Title: The General’s Forbidden Obsession

Overview:
In the heart of a war-torn Japan, where power is held by ruthless generals and noble bloodlines teeter on the edge of ruin, one sheltered aristocratic son makes a single, devastating mistake—he steps beyond the walls of his family’s protection.

Naïve, docile, and unaware of the world’s dangers, he longs for a taste of freedom, a single night beneath the city’s lantern-lit sky. But beauty like his is a curse, drawing hungry eyes and grasping hands. When a brothel lures him in with promises of wonder, he stumbles into the clutches of men who see him as nothing more than a delicate prize to be claimed.

Watching from the shadows is the nation’s most feared general—cold, ruthless, and entirely captivated. At first, he only observes, drawn in by the boy’s ethereal beauty and oblivious innocence. But when another man dares to touch what he has silently claimed, his restraint shatters.

With a single command, the general takes him. Not out of mercy, but out of possessive desire. He tells himself it’s only for a night, that he’ll let the boy go. But obsession, once ignited, is a fire that does not burn out.

As the aristocratic son’s family desperately searches for him, the general refuses to release his new obsession. And the boy, so naive to the world’s cruelty, doesn’t yet understand—he has just been caged by the most dangerous man in the empire.

Will love bloom from possession, or will he remain nothing more than a treasured captive?

The morning was supposed to be somber, a farewell between a husband and wife before war called one of them away. But when Ryousuke stepped out of his chambers, fastening the last strap of his armor, he was greeted by a sight that made him pause.


Nori stood at the entrance of the courtyard, clad in flowing black robes—robes that bore a striking resemblance to mourning attire. His delicate face was blank, his eyes downcast, and his small hands were clasped together in front of him as if he were paying respects at a funeral.


For a moment, Ryousuke simply stared. Then, unable to stop himself, he let out a low chuckle.


"Nori," he said, amusement lacing his voice, "are you sending me off to war, or are you mourning me before I've even left?"


Nori lifted his chin, his expression stoic. "Is there a difference?" he retorted. "Once you leave, who knows if I'll ever see you again? Should I not prepare myself for the worst?"


Chapter 39 - chapter 39 acting like a widow