(Nagisa's POV)

I swear, if that Asano...Nevermind it. It wouldn't matter. There's already rumors spreading like wildfire about me killing thousands.

"Sire,"

"Yes, Itona?"

"Are you well?"

"Yes, Itona,"

The golden-eyed boy stood there for a while, before looking outside the window and informing me, "It is lunchtime now. The servants have prepared the food while you were training,"

"Okay,"

I took my cloak and exited the room, Itona trailing behind me.

{Dining Room}

I finished the soup and reached for the bowl of rice. It had cooked fish and steak on one side and pure white rice on the other. Carrots covered some of the top. I ate the bowl quickly, finishing before the rest, who finished just behind me. Karma smiled at me, "You know, you seem to eat as much as we do, yet you maintain your slender figure,"

"Genectics. Runs in the family on my mother's side,"

"Your mother's side. That's true, she did have a slender figure,"

Karma stood, making sure that his voice could be heard throughout the room, "I've prepared the sitting room for a small chat. Nothing much, just wanted to catch up with the recent happenings and just talk,"

"How long?" Prince Chiba wondered.

Karma looked at Chiba with his amber eyes, "Well, if we don't have any other plans, it can last until dinner,"

Asano looked at me, then at Chiba, and then faced Karma, "Yes, I think that would be wonderful. There's so much to learn from each other,"

Shivers went up my back. Of course, he knows about the cloaked daggers. He'd obviously jump at the chance to inquire me about it.

I stood up, wanting this to be over with as quick as possible, "Then let's go. It's not like the sitting room will walk to us, though that'd be nice,"

We made our way to the sitting room. I was expecting Prince Asano to say something to me, but he remained quiet.

{Sitting Room}

Asano and Chiba sat in a two-person couch, I sat on a wooden stool, and Karma sat in a wooden chair made of carved dark oak.

Asano started, "Nagisa, what's with your cloak and the daggers?"

"Oh," I expected this to happen, right from the start, "I hide blades in the cloak, but I swear it's for self-protection! And punishing criminals...," Since when did I feel so relieved to reveal a secret?

Asano wasn't satisfied however, "No, not that. I mean, how is it that sometimes, you hear the blades hitting each other, but other time you don't?" I flinched.

Karma joined in as I opened my mouth, "And something else! How come when you were walking in the snow, that same cloak was flapping in the wind like nothing was in it?!"

I couldn't lie, since there wasn't a possible second explanation for this, so I answered truthfully, "Magic,"

I could see Karma and Prince Asano stifle a laugh. Prince Chiba looked confused. I held out my hands in front of me in defense, "I swear, it's true...I-I just can't explain it well...,"

Karma looked at me, laughter washed away and replaced with curiosity in his eyes, "Well, how do you do it?"

"I-I don't know. I just think about making them disappear temporarily and they do,"

Chiba pointed at my cloak, "Open your cloak and do it. I want to see it if it's true. I still can't accept the truth unless I see it with my own eyes,"(Hah, get it? Cuz, his eyes are covered by his bangs? Haha...imma go now)

"Um, okay then...," I opened one side of my cloak, revealing the daggers, knives, and blades galore. I thought about hiding the blades, and all of a sudden, my cloak felt lighter. They are gazed in astonishment, "Woah...,"

Prince Asano looked into my soul with his amethyst eyes, "So you didn't lie,"

"Why would I?"

"Everyone lies about something,"

(Third Person POV)

The four princes continued on, chatting about the little things.

Chiba laughed, "That reminded me! There's this boy named Jason, weird name, I know, and he lives across the street from the village elder and he came up to me complaining to one of my servants that the elder threatened to take his shoes,"

"Really? What happened?" Nagisa asked.

"The servant got Jason an old pair of shoes that she traded for a carved pair of chopsticks,"

"Isn't that sweet," Asano commented.

They talked on and on, talking about the last time they counted their money, about the boy that fell in love with a girl and dumped her the next day, walking around town in disguise, small things like that.

Until Karma pitched in on something that bothered him for a while, "Hey, Nagisa,"

"Hm? Yes?"

"Could you tell us about the people you've killed?"

Nagisa's bright smile faded to a solemn frown, "Well, I guess Karma would want to listen to this the most,"

Asano scooted in further, "About killing who?"

Nagisa looked at the other three princes, ready for their terrified looks that will be painted on their faces, "Killing King and Queen Akabane,"

[Seven Years Ago]

{The Dragon Castle}

"Mom? Mom, please...wake up...,"

Queen Hiromi's body laid limp in the seven-year old's arms. The poisoners had fled, seeing the young prince run towards his mother's wail of death. Enraged, he planned on what to do next. He would take the last thing his father gave him, which was a navy cloak with a golden interior, pack daggers into the cloak, and set out to look for the poisoners first thing tomorrow.

At least, that was what he had wanted to do.

Instead, Prince Nagisa burst out the door. It was midnight and the servants cried out to let him stay insid the castle, but he didn't care. He tucked his daggers in his oversized navy and gold cloak and ran into the night. He could clearly remember their faces.

But he had to go undercover and interrogate people.

So he dressed as a middle-rank person and asked questions. Those who realized who he was were killed on the spot without a second thought. When he went to the last house, an old woman came out and thought he was someone else.

"Oh, Sukeyasu, it's just you. You shouldn't be out at night; someone's going around killing various people,"

Nagisa said nothing, but the old lady continued, "And that's not yet the biggest problem. My fifteen year old daughter, you know, Kagami? Yes, she went to the Phoenix Castle to ask for a job! You know what that means, it's suicide! The king, King Akabane, he kills peasants on sight without a valid reason! And the queen doesn't even care! In fact, that crazy lady supports him by hiding this dark truth from their only son!"

That was all Nagisa needed to know. The poisoners could wait; he just had to save Kagami. Nagisa couldn't bear to see one of his own die at the hands of someone else. Sure, he killed three or four people tonight, but that was for identity purposes. He can't have everyone know where he was; he'd be under castle arrest for the rest of his life!

Nagisa dipped his head and sped off towards the Phoenix Castle. Climbing the tallest tree he could find, he spotted Kagami walking towards the gate of the castle. Nagisa put his cloak hood on, careful to shield most of his face. Then he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, slipping on a couple of roof tiles beforing regaining his balance and run faster to make up for the time. Kagami knocked on the door just Nagisa jumped to the second to last roof. Shit! I'm not going to make it!

"Hello! I'm Kagami, and I was wondering if I could apply for a—," Kagami stalled enough time for Prince Nagisa to jump in front of her, shielding her away from the dastardly bastard. He shielded his eyes so that his identity could be kept a secret. Kagami tapped his shoulder, "Um, sorry, but I'm trying to talk to the kin—,"

"Stay back or die," Nagisa choked out in a hoarse whisper so she couldn't recognize his voice, "Go back to your kingdom,"

"But—,"

"Stay here and you die,"

Kagami took a step back, face shocked with terror. Nagisa deepened his order, "GO!"

Kagami ran away as fast as she could. Now the prince could focus on the king and queen who answered the door.

"What do you want?" Queen Miyumi Akabane hissed.

"To stop killing people for no reason," Nagisa spoke in his normal voice. He hadn't gone to any Gatherings with the other royalties, so they wouldn't recognize his voice even if they tried. But they did know what he looked like, so he made sure his hood didn't fall off.

"And why should you be so concerned?!" King Sugawara Akabane growled deeply.

"Why don't we go inside and talk there? It'll look suspicious if you're talking to me at your castle gate and not inside,"

They reluctantly let the boy in, which they would later regret. Nagisa looked at the two but covered his eyes. Only his mouth showed, "Don't worry. I'll be in and out in a bit. I just ask that you stop killing peasants for no reason whatsoever,"

"And why should we abide by your rules?! We are the king and queen of the Phoenixes, and you're just a small village boy!" The king's words dripped with hate.

Nagisa changed his mouth from a slight frown to a deathly smile, and then he laughed. Actually laughed, "Oh, there's so much you could learn about me,"

"Go home, little boy. Or is that a girl?" The queen teased.

Nagisa shifted to a small frown, but then changed it quickly to the deathly smile that could paralyze anyone with the right dosage, "I'm a boy. In fact," Prince Nagisa showed his deathly glowing eyes that shimmered like an ocean ready to drown you and eat your body apart, "I'm a prince too,"

King Sugawara sputtered, "Pr-Prince N—"

Nagisa slashed at the king, interrupting him. The queen drew her own knife and attacked Nagisa. Nagisa dodged to the left and punched the queen across the room with the bottom of his dagger. The king charged at him, his wife's knife in hand.

The prince narrowly avoided the blow, only to have the king stab him in the back on the side. It didn't hit anything that could be fatal, but it weakened Nagisa quite a bit and caused the boy to scream.

Shit.

I'm going to have to patch this rip up! Dammit, the blood too?! Ugh, that's going to take forever to wash off!

This alerted someone, who was just trying to get a glass of water.

Prince Karma (who was seven as well) heard the cries of pain coming from the foyer. As he opened the door slowly and quietly, he saw a hooded person attacking his parents.

Any normal kid would've screamed bloody murder and ran. But Karma stood still, paralyzed with both fright and astonishment.

Nagisa saw the red headed kid, who he assumed was the prince, and stated to the injured parents, "Look, your screams of pain made your precious little son come out. Shame, couldn't you keep your mouths shut or bring the volume down? I guess you'll have to be punished for that and the other reasons I came here to kill you for,"

Nagisa took out his throwing knives from his cloak and threw them, six in total, three for each person. Head, heart, stomach.

They landed where Nagisa wanted them to land. The king, who had been taking hits and was injured badly, died on the spot. The queen, however, staggered around and coughed blood, before collapsing in her own blood. Nagisa sneered, "Tsk tsk. You got everything dirty. You know how long it takes to wash blood of of clothes? This is going to be a nightmare to wash off. Not to mention how many stitches the rip you made in my clothes,"

Nagisa looked up to the boy, eyes glowing like crystals. Prince Karma froze. Was this going to be the death of him?

But the Dragon Prince said nothing and did nothing but raise a finger to his lips as if shushing the boy, "Don't. Tell. Anyone. That. It. Was. Me. Or else you die as well,"

Karma backed out and closed the door. Nagisa trusted that the prince would keep his secret even after seeing his parents die and fled out the gate.

One problem done. Many more to go.

"Wow...I-I...," Prince Chiba stammered. Nagisa rubbed his finger along the rim of his teacup (which was given mid-story so Nagisa stopped talking for a bit and waited for the servant, Hinano, to leave, before he continued).

"Yes, I know. It's a lot to take in,"

"Are you in love with Kagami?" Asano smirked. Karma held his breath.

"Wha-NO! She's eight years older than me! Besides, she married someone else already," Karma silently exhaled, making sure no one heard or saw him.

"Hmm, okay then...,"

Nagisa faced Karma, "So, what did you do after I left, Karma? You must of remembered, and I've been letting out too many secrets without any payment,"

After the murderer left, Karma cracked the door open. Seeing that the scary hooded person was gone, he ran to his parents, "Mom..dad...? Please wake up...,"

No answers. Karma cried out big and hot tears, the tears running down his cheek and dripping onto his mother's gown.

The servants were fast asleep by this point, so no one would find them in a while, at least until one wakes up. Karma lost his thirst for water and wailed, clutching his mother's gown and resting his crying head onto her stomach, next to the dagger that was in her stomach. Out of rage, Karma pulled all six daggers out and threw them to the side. He sat down, next to his father.

Tear tracks ran down his reddened cheeks. Snot dangerously threatened to run down from his nose. His heart thumped.

What will I do now? My parents are dead, the servants are fast asleep, and I'm the only one awake and alive.

"I promise mom and dad, I will look for the killer myself, and kill him,"

"Pfft, I'm not dead," Nagisa commented.

"Only because it was you. If it was Asano, oh boy, he'd be dead in a heartbeat,"

"Hey!" That made Prince Asano pretty mad.

"Prince Nagisa," Chiba called out.

"Hm? What is it?" Nagisa sipped his tea and faced the long-banged prince.

"Tell us about another murder,"

Nagisa hesitated. Is this safe? Will they send troops after me for these murders? Are there troops at my castle? I hope Sugino's strong enough to hold them back if they are. No, they wouldn't. I've only killed criminals, and they deserved it. Well, and the identity reveal era but those were for

"-gisa? Prince Nagisa? Prince Nagisa!" Prince Asano's voice rang.

"Huh?! Oh, yes?"

"If you don't feel comfortable...,"

"I'll tell you anyways," Where the heck did that come from?!

"Killing who?"

"The poisoners,"

SORRY TO LEAVE IT ON A CLIFFHANGER, BUT THE CHAPTER WAS GETTING A BIT LONG.

MAKING SURE YOU DON'T LEAVE BECAUSE THE CHAPTER MAY BE TOO LONG FOR YOUR LIKING,

WISDOMPEARL