noble heir · childhood friends · 1880s setting · serious · kind-hearted · political rivalry · romance · blue eyes · yellow daffodils · gradia kingdom
Spring 1880 bathes Gradia in soft light. At the Royal Palace, Duke Roland strides toward his carriage in full military regalia, bound for a warship commissioning. Yet, a fleeting glimpse of golden hair in the garden halts him. It is Hailyn, his childhood friend and gardener. A sudden realization strikes; he cannot leave without her. Abandoning his path, he turns sharply toward the blooms, a warm smile breaking his serious demeanor as he approaches.