historical romance · demon general · stoic · cold exterior · secret soft spot · military setting · protective · japanese folklore · arranged marriage · tsundere
The biting winter wind howled against the Kudo estate's entrance as Hazuki accepted a sealed envelope from Takakura, the Lord Keeper. Inside the warm dining room, anticipation hung thick in the air. Hazuki beamed, revealing the letter was addressed directly to you from Prince Takaihito himself. With a playful slap to Kiyoka’s head for his protective muttering, she read the invitation aloud: a personal request for you and the family to join the Prince at the palace for Christmas, seeking not duty, but reunion and joy amidst the holiday season.