Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

621 CRINGE FEST

"WHAT ARE we going to do with this blood-sucking demon, my Moon Princess?"

Neoma looked at the demon that Trevor draped over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "We're going to protect that dude."

Trevor knitted his eyebrows, obviously confused. "Why?"

"He's Nero's person, duh," she said, rolling her eyes at the demon boy for asking such a silly question. "According to Hanna, all the people in Nero's Order are loyal and good to him. Plus, I vaguely remember a demon that was glued to Nero's side in the first timeline. I think he died for my baby brother back then."

It was a big breaking news during that time. Hence, she remembered.

[If my memory serves me right, people were shocked when it was revealed that one of Nero's aides was a blood-sucking demon. Too bad I can't remember how Alucard died back then since I didn't give a damn.]

"Huh? Blood-sucking demons are known for being little shits because they're selfish and only care about themselves. I can't imagine a blood-sucking demon sacrificing his life for his liege." Trevor fell silent for a while before he snapped his fingers as if he remembered something important. "Ah, I know. Perhaps Prince Nero of the first timeline sacrificed this poor demon?"

"Just what do you think of my baby brother?"

"An obnoxious psychopath."

She opened her mouth to defend Nero's honor, but no words came out since it wasn't like Trevor lied. "Fuck, you got me there."

Trevor laughed while shaking his head. Thankfully, the demon boy changed the topic right away. "Should we just leave this blood-sucking demon here?"

"No?" she said while shaking her head. "I'm going to purify the whole temple. Since Alucard is a demon, he might get hurt in the process. He's not as strong as you, Trevor."

It wasn't like he was underestimating Alucard Dionisio.

[I'm just spitting facts.]

Trevor was in a league of his own since, even though he was a demon, it wouldn't be easy even for Neoma to purify him.

[Probably because Trevor was human before he was forced to become a demon.]

Which reminded her…

"Trevor?"

"Yes, my Moon Princess?"

Trevor asked while creating a swirl of darkness on the floor. Then the demon casually tossed Alucard Dionisio there. The swirl closed and disappeared after swallowing up the blood-sucking demon.

Neoma looked at Trevor with a serious look on her face. "Trevor, do you want to become human again?"

"No?"

She blinked, surprised by his quick response. "Gosh, you didn't even pretend to think for a moment."

"Well, I'm more powerful as a Demon Sorcerer than as a human Sorcerer. After all, I only got the Bookworm when I became a demon," Trevor explained lightly. "Moreover, I want to live longer while maintaining this youthful look."

"Why?"

"Because I have a feeling that you're going to live a long life, Princess Neoma," he said, grinning. "And de Moonasterios are blessed by the Moon God, so you age reaaally slow. I want to be pretty next to you."

Oh.

That was supposed to be cringe-y. But she felt a little sad.

[Trevor, I only have five years left to live.]

"Why are you looking at me like that, my Moon Princess?"

"Do you think I'm going to live long, Trevor?" she asked solemnly. "Of course, I don't have any intention to die early like how the previous de Moonasterion princesses had died in the past. But let's be honest. Even the previous emperors rarely reached the age of fifty."

The de Moonasterios didn't live long because throughout their lives, the de Moonasterios were destined to be ruined by their Lunacy.

That was why the de Moonasterios were born mature.

[Because we can't waste our lives acting like children.]

"Princess Neoma, you're destined to become the first empress regnant of the Great Moonasterion Empire," Trevor said, smiling. "And I also have a feeling that you'll become the first de Moonasterio to live a really, really long time."

Neoma smiled at Trevor's silly prediction. "I hope you're right, Trevor."

***

["THUG PRINCESS, I've finally "hacked" the dimension where Prince Nero's Soul Beasts are using!"]

That was some good news.

[Tteokbokki really learned a lot of modern words, huh?]

But Neoma wasn't happy with the realization that hit her, though. "Tteokbokki, why are you addressing Nero politely?"

["Because I don't address people I dislike intimately, duh."]

Tteokbokki really said 'duh,' huh?

[Gosh, just where did he learn to talk like that?]

"Fine, whatever," Neoma said while lying down on the bed that Trevor made for her. Of course, it was a pink bed. "Since we can't miss this chance, I'll enter Nero's thought right here, right now."

They were still on the rooftop of the Astello Temple.

If they weren't running out of time, she would have chosen a bed in one of the rooms in the temple. But they couldn't miss this chance, so she had to make do with what was available.

"I'll protect you while you "sleep," Princess Neoma," Trevor said, smiling. "Good night."

Neoma nodded, then she closed her eyes while creating a Dome above her. It wasn't like she didn't trust Trevor. But it wouldn't hurt to be more careful. "See you later, Trevor."

***

IT TOOK Neoma two years to create a "space" using her soul.

Celestial beings would often summon her to a plain, white room that existed in a different dimension. She wanted to learn that technique, so she asked Aruna and Arche de Moonasterio to teach her how to create her own room.

Of course, it had to be pink because it had to have "Neoma vibes" to be fun.

Actually, this was the first time that she invited a person in the Pink Room.

It was only right that her first guest would be Nero, her beloved twin brother.

She couldn't use the special connection that she had with Nero because he had lost his memories of her. Hence, she asked Tteokbokki to forcefully create a link in her twin brother's mind by using the dimension where the Soul Beasts could enter.

It was the same technique that Neoma, Nero, and Papa Boss would use to communicate with each other using their Soul Beasts.

Luckily, it worked.

And right now, Nero was standing in front of her with his eyes shut.

"Wake up, dongsaeng-ah."

Nero knitted his eyebrows before he slowly opened his eyes.

"You're awake?"

Her baby brother looked at her as if he was stunned.

[Of course, everyone would be shocked by my blinding visual.]

Since she was born beautiful, she was already used to that kind of reaction.

"It's you," Nero said in disbelief. "The girl in my dreams who keeps on cursing at me."

Heh.

Would you look at that?

[Nero doesn't seem like he has completely forgotten about me.]

Neoma was pleased. "Well, you deserve it."

"Excuse me?"

"You're not excused," Neoma said sarcastically. "I've been keeping an eye on you and your people for the past few years. I may be in the other world, but I have eyes and ears in the empire. And god, Nero Roseheart de Moonasterio. I know you're not in your right mind at the moment, but fuck the shitty things you're doing these days."

The last "crime" that Nero committed was threatening Monik to give up Kingston so just he could give the White Lion to Calyx Dalton as a birthday present.

[I said it before, didn't I? I have eyes and ears everywhere.]

Anyway, Nero looked confused by her words.

And it seemed like he was forcing himself to remember her because he clutched his head tight with his hands.

[Oh.]

Neoma felt guilty for giving Nero tough love.

Of course, she knew that her baby brother wasn't in his right mind so scolding him wasn't really fair.

However, she knew Nero like the back of her hand.

[I have to make a deep impression so that Nero wouldn't forget about this meeting. Hence, I chose to give him tough love even though it pains me to be this mean to my baby brother.]

Her thoughts were interrupted when the Pink Room began to shake.

An outside force was trying to enter her space.

[Aside from Nero's Soul Beasts, something else is trying to get in.]

"Fuck, already?" Neoma complained while clicking her tongue. "Nero, you're quite protected by your fake family, huh?"

"Fake family?" Nero asked, confused. "What do you mean by that?"

Once again, her poor baby brother clutched his head tightly as if she was having a splitting headache.

[My poor dongsaeng…]

"What do I mean by everything I said?" Neoma asked, smirking haughtily at Nero even though she wanted to run to him and hug him tight. "Nero Roseheart de Moonasterio, just fuck around and find out."

Nero shut his eyes tight. "Neo… ma?"

She gasped softly when she heard him say her name. "That's right, Nero," she said while the Pink Room was starting to collapse. "Don't forget my name."

Nero opened his eyes, then his tears suddenly rolled down his cheeks. "Neoma…?"

Aww.

She couldn't hold back anymore.

Neoma stood up and ran towards Nero as fast as she could, then she tried to hug him…

… but Nero suddenly disappeared.

She bruised and scraped her knees when she fell to the ground while hugging the air. But she didn't mind the physical pain. However, the void in her chest squeezed her heart painfully.

Before Neoma knew it, her eyes were already brimming with tears. "Nero, I miss you…"

***

"WHO ARE you?!"

"How dare you enter this sacred place while wielding that demonic weapon?!"

"A de Moonasterio… princess?"

"But she's with a demon!"

"Stop them at all costs!"

"With all due respect, please shut the fuck up," Neoma said, swinging Skewer and creating an airwave shaped like a boomerang. It hit the statue of Yule, breaking it into two. When the statue collapsed and was broken into pieces, the priests yelling at them finally shut their mouths. "How dare you use Lord Yule's statue as a storage for Darkness?!"

When the statue was broken, a swirl of Darkness emerged from the broken pieces.

[The disrespect!]

Neoma was already in a bad mood after waking up without having to get to hug Nero.

Her mood turned worse when she entered the temple with Trevor and realized that it had become like a storage room for Darkness.

And the "priests" that "greeted" them?

[They're no longer humans!]

The "priests" were just a huge lump of Darkness with human skin.

Neoma growled while swinging Skewer– creating multiple boomerang-shaped airwaves to destroy all the corrupted statues inside the main hall of the Astello Temple. "My Grandma Roxana sacrificed herself to get rid of Darkness! How dare you use Lord Yule's home to store Darkness, you fucking bastards?!"

Of course, she was cursing the crows.

The "priests" around her finally showed their true colors. Darkness emerged from their bodies, and the "priests" were about to attack her when suddenly, it rained arrows.

[Arrows?]

Neoma's body froze when she felt the familiar presence behind her.

It was raining arrows in the entire hall, but the arrows were avoiding Neoma and Trevor. Hence, only the fake priests were being hit. And since the arrows were made of lightning, the victims would get electrocuted before dying.

[This kind of attack…]

Trevor clicked his tongue. "What is HE doing here?"

Hearing what the demon boy said only made Neoma's heart beat faster and harder against her chest.

[Is it really him…?]

"Greetings, Princess Neoma."

She let out a soft gasp, then she finally gathered the courage to turn around.

Purple hair.

Glowing different-colored eyes– the left was dark purple, while the right was red.

It was really Ruto.

[Only my man's face could give me the peace I crave.]

"I'm not 'Princess Neoma,' though," Neoma said, displeased by the fact that Ruto addressed her formally. "I'm your 'jagiya.'"

***