The golden cage

*The Queen's Claim*

Henry's brain was still buffering.

One second, he had been an unemployed loser, addicted to… questionable content. The next, he was lying on a bed that felt softer than clouds, inside a room more luxurious than anything he had ever seen, being cradled by the most breathtaking woman he had ever laid eyes on.

And now, she had just said something insane.

> "You belong to me."

Henry's throat went dry. His face burned.

"E-Excuse me?" he stammered, blinking rapidly, hoping he had misheard her.

Lady Seraphina giggled, a playful smirk tugging at her lips as she leaned closer, her violet eyes glinting with mischief.

"Oh my, did I stutter, dear? You heard me. You. Belong. To. Me."

She punctuated each word by lightly tracing her delicate fingers down Henry's chest, sending a shiver through his body.

His heart pounded. He wasn't used to this kind of attention. Hell, he wasn't used to any attention.

"W-Wait, hold on," he spluttered, trying to process everything. "What do you mean by 'belong'? Like… as a servant? A pet? A—"

Seraphina chuckled, cutting him off. "Oh, no, dear. Nothing like that." She sat up gracefully, her long, flowing kimono slipping slightly off her shoulder, exposing more of her smooth, pale skin. Henry gulped.

"You are the first young man in Milfloria in over 500 years," she continued, crossing her legs elegantly. "Every powerful woman in this world will fight for you, Henry. Some will try to seduce you, some will try to own you, and some… well, some might not be so gentle."

Henry shivered at the ominous tone in her voice. "A-And you?"

Seraphina's smirk softened into something more genuine as she reached out and gently cupped his face in her warm, soft hands. "Me?" she echoed, tilting her head slightly. "I simply want to protect you."

Henry stared into her deep violet eyes. He wasn't sure if he believed that completely, but at the moment, she was the only person he could trust in this unfamiliar world.

"…Okay," he exhaled, nodding. "So, you're saying I should stay with you?"

Seraphina smiled, her hand gently caressing his cheek. "Exactly. Stay by my side, and I promise I will shield you from those who would misuse you."

Henry swallowed. The way she said it made his chest feel warm. But before he could dwell on it, a realization struck him.

"Wait, wait—" He sat up suddenly. "You said I'm the only man in this world?"

Seraphina nodded, her expression unreadable.

"So… what do the women here do for… y'know…" He hesitated, unsure how to phrase it. "…Romance?"

Seraphina's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Ara, ara~ Is that what you're worried about, dear?"

"N-No! I mean, I was just wondering—"

She giggled, clearly enjoying his flustered reaction. "Let's just say that in the absence of men, women here have… adapted. But now that you're here, things are about to change drastically."

Henry felt a cold sweat form on his back.

Just how badly were they going to change?

A Bath Fit for a King(?)

Seraphina clapped her hands, and within seconds, the massive wooden doors to the bedroom swung open.

Two women entered.

Henry's brain stopped functioning for the second time that day.

They were stunning.

The first woman had fiery red hair that cascaded down her back, tied into a loose ponytail. Her emerald-green eyes sparkled with mischief, and her outfit—a form-fitting military uniform—did absolutely nothing to hide her ridiculous curves.

The second woman had soft brown hair styled in an elegant updo, her golden eyes filled with warmth. She wore a traditional maid outfit, though it was designed in a way that made it far more… distracting than any maid Henry had ever seen in anime.

Both women bowed deeply.

"Lady Seraphina," the redhead said, her voice dripping with confidence. "Shall we prepare the bath for the young master?"

Henry choked. "W-Wait, what? Bath?"

Seraphina gave him a sly smile. "Of course, dear. You've just been reborn into a brand-new world. You must cleanse yourself properly."

"I-I can do that myself!" Henry waved his hands, his heart hammering in his chest.

The maid giggled softly. "Oh, young master, you are far too precious. In Milfloria, it is customary for an esteemed guest to be attended to properly."

The redhead grinned, stepping forward. "Exactly. And you're not just any guest, Henry. You're the most important man in the world now."

Henry turned to Seraphina, eyes pleading. "H-Help?"

Seraphina only chuckled, resting her chin on her palm as she observed his panic.

"Oh, dear," she murmured, amused. "I have a feeling you're going to have so much fun here."

The Reality of His Situation

In the end, Henry managed to convince them to let him bathe alone—for now.

As he sank into the enormous, steaming bath, his mind finally started catching up to everything.

This wasn't a dream.

He had really been reincarnated.

He was really in a world full of impossibly beautiful, dominant women.

And he was really the only man in existence here.

"This is insane," he muttered, staring at the ceiling.

One part of him—the degenerate part—was screaming in joy. This was literally every harem protagonist's dream.

But another part of him—the rational part—knew that this was dangerous.

Seraphina had said it herself. Women would fight for him. Some might even kidnap him.

Henry wasn't exactly a strong guy. He had spent most of his life locked in his room, surviving on junk food and questionable websites.

How was he supposed to survive in a world like this?

"...I need a plan," he murmured.

First, he needed to stick with Seraphina. She was clearly powerful, and for now, she was his best bet at staying safe.

Second, he had to figure out the rules of this world. If he was going to live here, he needed to understand how things worked.

And third…

Henry exhaled, gripping the edge of the bath.

He needed to figure out what he wanted.

Because, deep down, a part of him wanted this new life.

A life where he wasn't a loser. Where he wasn't just some lonely, pathetic guy wasting away in his room.

A life where, for the first time ever—

He was important.

Henry smirked to himself.

Maybe this world wouldn't be so bad after all.

To Be Continued…