(Third person's POV- omniscient)

A scream erupted from Miku's throat as she slumped down on the wooden floor of the cart.

But the sword never reached her because it cut through an arriving arrow which was about to pin on her back. Her heart thundered against her ribcage as Hiroshi stood there glaring at a distance.

She still couldn't understand what was going on but then the arrow head which laid just beside her, caught her attention. She gulped. Was it the bandits?!

Others in the cart went panicked and on the other hand, Kairo and Hana both woke up, both of their weapons in their hands as their sharp eyes looked through the forest. They all were wary of their surroundings yet they were extremely calm.

Miku had never experienced such things in her life. She certainly had to fight with the gangs of Lord Kogaru's men but they were nothing like the bandits who had actual swords and spears.

Within a moment, the cart was surrounded by twenty to thirty men, some were hidden in the woods as all of the passangers started to shake in fear while some started to pray.

Miku's heart pumped in her ears as she thought today was the end of her. She wasn't going to see her siblings nor she would be able to look after them anymore.

She had heard that the bandits in this forest never showed mercy especially after Duke Gingiro had cut off all their routes to rob people. The everyday patrols and high security in the towns made their activities a little less.

She could feel their wrath with just by one glance. They must have started to act together. Up until now people would get robbed by only five-seven bandits but here they were all together.

Suddenly, Hana jumped out of the cart as Kairo shouted, "Hana! Don't go alone!"

Miku thought she must have a death wish. No matter how skilled she was she could never defeat them.

But Hana was too fast and the moment she stepped on the ground, she vanished before Miku's eyes.

She looked around for her with confused eyes and finally found her. She saw how swiftly her needle swords from both hands stabbed through each and every men's throats who were standing in her way. She just needed one step to balance herself on the back of the horses or on the ground to reach them, otherwise her swords were doing all the work. Her reflexes became difficult to predict for the bandits as they swung their swords and spears randomly in the air.

However, in a moment, the men toppled over the ground like fruits falling down from the trees.

Her eyes were cold and dark that Miku thought she wasn't weak nor delicate at all. She had certainly judged her wrongly.

And it was not only Hana, she had judged Kairo wrong as well.

The arrows that were coming for the cart, were all cut off by Kairo as if the arrows were too slow for him. He growled, "What am I going to do with her?!"

Hiroshi said, "Don't worry, she is not that easy to be taken down on the ground."

Kairo humped, "But still... What if an arrow or two caught her?!"

Hiroshi said with a lazy voice, "Ah... Then you have to make sure she doesn't get caught by one."

And ordered, "Alright, Kairo, protect the passangers and Hana from the arrows. I'm about to hop out. Make sure no arrows harm any of them."

Kairo gave a curt nod and suddenly Miku saw the playful face of him changed into a grim one. Had she thought he was an easy target?! He certainly didn't look like an adorable young man.

The way his hands moved didn't seem like he was an adorable young man!

Both Kairo and Hiroshi jumped out of the cart and the bandits launched an attack at them.

Miku's throat went dry and she didn't realise holding the sealth of the sword tightly. She clutched against her chest as if it was her lifeline and her eyes went to Hiroshi.

His sword moved as if it was his hand. She had held the sword before and it was too heavy yet it didn't seem heavy for Hiroshi.

The way his sharp, calculating eyes looking at his targets made Miku to take a gulp. He looked dangerous...

Just who was he?!

And who were them?!

Not one of them were normal. They fought as if this was nothing. They weren't even worried about each other as if they knew it was too easy to get worried about.

But one thing, Miku was certain, they certainly were the men of the Prince of Wansai. Otherwise they wouldn't be so capable of doing this. Fighting thirty or more men all by themselves, it was an impossible even to think of.

And here she thought, she could steal from them.

She realised Hiroshi, that man, was just going easy on her. If he wanted to catch her, he could have done so. That day when her brother and she were running away, he could have caught them without breaking a sweat but he didn't.

She peeked outside to steal a glance at Hiroshi and saw he was fast enough to catch most of them.

The bandits had panicked as they had no chance before Kairo and Hiroshi and they couldn't even stop Hana.

As all the men who were on the horse fell, the three went inside the forest. It was time to catch the archers.

And Miku knew they could do it. So, she sat on the carriage holding his sword's sealth near to her chest. At this time, it was the only thing that made her at ease.

After half an hour, all the bandits were down and the chauffeur as well as the passangers were all happy. They started to praise them and the two young women were clinging to Hiroshi since they couldn't cling onto Kairo.

Hana had been sending them cold glares and as they had already seen how dangerous she was, they wouldn't want to risk their lives by his little wife.

Miku looked at Hiroshi and she knew she never had the chance anyways. She almost felt envious that, at least, they could get to live in good environment and wealth. She wished if her brother had the chance maybe he could be like them...

She shook her head. What was she thinking?

She had no money to travel and she certainly had no support to move toward a different land.

She knew her siblings were waiting for her in the home and she had to go back now.

And besides, if she didn't run away now, that man might actually put her into a cell. She recalled some scrolls of Prince Rian Hiroshi was talking about. That meant he was going to meet the Duke...

So, she placed his sword's sealth on the seat of the cart and looked toward the forest. She knew all she had to do was run straight toward their town and she could reach by the sun set.

She hopped out of the cart and saw everyone was busy with them.

She sneakily was going to the forest when she heard a deep voice, "Where do you think you are going?"

She froze.

She turned around slowly and saw it was Hiroshi and his sword was glinting maliciously in his right hand. He was glaring at her as she gave a nervous chuckle, "I—uh... Um... I need to go do some women business that requires some privacy..."

"You want to pee?" He blurted out without any shame as her face heated.

Although she wasn't going to do that but still, it was embarrassing! And how could he say that at her face!

She growled, "Hey! Watch your mouth! Wherever I go is none of your business!"

He raised a brow and said, "It isn't, is it?"

He started to take long strides toward her and she took steps back as he said with a playful voice, "I clearly heard that we did some adultery things back in the inn and because of that I, now have to take responsibility of that so, basically, wherever you go... is. my. business."

She gulped as he had crossed the distance between them. She stood there with a pale face looking up at him as he towered over her. Now that she noticed, he was tall.

Taller than her...

Her heart skipped a beat.

He smirked evilly, "Besides, you were going to steal my sword just then, didn't you?"

She nervously smiled but her heart was going bonkers in her ribcage. "Ah... Well, of course not!"

He said, "Since I haven't been proven guilty and I still have to put you in a cell," and then added with a grim face, "you're coming with me. Try to run or steal again, I will cut you in half."

Miku screamed in her mind. Oh no! What had she done?!!!

Now she was into this mess and she had no idea that the person she mistook for an easygoing knight was actually a devil.

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29th January, 23
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