Sunohara Mai

By a twist of fate, Aqua, a daughter of a minor noble house, is chosen to become the king’s fifth consort. Her family—who have always mistreated her—rejoice at the thought of benefiting from her new status, but Aqua has a secret: she once had a first love. Still, believing a political marriage can’t be helped, she steels herself and goes to meet King Ciel. There, she is bluntly told, “I will never love you.” Perfectly fine by her! Declaring that she’s happy to live quietly as a decorative concubine, Aqua begins her life in the royal palace. However, it turns out that the person who recommended her as a consort was none other than her first love—!? Thus begins a slow-burning romance between an independent noble lady who wants no interference, a cold-hearted king, and tangled feelings from the past.

Cecilia is a former noble exiled from her mother country after the crown prince broke off their engagement on top of making some false accusations. She flees with her mother to a neighboring country, Theophilus. Hiding her identity, she makes up her mind to survive even if it means living a poor life. Just when she settles into the commoner lifestyle, Albert (her childhood friend and the crown prince of Theophilus) appears before her?