C1 The Prince and His Maidservants

In the heart of the Mesfield Continent, nestled within the capital of the Oberiske Empire, deep within the palace of Onisret City, lies the residence of Empress Marguerite III, a luxurious chamber at the center of the "Emerald Palace." There, the Third Prince, Ostar, was indulging in a lazy morning sleep. In stark contrast to his brothers, Ostar was known for his slothful nature, never an early riser, exuding an air of lethargy.

Each prince of the empire was entitled to his own palace, but Empress Marguerite III had a particular soft spot for her biological son, the Third Prince. She favored him so much that she invited him to reside within her own abode. Prince Ostar readily accepted her offer. After all, none of the imperial princes' palaces could hold a candle to the splendor and privileges of his mother's "Emerald Palace." Thus, Prince Ostar had made it his home for over a decade, eighteen years to be precise, and showed no inclination to leave.

"Lord Ostar, time to wake up. If you don't rise soon, you'll miss breakfast, and it's already cooling," came a voice.

"Chris, stop shaking me. I'm getting up. If I miss breakfast, I can just have it with lunch," Ostar mumbled.

"That won't do, Lord Ostar. Her Highness Marguerite insists you must have both meals. Please, get up now!"

"Fine, I'm up."

Roused from his slumber, Prince Ostar had no choice but to leave the comfort of his bed, thanks to the persistent shaking.

By his bedside stood an exceptionally beautiful silver-haired maiden. Her visage was so striking it nearly transcended the bounds of the Human Clan, earning her the reputation of a femme fatale. Her alabaster skin shimmered with a captivating glow in the light, like polished marble.

This silver-haired beauty seemed like a goddess who had inadvertently descended to the mortal realm, a being that seemed out of place in this world.

Her face, framed by a gentle smile, and her silver eyes, brimming with adoration, presented a vision of allure that she reserved solely for Prince Ostar. For any outsider, witnessing such a sight was an unattainable dream.

In the presence of strangers, her face was nearly devoid of expression. Yet, the gentle side of this stunningly beautiful girl would only emerge when she was with Prince Ostia alone.

Prince Ostia gazed at Chris, clad in her silvery-white mithril armor, and had no choice but to rise at her behest. Her face was near perfection, her features like those of a finely sculpted masterpiece, flawless in every way. Despite his years of encountering countless beauties, Prince Ostia struggled to find any who could match Chris's allure, with the exception of two unique young women.

Chris had served as Prince Ostia's exclusive maidservant and personal guard for twelve years. When Prince Ostia was around six years old, Chris, appearing to be a girl of similar age, mysteriously arrived at the palace and insisted on serving as his maid and protector.

Back then, Chris, still a child, single-handedly bested all the skilled warriors of the Oberiske Empire's royal palace. Her combat prowess left Emperor Augustus VIII utterly astonished. Despite his repeated attempts to recruit Chris into the army, hoping to develop her into a future imperial female general—perhaps even earning the title of Valkyrie—she declined.

Chris steadfastly refused the emperor's offers, unwavering in her resolve to remain Prince Ostia's dedicated maidservant and bodyguard. It was difficult to fathom why such a young girl would cling so tenaciously to this purpose.

Ultimately, Emperor Augustus VIII had no choice but to relent. With Empress Marguerite III personally intervening and negotiating, Chris was granted her wish to become the exclusive maidservant and personal guard to the Third Prince. At the time, this sparked envy among the other princes, who, out of respect for the Empress's authority and influence, kept their objections to themselves. It was common knowledge that Ostar was the Empress's only biological son, unlike his half-brothers.

The true reason for this arrangement might have been a mystery to others, but Prince Ostia himself was well aware of it, though he never spoke of it. In reality, the person now known as Prince Ostia was no longer the true Prince Ostia—he had been replaced long ago.

When Prince Ostia was just six years old and starting to understand the world around him, he fell mysteriously ill with a fever after a day of play. Bedridden for several days, Empress Marguerite III summoned countless renowned physicians, yet none could cure the prince's strange ailment. It was only after a month-long coma that Prince Ostia finally awoke.

From that moment, Prince Ostia was forever changed. The true prince had perished during his slumber, his soul vanished. In his place was the soul of a transmigrator who had died suddenly on Earth from overwork while attempting to "cultivate" in his spare time.

Having read many web novels about transmigration on Earth, the reborn Prince Ostia quickly came to terms with his new reality. His former life had been that of an otaku, a lifestyle that persisted even after his transmigration. This led to persistent rumors of the Third Prince's indolence, rumors he paid no mind.

Ostar was convinced that Chris was not a pure member of the Human Clan. After all, they were in the Strange World Continent, home to many races beyond humans. Appearances alone were not enough to classify someone as part of the Human Clan.

Drawing on the fragmented memories of his predecessor, Ostar dimly recalled that around the age of five—just months before his untimely incident—Prince Ostia had found an injured young silver dragon by an unnamed lake. After caring for the dragon for several months and nursing it back to health, he reluctantly released it back into the wild.

Shortly after the dragon's departure, Prince Ostia suffered his fateful accident. Soon after his recovery, the enigmatic and beautiful Chris appeared at his doorstep. There was undoubtedly a connection between them, but Prince Ostia could not confirm if Chris was the embodiment of the silver dragon. To date, his suspicions remained unproven, based solely on his own conjecture without a shred of evidence.

Uncertain of Chris's true origins—whether she was of the Human Clan or another race—Ostar harbored no improper thoughts towards the stunning silver-haired, silver-eyed beauty who served him loyally. Despite her undisguised affection, he chose to cautiously overlook it, given the mystery of her past.

Initially, Chris addressed Prince Ostar as "master," but Ostar, concerned that such a term might lead to misconceptions and misinterpretations, insisted that Chris, albeit reluctantly, switch to calling him "my lord."

However, Chris refrained from addressing Ostar as "Your Highness," a customary honorific for princes, for reasons of her own. Yet, she had no qualms about using the title when referring to the Empire Empress, Ostar's mother, Marguerite III.

"Lord Ostar, what's on your mind? You need to eat breakfast and then head to the palace. The herald was just here; the Emperor has issued a decree that all princes must attend this morning's assembly punctually. There will be consequences for absence," Chris reminded him.

"Chris, I'm aware. It's important—I won't forget," Ostar replied.

Chris noticed Prince Ostar gazing into the floor-length mirror, lost in thought, and felt compelled to snap him out of his reverie, mistaking his contemplation for daydreaming.

Prince Ostar stood at 173 cm, with short black hair and eyes to match. His handsome features, a testament to his royal lineage, exuded a sense of slick cunning.

His exclusive maidservant and personal guard, the silver-haired and silver-eyed beauty Chris, stood at 169 cm, with a chest size around C-cup. She was noticeably shorter than Ostar and typically maintained a stoic facade in the presence of others. This beauty, simple in nature, reserved her warmest smiles for moments alone with Prince Ostar.

Chris's sweet, soothing voice, coupled with the delicate touch of her slender fingers, managed to recapture Ostar's attention. He had been reluctant to attend the summons from Emperor Augustus VIII but lacked any valid excuse to defy the imperial command.

Ostar held little affection for the "cheap old man" he had encountered upon his arrival in this strange new world. In his eyes, Emperor Augustus VIII was a stern father with high expectations for his sons.

Among the Oberiske Empire's royal family, Ostar was the outlier. Thanks to Empress Marguerite III's indulgence, he had been spared the harsh discipline his brothers endured under their father, Emperor Augustus VIII.

Apart from the Third Prince, Ostar, the other princes had been thoroughly educated and were subject to harsh punishments for even minor errors, with no leniency shown. They generally feared Emperor Augustus VIII, barely daring to breathe in his presence, much less raise their heads. Only Ostar seemed indifferent to the emperor's intimidating aura.

It goes without saying that a summons from the Emperor was seldom a harbinger of good news. Despite spending most of his time secluded in Empress Marguerite III's "Emerald Palace," Prince Ostar was far from ignorant about the world beyond its walls.

The Oberiske Empire had been engaged in constant warfare, and recently it had seized numerous new territories on the Neutral Continent. To forge his sons' resolve and assess their capabilities, Emperor Augustus VIII intended to send the princes to these newly acquired lands, granting each a domain to govern. Their performance and political achievements in these territories would later inform the Emperor's decisions regarding their future positions.

Unlike his power-hungry siblings, Ostar had no such thirst for authority. He yearned for a tranquil life, a desire reinforced by a past incident of fever that was no accident but an undetected act of poisoning.

Having inherited fragments of his predecessor's memories, the transmigrated Ostar was well aware of the incident but chose not to delve deeper, wary of being drawn into the tedious whirlpool of political strife.

Since Chris became Ostar's exclusive maidservant and bodyguard, every attempt on Prince Ostar's life had been foiled. Chris was nearly invincible, her ability to mercilessly expose and neutralize any threat was unmatched.

Over time, adversaries ceased their attempts against Prince Ostar. Moreover, his later behavior, that of a typical profligate, devoid of any kingly demeanor, caused his political enemies to let down their guard.

"By the way, Lord Ostar, Her Highness Marguerite has sent her maid with a message. She requests you visit her before attending the morning court," a messenger conveyed.

"Ah, Mother... always so considerate," Ostar mused. "It seems I'll have to seek her counsel this time, to see if she can help me sidestep Father's plans."

"Lord Ostar, I wouldn't set my expectations too high if I were you. Princess Marguerite also hopes to see you develop a sense of independence."

"Chris, do you wish to see me make a name for myself as well?"

"Lord Ostar, regardless of the decisions you make or what the future holds, my loyalty to you is unwavering and eternal."