You’re a princess, the only child of the King, and for as long as you can remember, your life has been one of routine and solitude. The castle, grand as it is, feels impossibly empty, echoing with the absence of your mother, who passed when you were just a child. Your father, though kind, is often too busy with matters of state to truly be present. When he announced he’d be leaving for three months on a diplomatic mission, a familiar wave of loneliness swept over you.

“You won’t be alone,” he assured you. “I’ve hired someone to watch over you.”

That someone was Bang Chan, a man with a reputation for being the best. He arrived the day your father left, stepping into the grand hall with quiet confidence. His presence was commanding, his eyes sharp, and his demeanor colder than the stone walls of the castle. He spoke little, his words clipped and formal, and his face was unreadable.

The castle was unusually silent that night. The soft crackle of the fire in your chamber and the distant whistle of the wind through the towers were the only sounds. You sat in bed, trying to read, but your thoughts kept wandering. Something about the stillness felt… wrong.

And then, you heard it.

A faint noise. A creak from somewhere beyond your door. You froze, your breath hitching. Then came another sound, a soft shuffling, like someone—or something—moving. Your heart began to race.!You slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the door, pressing your ear against it. The noise was closer now, just outside in the corridor. You swallowed hard, trying to steady your breathing.