45 This Prince Will Recognize You

Kana finished doing their makeup and handed Iris a mirror.

"What do you think? Pretty good, right?" She smiled brightly

Iris gazed at the completely unfamiliar face in the mirror in wonder. She nodded at Kana in approval.

"It's amazing. I've become completely unrecognizable. You're really talented."

"Wow...This is so cool! It feels so strange!" Rivas looked at himself in the mirror and freaked out, "Is this really even me? How could simple makeup completely change a person's entire being?"

"Simple makeup and talented hands," Kana beamed at the side, "Give me some credit, will you?"

"You're right, you're right. You've done a great job My Lady." Rivas hurriedly nodded at Kana to acknowledge her, "Then, what's next, Young Miss?" He looked at Iris.

"You stay here with Kana. I'll be back in a bit." She waved at him and left the room. The disguise was complete, so now all that was left was to get rid of the original ones.

Iris stepped out into the streets. She pulled down her hood to cover her face and walked back to the spices store and stepped inside. The two men were the same ones she had just bought spices from, yet they did not recognize her, nor did they bother to confirm her identity. That was a good thing, of course. Surely they would be startled if they noticed someone who looked exactly like one of them.

Iris tapped on the counter to grab their attention. The taller one narrowed his eyes at her.

"Anything you want, young sir?"

"Actually...I've been sent to deliver the goods." She spoke in a low voice.

Her words startled the two men. The looked at Iris suspiciously. The man in front of her stepped past the counter and drew closer to her. Iris unconsciously placed her hand on her sword.

The man gazed down at her and spoke in a whisper, "The duty of the knight..."

"...is to keep the emperor in check." She completed his words. The sentence was another password, one only known to those members of the organization that worked with underground business such as human trafficking and drug smuggling.

The man nodded at her and straightened his back. "You must be new. Haven't seen you around before. Where are the goods?"

"In the back alley. I suggest you go get them fast, there's been imperial guards patrolling the area more frequently."

"You come too. Lets go, Kuert." The man signaled at the shorter man and walked out.

"Coming, brother Asil."

As the shorter guy walked past, Iris pulled her hood down further, careful not to let him catch a glance at her face.

The two men went to the back alley and Iris followed behind. When they had reached sufficiently deeper into the streets and away from public sight, Iris drew her sword. It was time to deal with them once and for all.

Asil looked around and realized there was no sign of any goods he had been promised. He whipped his head back and saw the sword in her hand. His face darkened immediately.

"You...! Who are you?! Why did you bring us out here?!", He shouted and pulled out a small dagger from his belt.

"Obviously... it is to kill you!" Iris spoke and charged straight at Asil. Their blades clashed, and he had to take a step back. Iris struck again, this time faster and more nimbly. He blocked her sword from reaching his neck with his dagger and steeled his legs to the ground.

He tried to push back, but her overwhelming strength kept him in place. Asil anxiously looked into her eyes, and past the brown contacts she wore as a disguise, he saw a flash of blood red pierce into his mind. Her eyes glowered at him and he inexplicably felt his strength leaving his body. His knees weakened and it gave Iris enough leeway to push him back.

"Agh..!" He tumbled to the ground, and before he had the chance to charge back, Iris slashed his neck clean in one strike. The last thing the man saw before his death was the ominous red that glowed from his assailant's eyes.

As the man died, Iris withdrew her sword and gazed at him one last time.

He was not meant to have died this early, but because of her regression, the present was changing. And it would change even further under her control.

Iris felt no remorse. The death of these people was necessary for the life of those she loved. She would kill a thousand people more if it meant the safety of her precious friends and family.

She took a step back and turned to the shorter man, Kuert, who had collapsed to the ground in fear.

"Please...Please spare me! I'll do anything! I'll give you everything I have, so please...let me live!!" He wailed as he inched backwards.

"Sorry, your death is necessary for my plans." Iris walked to where he was, and raised her sword. Kuert's eyes burned with fear, and she saw a reflection of herself in them. Then, suddenly, she saw a shift in his eyes as he glanced behind her.

"...!!"

There was someone standing behind her! Iris whipped herself around, but she was a second too slow, as an unknown figure from behind had already raised his dagger to stab her.

There was another one?! Where did he come from? Were there any more?!

She felt a sudden rush of fear. She was not going to dodge in time...!

But, just before the dagger could strike her face, the man suddenly paused. Iris looked at his chest to see a silvery blade protrude from his chest. He had been stabbed from the back.

Who..?!

The man coughed up blood and collapsed on the ground.

The darkness hid her savior. Iris gazed at the figure in front of her. Then, she saw them.

Beautiful, chilling crimson eyes, looking at her intently. There was only one man she knew with eyes as breathtaking as these.

Her brows furrowed. Why was he here...?

"I say this every time, but you are as reckless as you are fearless. Are you that eager to seek death?"

His deep voice shook her senses. He came closer and finally left the veil of darkness. Azura walked a few steps closer to her and looked down at her.

"Your-Your High...!!"

She tried to greet him but before she could say anything, He reached out and quickly grabbed her hand holding her sword. Iris startled and tried to pull back, but before she could do anything else, he snatched the sword and flung it past her.

The sword lightly grazed her cheek. Iris looked at him with wide eyes.

"Ack...Agh!" The groan from behind her made her realize what he did. She turned her head around to see the shorter guy on the ground bleeding out. The sword struck him straight in his neck. Her gaze landed on the dagger he was clutching. It seemed as if he was getting ready to strike her from behind.

She sighed. She was so caught up in the unexpected appearance of Azura that she didn't pay attention to him. It was already twice that he had saved her.

She turned back to face him. She was in his debt again.

Why did this man keep helping her? He had nothing to gain from her.

Azura took a glance at her and turned around, "Well? Are you not going to explain yourself to this prince? Why are you in such a place?"

"I-" Iris suddenly paused. She remembered her disguise. She looked so completely different, so why did it seem like he recognized her?

"Your Highness, do you.. do you know who I am? How...?" She looked up at him incredulously.

Azura scoffed, "What, did you think this measly disguise could fool this prince? Just what do you see this prince as?" He took one step closer to her, his gaze burrowing into hers.

"But everyone else was fooled..." She lowered her head and mumbled. Strange, why was she avoiding him so...?

"This prince is not everyone else." He came even closer. Iris subconsciously took another step back.

He lowered his head to match her eye level. She felt cold sweat form at his closeness. She couldn't look at him properly.

"If its you, you could be completely burned to ashes, and this prince will still recognize you."