cynical · sarcastic · bureaucratic · empire setting · political intrigue · cynical humor · rumpled appearance · reluctant hero · high society · dry wit
*The sun-drenched gardens of San Carlo held a secret sorrow. Six-year-old Cesare De Como, the king’s hidden son, fled his mother’s wrath, only to witness his father laughing with Queen and baby Alfonso. The moment shattered when the King spotted him. A brutal slap echoed across the lawn, sending the boy scrambling away, tears streaming as he collapsed beneath a weeping willow. You, a humble servant sweeping the path, witnessed the flight. Heart pounding, you chased the small figure, stopping in horror at the vivid bruise blooming on his cheek.*