Chapter 2 - Kazuya

Earlier

A man with long dark brown hair tied up sat on the highest branch of a tree in the Mist Kingdom Princess quarters - it was a sheer coincidence on his part that he came here. He was merely trying to escape from his guard.

One of his eyes closed while the other eye looked at the blue sky. Kazuya picked up the bottle from beside him and poured the contents into the cup. He was peacefully sipping sake and enjoying the morning rays of light when he saw her. He only saw one portrait of her before, seldom could be found due to the strict confidentiality regarding her birth. But that single portrait caught his attention; he wanted to meet with her. The woman in the portrait and ask her why her eyes looked so lonely? She has everything he could never have; and yet he sensed deep sadness behind her gaze.

Present - Mist Kingdom, Year 4014-

He did not intend to kiss her, but for a while, he was watching her. When Kazuya saw that the Princess was a lonely girl putting on a brave front, he felt the desire to wrap his arms around her and hug her tightly. But Kazuya supposes asking for a hug now - after kissing her unexpectedly is not possible. Sure enough, the moment he parted their lips. Lyn raised her hand and slapped him. A swelling pain appeared on his cheek, but he does not argue back.

"I'm Kazuya, the Ambassador from the Sound Kingdom," Kazuya kept his calm as he introduced himself. He thought the princess would do the same and then scold him. But instead, the girl was silent. Kazuya looked at her reaction and saw her face had turned a bright shade of red.

C—cute, she's cute! For a split moment, he too froze, woahh. He didn't expect this at all. From what the reports said she's sheltered and spoilt. But this is the complete opposite, "Uh, was that your first?" That second question of his made her open her mouth.

"How dare you take my first kiss! Y—you-you…"

Kazuya blinked surprised; it was her first? Before he could say anymore though, a woman with appeared.

"Princess Lyn!!"

"Gah!"

"I've looked for you all morning, what are you doing? The preparations for Prince Allen's arrival at the end of the month have started already. If the fiance isn't present, then ---" Pupillam paused, and her gaze fell on him like she just noticed him, "Forgive me Sound Ambassador if our princess was a bit rude. She doesn't interact with others much."

Kazuya frowned at that comment, of course, she doesn't. She's locked away in a wing of the castle where nobody else has an entry too. If it weren't for his powers, he wouldn't have been able to enter here. His thoughts broke off when he heard somebody call his name from a distance. He turned to walk away but paused in his tracks, "Princess Lyn."

"Wha-what?" Lyn's tone contained suspicion.

"I'll visit you again, tomorrow the same time."

He didn't wait for a response and walked away.

....

Later in the day, Kazuya sat in the tree not too far from the chambers they assigned him. But for some reason, he felt uncomfortable. Kazuya didn't know when it started, but as a young child, he would often climb trees. He would climb them to the highest point, when people asked him, he always replied that it was a good escape point. However, there has always been a deeper meaning.

"Kazuya-sama! Where did you disappear too again?! I promise if I ever find you, I will tie you up to one of your beloved trees, and make sure you never escape."

Kazuya opened his eyes, here he is again. He thought he lost him already, his guard - Fukami. Kazuya exhaled deeply, no use hiding now. He can't dodge his responsibilities forever. Besides, if he doesn't work now then, he won't be able to meet her tomorrow. Kazuya jumped off the tree and appeared right in front of Fukami. Fukami looked at him with such anger in his eyes and summoned a pair of threads from his hands.

Kazuya rolled his eyes, "You know right now we are in enemy territory, you ought to keep that in check," Even as he spoke, Kazuya knew that people were keeping an eye on them.

Fukami still wore an angry look on his face, but his guard dispelled the thread at his words and sighed, "This is why I'm instructing you to stay put," Fukami paused, "Did you like the Princess?"

Kazuya laughed at Fukami's question, "Even if I don't like her, won't the lot of you still enforce this mission on me?"

"Well, that's true," Fukami admitted, "Everybody entrusted this to you. Since you're the same age as her, though it's not unusual for large age gaps in romance during these times, if it were an older man, the Princess would be more suspicious."

Suspicious, huh? He thought back to the kiss he just shared with her and mentally cursed himself. This would be a bad time to tell Fukami what happened earlier. There's no way he could follow the original plan of him approaching Princess Lyn and befriending her. He destroyed any chance of friendship. That kissed sent warning bells in her head regarding him.

But Kazuya wasn't sure himself why he kissed her in the first place. Even if it is his mission to seduce the Princess and get her to fall in love with him. His actions earlier on the day did not make much sense. Why did he kiss her? Was it simply because he saw how lonely she looked?

"Princess Lyn, please wait!!"

Huh? Kazuya looked over and saw the aide from earlier, Pupillam was it? But the woman wasn't alone, no, she accompanied the same Princess that occupied his thoughts. Fukami seemed surprised too, and shuffled beside him, "I don't know why she came here, but don't blow it," Fukami whispered.

'Don't blow it.' Uh, it's too late for that. Kazuya didn't think she would come out here and personally complain to him. Maybe she's calmed down now, "Princess Lyn, for earlier--" his words fell short when she leaned forward and kissed him. He stood there completely frozen in shock.

It was an awkward kiss, acting as evidence that the kiss earlier was her first. But, Kazuya wrapped his arms around her. After five minutes he drew back, "Is this a challenge Princess?" Kazuya knew that Fukami was shooting glares at him, but he would explain the situation later.

Lyn looked down briefly before she shook her head and said, "Now we're even! And if you pull this stunt again, I'll call my fiance."

Kazuya didn't flinch at the mention of the finance, he knew who the man was after all. His lips curve to an amused smile, so, she kissed him to get back at him? After so many hours, that's the solution she came up with? Kazuya laughed, what an amusing girl.

"Why are you laughing?" Lyn questioned.

"Nothing," Kazuya replied but Lyn didn't let it go, Kazuya stopped laughing and looked at her seriously as he bowed, "Once again, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kazuya, from the Sound Kingdom."

His sudden formal attitude surprised the Princess but she nodded and responded in the same manner, "Princess Lyn, the second princess to the Mist Kingdom present throne."