Prince Cedric

Prince Cedric was the eldest son of the King and Queen of the Southern Kingdom, and the family had high hopes for him. However, the people did not warm to him, believing him to be less than perfect. Over time, Cedric managed to win the favor of his subjects.

The prince had recently turned eighteen. At the behest of the king and queen, all servants were summoned to gather the kingdom's maidens at the castle. They were subjected to humiliating and painful procedures: they were tested to see if they were of childbearing age, if they were fertile, and to ensure they were virgins.

Some time later, Cedric was led into a huge hall where girls stood in a row. He glanced at them, and then, forced to submit to his parents' wishes, sat down in front of everyone and began writing down his preferences—describing what he wanted his chosen one to be like, both in appearance and personality. After this, some of the girls were weeded out, and the rest were invited to the ball.