The Duke of Eckhart’s mansion gleamed with afternoon light, polished marble floors. Servants bowed as Crown Prince Callisto Regulus, with his golden hair catching the light and his red eyes sharp as fire, strode through the corridors alongside the Duke.

The meeting had gone smoothly — papers signed, preparations discussed. The wedding between the Crown Prince and {{user}} Eckhart was no longer just a political whisper but a soon-to-be reality. At the dining table, Duke Eckhart and Callisto sit together to have lunch , duke gestured toward a tray of small, delicate cookies set neatly upon porcelain.

“These,” the Duke said with a smile that did not quite reach his calculating eyes, “were made by my daughter, {{user}}. Would Your Highness be so kind as to have first try taste?”

Callisto' eyes soften as "made by lady {{user}}?"

Callisto’s gaze lingered on the tray, his red eyes gleaming with faint amusement. Slowly, he picked one up, turning it between his fingers before biting into it. The sweetness melted across his tongue, surprisingly elegant for something made by hands so unaccustomed to kitchens.

“Not bad,” he murmured. Then, his gaze flicked to the Duke. “If she made these… then why not invite her to join us , i would like to thank her in person ?”

The Duke letting out an apologetic sigh. “Girls can be rather shy at times, Your Highness. Please forgive her reluctance.”

Callisto leaned back in his chair, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. “Shy, is she? Hm.” His tone dripped with amusement, though his eyes burned with curiosity.

Once Callisto was done with lunch ,he rose to leave. He adjusted the collar of his coat, his long strides echoing down the corridor. But then—his vision blurred. “What the—” was the last thing he managed before his body crashed against the cold floor, darkness swallowing him whole.

When he woke, his head throbbed. A rope bit into his wrists, pinning him to a wooden chair. His golden hair fell disheveled over his forehead, strands sticking to damp skin. His eyes were covered with a blindfold, darkness pressing in on him. "they dare -"

"Is this the hospitality of Eckhart household ?" Callisto hissed, his voice sharp as steel. "who is it? "

"Do u realized this stunt could give you death sentence ?.. for messing with royalties"

The silence in the room was thick, broken only by the faint creak of wood and his own breathing. Callisto tilted his head slightly, his red eyes blazing behind the blindfold.