The Morning in Silvarion Kingdom

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Ugh.. Is that my alarm?

He could hear the gentle sound of a robotic chime, the alarm trying to wake him from his peaceful sleep. Then it came. It wasn't the peaceful, melodic waking voice from a beautiful girl he might have enjoyed, but rather the unmistakable voice of Rodion filling the air around him.

<Good 5 morning, Mikhailis. It's AM. Time to wake up.>

Mikhailis groaned, rolling over and pulling the blanket over his head.

"Ugh, Rodion, it's too early… 5 more minutes, please..."

<It's important for you to develop a routine, especially in foreign place and environment such as this. Morning exercise is crucial maintaining healthy body, prince consort>

Indeed.

He would want to have a good stamina when the time of his first time came.

Mikhailis grumbled under his breath but couldn't help a small smirk. It's the spitting image of Elowen in their first time that makes him excited.

Rodion was right, after all. He had gotten used to waking up at odd hours during his days in Ruslania, experimenting with technology and caring for his Chimera Ant research, but now, in this new world, a routine might not be such a bad idea. He wasn't just an eccentric inventor and insect lover anymore.

He's currently a prince consort-to-be.

"Alright, alright. I'm up," he muttered, tossing the blanket aside and sitting up in bed. His hair all messy around the place.

The soft morning light filtered through the window, casting a warm glow across the wooden walls of his chamber.

He stretched, feeling his muscles protest slightly as he yawn lazily.

He might be a tech genius, but he was no stranger to keeping himself in shape. At least the routine exercises he'd come up with kept him from feeling too sluggish.

First things first— it should be push-ups.

He dropped to the floor, beginning his reps, counting them off in his head. His mind wandered as he worked, thinking about the strange yet beautiful world he now found himself in.

Silvarion Thalor, a kingdom built among massive trees, was so far from the cold cities of Ruslania that it almost felt like a dream.

But the people here… the magic… Elowen. It was real, and it was now his life.

<The first set is finished>

After a set of push-ups, he moved on to sit-ups, his body moving in rhythm as he continued his routine.

Rodion's voice chimed in occasionally with light commentary about his form or encouraging him to push harder, though Mikhailis wasn't sure if he found it motivating or just plain annoying.

More like annoying, to be honest.

Either way, it helped him get through the workout. A perfect all-body workout.

After a solid one hour of exercise, Mikhailis stood up, wiping the sweat from his brow and above his mouth.

"Alright, that's enough torture for today! I guess that should help me have a pretty great body," he muttered, looking toward the small bathroom attached to his room.

"Time for a shower."

Just as he was about to head inside, a soft knock came from the door.

Rodion?

<I believe there should be no danger in this hour, Mikhailis. Perhaps it's the maids>

"Seriously? At this hour?" Mikhailis mumbled, walking over and opening the door.

Standing there was a young woman, her hair neatly tied back and her posture perfectly straight. She wore a simple but elegant uniform, her hands folded neatly in front of her. Unlike Elowen, her ears were rounded—no pointy ears for this one.

Behind her, five other maids stood in formation, each wearing the same uniform, ready for duty.

Okay, literally forgot about this thing. I'm about to be this kingdom's royal, aren't I?

"Good morning, Prince Mikhailis," the maid said with a slight bow.

"I am Lira, second in command under the head maid. We've been assigned to assist you with your morning routine, starting from today,"

Mikhailis blinked for a while, staring at the group of maids.

Whoa... All six of them? Okay, let's stop acting surprised. It's not like I didn't face the same thing back then in Ruslania.

"Uh… you guys wake up pretty early, huh? It's only six. Isn't that a bit much for you guys?"

Lira smiled politely, completely disregarding his impolite and informal tone to them.

"This is our normal routine, Your Highness. We are always prepared to serve. It's nothing for us."

Mikhailis let out a small sigh, then scratched the back of his head. 

"Right, of course. I did say I didn't need maids, though. I mean, I'm pretty capable of making my own bed and all that."

"The Queen's orders, Your Highness," Lira replied, he could hear the firmness from her tone.

"We are here to ensure your comfort and to make preparations for your day. We'll make the bed, clean the room, and prepare your breakfast, which will be ready in about an hour,"

Now that's completely 'settled beforehand' isn't it?

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow.

"The Queen's orders, huh? I guess can't argue with that." He sighed again, this time a bit more dramatically.

"Alright, alright. Just finish up and let me know when breakfast is ready. I'm a bit of a shy guy, you know. I'm not used to all this pampering yet,"

Lira nodded respectfully, but he could see the slight amused smile on her face.

"Of course, Your Highness. We will be swift."

Hm~ I guess it's not everyday that you met someone who wants to talk casually without any condescending tone towards them, I guess?"

"I wonder if I score a bit in terms of favorability to this girl?" Mikhailis muttered under his breath.

<I believe you don't, Mikhailis>

"Thank you for the reality check, Rodion," Mikhailis replied with slight scorn.

The maids entered the room in perfect synchronization, immediately setting to work. Mikhailis watched for a moment, a bit overwhelmed by how efficient they were. Bedsheets were being smoothed out, pillows fluffed, the air seemed to buzz with their silent coordination. It felt surreal, like something out of a fantasy novel.

With a shrug, he turned toward the bathroom again, ready to finally enjoy a nice, relaxing shower. But as he stepped forward, he noticed something odd—footsteps behind him.

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder.

The maids were following him.

Okay, this might be bad.

"Oi," he said, raising an eyebrow with his hands on his hips.

"What are you following me for?"

Lira stepped forward with her hands still neatly folded.

"We've been instructed to assist you in your bath, Your Highness."

Mikhailis blinked, momentarily at a loss for words.

Is that the norm here? Wait, on the other hand, does it mean that it's even fine if this went to another direction? I believe I've read somewhere that relieving the noble's pent up desires are part of a maid's duty.

<I believe it's wise to stop being delusional, Mikhailis>

Rodion. Did you just read my mind?

"Uh, can I ask how would you assist me in my bath?"

"Yes, your highness." Lira replied smoothly.

"Of course, considering your preferences, we won't be assisting directly. One of the maids will clean the bath, another will clean the bathroom itself, and the third will prepare the hot water."

Mikhailis stared at her for a moment, then let out a resigned sigh.

"Of course. The Queen's orders again, I assume?"

Lira nodded.

"Indeed, Your Highness."

I guess it would be bad to behave strangely for now, I could adjust it to my preference later on.

"Figures," Mikhailis muttered.

"Alright, fine. But no funny business. I'm just trying to take a bath here."

The maids nodded in unison, moving efficiently to their assigned tasks. One began scrubbing the bath, another wiped down the bathroom walls, and the last prepared the hot water, all while Mikhailis stood there, feeling like he was living in some kind of strange alternate reality.

"So much for a peaceful morning," he mumbled to himself, stepping into the bath. But even as he settled into the warm water, his mind was still sharp, ever-watchful.

As eccentric as he was, Mikhailis knew better than to let his guard down completely. This was a new world, and not everything was as it seemed.

He would never know if suddenly someone decided to end his life right there to obstruct the queen's plan.

"Rodion," he whispered with a low voice so the maids wouldn't hear.

"Any sign of danger from them?"

There's a reason why he bring his glasses to the bath, it's because he need Rodion to warn him in case of emergency for him to act.

Well, this thing is waterproof anyway.

Rodion's voice came through his glasses, though at a much lower volume than usual. He's adept in guessing his master's wishes, and he knows that Mikhailis wouldn't want the maids to know the existence of Rodion.

<None. I have scanned their clothes and found no hidden weapons or harmful substances. Their behavior seems genuine. However, the maid assigned to you, Lira, has a high level of energy—while not as Queen Elowen's, it is notable.>

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow, but his hand tapping the side of his glasses as he pretended to relax and enjoying the hot bath.

"Interesting. I'll keep an eye on her then. Thanks, Rodion."

<You are welcome.>

As he soaked in the bath, Mikhailis couldn't help but notice the way the maids were watching him, their eyes occasionally drifting toward his well-toned body. He wasn't vain, but he knew he was in good shape—tall, muscular, and not the frail inventor people might expect.

Especially not with a nasty messy hair nor a bald one.

One of the maids seemed particularly entranced, her gaze lingering a bit too long. Mikhailis caught her eye, and she quickly looked away, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink.

Now that's cute.

"Oi," Lira's voice cut through the air, calm but sharp.

"Focus on your work."

Hey, don't be so hard with her, okay? It's fine if she wants to admire my body more, it would fine if she want to look at from point-blank as well.

The maid immediately straightened, returning to her task with renewed focus, but not without stealing one last glance at Mikhailis.

He chuckled softly to himself while shaking his head.

"Well, this is awkward."

Who is that girl's name, I wonder? I should ask Lira after this.

The bath was warm and soothing, the steam rising gently in the air. Despite the strange situation, Mikhailis couldn't deny that it felt good to relax. He decided to close his eyes for a moment, feeling the magic of Silvarion Thalor humming in the walls around him, the connection between him and the kingdom growing stronger.

It's all because of the bond he made with the chimera ant.

For now, he was safe. But his mind was always working, and already calculating more ways to ensure his safety in this foreign world. There was much to learn about this world, and he wouldn't waste a single opportunity to gather information. Even if that meant putting up with a few curious maids along the way.

With a sigh, he leaned back, letting the warmth of the water ease his muscles. The next few days would be full of challenges, but Mikhailis was ready.

Especially the wedding thing, I hadn't even married in my former world yet.

This world might be different, but it was one he was determined to understand, and research, and more importantly, have fun at.