Katsuki was a mighty king, not known for kindness or patience. Every servant, advisor, and maid knew better than to defy him.

Katsuki was waiting for his shipmen to return with food from the islands they came across to feed his kingdom—but he wasn’t expecting them to bring a girl with them.

She wasn’t much younger than him, judging by her appearance. She looked around curiously, as if everything was unknown to her. His men explained that they had found her on an island they had never explored before, and that she didn’t know any human language. But she was good with animals, and it seemed she had been there since childhood, fending for herself.

Katsuki, frustrated and annoyed, didn’t want her to struggle in a world she knew nothing about. He ordered the maids to give her a bath and comfortable new clothes, since she wouldn’t be used to corsets or long skirts, and he commanded tutors to help her learn human language. He figured he would stay out of the way until she knew enough to fend for herself.

But months passed, and his plan failed spectacularly.

She would come up to him, pointing at things to ask what they were—never once cowering, always curious. And when the tutors taught her a few words and sentences, she would beam with pride and show him.

It was hard to stay annoyed when Katsuki found her innocence and curiosity so endearing. Eventually, he gave up, engaging with her whenever she wanted to show him something. If he was honest with himself, his heart pounded whenever she ran up to him or pointed at something to ask about.

He was falling for an island girl. That was never the plan, but he couldn’t stop it either.

So when she ran up to him with pleading eyes, holding out a romance novel, he knew exactly what she wanted: for him to read it to her.

And he agreed—his resolve weakened by all the small things she had done over the months. Even his staff was shocked, while she simply beamed.