"Rafine, did you have a dream?"
In a beautiful garden, a tall red-haired man gazed at the little girl seated on a white chair before him.
The girl fell silent at his question, rubbing her chin as if deep in thought.
Then a sweet smile bloomed on her face, and she looked at the man with gentle eyes.
"I want to be a great leader like you, Father!" she replied, her eyes sparkling.
The man fell silent, studying the girl with a mix of doubt, happiness, and helplessness.
"Really? Don’t you have other dreams, like... having a handsome partner or something?"
Of course, he was happy that his daughter aspired to be a wise leader like him. But she was still a young girl—she should have dreams like any other girl, and he wouldn’t mind at all.
The little girl froze at his words, her lips pursing as she imagined a handsome prince.
"Of course I want to marry a handsome prince. But I have more requirements than just being handsome," she said proudly.
"Oh?" The man’s eyebrows arched in curiosity. "Tell me. I’m eager to know my beloved girl’s requirements."
"I want the prince to be handsome, smart, wise, rich, and caring!" A grin spread across her face. "Most importantly, he must be strong enough to protect me from any harm! That way, I’ll always feel safe around him."
The man froze, staring at his daughter in disbelief.
"Isn’t that a bit too much? In this world, no one could possibly have all the qualities you listed. That’s impossible."
He knew no such perfect person existed. And if one did, he’d only belong in a novel or a legend.
Even storybook heroes had their share of flaws.
"Eh?" The girl’s eyes widened. "So there’s no prince like that? But in the stories, don’t they have all those traits?"
The man rolled his eyes, but a warm smile touched his face as he gently ruffled her hair.
"Of course not, my dear. Princes are just ordinary people like us, each with their own flaws," he said softly.
"I see..." The little girl gave a small nod, as if she understood. Then, with her tiny fists clenched, she declared excitedly, "Then I’ll change the conditions! I want a prince who is handsome and strong! Someone who can protect me from any danger!"
"Good!" The man chuckled, playfully pinching her cheeks. "That’s a much more reasonable wish. And I’m sure you’ll find someone like that one day. Just trust me, hahaha!"
The girl smiled back, already imagining how she might meet that person in the future.
Suddenly, the world around her fell silent. Her father, who had been sitting in front of her, was gone, and the beautiful garden had faded to a lifeless gray, as if all its color had been drained away.
"What’s happening?" the little girl whispered nervously. "Why did everything turn out like this? Father, where are you!?"
She shouted, calling for her father again and again, but no answer came. She was utterly alone.
Crack!
A thin fracture split the air. At first it was small, but it widened and spread in every direction. Fear gripped her, and she jumped from her chair in a panic.
But the cracks had already encircled her, leaving no escape.
Bang!
The world shattered into countless fragments, and a blinding white light consumed her vision.
***
Rafine opened her eyes and realized she had been thrown overboard.
"No!" she cried, reaching her right hand upward.
She tried to grab the ship’s railing, but her fingers slipped.
Her body kept plunging downward. Everything seemed slow, as if time itself had stopped.
Am I going to die?
That single thought echoed in her mind. Falling meant hitting the water.
And with the sea monster prowling below, she would either be eaten or crushed by its massive body.
Even if she somehow avoided both, the sea’s depth—nearly five hundred meters—would still claim her life. The towering waves left her with almost no chance of survival.
Her eyes fluttered shut as she accepted her fate.
Father, Mother, Masha... forgive me. If only I hadn’t been careless, this wouldn’t be happening, she whispered through her tears.
But suddenly—
"Don’t give up like that, you fool!"
A voice roared from above. Startled, Rafine’s eyes snapped open. Nolan was leaping from the ship’s railing toward her, his arm stretched out.
She lunged for his hand, gripping it tightly.
Nolan caught her and, with his other arm still hooked on the railing, held them both in place.
The two of them swayed with the ship’s violent motion as the monster continued to batter it.
Rafine felt a surge of fear and relief when Nolan caught her.
But almost instantly, worry tightened in her chest—what if he got hurt?
"Your Highness, let me go," she rasped. "You’ll only injure yourself—and you might even fall! Please, let go!"
Nolan didn’t hesitate. His face flushed as he snapped, "Are you stupid!? How could I let go of you? Do you want me branded a sinner and a criminal?"
Rafine was stunned. In all their meetings, she had never seen him angry at her before.
He was usually indifferent, cold, lazy, and downright irritating. She had even believed he had no sympathy for anyone.
But she had been wrong. He was still human—he just hid his feelings behind a mask.
Without realizing it, a gentle smile curved her lips. She looked at him with eyes full of gratitude and affection.
"Thank you, Your Highness," she whispered.
"No need to thank me," Nolan snorted, turning his head aside. "I don’t need it. Helping you is just what anyone should do."
For once, his coldness didn’t bother her. Instead, a strange warmth and happiness filled her chest.
Your Highness is really so kind, she thought with a wide smile.
Bang!
The ship shuddered violently as the monster struck again, the impact nearly prying Nolan’s hand from the railing.
I need to get Rafine up, he muttered, brow furrowed.
An idea flashed in his mind, and he quickly looked down.
"Rafine! I’ll lift you up!" he shouted.
She blinked in surprise, about to respond—but Nolan suddenly smiled and said, "Please take care of my sister, okay? I’ll be back after this."
Before she could question him, Nolan gathered all his strength. With Rafine staring wide-eyed, he let go of the railing, hauled her upward, and hurled her toward the deck.
Unprepared, Rafine felt herself suspended in the air for a heartbeat before landing safely on the ship’s deck.
But there was no time to breathe. She scrambled to her feet and rushed to the railing.
Below, Nolan was gone—swallowed by the raging waves.
"Nolan!"