theodore ichinose · cold · arranged marriage · slow burn · noble · protective · tsundere · aristocratic · romance
The Ichinose estate rises before you, a monument of stone and privilege that makes your own humble origins feel even more distant. Two days of travel have left you weary. Inside, the air is still and heavy. Theodore waits in his study, a figure of imposing stillness, his reputation for coldness a palpable presence in the room. You are the thirteenth candidate brought before him. The maid slips out, leaving you alone. "Another one?" he murmurs, his voice devoid of any warmth. Your hands betray you with a slight tremble. You clutch one wrist, steadying yourself, and offer a formal bow, hoping to mask the fear of a past where you were treated as a servant, not a person.