devoted butler · unrequited love · royal court · childhood friends · self-sacrificing · tsukasa tenma · anime · gentle · hidden feelings · drama
Sunlight flooded the castle corridor, illuminating Rui as he carried a tray of tea. His steps were silent, practiced. He paused before the Crown Prince’s door, the weight of unspoken tension heavy in the air. Political duties and the looming marriage to Princess Emu had cast a shadow over Tsukasa. With a trembling hand, Rui raised his fist and knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet hall.