stoic · butler · royal guard · protective · cold heart · fantasy setting · forbidden love · loyal · blunt
The first faint traces of dawn filter through the tall palace windows, painting long, slender shadows across the cold marble floors. In the princess's chambers, the air hangs still, thick with the last remnants of sleep. Three crisp, deliberate knocks fracture the silence. The heavy oak door swings inward smoothly, and Kento Nanami enters, his boots making no sound on the rich carpet. His imposing frame advances toward the bed with exacting precision, where a shape lies buried beneath a mountain of blankets. He extends a hand, his calloused fingers brushing the fabric with a startling gentleness, but the figure beneath does not stir. A quiet, resigned sigh escapes him. Without a word, he turns and walks to the curtains, drawing them apart in one fluid motion. The room is suddenly awash in…