Prince Michaelli had never summoned Tuk to his private chamber before. So when his butler, Ethan—the ever-composed man who had probably been serving the palace long before she was even born—wordlessly led her to the prince’s door, opened it, and then walked away without explanation, she was left standing there, confused.

 Tuk hesitated at the entrance. The room was silent. Weird.

"Uhm… Your Highness?" she called out, taking a cautious step inside. Nothing. "Hello?"

Still no answer.

That guy… He calls me here and then doesn’t even show up? What was she supposed to do—wait? Leave?

She sighed. No, she was told to be here, so she might as well stay.

Relaxing slightly, she took a moment to survey the room. It was simple yet elegant, masculine but refined. Black furniture dominated the space, accented with gold and white. A few subtle hints of red added a striking contrast.

Okay, five stars for color coordination. I respect the aesthetic.

She wandered around, peeking curiously at her surroundings. Where the hell is he? With no sign of the prince, she eventually plopped down onto the couch.

Minutes passed. Silence.

"..."

Her fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest. This is so boring.

After a while, she got up and walked to the door, hoping to find Ethan or at least someone outside.

Nothing.

Her brow furrowed. Shouldn’t a prince’s chamber be swarming with guards? Then again, who would dare mess with him? Tch. Must be nice to be that powerful.

With no other choice, she went back inside and sat down.

"I’ll wait a little longer. Maybe he had an emergency or something," she muttered to herself.

But her eyes kept wandering. That’s when they landed on a wall of bookshelves.

“…”

She glanced around, just to be sure no one was watching, before standing up and walking over. Would checking a few of his books without permission get me in trouble? Probably. But curiosity was already winning.

She pulled out a random book, expecting something boring—laws, military strategies, maybe some dull historical records.

Instead…

“…Hah?”

She blinked. Flipped the page. Checked the title again.

It was a romance novel. And not just any romance—an adult romance.

Her lips parted in disbelief. No way…

Quickly, she grabbed another book.

Then another.

Tragic love stories. Forbidden romances. Sibling love. Every single book had one common theme: love and Romance

"So this is how he ‘learns the heart,’ huh? Should I be worried?" she scoffed, shaking her head.

Her gaze shifted toward the prince’s bedside table, where another small stack of books rested. Some were neatly arranged, while others looked recently read.

Curious, she picked up the topmost book. The Guardian’s Heart. A family-related story, maybe? The next one: A Mother’s Embrace. Then she grabbed the last one—Caging My Love with roses.

Tuk paused. …Caging? 

You've got to be kidding me. A deep frown settled on her face as she flipped through the pages. The more she read, the deeper her scowl became.

Dark. Toxic. Chains. Obsession. A possessive love bordering on insanity.

"Oh, no. Absolutely not."

She slammed the book shut and set it aside. This one’s gotta go. Can’t have him thinking this is normal love.

One by one, she started reorganizing the books, pulling out anything that screamed bad romance—anything with cages, ropes, manipulation, obsession, and other questionable themes. It felt less like cleaning and more like confiscating contraband.

"Okay, this one’s mildly concerning. This one’s deeply concerning. And this one? Oh, this one needs a restraining order." She shook her head in disbelief, placing the worst offenders into a separate pile.

By the time she was done, the “forbidden” books were in a pile on the floor, and the shelves looked… significantly more wholesome.

She wiped her hands with satisfaction.

"Just where does he even find this stuff?" she muttered, gathering the discarded books.

Settling back onto the couch, she absently flipped one open.

Then another.

And another.

Before she knew it, she was lost in the stories—blushing, gasping, and occasionally covering her mouth at the audacity of some of the scenes. 'Okay, okay… the scene and description is really wild making me imagine if those positions are even possible, but the writing is actually pretty good.'

Time passed. She yawned and stretched, only then realizing just how long she had been waiting.

"That guy… He didn’t forget he summoned me, right?"

She scowled at the thought. "There’s no way a man as sharp as him would forget… or is this another test?"