Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

[WHY ISN'T it working?!]

Regina, aside from having Quinzel Blood that granted her the ability to use the Shadow Manipulation Technique, also received a special ability from her Crowell Blood.

She could turn anything or anyone with Mana into ashes with just a touch.

Neoma de Moonasterio was like a lump of Mana, so the royal princess should be decaying by now!

However, even though she was strangling the princess, her ability wasn't working.

"Gosh! I gave you the chance to try and decay my glass skin, but it's not working, huh?" Princess Neoma, the ever arrogant royal princess said, then she grabbed her by the wrist. "I felt bad because Ruto and Jeno told me about your ability to turn things or people with Mana into ashes or something with just one touch. So, I gave you the chance to use your ability on me. But it seems like it doesn't work on people who's stronger than you."

Regina frowned, but she couldn't deny it.

But it wasn't as simple as what Princess Neoma said.

[My ability didn't work on Her Royal Highness because she's covered with divine power from head to toe. It's true that any kind of divine power or blessing doesn't work on this island. However, that doesn't change the fact that the de Moonasterios are born divine.]

In short, Princess Neoma wasn't someone she could touch easily.

Regina's thoughts were interrupted when Princess Neoma suddenly broke her wrist before pushing her away hard.

"You bitch!" Regina screamed in pain. "How dare you– argh!"

She didn't get to finish her sentence because Princess Neoma slapped her on the face hard, causing her to stumble a bit.

And she could also taste blood in her mouth.

"That's for Hanna," Princess Neoma said, then she slapped her other cheek. "That's for Duke and Duchess Quinzel."

It wasn't like Regina wanted to just stand there and accept all Princess Neoma's slaps.

But she literally couldn't move her body.

The bloodlust oozing out of Princess Neoma's body rendered her immobile.

"And this one is for my old self," Princess Neoma said while cracking her knuckles. "Clench your teeth, Regina Crowell."

Princess Neoma warned her, but she didn't give her a second to "clench her teeth."

Regina almost blacked out after the damned royal princess punched her in the face– hard!

***

[NOW IT makes sense.]

Hanna had always wondered whether the crows had targeted her family in Neoma's first life just because they were close to the Royal Family.

But now, she finally understood why Regina Crowell replaced her in that timeline.

"Neoma isn't the type who will believe an enemy's words easily," Hanna said, causing everyone in the portal room to turn to her. "If Neoma judged that Regina Crowell is Uncle Gavin's daughter, then it must be true."

Her father clenched his jaws tight.

She didn't like that reaction.

"Father, just because Regina Crowell turned out to be Uncle Gavin's daughter doesn't make her a part of our family," Hanna said firmly. "I'm certain Uncle Gavin doesn't even know he has a daughter."

"Your daughter is right, Rufus," Lady Mona said. "You already heard about how Calyx Dalton was conceived. The crows might have done the same in order to "give birth" to Regina Crowell."

Her father blinked a few times before he finally regained his composure. "You're right," he said. "I'm sorry for losing it for a moment. I was just… spooked."

"Duke Quinzel, I'll leave this matter in your hands since this is your family's affair," Nero said. "I already gave you a hint as to where you may begin your investigation. I trust that you'll put it to good use."

Oh, that was right.

Hanna remembered that His Majesty and Nero summoned her father to the Royal Palace.

[It seems like Neoma and Nero have already realized how all of those things happened behind our backs.]

As expected, the royal twins were really scary.

"I won't disappoint you, Prince Nero," her father said, bowing to the Crown Prince. "Please leave this matter to me."

Nero just nodded, then he turned to her. "Hanna Quinzel."

Hanna stepped forward. "Yes, Your Royal Highness?"

She addressed Nero formally because she noticed that he called her as a subject of the empire and not as his fiancée.

[It means he has a job for me.]

"Protect the royal palace for me," Nero said, then he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I want you to stay beside Father and…"

The next things that the royal prince told her startled her a little.

However, she knew that Nero wasn't the type to spout nonsense. Even though she wasn't sure about the royal prince's order this time, she still decided to follow him.

"I understand, Your Royal Highness," Hanna said when the royal prince stepped backwards after giving her an order. "I will do as you say."

"Thank you, Hanna," Nero said indifferently, then he turned to his mother and offered his arm to her. "Shall we go, Mother?"

Lady Mona smiled and nodded before she linked her arm with Nero's. Then the lady turned to Hanna and her father. "Please take care of Nikolai for us."

Hanna and her father bowed to Lady Mona. "As you wish, Your Ladyship."

***

[I CAN'T KILL her.]

Neoma wasn't satisfied even after slapping and punching Regina Crowell.

But she had to hold back.

[My former self said I can't kill Regina Crowell because she has a useful ability that will come in handy in the future. But she didn't tell me what kind of ability it is.]

Well, there was one way to find out.

"Regina Crowell, you better fight with all that you have if you want to survive," Neoma said in a serious voice. "Don't even think about running away– I won't let you." She pointed at the annex building engulfed with a bluish light. This time, the light around it began to flicker as if it was about to die out. "My "daughter" is doing her best to deactivate the teleportation spell that your copy-cat sorcerer created."

"Are you talking about the mage in your group?" Regina asked, smirking while wiping the blood on her face with the back of her hand. "Do you think a mere mage can stop or break a sorcerer's spell?"

"I do."

She was so serious about her faith in Paige and Regina noticed that.

Hence, the crow lost the arrogant smirk on her face.

"I know that you don't have any intention of running away," Neoma said indifferently, opening her hand after she summoned Skewer. When the pink Death Scythe materialized, she grabbed the handle tight. "But there must be something in the annex building that you desperately want to hide from me. If your only goal is to run away, then you wouldn't have taken a long time just to create a spell that's powerful enough to teleport a whole-ass building to a different place."

Regina fell silent for a while, then she laughed like the villainess that she was. "Princess Neoma, I don't really like you."

"Oh, my. What a coincidence," she said sarcastically. "The feeling is mutual."

At that moment, the air around Regina had changed.

[Ah, she's about to get serious now.]

However, Regina was distracted when a crow magically appeared on her shoulder.

[Oh, she didn't expect that either, huh?]

Neoma had a feeling about the crow so she pointed a finger at it. "Tteokbokki," she said, the tip of her finger lighting up in a red flame as if it was a lighter. "Mini fire ball."

A small ball of fire shot out of her finger, directed at the crow.

She thought Regina would block her attack, but the villainess didn't move an inch.

The crow, however, flew and smacked the small fireball with its wing– the fireball hitting huge debris that turned into magma quickly.

[Tsk.]

<"Princess Neoma, you really have a nasty temper~">

Neoma knitted her eyebrows when she recognized the voice coming out of the crow. "Calyx Dalton?"

<"Bingo! Can you guess where I am right now?">

She just pointed Skewer's curved blade in Regina's direction. As soon as she did, Tteokbokki's red flame licked the blade and engulfed it in a moment.

<"I'm currently in the Hazelden Kingdom to welcome the birth of the new saint~">

Neoma was startled, but she didn't let it show.

[Brigitte unnie…]

It was too early for the saint to be born, so something must have happened.

[A premature birth?]

It was worrying.

<"Let's make a deal~">

"I don't deal with crazy bastards like you," Neoma said, rolling her eyes. "If you have nothing more to say–"

<"If you kill Regina Crowell, I will kill Queen Brigitte and King Glenn.">

Regina smirked, but it looked bitter.

[Hmm?]

<"So, why don't you let my cousin go?">

"Calyx Dalton, stop with your bullshit," Neoma said, tired of dealing with the crazy bastard. "Even if you're determined to kill Brigitte unnie and Uncle Glenn, I know you won't succeed. Dahlia and Lord Manu are there. You're not even on my level, so what made you think you can harm my people?"

"Yes," Neoma said without missing a heartbeat. "And stop talking, you're corrupting my ears."

Regina's eyes suddenly went wide.

[Ah, her senses are quite sharp.]

It was already too late, though.

Tteokbokki, in his human form, already appeared behind Regina. He grabbed the crow while he strangled Neoma with his other hand. Then, without further ado, the Soul Beast put the crow (the animal!) in his mouth and swallowed it whole.

[Eww.]

After that, Tteokbokki let out a burp.

Neoma frowned. "How does it taste?"

"Just like any other bird," the Soul Beast said, implying that he had already eaten LIVE birds before.

[What kind of life have you led before you met me, Tteokbokki?]

Anyway…

"Are you sure the crow isn't poisonous or something?"

"Nah, it was just an ordinary bird possessed by Calyx Dalton's Mana," the Soul Beast said, shrugging. "His presence disappeared as soon as I grabbed the crow, so it turned back into being an ordinary bird."

[That's a relief.]

Tteokbokki turned to Regina who was clawing the Soul Beast's arm while choking. "Thug princess, this one is tough, too. I can't snap her neck easily."

[Well, I told Tteokbokki not to kill Regina, so he's probably controlling his strength.]

She just needed Tteokbokki to draw Regina's true strength.

[Let's see what the old me has seen in that girl.]

"Princess Neoma, you're not fighting fair and square," Regina complained, and it was obvious that she was having difficulty in breathing. "How can a royal princess like you play dirty? Do you not have any honor?"

"I care more about my beauty than my honor. Haven't you heard, Regina Crowell?" Neoma asked, smirking. Then she put a hand over her chest. "I am the biggest scammer on the continent."

[Self-proclaimed, to be precise. But Regina doesn't need to know that.]

"You're really pissing me off, Neoma de Moonasterio," Regina said coldly, her eyes losing their light. Then her green eyes turned completely black, and they looked like they were glazed over. "Why don't you just drop dead already?"

Neoma, all of a sudden, lost all her strength in her body.

[Wait, what's happening to me?!]

***

"EH, YOU'RE still alive?" Calyx asked playfully. "Is it the power of love?"

He was wondering how Glenn, the king of Hazelden, could still stand despite bleeding from head to toe.

To be honest, he thought it would be an easy fight.

[I guess he's not the former vice-commander of the White Lion Knights for nothing. And that sword…]

'Ebony,' was it?

The jet-black sword called Ebony had the ability to enhance its user's power. Hence, Glenn's ability to control the earth was amplified. In fact, if he was an ordinary person, he would have already been trapped in the "rock cage" that the king enjoyed creating.

In fact, the entire room looked like a rocky mountain now, instead of a portal room.

"Sire, I like your sword," Calyx said while approaching the weakened king. "Can you give it to me?"

Glenn tried his best to stand straight, then he pointed his sword at her. "I'll give you my sword if you give me your neck."

He laughed at the king's sarcasm.

[Interesting.]

Calyx was about to give Glenn the death blow when, suddenly, he found himself trapped inside a bubble filled with water.

[Argh!]

Then, she appeared.

[My love rival.]

Dahlia, the Black Witch.

"Stop coveting things and people that already belonged to someone else," Dahlia said indifferently. "You have a bad habit, Lord Calyx."

He placed a finger on the bubble that looked like a round fish tank, then he put enough Mana to break it.

The "water" spilled as soon as the glass bubble broke into tiny pieces.

"I'm glad we finally met, Dahlia," Calyx said, smiling. "Now, let me get this straight: Prince Nero is mine."

"Prince Nero belongs to Princess Neoma, though?" Dahlia said, smiling back at her. "And he can never be yours, Lord Calyx."

What a way to rub salt into his wound.

"I was told that I should bring you alive," Calyx said, his eyes now glowing red. "So don't make me want to kill you, witch."

***

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