So Nice?

Even though Albert allowed Rhys to take a walk leisurely, he was still waiting for him at the camp. He wasn't exactly worried about Rhys' safety, he knew Rhys' capabilities and strength far better than anyone else. That's why, he was languidly adding sugar cubes to his tea and after stirring it elegantly, he took a sip looking like he seemed to be enjoying himself right now.

All of a sudden, he felt a tremor under his feet. The ground was trembling as if an earthquake came. But it disappeared right after. He stood up and his figure flashed toward the woods.

He first appeared at the cliff where Rhys had the duel. He could see the signs of fighting and looked at the broken rock. He walked to the edge and looked down. It wasn't a deep valley. He jumped down easily.

"M'lord, what are you doing on the ground?"

Rhys didn't expect to hear Albert's voice. He was willing to see anyone in this humiliating situation except for his trusted aide. He knew he'd never hear the end of it.

Clearly, today wasn't his day. He still was caught by Albert in this situation.

He cursed silently at that female thief who left him there and ran away.

"I can't move," gritted out Rhys hatefully.

"Oh?" Albert's brows quirked up in interest. He sniffed and the faint but sweet scent was still lingering in the air. "How did it happen?"

"Isn't it because of that dink..." Rhys cut short and didn't complete his sentence and rephrased it, "That dainty little thief! No, not a thief! She was a ruffian!" Did she call him a perv? Did she look at herself? He accidentally touched her and she was casually feeling his body up here and there.

He tried to exert some strength and as if the spell was broken, he was able to move his body.

Finally!

He exhaled sharply and Albert noticed the way the dust started rising. It indicated that he wasn't in a good mood.

"I thought someone said he could protect himself," Albert couldn't help being snarky at this moment. Who asked Rhys to be so confident that he could protect himself? Now, those words came back to bite him.

Although Albert was amusing himself with this thought, he actually knew that it wasn't easy to push Rhys down.

"I was caught off guard," said Rhys in his defense. He agreed that the thief was very skillful and powerful. But he didn't feel any magical energy around that thief. She only used her sharp blade to attack. At first, he didn't take her seriously and when he realized her gender, he was momentarily lost. It was only when he saw the swirls of silver light in her eyes that he felt a weak energy flowing around her.

Albert didn't think Rhys was trying to protect his pride. He actually believed that Rhys was taken by surprise or he wouldn't fall for any tricks.

"I admit though, the thief had skills," added Rhys. "Too bad. She isn't using it for good things."

"M'lord, are you a good person?" asked Albert while he was observing the place they were at. He couldn't feel the presence of anyone else. Even when he found Rhys, he only found his breath. But according to him, there was another person. Then how come he wasn't able to sense it?

"No," replied Rhys.

"Then you have no right to question others," was what Albert said with a smirk. He walked up to him and touched the bleeding cut as he said, "Whoever she was, she did a number on you. She managed to injure you. That's a first, M'lord."

Rhys also touched his cut with his fingers and looked at the blood smeared on his fingers.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" asked Albert seriously.

"I thought it was a dinky thief, it turned out to be a female ghost instead! I was taken by surprise and fell into the trap. I don't know what kind of sorcery she did but I couldn't move. I couldn't move at all! Even my surging magical powers smoothened up under her enchantment."

Albert found it just as baffling as Rhys did.

"You didn't do anything to her when she humiliated you like that? It's so not like you," commented Albert. "Or is it that you fell in love at first sight?"

"Love at first sight?" scoffed Rhys disdainfully.

"No? Then it could be like, it was the first woman who not only dared to get close to you but also injure you. So, you suddenly went soft."

Rhys smirked at him devilishly. "Am I so nice?"

Albert nodded his head, "Certainly not."

....

On the other side, when the 'female ghost' in Rhys' words ran far away, she suddenly fell to her knees and had to take off the mask on her face and she coughed violently. She coughed blood and clutched her stomach in agonizing pain.

"Son of a bloody villain!" She swore at Rhys. "He paid my kindness with his evilness?" She looked back the way she just came and seemed to actually be able to see Rhys's figure. She wanted to run back and tear him apart! She was kind enough to even share her precious Blue Flake with him!

She suddenly held up her wrist and looked at the terrifying bruise on the fair skin. That stone he shot at her wrist almost broke her wrist!

"I should have cut off your neck! Scoundrel!"

But no matter how mad she was at Rhys right now. The truth was, she took a bigger loss than Rhys even though she thought she won the battle and she was the one who played him. Now, it seemed, he was just pretending.

She didn't even realize when or what he did to hurt her.

She coughed some more blood and curled up on the cold hard ground trying to bear the pain that was coursing through her entire body.

"Don't let me see you again! I'll burn you alive!" she shouted into the silent night.