Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

[Before the crows attacked the Hazelden Kingdom…]

"GOSH, I'M so cute," Neoma couldn't help but admire herself again while looking at her reflection in the full-length mirror in front of her. "My face is lethal."

Right now, she was in her cabin on the cruise ship that would take them to the nearest island to the Lawless Jungle. Since the Lawless Jungle was a Forbidden Zone, they had no choice but go to the island next to it. They hadn't finished planning how to get to the Lawless Jungle yet.

[We'll cross the bridge when we get there.]

Literally and figuratively, maybe.

At the moment, her priority was herself.

After all, her outfit was really cute! She styled herself today. After all, she was free to dress girly now.

She wore a black corset over a red puff long-sleeve blouse, a black skater skirt she designed herself, and a pair of knee-length laced-up boots.

[I look like the visual member of an elite Kpop girl group.]

The skirt fell above her knees, though. Hence, she had to wear it after Papa Boss and Mama Boss left. She loved her parents, but sometimes they could be too conservative. Her mother was easy to convince to let her wear whatever she wanted, but her father was the problem.

[I can't blame Papa Boss, though. He was raised in a very strict environment, after all. However, I appreciate the fact that Papa Boss is doing his best to understand the modern girl in me. I just don't have the mental capacity to deal with him right now.]

Anyway…

She looked pretty even without makeup because her skin was naturally glowing. Moreover, the half-bun hairstyle suited her small face. Her hair also looked cooler because of its natural pink strands.

[In short, I'm such a beauty.]

"Princess Neoma, is it just me or…" Paige paused for a moment to look at her with full admiration in her eyes. In fact, the mage was looking UP at her literally because Paige was, uhm, a short queen. "Did you get taller again?"

"Nooo!" Neoma screamed dramatically, then she covered her ears with her hands. "Please don't say that, Paige. I don't want to get taller than I already am!"

The growth spurt of the de Moonasterios was different from normal kids– their physical bodies continued to grow faster than the average.

She knew that she had grown taller these past few weeks, but she refused to accept reality.

"But why do you not want to grow taller, Princess Neoma?" Paige asked, confused. "It's inevitable. I have never seen a de Moonasterio shorter than 170cm."

"That's right," Juri said, nodding. "Even the late Princess Nichole was, like, 180cm?"

That was true.

"Still, I don't want to grow taller than I already am," Neoma insisted. "I wanna stay tiny and cute next to Ruto. Our height difference at the moment is very cute."

Paige and Juri looked at each other, then the two shook their heads while smiling.

"Eomma, why do you have to specifically look small for Ruto hyung?" Greko asked innocently. "I'm sure Ruto hyung's growth spurt isn't over yet. If he grows taller than he already is while you remain the same, then your height difference won't be cute anymore. You'd look like a mushroom next to a pine tree."

Burn.

Y'all, Neoma was roasted by her youngest son again.

Jeno, who was minding his business while sitting on the windowsill and assembling his rifle, stifled his laughter.

[Only Greko is allowed to roast me like this.]

"Eomma, you shouldn't stop your growth spurt for shallow reasons," Greko said, then he smiled brightly at her. "Let's grow tall together, hmm?"

Neoma smiled awkwardly at her son. "O-Okay. Let's grow tall together."

Greko just smiled at her.

[Gosh, I can't really win against my youngest son.]

Hence, she just changed the subject.

"Everyone, please leave the room for a moment," Neoma said, turning serious this time. "My guest is here."

***

"YOU'RE LATE," Neoma complained when Manu appeared. Right now, she was sitting on the chair with her arms crossed over her chest. "Lord Manu, I know that I said you must follow us discreetly. But you're still late."

"It's not easy to shake off the people stalking me," Manu explained, then he sat on the chair in front of her. "But I followed your instructions. I made them believe that I'm headed back to the empire."

"Is it the crows, my lord?"

The Moon Priestess nodded. "I believe so."

Of course, they had already expected that the crows would watch their movements.

As soon as her Mama Boss and Papa Boss left the empire to visit the East Continent, the crows had already sent their people to keep an eye on her family.

That was exactly why she asked Manu to go to the East Continent, too.

[Yep, it was me who ordered Lord Manu to stick to Lady Sienna all this time. Plus, I also asked William and Lord Delwyn to do some stuff for me. Hehe.]

"Lord Manu, are you still upset by our decision regarding the new saint."

The Moon Priest just scowled as a response.

She let out a frustrated sigh. "My lord, please stop sulking."

Manu's eyes went wide. "Me? Sulking? Neoma de Moonasterio, my feelings are valid. I have the right to be upset."

"But that doesn't give you the right to neglect your duties, my lord," she said sternly. "I know that you've been drinking your sorrows away recently. Your drinking buddy is Lady Sienna, right?"

The Moon Priest flinched, and he looked guilty as hell.

Once again, she let out a frustrated sigh. "Lord Manu, the new saint is still going to be a saint. I swear on my life that I will collect his divine powers, so please have more faith in me."

Manu looked her straight in the eye. "Fine, I will put more faith in you," he said. "You called me here for a reason, didn't you?"

"Kyle Sprouse has escaped, and he knows that Brigitte unnie will give birth to the new saint. I'm sure he already shared that information with the crows," Neoma said in a serious tone. "So, Lord Manu, I want you to secretly head to the Hazelden Kingdom to protect Brigitte unnie and the baby saint from the enemies."

***

"THAT'S right, Sire Glenn," Nero, who was talking to the King of Hazelden through the pocket watch, said. "Kyle Sprouse has escaped. I'm certain that he will share the information regarding the new saint with the crows. Hence, I want you to be extra careful. The crows may attack you and the queen at any moment."

<"Thank you for the warning, Prince Nero,"> Sire Glenn, who looked very serious at the moment, said. <"My queen, Miss Dahlia, and I have planned a trap for the enemies. We will proceed with it now.">

"That's good to know," he said. "Then I wish you succeed. Let me know if you need help. I will send the Fletcher Twins."

<"Thank you, but we can manage for now, Your Royal Highness,"> Sir Glenn said, then he smiled at her. <"Princess Neoma left us a precious gift before she left.">

As expected of his lovely twin sister.

"I see," he said. "May the Moon favor you and the Hazelden Kingdom, Sire."

After that, he said his goodbye to the king of the Hazelden Kingdom and ended the call.

He was busy at the moment, so he didn't have much time to talk. Moreover…

"Prince Nero," Geoffrey Kinsley, who just entered his office, said. "His Majesty and Lady Roseheart are about to arrive."

"Great," he said, then he stood up. "I'll meet my parents then."

Of course, Lewis followed him when he left his office.

They headed to the portal room where her Mother and Father would arrive. It was the portal room connected to the Cyran Temple. Since it was a sacred place for the Royal Family, Lewis and Geoffrey Kinsley had to wait and guard outside.

Only Nero stepped inside the portal room.

Fortunately, his parents were already there when he arrived.

"Mother, Father," Nero greeted his parents while approaching them. "Welcome back."

His mother smiled and hugged him. "I've missed you, Nero."

He still felt awkward receiving affection from his mother, so he just lightly patted his mother's back. Then he pulled away from her hug to face his father. "Father–"

Nero was about to report to his father about his conversation with Sire Glenn earlier.

But Emperor Nikolai suddenly coughed up blood while stepping away from him, as if his father was recoiling away from him in fear.

[Uh, what did I do?]

***

NIKOLAI was dying.

That was the first thing that entered his mind when he saw Nero. He was used to his children absorbing his Moonglow LITTLE BY LITTLE.

However, as soon as he stepped into the same room as Nero, his son absorbed his Moonglow unconsciously like there was no tomorrow. He could tell that his son didn't know that he was literally killing him by doing that.

Nero turned to him. "Father–"

Nikolai wasn't able to hear what Nero was about to say because he suddenly coughed up a huge chunk of blood.

Mona, who was standing beside him, panicked immediately. "Nikolai!"

Argh.

Nikolai unconsciously stepped back, avoiding Nero unconsciously when the bitter realization finally hit him in the gut.

[Nero is going to be the next emperor… and it's happening sooner than I think.]

***

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