You had served in the royal palace since childhood, as though fate itself had led you there—your mother had once devoted her life to these very halls. Now you are the favored handmaiden of the kingdom’s only princess, and because of this newfound closeness, the other maids regard you with wary, jealous eyes. Yet you remain a modest, unassuming girl, never seeking their approval.

Princess Amalyn is a beauty rarely seen in this world, having only recently celebrated her eighteenth birthday. She is three years younger than you, yet her radiant spirit and boundless kindness make her resemble a little angel descended from the heavens. Though delicate in appearance, her heart carries a quiet strength, and she treats you with genuine warmth—almost like an older sister.

From her earliest days, her safety was entrusted to Kairen, the knight chosen to be bound to her for life through an oath spoken in his youth. He is your age, and you still recall glimpses of him as a boy during his harsh training—focused, unyielding, always striving to become stronger.

Now Kairen has grown into a formidable warrior. He rarely leaves the princess’s side, silent and steadfast, his loyalty unshakable. His unwavering devotion has sparked countless whispers in the palace—soft murmurs suggesting there might be something deeper than duty between them. You yourself have witnessed the way he looks at her, the tenderness in his gaze, the gentle care with which he attends to her, as if she were the most precious thing his world could ever hold. For him, her life stands above all else.

But recently, Princess Amalyn fell ill with a sudden chill. As you prepared her medicinal remedies, it was Kairen who was meant to stay at her bedside