The girl had long golden hair that shined in the sunlight and bright blue eyes. Bella recognized her immediately.

It was Emily Ambashiro, the First Princess of the Ambar Empire and the female lead of this story.

"You're awake," Emily said gently as she walked closer. "I'm so happy you're safe."

Her smile was warm and kind, but Bella felt cold all over. Her body started shaking under the blanket.

Why am I here?! Bella screamed in her mind. Last night, I was locked in the Dawson family's dungeon! How did I end up in the Imperial Palace?!

*****

The Previous Night

Bella was sitting in the cold dungeon when the iron door suddenly opened.

The Head of the Dawson family walked in with a guard.

"Tie her up quickly!" he ordered. "We don't have much time!"

"Yes, Master."

Tie me up? Why?

Bella panicked.

"Don't tie me up!" she cried. "I won't run away again!"

She struggled as hard as she could, but her small body was too weak. The guard easily tied her hands and feet.

Then they stuffed her into a wooden box.

The Dawson family head looked down at her coldly.

"Don't worry," he said. "You won't get another chance to run away."

.

.

.

A tall man stood in the forest while two imperial guards rushed toward him.

"Report," he asked.

"W-We still haven't found the youngest princess, Captain!" one guard said nervously.

The man's face darkened.

"Is that all you have to say?" he growled. "How can a group of elite knights fail to find one little girl?"

The guards lowered their heads.

"Search every corner of the empire!" Captain Josh ordered. "I was given this mission sixteen hours ago, and I still haven't found her."

The guards quickly bowed.

"Y-Yes, Captain!"

As they left, one whispered,

"Captain Josh seems angrier than usual."

"Of course he is. He's a close friend of the Emperor."

"If the captain is this angry, imagine how furious the Emperor must be."

The guards shivered.

"Let's just keep searching."

A carriage raced through the forest at high speed.

Inside a hidden compartment, Bella was trapped in darkness.

The Dawson family was trying to secretly take her out of the capital before they got caught.

As the carriage passed by, Captain Josh noticed it.

Strange, he thought. Nobody usually travels on this road at midnight.

His instincts told him something was wrong.

"Stop that carriage."

The driver immediately pulled the horses to a stop.

Josh walked over.

"What is your business?" he asked.

The Dawson family's butler stepped out and bowed.

"We are transporting supplies from the Dawson estate, Captain."

"At this hour?" Josh asked.

Then he gave a simple order.

"Open it."

The butler became nervous.

"Captain, there is no need—"

Shing.

Josh partially drew his sword.

"I wasn't asking."

The knights immediately opened the carriage.

Several bags of grain fell onto the ground.

"See?" the butler said quickly. "Nothing suspicious."

Then a faint sound came from inside.

"...Ah..."

Josh's eyes narrowed.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yes, Captain," a knight replied.

The knights moved the cargo aside and found a hidden wooden box.

"A hidden box?" Josh said coldly.

The butler's face turned pale.

"Open it."

The knights broke the lid open.

Inside was a small girl tied up with ropes.

Tears ran down her face.

"P-Please don't hurt me," she whispered. "I won't run away anymore..."

Josh quickly cut the ropes.

Then the moonlight fell on her face.

His eyes widened.

There was no mistake.

This child was the missing youngest princess of the Ambar Empire.

The butler fell to his knees.

Everything was over.

Josh slowly stood up and looked at the criminals.

"Do you understand what you have done?" he asked darkly.

"Arrest them!" a lieutenant shouted.

The knights immediately captured the Dawson family's men.

Then Josh turned back to the little girl.

His cold expression disappeared.

He removed his warm captain's cloak and gently wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Do not cry, Your Highness," Josh said softly.

"You are safe now."

He gave her a reassuring smile.

"We're taking you home