Ludovika was born of the union between a renowned Bratkovan knight and the third daughter of a Kobener Earl. Their marriage was one of love, and although her mother’s family disapproved of their youngest daughter's choice, they let her go. Being far down the line of inheritance, her mother Rosamund had more freedom regarding her future than her older siblings. The family made their home in the knight’s childhood residence—a stud farm located on the border between Bratkowice and Koben. The knight retired from military life to be with his family and breed horses, as his own family had traditionally done. However, their happiness was short-lived. When Ludovika was only five, her mother passed away.

Though she barely remembered her mother, Ludovika spent a happy childhood with her father. Yet she always yearned for a motherly figure to help her explore the more feminine side of her nature. Her wish seemed to be granted when her father, having recovered from the loss, married again—a young commoner from a neighboring village. At fifteen, Ludovika enjoyed a gentle relationship with her new stepmother, but as a half-sibling was born barely a year later, Ludovika began to retreat. Two more children followed, and as Ludovika grew older, she felt increasingly out of place in her own family. This wasn’t due to any poor relationship with her stepmother or siblings—it was simply the feeling of being the last remnant of a life long gone, one that could never fully belong to the new, happy family that had formed around her father. She considered quietly leaving, even exploring a military career—the path her father had always hoped she would take—but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to commit.

Years later, Ludovika received an unexpected letter. A great aunt from her mother’s side wrote to announce her visit to discuss important matters in person. Her father was vehemently against it, knowing that his late wife’s relatives had never truly supported their marriage and had shown little interest in Ludovika's life. Nonetheless, he welcomed the visitor with reluctant hospitality. When they met, Ludovika’s great aunt explained that her grandfather had passed away, leaving his title to his two eldest children. The younger of the two had eloped with a servant, while the older had succumbed to a riding injury. As a result, the title had passed to Ludovika's great aunt, who now sought an heir. She had no children of her own and proposed to 'adopt' Ludovika as her own. To prepare for this, Ludovika would need to move to Koben and undergo extensive lessons to ready her for life at court.

Her father vehemently opposed the idea, but Ludovika found herself increasingly intrigued by the prospect. The future her great aunt offered seemed dazzling, straight out of a fairytale - and for once in her life, fully centered around Ludovika. Her family would also benefit from her departure, as her half-siblings would enjoy their father's full inheritance and an overall more comfortable life. Despite her father’s protests, Ludovika ultimately agreed to the proposal, leaving Bratkowice behind for Koben. Two years have passed since then. After months of catching up on etiquette and court manners, Ludovika has finally been introduced to the ton. However, rumors spread quickly, and many disapprove of her—a near-commoner and foreigner—as the heir to such an important title.