Unworthy, Yet Desired

Kazuki lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as if it might swallow him whole.

The words from the feast echoed in his head. "I want to marry your daughter."

The memory made his stomach clench. He pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead and groaned.

"What was I thinking…?" he muttered under his breath.

He buried his face into the pillow. Why did I say that?

The thought of seeing Zephyr again — or worse, the King — made his chest tighten with embarrassment.

The letter Kael had written surfaced in his mind, every word about Zephyr still etched into him. Kazuki closed his eyes.

"Kael…" His voice was low. "You better keep your side of it."

Kazuki shifted on the bed, still drowning in the weight of his thoughts, when a soft knock came at the door.

He sat up, startled. "Come in."

The door creaked open, and Zephyr stepped inside, her long brown hair loose around her shoulders. Her hands were tucked behind her back, and her emerald green nightgown brushed lightly against the floor as she walked toward him.

"I… brought you something," she said softly.

She revealed her hands, holding a small brown leather notebook with a strap looped around it to keep it closed.

"You said once that writing things down helped you deal with them," she explained. "So… I thought you should have this. So you can write again."

Kazuki blinked, then smiled as he accepted it. "Thank you."

He patted the space beside him. "Sit?"

Zephyr hesitated only a moment before perching on the edge of the bed, the notebook still resting between them. The silence that followed was awkward — the kind that made both of them too aware of how close they sat.

At last, Zephyr turned toward him, unable to hold it back any longer. "What was that… you said at the feast? About wanting to marry me. Where did that even come from?"

Kazuki rubbed the back of his neck, laughing a little nervously. "Yeah… I know. I'm not exactly the type to say things like that, am I?" He exhaled. "Truth is, I borrowed those words from a romance novel I once read. About a knight's love for a princess."

He paused, the humor fading from his voice. "But… I heard Kael once asked the King for your hand. So, when I said those words… part of it was for him. For the chance he didn't get. So that maybe, when this is all over, you and he could finally be together."

His hands tightened slightly around the notebook.

"The truth is… I don't see myself worthy of you. Master Ardent's training pushed me to step forward, and yeah, I've changed as a man. But as someone with real self-worth? That hasn't changed. Not really. Not yet. And I don't think it's something that changes in a single night."

He looked at her, his eyes serious.

"You're a beautiful princess. You have a rare affinity. You're the heir to the throne. Everyone loves you. And me… what do I have to offer? What would you be marrying me for — my dark affinity? My swordplay? Even this body isn't really mine."

He drew a sharp breath, then said more softly:

"But I do love you. I really mean that. If there isn't a way back… if this is the life I'm meant to live… then I'd want you at my side."

Zephyr's head remained bowed and silent for a long moment. Then, without warning, she shoved him backward onto the bed. The notebook slipped from his hands and thudded softly against the floor.

Kazuki blinked up at her, startled.

She leaned over him, her hair falling around his face, her expression stormy.

"Do you really think so little of yourself?" she demanded, her voice trembling with anger as much as hurt. "After everything you've gone through… after how many times you've fought — do you still believe you're worthless?"

Kazuki's lips parted, but no words came out.

Zephyr's hands pressed into the sheets on either side of him, gripping them tightly. Her voice cracked as she leaned closer.

"I've started to feel something for you… and when you say things like that, it makes me feel pathetic for falling for you. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to hear you throw yourself away like you're nothing?"

Her words cut sharp, but underneath the anger was something rawer, harder to name.

"No woman in any world, wants the man she chooses to look at himself as unworthy."

Kazuki's face flushed red, his breath catching. For a moment, neither of them moved, caught in the heat of emotions she hadn't meant to show.

Then realization struck her — how close she was, how her body hovered over his. Her own cheeks burned as she stumbled back, nearly tripping in her haste. She rushed to the door, yanking it open, but before leaving, she paused.

Her face, still red, peeked back through the gap. "Thank you, Kazuki… for saving me."

Before he could respond, she vanished, the door clicking shut behind her.

Silence filled the room again, broken only by the pounding of Kazuki's heartbeat. He remained lying there, staring up at the ceiling, his chest so tight it felt like his heart might burst free.

Slowly, he sat up and reached for the fallen notebook. Flipping it open to the first blank page, he began to write.

About the chains he had woken in.

The people he had met.

The training, the battle, the weight of lives resting on his shoulders.

And now… about the new feeling stirring within him — the one tied to Zephyr.

Kazuki woke before sunrise. He slipped quietly from bed, dressed, and moved outside to train. His sword cut through the cool morning air again and again, each swing heavier than the last. Sweat ran down his face as if he were preparing for another war. By the time the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, his muscles ached.

After washing and changing, he stepped back into the hallways of the palace—only to pause.

Zephyr stood there. Not in her adventurer's armor or the usual simple garments he had grown used to seeing, but in a flowing dress that softened her sharp presence. For a moment, he couldn't speak.

She caught his look and tilted her head, smiling almost playfully. "Hey, Kazuki."

He blinked. "…Zephy. You're… looking pretty today. What's the occasion?"

Her smile widened, her cheeks tinged with faint color. "I want to hang out with you. There are places in the capital I've never had time to show you—sightseeing, food stalls, shops. Come on, it'll be fun."

He hesitated. "Uh… alright."

"Good." Without waiting, she stepped forward and looped her arm through his—her fingers intertwining with his in a way that made his chest tighten.

The city welcomed them with its vibrant morning life. They strolled through cobblestone streets alive with chatter and color, the smell of baked bread and roasted meats blowing from stalls. Zephyr tugged him from one place to another—pointing out statues, laughing at vendors' shouts, dragging him toward sweets she wanted him to try. He followed, smiling.

Later, they shared a quiet meal together in a little corner tavern. Kazuki found himself watching her more than his plate—the way she laughed, the way her hair caught the sunlight.

As the day wore on, they came across a field of roses in bloom near the city's edge. The air was filled with their fragrance, petals drifting lazily on the breeze.

Without thinking, Kazuki plucked a single rose and held it out to her. "Here. For you."

Her eyes widened slightly before softening, her hand brushing against his as she accepted it. "Thank you, Kazuki."

The sun dipped lower, painting the sky in warm hues of orange and gold. The world seemed to slow, just the two of them standing in that moment.

Then, the sound of armored footsteps broke the spell.

A soldier approached, bowing. "Princess Zephyr. Sir Kazuki. His Majesty requests your presence in the throne room. Immediately."

The rose slipped in Zephyr's grasp before she held it tighter. She looked at Kazuki, her earlier smile dimming, replaced by something more serious.