It was evening, when Chiyo was walking down the dark hallway. She was with tears on her cheeks:

- Ugh! You won't slide away so easily! You can't... you Takashi...!

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...Next morning...

...----------------...

- Chiyo! You have to explain this! - yelled Takashi. - What are you planing, to ruin me? Huh?

- Hmm, maybe. Why not? - Chiyo answered, standing beside him.

- But why, my dear. You cannot ruin our reputation.

- Oh? So now there's ''us''? - she said smirking.

- What do you mean? There was always us...

- Well, I thought so too at time, but I was too naive. And since now I know the truth, it's simple for me to understand your feelings, Takashi,- with that she walked away.

Takashi and Chiyo were dating for about four months, they both loved each other. Well unless she thought so... But one day her best friend showed her how Takashi cheated on her with a waitress... So she made sure to make her revenge: she made a beautifully ugly letter for his boss. Now that was a shame for Takashi, since he was a noble person from a very rich family...

That's how girl got rid of him by juts one day. She was kinda heartbreaking, because he was her everything, but then she got invited by unknown person to a masquerade ball. She was not a noble person, but someone invited her? That was very, very rare and weird! How could someone invite some low class girl to a masquerade ball with noble people?!

But she had nothing to do, so decided to go there and see what's waiting for her there... She took her beautiful dress, that she was saving a very long time already. It was her dear father's left gift, before he went abroad and bad things happened.

- Ok! Now let's practice some antiquate and manners, so that I'd be not a shame there!

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

She sat to the carriage and took off to the ball.

She wore the dress that was like a starry night see seeable from the Himalayas. The mask was also a white one, so that it would fit with the outfit. She was with her hair tied to a beautiful braid with some sparkles.

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

...Finally, she arrived there....

......She saw a huge mansion with two castles in the corners, and it all was brown shades piece of art. ......

......She was worried and confused how this has happened?......

...There was a blue, long carpet that was leading to inside the building....

She stepped carefully out of the carriage and walked there with her head high. She was confident. Also was very brave, but shy at times as well. There were servants, who took her coat off, then she walked straight to the room. And it was huge!

People walked there in fancy outfits and interesting masks. She was relieved that with mask no one would recognize her, but then one Butler came to her from others and asked:

- Hello, my lady. May I see your invitation or your documents?

- Uhm, yes, here's invitation. - Chiyo showed it. It was also a handwritten letter. That was stunning!

- Oh. Yes, eheheh, - he awkwardly laughed. - I'm very sorry, miss, for disturbing you.

Then he walked away murmuring something under his mouth...- "She must be a special guest."

She thought it was weird but also, it meant that she was allowed to be there. Then the ball started, and she needed a dance partner. But unfortunately she didn't know anyone there. So Chiyo was about to go to the garden at least when she saw the cutest ever view: there was a boy few years older than her with a kitty by the room corner, near the outside door. It was so interesting that she caught herself staring into him playing happily.

Then she hasn't even noticed how he noticed her and looked in her eyes with annoyed facial expression... Then he stood up and walked away.

She was confused and as she wanted to go then outside, she bumped into someone:

- Oh! Hold up! Be careful! - Stranger said to her. She firstly noticed his warm smile and his beautiful gray eyes.

- I'm very sorry, sir! I didn't mean to bump into you, really, - she was clumsy and always apologize, because of her traumatizing past.

- Don't worry about it, really, - he smiled even brighter, that smile was just so deep, it was true...

She bowed to him:

- I promise, I think won't happen again. Sir.

- No, now I insist a dance with you, miss! Only if you don't have a partner already, of course! What do you say? - he smiled gently.

- Well, if you really want to...- he interrupted her.

- of course, my lady.

He gently took her arm and stood in the position to dance. He was so warm and his touches were so gentle, that she didn't want to let go of him anymore.

- By the way, your majesty, - he giggled,- I haven't introduced to you yet. I'm Kaneko, miss.

- Nice to meet you, Kaneko, I am Chiyo. Can I perhaps ask you who organized this ball? If that's okay with you... of course,- she was dying from curiosity!

- Oh, your name is so beautiful. And yes, actually, my brother did organize the ball, - he said awkwardly. - Oh, maybe you are one of his fan girls? - They both giggled.

- No, I just... got that letter invitation and I didn't even know from whom, - she explained.

- Well, he is famous...

The dance ended, and Chiyo still held his arm tight, she hasn't noticed that at all.

- Well, I'd love to dance the other few dances as well, but I'm not too good at it, and I still have lots to do... - he laughed and then smiled, she took her hand away and he bowed to her, while kissing it.

"Well that was fun at least..." - she thought to herself.

Then she walked to the garden and there found a guy who was kneeling and searching for something, while talking :

- Ugh! Where have I dropped it?

'' Wait, bur he's a poor, just like me.... what is he doing here?''- Chiyo was thinking.

- Hey, I will help you! - she tapped him on the shoulder.

- Ah! - he accidentally fell from shock. -Oh no, please don't tell anyone. I just lost my necklace here... it's very precious to me!

- I can help you find it, - she looked dim in the eye.

- Yes, please, and thank you, miss.

- No worries! - she smiled.

Then she saw something shiny on the ground. It really was the necklace... Just that it had the royal symbol... Royal symbol was usually found in the castles and royal families members using it, but to see it so casually was... strange!

The moment he saw he said:

- Aw, thank you, miss! Now can I have it? - he was somehow worried and in panic.

- Can I ask you, where did you get it? - she asked with a serious face.

- That's the copy, not real one, of course! I really love royal things, so I collect them all!!! - he walked closer. - So can I, please have it back?

Chiyo once held the royal necklace like that and even get to know how to know if that's really one or not. It was clear to her, the necklace was - real.

She stepped back. While he looked now with a cold expression. And said:

- Give it back, miss, - he was cold and there was now a grin on his face.

- I can see that it's not yours, or a cheap copy either, - she said.

His eyes lighted up. And then he started saying a spell. She froze. Chiyo never knew any magical spells because of her low intelligence. 'Cause when you have low intelligence, you can't go to magic school to train your aura into energy that would be used as a curse, spell or any sort of magic possible.

Then he targeted her and attacked with air spell, so that she would basically bleed from inside after an injury of the strong wind. But it didn't reach her...

She saw a guy in the suit and with mask, also a long hat in front if her. He protected her. He stood up and basically hugged her, so that she wouldn't get an injury. Furthermore, he used magic to make a magical shield.

At that moment Chiyo saw how close they were, though they were with masks, they could've felt their breathing...

*Then he raised his eyebrow and turned to that guy. He was with no other reaction. Just said:

- If you really think, that you are allowed to use magic here. You are very wrong about that, - his voice was so cold and serious... That voice could've got assassins...

With those words he just used some magic and the guy's eyes went white, skin was fair and he fell just like that. As the savior was walking away, Chiyo said:

- There's something he was searching for.

She caught his attention:

- Yes?

She took from the pocket necklace and showed it to him:

- I found it, it was so previous to him that he'd even kill for it. That's royal necklace.

- Hmm, interesting. You want to meet with his majesty? Okay.

- Oh, no. I just wanted to give it to you, because it has the kingdom's logo...- he silenced her.

- His majesty already planned a meeting, so. Follow me.

He was leading her to the office, where there it was very dark and kinda scary. But just stepped into the room it was way cozier.

There was a guy sitting on the chair by the desk. He was about 5 years older than her. He was with an expensive suit and a black-red hair. His eyes were red as well.

He stood up and bowed, just like she did while coming inside.

- Greetings, miss Chiyo. I am Hoshiko. The one who organized the ball, - he smiled, thought it was hard to say his expression, because of the mask...

- Nice to meet you, Mr. Hoshiko, - she took the necklace out and putted it on his desktop.

But as she was about to pull away her arm, he grabbed it gently.

- Don't be afraid, miss. I just wanted to talk to you about an offer. That won't take too long,- he said.

- Uhm, y-yes, sir.

- Sit down, Mrs. Chiyo. So I know your position and I am willing to offer you a great job that would suit you. Well I'd need your acting skills, since I think you should be good at it, and perhaps even your new gained skills, that you might get to learn. You should be like a ninja, assassin. You'd be my secret gun, that would make a good job, why do you say? - he was smiling warmly and grinning at the same time.

Chiyo was in the bad position, she had no money and no proper living place. Plus it was hard for her to find a normal job there. So she did the only thing, she could think of*.

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...☆ To be continued ☆...

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