-twelve-

Another mission, the last mission for Killa was shutting down another Mafia gang in the Midwest because the gang was interfering with something they shouldn't. Germogen, as usual, commanded Killa to do her work independently. No matter how hard and far she had to go to complete the tasks, she wasn't frightened. Killa did her work perfectly like he wanted, or perhaps more than exceeded his expectations. 

After school, Killa returned home alone because her bodyguards, Zadkiel and Ero, were chased out in the morning. Killa told them she would like to come back home by herself. She walked past the old school and wandered around, sightseeing her memory around the places she liked. It was the last day of school before graduation day. So that means her freedom is closer.

And suddenly…

"Take off her mask." Killa tried to focus the view in front of her,

"Hey, your name is Killa, right?" the guy in front of her asked,

She stared at the guy who was speaking. 'How stupid to choose to kidnap me,' Killa thought.

"Answer me! Not just stare like you want to be eaten." That guy said impatiently.

"Should you know the one who you're kidnapping?" She said with no emotion

"Ha, sharped mouth with sharp eyes...how it could be impossible a person would have the shape of those eyes...Your eyelashes are the same color as your hair...I thought you dyed your hair, little girl," He leaned closer to Killa and grabbed her chin to survey her appearance.

'So he has never seen me before---and doesn't even know me?' Killa thought. "Who hired you?" she asked,

"The one you did bad things to," he said, and Killa coldly stared at him, not because of carelessness but because she had many enemies. "What's that look?" he asked with a curious face. "Eh, don't tell me you don't know...you are so heartless, or you did a lot to them, don't you?"

"You want to kill me?" Killa asked.

"No. Why? Are you scared, honey?"

"Then, he won't be coming out." she figured it out,

Ha...She knows!? I'm not surprised, though…She's Lysander, after all.'

'Only one reason left...revenge on my father, ' Killa thought. She tried to push her hands together, tightened by a rope behind the chair.

"Don't you think...you're looking down on yourself too much?" the same guy asked. He moved himself closer again, and this time, he raised his hand to catch the chair back that Killa was leaning on. She stopped her action behind the chair immediately.

"Smart and pretty...like you, and your works are scandalous. I think you're the top one of all his kids..."

"You thought wrong," she said,

"Should I try?" he was being sneaky.

"Just do whatever you want to do...It's just getting long. It's wasting my time." she provoked him and the rest of the dirty concrete room,

"Somehow, your pretty eyes are getting on my nerves..." he paused, "Especially your mouth!"

Thud!!

Then, that guy's fists flew against Killa's cheek, her face following his punch.

"Pft," Killa spitted little blood out of her mouth and turned to look at the guy like nothing. "That little punch won't kill me."

Thud!!

Another punch was to Killa's other cheek.

"Little?" He grabbed her chin to face him and said to her. He used his thumb to wipe her blood at the corner of her mouth. "I should know that using violence doesn't do anything..."

Then he against his lips to hers and licked her blood out, and then he put his hand on her thigh and moved under her skirt, and his fingers reached her underwear, and he pulled it down to her ankle. Everybody was watching without a blink as that guy took her underwear out of her ankles and also took off his lips. Then he grabbed her both knees out.

"Finally," Killa said out loud,

He looked up, and then Killa used her hands with a rope that she was free from, pushed against his neck, and used his neck to bring her body up to be behind his back, then strangled his neck.

His men in the room were shocked and pulled out their guns at her.

"Shoot," Killa said while bringing that guy's body turned to be her armor.

"Argg!!" That guy was choking and starting to lose his breath. "Argghh!!"

She rounded the rope, tied his neck tighter, and then bound the rope behind his neck. And pulled his knife out from his ankle. Killa rushed to them, slashed a guy in the neck, and turned to stab the other guy's chest right at his heart.

Thud!!

Killa slammed the bottom of the knife with her palm.

"Urg!" His mouth was leaking the blood from inside his body.

"Y-you-cough," The guy who took her panties off was struggling to live, ready to die.

"You still have air inside?" She asked and walked to him and then raised her hand with a knife and stabbed at his right hand. He struggled to scream while the rope tightened his neck. "This hand, right? Taking off my favorite underwear..." she's playing with her victim.

"Ah—" He opened his mouth, and then the air left his lungs; his last breath left his mouth.

BAMM!!!

And then the door was slammed, opening out,

"Master!!" Zadkiel shouted her name with eyes wide open and rushed to her. "Master…" He looked at her face and noticed the bruises on her cheek and the blood at her mouth.

"I'm fine," she said,

Zadkiel turned to look around the room and saw three bodies lying down on the ground. He was still shocked after he heard that Killa was kidnapped and seeing her like this.

"Let's go home," she said,

"Master," Zadkiel called her again, and then he put his arm behind her legs and another hand behind her back and held her up. Killa looked at his face while in his arms, carrying her and taking her away from the dirty, disgusting situation. And he didn't say anything. Killa was very tired after the situation, not just because of this state but because a couple of exhausting years had passed, and she might finally rest, and she felt warm in Zadkiel's arms. 'She falls asleep?... She doesn't hurt anywhere, right? Master...I am so sorry,' Zadkiel thought as he walked through the dead bodies lying down.

"Maser!" Ero shouted, "What hap--" Ero stopped,

"She fell asleep," Zadkiel said quietly,

Ero and Zadkiel after they knew that their master was in danger. They killed everyone to be here, including all the men guarding the room, who were killed 

Killa's room

Zadkiel was still carrying Killa to her room, and Ero was walking beside him. Before passing the Riagan's room, Glenn was getting out of his duties, and while he walked toward them, he stopped his action and turned to see a girl curling in Zadkiel's arms.

'Miss Killa?' Glenn thought.

Zadkiel kept on walking, ignoring him; Ero just glanced at him and followed them.

Killa curled herself in Zadkiel's arms; she put her face inside his chest. Killa might hate that Zadkiel worked for her father and reported her work to him, but she couldn't deny that she was so comfortable and could lean on him when something happened for whatever reason. Both Zadkiel and Ero had spent more time with them together than members of her family. 

"Um..." Killa made her voice while Zadkiel was going to put her on her bed. She opened her eyes and noticed her hand grabbing his shirt so tight as he put her down, sitting on her bed.

"Are you guys alright?" Killa asked with her sleepy face.

'She...was still worried about us in this situation?' Ero and Zadkiel thought.

Thud!

They were all on their knees, waiting for her to punish them.

"I am sorry, Master. I should pick you up at school." Zadkiel said,

"I told you not to," she said,

"You get hurt because of us," Ero said,

"It's just a couple of punches," she said,

"Master...did they touch you?" Zadkiel asked,

"He just took my underwear off," she said with an inexpressive face.

"I should kill those fuckers!" Ero said furiously,

"You already did. It's alright. I broke his hand already." she said,

"I am so sorry, Master." Zadkiel couldn't do anything, only say sorry,

"You should punish us," Ero said,

"Stop saying that and…this will be my last day. I want to rest now. I'm drained."

'Her last day..?' Ero thought.

"Yes—Master," Both of them left her to rest.

"Is she really going to leave the Lysanders?" Ero asked Zadkiel

After what had happened, the team workers who work in the secret restaurant came to the locale, a place where Killa was kidnapped 

"What exactly happened here?" Drac asked the Chief while observing the dead bodies lying down.

"My girl was kidnapped..." Chief said,

"Killa!?" Drac was shocked,

"Just take care of these fuckers' bodies and go," Chief ordered his team.

Chief and Drac walked into the room where Killa was tightened. 

"Hm..." Chief walked toward the body that had a rope around his neck, his eyes still wide open, including his mouth. "It's Killa,"

Drac looked confused. "You mean she killed that man."

"Absolutely, no one could do like she does. See, she tied a bow. And look at that hand. She loves to stab someone's hand." Chief said, "Those fuckers too."

'She can do all this by herself?' Drac thought and looked at a guy who was strangled. 'Is that...underwear…' Drac was shocked and bent himself down to see, 'Don't tell me! This fucker!! She shouldn't have just stabbed his hand. She should have cut it off!!' Drac thought with a mad eyes.

He took the red underwear from the floor, clenched his fist tightly, and put it inside his pants pocket. He promised himself to be stronger, no matter how difficult it would be. He would climb from the bottom to be at her side, to protect her, and this was his beginning, cleaning up the mess; it wasn't his plan anymore. 

The day after was Killa's graduation day. She was very excited about this day not just because it was her last day at school but also her last day of old life.

Kristina, Riagan, and Liselotte came to cheer her up and congratulate her at school. Killa was definitely surprised to see her siblings together outside our castle. Her classmates were even more surprised to see that the quiet, beautiful, popular girl in school has various personalities and loud siblings who have nothing in common except richness and outstanding DNA. Of course, they were wearing something that was asking for people's attention.

Ree asks his best man to take the photo for him together with Killa, but Lise and Kristina interrupt them. "Get out," Ree said to Lise, pushing her head out of the frame.

"Come on, I want to be in the picture too!" Lise said,

"No! I want just Killa." Ree shouted at Lise.

"Just take it." Kristina walked closer to Killa and told Ree's best man.

"Shutter-" Camera shuttered.

"You, too, get out!" Ree told Kristina, who was ignoring the surroundings as always

"Why you gotta be so stingy!!" Lise shouted back at Ree and pushed Ree out of the frame.

'You guys are too loud..' Killa thought while standing and holding her flower bouquet. Just take it together." Killa said,

"See!? Killa wants to take a picture of us, not just youuu! You little stingy hair!" Lise scolded Ree and touched Ree's hair

"No..." Killa mumbled.

"Don't touch my hair, you little punk!... I want to take a pic with only the two of us..." Ree seemed upset and looked at the three of them standing so close to Killa. 'Later then...' Ree thought and rolled his eyes.

Then, Ree joined them in the frame; he pushed between Lise and Killa and put his hand around Killa's shoulder.

"You mother..." Lise murmured,

"Lise, come here," Killa said, pulling her coat closer and in front of herself. Stand here." Lise blushed.

"Don't let your big hair cover my Killa's beautiful face," Ree said,

"I kill you," Lise mumbled,

"Can you guys shut up already? Don't embarrass our sister." Kristina started to get annoyed.

"It's Ree's big mouth. How can I..." Lise murmured,

"Shut up, yellow shit! Stop! I want to look good in the picture." Kristina scolded Lise.

'God..' Killa thought. "Glenn, just take it."

"Shutter-" Glenn clicked the camera button.

The sound of the camera shuttered, the annoyed situation that they used to be in, for the first time in a long time, and might be the last time to capture the moment of them together. The loud chaos moment could bring a pleasant feeling to the picture. And also Killa's face. 

Lysander's castle

Killa packed her bag and went downstairs like she was ready to leave this life to be in her past. 

"Miss Killa," a man's voice which Killa remembered the sound quite well, and turned around.

"Supreme would like to see you," Germogen's best man said,

"In the office?" She asked,

"I'm here," Germogen walked towards them. His best man bowed his head and stepped aside. Germogen looked at Killa, who was wearing a white T-shirt, a black leather jacket, jean shorts, and her favorite boots. He glanced at her big suitcase. "Should we talk in the living room?" Germogen led Killa to the living room in the front hall. "You seem ready to leave."

Killa said nothing.

"You really want to cut me off from your life? I raised you,"

"Thank you for raising me..." she said,

His sight of the man who named himself as a father made Killa feel uneasy. "I don't want anybody to control my life and decision." Killa burst out.

"I won't. Be with me, then I won't," he said, his mind unexpectedly,

"We have a deal…I did everything you asked, and this isn't a life I want." Killa said,

"You don't know what you want. You can't deny the fact that you are born to do this, kid, " he said, trying to persuade her. "You just like her...you are really stubborn and never afraid of me," he said about a lady who was very important to him, not just for the memory in his brain but also in his heart.

'Are you talking about my mother?' Killa looked down on the floor,

Killa needed to keep her curiosity in mind, which was not like her at all. One thing that she never asked about was her mother, a lady who raised her in the church and claimed herself to be Killa's mother. How does Germogen know her? And what was the real intention of taking her to join his family? So many questions have been floating around in her head, but she never forces herself to open her mouth.

"I respect you, I do," she said,

Germogen sighed. "I'll let you go...I'll let you find your freedom."

"What is the first thing you do when you are out of here?"

'Actually..' Killa thought. "...won't look back," she said,

Germogen watched her tiny body, almost eighteen, graduate from school with remarkable honor and leave all the magnificent work that she had finished to Lysander, a great name, walking out the grand door.

Killa looked at both bodyguards as they stood at the doorway. She approached them and smiled a little.

"You're free from me now," she said,

"Master, can I go with you" Ero offered,

"You don't work for me anymore; you guys belong to my father," she said as she looked at their faces. She noticed Zadkiel, who didn't show much expression on his face, but she felt something around his eyes and lips. He would like to say something. "Thank you for everything," she said to them and directly to Zadkiel. 

Then she made the last stop: she took a taxi and stopped by the secret restaurant before leaving the city. Killa would like to say farewell to her Chief and her friend, who hadn't talked to each other for a long time, the one she brought into this industry.

"You seem fine," Killa said and noticed that he was still alive and more buff than before. Drac didn't say anything, and he was thinking about the place where she was abducted and imagined what they did to her.

"What about you?" Drac asked.

"You mean after I was kidnapped?" she asked, and he was waiting for her answer. "I'm fine," But the look on Drac's face didn't trust her words. "I heard you are doing pretty well."

"Yeah," he said,

"You should hurry and save your money and go." She said frankly suggested to him. She observed that his right arm was covered with tattoos. "If you keep doing this, you might be chosen to be my family's bodyguard."

"Then it's good," he said, 

She was surprised, "you might die because of them."

"Not them...I want to be your best man." Drac honestly said it out loud while looking at her.

She looked at him and bit her bottom lip, "…that's impossible,"

Drac stared at her curiously.

"I'm not a part of that family anymore," she said,

"What?" Drac was shocked.

"It's just...I might be good at it...killing...but it doesn't mean I like to. You know, I don't like this life..." she paused, and Drac could see from her expression that her pinkish cheeks started to feel alive. "I'm out of here."

"Where?"

"University..."

"When.?"

"Now,"

He obviously panicked because of unexpected phrases from the girl before him, who was to be his future Master, but he was too late.

"I hope you will consider my suggestion even if this life suits you. Is it really what you want? And if you really are my best man, I couldn't. It's hard to live a life scared all the time—I wonder when that time is coming—a time that takes the lives of people I care about. It's selfish to let someone die for you." Killa showed her intention, which she never told everyone. He listened silently. "I'll go now."

Then, Killa left him, the secret restaurant, the Lysander castle, and the Southland.

8, the number of years that Killa had spent her life under someone's finger, which way to live, to choose, and to do. Killa seemed like a person with many feelings and thoughts inside her head, but they never showed. Unless it was the time that she couldn't take it anymore, she was never afraid of speaking her truth. Her honest, sarcastic words can cut another person's face in half. But those things, the harsh truth, took her away from the past.

And the moment she was out of her old past to meet her new one. It might be different and scary for an inexperienced life she had never tried before. But it wouldn't stop her from escaping a muddy, filthy life and facing the undiscovered reality.