Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

"I HAVEN'T heard of it," Neoma said as a response to Lisica's question. Then, she looked down at Mochi in her arms. "Mochi, can you put the queen down? I'd like to hear the rest of her story."

"Certainly, Princess Neoma," Mochi said, then she put Lisica down.

"Thank you," Lisica said while stretching her arms. Then, she sat on the ground in a lotus position. Thankfully, the queen wore a cloak over her short dress. Thus, her sitting position didn't expose her panties. "Now, let's talk about the Four Pillars," the queen said, then she turned to Mochi. "You seem like an old Spirit. Do you happen to know something about the Four Pillars I'm talking about?"

She sat on the ground and put Mochi on her lap, then she looked down at the white bunny. "Do you, Mochi?"

She had to ask because she knew Mochi wouldn't easily answer a stranger's question.

"I've heard about it in the past," Mochi said while looking up at her. "But I've only heard it through the grapevines. The Wind Tribe was an isolated clan. Thus, I don't know much about the things happening outside our tribe. Having said that, I remember hearing a huge incident back when I was still a little girl. Apparently, a royal princess who was supposed to be dead returned to the empire and started a rebellion. If I remember it correctly, the rebellion was called the 'Bloody Moon Hunt.'"

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "It was recorded in the history books…"

And she didn't have any recollection of that story from her first life.

"Of course, it wasn't," Lisica said in an irritated voice. But of course, that irritation wasn't directed at them. "Every single document about Princess Aruna de Moonasterio was erased from history."

She gasped when she heard the familiar name. "Princess Aruna… the brilliant twin sister of the most incompetent monarch in history!"

Lisica and Mochi both laughed at what she said.

"Emperor Arche was indeed infamous for being inept," Mochi said while nodding her head. "Even our elusive tribe had heard of his incompetence."

Her face turned red from embarrassment. "I wasn't trying to shade the former Emperor Arche. I just remembered his most infamous "title.""

"It's alright, Princess Neoma," Lisica and Mochi consoled her at the same time.

She just smiled as thanks, then she carried on with their conversation. "May I know what happened during the 'Bloody Moon Hunt?'"

"Our tribe was in seclusion during that time and the rebellion already ended when we came out of our hiding," Mochi said, then she turned to Lisica. "Maybe the queen was personally there when the rebellion happened."

"I was still an ordinary fox on the verge of being born as a nine-tailed fox when the 'Bloody Moon Hunt' happened," Lisica explained. "Since I've lived for almost a thousand years as a fox, it wasn't easy for me to understand human language. Thankfully, the nine-tailed fox of that generation took me under his wing. He was the only human I could understand back then. During that time, he taught me one thing: the Silver Fox Clan exists to protect the 'Sky.'"

"The 'Sky?'" she asked, confused. "Not the 'moon?'"

After all, every ruler of the Moonasterion Empire was known as the 'moon.'

"My master never referred to Princess Aruna as the 'moon,'" the queen explained. "He would call the rebel princess 'sky.'"

Ah, that was interesting.

"I saw Princess Aruna return to the empire with four people who called themselves 'Pillars of the Sky,'" Lisica continued with her story. "One of those Pillars was my master. He was known back then as the 'Fangs.' And apparently, he was the symbol of 'loyalty.'"

"Oh, that sounds so noble."

The queen grinned. "I know. It suited my master very well. He even died for Princess Aruna because he didn't want to leave her just to save himself."

[How could she say that so cheerfully?]

As soon as she thought that, the queen's face suddenly turned sad.

"I was beside my master when he drew his last breath," Lisica said with a sad smile on her face. "I still remember the last thing that he said to me: "The Sky will return; our clan shall raise the next Fangs that would become the new Pillar for the next generation."

"Does it mean… Princess Aruna will return?"

"No, it wouldn't be Princess Aruna anymore," the queen said while shaking her head. "A person could only be revived by the Fox's Marble once. If that person died again, then she couldn't be brought back to life using the same method."

"Then, Princess Aruna was revived by the Fox's Marble?"

"I don't know the details but that seems to be the case," Lisica said. "Anyway, my master believes that once another "sky" shows up, the new Pillars from the four families will also emerge."

"Your Majesty, do you know from which families the other Pillars came from?"

"Unfortunately, I don't," the female fox said. "I tried to look for them after I've become a nine-tailed fox. But all their traces were already gone by then. Still, I held onto my master's words. Before I died, I passed his message down to my successor. That message has been conveyed up to Rustin's time." She paused before she continued. "Unfortunately, the Silver Fox Clan has already been purged when Lewis appeared. Thus, he didn't receive the message."

"I believe my master somehow received the message from your clan, Lisica," Mochi said in a serious tone. "My master, Lady Mona Roseheart, used to tell me that her daughter would gain four "guardians" in the future."

"Huh?" she asked, surprised. "Mochi, are you saying that my mother believed that I'm the new "sky" of my generation?"

The Wind Spirit nodded. "I believe so, Princess Neoma."

She was too stunned to react.

[Mama Boss, I don't want to be the sky. I want to be a cool cloud that floats freely and can't be tied down by anything or anyone. In short, this daughter of yours only wants to become a lady of leisure!]

"I knew you were special, Princess Neoma," Lisica said, looking smug for some reason. "The fact that Lewis appeared after our clan perished could only mean that he was sent by the heavens to become your new Pillar!"

"I don't like the sound of this," she said, half-complaining. "If special people were born in my generation, it only means that a big catastrophe is about to happen. And it's probably as bad as Princess Aruna's rebellion in the past."

She didn't have to hear the whole story to know that Princes Aruna's rebellion failed.

Had the former princess won the war, it would go down in the empire's history. But since Princess Aruna was practically erased from history, that meant she just didn't lose– she lost badly. And apparently, even the people that supported her perished.

[Is history going to repeat itself?]

"Of course something bad is going to happen," Lisica said bluntly. "In fact, it already began as soon as you were born, Princess Neoma."

"Huh?"

"Didn't they tell you?" the queen asked. "The Crow only appears whenever a royal princess is born in the empire."

"Huh?" she asked, then she looked down at Mochi. "Is that true? Then, they already know about my existence?"

"It's only a speculation that the Crow appears once a royal princess is born, Princess Neoma," Mochi said. "But I'm sure that they don't know where you are. Because if they do, they would have tried to kill you when you were younger."

"How can we be sure of that, Mochi?"

"Because Princess Nichole is the Devil," the Wind Spirit said firmly. "During the brief moment that we met during your coronation ceremony, Princess Nichole assured me that she has been erasing your traces ever since you were born."

She felt a warm feeling in her chest when she heard that. "Why do you only tell me about that now, Mochi?"

"Because I don't want you to feel attached to Princess Nichole," Mochi said firmly. "Princess Neoma, the Devil is still the empire's enemy."

Ah, she appreciated that reminder.

Her heart almost wavered earlier, so the fact that the Wind Spirit reminded her that the Devil was an enemy helped her collect her thoughts properly.

"Regardless of whether the Devil is an enemy or not, you shouldn't underestimate the Crow, Princess Neoma," Lisica warned her. "As I said earlier, Rustin claimed that it wasn't your crazy grandfather who stole his Fox's Marble– it was the Crow. That could only mean one thing: the Crow is planning to revive someone who'd obviously be sent to kill you. After all, the Crow's only goal is to get rid of the royal princesses born in the de Moonasterio Family."

"I'm not underestimating the Crow," she said. "I have taken various steps in the past to keep them away from me, Your Majesty."

"I don't think that's enough," the queen said firmly. "Princess Neoma, if you're truly the new sky that my master spoke of, then you must find the other three Pillars to help you."

"Help me with what?" she said with a raised brow. "Destroy the empire?"

The female fox looked surprised by her retort.

"I don't mean to be rude, Your Majesty," she said more politely this time. "Don't get me wrong. I am not fond of the empire. But unfortunately, I am under contract to lead our empire in the future. Moreover, I don't wish to inherit the will of someone I don't relate to. After all, I have a different path from Princess Aruna."

She thought the queen would be offended.

But much to her relief, the female fox's face lit up.

"I like Princess Neoma," Lisica said genuinely. "I want to follow you from now on."

"Hmm?"

"You don't have to inherit Princess Aruna's will, but you certainly need more strong people to help you reach your goal," the queen said. "Lewis and the other three Pillars would help."

She smiled and nodded. "I can't deny that."

"You can also use Rustin and I as your Spirit Warriors, Princess Neoma."

She didn't know how to react to that.

"It's a good thing, Princess Neoma," Mochi said encouragingly. "Spirit Warriors, as its name suggests, are Spirits that would literally fight for you. Soju, Kimchi, and I could lend you the elements that we control. But having your own Spirit Warriors are like having your own private knights."

"That sounds nice," Neoma said, then she put on her "business smile." "Let me think about it first, Your Majesty."

***

"AH, I'M a baby again," Neoma complained when she returned to being a nine-year-old baby girl after literally stepping out of the black book. Lewis and Sir Glenn followed her behind. Of course, the three of them returned to the knight's room. "I should have taken a picture of my adult form."

[Maybe I should begin working on a portable camera to bring around to satisfy my vanity.]

"Do you want me to draw your appearance a while ago, Princess Neoma?" Sir Glenn asked with a bright smile on his face. "I have a good memory."

"Thank you, but you should focus on your love life, Sir Glenn," she said teasingly. "You're going to meet Princess Brigitte soon."

The knight smiled, then he gasped. "Oh! I was supposed to fetch the letter that Princess Brigitte sent me!"

"You're excused, Sir Glenn."

Sir Glenn bowed to her. "Thank you, Princess Neoma."

And just like that, the knight was gone.

"Princess Neoma?"

She turned to Lewis who turned back to his original form as well. It pained her to see her son in a battered form. But he assured her a while ago that he was alright. "What is it?"

"Why didn't you accept Queen Lisica and Lord Rustin as your Spirit Warriors?" Lewis asked seriously. "I thought you need more people around you."

"Queen Lisica and Lord Rustin are too bloodthirsty for me to handle," she said seriously. "I can see through them. They volunteered to be my Spirit Warriors not because they care about me or my goal. Well, they might admire me for real. But at the end of the day, I can clearly tell that they just want to fight outside their current realm. Don't tell me you didn't notice that?"

"I did," he admitted. "But I thought your need for more useful people outweighs the risk."

She laughed softly while shaking her head. "I could use strong people even if they don't genuinely admire me as long as they're trustworthy. But beings like Queen Lisica and Lord Rustin are dangerous. I have a feeling that they are the type of people that would lose their sanity on a battlefield. I don't want you and the others to get hurt because of their violent nature. It's simply not worth it."

"You shouldn't care too much about the people who serve you, Princess Neoma," he scolded her lightly. "If your duty is to become the empress, then you should learn to cut people off your life easily. Even if you hate it, there will be a time where you must sacrifice some pawns to achieve your goal. No one has ever sat on the throne with clean hands."

Tsk.

Her son talked a lot today just to scold her, huh?

"I'm not that naïve to think that I could keep everyone around me safe all the time," she said, then she gently flicked Lewis's forehead. But honestly, her fingers touched his bangs and not his forehead directly. "But I want to lessen the risk as much as I could."

There goes Lewis's lazy smile again.

Dammit, it still looked good even on his current form. After all, even though her son was still a twelve-year-old boy, he could already pass as a teenager. He was too tall and too handsome for a child who hadn't reached his teens yet.

[Some good-looking people really don't have an awkward puberty phase, huh?]

"Princess Neoma, I heard the story about the Pillars," he said later. "Lord Rustin told me that I shall become the new Fangs of this generation."

"You don't have to do that if you don't want to. Don't feel pressured," she said casually. "To me, you're always going to be Lewis, my Lulu."

Lewis smiled once again. "Princess Neoma, hearing that story made me realize something," he said. "It seems like I was really born to protect you."

She smiled, touched by Lewis's words. "Thank you, Lewis. I will also protect you, especially now that I know how special your Marble is," she said gently. "I won't let anyone steal it from you."

As soon she said that, she fell silent while thinking deeply.

"What's wrong, Princess Neoma?"

"I just had some crazy theories in my head related to your Fox's Marble," she said, then she sighed. "But aside from that, I have a plan regarding your would-be kidnapping case. I have a plan."

He looked at her intently, obviously waiting for her to speak again.

"We could use your current condition as an excuse as to why you can't come with the "Crown Prince" to harvest the Hisa Tree."

Lewis looked surprised by what she said. She also saw fear in his eyes. Now he looked like an abandoned puppy. "Princess Neoma, you're leaving me here?"

"Yes, I have to," Neoma said although looking at Lewis's scared face kicked her conscience. "Lewis, we have to give the enemies a believable reason as to why I couldn't look for you after you get kidnapped."

***

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