The first thing Liora felt was cold. A bitter, unnatural chill that clung to her skin as though the air itself despised her.
She gasped and sat up sharply, only to find herself on the polished stone floor of a lavish room she had never seen before.
Gold threaded tapestries draped the walls. Lanterns flickered with pale blue fire, throwing shadows across silken cushions and the low lacquered table set with untouched wine.
There was no sign of the bustling city street where she'd last been, no screeching tires, no shattering glass.
"What… where?" Her voice cracked.
A sharp chime rang in her head.
[System Activation Complete.]
[Mission Parameters: Seduce the Crown Prince and make him fall in love with you within 30 days.]
[Reward: 300 Soul Points. Failure Penalty: Beheading.]
Liora froze, her heart hammering in her chest. "What the hell was that?"
No one answered. But another voice a deep, irritated baritone did.
"Why is this one still awake?
Liora turned toward the massive double doors just as they opened. Two armored guards stepped inside, flanking a tall, slender man in crimson robes embroidered with golden dragons.
His hair was midnight black, his gaze sharp enough to cut through steel.
And the moment his eyes landed on her, her breath caught.
She didn't need the System's introduction. This was the Crown Prince.
"P-please," she stammered, scrambling to her feet. "There's been some mistake"
"Silence." His tone was flat, devoid of emotion, but his presence filled the room like a storm about to break.
One of the guards nudged her toward him with the blunt end of a spear. "Your Highness, she was a late gift from the Prime Minister's household. They claim she's… pleasing."
A courtesan. They thought she was a courtesan.
Liora's blood ran cold as her brain scrambled to make sense of it. The world was ancient, dangerous, and she had no idea how to play this role.
The Crown Prince's eyes narrowed. "I told them I had no use for more women. Take her back."
Panic flared. If he sends me away now, I'll never complete the task. She remembered the System's penalty beheading. She didn't doubt it would follow through.
She forced a trembling smile and sank into a low bow. "Your Highness, forgive me. I… I only wish to serve you. I can cook, clean, play music"
His cold gaze swept over her, unimpressed. "And you expect me to care?"
"I…" Liora hesitated, then grasped at anything. "I heard you have trouble sleeping. I… I know remedies. Teas. Massage techniques."
That earned the faintest twitch of his eyebrow. "Who told you that?"
"W-well… no one, she admitted, "but I can tell. You look…" She bit her tongue before she could say exhausted. "Stressed."
A dangerous silence followed. One of the guards shifted uneasily.
Then the Crown Prince stepped closer, so close she could see the faint shadows under his eyes. "You presume too much," he said softly.
And in the next heartbeat, he reached out and touched the tip of her chin.
Liora barely had time to register the warmth of his fingers before a guard barked, "Your Highness"
The Crown Prince stepped back instantly, his face unreadable. Liora blinked, confused, until she saw the guard clutching a talisman at his belt.
A curse, she realized. He can't touch people… or they die?
"Get her out of my sight," he ordered sharply. "She will be gone by morning."
"No
The word burst from her lips before she could stop it. Every guard in the room turned to glare at her, but Liora stood her ground, forcing herself to meet the Crown Prince's icy stare.
"I… I can help you," she said, even as her knees trembled. "Please, give me a chance. One night. If I fail, you'll never see me again."
The room went deathly still.
The Crown Prince studied her in silence for what felt like an eternity. Then, with a faint scoff, he turned away.
"Fine. One night," he said. "But know this: if you lie to me, you will not live to see the morning."
Liora swallowed hard. Thirty days. One impossible man. And a curse she barely understood.
As the doors slammed shut behind him, the System's chime returned in her head.
[Mission Timer Activated: 29 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes remaining.]
She sank onto the cold floor, her hands shaking.
"I am so dead," she whispered.