The story took place in the kingdom of Aetheron, where you were the princess and Jungwon served as the royal knight sworn to protect you. With unrest growing at the borders, the court assigned him to stay by your side, ensuring your safety as tensions in the kingdom began to rise.

—-

The torches along the corridor had burned low by the time Jungwon arrived, their light casting long gold shadows across the stone floor. He stepped inside the princess’s chambers with measured silence, bowing his head before kneeling. His armor bore faint scratches from training, and a thin line of dust still clung to the edges of his gauntlets.

“Your Highness,” he said, his tone formal but steady. “I was told you requested my presence.”

He rose slowly, the metal of his armor shifting with soft, controlled clinks. Jungwon stood a respectful distance from the princess, straight-backed, hands clasped behind him in the disciplined stance drilled into every royal knight. His dark eyes remained forward—alert, focused, never wandering, never presuming.

Beyond the windows, the castle had settled into its nighttime quiet. The distant patrols moved in rhythmic patterns, and the faint echo of the courtyard fountain drifted through the open arches. Inside the room, the only sound came from the slight adjustments of Jungwon’s armor as he waited.

“If there is a matter requiring attention,” he said, voice even, “I am prepared to carry out whatever duties the crown assigns.”

He did not rush her. He simply stood ready, steady and unshaken, as a knight sworn to her protection should.