Chapter 30
Someone Point of View
Today, we stand at a crossroad, joined by other reapers. There are seven of us in total now. This is a joint mission means a lot of soul will be collected today.
"I heard the Ice Prince will be joining us today," one of the reapers whispered, her voice tinged with excitement. I smiled at her comment.
"Are you referring to Mr. Axel?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"Yeah, who else among us would be called the Ice Prince?" she replied, her eyes wide with anticipation.
Axel. Ever since I arrived, his name has been whispered among us. He’s famously known as the Ice Prince, though I never understood why.
"I don't get what's so interesting about him," I said, shrugging my shoulders.
"What do you mean, Mia? He has level 5 looks and his personality is cold as ice, like a prince," Fernin said, her tone almost reverent as she glanced at me.
"Level 5 looks? Aren't all hunters good-looking?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Tsk, tsk. Yeah, some hunters are just level 1 or level 2 looks. But Axel, the reaper, is a solid level 5," she explained, rolling her eyes as if it was obvious.
Level 5? I never thought our faces were graded.
"They must be exaggerating," I said, shaking my head in disbelief.
"No, they're not," another reaper interjected, joining our conversation with a smirk.
"He is actually quite good-looking," she continued, her voice filled with admiration.
"Those deep black hair and eyes, the tranquil yet intense tone in his gaze, his clear skin, thick eyebrows, and that pale complexion make him look like a character straight out of a book. And that was five years ago. Now, he has a dark aura more intense than any of us, which signifies his power. But more than that, his cold demeanor perfectly fits the description of the Ice Prince."
"Looks might be impressive, but what's so good about his personality? Like you mention he is cold and rude" I asked. They all looked at me as if I had uttered something wrong.
"Hunters already have bad personalities, so Mr. Axel's isn't that bad in comparison. We're talking about his looks and his powers, and the way his personality fits" Fernin explained, her voice defensive.
They are literally fans of Mr. Axel
.Since I'm new, I've never seen him, but the rumors circulating about him are overwhelming. "Are you sure he's the Ice Prince? There’s also talk that he has a miraculous friendship," I said.
"Miracle friendship? You mean he has a friend from another hunter class? I heard it's the Love Hunter class," the woman said, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"I heard that hunter has the same personality as Axel. They just work together, help each other, and benefit mutually," Fernin added.
"So, does that mean it's possible for us too?" I asked, my voice hopeful. She immediately dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand.
"It's possible to be friends and help someone from your own hunter class, but not from another class. Other classes can bring us down. It's just that Mr. Axel has enough power to handle the disadvantages of being friends with someone from another MT," she answered, her tone firm.
"More on Love Hunters—they can disrupt our missions by connecting strings," Fernin added, her expression turning serious.
"That's true!" another woman chimed in, her face reflecting frustration. "One time, during my mission, a Love Hunter interfered by making the target connect with a soulmate. Because of that, my mission got suspended. I even had to write a report about it," she said, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Circulating rumors sure is fun," a deep voice interjected. We all turned to see a tall man approaching. One of the reapers quickly recognized him.
"Senior Lucas, good day," she greeted him warmly.
Suddenly, I noticed a figure behind him—a man who instantly drew everyone's attention. It was Axel.
He stood with an air of calm authority, his presence commanding the space. His black hair was as dark as midnight, contrasting sharply with his clear, pale skin. His eyes, deep and penetrating, seemed to hold a world of secrets within their tranquil depths. Thick, well-defined eyebrows framed his gaze, giving him an intense, almost otherworldly look. He moved with a quiet grace, every step measured and deliberate, exuding an aura of power that was almost palpable. His expression was cold, almost detached, enhancing the mystique that surrounded him and living up to his title as the Ice Prince.
Third Person Point of View
As soon as Axel arrived on the scene, the number of reapers increased to nine, with only one reaper yet to arrive. Suddenly, a tall guy with brown hair and black eyes, wearing a black coat and gloves, appeared at the scene. As soon as he arrived, he and Axel locked eyes.
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"Yo," he greeted Axel, but Axel did not respond. The man continued to walk toward Axel.
"Rude as usual, huh?" he said, as if making a casual remark.
"Do I know you?" Axel asked coldly. The man smirked, then began to laugh.
All the reapers' attention was now focused on them.
"It’s just been 90 years, Axel. How could you forget me? I’m your friend," the man said.
"I don’t remember having a friend like you," Axel replied, his voice icy. The man stopped laughing.
"Oh, friend, right. You only had one friend—that lowly hunter," he said, sneering.
Axel's eyes narrowed, and his expression grew even colder. "If you're referring to someone who actually has honor and integrity, then yes. Unlike you, who reeks of betrayal and deceit."
The man’s smirk faltered for a moment before he regained his composure. "Always the saint, aren’t you, Axel? But do tell, how's that working out for you? Still playing the lone wolf because no one can stand your rude behavior and useless belief?"
Axel stepped closer, his gaze piercing through the man. "Better to be a lone wolf than a snake who poisons everything he touches."
The man's eyes darkened, his smirk replaced with a scowl. "You always did have a way with words, Axel. But don't think for a second that your cold act intimidates me."
"It’s not an act," Axel replied, his voice as chilling as ever. "And it’s not meant to intimidate you. It's just the truth. Now, unless you have something of actual importance to say, I suggest you leave. Your presence is as unwelcome as your personality."
The man suddenly calmed, a peculiar shift in his demeanor. He removed his glove and extended his hand. "How about we just be friends and forget the past?" he offered, his voice unusually calm and disarming.
Axel glanced at the outstretched hand, his expression unreadable. "Friends?" he repeated, his tone laced with skepticism. "You think a handshake can erase the years of dirty seam?"
The man’s smile grew wider. "Why not give it a try? After all, times have changed."
Then suddenly, a woman appeared at the scene, attempting to cross the crosswalk. She looked around and said, "I guess there is a big accident going to happen," then took a sip of her coffee. Axel, hearing her voice, immediately turned. "La-La?" he called out her name.
La-La turned to him and smiled. "You're here too?" she asked.
To everyone's surprise, Axel's cold expression softened as he approached La-La. His demeanor shifted so dramatically that it shocked everyone standing on the sidelines.
"Yeah, there will be a car accident here. It's better if you take another route," Axel advised her.
"Yeah, obviously," she replied with a casual shrug. Axel noticed the plastic bag La-La was holding.
La-La offered it to him, and Axel quickly took it, grabbing a can of drink. He opened it and took a sip.
"Going to work?" Axel asked.
"Yeah," she answered, taking another sip of her coffee.
"You need help here?" La-La asked Axel.
"No, we already came as a group. Such a hassle," Axel replied, shaking his head.
La-La glanced at the gathered reapers. "Yeah, you really are in a big group," she said, smiling slightly.
The other reapers exchanged bewildered glances, astonished at how Axel's icy demeanor melted in La-La's presence.
Someone Point of View
Mr. Axel, the Ice Prince, seemed to have melted at the appearance of another MT. I guess she is the rumored friend of Mr. Axel, but I never thought she’d be a woman. To be honest, at first, I thought she was a human, but since Mr. Axel addressed her personally, it's clear that she is indeed his hunter friend.
"He really became a dog," the man in the long coat commented, drawing everyone's attention to him.
"That’s rude, Dorian," Lucas said, his tone disapproving. Dorian, ignoring Lucas, put his gloves on and then reached into his coat, pulling out an envelope. He offered it to Lucas.
"You can handle one more soul, right?" Dorian said, his voice insistent. Lucas hesitated but did not accept it. Dorian, however, forced the envelope into Lucas's coat.
"You—" Lucas started to protest, but Dorian had already turned his back and walked away.
"It’s unbelievable. Mr. Axel has a friend from another class. Just having a friend from the same class is difficult enough," Fernin remarked, clearly surprised.
I turned my attention back to Mr. Axel. He and the woman seemed to be distancing themselves from the crowd, walking toward a nearby tree. Suddenly, the hunter came up and slapped Mr. Axel on the shoulder, which shocked me. But to my surprise, Mr. Axel seemed to enjoy the interaction, a rare, genuine smile briefly lighting up his face. The scene was both unexpected and intriguing, revealing a side of the Ice Prince that few had ever seen.
La-La Point of View
Axel mentioned that their work would take a little while longer, so I seized the opportunity to invite him to chat for a bit.
“Isn’t your work piling up? You’ll be ascending soon at this rate,” I said, trying to sound casual.
“Yeah, there’s a lot of work, but I don’t think I’ll be the first to ascend,” he replied. “Maybe we’ll go together.”
“Nah, I don’t think so. My ring won’t arrive for another six months,” I said with a shrug.
“Six months? What do you mean? You said last time it was only three months,” he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
I sighed deeply. “Well, they lost the ring while delivering it or something.”
“That’s absurd,” Axel said, his tone reflecting his frustration.
“Like I can demand anything,” I replied with a hint of sarcasm.
“Wait a moment,” Axel said, his curiosity piqued. “If your ring will arrive in six months, are you going to continue working with that man?”
That man?”
“You mean with Zayne?” I clarified.
“Yeah, who else would I be referring to?” he said, as if it were obvious.
“Well, I only planned to work with him because I needed the money,” I explained.
“Needed money? We have black cards,” he said, looking puzzled.
“Didn’t I mention this to you before? You know we can’t use the card for luxurious purposes,” I said, a hint of frustration in my voice.
“Yes, we can,” he countered.
“No, we cannot. They will reduce it from our points,” I argued.
“You can take my points,” he offered, sounding almost indifferent.
I stared at him, bewildered. “No, I can’t. And why are you offering them? What’s wrong with you?”
“Well, if you don’t, I’ll ascend first, and if I ascend, you and I won’t be soulmates,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact. My eyes widened in surprise at his bold statement, and I reflexively slapped his shoulder.
“Ouch,” he reacted, rubbing the spot. “You really—don’t you feel disgusted?”
“Disgusted? But we had that dream, right?” he said, trying to provoke me.
“You—” I started, but then sighed in frustration. “You’re really making my blood boil this early in the morning.”
“Quit that job. I’ll erase that guy’s memories. Getting involved with him too much is not good, especially since the ring will arrive in six months, not three. We’ll be punished if anyone finds out we’re involved with him,” he said, his tone serious.
For some reason, I felt hesitant to agree. “What if we just say I’m blending into the scene, just living my life?” I suggested.
“He already knows too much. Erasing his memories is the only solution; otherwise, it will endanger us,” he said, his seriousness evident.
He was right, though. The more we involved ourselves with Zayne, the more the MTs would know about his identity. We couldn’t hide it any longer.
“Did you already have any ideas?” I asked.
“Why do you sound like you’re not agreeing with me?” he asked, sensing my hesitation.
“Do I?” I replied, genuinely unsure.
“Yes, you do,” he said.
“Okay, maybe it will also endanger me to be too involved with him,” I admitted.
“I’ll find a way to remove his memories as soon as possible,” he said,