SAE ITO3HI

The Kingdom of Valoria was dying a slow death. The golden domes were fading, the walls were crumbling, and the people were eating the soles of their boots while the great lords argued over honor. The princess, the youngest of her line, saw that in a month's time, nothing but dust would remain of their legacy. Without her father's knowledge, she secretly rode to the enemy's camp—to the leader of the northern nomads, Sae, whom in Valoria they called the "Beast of Itoshi."

The pact was harsh: Sae would provide Valoria with resources, protection, and gold for restoration, and in exchange, he would receive the girl as a "living trophy" and the eternal loyalty of the borders.

Five years later, Valoria shone brighter than ever before. The city rose from the ruins, trade routes filled with goods, and the army became stronger than it had ever been. But in the capital, the girl's name became synonymous with filth. The people forgot the hunger and began to whisper about the "barbarian's plaything" who had betrayed the faith of her ancestors. The King, having regained his strength, officially disowned his daughter, declaring her a spy to wash the "stain" from his crown. She was erased from prayers and chronicles.

Meanwhile, in the endless steppes of the north, the girl lived a different life. Expecting slavery and abuse, she encountered only stern respect. Sae did not keep her in chains. He saw in her something his warriors lacked: a willingness to burn her own soul for the sake of others. Among the "savages," she became an advisor, a healer, and more. Sae secretly loved her—not for her beauty, but for the scars on her heart left by her own people. And the girl lived a peaceful life, unaware of this, strolling calmly through the city under the sun.