Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

"SO, NERO helped you become a better Summoner?" Neoma asked Preston Willows while the two of them were having a stroll in the garden. She was munching on the edible flowers that Myah, the "sweet fairy," made for her earlier. "That's why you pledged your loyalty to him?"

She was surprised to hear it when Preston told her that Nero personally trained him for a few months.

Apparently, thanks to her twin brother's guidance, Preston was able to see fairies more clearly than he did before. And after obtaining Myah, the fairies who followed Myah decided to follow Preston, too.

[But that only means that if Preston lost Myah, the other fairies would leave him.]

Now she understood why Nero wasn't keen on keeping the kid by his side.

[Preston still has a long way to go.]

If it was her, she would be patient with Preston and guide him until he reached his full potential. That was it meant to be a "mother," after all. However, she knew that Nero didn't have the patience for that.

[Nero was born good at everything. He doesn't know how it feels to struggle to achieve something.]

"That's one of the main reasons," Preston Willows said, blushing as if he had turned into a shy young maiden. "But, to be honest, it was like love at first sight for me. Prince Nero is just so charismatic. There's just something about him that screams power. Moreover, he's so majestic! It was like he was really born to be a great emperor!"

Hmm.

Listening to Preston gush over Nero was a little annoying.

[I wonder if this is how people who hear me brag about myself feel. Is this how annoying I sound? Gosh, how I wish I can buy humility so I won't be as arrogant as I am right now.]

"Princess Neoma, are you listening?"

"Not really," Neoma admitted shamelessly. "I mean, I'm currently having a sibling rivalry with Nero. So, hearing you praise the hell out of him doesn't feel good. But don't worry, I'm a cool aunt so I'll allow you to fanboy over my twin brother."

[I'll just make Ruto praise me later until my ears are cleansed.]

"You know, Princess Neoma, I actually envy you for being with Prince Nero since you were in Lady Roseheart's womb," Preston said, a little solemn. "But if I put myself in your shoe, I think you're in a pitiful position."

"Excuse me?" she asked in disbelief. "Me? In a pitiful position?"

Her position was bothersome, but she never thought she was in a pitiful state.

"It's hard to have a perfect twin brother like Prince Nero, isn't it?" Preston said, ignoring what she had just said. "Prince Nero is handsome, smart, talented, powerful, charismatic, and very regal. If I were you, I'd be insecure for real."

"You're annoying, but you have a valid point," she said, trying to be more patient since she was talking to a child. "However, I have everything that Nero has. I'm super pretty, I have a big brain, I'm talented as fuck, more powerful than Goku, charming as hell, and I'm the only and only royal princess of the Great Moonasterion Empire."

"That's true," the kid said, but he was clearly NOT impressed by her. "But Prince Nero is the better Summoner between the two of you, so I like him better."

Wow, she was impressed by her willpower.

She almost punched the kid in the face, but she managed to hold back.

[Come on, Neoma Roseheart de Moonasterio," she scolded herself. [Not everyone will like you, or get impressed by your abilities. Plus, Preston has the right to choose whom to idolize.]

"And since Prince Nero is such a great Summoner, I know that he's not interested in someone like me."

"I'm glad that you're self-aware."

Preston pouted like the child that he was. "You're supposed to comfort me, Princess Neoma."

"You need a reality check, not false hope," she said firmly. "I'm not saying this because I'm jealous of Nero or something. But you should know that my twin brother isn't really a warm person. He has this bad habit of judging people based on their "worth.""

He smiled and nodded. "I'm aware of that, Princess Neoma. I know that Prince Nero doesn't find me valuable. However, he hasn't discarded me yet, so there's still hope for me."

Aigoo.

[This kid really respects Nero.]

"That's why I have a question, Princess Neoma," Preston said while looking at her with pleading eyes. "How do I make Prince Nero like me even just a little bit?"

"You have to be reborn as ME to make Nero like you."

The kid clicked his tongue.

"Hey, kid, did you just click your tongue at me?" she asked, then she clicked her tongue, too. "This rude punk."

Preston just pouted. "If only I'm a better Summoner. Prince Nero taught me for months, but I barely improved. I understand why he has given up on me. But I still want to get better. Maybe then he'll look at me again."

She hadn't seen Nero teach anyone yet.

But based on her experience, she knew that her twin brother wasn't the best teacher.

[I mean, when we were babies, he told me to beat the shit out of my Soul Beast in order to tame it.]

"Lord Preston, just out of curiosity, how did Nero teach you to be a Summoner?"

Preston flinched, then he avoided her gaze before he responded. "Prince Nero told me that I must… dominate the Spirits that I want to control."

"By "dominate," you mean to beat them to a pulp?"

"I'm sure Prince Nero doesn't mean it that way."

"That's exactly what he meant by "dominate,"" she said, shaking her head. "It works for Nero, but that kind of method doesn't suit a child like you."

He turned to her with a pout. "I'm not a child, Princess Neoma. Moreover, we're the same age."

"Sure," she said, then she put the last edible flower in her mouth. "Befriend them."

"Hmm?"

"You're a good kid, and Myah seems to like you genuinely," she said. "You don't have to do it like Nero. My twin brother has this intimidating aura around him that makes the Spirits fear him. But that's not the only way to control the Spirits."

Preston finally looked at her properly. "How did you control your Spirits, Princess Neoma?"

"I made a genuine bond with them," she said, smiling. "Plus, I only take the Spirits who like me back."

The kid tilted his head to one side. "I don't understand."

"I'm telling you not to underestimate the power of friendship," she said, laughing. The 'Power of Friendship' was a famous trope whether it was in the anime, webcomics, manga, or TV shows. Most fans often made fun of that trope. But there was a reason why it was popular. "I know that it's common to have an employer-employee relationship with the Spirits. But it doesn't mean that it's the only relationship that you can form with them, Lord Preston. After all, Spirits are living things and not mere objects. They also have feelings like we do, so it's only right to treat them equally."

Preston's eyes sparkled. "Princess Neoma, are you friends with your Spirits?"

"Hell yeah, I am. They're my chingus," Neoma said, laughing. Then she opened her arms. "Mochi, Soju, Kimchi, come out and let's play."

Unbeknown to both Neoma, that moment really made her a "cool aunt" in Preston's eyes.

***

"PRINCESS NEOMA, I think you and my younger brother look good."

Hmm.

Neoma wondered how she should put Phoebe Willows in her place.

She was minding her business while taking a last look at the Cyran Temple when Phoebe Willows approached her. It looked like the child didn't want her to leave in peace, huh?

"Preston is an introvert, and he adores Prince Nero," Phoebe Willows, who was standing beside her, said while looking ahead. It looked like the child was looking at the temple, but she knew that she was stealing glances from her as if she was watching her reaction. "Hence, I was surprised when I saw him having a good time with Your Royal Highness."

"Well, we did have a good time," Neoma said, uninterested. "Preston and my Sprits got along easily."

After all, both Preston and her Spirits had this child-like innocence in them.

"Preston is the same age as Your Royal Highness," Phoebe continued. This time, she turned to her and faced her properly. It was cute how Phoebe had to look up at her because Neoma was taller than her. "In our kingdom, children as young as twelve years old are allowed to get engaged."

"So what?"

"I heard that Your Royal Highness is set to have a grand debut after you're officially added to the Royal Household Registry," the child said carefully. "Since the East Continent has a good relationship with the Great Moonasterion Empire, I thought it would benefit the Kingdom of Suoh and the de Moonasterion Royal Family if Your Royal Highness gets engaged with my brother."

"Interesting," she said, smirking. "Carry on."

[I haven't heard such bullshit in a long while, so carry on and entertain me, child.]

"Princess Neoma, I'm sorry if this sounds offensive, but I know that the royal princesses in the Great Moonasterion Empire are actually powerless," Phoebe said seriously. "But if you introduce yourself to the empire with my family's backing, then the nobles in your empire won't look down on you."

"Are you saying that I need to cling to your family to gain political power?"

"Please don't make it sound like my suggestion is bad, Princess Neoma."

"It's not bad– it's insulting," she said calmly. She was insulted, but she was trying to be gracious because Phoebe Willows was a child. An adult like her should always be understanding to children, after all. "Why do I need to get engaged just to gain power? I'm a royal princess. I know that we're treated like shit in our empire. But you implying that I need a man to be respected is far more insulting, Lady Phoebe."

The child looked horrified by what she said. "I don't mean it that way, Princess Neoma. I'm just trying to help you–"

"No, you're not," she said, cutting the child off on purpose. "You're just setting me up with Lord Preston because you want to separate me from Ruto."

"How could you address Lord Ruto so casually, Princess Neoma?" Phoebe asked, frowning. "He's older than you. And even if you are a royal princess, Lord Ruto is not someone that you can address without honorifics."

"I can, because he gave me permission to do so."

The child was obviously not pleased with what she said. "Lord Ruto is my fiancé. Please respect that, Princess Neoma."

"Before you tell me to respect your non-existent relationship with Ruto, shouldn't you respect his decision first? He already declined your marriage proposal."

"But it's Lord Levi himself who chose me to be Lord Ruto's fiancée!"

"Lord Levi doesn't have the right to decide for Ruto."

Phoebe looked horrified. "How can you speak that way towards a god, Princess Neoma?"

"It's not just for Ruto," she said, ignoring the child's question. "Lady Phoebe, you shouldn't let your family decide for you, too."

"But they did not force me," the child said, frowning. "I really like Lord Ruto. I'm sure that he's the one I want to be with for the rest of my life."

"Does he feel the same way?"

Phoebe bit her lower lip. "Lord Ruto rejected me already. But I don't want to give up yet. As long as Lord Ruto isn't married yet, then I won't give up on him."

"I see," she said. "Good luck then."

She wasn't being sarcastic; she meant it.

[I don't have the right to tell Phoebe Willows to stop liking Ruto. After all, Ruto and I don't have a formal relationship yet.]

The child glared at her. "Are you that confident that Lord Ruto's feelings for you won't waver?"

"So, you're aware that Ruto has feelings for me."

"Are you not threatened by my presence in Lord Ruto's life, Princess Neoma?" Phoebe asked, clearly frustrated. "I hate how you look at me like I'm just a harmless child. I'm a woman worthy to be your love rival, but you're looking down on me."

"I'm not looking down on you or your feelings, Lady Phoebe," she said calmly. "But I don't see you as a rival because I know that whatever you do, Ruto won't look your way. You already had your chance when I disappeared from his memories. But did that change anything? It didn't, did it? Ruto still came back to me, even though he doesn't remember me and our relationship."

This time, pain crossed Phoebe Willows' eyes.

[Ah, I hate playing the bad guy, but this child needs a reality check before she does something that she'll regret in the future.]

"I won't stop you from liking Ruto," she said firmly. "But don't do something as annoying as setting me up with Lord Preston again. That will only make Ruto hate you."

The child suddenly broke down into tears. Then she squatted down and covered her face with her hands. "Why you? You're just a child."

"You wouldn't understand even if I tell you why Ruto likes me."

"But why does it feel like Ruto's feelings for you are one-sided?" Phoebe said, frustrated. Then she removed her hands from her face to look up at her. Her eyes were already red from crying. "Princess Neoma, do you really like Ruto as much as he likes you?"

That question stung a bit.

She couldn't say that she liked Ruto as much as he obviously did. After all, having a romantic relationship with him right now was impossible. But she was comfortable with her place in Ruto's life at the moment.

[Ruto and I need to talk about this later.]

"I'll be honest with you, Lady Phoebe. I like myself more than anyone else at the moment," Neoma confessed. Phoebe had been honest with her, so she thought the child deserved her honest thoughts, too. "But if you steal Ruto from me using cheap tricks, I will burn down all the willow trees in the entire world– that may or may not include your clan."

***

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