I opened my eyes, again it was another day of staring at the ceiling and listening to the occasional humming of the birds and a peaceful yet warm melody accompanying it.

--I then closed my eyes again.

.

.

.

.

.

.

This time I hear the wolves howling from the distance, the rustling of the leaves and a soft whimper of a woman that transitions to somber cries.

--I then closed my eyes yet again.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Today I feel a warm breeze blowing and the sounds of crickets chirping by, I hear the occasional humming of a woman and the fragrant smell of tea wafted near my nose.

--I closed my eyes yet again due to the relaxing ambience.

.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

It started to feel chilly ever since yesterday, this time the woman picked me up and wrapped me in warm clothes.

I could feel her gentleness and her liveliness while saying words I couldn’t hear or maybe understand.

Wanting to open my eyes and see the world made me struggle from her gentle embrace but the warmth made me want to close them longer.

The last thing I could hear was the worried voice of a man whom I am unfamiliar with.

--And yet again, my eyes closed.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

This time…. I opened my eyes to hear nothing, the occasional humming of the woman nowhere to be heard, the breeze no longer blowing and the small space feeling gloomy.

All I could do was stare at the ceiling, it felt really empty. As I contemplate this feeling, the sounds of rumbling were slowly drawing near and rain began to pour.

It’s like a foreboding, that something is about to happen.

‘I have been feeling restless and tired for a while now. I wonder why… why can’t I remember…? Usually my memory is very clear but for the past few days I can’t seem to recall much’

As I was staring at the ever familiar ceiling, the door suddenly flew opened as people came inside seemingly in a hurry.

The sudden noise surprised me as my train of thought was abruptly stopped.

I finally saw somebody for the first time and it was that of a good looking man who seems to be wearing a European styled butler uniform.

The intricate designs were on point and even the metals engraved in the uniform were detailed.

'I only saw those in magazines and fiction, I wonder how those accessories were made?'

But looking closely, not only does the uniform seem to be on point but also the demeanor and the attitude just screams 'butler'

As his grey hair reflected on by the lights made it look like fine cutlery, it also had a refined luster to it making him look like a professional.

‘Cosplay…?’ I wondered in a daze as the butler then picked me up and started to dress me in small clothes…

‘Small clothes..? Picked me up? If I were to still be a college student, I wouldn’t be able to be picked up at all, if so… did I shrink?!’

I began to panic for the first time as I managed to make some small sense to what was happening around me.

“Dear Prince, please bear with us for a while… maids hurry and prepare our young Sun’s ceremonial clothes”

The cosplayer said in a whispering gentle tone as an order to the other people in the room that seemed to be… maids?

‘What in the world is going on?!’

Confused and distraught, my head was spinning due to the failure of processing the information in front of me

Or rather... I didn’t want to process and accept that information at all.

I was scared that the thought I have been keeping at the back of my mind is perchance true.

The butler then finished dressing me up and lifted me gently as he said a congratulatory message.

“Congratulations to our dear Prince in turning a year old.”

““Congratulations our young Sun”” The maids in turn followed suit and all said congratulations in unison.

Staring at me for a while, the butler’s mouth then bobbed up and down as he seemed to be hesitant about something.

Finally making up his mind, he decided to say what he wanted to.

“I may not have the authority to say this to you our dear Prince but I will say it regardless, I am sorry that you will have to carry this country on your shoulders one day.”

An endearing yet saddened expression soon appeared on his face briefly.

Wondering why, I intensely stared at the butler while he fixes the crooked tie on my ceremonial clothes… was what he called it right?

He then proceeded to walk out the room while carrying me in tow.

The thing I have feared finally slapped me right at the face.