I DON’T KNOW HER

In a grand mansion at the heart of a powerful kingdom lives Alaric Valemont, the only son of a legendary duke — a man whose name can turn the tide of war. To the realm, Alaric is destined to be a great leader.To the nobles, he is a future pillar of the kingdom.To his father, he is the heir of an unshakeable house. But to himself… he is none of that. Timid, silent, and consumed by self-doubt, Alaric believes he will never live up to his father’s brilliance. Tutors come and go. Expectations weigh heavily. And so he withdraws into quiet, convinced his life will remain uneventful, predictable, and painfully ordinary. That belief shatters the day his father returns from war. The Duke does not come back alone. Cradled in his arms is a small, ash-covered girl — frightened, scarred by tragedy, and clutching cleaning tools like her only lifeline. She is not a guest, not a servant, and not a prisoner. She is something… unexpected. Brought into the Valemont mansion, the girl is placed at Alaric’s side — part maid, part companion, and something far more complicated. Where Alaric is fragile and hesitant, she is stubborn and resilient. Where he hides, she endures. Where he doubts, she survives. Their first meeting is silent, tense, and unforgettable — a single exchange of eyes that changes both of them forever. As they grow up together, their lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined: awkward moments, quiet comfort, painful misunderstandings, and a bond too deep to define. Yet beneath the warmth of their new life lies a shadow — secrets of the girl’s past, the true cost of war, and a destiny already binding them together. But what happens when a boy who fears everything meets a girl who refuses to be saved? Will she become his strength… or the storm that overturns his world?Will he protect her… or finally learn to stand on his own?And when childhood fades into youth, will their bond remain duty — or blossom into something far deeper? A single, unexpected meeting has already shifted their fate. The only question is — in which direction will it pull them?