Early morning light filtered into the royal palace.
Two maids entered the chamber quietly, carrying folded cloth and a basin of warm water.
"Prince, we are here," one of them said softly. "It is time for your bath."
The child lying before them looked up without a sound, his face calm and unreadable.
The second maid paused, glancing at the first."Isn't it strange?" she whispered. "The prince has never cried or thrown a tantrum. Not once."
"I know," the other replied. "When I heard we were assigned to care for him, I prepared myself for sleepless nights. But this…" She smiled faintly. "It feels like bathing a quiet adult."
They continued speaking in low voices as they bathed him, unaware of the thoughts racing behind his dark, watchful eyes.
----
I don't understand anything they're saying.
That's the first problem.
I need to learn the language.
Putting that aside—let's recap.
I am currently in a baby's body. Which means I either died… or this is the world's most elaborate hallucination.
My name was Raj Sharma. Age twenty-three. IAS officer, assigned to deliver classified files from the Prime Ministers Office to my uncle—a fleet admiral. I reached the naval base, delivered the files, sat down for tea and—
There was an explosion.
After that… nothing.
So either I died in that attack/raid, or I'm lying in a coma somewhere and this is my brain playing tricks on me.
Given how real everything feels, I'm leaning toward the first option.
Now, about this place.
There's no advanced technology. No screens, no machines. The architecture feels ancient—like old India, with hints of Greek or Roman influence in the pillars and layouts. The clothing matches that era India too.
As for names and speech—I can't tell. I don't understand a single word.
Still, whether this is a dream or reality, I have to live with it.
And I really don't want to die young again without having done anything with my life.
----
My mother died when I was seven.My father was always away, serving in the army.
I grew up with caretakers in a big not too large, empty house.
I wasn't very social. Preferred books over people. Studying came easily. I tried joining the armed forces to impress my father and try to get him to pay some attention to me, but I failed spectacularly. After that, I cleared the UPSC and joined the IAS.
I had friends, if you could call them that. Never dated.
And now I'm dead.
Reborn.
As a baby.
Fantastic.
*Sigh*
-----
My daily routine is simple—and humiliating.
I wake up. I get bathed. I get fed.
Being stuck in an infant's body sucks. I can't control my movements properly. I sleep constantly. I poop far more than any adult should ever think about.
The worst part is that my thoughts feel… foggy sometimes.
But strangely, my memories from my past life are still intact.
And then—something incredible happened.
While being carried through the palace by one of my caretakers, I saw two man gesture with their hands—
And fire & earth moved.
Not a trick. Not torches.
Actual fire & earth, bending and flowing as if alive.
Magic.
Or at least… something that can't be explained any other way.
That alone was enough to make both my teenage self giggle and adult self cheer internally.
This world has magic.
Now judging by how well I'm being treated, I'm definitely not a commoner. The care, the luxury, the number of people attending to me—
I might even be royalty.
A prince, maybe.
I need more information. But until I grow older and learn the language, I'm effectively trapped inside my own head.
Well…
For now, I'll enjoy the ride.
Let future me deal with the consequences.
---------------
At the far end of the hall stood the central throne upon a raised platform, flanked by guards in polished, gold-shining armor. Below it were four additional seats arranged in two pairs, set on a lower tier. Beyond them, rows of benches stretched down the length of the hall to accommodate nobles and ministers.
The chamber buzzed with conversation.
Then the guards at the entrance struck their spears against the floor and swung the doors open.
"Behold," a voice rang out,"His Majesty, Raja Valangar II, has arrived."
The room fell instantly silent.
All nobles and ministers rose to their feet. The guards lowered their spears at a precise angle.
A tall man entered, guards at his side, and walked with measured steps toward the throne. He seated himself at its center and raised one hand.
At once, the court sat.
"Let us begin today's court session."