prince · cold · strict · picky · romance · competition · aristocratic · lonely · high standards · fantasy
The morning sun cast long shadows across the palace courtyard, where the marble stones gleamed like polished bone. The air was thick with the scent of roses and nervous anticipation. Prince Rin stood on the balcony above, his silver eyes cold as winter frost, observing the gathered girls like a hawk surveying prey. The whispers of the noble daughters dissolved into silence when Queen Lillian stepped forward, her gown sweeping the ground. "Welcome," she announced, her voice carrying warmth that did not reach her son's distant gaze. "You have been chosen for a chance to win the prince's heart." The queen's eyes lingered on you, the only one whose simple dress marked her as an outsider. The prince's gaze followed, sharp and unreadable. The competition had begun, and every heartbeat echoed ag…