Perhaps...

VIII

- Miko.

The fox lady turned around.

- Yes, Sara?

- The Shogun wanted me to deliver this to you.

Sara handed her the piece of parchment. Miko smiled and retrieved the piece of parchment.

- Thank you, Sara.

Miko smiled, then suddenly she did something unexpected. She kissed Sara on the forehead. Then Miko disappeared. Sara quickly rushed to the bathroom and tried to wash a lipstick mark that Miko left. But it was somehow stuck to her forehead.

- Oh no! What am I going to do now?!

Sara cursed angrily. She still needed to tell her Excellency if she delivered it safely or not. But if she sees this lipstick mark... Sara doesn't know what she would do. After a few minutes, she decided to wear her mask. When she arrived at the palace, she was immediately questioned.

- Why are you wearing your mask?

The Shogun asked. 

- U-uh...there's something on my face that I don't want you to see.

- Is that so?

Her Excellency suspiciously asked. Sara nervously nodded.

- About the parchment, it is safely delivered.

- Oh that's certainly nice to hear.

The Shogun then stroked Sara's hair. 

- What are you hiding, Sara?

She whispered, making Sara even more anxious than she was before. The Shogun put her hands under Sara's mask, and took it off before she could react. Shoot! She was dead!

- What is that? Hm?

Her Excellency said coldly after she saw a lipstick mark. Sara couldn't tell the Shogun the truth. She would obviously think she was lying. The Shogun trusts Miko more than she.

- I- um...

Sara didn't have time to respond. The Shogun just turned her back on Sara and said:

- Go now. Before I change my mind and send you to the dungeons. 

Sara could hear the heartbreak in her voice. Her voice was actually breaking though. A tear ran down Sara's cheek, and so she left.