10 years ago...

For eighteen years of living, I've been sheltered by my family. I didn't understand why they were so scared to let me out to the real world. All I kept hearing from them was that my beauty will cause destruction, to which I didn't believe since that's a bit of a stretch. I stared outside my window, yearning for freedom from this prison my parents and grandparents kept me in. I wondered how freedom tasted like? Training to be a sorcerer was tiring because that's all I did everyday.

"You know what..." I stared at myself in the mirror in my room. I was dressed in a light pink kimono with my black, raven hair in an up-do. "I'm going to be a bad child and escape...!" I whispered to myself in excitement. I never dared to do anything this extreme, but I never saw the big world either. Everyone in the household kept delaying my request to go outside of our residence, so I have no choice but to do it myself.

Stripping off my kimono, the rush of being a rule breaker started to course through my blood. I took out the only non-kimono attire I had: a white empire waist dress. My parents were very strict about wearing modern clothing since in the house we wear traditional clothing. "Okay next is my hair." I stared at myself in the mirror. I prayed that I wouldn't stand out because of my golden eyes. For generations, golden eyes ran through our family symbolizing the gift from God and the birth of a new world. The king of curses was only able to be defeated because the Kita Clan had a powerful card under their sleeve: the curse eyes of petrification. I'm able to stop a cursed spirit's movement for ten minutes. I've never tried it on a human before, so I wouldn't know how they'd be affected.

I braided my hair, and I slipped on a pair of white sneakers. I hated how limited my modern clothes were because I want to feel like a regular girl, not a traditional, outdated girl. Although I may have never seen the streets, I'm allowed to watch movies and have some technology to educate myself and be alerted by the news. "Okay, I'm ready to go." I stepped in front of my window, admiring the beautiful weather. The sky was a light blue with a few clouds while the air was warm and breezy. I couldn't go out the door normally because I'd be caught. I had no other choice but to go through the window.

I mentally counted up to three as I lifted my whole body to stand on the window sill. Luckily, my house was only one level, but it did have a tall fence surrounding it. However, my heart was faltering from being an obedient child. Never in my life I've ever rebelled; I'm too scared of my family to disobey all rules and regulations, but today was the day I'm going to do that.

I need to see what's outside my house.

Jumping out of the window, I quickly looked around my area to see that there's no workers out doing any yard work. I didn't question why I didn't see the usual workers in the backyard, but I didn't care anyways since I didn't want anyone to tail me. The biggest obstacle was the wooden fence. It's about six feet or higher. "I'm not going to let this stop me!" I felt so lucky to have a medium sized tree next to the fence. All I have to do is climb up and safely jump over the fence.

My arms were using the muscle I've trained for fighting into pulling me up on the tree. This would be much harder if I did it in my kimono. My sandals would kill me already. There was a tree branch that ran over the fence, so I wasted no time moving to that side and gripping the top of the fence to jump over. "Mmm! Gah!" I grunted and stumbled from the result of making it over the mountainous fence. I left no trace, meaning I'm good to leave. "Here I come!" My feet began running to the world that I've only seen on screen.

Big advertisement posted everywhere, windows displaying clothes or food, or people drinking at what's called a coffee shop. There's so many things to do! A huge smile formed on my lips. This was exhilarating to be in. "Oh my...!" I didn't expect the streets to be crowded and loud. In all directions it was filled with noises. All I knew was quietness at the house because that's what the elders wanted. "It looks so different from the screen..." I lived under a rock for my whole life, I didn't even know where to begin my adventure. "Damn!" I forgot the biggest thing in this world. "I don't have money..." I can't buy anything to indulge in, but it won't hurt me to look around.

I was in a clothing store, touching and observing the clothes they offered. In the girl's section, I kept picking up clothes and putting them back. It didn't suit my taste at all. "This is the fashion trend?" I'm assuming the biggest trend was bright or muted colors, designs, showing lots of skin, and many more that's geared for young girls. "I can never wear this..." I whispered to myself as I cupped my hot cheeks. It's so revealing whereas I'm a modest person.

"Hey, what's a beauty like you doing in a store like this?" Male A spoke in a curious attitude that seek more than it showed.

My whole body stiffened up by an unfamiliar present.

"Come on, don't be shy." Male B also chimed in. "We couldn't help but follow you around since we wanted to approach you."

They followed me around?! How unaware was I? I can always detect an object's presence, but because I've been fooling around with the outside world, I ignored all possibility that bad things can happen to me. I'm such a fool. How should I get out of this? I don't want to harm these humans because they're pretty much weak.

"I'm sorry, can you please back away from me? I don't want to be bothered right now." I politely said, turning around to face them. The two boys were fairly tall and slim, as they dressed unkempt in their school uniform with chains clipped to their pants. Their hair was messy and blonde. I think they were delinquents.

The two boys laughed as if my words were a joke to them. It came to the point where they were wiping tears from their eyes. I don't understand outsiders...

"Did she say 'bothered'?" Male A looked over to Male B after they recovered from their laughing fit. "We weren't bothering her...!"

"I think she got it twisted," Male B replied.

They were getting on my nerves. I wanted to hit them so bad, but I have to refrain myself from hurting weaklings. So I had no choice but to opt for a weak girl, who's a damsel in distress. Placing an arm underneath my propped hand that held my cheek, my eyes darkened in a threatening sense. "Things can get twisted if you don't leave right now. I can and I will use outside force to help a girl who's been harassed by delinquents." My words were soaked in deep and rich venom. "When they hear me scream, everyone's going to run over and see..."

Riiiip

I tore a small section of my white dress in a heartbeat. "That you were going to assault me in broad daylight. I wonder how everyone is going to react? How shameful it'd be for your family to go through this..." The boys gulped from the life threatening scenario that I made up on a whim. "Shall I scream and test it out?" A sinister grin plastered on my face, and the boys slowly backed away.

"L-let's head out!"

"Yeah!"

I sighed in exhaustion and relief. "Geez, what a nuisance..." I flatten out my semi-ripped dress and walked into a different part of the store.

After some time of roaming around the big street, I felt the hairs on my skin standing. That's when I recalled a certain sentence when I was younger...

"You can't let Ena out of this house. Her life will be in danger!"

Suddenly, my heart began racing like a marathon of life or death. I've complained so much about being locked up that I didn't think to understand why they did it. My life has a big price for dangerous threats to kill me. Calmly, I decided to blend into the crowd near the intersection. As I did that, I took off the hair tie which kept my braid in place. People will recognize my eyes if I had my hair pulled back, but I can't conceal my strong presence. I have no choice but to rely on my environment. Only that can save me.

Slipping through tight spaces, my eyes darted in all directions to see who the person was but that also was a dumb move too. I can't tell people apart in this dense area. I was in tune of my thoughts that I bumped into someone. "I need to—Oops! Sorry!" Cranking my neck up, it was a young man, who's probably around my age, smiled kindly at me. He wore an all black school uniform and black sunglasses. He really stood out with his white hair.

"No worries!" He chuckled, then he pulled me closer to him. My eyes widened from letting myself get trapped by the person who wants to kill me. "Shh!" He leaned his face closer to mine as if he was going to kiss me.

Slap!

Feeling so confused and on edged, my right hand moved across his face, leaving a red handprint. "How dare you—" Just when I was about to scold him for his inappropriate behavior, he secured his grip around my wrist and dragged me with him.

"Sorry, princess. I'll explain later, but I'm one of the good guys! I'm ordered to keep you safe and take you back to your clan house!"

Princess? Who was this young man? But for some reason, I didn't have a gut feeling to distrust him.

When we escaped from the dense crowd, he scooped me up in his arms in a bridal style. His black glasses slipped down to the tip of his nose, and I got to see his eyes. It was an arctic blue color, resembling the clear ocean at a tropical place. He looked so handsome up close. My heart was racing and the tips of my ears were getting hot. He caught me staring at him. "After I save you, you can stare at me all you want, princess." He grinned widely like a child smiling for a school picture, and I felt my whole face burning up by his face.

I was quiet in his arms as he jumped over rooftops. I didn't dare to look at his face or else he'll find a way to tease me. I can't let him embarrass me. "You know your head is worth a lot of money? You're lucky that Kita soldiers came with me to eliminate those low assassins. My job is to bring you back."

"Thanks..." I mumbled loud enough for him to hear. I really don't know how I'd deal with the situation. I don't fight assassins, I fight cursed spirits.

"Say that to me when I bring you home!"

Once I got home, I was dragged into the main room to sit in front of my elders and get scolded by my erratic behavior. The man who saved me was sitting right next to me. "Why're you here?" I questioned his presence in front of my elders.

"Oh, princess, you will know!" He again shined his handsome smile at me, and I quickly looked away.

Damn his pretty face! I need to get it together.

"Ena, do you finally know why we don't let you go outside the house?" One of the elders announced in a booming voice which echoed in the room.

"Yes," I said, staring down at the wooden floor. I can't look at the elders unless I'm told to, so I have to keep my head down.

"Why did you leave?" Another elder asked.

I didn't know how to answer that. If I said my truth, then I'll be punished for going due to my selfish desires. They never walked on their own will; they walked on the wills of their superiors.

"Ena, answer the question!" The elder raised their voice while I kept myself calm and composed.

"If I may interrupt..." My eyes shifted to the side where the man was. What was he going to do or say? He might get himself killed or something. "I asked her to come out." My golden eyes widened from his lie. "As you know, the Kita clan is dying out and you placed all your knowledge into her. I know Ena has been yearning for the outside world, so I granted her wish... After all, we're going to be wedded later."

Marry? Marry a man I don't even know? What kind of nonsense was this?! Why haven't I heard this from my parents?

The elders sighed. "I'll drop what happened today, Gojo Satoru."

I heard of that name before. A powerful sorcerer who shifted the balance of power and holds two overarching abilities.

"Come on, princess, keep your head up." This time when I looked at him, he didn't wear his shades that covered his eyes. "Take my hand," I did want he said and he pulled me up on my feet. However, he didn't let go of my hand. "Why don't you show me around?"

"Of course," I quickly complied. It's better to do that than suffocate with the elders or my parents.

After touring the house and getting informed about this marriage, we sat on the porch. "What do you think about marrying me by force? This is more like a political marriage." I bluntly asked him. I have no intention to marry a man I don't know or love.

Gojo threw his head back, looking at the flying birds in the sky. "I don't mind marrying a pretty lady like you." His heart-soothing words were toying with me. Then Gojo rolled his head to look at me and he smirked, "It looks like you've fallen in love with me."

My face turned red from his teasing. Calm down, Ena. He's only messing around. I shot up from the ground. "S-sure! Whatever pleases you, Gojo—"

Suddenly, Gojo stood in front of me, closing the gap between us. Seeing how close Gojo was getting, I began walking backwards to escape him. Nonetheless, his looming figure kept growing. My heart was beating loudly in my chest. I couldn't stop my flush cheeks and ears from showing. "W-what are you—!" My foot stepped on the edge of the porch, and my whole body began falling back from losing my balance until strong arms wrapped around me.

"Be careful," my body was pressed against his. My whole existence was on fire now. I've never been this close to a man before. "I don't want my princess to fall." There was a coy look on his face. If looks could kill, he'd be dead right now. "Haha! I'll stop teasing you." Gojo let go of me and stepped back to give me space. "You should've seen how red your face was. You looked like a baby tomato!"

"You stay where you are!" I didn't want him to come any closer to me. "I have a request to ask you."

"Let's hear it, princess."

"First off, thank you for lying on my behalf, Gojo. Secondly, if we are to be wedded, show me what regular people do on a daily basis. Living my entire life in isolation leaves me craving for what's out there." He's my only chance of escaping from this pool of sadness.

A big grin drew his lips apart from my request. "Well, princess, if that's what you want then I shall grant it. In return, you'll accompany me on all of my missions to exorcise cursed spirits."

That didn't sound like a problem. "Deal!" I walked up to him and we shook hands.

"Why don't you also give me a kiss on the cheek you slap?"

"I'll give you another slapping if you keep testing me!"

"Aww! Don't be like that. You're going to love me!" Gojo laughed off.

I'm at loss for words. For being a powerful sorcerer, he's too carefree.