Turning around, she turned to see a boy with lavender grey hair down to his shoulders but he wore a mask covering his eyes. "Who are you?" Mila asked being cautious since she was warned to not let her guard down while she was at the royal ball. Being able to see most of his face besides his eyes was her point of view.

"You really don't know me." The boy just said disappointedly and walked forth towards her. He wore a simple suit which didn't have a single surname's symbol on it that would have allowed Mila to know which family he was from. He took out a ribbon tassel made of silky violet hair that was Mila's hair color. Mila gasped with her jaw dropping as the boy just smiled knowing that look.

"ZH!" Mila hugged him which he hugged her back. "I finally know how a look... a bit." Mila smiled looking up to him to see that he was not what she had expect. She noticed how he was likely a bit older than her, perhaps by three years.

"I would say the same to you." ZH said looking down to her and smiled seeing that she also wore the purple pearl hair pin. "You even wore it here." He said smiling down to her.

"Of course, I wear it all the time. Your my very first friend." Mila didn't think that she would actually see him at the royal ball.

"Come with me." He took her by the hand as both went down to the palace garden that stood unguarded. Both spoke to another and walked along the path into the rose garden maze which made Mila enjoy their time together. "So, how did you think I would look like through the letters?" He asked to start getting to know each other.

"Hm, I thought you were going to be a girl." Mila giggled rubbing the back of her head while he sighed.

"'Don't always assume that everyone is a girl." He poked her rib making her laugh since she was ticklish.

"Haha! Okay! I got it!" Mila laughed a bit and walked alongside him. "Why didn't you want to tell me more about yourself?" She asked.

ZH smiled continuing to go the same pace as her. "I rather tell you in person than through letter. In person, there's more told in person than in letter." Mila smiled seeing how he was an honest person which she found great in him.

"We've known each other for six years now. If it weren't for Jero coming into my home garden, then we would have never met and be friends now."

"Are you saying that if Jero didn't then we wouldn't have met now?" ZH questioned. Both stopped to reach the end of the maze and at a huge tree with a huge swing built beautifully on.

"Maybe, but I feel like we would have met either way just not this early." Mila sat down first and patted the open side of the swing for him to sit next to her. ZH sat down as both swung their foot steadily. "Why is your nickname ZH?" Mila then asked.

"It's what my mother used to call me. She called me that, I guess."

"Why?" Mila heard him say 'used' which she assumed that his mother was no longer in his life.

"I don't really know. Maybe, there is a secret behind it. We'll see one day." ZH responded with a smirk.

"Your lucky to have a mother who truly loved you." Mila said which caught ZH's attention. "My mother never loved me. She only found me as a nuisance since I wasn't born a son." Mila looked down sadly smiling.

"Hey, no one can choose how you are born. You are born as you are for a reason." Mila felt comfort from his words as she got off the swing. Both held hands as they headed back towards the bustling ball.

"Which family do you belong to?" Mila asked out of curiosity seeing that he neither had any symbol of his family or title.

"Hm, I think I want to keep that a secret as well." ZH didn't want to give too much away. Mila saw that he was likely going to keep almost everything a secret.

"Is everything you tell me going to be a secret?" Mila asked seeing how he didn't seem to mind though that it kept Mila still interested in him.

"For now... Yes, it's going to be a secret." ZH chuckled which caused Mila to have a pouting face but she knew to not press it too far. "This is as far as I'll take you." ZH said kissing her hand for their farewell for the moment. "Until we meet again, Lady Mila."

"Mila?! Mila?! Mila, where are you?!"

Mila forgot how much time had passed since she was enjoying herself too much but she knew that it was her father and brother calling her. "My father and brother are looking for me. They detect fast." ZH smiled allowing her to head back. Mila stopped before she missed the chance to ask. "Will we meet again?"

ZH turned back just when he was about to leave. "Do you want us to meet again?" Mila was quick at her response and nodded without hesitation or thinking through about it. "Hmmm, then I'll meet you instead of Jero from now on." He gestured a shush sign to her and left like the wind.

Mila ran back to see Duke Reynard and Leo worriedly running to her. "Where did you go???"

"I wanted to see the beautiful palace garden." Mila smiled with a worried feeling that they would be mad at her.

"Idiot! You know that this place is heavily guarded and Emmett requested for the day off." Leo sighed seeing how Mila would disobey their words.

"As long as your safe then I don't mind." Duke Reynard only cared that Mila was back in one piece and safe. "Come, it's time for the ball as the emperor wanted to announce something."

Entering back inside, Mila sat at the table with her father and brother on each of her side. Seeing everyone seated and waiting for the emperor's announcement.

"This ball was held for my son who came back with victory. He even returned back with the Princess of Gririth kingdom. I will also like to announce that Lana Shilling will be my son's fiancé."

Mila saw the shocked face from Prince Leroy's and knew he would not think his father would arrange such a marriage while he was away at war. She then noticed Princess Lady Addis's sad look but not for the engagement. It was for another reason. 'Why is she so sad?'

"The wedding shall be held soon. I will be hoping to see everyone there and cheering for them both." The emperor had finished the announcement with them all.

Mila ate with her family still and with her mask on. She didn't know who, but she grabbed onto someone's hand that tried to use their ability to slit her throat. Twisting their hand before the could, they cried in pain which Mila saw that it was one of the maids of the palace. "Why did you try to kill me?" Mila asked them which Leo and Duke Reynard already knew but they were waiting to see how alert Mila was.