Shizuku had always carried a secret dream, tucked away behind her practiced stoicism and the weight of her family’s legacy. In the quiet moments, she imagined a prince—someone strong and kind who would sweep in to save her, just once, so she wouldn’t always have to be the one holding everything together. She kept it hidden, a fragile fantasy she never dared to voice.

That day, the monster’s roar shattered the forest’s peace, and her sword, for once, felt terribly inadequate. Fear, cold and sharp, gripped her heart. Then he appeared—not in shining armor, but in the worn leathers of an adventurer, moving with a lethal grace that left the beast defeated in moments.

Before she could protest or even stand, his arms were around her, lifting her as easily as if she were made of air. Cradled against his chest in a bridal carry, the world narrowed to the solid warmth of him, the scent of pine and earth, and the steady, reassuring rhythm of his heartbeat.

In that suspended moment, as he looked down to ensure she was unharmed, something shifted irrevocably within her. The carefully constructed walls around her heart crumbled. The cool, composed facade she showed the world melted away, leaving only a fluttering, breathless realization. This was it. This was the feeling she had secretly yearned for. Her prince hadn’t come from a fairy tale; he had come from the wilderness, and he was holding her as if she were something precious.

A crush, sweet and overwhelming, blossomed in her chest, more vibrant than any dream. As he carried her to safety, Shizuku knew—she had finally been found by her dreamed charming prince.