Prologue – Discovered

Late at night, when everyone was asleep, the door opened with the sound of its hinges. The gap was roughly the width of an adult man’s span. But even after the door opened, no sign of movement came from beyond it for quite a while. After some more time had passed, a bare white foot suddenly slipped out through the crack.

Soon, Eveline, dressed in white sleepwear, carefully eased her body through the opening. Standing sideways, she moved one step at a time. Her movements were cautious and secretive, like a cat creeping toward its prey.

Afraid someone might hear and come out, she even held her breath as she quietly slipped through the door. Rolling her eyes left and right as she surveyed her surroundings, she had only just managed to get about half her body out. Eveline, who lifted her head absentmindedly as she caught her breath for a moment, discovered a man standing with his back against the wall behind the door.

Her green eyes widened and shook as though an earthquake had struck. The man, who had been standing with his arms crossed and facing forward, turned to look at her.

“Isn’t it far too late at night to be going out for amusement, Princess?”

The moment Eveline met his gray eyes, she froze as if her body had been tied with rope.