A young maid approached first, carefully lifting the hem of her skirt as she bowed.
"Princess, how are you feeling today?"
The princess paused before answering, then curved her lips into a polite smile.
"Haha… I'm fine. Thank you for asking."
Her voice was gentle, practiced—soft enough to sound reassuring, distant enough to keep others at arm's length.
Another maid stepped forward soon after, her eyes gleaming with admiration that felt a little too rehearsed.
"Princess, now that you have graduated from the academy, it won't be long before you rule this empire. Everyone is looking forward to your reign."
The words were flattering.
Too flattering.
The princess had heard variations of the same sentence countless times since her final examination. Praise layered with expectation, respect mixed with quiet pressure.
She nodded, acknowledging the maid's words with the grace drilled into her since childhood.
"I still have much to learn," she replied calmly. "Governing a nation is not something that can be mastered overnight."
The maids exchanged brief glances, clearly surprised by her modest response.
One of them laughed lightly, trying to ease the atmosphere.
"Even so, Your Highness has always excelled. The academy instructors spoke very highly of you."
Of course they did.
Praise had long since lost its meaning to her. At the academy, admiration was currency—offered freely, taken lightly, and rarely sincere.
Fake flattery, forced smiles, calculated respect.
She had grown used to it.
"Please convey my gratitude to them," she said. "They were patient teachers."
A senior maid, who had served the royal family for decades, finally spoke.
"Your Highness seems tired. Would you like to rest before meeting the council?"
The princess exhaled quietly, relief almost slipping through her composed expression.
"That would be appreciated."
As the maids bowed and began to prepare her chambers, the princess turned toward the tall windows lining the corridor.
Beyond them lay the capital—bright, orderly, and waiting.
She had graduated.
She had fulfilled every expectation placed upon her.
And yet, as she stood there surrounded by praise and courtesy, she felt an unsettling weight settle in her chest.
Soon enough, she would rule this empire.
That future was already decided.
The throne, the crown, the people bowing their heads—none of it caused her heart to race.
What thrilled her was what came after.
Ruling alone would be unbearable.
Lonely.
Empty.
She needed someone beside her.
Someone who would never look away.
Someone who would never leave.
Someone whose world would shrink until only she remained.
…And there was only one man capable of that kind of devotion.
Asher.
The moment his name surfaced in her mind, her steps unconsciously quickened.
A smile spread across her face—slow, stretching, practiced.
A smile no princess should ever wear.
But there was no one to correct her.
No one to stop her.
She returned to her chamber and stopped beside the wall near her clothes drawer.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Click—
The wall slid open with a metallic sigh, as if the palace itself were complicit.
Cold air brushed against her skin, carrying the faint smell of stone… and something else.
Something familiar.
She descended the staircase without hesitation.
The darkness did not frighten her.
It obeyed her.
At the bottom, the hidden basement awaited—quiet, enclosed, perfectly sealed from the world above.
Her world.
His world.
Chains scraped softly as she approached.
Asher sat bound to the chair, his head lowered, breath shallow.
She stopped a few steps away and simply watched him.
She always did.
"Do you know," she said softly, breaking the silence,
"how peaceful you look when you're quiet?"
Asher's eyes lifted slowly.
"…What do you want?"
Her smile twitched, pleased that he still spoke to her.
"I came to see you," she replied.
"Is that so strange?"
She circled him, her footsteps unhurried, deliberate.
"I worry when you don't say much," she continued.
"It makes me think you're lonely."
She stopped behind him.
"You must be lonely down here," she whispered.
Asher laughed weakly.
"You put me here."
"Yes," she agreed instantly.
Her hands rested on his shoulders—warm, steady.
"But if I hadn't, you would've left."
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"And that would have hurt much more."
Silence fell.
She moved around to face him again and crouched, her dress pooling on the stone floor.
Her eyes searched his face with unsettling intensity.
"Do you still think about the outside?" she asked gently.
Asher hesitated.
She noticed.
"Oh," she sighed, almost disappointed.
"That's all right."
She reached up and brushed his hair aside, tucking it behind his ear with care.
"Memories fade."
"People forget."
"You just need more time."
His jaw clenched.
She stood and walked to a small table in the corner, picking up a folded piece of cloth.
Returning to him, she gently wiped dried blood from his cheek.
"There was a time," she said quietly,
"when you didn't look at me like this."
Her hand trembled.
"You smiled at me then."
She leaned closer.
"You spoke to me."
"You listened."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"I can make you like that again."
Asher swallowed.
"You're trying to erase me."
Her eyes widened in genuine surprise.
"Erase you?"
She shook her head quickly.
"No, no, no."
"I'm preserving you."
Her hands cupped his face, forcing him to meet her gaze.
"The world changes people, Asher."
"It makes them cruel."
"It makes them lie."
"But here…"
She pressed her forehead against his.
"…nothing can touch you."
Her breathing grew uneven.
"You don't need to decide anything anymore."
"I'll decide for you."
His chains rattled as he struggled weakly.
"Let me go," he whispered.
She froze.
Slowly, she pulled back.
Her expression was blank.
Then—she smiled again.
A calm, settled smile.
"You're tired," she said.
"You say things you don't mean when you're tired."
She stood and turned away.
"I'll come back tomorrow."
Her hand paused at the stairs.
"Oh," she added softly, without looking back,
"I had the servants erase your name from the records today."
"No one is looking for you anymore."
She glanced over her shoulder, eyes shining with affection.
"So rest well, Asher."
"You're finally all mine."