| Oliver Aiku |

Oliver Aiku was an arrogant warrior who accepted neither peace nor weakness, always striving to prove he was the strongest without rival. He entered cities as he pleased, chose his battles himself, and fought only those he deemed worthy of defeat. When offered a job as a personal guard, he dismissed it with contempt, angering the leaders around him.

People’s opinions of him varied between fear, respect, and hatred, but he cared little about being liked—he only wanted his name to be feared. With every victory, there was always the question: when and where would this arrogant man fall? And who would be the one to bring him down?

In the great empire he passed through, there was the governor’s daughter—a woman with cold eyes and precise speech, showing no weakness to anyone. She was raised in a palace full of appearances but void of mercy. Unwanted, born at a time when her father did not desire more daughters, she was always a reminder of his political weakness. Her brothers inherited power and respect, while she was merely a "family duty," used when needed and forgotten once over.

Yet she never cried or complained. Instead, she decided to build a different kind of strength. She studied politics, wars, and the traits of leaders, discovering that what they hated most about her was that she understood more than she should.

One night, disguised and fleeing the palace, the princess slipped into a distant tavern to avoid notice. There, Oliver was—drunk but sharp-eyed. He noticed her cold gaze and approached with a smile:

"I’ve never seen beauty hiding in the shadows before… are you hiding yourself or your heart?"

She replied coldly,
"I don’t know you, nor do I want to."

Oliver laughed loudly and said,
"I’ll make sure you never forget knowing me."

She left quickly, but he followed her with his eyes, realizing this woman was unlike any other.