Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

"DID YOU meet Duke Winchester?"

"I did, Marquis Lennox," Rufus answered Marquis Lennox's question. "Someone has to keep the representatives of the Twelve Golden Families, after all."

When he got to his office, it did not surprise him to find Marquis Lennox waiting for him.

He couldn't work at the current state of affairs anyway, so he invited the marquis to the drawing room for some tea.

[This is already my second tea for the day.]

"You look like you're in a good mood," Marquis Lennox observed. "Did you convince that stubborn old man to cooperate with us?"

He nodded before he answered. "Duke Winchester and the rest of the Noble Faction will join us when we meet Prince Nero again later."

"How did you convince him?"

"I just told Duke Winchester that if Prince Nero and His Majesty really ended up stepping down from their positions, then Lady Sloane would get reinstated and Lord Calyx would be declared the new Crown Prince," he lied with a straight face. "His Grace abhors the idea of you gaining more power than he has, my lord."

Marquis Lennox looked at him with a blank look on his face, but he didn't show whether he believed it or not.

[Not that it matters– I'm sure he's desperate to have Prince Nero and His Majesty back, too.]

"Prince Nero told us to think about how we can make him stay," the marquis said. "Among the representatives of the Twelve Golden Families, you are the closest to the current Royal Family. I'm sure you know what they may want from us."

"I've come up with two things, Lord Lennox."

"I'm all ears."

"First, to register Princess Neoma de Moonasterio to the Royal Household immediately."

"The Crown Prince's twin sister, huh?" the marquis said while nodding. "That's easy."

Of course, the first offer was easy because the second offer was the real deal.

"Second, approve the bill that His Majesty and I have been proposing to the Twelve Golden Families for a long time now," Rufus said seriously. "I'm talking about the bill where women will get the right to inherit their family title– and that includes granting the royal princesses the right to inherit the throne, too."

Marquis Lennox's eyes went wide. "You're asking for too much, Duke Quinzel!"

***

"GRANDFATHER, how did your meeting with Duke Quinzel go?" Calyx asked Vincent Lennox as soon as his grandfather came home. "Did he say how we can convince Prince Nero and His Majesty to return?"

Duke Rufus Quinzel was the closest noble to His Majesty.

There was no way that the duke wouldn't know about the emperor and Prince Nero's plan.

Today was supposed to be his first day at school, but he didn't want to leave without hearing what Vincent Lennox had talked about with Duke Rufus Quinzel.

"Duke Quinzel came up with two offers to make Prince Nero and His Majesty stay. The first one is easy to accomplish, but the second one is difficult," Vincent Lennox said. "Duke Quinzel wants us to pass the law that allows women to inherit their family title– and it also grants the de Moonasterion princesses to inherit the throne."

When the marquis said the second offer was hard, he expected something that would harm him or his mother.

But…

"That's it?" he asked with knitted eyebrows. "What's so difficult about that, Grandfather?"

The marquis looked surprised by his response. "Calyx, if we pass that law, women will have the right to compete against their men in their family–"

"I don't care, Grandfather," he almost growled at the old man. "If passing that bill is what it takes for His Majesty and Prince Nero to stay, so be it. Do everything and anything to make them come back!"

Vincent Lennox was stupefied by his reaction.

[I should calm down.]

"Grandfather, I want a complete family," Calyx said, his voice cracking. Of course, it was just for show. After all, when his gaze went past his grandfather, he saw his mother climbing down the grand staircase. "I want to be with my father and younger brother, too."

"Calyx, dear, go and attend your afternoon classes," Juliet Sloane, his mother, said to him gently. Then she turned to his grandfather. "I will talk to Lord Vincent."

***

NERO'S FIRST day of school was boring.

Most people avoided him, and he could tell that everyone was being careful not to mention Calyx Dalton. Thankfully, he didn't die of boredom because Hanna was in the same class.

"I don't want to eat at the cafeteria," Nero declared, then he turned to Hanna who was walking beside him. She would usually walk a step behind him in the past. He didn't know when she started walking alongside him, but he wasn't complaining. "Let's look for a restaurant instead. I need to show my face to the people anyway."

Students weren't forbidden to eat outside the academy.

After all, most of the students there were nobles who had an "elite" palate that looked down on cafeteria food, even though the academy had hired famous chefs to cook for them. It was a normal occurrence for the students to complain about the food, so the academy eventually allowed students to leave the school premise to eat outside.

"The student handbook says we need to get permission from Lord Matthews, the Head of Security if we're going to eat out," Hanna explained gently. "Let's head to his office first."

"Alright," he said, then he turned behind them.

Lewis, who looked like it was the end of the world for him, had a very cold look on his face.

As the Crown Prince of the empire, and the current Acting Emperor (although it was a fact known only within the palace for now), he was required to bring his knight everywhere.

Yes, even inside the classroom.

But, of course, Lewis had to stand in a corner.

"What do you want to eat, Lewis?" Nero asked. "Stopped frowning, I'll feed you with delicious food."

"East," Lewis said eagerly. "I want to eat food from the East Continent."

[He's really a rebel through and through, huh?]

He turned his back on the fox boy. "Let's find a restaurant that serves delicacies from the East Continent then."

If they could go to the East Continent where Neoma was headed, he would have gone there already.

But he must finish the fight that he started here first.

"Ah, if it isn't the Crown Prince."

His thoughts got interrupted when a group of three young lords literally block their way.

[Gold neckties?]

Then these noblemen were Juniors of the Crescent Moon Division.

Their division was divided into three grades, and students wore different colors of neckties according to where they belonged. Freshmen like him and Hanna wore maroon neckties, it was silver neckties for the Sophomores, and gold for the Juniors.

"Let me introduce myself," the young lord in the middle said. He had familiar curly, dark green hair. "I'm Keith Valencia, the nephew of Lord Russell Spencer."

[Ah, that's why his curly, dark green hair is familiar.]

If he remembered it correctly, Russell Spencer was the pervert noble who chased his mother in the past.

[Neoma calls that person 'seaweed.']

The other two introduced themselves as well, but he wasn't listening. All he could remember was the two were a part of the vassal families serving House Spencer.

"I fail to understand why introductions are needed here," Nero said, bored. "Unless you're here to become my servants, I'm not interested in making you an acquaintance."

"My uncle said you were arrogant, and I can see that my uncle didn't lie," Keith Valencia said. "It seems like His Royal Highness doesn't know your place, so let me remind you that your position as the Crown Prince is in danger with the appearance of Lord Calyx Dalton."

Ah.

Sometimes, he wondered how dumb people like this boy survived this ruthless world with those tiny brains of theirs.

[I guess Duke Quinzel is still talking to Duke Winchester around this time. So, members of the Noble Faction who aren't aware that Duke Winchester is about to become my slave think I'm about to get dethroned.]

Hah!

[Interesting.]

"My uncle said you'll need some strong backing if you want to stay in power," the arrogant and dumb young lord said. Were the other two that he brought with him just mere decorations? "That's why you're sucking up to Hanna Quinzel, right? You want to marry the Quinzel Princess to have a powerful support since the Quinzels are the richest noble household in the empire."

Hanna didn't say anything, but she looked disgusted by what the stupid boy was saying.

[To be looked at with disgust by someone as kind as Hanna can only mean that you fail as a human being.]

"So, House Spencer and House Valencia have an offer for Your Royal Highness," Keith Valencia said arrogantly, then he pointed to himself. "Give your hidden twin sister to me– and I'll make her my favorite plaything. I mean, mistress. She's not even a proper princess, so she's not worthy to become my wife."

And the three dumb kids laughed as if it was funny.

Ah.

[Someone wishes to die today.]

The thick bloodlust in the air wasn't only coming from Nero– Lewis and Hanna looked as murderous as him at the moment.

But the dumb trio looked oblivious to their killing intent.

[Dumb kids with zero sense of danger– no wonder they're brave.]

"Lewis," Nero said, smiling coldly. "Break their bones."

***

"PRINCESS NEOMA, the teleportation circle is ready."

"Finally," Neoma said, relieved by what Paige said. "I can't stay in this cruise ship anymore and have Rubin follow me around."

She couldn't enjoy the amenities on the cruise ship because 1.) her face stood out, so she was often hit on by men, 2.) her "children" almost murdered the men who approached her for reason #1, and 3.) Rubin kept following her around.

[If I stay here any longer, I might strangle Rubin Drayton the next time I see that punk.]

"Lady Sienna said that we can activate the teleportation scroll that she sent in this port since she has a secret base in this region," Paige explained. The Sun Priestess was fond of Paige, so Sienna would talk to Paige instead of Neoma. "All we have to do is step inside the circle, then it will bring us straight to the Cyran Temple."

"Great," Neoma said, then she turned to her "children" who were all looking at her as if they were waiting for her next order. "Lezzgo, kids."

***

NEOMA had forgotten that she didn't cope well when using a teleportation device.

Just like what she would often feel when using one, she got an upset stomach. She felt like she had been on a rollercoaster ride that made her feel nauseous.

[Argh, I want to throw up.]

She was about to ask Greko for medicine, but her knees suddenly buckled. It was embarrassing, but she could already see her "children" fussing over her. But it wasn't one of her kids who caught her after she almost hit the ground.

"Are you okay, Princess Neoma?"

She raised her head when she heard the familiar voice.

Then she was greeted by that ugly yet lovely burn mark on her most favorite face at the moment.

Yes, it was Ruto.

He held her by the shoulders to help her get on her feet.

She didn't know why she suddenly felt emotional, but she wanted to break into tears in front of Ruto. Remembering what that hateful Calyx Dalton told her about her baby in her past life scared her. She knew that she shouldn't trust the enemy's words, but for some reason, hearing about the baby made her weak.

"You, tell me," Neoma said, forgetting the fact that she wanted to throw up earlier. Then she grabbed Ruto's collar. The action obviously startled him, but she didn't let go. "I know it's my fault why you forgot about me, but you have to remember everything now, Ruto. You have to remember what happened to our baby."

Ruto's eyes went wide– and it was clear that he was shocked by her revelation. "B-Baby? Yours and mine?"

She was about to answer him.

When, all of a sudden, she felt an ominous aura behind her.

"What are you talking about, Neoma de Moonasterio?"

[Papa Boss?]

"How can a baby talk about having a baby?"

[M-Mama Boss?]

Neoma turned around, then she gasped when she confirmed what she feared.

Much to her shock, she really saw her Papa Boss and Mama Boss who looked like they wanted to kill Ruto right there, right now.

[They're already here?!]

And it wasn't only her "children" and her parents that she saw– Sienna (the Sun Priestess), Lady Yngrid (Ruto's mother), and Manu (the Moon Priest) were also there, standing with a shocked look on their faces.

She instinctively stood in front of Ruto protectively.

"Papa Boss, Mama Boss, everyone– please calm down," Neoma said nervously. "Let me explain."

***

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