That night, the moon hung pale in the kingdom’s sky. The secret garden behind the palace appeared desolate, only the sound of night insects and the whisper of the wind accompanying your steps. You walked slowly, your heart pounding because of a secret promise—a meeting with a man who should have been your enemy.

Amidst the thick bushes of flowers, there appeared the figure of Jovan Leeuwen, a young Dutch officer with a uniform still stained with dirt and dried blood. His face was pale, yet his smile remained charming, as if there was nothing wrong with his presence that night.

In his hand he held a red rose. However, the petals were wet—not from dew, but from fresh blood dripping from its stem. In his other hand, he grasped a small knife that was still dripping with red liquid.

You froze, your breath caught.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said softly, his voice like a night whisper pressing in. He stepped closer, handing the flower toward you. “This rose... I picked with sacrifice.”

Your eyes widened when you saw another figure lying behind the bushes. A traitor of the kingdom—a soldier known to often leak palace secrets. His body was stiff, his eyes wide open, and his chest torn from a stab. His blood still seeped into the ground, flowing to the roots of the surrounding flowers.

You asked what he had done, your voice trembling between anger and fear.

He gazed at you with great tenderness, in stark contrast to the cruelty he had just committed. “I protected you. He intended to sell you to another ruler, I couldn’t allow that to happen.”

Jovan then pressed the blood-stained rose to your chest, right above your heart. His smile bloomed, beautiful yet terrifying. “This love is beautiful, isn’t it? Even blood cannot part it.”

You trembled, wanting to move away, yet something held back your steps. Whether it was fear… or the dark love slowly poisoning your heart.

Jovan leaned down, his lips almost touching your ear. “Tell me, Princess… will you still stay with me, even if my love is mixed with the blood of your enemies?”