined.
In short, power was an umbrella term with many aspects.
No matter what kind of power it was, as long as it was extraordinary, it could pull people in without trying.
So, when someone was born a royal in a world that glorified status and power even more, they automatically scored ten out of ten in almost every area of influence one could think of.
From wealth to political authority, and from magical talent to access to all kinds of knowledge, the royals had it all.
It was the best possible start a transmigrated soul like Noah's could ask for.
Even at five years old, with chubby cheeks and a small frame, Noah had the kind of attention from everyone most grown men worked years to earn.
He looked back at Elena. She was just a few years older than him in this world, maybe thirteen or fourteen. Her adoration wasn't romantic. It was the way a girl looked at a sweet kitten or a baby bird.
A soft mix of care, affection, and instinct. She wanted to protect him. Pamper him. Stay close.
But Noah had lived long enough to know how feelings could change over time.
That innocent affection could easily grow into something deeper as they both got older—especially in a world where one's royal status held so much pull.
Well, I've got the software pre-installed, but I'm still waiting on the hardware support. Better wait a few years, the veteran lecher thought to himself.
Still, he kept his face calm, wearing a small, polite smile as she finished fixing his collar.
"All done, Your Highness," she said cheerfully.
"Thank you, Elena," Noah replied in a quiet voice.
She bowed and stepped back, still smiling.
Noah turned toward the window, letting the morning sun touch his face. He wasn't bothered. If anything, he found it a little amusing.
The guys with the big boat really do win, huh? he thought with a smirk.
Guess I better make sure I've got plenty of big boats lined up.
With that, he glanced outside, quietly waiting for his other maids who were still busy preparing his breakfast.
After a few minutes….
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The heavy wooden doors of Noah's chamber finally creaked open, and in came three maids pushing a food trolley, their chatter trailing right behind them.
First was Lira, the flirty one. She had long chestnut hair tied into a side braid and always wore lip gloss, even in the mornings.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief the moment they landed on Noah, who was quietly seated on the velvet cushion near the breakfast table.
Noah liked these three maids of his. They were so naughty and always talked about all kinds of "sus" things around him.
Someone from Earth would've found it strange—these young women, barely adults, talking so openly in front of a five-year-old boy.
But in Ainheaven, this was normal. Maids assigned to royal children were seen as blessed, and it wasn't uncommon for them to aim higher—hoping for a deeper relationship with their ward when he came of age.
Not to mention, even old-era Earth wasn't much different back when royal customs were still prevalent. In fact, the affairs of old-world royalty were even more scandalous by modern standards.
As such, Noah could only label these things as the new normal. He also knew his title, his face, his bloodline—all of it worked without him trying.
"Look at him," Lira whispered to Frey as she lifted the lid off a tray of toast topped with rose jam.
"He's sooooo cute, I feel like taking a bite of his cheeks."
"If boys our age had even half this charm, I wouldn't still be single."
Frey rolled her eyes. She was taller than the rest, sharp-tongued, and always perfectly put together.
"Boys our age don't have royal baths, silk pillows, or a closet bigger than my whole house," she muttered, arranging the fruit with a bit more flair than necessary.
"You're not in love with His Highness, you're drooling over his royal title."
"Oh please," Lira laughed. "I like him and the fact that he is a prince. Plus, I'm not saying I want him now. I'm saying I'm getting in early. After all, the early bird catches the worm. Hehehe."
Mira giggled from the back as she carried in the pitcher of juice. With her short black bob and dimples, she looked the sweetest—but her words were anything but.
"You're not the only one with plans, Lira. Maybe I'll steal his first kiss when he's older. Who knows? He might fall for me first."