NoGift

A SIMPLE black carriage entered the dense forest located in the eastern region of Albion. This region was known for its beautiful scenery. That's why many health spa could be found here. It's a favorite vacation spot of aristocrats tired of the city. The carriage continued to move through the forest. It only stopped when it reached a small lake.

The man driving was wearing all black and has a severe atmosphere around him. He got off from his seat and opened the door of the carriage. The first one to go down was a young man with ice blue hair and pale blue eyes. He turned around and helped a woman wearing a hood go down the carriage. They stood in front of a two-storey cottage built beside the lake and surrounded beautiful wildflowers.

The woman removed her hood. Her long blue black hair fell down like waterfall behind her back. The morning sun shone on her beautiful face as she looked around in wonder. She turned to the young man. "This place is lovely."

The young man was, of course, the second prince of Albion and the woman, his mother.

Winter looked at his mother's flawless face, her burn scars no longer there. "I'm glad you like it, Mother."

On their way here, they met the healer who healed his mother's scars. It was a young woman acquianted with Nikolai. He assured Winter that the healer wouldn't talk to anyone about the healing that she did. Winter has complete trust towards Nikolai's judment, so he didn't worry that the healer would reveal to everyone she knew that she healed the mother of their bastard prince.

They had to meet the healer halfway because once they left the party, they immediately started travelling towards this place. They even have to do it stealthily. Winter was worried that the King would interfere and that he wouldn't be able to get his mother out of the capital if they didn't leave immediately. Just in case the King sent his men to follow them, Winter planted a decoy.

They hired a woman with the same build as his mother, they even prepared a human skin mask for the woman to use. As he, his mother, and Robin were travelling through the night, Nikolai and Aspen were guarding the woman posing as his mother in his town house. To add to the ruse, once morning came, the three left in the capital would head to the port and enact a play. Nikolai would act as Winter while and the woman as his 'mother' with Aspen guarding the two.

Right about now, those three were probably already at the port. All people would see was the second prince bidding farewell to his mother who's about to board a ship that would travel to the Northern continent. Once she arrived at her destination, the woman impersonating as his mother would remove the human skin mask she has on and would continue living there using the fake identity Nikolai prepared. Thus completing their ruse.

The woman they hired was a struggling actress working at a small theater company. Having no better prospects, she readily agreed to the deal Nikolai offered her once she found out how much money she would receive. She didn't even mind that she had to migrate to another country.

"Of course I will like it. This place is perfect," Merissa said, inhaling the fresh air. It's like smelling the scent of freedom.

Winter smiled, the coldness in his expression completely thawing out. He had this cottage built two years ago with his mother in mind. Now, his mother could finally live here. The only downside was he couldn't live with her permanently.

"I'm sorry, Mother. I could only visit you once a month from now on," Winter said apologetically.

Merissa shook her head. "Don't worry, I understand the situation. Seeing you once a month is already more than what I had for the past 12 years. And besides, we could talk everyday using our sPhones. I won't be greedy and ask for more. It's enough that you know that from now on, I will be here for you."

Still if he could, he still wanted to spend more time with his mother. But something like that would be impossible for now. Especially when he remembered the kind of gaze the King gave to his mother the moment she revealed her face to everyone. That gaze was not normal. Instead of looking at a person, it's like the King was looking at a long lost possession.

Winter was not certain about the particulars of the relationship between his mother and the King. But there was no doubt that the King treated his mother horribly. So there was no way he could just let the King interact with his mother again.

He was not familiar with the emotion called 'love'. But Winter was at least sure about one point. If you love someone, you wouldn't want to be the cause of that person's pain. You wouldn't hurt them just because you could. That's why if he ever did fall in love with someone, he would pamper that person. Bringing her nothing but happiness, never sadness and pain.

At that thought, a certain person's image suddenly flashed inside his mind. But it was just a flash that instantly disappeared. Like the wind that couldn't be catched.

Winter stopped thinking about it and just continued talking to his mother about her stay here.

----------

Argent walked down the stairs and went straight to the dining room. Once there, she saw Aurum and Black huddled together, giggling while looking at something on her sister's sPhone.

"What are you two laughing about?" she asked.

Both raised their head at the same time and immediately greeted her.

"It's because of this, Brother," Aurum answered her question, showing her the screen of her sPhone. On it was a picture of Ruby sleeping soundly inside one of the stalls of a powder room. In fact, she slept so soundly there was saliva literally flowing down from one corner of her mouth. "She looks funny, right? We're going to tease her once she wakes up."

"Yes, we're going to tease her!" Black agreed.

Just like what Argent thought, Aurum and Mishla found Ruby unconcious inside the powder room closest to the ballroom. After making sure that she was only unconcious, the two immediately brought her back to the manor. Ruby still hasn't regained conciousness until now. The thing used to make her faint was probably pretty strong.

"Just don't overdo it. She's still a patient, after all," Argent reminded the two.

"Yes," both almost said at the same time.

Argent picked up a toast from the table. She was about to leave when Aurum stopped her.

"Aren't you going to eat breakfast, Brother?"

"Later. I'm going to do my morning sword exercise first."

She bit the toast and walked outside the manor. When she arrived at the garden, she took a wooden sword from her space ring and started swinging it.

Even though the second prince's party was a success, the 'Vixen' incident after that only left Argent with questions. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that the master of Dreich Gallere banned any contracts against her. No matter how much she tried to think about it, she just couldn't think of a reason why that master assassin would do that.

Yes, that decision would certainly be to her advantage. But Argent just couldn't feel the least bit grateful about it. Because she hated the feeling of being in the dark about something. Especially if it has something to do with her.

She shook her head and just cleared her mind. Thinking about that would only affect her morning exercise. Just like what her master often said, 'a clouded mind could only dull the edge of a sword'. She just continued swinging the wooden sword.

Then Argent suddenly felt a very intense gaze. After experiencing that gaze quite a number of times, she already has an idea who the owner of such a gaze was.

She stopped what she was doing and looked at a certain direction. "Come out. Entering a private property without permission is illegal, you know?"

Just as she expected, the young general jumped down from one of the trees in the garden. He was wearing his usual black robe. His long black hair was tied in a high ponytail.

"What are you doing here, General? I thought I told you that I hate being spied on," she said.

"My apologies. After the incident last night, I just want to make sure that you're safe."

Zhang Lei Feng was still worried about the incident with that Dreich Gallere assassin. She might have not succeeded in killing the fourth prince, but the things she told them afterwards really bothered him. Especially the part about the master of Dreich Gallere. How could he sit back and relax when he knew that a very dangerous person took an interest on Argent? That's why he's been staking out here since last night.

Argent stared at the young general's upright face. She basically has some idea on what's going on in his mind right now. He's probably thinking that an assassin might come to attack her that's why he's here. To protect her. She smirked. Thinking so high of himself, it only made her want to mess that face of his.

"I just want to make something clear to you. You and me have nothing to do with each other. So I'm quite baffled as to where you get the idea that protecting me is your job. And besides," Argent used [Mizukodo] to dash quickly in front of the general then she swung the wooden sword she was holding but stopped before it landed on the side of his neck, "I'm not as weak as you might think I am. I don't need anyone's protection." She put down the wooden sword. "So stop, before you really start to piss me off."

There was a surprised expression on the general's face, then it slowly turned into a lost one. As if he was no longer sure where to go from here on out. Then he looked down, completely averting her gaze. "You're right. I'm sorry for being presumptuous."

He took a step back and just disappeared. No, it was more accurate that he ran at a very fast speed. Argent could still see the electricity he left on his wake. She whistled. That was certainly an amazing feat. Argent remembered what Vixen said about the general last night. That he was powerful. Now she couldn't help but wonder just how powerful he might really be.

She was still immersed in her thoughts when she felt the vibration from the stud on her right ear. It meant that someone was trying to connect to her. She turned her light brain and accepted the call. She soon heard White's voice.

"Master, I just recorded a video of the first princess of Albion using her sPhone and judged it as important. I'm sending it to you now."

Not even a second passed and a video file was sent to her light brain. "I'm going to look into it now. Good job. Have you already done what I asked you last night?"

Last night after she went back to the manor, she sent the video she took of what happened during the party to White. Before sending it, she edited it in a way that would make the first princess appear more guilty. Then she asked White to spread it to every citizen of Albion that has a [Jiffy] account. Probably all those people have already watched it by now.

"Yes, Master."

"Good."

After that she cut their conversation and opened the video file White sent.

The first thing that appeared was the first princess sitting on the bed, a defaro crystal in her hand. Based on the angle, her sPhone was probably placed somewhere perpendicular to where she was. After a moment, the face of a man with long gray hair appeared, half of his face was covered by a domino mask.

"Oh my. This is a surprise. Why did the princess suddenly contact me?" the man asked, though there wasn't even a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Stop acting like you still you don't know," the first princess said, not a trace of gentleness could be found on her face. "I'm pretty sure you already know what happened last night. And now this! There's a video going around that will no doubt make me look bad in the eyes of the people here in Albion. Do something about it! If this situation continues, then how could I do the things that that person asked of me?"

"Princess, I think you have a slight misconception. You see, I'm not your servant. I only follow the orders of one person. And that person is not you. So if you want to clean up your mess, then you have to do it yourself. And you better do it quickly before he thinks that you're no longer useful to him."

Then the image of the man in the defaro crystal disappear. Which meant that he cut off the connection.

The last image on the video was of the princess turning the crystal into ice and crushing it.

Argent was not surprised by the attitude of the first princess nor was she particularly curious about the conversation of the two. What really caught her attention was the man. He might be wearing a different mask and his hair might be a little longer but Argent could not mistake that voice for anyone else.

That man was the same masked man who was involved in that kidnapping incident they experienced seven years ago. How could Argent forget the person who tried to make her fight with a group of adult men just so the audience could offer the highest bid?

Just what the heck was the connection between him and the first princess? And who was the 'he' they were talking about?