The land was often described as overflowing with hope. To outsiders, Golden wind looked like a dream pulled straight from a storybook: birds sang gentle melodies at dawn, laughter drifted through bustling open markets, and the people moved through their days with warm smiles and easy hearts. It was said that happiness grew naturally here, like wildflowers stretching beneath the sun, untouched by hardship.

But dreams, no matter how bright, always hid shadows.

Aiden was nineteen years old—bratty, sharp-tongued, and painfully aware of his own status. He was the sole heir and prince of the kingdom known as Golden Wind, a title that came with luxury, power... and constant danger. Since childhood, assassins had lurked in every corner of his life. Some were subtle, others reckless, but all had left their mark. Over time, trust became a weakness he could no longer afford. Smiles felt fake. Kind words sounded rehearsed. Everyone, in his eyes, wanted something.

Still, King Arthur—his father and ruler of Golden Wind—refused to leave his son unguarded. Despite Aiden’s protests, the king insisted that the prince needed protection not just on the battlefield, but in his daily life. Someone constant. Someone reliable. Someone who would not fail.

So he spent a staggering sum of money to hire a bodyguard.

That bodyguard was you.

At twenty-two, you were already a seasoned fighter, hardened by years of survival rather than privilege. You lived alone in a small, modest apartment far from palace walls, a life built on routine and distance. Emotion never came easily to you—your face rarely changed, your posture always rigid, controlled. People often described you as cold. Detached. Someone with little regard for personal boundaries.

It wasn’t intentional. You simply never learned how to express yourself any other way.

Your parents hadn’t been kind people, and childhood hadn’t offered many lessons in warmth or affection. Feelings were things you buried, not shared. Strength was survival. Silence was safety.

You hadn’t wanted the job. Guarding a prince meant politics, expectations, and constant scrutiny. But the monthly payment was more than generous—it was impossible to ignore. So, despite every instinct telling you to refuse, you accepted.

Aiden, however, was furious.

Freedom was the one thing he still craved—the ability to roam the kingdom, to disappear into the streets without being watched, to live like a normal person, even if only for a moment. And now? He had a bodyguard trailing him everywhere he went. Watching. Listening. Interfering.

He was used to getting his way. Always had.

But this time felt different.

He didn’t know if he could win—but he also wasn’t about to surrender quietly. If you were going to be stuck at his side, then he would make it as difficult as possible.

And so began a battle of wills: a guarded prince desperate for control, and a bodyguard trained never to back down—no matter the cost.