[The Sacrificial Heir Who Cares Deeply About Personal Boundaries vs. The Sunny Knight Who Treats Socializing Like a Home Invasion]
"Please, save me from the perils of this world a thousand times over, without the slightest hesitation."
A story told from the perspective of the moon, perhaps, about hating the moon for shining high above and not on me alone.
*
At eight, Ka Lanyun entered Saint Whitecliff. At sixteen, she was promoted to the rank of ritualist ahead of schedule. At twenty, she single-handedly set the Northern Frontier ablaze with turmoil.
Ka Lanyun wanted power, the whole world, and everyone on their knees at the foot of her steps.
She wanted Erika, too.
But Erika was the freest wind in the world.
She befriended attendants, stable hands, and maids; decrepit old men and filthy little brats; and foul-mouthed hunters born to the lowest stations.
She could be friends with anyone, including Milo, the butcher's son. He was lying in the straw, smelling like a little pig waiting to be slaughtered.
Just looking at him made Ka Lanyun sick, but Erika was actually willing to associate with him.
Ka Lanyun wanted to hate her to death.
Ka Lanyun wanted to love her to death.
"Stay, please."
She said this when Erika placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to pull her out of the unfathomably deep whirlpool of power.
"Please love me."
She said this when Erika drew her sword for that uncouth man, ran errands for those lowlifes, and turned her gaze to someone else.
"Please love only me."
At last, she said it.
Please, love only me.
She knew she was shameless, knew she was despicable, knew she was insatiably greedy.
But so what?
She had never failed to get what she wanted.
Not even a heart harder than a sword and fiercer than fire.
1. The story takes place on an entirely fictional continent, so there is no need to fact-check the setting.
2. Mutual pining, with a touch of bittersweet romance between two women.
3. The English at the bottom of the cover means: When you have a sword in your hand, you have the luxury of being a lady.
4. To make things easier to read, I'll try to keep the characters' names short. They're generally given names followed by surnames. Their nicknames are usually the first two characters of their given names. For example, Erika's nickname is Eri.
Hope you enjoy reading.
Theme: Grow freely, and love bravely
