The Ballad of Time and Moon ✓

Chapter 1: From the garden to the forest

The soft breeze blew, Alexiel's hair slightly swaying with it.  Opening her eyes she found herself in the royal garden, the floral scent basking the surroundings. The moon shines in all its glory spreading its cold embrace all over the land.

And in front of her, was Riku Watanabe, the crown prince of the Hinomori kingdom, her fiancée, the one who she once loved with all her might. 

She blinked her eyes before sighing, wondering why all her time loops started with this moment only, Riku was going on and on about how he was sorry to annul the engagement, but he had fallen in love with someone else, Yui, and not only that but also constantly just speaking about how great she is. 

"I get it," Alexiel interjected, her voice laced with a tinge of annoyance that halted his monologue, with a swift motion, she removed the red amulet—a token of his once-professed love—from around her neck and pressed it into his palm "hope you have a good life with your beloved, Yui, your highness," she said sarcastically,  before she pivoted on her heel, leaving the garden.

She remembered how she was heartbroken and in tears in her first life, pleading with him to reconsider. 

The memory made her skin crawl with discomfort. With a shake of her head, she dismissed the thoughts, pondering what she ever saw in him to have placed her dignity beneath his feet.

━─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉━

"Of all the places on the outskirt of Hinoromi, he has to choose Yukikini," she grumbled freeing her navy blue rob, from the nearby branches.

Above, a tapestry of emerald leaves weaves together, creating a living roof. Sunbeams pierce through gaps, illuminating patches of moss and ferns below. Mushrooms sprout from tree roots, their caps sheltering tiny creatures. Birds sing their melodies, their notes echoing through the branches. 

Yukikuni, the forbidden forest on the outskirt of Hinoromi, was the place where Kaito Haku reside, in the celestial tower, a legendary tower described in books-- in her previous lives, it was rumored that after being banished from the kingdom. He resides here, practicing his magic among the forests' secrets.

Jumping over a rock, she made her way forward, twilight descends, and a mist rises— making it difficult to move forward without knowing what awaits, Alexiel felt her skin crawl remembering the legend that is associated with it.

'Those who venture too far risk losing themselves, wandering forever in the twilight.'

"Even if I were to die, it wouldn't be a novelty," she mumbled to herself, parting the branches that obscured her path. Her steps were cautious and slow as the forest floor was lidded with dew. 

But alas look like nature heard her words, Alexiel's foot got caught on a slick patch of moss, she expected to fall on the muddy ground, but her heart lurched as she saw a literal cliff. The world tilted, a gasp escaping her lips as the ground seemed to rush away from her. "I wasn't serious when I was talking about dying!" 

But then, a firm grip encircled her wrist, halting her descent. Her body jerked back from the precipice, and she found herself staring into the eyes of her unexpected savior. 

Silver eyes that seem to transcend space and time...

Kaito Haku stood before her, his expression unreadable, the moonlight casting his features in sharp relief.

As he pulled her to safety, Alexiel couldn't help the quip that rose to her lips. "Well, that was one way to introduce yourself and break the ice—or in this case, avoid breaking anything at all," she remarked, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Kaito's lips quirked in response, a hint of amusement flickering in his gaze. "I would say it's more akin to breaking a fall. Though, I must admit, it's not often I rescue damsels from literal cliffhangers."

Regaining her footing, Alexiel brushed the dirt from her robes, her composure swiftly returning. "If I would have known that falling from a cliff, will lead to our meet, I would have done it sooner,"

He shrugged, a nonchalant gesture that belied the intensity of their encounter. "You was lucky I was watching you from afar, otherwise you would have died-- though I suppose you would have come here in the twelth one."

His comment drew a raised eyebrow from him, "Well, at least I don't have to explain my situation," she mumbled before straightening her posture.

"Kaito Haku, I need your help, no matter what it costs,"