Masked Girl And Her Prince - Chapter 178 Chapter 178

His presence was enough to calm her nerves. She opened the window and the cold breeze immediately swamped the room. Hazel sat beside his bed, carefully clasping their hands together.

She brought his hand to her lips and kissed it gently before leaning her cheek against his hand. Gazing at his face, she asked softly, “Usui, do you think I can protect everyone?”

Pressing her lips together, she revealed her vulnerableness, her insecurities. She wasn’t confident enough that she could protect her family. But a chuckle escaped her lips as she could imagine what he would have said if he was awake.

“You saved me, didn’t you?” He would look at her straightly and say, “Even if you can’t, I can do all you can’t.”

Hazel shook her head, laughing quietly.

“I wish you were here, Usui.” she sighed as she got up from her seat and leaned forward to kiss his forehead.

“I love you, Usui. Please wake up soon” and in the darkness, she left the room after covering him with his blanket.

But as she turned around quickly to leave, she didn’t notice the slight twitch of his forefinger the moment she let go of his hand.

…..

The next few days passed without any trouble, but the atmosphere around everyone was  depressing. The security around every royal was tightened making the ministers probe into it. But, the king waved their worries away saying that they were thinking too much.

Only the royal guards were informed about the sudden fight as they didn’t want the news to frighten anyway. Everyone was highly cautious as they patrolled the city and the corridors until one day where the princess marched through the corridors, bursting through the king’s room as her voice reverberated across the hallways.

“WHY? she shrieked loudly at her father who was signing some papers.

Julian closed his pen as he waved his guards to leave the room. He rubbed his forehead as he leaned backward and massaged his temples. He knew his daughter would barge into his room when she hears of the news.

He looked at his daughter who was glaring at him, her eyes burning in fury, her hands shaking as she tried to control her fury. She resembled his wife especially when she snapped. Her eyes would narrow as she demanded an answer from him.

“He wanted to go out”

Hazel knitted her brows as she asked ridiculously, “So? you let him do what he wanted?” She took a few steps forward as she recapitulated, “Should I remind you again about the upcoming danger?”

Julian smiled wryly making her grit her teeth, “This isn’t the time to agree with his whims.”

He looked at her and said, “I have already done the mistake of trapping my child inside once. ”

Hazel bit her lips as she wondered how she forgot. Wasn’t she like this when she was his age? Wasn’t this one of the reasons why she did things on her own?

Julian sighed when he saw his daughter’s pained face. Every single one of them only wished for the other’s safety but when it comes to doing things, they resort to trapping the other unknowingly making the other suffocate and desperate.

Just like how Hazel was before. She wasn’t aware of anything and enjoyed her life like a princess but she thought she was a vase, meant for looking. This time, he didn’t want to repeat the history again so he properly explained to his son about the dangers.

He said, “Don’t worry. He will be safe”

Hazel bit her lips as she glanced at her father. He smiled softly. How could he not understand his daughter’s worries when it was what he felt back in the days?

“I have sent Hak and Liz to accompany him,” he reassured her and finally let out a breath when her eyes brightened.

Hazel let out a breath as her body relaxed knowing that her friends were with her brother.

She looked up and asked, “Have we received any new news?”

Julian pursed his lips as he crumpled the paper he was signing, “They are already within our vicinity”

Hazel nodded. She gazed outside his window at the decorations spanning across the city and let out a gasp.

It was the time of that year again!

Hazel took a deep breath as she nodded at her father and left the room. As she walked through the corridors in a daze, she thought about the only time she saw the festiveness of the city. The first and last time she participated…

She stopped at the balcony and glanced over at the city which was sparkling in lights. The music could be heard clearly from the balcony. Her lips curled up when she remembered the first time she danced to the music with her brother watching her.

‘ Sigh! It’s been a long while.’

…

Annual Festival

Rin was excitedly hopping around, munching on anything his small hands could get on. He always loved this time of the year as he could eat anything he wanted and play around. As usual, there were many painted faces and people blowing bubbles as they went. The dancers were dressed in very bright colors as they moved their bodies to the music of the festival. A lot of stalls were lined till the center, where a huge crowd was gathered. The aroma of the food wafted towards Rin’s nose making the latter drool.

Rin tugged at Liz as he pointed at a stall making her shook her head. She chuckled as she brought him to the stall and saw how he grabbed onto everything his small hands could get on. When the shouts and clapping reached their ears, she saw the little prince clapping with his messy hands with a goofy grin on his face.

After filling the little prince’s stomach and paying for all the food he consumed, Rin ran towards the game stalls and started playing with some children of his age. While Liz and Hak stood a little behind, watching the prince and people near the prince.

No one recognized the prince as he rarely showed his face to the mass while Liz and Hak had the festive masks on evidently hiding their identities.

Watching the little prince chirp excitedly among the other children brought a smile to their face. Suddenly a shout distracted them from the prince as they turned around to see a woman punching a man screaming, “Cheater”

They shook their heads as it was a common occurrence but when they turned around, their hearts leaped out when they didn’t see Rin anywhere among the children.

Hurriedly, Liz and Hak moved forward through the crowd and reached the children. Liz bent down and held a girl as she asked in a hurry, “Where is the boy who was wearing a red cap?”

The girl in pigtails tilted her head as she said cutely, “He darted towards that direction saying something about a cat”

Liz exchanged gazes with Hak, as they nodded and moved in that direction, their hearts wishing desperately for their little prince to be safe.

…

Meanwhile, Rin who was playing amongst the children noticed a blue cat, licking its paws, by the corner. Noticing a gaze, the blue cat immediately looked up and Rin widened his eyes at the beautiful cat with golden-brown eyes.

The cat turned around and walked into the crowd making Rin leave the group and ran towards the cat. After a couple of turns, Rin frowned when he saw fewer people and less noise from the crowd. Turning around, he pursed his lips when he figured he was lost. Before he could turn around, he saw the blue cat walking towards an alley making his feet follow.

He gulped when he saw the slightly dark alley and paused. He remembered what his father had said something about the danger. Pursing his small lips, he turned around to leave when he heard a peal of laughter, “What are you doing here, little kid?”

Knitting his brows, he turned around and saw a figure stepping out from the darkness. He had a white cloak over his body with red hair and a smile on his lips.

But what caught his attention was the blue cat on his shoulder. The cat he was following was resting on the man’s shoulders with its tail wrapped around the man’s neck.

The man raised his eyebrows when he noticed the kid staring at his cat.

“She’s a beaut, right?”

Rin looked at him and asked softly, “It’s a she?”

The man chuckled as he rubbed her neck, “Yes.. her name is Luna”

The cat purred against the man’s fingers making Rin purse his lips. He knitted his brows at the person in front of him and took a step backward.

He shouldn’t trust strangers.

He bowed at the stranger and turned around to leave when he heard the man ask, “Now…now… why are you leaving so soon?”

Right after his words, numerous dark figures appeared in front of Rin, making him take a step back.

“Now, don’t scare the little boy away.” Rin looked at the man who grinned at him.

“Let’s talk for a while, kid”