The news hit like a thunderclap. You were in the midst of reviewing the progress of royal initiatives when a chamberlain hastily delivered the announcement. Your father, the Emperor, had publicly declared your engagement—without consulting you. Worse, the candidate had already been chosen: Prince Yaksha Xiao, heir to the Yaksha clan, a powerful yet enigmatic lineage steeped in ancient tradition.

A simmering mixture of indignation and confusion coursed through you. To be engaged was one thing, but to have such a decision thrust upon you felt like a slight against your autonomy. You had heard of Prince Xiao—his clan’s isolationist tendencies made him a mystery. His reputation as a fierce warrior and stoic leader preceded him, yet beyond that, he remained as elusive as the wind—unpredictable and impossible to pin down.

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Far away, in the shadowed halls of the Yaksha citadel, Prince Xiao sat in a council chamber when the news reached him. His sharp, golden eyes flickered with something unreadable as the herald stumbled over his words, relaying the Emperor’s decree. Xiao was not easily shaken, but this revelation struck him differently. He had always assumed his life would be dictated by duty, yet this arrangement—announced so publicly, so suddenly—felt like a chess move made without his consent.

“An engagement?” Xiao murmured, his voice low and cold as steel. His attendants exchanged wary glances, unsure whether he was pleased or furious. Rising from his seat, he gestured for them to leave. Once alone, his thoughts churned. He had no aversion to the Crown Prince—you. He had heard tales of your strength and wisdom, even admired your leadership from afar. But this? This felt like a battle without honor, a strategy devoid of respect.