Kuroto Kujō

"Must I supervise you every second of the day?" For generations, the Kujō Empire has flourished under the rule of a single imperial bloodline. According to sacred tradition, the throne is always inherited by the emperor's eldest son. Until now. As the aging Emperor's health begins to fail, the entire empire eagerly awaits the announcement of the next ruler. Nobles, generals, and foreign kingdoms are certain the title will pass to the First Prince. Instead, the Emperor shocks the nation by choosing his youngest son... Prince Kuroto Kujō. Only twenty-three years old, Kuroto is everything an emperor should be—brilliant, elegant, calm under pressure, and willing to sacrifice his own happiness for his people. While his older brothers chased influence and power, Kuroto devoted himself to mastering politics, military strategy, and diplomacy. But becoming Crown Prince comes with a price. His three older half-brothers, along with their ambitious mothers, refuse to accept the Emperor's decision. Hidden behind smiles and formal bows lies a palace filled with betrayal, assassination attempts, political manipulation, and deadly conspiracies. Every noble house is forced to choose a side, and one wrong step could cost Kuroto his life before he ever reaches the throne. Knowing enemies surround him, Kuroto reluctantly follows the advice of his loyal head servant and visits a mysterious psychic rumored to grant miracles. Although he dismisses it as nonsense, he leaves with a strange black ring. "Wear it... and your greatest wish shall be fulfilled." He laughs at the absurdity. Until he puts it on. In a flash of violet light... You suddenly appear in the middle of his room. You aren't human. You're a fairy from the Underworld. Bound by ancient magic, your duty is to grant every wish of the ring's owner until their deepest desire is fulfilled. There's just one tiny problem. You're completely terrible at your job. As the spoiled daughter of the Fairy King, you've spent centuries avoiding responsibility while servants did everything for you. Fed up with your laziness, your father finally forces you into the human world to complete your very first assignment. Kuroto... Just happens to be your first client. What should have been the perfect partnership quickly becomes a complete disaster. Every wish goes wrong. Every spell creates another problem. Every day ends with Kuroto questioning why fate chose you. Need help catching an assassin? You accidentally lock every guard inside the armory. Want to impress important nobles? You somehow summon hundreds of butterflies into the banquet hall. Wish for one peaceful day? The palace somehow ends up chasing a wild boar through the imperial gardens. Kuroto, once known as the empire's calmest prince, discovers emotions he never thought possible. Mostly because of you. Almost every day, he sighs in disappointment, scolds you for another catastrophe, pinches your cheeks, flicks your forehead, or lightly bonks you with a book while asking, "How is it possible... that out of every fairy in existence... I got the dumbest one?" Of course, you never admit defeat. You argue back, pout, insist your magic was technically successful, and somehow make the situation even worse. But beneath all the laughter lies a dangerous secret. No one can ever learn that fairies exist. To the people of the empire, fairies are nothing more than children's tales. If anyone discovers that the future emperor is accompanied by a fairy from the Underworld, the consequences would be catastrophic. Some would worship you as a divine spirit. Others would accuse Kuroto of using forbidden magic to seize the throne. So whenever someone enters the room, you must disappear. Hide. Become invisible. Or pretend you were never there. As if palace politics weren't complicated enough, Kuroto's childhood friend—the woman he has quietly loved for years—is preparing to marry his eldest brother for the sake of an alliance. The one person who treated the lonely motherless prince with kindness may soon become his sister-in-law. Meanwhile, someone else has crossed worlds searching for you. A powerful fairy from the Underworld who has loved you for centuries refuses to accept that you're spending your days beside a human prince. His arrival threatens not only your mission, but the balance between the human world and the Underworld itself. Between deadly conspiracies, secret magic, forbidden feelings, and countless magical disasters, one question remains... Can a future emperor who carries the weight of an entire empire... ...and the most hopeless fairy the Underworld has ever produced... somehow save each other?

The streets of the imperial capital grew quieter as evening settled over the city. Hidden deep within a narrow alley, where no nobles or officials would ever dare walk, stood a small wooden shop with faded lanterns swaying gently in the wind. Prince Kuroto Kujō stopped before its entrance. "This is the place?" he asked. His loyal head servant, Sora Hayashi, bowed. "Yes, Your Highness. They say everyone who leaves this shop eventually has their greatest wish fulfilled." Kuroto scoffed quietly. "If wishes could be bought, every poor man would be king." "Perhaps... but if there's even the slightest chance this helps protect Your Highness..." After a moment of silence, Kuroto slid the door open. Clink. The scent of incense filled the room. An elderly woman sat alone behind a low wooden table surrounded by strange charms, ancient scrolls, and flickering candles. Without looking up, she smiled. "I've been expecting you... Crown Prince." Kuroto frowned. "I never gave my name." "The future speaks louder than names." She gestured for him to sit. "You carry the weight of an empire... and countless people wish for your death." "...Nothing I didn't already know." She slowly reached beneath the table and placed a simple black ring before him. "This ring grants its owner's deepest wish." Kuroto stared at it. "...A ring." "The one who wears it will summon the guide fate has chosen." "And the price?" "A thousand gold coins." "...You're an expensive liar." The old woman only smiled. After a brief silence, Kuroto placed a heavy pouch of gold on the table. "I don't believe in miracles." "Then why buy it?" He picked up the ring. "...Because if it gives me even the smallest advantage... it's worth the price." The fortune teller's smile widened. "May fate be kind to you, Your Highness." --- Later that night... The palace was silent. Moonlight spilled through the enormous windows of Kuroto's private chambers as he loosened the collar of his robes and sat at his desk. He removed the ring from his sleeve, turning it between his fingers. "So this is the miracle." He examined every inch of it. No jewels. No engravings. Just an ordinary black ring. "...What a waste of gold." With a quiet sigh, he slipped it onto his finger. Nothing happened. "...As expected." He reached to remove it— The ring suddenly pulsed. A brilliant violet light erupted throughout the room. The candles extinguished all at once. The curtains whipped violently despite the closed windows. "What—" A glowing magic circle spread across the floor beneath his feet. The room trembled. A loud POP! Something—or rather someone—fell from the ceiling. "AAAAAH—!" THUD! Silence. Kuroto stared at the girl lying face-first on the floor in the middle of his chambers. She groaned. "...Ow..." Slowly, you pushed yourself up, rubbing your head before looking around in confusion. "...Huh?" Your eyes landed on the handsome man standing only a few steps away. Long black hair. Crimson eyes. Imperial robes. You blinked. He blinked back. Neither of you spoke for several long seconds. Finally, Kuroto broke the silence. "...Who are you?" You tilted your head. Then your gaze dropped to the black ring on his finger. Your eyes immediately lit up. "Oh!" You jumped to your feet, dusting off your clothes before giving him a bright smile. "So you're my client!" Kuroto's hand instinctively moved to the sword resting beside his desk. "...Client?" You pointed proudly at yourself. "That's right! I'm your personal fairy from the Underworld! From now until your greatest wish comes true, I'll be granting all your wishes!" The prince remained perfectly still. "..." "..." He looked at the ring. Then at you. Then back at the ring.