Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

[I DON'T know if this is a garden or a graveyard.]

Neoma kept her mouth shut while looking around.

The simplest way to explain that place would be a "dead garden." It was obvious the garden had been neglected for quite some time now. And for some reason, there were human bones scattered on the ground.

[I can't believe a place like this exists in Astello Temple.]

When she followed William, she found herself on the open rooftop of the dome-shaped building in Astello Temple. But technically, it wasn't an "open" space since there was a curved transparent roof over them. To be precise, it was a barrier.

But William easily broke the barrier.

"I didn't break the barrier, if that's what you're thinking about," William said, even without looking at her. "The barrier just let us in. Of course, it won't work on just anyone."

If it wouldn't work for anyone, then…

[What do I have in common with William?]

"Is this barrier programmed to accept Rosehearts?" Neoma asked carefully. "I believe our Roseheart Blood is the only thing in common we have, Uncle Scumbag."

"You're right," he said, then he turned to her. "This is the graveyard of the male Rosehearts who were killed and turned into Soul Beasts in the past. The bones you see belong to them."

Oh.

She slowly removed her feet from the bone that she accidentally stepped on.

[I'm sorry…]

To be honest, she could have avoided the bones when she was walking earlier. But for some reason, she felt sluggish and a little sleepy.

[But I just drank a lot of energy potions earlier?]

"Uncle Scumbag, why are these bones here?" she asked carefully. "Can't we move them somewhere else and give them a proper resting place?"

"We can't remove these bones here, since they serve as Astello Temple's protection," he said. "Moreover, it was Nero Roseheart's wish for him and his people's remains to stay here."

"Ah, I'm glad you brought that up, Uncle Scumbag," she said. "Delwyn told me the first Holy Knight that served the first de Moonasterio ruler was called Nero Roseheart. Is my twin brother named after him?"

"Mona and I never talked about it since I tried to kill her child when she was pregnant," he said bluntly. "During that time, I didn't know she was carrying twins, and that one of them was a male Roseheart. But knowing your mother's naming sense, I bet it was Nikolai de Moonasterio's idea to name your brother after the First Holy Knight."

She remembered her father telling her that her Mama Boss almost named her 'Swordlily.'

[And people say I have a horrible naming sense.]

"I think you're right, Uncle Scumbag."

"Nero Roseheart, the first Holy Knight of Astello Temple, was also the owner of an Elemental Guardian– the White Lion."

Oh?

That was interesting.

"The Elemental Guardian of the sky is the Thunderbird, the Blue Whale for the ocean, and it's the White Lion for the land," the Grand Spirit explained. "Do you know why the first Roseheart matriarch was granted the 'Lionheart' title?"

"I'd like to say it was because of their bravery, since most dictionaries describe being a 'lionheart' as 'a person with exceptional courage and bravery,'" she said. "But I believe there would be a deeper meaning behind that title."

William nodded before he spoke again. "The first de Moonasterio ruler was a king and not an emperor. As a royal child raised in place of the real Crown Prince, you should know that much."

She nodded. "I learned it from my History class," she said. "The empire started as a small kingdom."

"That's correct," he said. "It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Nero Roseheart and the saint of that time helped the de Moonasterio build the empire that you have now. During Nero Roseheart's time, Darkness was still the world's enemy. But his divine energy, along with the de Moonasterio's Moonglow, cleansed the whole continent together. During the last war before Darkness was completely eliminated, Nero Roseheart and his White Lion sacrificed their lives for the empire. The title 'Lionheart' was given to Nero Roseheart when he died, but it was erased from history. Thus, most people thought that the title solely belonged to the first Roseheart matriarch."

Oh.

"Ah, that's why it was never mentioned in any history books," she said. [And I don't remember hearing that even back in my first life.]

"Even the fact that the first Roseheart matriarch was given the 'Lionheart' title was erased from history."

That was true.

She didn't know the Rosehearts were such a powerful existence in the empire. In her past life, she didn't even know her mother was a Roseheart.

"The nobles running the empire in the past didn't want the people to know that the first Holy Knight was a male Roseheart– who was also an Elemental Guardian owner," William continued with his story. "The more the de Moonasterios gained power, the more they erased the Rosehearts in history. Of course, there was a reason why your ancestors of that time were adamant on doing that to the Rosehearts."

She clenched her hands tight. "Was it because the de Moonasterios of that time were already targeting the male Rosehearts to turn them into Soul Beasts?"

"I'm glad you're quick to catch on," the Grand Spirit said. "Anyway, the point is the first Holy Knight was a male Roseheart who also owned the White Lion. But I doubt if the current Holy Knights knew that."

"They don't know that the first Holy Knight was a Roseheart?"

He shook his head. "They don't. All they know is the first Holy Knight owned the holy White Lion?"

"Why is it holy?"

"Because the White Lion was the Elemental Guardian that Yule owned when he descended on the human world during the Ancient Period," William explained. "That's the reason why the de Moonasterio's family crest is a white lion. Even the emperor's Order was named after it." He clicked his tongue. "Don't you know that?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Wait, I think I remember that from my History class," she said. "I was just confused for a moment because I never imagined that the Elemental Guardian White Lion we were talking about was the same White Lion as my family's crest."

"I can see why you'd be confused, since it was never mentioned in history that the second owner of the White Lion was a male Roseheart."

"Second owner?" she asked curiously. "So, after Lord Yule, Nero Roseheart was the next owner of the White Lion? But Nero Roseheart didn't live in the same era as when Lord Yule descended, right?"

"That's a testament to how picky the White Lion is when it comes to choosing an owner," the Grand Spirit said. "In fact, after Nero Roseheart died, the White Lion was never summoned again. Many have tried, but they all failed."

"Oh."

Wow, she felt like her brain was lagging.

She knew what William was trying to say, but her mind was kind of blanking out so all she could say was 'oh.'

[Gosh, why am I being lame?]

She shouldn't be feeling this way after she consumed energy potions. Paige Avery, her capable Mage and "daughter," couldn't have made a potion that wouldn't work. So why was she feeling more slugging and drowsy as time passed by?

William looked at her disapprovingly, then he clicked his tongue. "You're tired, Neoma de Moonasterio," he said. "You may refill your Mana with supplements like energy potions, but that doesn't mean you'll regain your strength. A powerful soul like yours needs a healthy body. You're still a child physically, so you must not neglect your health."

"Aww, Uncle Scumbag," she said playfully. "Are you worried about me?"

"I can't work with a corpse, can I?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "So, what kind of miracle do we need to create in order to gain the favor of the Holy Knights?"

"I will lend you my Rose."

"You mean the rose stuck in your heart?"

"Yes," he said. "Male Rosehearts have midnight blue Roses, while female Rosehearts have coral pink Roses in their hearts. The memories lingering in this graveyard can only be activated by a male Roseheart."

"Why only a male Roseheart?"

"Because in the past, women weren't allowed to step foot in the temple," he explained. "Nero Roseheart was a decent man, but he had to respect the temple's rules."

"Okay, `gotcha."

"The Holy Knights, no matter which generation, are obsessed with the first knight and the White Lion even though they don't know the real identity of the First Holy Knight," the Grand Spirit said. "We will use that to our advantage."

"By letting them know that the first Holy Knight was a Roseheart, and Nero, the real Crown Prince, was named after him?"

"Yes, exactly that," he said. "Moreover, the memories that Nero Roseheart left in this place were memories of his time with the White Lion. Like I said earlier, the Holy Knights adore the White Lion because it's the Elemental Guardian that Lord Yule owned in the past."

"Will something like that work?"

"Yule's fanatics are emotional people," the Grand Spirit said. "They're gullible when it comes to anything that may bring them closer to their god."

She couldn't relate because she wasn't a religious person.

"Don't give me the look that says you don't get it," he said while frowning at her. "Imagine if I tell you I'd show you the ten most beautiful people in the whole world. What would you feel?"

All the drowsiness and exhaustion that she felt earlier instantly disappeared.

"I'll worship you if you do that, Uncle Scumbag," she said energetically. "But I guess there will only be nine faces to admire. After all, I'm pretty sure I'm in the top ten of the most beautiful people in the world."

The Grand Spirit just gave her a dire stare. "Now you get it?"

She gave him a thumbs up. "Totally."

"Good. Now let's proceed," the Grand Spirit said, then he put a hand over his chest. "I'll pluck my Rose."

"Okay," she said. "What should I do?"

"Are you good at acting?"

She smirked at that question. "You're talking to a former child actress turned vlogger-slash-mukbanger here, Uncle Scumbag."

"You just had to answer with 'yes' or 'no.'"

"I'm unapologetically 'extra' like that, so deal with it."

"Whatever. Now keep your mouth shut, Neoma de Moonasterio," William said coldly. "And try not to faint since you look like you're about to pass out anytime."

"As if," Neoma said haughtily. "Only an idiot would faint after drinking energy potions."

It was at this moment she knew she fucked up.

***

"SIR HENRIK, call over the Head Priest and everyone who could move at the moment," Dave Wellington said to Henrik Benedict, the captain of the Holy Knights. "We will hold an emergency meeting."

After his talk with Paige Avery, he immediately headed to Henrik Benedict's personal training room.

He was glad that the captain was there because that room was safe for them to talk in private. It was soundproof, and only people with permission had access on that floor. In that way, he could be assured that the "Crown Prince's" people wouldn't eavesdrop.

"The Head Priest and the others have already recovered, so it's possible to call them over, Your Eminence," Henrik Benedict said. "But may I know what the meeting would be about?"

"I'm going to file a formal complaint against the empire," he said sternly. "I won't let the Crown Prince do whatever he wants."

The captain knitted his eyebrows. "But Your Eminence, His Royal Highness saved us…"

He scoffed. "Don't you find it strange that we were attacked by Darkness as soon as His Royal Highness arrived?"

"Your Eminence, please watch your words," the captain said worriedly. "Even though Valmento is an independent state from the empire, blasphemy against the Royal Family is still–"

"Forget it," he cut the captain off. "The Holy Knights' duty is to protect me and the temple. Even though the de Moonasterios are the descendants of Lord Yule, they aren't the Moon God themselves. We worship Lord Yule– not the Royal Family."

Being the obedient captain that he was, Henrik Benedict kept his mouth shut even though his eyes didn't look pleased.

[What a good dog.]

"Just do as I say, Henrik," Dave Wellington said, then he put a hand on the captain's shoulder. "This is for Astello Temple."

***

HENRIK BENEDICT was lost in thoughts while guiding High Priest Wellington, along with the other high-ranking priests in the temple, to the meeting hall.

Since they didn't want to get the attention of Prince Nero's people, he didn't bring the other Holy Knights with him. It was what the High Priest wanted, anyway. Thankfully, the meeting hall was in a separate building from the one that the Crown Prince was using. To be precise, it was in a secluded area.

That area was also where the previous house of the First Holy Knight, called 'The Sacred Garden,' was located…

[Wait.]

He stopped walking when he noticed a bright light that burst on the rooftop of The Sacred Garden. A sense of protectiveness washed over his chest as he clenched his fists tight.

[Who dares to intrude the resting place of the first Holy Knight?!]

"Your Eminence, I apologize, but I need to go," Henrik Benedict said politely without even turning to the priests behind him. "I must check on The Sacred Garden first!"

"Henrik, stop," High Priest Wellington said. "I didn't allow you to leave!"

He ignored the High Priest as he ran as fast as he could towards The Sacred Garden.

And he wasn't the only one headed in that direction.

Halfway to the dome-shaped building, he met his fellow Holy Knights who also rushed to The Sacred Garden.

He couldn't say that he was surprised. After all, for every Holy Knight, the resting place of their Founder was special to them. They didn't need to talk– just the look on everyone's face told him that all of them were there to protect the sacred place.

[I hope nothing bad happens…]

When Henrik and the rest of the Holy Knights arrived at the rooftop, they were greeted by the Crown Prince.

And Prince Nero wasn't alone.

A powerful Spirit with a strange divine energy was standing next to him.

He and his fellow knights unconsciously reached out for their swords. It wasn't their intention to do that in the presence of the Crown Prince. But the aura of the Spirit was hostile.

"Gentlemen, please put your hearts at ease," Prince Nero said gently, his smile and tone soothing. "Lord William isn't a dangerous Spirit. In fact, you could say that he's related to me. After all, he is a Roseheart."

Ah, right.

The Crown Prince's mother was the late Lady Mona Roseheart.

"I apologize for our behavior, Your Royal Highness," Henrik said politely, then he dropped his arm to his side. He signaled his men to do the same. "And I don't want to sound rude, but this place is a restricted area. May I know why Your Royal Highness is here? We saw a strange light on our way here…"

"Ah, to be honest, I also didn't know how I got here," the Crown Prince said in a mellow voice. "But earlier, I heard a voice softly calling for me. When I came to my senses, I'm already here."

The Crown Prince turned to the Spirit who remained frowning while standing like a statue.

[A handsome statue, at that.]

"Lord William here was also summoned by the same voice I heard," Prince Nero continued, then he turned to him. "It seems like the first Holy Knight, your Founder, summoned us."

He knitted his eyebrows in confusion and curiosity. "But why would the Founder of the Holy Knights summon Your Royal Highness?"

Prince Nero smiled sadly, then he opened his mouth to speak.

But then, the Crown Prince suddenly fainted.

Henrik's eyes widened from worry. "Your Royal Highness!"

***

[ONLY idiots would faint after taking in energy potions, huh?]

That was probably the b*llshit of the century.

William wanted to flick his fingers on Neoma de Moonasterio's forehead, but he still had a job to do. "Stop," he warned the Holy Knights from approaching the royal princess who was now unconscious on the floor. "The Crown Prince is fine."

The Holy Knights were surprised that they could understand him.

After all, humans knew that they weren't capable of hearing and understanding Spirits. But he was a special Spirit, so that rule didn't apply to him.

"But the Crown Prince fainted," the Holy Knight, who seemed to be the captain, said. "Shouldn't we at least call a Healer?"

Hmm.

The plan he had made with Neoma de Moonasterio earlier was now messed up since she fainted. And thus, he must adapt and adjust to the situation.

"The Crown Prince didn't faint because he was sick," he lied bluntly. After all, the key to lying was confidence. "The Crown Prince is currently in the middle of receiving a holy message from Nero Roseheart– the Founder of the Holy Knights whom he was named after."

He heard a collective gasp from the Holy Knights.

"The First Holy Knight, the Founder of our troop, was a Roseheart?" the captain asked, shocked. Then he turned to the unconscious "Crown Prince" on the floor. "And our Prince Nero was named after the First Holy Knight?"

"Yes," William lied with a straight face again, then he snapped his fingers. "And I, under the order of Prince Nero, will now show you the memories of the first Holy Knight that we found in this sacred garden."

***

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