Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

"SWEETIE?"

Hanna smiled when she saw her parents as soon as she opened her eyes.

But her smile instantly disappeared when she remembered that it wasn't the right time to be relieved. She got up immediately, then she got confused when she found herself on an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room.

"We are at Count Robinson's mansion," her father, who probably noticed her confusion, explained. "The residents of the village noticed the strange thing happening at the Light Temple, so they went there to check. Count Robinson helped us as soon as he saw us at the temple's entrance."

"When your father and I woke up, we found you unconscious. Thankfully, Count Robinson and the other nobles arrived at the Light Temple shortly after we woke up," her mother added worriedly while holding your hand tight. "The doctor who checked on you earlier said that you fainted due to fatigue. But are you really okay, sweetie? You're not hurt anywhere?"

Hanna shook her head. "I'm fine, Mother," she said. "But where are Lord West and Lady Audley?"

"Lady Audley is currently being treated by the doctor in the next room. But rest assured, the doctor said that Lady Audley's life isn't in danger. She has consumed some poisonous Darkness, but it's just a small amount that the doctor could purify it easily," her father explained. "Lord West, on the other hand, stayed at the Light Temple to help Lady Avery fight the Dark Elf."

Ah, right.

Lukas, the Dark Elf imprisoned in the Light Temple, had broken free from his chains.

[I hope Lady Avery and Lord West don't get hurt while fighting Lukas.]

She knew that the Light mage and the Soul Beast were both strong individuals, so she was confident that the two would win against the Dark Elf.

"Mother, Father, what happened?" she asked worriedly, grabbing each of her parents' hands in hers. Then he turned to her father. "Father, you dropped me off at the academy. How come you suddenly disappeared?" She turned to her mother this time. "Mother, I thought you were with Grandmother and Grandfather? Where are they? Are they safe?"

"We were just about to leave the mansion when we were attacked by two individuals who could turn into crows," her mother explained. "They took my parents as hostages, so I had no choice but to follow them. The crows asked me to lure your father to the Light Temple where they brought me, so I sent a message to him."

"I knew instantly that it was a trap, since your mother had no reason to be at the Light Temple during your important match," her father added. "Your mother specifically said in her letter that I must come alone. I was afraid that they'd hurt her if I secretly brought my people, so I decided to come to the Light Temple alone even though I knew it was a trap."

Her heart hurt for her parents.

[I almost lost them because of those cruel crows…]

"When I arrived at the temple, your mother was already unconscious inside the tank," her father shared. "I tried to fight the crows and save your mother, but I was ambushed by Lukas. I saw them putting me in the tank with your mother before I lost consciousness."

"That was how I found you, Mother, Father," Hanna said in a trembling voice. The reality of almost losing her parents hitting her hard now. "I'm so glad that I wasn't late."

"But you had to withdraw from the match," her father said, his eyes filled with sadness and guilt. "We're so sorry, sweeties. Because we weren't careful enough, you had to withdraw from the match to save us."

"You even had to risk your life just to save us," her mother said in a cracked voice. "We're so sorry, sweetie. And thank you for saving me and your father."

A lump formed in her throat.

She was about to cry and tell her parents that they didn't have to feel sorry for her, or thank her for saving her because she would do everything for them.

But their emotional moment was interrupted by an urgent knock on the door.

She held back her tears while her father let Count Robinson– a short, chubby man in his fifties who had a kind face– inside the room.

"Lady Hanna, I'm glad that you're awake now," Count Robinson said politely, but the urgent look on his face didn't disappear as he addressed her parents. "Duke and Duchess Quinzel, I apologize for interrupting your family time. But I have an urgent piece of news that I need to share with you. Again, I am sorry."

"It's alright, Count Robinson," her father said to the count. "What happened?"

"My cousin who's at the academy right now to watch Prince Nero's match against Lord Calyx sent me an urgent message– and this piece of news has already spread in the Royal Capital," Count Robinson said while wiping the beads of sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief. "Lord Calyx's mother appeared to stop Prince Nero from almost killing Lord Calyx."

Her mother gasped.

Hanna, on the other hand, wasn't surprised. But she was glad that the count said 'almost.' It meant Neoma kept Calyx Dalton alive in the end.

[Thank you, Neoma– I'll kill Calyxn Dalton myself soon.]

"The problem is the identity of Lord Calyx's mother," Count Robinson said nervously. "It turned out that his mother is the supposedly dead Empress Juliet."

Her father and mother looked shocked.

Of course, Hanna had the same reaction.

[What kind of trick are the crows trying to pull this time?!]

***

"YOUR ROYAL Highness, I'm begging you– please don't kill my son."

Neoma was stupefied while watching Empress Juliet beg for her mercy.

[Empress Juliet… is Calyx's mother?]

She was too mind-blown to react.

[What the fuck is going on?]

She only snapped out of it when she felt her Papa Boss's intense presence looming in their direction.

[Papa Boss must have been shocked, too.]

"I'm not going to kill Calyx Dalton," Neoma said when she recovered from her shock. Then she slowly stood up while helping Empress Juliet to stand up with her. "Please don't cry, Your Majesty."

Empress Juliet suddenly stopped crying as if she was shocked by what she said. "Why is Your Royal Highness addressing me as such? I'm just the sister of a viscount in the countryside."

It was her turn to get shocked. "Aren't you… Juliet Sloane?"

"My name is Juliet, Your Majesty," the empress said. "But I am Juliet Dalton and not Juliet Sloane."

There were only two plausible explanations for this.

First, Juliet Sloane and Juliet Dalton were two different people who just happened to share the same face.

Second, a classic trope.

Amnesia.

[Does Empress Juliet have amnesia?]

"Juliet?"

Neoma turned to her Papa Boss who was now standing beside her.

As expected, her father's eyes were glued to Empress Juliet, and the emperor was looking at her in disbelief.

Empress Juliet, who looked shocked when the emperor called her name, immediately bowed her head towards His Majesty. "Greetings to the one and only Moon of the Great Moonasterion Empire," she said politely. "My name is Juliet Dalton, and I am Calyx's mother."

After the initial shock on her Papa Boss's face, he returned immediately to having his signature grumpy face.

[Oh?]

"Headmaster Salvatore," the emperor said indifferently to the headmaster who was standing behind them. "Calyx Dalton's guardian has already withdrawn him from the match. Let's end this match here and announce the winner."

"A-As you wish, Your Majesty," Headmaster Salvatore, who obviously sounded confused, cleared his throat before he yelled the result of the match. "Calyx Dalton can no longer continue the match– Prince Nero de Moonasterio wins!"

The majority of the crowd was silent.

Only a few cheered and clapped their hands.

Neoma won the match– but it was an embarrassing win.

[This is what a pyrrhic victory looks like.]

"Nero, go back to the palace and rest."

Neoma heard her Papa Boss's order, and she knew it was right for her to return to the palace first. But she froze on her spot when Calyx Dalton, who was almost dead earlier, suddenly gained consciousness.

"M-Mother?"

"Calyx," Juliet Dalton said in a voice filled with a mix of relief and worry, then she immediately knelt beside her son and checked on him. She immediately cried again while looking at Calyx's beaten up face. "L-Let's go to the infirmary first."

Calyx slowly got up while his mother helped him carefully. "I'm alright, Mother," he said in a weak voice, then his trembling hand reached Juliet Dalton's face. He tried to smile, but his busted lips must have hurt because his smile immediately turned into a wince. "Please don't cry. It's bad for your heart to worry too much. Mother shouldn't be here because of your weak body."

"Who's worrying about who now?" Juliet Dalton scolded her son between sobs. "Can you stand, son?"

The scene might have looked touching to the people watching the two.

But Neoma felt iffy.

She knew she had to do something, so she put on a gentle face and bent her knees while extending a hand to Calyx Dalton.

"I apologize for going overboard, Lord Calyx," Neoma said in the most apologetic voice that she could muster. Since the barrier had been broken now, the enchantment that the crows had put had also disappeared so she was being careful with her words. "My drive to win made me lose it. I know that it sounds like an excuse, but I truly am sorry for what I have done."

"It's a fight, Prince Nero. You shouldn't say sorry for doing what you must in order to win," Calyx Dalton said, acting like the benevolent bastard that he wasn't. Then he accepted her extended hand and allowed her to help him stand up. "I'm alright, so please don't apologize. Your Royal Highness is young, so I understand why you got carried away by your passion to win."

She almost laughed sarcastically.

[Acting like a kind "older brother" now, aren't we?]

"Moreover, it only looked like you went overboard because I was too weak to defend myself," Calyx Dalton said lightly, then he laughed as if he was embarrassed. "But it's not Your Royal Highness's fault that you're too strong for me."

[Someone is good at acting, too, huh?]

She smiled, her eyes now brimming with tears to appear remorseful. "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Calyx," she said in a cracked voice, not letting go of his hand yet. She even put her other hand over his hand. "I can't thank you enough for your understanding."

Calyx Dalton smiled and nodded. "Congratulations on winning, Prince Nero."

"Thank you," she said, then she smiled sadly. "But to be honest, with the benevolence that you've shown towards me, I believe you're the true winner of the match."

"Please don't say that, Prince Nero," Calyx Dalton said, acting shy. "I don't deserve your high praise."

"You deserve it, Lord Calyx," she said, then she finally let go of his hand. After that, she turned to Juliet Dalton and bowed her head towards her. "I apologize for the violence I've inflicted on your son, Lady Dalton. My unsightly behavior must have scared and traumatized my lady."

"Y-Your Royal Highness, please raise your head," Juliet Dalton said as if she was panicking. "I was just shocked because this is the first time I saw my son in such a state. But Calyx is right– Your Royal Highness is still young, so it's only natural for you to lose control. What's more important is the fact that Your Royal Highness acknowledged what you have done now that your head is clear. So p-please raise your head now, Prince Nero."

She did as she was told, then she smiled kindly at the empress. "Thank you for your benevolence, Lady Dalton."

Juliet Dalton smiled, and she was about to say something when Calyx Dalton stumbled. "Son!"

Neoma immediately caught Calyx Dalton, then she put his arm over her shoulders while she wrapped her arm around his waist to help him stand and walk. "Lord Calyx, please allow me to bring you to the infirmary," she said, then she turned to Juliet Dalton. "Lady Dalton, is that alright with you?"

"Of course, Your Royal Highness," Juliet Dalton said, then she smiled warmly at her. "Thank you."

She just smiled.

"Your Royal Highness is really kind," Calyx Dalton said, then he leaned down and whispered in her ear. He even covered his mouth with his hand so that his lip movement wouldn't be read. "I told you, didn't I? Once all the aces up my sleeve are revealed, you can no longer kill me."

[This fucking bitch…]

Neoma smiled anyway. "You're welcome, Lord Calyx."

"Ah, what a beautiful display of sportsmanship," Headmaster Salvatore, who seemed to be genuinely touched, said and clapped his hands. "Prince Nero and Lord Calyx, both of you made the academy proud."

At first, only a few joined the headmaster in clapping.

But before Neoma and Calyx Dalton left the stage, almost everyone in the crowd was already clapping and cheering for them.

[Ah, Papa Boss…]

Amid all of that, Emperor Nikolai and Juliet Dalton remained on the stage while looking at each other.

***

[SHE'S STILL a child in the end.]

Helstor couldn't help but laugh after he was informed that Neoma de Moonasterio lost it after Calyx Dalton told her about the "baby" that she killed.

He had just returned to his home in Altalune– the West Continent, governed by Yule– when Lucius gave him a blow-by-blow coverage of the ongoing match between Neoma de Moonasterio and Calyx Dalton.

Lucius was a Dark Elf that served as his eyes in the Royal Capital, and he was also Lukas' twin brother.

[Calyx Dalton really used the "information" I gave him really well.]

"It was just rubbish, though," Helstor whispered to himself, still laughing. "I only made up a random story from the snippets I saw after eating some of Ruston Stroganoff's memories."

There was a baby in the story that Neoma de Moonasterio had apparently killed.

But he couldn't tell from the images and voices that he had seen and heard whether the baby was conceived by Neoma de Moonasterio and Ruston Stroganoff. He just made his own conclusion and told Calyx Dalton to say it to the royal princess.

Neoma de Moonasterio didn't have the full memories of her first life, so he thought of messing up with her head.

And he succeeded.

[I didn't expect that Neoma de Moonasterio would really lose her mind in the middle of the match, though.]

Knowing that his little trick worked on the amnesiac royal princess put him in a good mood.

"Everyone's attention is definitely on Empress Juliet's return," Helstor whispered to himself. "It's now the perfect time to go and save Lukas.

***

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