Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

["PRINCESS NEOMA."]

As soon as Brigitte heard that name, a warm feeling enveloped her chest. She didn't know why, but she felt relieved. Just a few moments ago, she felt helpless because her family was in grave danger.

But now, she felt safe even though nothing had changed yet.

She felt like she could trust the lady who mentioned the precious name, but she couldn't get carried away by her personal feelings when she had to protect her children.

[Moreover, Miss Penelope lied to us about her identity.]

Brigitte liked Penelope the moment she saw her during the time she applied to be Claude's nanny. But she didn't like that Penelope lied about her identity because it meant there was a reason she approached her family as a nanny.

"It's okay, Mommy," Claude, the third child she was carrying in her arms, said while touching her cheek. "We can trust Sister Paige."

Brigitte was surprised to hear that from her son. "Baby, you already know Miss Penelope's real identity?"

Claude nodded, but he looked guilty. "I'm sorry for keeping it a secret, Mommy."

"We're sorry, too, Mommy."

It was Skylus and Monik who spoke at the same time.

Her oldest son and daughter were clinging to her long skirt while looking up at her with huge and round pleading eyes.

"Mommy, we also know Sister Paige," Monik said. "We'll explain later, but please trust us this time."

Skylus nodded in agreement with his sister. "That's right, Mommy. Sister Paige and the others will protect us from the bad First Prince."

'Bad First Prince.'

Right.

Compared to Prince Calyx, Brigitte knew that she'd rather trust Penelope and the 'Princess Neoma' that she mentioned than the evil First Prince.

"Glenn," Brigitte called her husband firmly. "Let's follow Miss Penelope."

Her husband looked over his shoulder.

"As you wish, my queen," Glenn said gently, then he turned to Penelope– no, Paige Avery. "Lady, please take my family first."

Brigitte understood what Glenn meant by that when a murder of crows appeared out of nowhere and headed straight in their direction.

As the crows got nearer, their shapes changed and they quickly turned into humans.

[More assassins!]

Brigitte looked at Skylus and Monik. "Children, run."

Skylus and Monik immediately ran to Paige Avery.

Brigitte also ran with Claude in her arms while praying that the baby in her womb wouldn't get harmed because of her current state.

Fortunately, she relaxed when she saw Paige Avery carry Skylus and Monik in her arms.

The assassins who got past Glenn tried to get to Brigitte and the children.

But Kingston, the White Lion, fought and killed the enemies by biting their necks.

"Your Majesty, is it okay if I use flight magic on you?" Paige Avery asked politely. "I assure you it won't affect the baby in your womb."

Pregnant women were sensitive to magic, especially people like Brigitte who were Non-Mana users.

However, she knew that she could trust this person.

Brigitte nodded politely. "Please."

***

[THEY ESCAPED.]

Calyx was busy exchanging blows with Xion Redgrave that he couldn't focus on the Hazelden Royal Family.

Paige Avery, that wicked wench, helped the Griffiths escape.

Of course, he sent more assassins after them even though they disappeared after jumping from the window.

He knew that the assassin crows that he brought wouldn't be enough to kill King Glenn and the White Lion. But he couldn't use his full strength because the Royal Villa was within the Royal Palace. If he used his Mana, then Nero would know he was there.

"Tsk," Calyx clicked his tongue while blocking Xion Redgrave's dagger with the blade of his sword. "I can't believe I'm wasting my time here. Xion Redgrave, you should be thankful that I can't use my real strength right now or else, you would have been dead already."

Xion scoffed, then he stepped back to avoid the swing of his blade. "It's rich coming from you when I almost slit your throat earlier."

Well, that was true.

He let his guard down when he got distracted by Paige Avery's appearance.

But it wasn't like Xion was the first person who tried to slit his throat from behind. His family members had been doing that to him since he was a toddler. But none of them succeeded because of the ability that he developed.

It was a simple technique: he just used his Mana and gathered it around his neck.

That was why the blade of Xion's blade broke into two as soon as it touched his throat.

"Like I said, I'm holding back since I don't want my precious little brother to know I'm here," Calyx insisted, hating the smug look on Xion's face. "Consider this your lucky day, Xion Redgrave."

"If you're going to act arrogant, you should have the skills to back it up," Xion said in a bored voice. "Do you know why no one could complain about Princess Neoma's arrogance? Yes, it's because she actually walks the talk– unlike you."

He knitted his eyebrows. "How dare you compare me to a mere royal princess who has been forgotten by the entire world, save for a few of you who follows her stupidly?"

"You don't have the right to insult our Princess Neoma when you can't even tell you're not fighting my main body."

"What?"

Xion sneered at him before he stabbed his own heart with his dagger.

But instead of blood, smoke came out of the hole in his chest.

Then, slowly, "Xion" turned into dust. "So long, dumb prince."

And just like that, the assassin completely vanished into thin air.

Calyx snarled when he realized the Xion Redgrave that he fought was nothing but a clone. "Where is his main body, then?"

***

NERO'S JAW clenched after watching and hearing everything that happened in the Royal Villa through the mirror that the intruder was holding.

Yes, there was an intruder in his room.

He was about to leave his bedroom to meet Duke Rufus Quinzel when someone suddenly appeared right in front of him.

Of course, Raku and Sanford immediately barged in to protect him.

There was a short fight, and he was impressed that the intruder managed to dodge all of Raku and Sanford's attacks.

But he noticed that the intruder wasn't fighting back.

Hence, he realized it wasn't an assassin.

And his hunch was confirmed when the intruder pulled out a mirror from his huge baggage. Then a video that seemed to be happening in real-time appeared.

Calyx was there, threatening the Griffiths to hand over Prince Skylus to him.

That was when he asked Raku and Sanford to stop attacking the intruder.

Then he spent the next few minutes watching the video.

"You used your clone to record what was happening in the villa," Nero said after the video ended. "You have the same face as the assassin who fought Calyx, after all."

"That's correct, Prince Nero," the intruder said. "My name is Xion Redgrave."

"Yeah, I heard Calyx call your name earlier," Nero said indifferently. "And I also heard your female companion mention the name 'Neoma.'"

It was the thing that struck him the most.

As soon as he heard the woman mention 'Neoma,' his heart thumped fast and hard against his chest.

Despite that, he felt calm.

[It's as if I finally found my inner peace.]

"Are you also here under Neoma's order?" Nero asked the intruder. "And if you are, then what is Neoma's purpose for doing this?"

"Our Princess Neoma wishes to protect Your Royal Highness from the insufferable– I mean, the First Prince."

"And why does she feel the need to protect me from my own brother?"

"That's for you to find out, Prince Nero," Xion Redgrave said, his body slowly turning into dust, just like what happened to his clone earlier. "But there's one thing I can tell you: everything about the dumb prince is fake."

After saying that, the intruder finally vanished.

"Wow, that fellow was hella vague," Sanford complained, then he turned to him. "Should we chase after him, Prince Nero?"

Raku looked at Nero with eyes that said he was ready to follow the intruder.

"Forget it," Nero said, ignoring the weird sensation in his chest. "I need to meet Duke Quinzel first."

[I'll deal with Calyx later.]

***

[OKAY, this is definitely destiny.]

Neoma was on the rooftop of the Astello Temple's main building because she was about to release and feed Alucard Dionisio with her blood.

But Ruto suddenly fell from the sky.

[But not really "suddenly," I'm just being dramatic.]

To be precise, her man was riding on Veton– the giant Thunderbird– before landing on the roof. It looked like that Ruto didn't expect to see her there.

"I wasn't stalking you," Neoma said defensively. "I'm here because of some business."

The entire temple was still oozing with her purification energy. Hence, the rooftop was the safest place to release Alucard Dionisio.

"I didn't say anything," Ruto said indifferently. "Are you free to talk now? My comrades would arrive later. Before that, I need to speak with you and Miss Dahlia about the Elemental Guardians."

"I'll be free after a quick task."

"Then I'll wait for you in the drawing room with Miss Dahlia."

"Oki-doki," she said, then she paused for a moment before she asked: "Do you feel better now, Ruto?"

"Of course not," he said, sighing. "All the forbidden words engraved to my soul are connected to you. It's as if my old self was too scared to offend you."

That put a smile on her face.

[Aww, Ruto. You're so sweet.]

"Are you happy?"

"A little," she admitted. "Are you upset?"

"I am," Ruto confessed while nodding. "Will the "Love Contract" continue bothering me even if I fall in love with another woman?"

Huh?

Neoma's smile immediately vanished, a painful grip squeezing her heart mercilessly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ruto asked, confused and defensive. "Did the thought of me falling in love with another person never cross your mind?"

She couldn't answer.

Just thinking about Ruto loving someone who wasn't her was enough to devastate her.

And the worse thing?

It was possible.

[Now that Ruto doesn't have any positive feelings for me, it's possible for him to fall in love with another woman.]

It even seemed like he was fed up with her and the Love Contract already.

She didn't want to think about it, but she was reminded of the time Rubin Drayton chose Regina Crowell over her.

That was when she realized that she got her heart broken once again.

But the pain and betrayal that she suffered back then was incomparable to the pain that was breaking her heart at the moment.

[Because I love Ruto more than I loved Rubin in the past.]

"Princess Neoma," Ruto said, his dark purple eyes widening a bit. "Why are you crying?"

Neoma tried to explain, but only sobs came out of her mouth.

Oh, god.

[I can't believe I'm crying over a man… again.]

***

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