Masked Girl and Her Prince

Freya didn't wait for him to catch his breath as her dagger slashed his abdomen. She didn't care if her cover was blown, she wanted to kill him.

The guy grunted when she kept attacking him. He held his wound while throwing knives at her as he moved back. But, Freya dodged those in a blink of an eye. As she appeared before him, she placed her dagger in front of him which flamed in blue fire. 

Her eyes glinted before attacking him with a thousand hits in one go. When she moved back, she saw him fall on his knees as a countless number of slashes became visible on his body. 

He couldn't believe it... Those cold lifeless eyes... His hands shivered in fear when he remembered those pair of eyes.

She was way different from how she was at the beginning. She was like that general on the battlefield who walked into their guild years ago on a fine morning and killed his friends. 

Even after killing everyone, that person protruded a deathly aura which made the bystanders shiver. Her soulless eyes watched as their guild burnt down into debris. To date, he was planning on meeting her and getting his revenge.

But why does she give off the same feeling? 

Wait...the dagger... his eyes widened as it swiftly went to her hand. The dagger.....was same. 

Shocked by his sudden realization, he flopped on the ground. He wasn't even a match for her from the start. The only reason she played with him was to hide her identity.

He stared at the floor blankly until he saw her stop near him. Slowly, his eyes glided from her toes to a pair of ruthless eyes.

'Her aura.. such pressure...So strong!' 

Even though they were different... Even though their eye color was different..this aura...How can he not recognize it? 

"F-" before he could finish his words, she kicked him on his face.

"How many of you are left?"

The question woke the guy from his stupor. He turned towards her glaring at her in hostility as he said, " Leave them alone."

Freya laughed mockingly at him, "Looks like quite a few have been missed."

His eyes glowered on her as he stressed, "LEAVE.THEM.ALONE."

Freya tilted her head as she asked, "Would you guys leave me alone if I do that?"

He laughed angrily, "Hell no! You destroyed our guild. We will avenge our friends."

Freya smiled evilly as she squatted and whispered, "We share the same reason but for different causes. I can't let you guys live either, I have to avenge my loved one too."

She asked, "Will you tell me the count or not?"

The guy spat blood onto the ground as he said, "I had rather die than let you know."

She smirked, "As you wish."

Right after she said that she pierced his chest with her dagger. Blood splashed all over her face and clothes as she looked down on the dying guy mercilessly.

But what triggered him most was the dagger in her hands! 

How is this possible? Why did Freya's dagger appear in her hands? What was going on?

Usui grabbed his head as his thoughts got muddled by what he was seeing. He just couldn't wrap around what happened.

He raised his head when he heard a soft thud. He saw Hazel kneeling on the ground looking lifeless as she stared at her hands which was covered in blood. 

Freya stared at her hands which reminded her of that bloodied night. The first time her hands tainted in blood, the first time she felt lost in this world, and the very first time she lost someone close to her.

Freya couldn't help but cry out as she rubbed her hands roughly, trying to wipe away the blood. She grabbed her remaining clothes to tear them away, to keep those memories at bay.

Before she could tear them away, two rough hands held her hand and tightened the hold over them.

With red eyes, she furiously glared at the person before her who had worry written all over his face. 

Usui asked carefully, "Hazel, are you okay?" 

Freya stared at him blankly, lifelessly and that expression pained him so much that he impulsively reached out to hug her tightly.

He patted her back gently, patiently as he tried to soothe her with his hug. After what felt like minutes, he felt her clasp his shirt tightly and bury her head in his chest. Feeling her pain, he tightened her hold as he buried his head on her neck.

Even though he had questions, even though he needed those answers, he knew he had to wait. He had to wait until she was ready to answer.

While both of them hugged each other, Usui connected all the dots in his mind – the times when Freya would disappear and Hazel would appear and vice versa.

He laughed in his mind, 'Great! Was I blinded so much that I forgot to take notice of this before?'

Well, he still knew he could go wrong, like if his assumption was wrong. But even though he wanted to think the bloodied dagger in front of him was staring at him as if saying 'You still doubt your instincts even when you have proof. Are you a fool?'

Then he remembered the sentence she said earlier 'Leave Freya alone, she wouldn't love him'. He also remembered her expression when she asked what he would do if she rejects him. 

Finally, he understood that all along while he waited for his chance to confess, the woman already knew about it and was trying to avoid him.

Looking at his woman who had her head buried in his chest like a kitten, he wondered what made her eyes lose that liveliness. He did notice her aura change upon seeing the guild mark. His eyes shifted to the arm which had a huge scorpion mark on it. He narrowed his eyes as he gently soothed her.

His lips slowly traced from her neck to her hair and kissed her hair, comforting her, silently whispering that he was right here.

Their moment was disturbed when they heard footsteps coming in their direction accompanied by a shout.

"Woah! How did things turn out like this?"