[Prologue] Monologue

From the moment I was born, I was destined to become a ruler. As the first princess, my life has been dedicated to the future of my country—a sacred mission I have always held paramount. Yet, there were times I found myself adrift, uncertain of what that future should truly be, or what path would best serve my people.

But of one thing I was certain: in the future I envisioned, he was nowhere to be found.

That’s right. He wasn’t there.

Seeing him standing alone, isolated at the Royal Academy, was a stark reminder of the mistakes I had made. It forced me to confront a harsh truth I had long chosen to ignore.

And yet, even as I acknowledged my error, I continued to avert my gaze. I told myself it was for the greater good, that creating unnecessary waves would ill serve the nation’s future. It was a convenient lie, a shield for my own complicity.

Do I have regrets? Yes.

Am I remorseful? Deeply.

I swore to myself that I would never repeat such a mistake again.

But that is a vow born of my personal feelings, not the resolve of a ruler. My values as a leader remain unchanged, for as long as my birthright defines me, my mission will remain absolute.

What I, as a ruler, must prioritize above all else is the future of my country.

Therefore, I know that someday, for the sake of that very future, I will knowingly make another mistake. The thought alone sends a sliver of fear through my heart.

My personal feelings are irrelevant unless they serve the nation’s interests. There is the me who is a ruler, and the me who is not. I am the one who must draw that line, yet it is inevitable that my own subjectivity will color my judgment of what is necessary…

That is precisely why I must think—think, and think again, delving into the deepest considerations of what the country needs and what I can offer, before carefully, painstakingly arriving at an answer. Fortunately, I was born with a disposition for such contemplation.

But it would be a lie to say I have never grown weary of this crushing responsibility, that I have never wished to be free from this heavy burden.

I hate it. It’s terrifying. It’s painful.

I meticulously maintain my composure, presenting a flawless facade to the world, but inside, my heart is perpetually drowning in anxiety.

Even so, as a ruler, I must press forward. I must find the answer. For that is the solemn duty of the heir to the throne.

An idea, brilliant in its cold clarity, has taken root in my mind.

I will wear a transparent mask—a mask of ice that will conceal my true face, embody the queen I am destined to become, and never, ever melt.

Because the individual that is me, the person who is not a ruler, has no place in the future of this country.

This will be my last memory of a time like this.

Thanks to him, I was allowed to be someone other than a queen, if only for a fleeting moment.

That is enough.

Because what I prioritize is…

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