In a dimly lit palace dungeon, a torchlight flickered on the stone walls. The man in the black robe stood before a large table covered with scrolls of kingdom maps and secret notes. His face was still hidden, but his eyes gleamed with calculation.
"The young prince is too controlled by his feelings," he murmured softly. "And that girl… Chantrea Crystal… she will be the key. The key to the crown prince's downfall."
An armed follower, his face covered with black cloth, knelt before him.
"What should we do, master?"
A faint smile appeared on the robed man's face. "Spread the news. Make the nobles believe that the girl is merely an imposter who is after the crown. Let suspicion grow… then the kingdom itself will destroy her."
Meanwhile, in her private room, Chantrea sat on the edge of her bed, clutching a small piece of paper—the message she had received that morning was still in her possession. Fear and longing mixed into one.
A knock was heard at the door. Elara entered, carrying a small basket of fresh flowers.
"Chantrea, I brought you your favorite flowers… I hope they can calm your heart."
Chantrea gave a faint smile, accepting the flowers. "Thank you, Elara. Only you make me feel calm in the midst of all this."
But Elara looked at her intently. "You can't keep hiding your feelings. If you truly love Prince Leonhart, then you must be ready to face all the risks."
Chantrea looked down. "I'm afraid, Elara. Afraid that one day I will be the reason he loses everything."
Elara held her shoulders. "But isn't it with your presence that he finds a reason to fight for himself?"
On the other side, Leonhart stood in the palace armory. His hand touched the hilt of a sword he had once used on the battlefield, as if seeking strength from the past. One of his trusted soldiers entered, bowing respectfully.
"Your Highness, rumors have begun to circulate. They say Miss Chantrea is just an opportunist who wants to rise in rank through her closeness to you."
Leonhart's jaw hardened. "Nonsense. Chantrea is not like that."
The soldier hesitated for a moment. "I believe you, Your Highness. But not everyone agrees. Some nobles are even starting to demand that she be banished from the palace."
Leonhart clenched his fists. This must be the doing of those who hide in the shadows…
"Then I will protect her. If the palace opposes her, then the palace will also have to face me."
Night fell again. On her room's balcony, Chantrea looked at the sky, her heart full of doubt. And across the palace, Leonhart stood on another balcony, his gaze fixed in the same direction. As if there was an invisible thread that continued to connect them.
But in the darkness of the night, the shadow of the man in the black robe smiled with satisfaction.
"Let them get closer to each other… the closer they are, the easier it is for me to tear their bond apart."
The night crept quietly over the palace, but Chantrea's heart could not be still. Elara's words, the circulating rumors, and Leonhart's promise continued to echo in her head. She sat on a chair near the window, watching the moon hanging in the sky.
A soft knock suddenly came from the door. Chantrea turned with a start, then rose cautiously. When the door opened, Leonhart's figure stood there in a dark cloak, his appearance disguised.
"Your Highness…" Chantrea almost jumped. "Why have you come at a time like this? If someone sees—"
Leonhart immediately raised his hand, gesturing for her to be calm. "No one will see. I made sure the path here was safe." His gaze was sharp, but filled with an unease he couldn't hide.
Chantrea pulled him in, then closed the door tightly. "Why would you take such a big risk? You know, the rumors about us are already bad enough."
"That's exactly why I came," Leonhart answered firmly. "I can't let you bear the burden alone. They can accuse, they can belittle, they can even slander you… but I want you to hear directly from me: I will not let you go."
Chantrea was stunned. Her fingers gripped the fabric of her gown, her eyes trembling to hold back tears. "You don't understand… my every step is now a topic of conversation. I feel like a shadow that can be swept away at any moment. What if… what if my presence destroys you?"
Leonhart stepped forward, getting closer until they were only an inch apart. Gently, he lifted Chantrea's chin so she would look at him. "Chantrea, listen to me. I have fought against swords and arrows on the battlefield. Do you think I will be intimidated by just the words of the nobles? No. The real struggle is right here—keeping the woman I want by my side."
A single tear finally fell from Chantrea's eye, but she smiled faintly. "You always make it impossible for me to deny my heart, Leonhart."
He held her hand tightly, as if making a silent promise. In the silence of that night, they just looked at each other, but that look was enough to bind hearts that had previously wavered.
Outside the room, someone's slow footsteps stopped behind the wall. A soft whisper came from the mouth of the man in the black robe who had been following them. "Good… keep getting closer to each other. The tighter your bond, the greater the destruction I can plan."
His smile widened, then he disappeared back into the darkness of the corridor, leaving a thickening shadow around the palace.