Chapter 1.2

Katia grew up hearing her parents say, “You are our hope.” They desperately wished for their brilliant daughter to work in the royal palace, restoring honor and power to their family. Katia, ever the dutiful child, was determined to meet their expectations.

While others marveled at her accomplishments, Katia was keenly aware that her only asset was her intelligence. Outwardly, she acted indifferent to the fact that she lacked the refined upbringing of noble ladies from powerful families. However, she harbored a complex about it. She chose to believe, over and over again, that her abilities could compensate for that deficiency, never letting it show.

Until graduation, Katia firmly believed that becoming a civil servant was the extent of what she could achieve on her own.  

But her dream shifted slightly because of Alehin, who came to deliver a congratulatory speech at the graduation ceremony.  

‘There’s no way someone could be this stunning!’ 

Of course, Katia had seen pictures of the Crown Prince before. His famous face often appeared in newspapers, so she wasn’t unfamiliar with him. However, the impact of seeing him in person was beyond anything she could have imagined.  

As the valedictorian, Katia stood on stage and faced Alehin. She couldn’t help but hold her breath.  

“I heard this year’s valedictorian is exceptionally talented, but I didn’t expect someone so charming as well.”  

His low, gentle voice made her head spin. Katia moved awkwardly, like a marionette with tangled strings. When she reached out to shake his hand, her fingers trembled. She had never felt this nervous before, not in front of anyone. Her mind went blank, but Alehin smiled warmly and placed his other hand lightly over hers.  

It felt as though he was telling her not to worry. His touch brought her back to her senses.  

Seeing her regain her composure, Alehin asked in a soft voice, 

“What are your plans for the future, Miss Evlaine?”  

As if under a spell, Katia answered differently from what she had planned.  

“I… I want to assist you, Your Highness.”  

“Oh, really?”  

Alehin’s radiant smile widened, and Katia made a firm decision. Instead of becoming a civil servant, she would become the Crown Prince’s aide. After all, working for the nation was the same either way.  

In fact, being the Crown Prince’s aide was far more prestigious and closer to power than being a civil servant. Though her sudden change in career path stemmed from momentary selfishness, Katia resolved to pursue it.  

“I’ll look forward to it, Miss Evlaine.”  

“Your Highness, it’s time.”  

A voice that seemed to echo from the depths of a cave interrupted them. Katia instinctively turned toward the source.  

Replacing the sunlight-like presence of Alehin was a man as deep and dark as the ocean—Leonid.  

Of course, she recognized him. Leonid Karev, who always shadowed the Crown Prince, was so famous that even her academy had a fan club dedicated to him. Naturally, Katia knew who he was.  

‘He’s quite something too…’  

Her admiration for his looks was short-lived, as she had to move aside. The salutatorian was waiting to greet Alehin next. Reluctantly, Katia bowed her head and stepped away.  

Just before stepping down from the platform, Katia glanced back. Alehin was shaking hands with the salutatorian, asking something with a kind expression. Standing behind him, Leonid was, for some reason, staring at Katia.

Startled by the escort captain’s gaze fixed on her, Katia quickly turned her head. She couldn’t shake the feeling that his eyes were still following her, clinging to the nape of her neck.

From that moment, Katia stopped preparing for the civil servant exam. Fortunately, the selection process for the Crown Prince’s aides was held annually, so she was able to change her direction easily. Only two people were selected each year, so she studied and prepared with everything she had.

When the interview day arrived, she encountered a familiar face. He, too, seemed to recognize her and acknowledged her presence.

“You really came, Miss Evlaine.”

“Yes, I did.”

She gave the brightest smile she had ever managed in her life. Unfortunately, the person in front of her wasn’t Alehin but Leonid. Next to him sat one man and one woman, who seemed to be senior aides. It made sense. It would have been absurd for the Crown Prince himself to serve as an interviewer.

Katia didn’t miss the slight narrowing of Leonid’s eyes. She found it hard to read what he was thinking. Perhaps people who guarded others always had to maintain such an expressionless demeanor. Katia resolved that if she ever worked with him, she would ask about it.

The interview flowed smoothly, and by the time she left the room, Katia was confident she would be selected. Unsurprisingly, a letter of acceptance arrived at her home. Her parents were overjoyed, as though they had gained the entire world. Katia was also happy, but in a different way.

‘I can really be by His Highness’s side now!’

Working under Alehin was truly rewarding. The thought of witnessing and assisting with the nation’s most important affairs from such a close position filled her with pride. Although the work satisfaction was high, what made her happiest was, of course, the Crown Prince himself.

“You kept the promise you made at the graduation ceremony, Aide Evlaine.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I will do my utmost as your aide.”

“Good. I’m looking forward to it.”

Her heart raced every time she saw him. She tried her best to appear calm and composed, but she couldn’t stop herself from grinning when no one was watching.

Working under the Crown Prince was more enjoyable and fulfilling than she had expected. That didn’t mean it wasn’t difficult. To outsiders, the royal family might seem to live a life of luxury funded by taxes. They wore fine clothes, mingled with important figures, and smiled gracefully at official events. It looked as though they enjoyed excessive privilege without doing much work.

However, the royal family had a significant amount of work that wasn’t visible to the public. Even though the monarchy’s power was waning, the King and the royal family remained the central axis guiding and leading the Blid Kingdom. While not openly acknowledged, there wasn’t a single major state decision where the royal family’s influence didn’t play a role.

As a result, the Crown Prince had a substantial workload, and his aides often worked overtime. Despite the intensity of the work, Katia felt increasingly energized as time went on. And for good reason.

“Aide Evlaine, your work is incredibly thorough for someone who just joined.”

“It’s amazing how you handle ten tasks when I only ask for one.”

“Meeting you at the graduation ceremony must have been my good fortune, Aide Evlaine.”

Alehin never held back on praising Katia. In fact, he was generous and quick to compliment all his aides. He gave clear instructions, willingly took on tasks that were too challenging for his subordinates, and didn’t act coldly even when mistakes were made.

Every time Alehin smiled at her, Katia’s heart fluttered, and her cheeks burned. She always tried to maintain a proper posture and composed expression, reminding herself that this was her workplace. However, her lips seemed determined to curve upward no matter how hard she tried to suppress them.

Among the aides, Katia was the youngest and the most diligent. Naturally, her senior aides adored her, and Alehin valued her highly. Occasionally, when he praised her in private, Katia would lie awake at night, unable to sleep.

Even on days when she didn’t receive any special compliments, locking eyes with Alehin or seeing him smile was enough to leave Katia breathless. As these moments became more frequent, she found herself thinking about Alehin all day long.

She quickly admitted it to herself.

‘I like His Highness the Crown Prince.’

At the tender age of twenty-five, Katia Evlaine began her one-sided love. But a one-sided love was all it could ever be. She knew she could only be grateful for the chance to see Alehin up close.

Although the class system had nearly disappeared, people’s perceptions still upheld the barriers between nobles, the middle class, and commoners. Alehin was the future ruler, standing at the pinnacle of society. Katia, on the other hand, was merely the daughter of a former baronial family, barely clinging to nobility.

No matter how capable or beautiful Katia Evlaine was, the possibility of her being chosen as the Crown Prince’s consort was almost nonexistent. The royal family still preferred to marry into old, high-ranking noble families.

Despite knowing this, Katia’s heart ached and wore down little by little. She often found herself wishing, “If only I had been born into a better family.” Sometimes, she would shrink back unconsciously when she saw young ladies from prestigious noble families in the palace.

Still, Katia managed to endure until she turned twenty-six. She earned recognition for her abilities and rose to the position of third aide. During this time, she remained the only female aide. People who couldn’t handle the intense workload and quit midway called her “stubborn,” but Katia believed it was all thanks to the power of love.

Katia received a great deal of praise and acknowledgment from many people. However, Leonid remained strangely cold toward her.