Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

["NEOMA, do you know that the Forbidden Zones are dangerous because they are places where the Sun Goddess's blessing doesn't reach?"]

["I see, Mama Boss. I guess that's why the Lawless Jungle is called that way."]

["But even if you lose the protection of the gods that keep an eye on you like Lord Yule, you'll still be fine. That's why your father and I allowed you to go to the Lawless Jungle even if it's very dangerous."]

["Is it because I'm awesome, Mama Boss?"]

["Yes, and because you're a Roseheart. A place that isn't blessed by a god is a place swallowed by the Darkness. As a Roseheart, you know what we do, don't you?"]

["We purify Darkness."]

["That's right. It seems like Nero has inherited my ability to summon Spirits and gods. On the other hand, you inherited my ability to purify Darkness, Neoma."

["Yep, I was born to be a purifier."]

["I will teach you how to purify Darkness properly,"] her Mama Boss said seriously. ["I won't send you to a dangerous place unprepared."]

Neoma got excitedly foolishly. ["Yehey, I get to have private lessons with THE Mona Roseheart."]

["Good luck, little rogue,"] her Papa Boss said, and he even patted her shoulder as if he was comforting her. ["You need that."]

Gosh, why did she get excited back then?

Neoma was grateful to have a crash course about purifying Darkness from the legend herself– Lady Mona Roseheart. However, now every inch and fiber of her being was crying from pain now. Even her supposedly overflowing Moonglow was depleted!

Demon.

[I didn't know that Mama Boss can be a demon!]

Her Papa Boss trained her in the past when he taught her how to control her Soul Beast.

However, she had to say that her Papa Boss was more lenient than her Mama Boss. It was unexpected. But if she had to choose, she'd rather have Papa Boss train her again and again than experience her mother's Spartan-like training once more.

[Now I know why Papa Boss wished me luck then!]

"Princess Neoma, may I enter your room?"

She was surprised to hear Lady Yngrid's voice.

After all, she was expecting Greko and Paige Avery. The two were in charge of her health, so she summoned them to her room to relieve her muscle pain.

"You may come in, Lady Yngrid."

When Ruto's mother entered her room, she tried to get up and maintain a poker face while doing so. However, not only did she wince– but she also failed to move an inch. Her entire body really hurt like a bitch.

"You don't have to get up, Princess Neoma," Lady Yngrid said, then she sat on the chair beside the bed. "I'm here to relieve your pain."

"Oh," Neoma said, surprised. "How did you know I'm in pain, Lady Yngrid?"

"Lady Mona and I met earlier," the lady explained. "When she told me that she'd give you a private lesson about purifying Darkness, I knew instantly that Your Royal Highness would end up bedridden from muscle pain."

She smiled awkwardly. "Lady Yngrid, why do you sound like you're speaking from experience?"

"I am," the lady admitted in a gentle voice. "I can hear the voices of gods, and I'm the only one who does on the East Continent. On the other hand, the Rosehearts have always been known as great Summoners who can borrow the power of gods. Hence, in order for me to develop my talent, my family sent me to House Roseheart when I was a child."

Ohh, that was pretty interesting.

"Lady Roseheart was younger than me, but she was far more talented that I was," Lady Yngrid, her face softening up as she reminisced about the past. However, the softness on her face quickly disappeared when she talked again. "But Lady Roseheart isn't good at teaching. Everything comes naturally to her, so she doesn't understand why a less talented person like me struggles. Hence, she teaches us the way she learns things. As a result, the people she's trying to teach end up draining their strength just to catch up to her."

She clenched her hands when she felt a connection with Lady Yngrid.

[I can relate with you, Lady Yngrid. That's also how I feel when Nero teaches me stuff. He's a genius, so he doesn't understand why I don't get the things he teaches me at first try.]

"Ah, I apologize if I sound like I'm bad-mouthing Lady Roseheart."

She shook her head. "No, not at all. Please don't apologize, Lady Yngrid. I completely understand what you're saying."

"Thank you for understanding, Princess Neoma," Lady Yngrid said, then she extended her hand to her. "I am the High Priestess of the Sun Goddess. I pray to her in order to borrow her healing powers. Will Your Royal Highness allow me to help you regain your strength?"

It was Greko's job to heal her.

However, she couldn't refuse Lady Yngrid.

[I'm sure Greko will understand.]

"Of course, Lady Yngrid," she said, then she accepted the lady's hand. "Please take care of me then."

Lady Yngrid nodded, then she put her other hand over her hand. Then she closed her eyes and prayed.

Neoma assumed that Ruto's mother was praying based on the concentrated look on her face.

[It's working, though.]

She felt a strange yet comforting warmth from Lady Yngrid's hands. Then that warmth spread throughout her body. It didn't take long before all her muscle pain disappeared. Moreover, even her Moonglow started to flow freely again.

[Ah, I feel like I had a good massage in just a few minutes.]

Needless to say, she was satisfied.

Lady Yngrid opened her eyes. "How do you feel, Princess Neoma?"

"Very light, Lady Yngrid," Neoma said cheerfully. "All the muscle pain I felt earlier disappeared." She got up properly and bowed to her politely. "Thank you so much, my lady."

"You're welcome, Princess Neoma."

She raised her head and expected Lady Yngrid to say her goodbye already.

But, much to her surprise, Ruto's mother asked a question that she didn't expect to hear from her.

"Princess Neoma, do you know why I married Morton Stroganoff?"

"Uhm, is it because of love?" she said, a little surprised so she blurted out the first thing that entered her mind. "I mean, Lady Yngrid is from the East Continent while Lord Stroganoff is from the West. It wouldn't make sense if it was an arranged marriage since as far as I know, Lord Stroganoff is a normal rich nobleman. He doesn't have any political power or influence."

If the Solfrid Clan would arrange a marriage for Lady Yngrid, she figured they would choose an influential man from the East Continent rather than a normal nobleman from the West Continent that wouldn't spread their influence in any way.

"It wasn't an arranged marriage," Lady Yngrid confirmed. "I married Morton because he was the only one who agreed that we live separately after we conceived an heir."

Oh.

[I'm not sure if I want to hear this…]

"As the High Priestess of the East Continent, I'm allowed to marry and have children," Lady Yngrid explained. "In fact, it was my duty to get married and conceive an heir. However, I've always known that my real calling is to serve the Sun Goddess for the rest of my life. And so, I'm aware that I won't be a good wife or a good mother. After all, I only see having a husband and a child as a duty."

She would have said that it was sad to hear that.

However, the fact that she didn't detect any regret or sadness from Lady Yngrid only meant that she was satisfied with her life.

In short, there was no need for her to pity the woman.

[She knows what she wants, and she stood by it.]

"I thought I was going to have a change of heart when I gave birth to Ruto, but I didn't," Lady Yngrid continued. "I've always felt bad for Morton and Ruto. But my husband assured me that he's happy as long as I'm happy. Moreover, he said he's also busy running his business, so he's relieved that I don't resent him for it. Ruto, on the other hand…" The lady paused for a moment. "Ruto has always been a good and obedient son. However, most of the time, I think Ruto doesn't see me and my husband as his parents. After all, he's been mature ever since he was a child."

[It's because he's an adult inside.]

"What I want to say is that for my family, duty always comes first before our personal feelings," Lady Yngrid said. "That's why I was disappointed in Ruto when he began neglecting his duty for you, Princess Neoma. In the end, I resented you for it."

"It's unfair to say that Ruto has neglected his duties for me, Lady Yngrid," Neoma said as carefully as she could. "We both know that he's a grown man inside capable of making sound decisions. Just because he disobeyed Lord Levi's ridiculous orders doesn't mean he's neglectful of his duties, my lady. Moreover, I don't think you should resent me for it because I never asked Ruto to do those things for me."

"I know that," the lady said. "That's why I'm here to apologize for saying harsh words to you before, Your Royal Highness."

Much to her surprise, Lady Yngrid bowed her head to her.

She suddenly felt embarrassed.

[I mean, this is Ruto's mother…]

"Lady Yngrid, it's alright," she said. "Please raise your head."

"Princess Neoma, I have a request," Lady Yngrid said, then she raised her head and looked at her straight in the eye. "It's about Ruto."

If it was about Ruto, of course Neoma would listen.

***

"NIKOLAI, what are you thinking about?" Mona asked when she saw Nikolai standing on the balcony of the floating villa. He looked like he was staring at the river mindlessly, but she knew that he was deep in thought. "Does it have something to do with what Neoma told us earlier?"

Right now, they were already on their way back to the empire using the same villa that they used to get to the East Continent fast.

[Neoma sent us off earlier.]

They were about to spend the day sightseeing, but they changed their mind after hearing that Kyle Sprouse had finally escaped from prison.

[We can't leave everything to our poor, overworked son.]

"Yes, I'm thinking about why the god that Nero gained is named Larissa," Nikolai said, then he turned to her. "The Roxana Palace used to exist before it was replaced by the Larissa Palace, which is now known as the empress palace. As far as I know, they removed the Roxana Palace from the Royal Palace and the people in power of that time turned it into the Light Temple. However, there was no record of why the new empress palace was named 'Larissa.'"

"That bothers me, too," she said, nodding in agreement. "It also bothers me that the "presents" that our children received after getting through their Lunacy period were far too dangerous. Neoma received the ability to create a Hellgate, while Nero received a questionable god with the same name as the empress palace."

"Although they are dangerous, we can't deny that they make our children powerful," he said. "It's useful, too. Just like how Nichole regained her regenerative ability after she had gone through her Lunacy period."

She knitted her eyebrows when she remembered something. "That makes me wonder, Nikolai. You never told me about what you received after your Lunacy period."

"Ah, I received an item."

"What kind of item?" she asked curiously. "Have you used it before?"

"No, I threw it away."

Mona's eyes went wide. "Why did you throw it away?"

"Because it's dangerous," Nikolai said in a serious voice. "It must disappear at all costs."

***

[AND FINALLY, I wish you scold Lord Levi for me, Lady Elina,] Neoma said, her eyes closed and her hands clasped together while praying to Lady Elina– the Sun Goddess. [I heard from Mama Boss that you are Lord Levi's little sister, my lady. It's hard to have a twisted brother, right? I know because I have one.]

She was already done with the proper prayer.

Hence, she took this opportunity to snitch on Lord Levi. She firmly believed that gods would enjoy listening to some "tea" from time to time instead of the normal prayers they would hear from their devotees.

So, after she prayed, she talked to the Sun Goddess as if they were close.

[I don't usually snitch on people, but I snitch on bullies,] she said, justifying her "prayer." [Please knock some sense into Lord Levi's thick skull, Lord Elina. I seriously believe that doomsday is near if men like Lord Levi continue running the world. They're lucky girls like us exist to save their asses.]

She didn't know if it was just her imagination, but she thought she heard a soft laugh beside her. Then she felt a warm hand touch the top of her head.

Oh?

She got goosebumps, but not in a bad way, if that made sense.

However, when she opened her eyes, she saw no one in the prayer room. She was still alone there, kneeling in front of the beautiful wall where the Sun Goddess's beautiful statue was engraved.

"Did you just pat my head, my lady?" she asked, laughing. "I'm cute, am I not?"

She didn't hear a burst of laughter this time.

But she felt a warm hand on her head again.

"You're warm, my lady. Now I know why you're friends with Lord Yule," Neoma said, smiling. Then she stood up and bowed politely in front of the Sun Goddess's statue. "Lady Elina, I will work hard to fulfill my duty as Lord Yule's descendant. As my divine grandfather's friend, please lend me your strength, too. And…" She hesitated at first, then she raised her head and looked straight at the statue's eyes. "Please protect Ruto in my place."

"Is that something that you should ask the Sun Goddess when you can do it yourself?"

Gosh, she really hated how she couldn't sense his presence again.

Neoma turned around and faced Ruto with a frown. "It's rude to listen to someone else's prayer."

"I didn't mean to," Ruto said. "I'm sorry. I got here first, but you didn't seem to notice. I was about to leave quietly when you began praying, but…"

"But what?"

"I can't keep my eyes off of you," he confessed while scratching his face as if he was embarrassed. "There's only a handful of people that I could see clearly. However, out of all the faces I see, yours is my favorite."

Gosh.

Ruto lost his memories, but not his 'smoothness.'

[He's making this hard for me.]

"Hey, Ruto."

Ruto tilted his head to one side. "Yeah?"

Neoma smiled at him sadly. "Unlove me for now."

***

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