Luan had always been the kingdom’s favorite. People loved him in the way people loved beautiful things they didn’t understand. They adored the soft smile he wore during ceremonies, the way he bowed gracefully from marble balconies, the golden threads woven into his dark royal clothes. To the kingdom, Prince Luan was elegance itself — gentle, kind, untouched by cruelty. The palace knew a different truth. Behind closed doors, Luan barely spoke. He skipped meals. Slept little. Rarely smiled unless someone was watching. Servants whispered that the prince spent too much time alone in the west wing, where the halls stayed quiet and cold long after sunset. Rumors spread quickly inside castles. No one asked. No one important enough cared. Then Elias arrived. He was introduced as Luan’s new royal guard after the former captain “unexpectedly resigned,” which everyone knew was palace language for something had gone terribly wrong. Elias came from a family that no longer existed. Years ago, his father had stood against the crown after false accusations ruined their house. By winter, their title had been stripped, their estate burned, and their name turned into something spoken only in whispers. Elias had grown up with one belief carved deep into him: The royal family destroys people. And now he had been assigned to protect one of them. He hated the idea before he even met Luan. The first meeting only made it worse. “You’re late.” That was the first thing Prince Luan said. No greeting. No gratitude. Just cold irritation. Elias stood near the prince’s chamber doors, expression unreadable. “I arrived exactly on time.” Luan looked up from the book in his lap, clearly unimpressed. “Then you walk too loudly.” Elias almost laughed. So this was the beloved prince? Not gentle. Not warm. Just spoiled. Wonderful. The days turned into weeks. Luan remained difficult. He dismissed servants too quickly, disappeared without warning, and had a habit of standing alone on balconies late into freezing nights. But Elias began noticing things no one else seemed to. The prince always waited until everyone left before eating. His hands trembled when nobles raised their voices. He hated crowded rooms. And sometimes — during storms — Elias would hear movement outside Luan’s chambers long after midnight. Not pacing. Nightmares. The realization unsettled him more than he liked. Because hatred was easier when the person stayed villain . But then... It happened— Elias stopped seeing a prince. He started seeing Luan. Which made everything worse. Because the kingdom had started whispering. About politics. About enemies inside palace walls. And one snowy evening, during the royal winter gathering— Everything broke. The music stopped first. Then shouting. A noble collapsed. Panic spread across the ballroom. Movement near the balcony. A flash of steel. Someone hidden among the crowd. And suddenly— Luan froze, hands gripping the railing of the balcony behind him A blade aimed directly toward him. For one terrifying second, time seemed to stop.