He left a letter at her dining table, probably after dinner from the night before.

It read…

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Dear Lovely Miss Teng Man Rui,

These past months I consider myself both lucky and unfortunate that I have met you.

Lucky because you yourself is a blessing, a boon to anyone who has given the opportunity to know you, and I'm one of them. These past months I have witnessed your goodness and longing for a simple life despite the greatness of your existence. And day by day, as I come to get closer to you, I am likewise finding myself closer to the pit which my heart has failed to fathom was there in the first place.

And so, my heart fell on a trap – a situation which we both did not plan to happen. All of me was drawn to you, which was the start of me being unfortunate. Perhaps you did not know that my reason why I'm here in this place was because of my broken heart which I tried to mend, and thought that a change of environment and landscape would lend a hand to oblivion. However, after meeting you, milady, my already messed up heart had been electrocuted and had been revived, albeit it had become more chaotic as before. Because as you've said, you already belong to another man, the devil, so you say. And so I'm faced again with unrequited love, for the second time. And although I have faced it before, this time, with you, in these past months that we were together, the magnitude had grown exponentially that I thought I would not be able to breathe when I'm in close proximity to you because my heart felt as if it is stabbed by millions of daggers everytime you are beside me but could not be touched, you are near me but couldn't be reached.

I know I'm just a mere mortal with nothing to offer to you, a tennyo, a benevolent celestial being, but my love for you.

I will forever love you, my dearest Teng Man Rui, without expecting your love in return.

Perhaps this is the part where I should apologize for ditching you in your journey against your devil, but I presume that you would do well without me, even alone. Because when together, my heart could not continue anymore, given the proximity to you, my love, whom I adore and venerate, and who can never be mine, and hence in this disabled state, I will only serve as a burden to you, and would not be of any help to you.

And so, I wish you triumph in this little venture of yours, and above all, your safety.

I love you.

Zhu Li Qiang.

----

When she read his letter, her eyes nearly watered from the intense sadness of the content. She was still at her living room, one morning.

She felt sad that a friend left. As usual she stayed silent about it.

She was finding it odd for the loss she's feeling. 'It was a heart-felt letter, that's all.' She thought. An explanation she gave herself for her wretched sadness.

'He knew that I cannot turn away from my lover, the devil.' She thought some more, while some more tears silently fell. 'I had made it clear to him.'

'But I cannot understand one statement, though. Him being a mortal and I'm a tennyo? Is that a metaphor? It certainly added some effect to it. What he wanted to say was he's a bodyguard, and he serves my family.'

'This letter... is my only keepsake from him.' She kept it hidden safely and securely together with her most treasured possessions.

Then she grabbed her veiled hat, donned it, and proceeded to her store.

And as fate would like to have its way, of all the days and months had pa.s.sed, the thugs who bullied the merchants and her store previously had returned that very day, the first day without Zhu Li Qiang's presence.

"Get out of the way!"

"You, pay your t.i.the! It's long overdue!"

"Hey, miss with the hat! We meet again! You owe us bigtime! It's more than just money you owe!"

Teng Man Rui was shaking in fear. Knowing that her bodyguard had just left, she knew that she's really alone.

She's aware of her physique. She's one fragile lady. She would not stand a chance to three men.

She stood dignified as they slowly walked towards her stall.

A female silhouette emerged from the shadows. "Young Miss, don't be scared, I'll protect you." She surged forward and attacked the three men who were running with their clubs towards them.

The villagers threw stones at them as well. "Call the patrol men! They should be arrested already!"

A scuttle formed soon enough, managing the three men again. They certainly did not learn their lesson. They knew it will happen again. They thought the absence of one man will weaken the group. Yes, they knew Zhu Li Qiang's departure.

"Young Miss, are you alright?" The tall and fit female from earlier asked her.

"Yes, but who are you?" Teng Man Rui was having an inkling.

"Young Miss, the name is Yin Yue, at your service." She slightly bowed. "I'm the bodyguard a.s.signed to keep you safe."

"Are you the replacement?" Teng Man Rui asked the girl.

"No, Young Miss. I'm the one originally a.s.signed by the Madame for you. I had been here all along, but the Madame briefed me personally that I should not present myself to you, unless in events that could not be helped, such as this instance."

"Is that so?" Teng Man Rui's eyes flickered. "Then who's the man I'm always with? Do you have any information on him? Zhu Li Qiang, he was called."

"As far as I know, he's a traveler who happened to be there when the first ruckus happened. It was mere chance." She explained. "Do you want me to research more about him?" She suggested.

"No, that's fine. He's not here anymore anyway." She brushed off the idea. 'What use will it give to know more about him? I was mistaken, and he did not clarify.' She thought, a little hurt.

"Did he deceive me?" She was thinking out loud, while gazing down, her eyes still flickering with discernment.

"I have asked around, Young Miss. There were rumors about that man. There were stories that he claimed he saw a sort of fairy bathing in the hot springs. I think he thought it was you."

"Were you there too? In the hot springs?" Teng Man Rui's having some light bulb moment.

"I'm always near you, Young Miss."

"Can you validate the story? I think that was really me bathing. Did he watch me bathe?" Her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I don't think he saw anything inappropriate, Young Miss. You were at the other end of the pool, and he turned around when he heard your voice, as I remembered it. You were quick in fleeing too."

'And I wasn't completely naked, then. Good Lord! It's a good decision to leave a long camisole.'

"So is he some sort of a pervert who tried to get close to me after seeing me bathe?" She asked more questions.

"Couldn't say, Miss. I don't think so. On the contrary, he appears to put you in a pedestal or something. He really believed that you're some sort of a deity."

'So that explains it. His letter.'

'That's absurd. He's a grown man still believing in fairy tales!'

She shook her head. She did not know what to feel. What a joke.