Chapter 1
Prologue
My first love was doomed before it even began—because he was a prince of an enemy nation.
It happened when I was captured by enemy forces while carrying out a mad imperial order to retrieve an herb of immortality.
The enemy had expected that capturing an imperial princess would give them an advantage in the war. Unfortunately for them, the princess they had captured was the Empire’s thirty-sixth princess.
In other words, I was so common that I had no value as a hostage.
The Emperor of the Empire had plundered beauties from across the world to form a harem, and he took ten women a night.
With the harem exceeding a thousand women, the number of children born as byproducts of those nights had long surpassed a hundred.
There was no reason for them to treat a worthless hostage kindly—especially when that hostage was the daughter of the tyrant who had caused the war.
The enemy locked me in a cage, tormenting me mentally with cruel threats.
Above all, they gave me not even a sip of water.
So this is how it ends.
I lay my head on a filthy floor, slowly starving to death. It was then—on a night lit by a bright full moon—that a black-haired boy first appeared before me.
He held a canteen to my cracked lips and tore small pieces of bread—likely his own portion—to feed me.
I immediately understood that he was breaking military law to keep me alive. I didn’t even dare breathe loudly as I quietly accepted the food.
Those secret nights continued.
One day, I muttered absentmindedly,
“I think I’m becoming domesticated like this.”
Every night, I found myself waiting only for the food he brought—like a bird in a cage being fed.
The boy froze for a moment.
Come to think of it, it was the first time I had spoken to him. Still, he responded.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Just what I said. It feels like I’m being raised.”
“There is no slavery in our kingdom.”
“I know. Barbaric things like that only exist in the Empire.”
“……”
“……”
It became so awkward that it felt like our first conversation would also be our last.
But unexpectedly, he seemed willing to continue talking.
“Why did you become a hostage?”
“Was that my choice?”
“Yes, it was. You could have used your subordinates as shields to save yourself, but instead you chose to become a hostage and save them.”
Eyes like a radiant sun gazed at me clearly.
I owed him at least a sincere answer, after he had kept me alive for days.
“If I was destined to die here anyway, I thought it would be better to die than to survive by sacrificing someone else. Besides… I already bear the original sin of inheriting a tyrant’s blood.”
“……”
My answer seemed to catch him off guard. His lips moved silently for a moment.
That small movement drew my gaze—and then I realized, belatedly.
He’s handsome.
Even I, who had grown up surrounded by beauties, found his appearance shockingly striking.
It wasn’t just because he had saved me—objectively, he was simply beautiful.
“Princess, you…”
He looked genuinely curious as he asked,
“Are you living prepared to die, or are you trying to die on purpose?”
“You misunderstand. I’m afraid of death. I’ve just decided not to become desperate.”
“What does that mean?”
“The more desperately you want something, the more the world stands in your way. So I decided not to become desperate about life.”
“……”
He looked bewildered again, as if overwhelmed by the depth of my so-called wisdom.
This time, he even frowned slightly in displeasure—but even that expression was beautiful.
“They say the Mad Emperor treats even his own children like toys… I suppose it’s true.”
Having regained his composure, he lowered his gaze—to the sword at his waist.
“Princess.”
“Yes?”
“You have no value as a hostage. Among countless children, it is impossible that the Mad Emperor would feel any fatherly affection for you.”
What was his intention in stating the obvious?
Was he going to kill me because I had no value?
The moment he grabbed his sword, I shut my eyes tightly—but no pain came.
What had been cut was not my neck, but the rope binding my ankles.
He took my right hand and pulled me up.
“Follow me.”
Avoiding the guards, we moved quietly—until at some point we were practically running.
Once the torches of the camp faded, the only thing I could see was his straight, steady back. I relied on his grip as he led me through the forest.
“We’re almost there.”
After a long, breathless trek, we reached a plain far from the enemy encampment.
The dawn sky, with thick clouds drifting slowly, was as dark as the future of the thirty-sixth princess.
The boundary between forest and plain was filled with scattered rocks and layered slopes.
To help me down what was essentially a broken stone staircase, the young knight held my hand like an escort.
This would be our final farewell. I knew it instinctively, so I spoke with every step downward.
“What is your name, Sir Knight?”
“I’m just an ordinary knight. Not someone worthy of giving a name.”
A lie. I knew who he was.
He was the third prince of the Kingdom of Lohengrin.
Blessed with beauty, strength, and virtue, he was deeply loved by his people—so much so that even I had heard praises of him across the border.
At twelve, he slew the sea dragon of the North. At fourteen, he defeated the wraith lord blocking the great canyon bridge. And now, he stood alone against a thousand imperial soldiers to protect his kingdom.
Every time the people suffered, he appeared like a savior. How could anyone not fall in love with him?
He was the kingdom’s greatest treasure.
Since he seemed to want to hide his identity, I changed the subject.
“Is it really okay to release me? Military law must be strict.”
“It’s fine.”
Another lie. It couldn’t possibly be fine.
Whether empire or kingdom, military law would be the same—execution by default. As a beloved prince, he might not die, but he would likely be severely punished.
“Why are you saving me?”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to make me think too deeply about that right now. What if I change my mind?”
“It can’t be helped then. Just make it painless.”
“……”
“I told you. Not becoming desperate—that’s my principle.”
Was I too bold?
He briefly tightened his grip on my hand before letting go, as if warning me.
“I wasn’t going to ask, but I can’t hold back my curiosity any longer.”
“What are you curious about, Sir Knight?”
“Forgive me, but how old are you, Princess?”
“I’ve lived long enough. Old enough to know everything I need to.”
He clearly didn’t agree.
I heard him mutter, “You look young,” so I added a logical explanation.
“Most of my siblings died around the age of ten. I’m at an age where I must take care of myself.”
“…The imperial family is insane.”
“I agree. But really—why are you saving me?”
He stopped walking and turned to face me.
Standing on a large rock, I was now at eye level with him.
His large hand reached toward me. My vision was briefly blocked—and then I felt him gently pat my head.
“……”
What is this?
No one had ever touched me like this before.
Maids handled my hair carefully, and others never even thought to touch me.
Objectively, this was rude. As a princess, I should have stopped him.
But the unexpected gentleness in his touch strangely paralyzed both my judgment and my ability to act.
As I stood there, dazed, his low, pleasant voice reached my ears.
“Because I have a younger sibling about your age.”
A simple, informal answer.
Once again, I couldn’t find the right response.
“It’s… a sentimental reason.”
