'The beginning?'
The air in the Lower Realm was heavy—thick with "mortal" impurities that Lyra seemed to cut through with every step. As she walked, she began to list the "duties" Evan had been wondering about, her voice dropping into a professional, instructional tone.
"In the Dominion, I would be your shadow."
She murmured, eyes scanning the city gates ahead.
"I would taste your food for poison, sleep at the foot of your bed to guard against assassins, and ensure that no woman approached you without my screening."
She paused, her gaze softening as she looked down at him.
"And, as I did moments ago... I would provide the comfort of family when the world grows cold. A personal maid is the first person you see when you wake, and the last you see before sleep. Our lives are intertwined, my prince. My warmth is yours."
Evan stared up at Lyra with wide eyes.
The weight of her words—especially the part about 'warmth' and 'intertwined lives'—hit him harder than any physical blow. For a brief moment, the usually composed battle-maid seemed to realize how intimate her explanation had become.
Her expression froze.
Then—
She quickly cleared her throat and straightened her posture.
"Ahem."
Lyra avoided looking directly at him for a second.
"That… was simply an expression of affection."
She nodded to herself as if convincing herself.
"Yes. Perfectly normal."
Her cheeks were still faintly red.
Evan continued staring.
This maid is interesting.
Lyra finally sighed and glanced down at him again.
"Well, my prince… you should know this eventually anyway."
Her voice regained its usual calm tone, though a faint embarrassment still lingered.
"As your personal maid, it will be my duty to take care of all your needs when you grow up."
She adjusted the blanket wrapped around him while speaking.
"In the Celestial Dominions, a personal maid serves her master in nearly every aspect of life."
Lyra began walking slowly again, her voice steady.
"I will manage your daily affairs, prepare your clothes, assist with your training, and handle matters that you should not be bothered with."
Her lips curved slightly.
"In many royal households, a prince's personal maid even speaks and makes decisions on his behalf in smaller matters."
Evan blinked.
Lyra continued calmly, as if reciting something very ordinary.
"And of course… attending to your comfort is also part of the role."
She hesitated for a second before continuing.
"For example, if a prince wishes it, a personal maid may even warm his bed before he sleeps."
Her cheeks reddened slightly again.
"Though… such things only happen with the permission of both Her Majesty and the prince himself."
She quickly added the last part.
"That is the custom in many empires."
Lyra cleared her throat again.
"So you see, my prince…"
She gently tapped his nose.
"Compared to those duties, a small gesture like earlier is nothing unusual."
Evan stared at her silently.
She's trying very hard to justify that.
Lyra suddenly realized she had been explaining quite a lot to a baby who couldn't even speak yet.
She paused.
Then sighed softly.
"…I suppose you won't understand any of that yet."
Her expression softened again as she resumed walking.
"But one day you will."
The forest gradually thinned as the road ahead became visible.
The distant outline of a small city appeared beyond the trees.
Lyra's gaze sharpened slightly.
For now, her duties were simple.
Protect the prince.
Raise him well.
And prepare him for the day he would return to the world he truly belonged to.
She looked down at him again with a gentle smile.
"No matter what happens…"
"I will serve you well, my prince."
Evan's POV:
Evan's eyes remained fixed on Lyra as she walked calmly down the road, carrying him as if nothing unusual had just been said.
But inside his mind—
Everything was in chaos.
Did she seriously just say that…?
He slowly turned his gaze toward her face.
The maid who carried him so confidently looked exactly as he remembered.
Clad in her pristine battle-maid uniform, she moved with the quiet confidence of someone trained for far more than household service. The dark fabric of her attire fit neatly around her form, reinforced by subtle armor plates that hinted she could step into combat at any moment.
White frills lined her collar and sleeves, giving the otherwise disciplined outfit a refined elegance.
Her hair was deep black, smooth and lustrous as it flowed over her shoulders.
Her eyes matched that darkness—sharp, observant, the kind of gaze that seemed capable of noticing the smallest detail.
Yet every so often, a playful spark flickered inside them.
It softened the intensity.
Made her feel… strangely approachable.
Beautiful.
Not the delicate beauty of a noble lady.
But the composed beauty of someone dangerous.
Someone who could politely pour tea one moment…
…and cut down an enemy the next.
Evan stared.
And I could just… ask?
His mind replayed what she had said earlier.
A prince.
A personal maid.
Attending to every need.
Even sharing a bed was permitted by tradition and royal custom.
To people born in that kind of empire, it was probably just a normal custom.
But to him—
It sounded absurd.
His thoughts drifted back to his previous life.
A cramped apartment.
Endless work.
A life that ended suddenly…
Without accomplishing much of anything.
Including—
…Right.
Evan stared at the sky for a moment.
I died a virgin.
The realization felt strangely embarrassing, even now.
Then he glanced back at Lyra again.
The maid who had crossed worlds carrying him.
The woman who had sworn loyalty to his mother.
The person who was now responsible for raising him.
And apparently… I could just order someone like her to warm my bed because of my birth.
The thought made him uncomfortable.
Sure, the customs of the Celestial Dominions might say that was normal.
But to him?
It felt cheap.
Empty.
He watched Lyra as she continued walking toward the distant city.
The wind moved gently through her black hair.
She adjusted the blanket around him carefully to make sure he stayed warm.
There was nothing forced about her care.
No obligation.
No resentment.
Just quiet loyalty.
And that made the idea feel even worse.
If something like that ever happens…
Evan's tiny brows furrowed slightly.
It shouldn't be because I ordered it.
He stared at the sky again, thinking seriously.
If I ever share that kind of closeness with someone…
It should be because we both want it.
Not because of status.
Not because of tradition.
And definitely not because someone felt obligated.
His gaze returned to Lyra.
If that ever happens with her…
The thought lingered quietly.
Then it will only happen if we both truly feel the same. When both truly want to share the bed together, our warmth together.
No commands.
No privileges.
Just two people choosing each other.
Even if it sounded naive for someone reborn into a world of emperors and cultivators—
Evan didn't care.
His tiny expression hardened with quiet determination.
That's the only way I'll ever allow it.
Intimacy should involve both body and heart. Anything else felt hollow to him.
'Back on Earth, I had nothing. Here, I'm being told I can have everything just by asking. But if I don't earn it, is it actually mine?'
I don't want to live a debaucherous life.
And if that meant going against the expectations of powerful empires—
So be it.
Evan slowly relaxed in Lyra's arms.
For now, though—
He had something far more important to do.
Grow stronger.
Grow up.
And become someone worthy of the life he had been given.
Only then would he worry about things like love.
His eyes slowly closed as the road stretched toward the distant city.
But the quiet determination in his heart remained.
This time… I'll live my life properly.