Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

["NEOMA, baby, I will now put the new saint's divine power in your care. I'll also teach you how to return it to Prince Skylus once the right time comes. You're a de Moonasterio, so it should be easy for you to learn the ropes."]

It was a lie.

Mama Boss lied when she said it was "easy."

Neoma could still remember the chilling days when her Mama Boss taught her how to store someone else's divine power in her own body.

Taking out the divine power and handing it over to another person was worse.

[And painful.]

Right now, Neoma was going through the same pain that she went through while training under Mama Boss a few years back.

"It hurts! My chest burns! Noona, it's painful!"

Neoma frowned while listening to Skylus' agonizing cry.

[This is why I asked Greko to leave the roomâ€" I didn't want him to see Skylus suffer.]

Skylus couldn't even open his eyes even though he was in too much pain.

If she could take the pain away from the baby saint, then she would do it in a heartbeat. She hated seeing children in pain, after all.

But this was something that Skylus had to go through to become the new saint.

"I'm sorry, Baby Skylus," Neoma said while pressing her hands against Skylus' tiny chest. She was pushing the saint's divine power back into his body and soul. "I know it hurts, but hang in there, baby. Once we're done here, I promise to protest on your behalf."

She wanted to curse so badly, but she didn't want a child who was already in pain to listen to swear words.

"Noona..." Skylus cried, his closed eyes still brimming with tears. "Why does it hurt so much? Why is my divine power hurting me?"

"I'm sorry, baby," Neoma said, her voice full of remorse. "Because we took your divine power away when you were born, your physical body and divine power had an understanding that you already rejected the position of the new saint."

It was something that Manu, the Moon Priest, explained to her in the past.

"Hence, your divine power is rejecting you this time," she continued with her explanation. "But it doesn't mean that your divine power hates you, baby. It's just rejecting you because it's making sure that you're taking it back of your own free will."

"Noona... is my divine power... alive?"

"You can say that," she said, nodding. "So, please help the divine power understand that this is your will, Skylusâ€" that it's you who wanted to become the new saint."

Skylus fell silent for a moment.

Then, much to Neoma's surprise, the baby saint opened his eyes and put his hands over her hands that were pressed against his chest.

"I like the look in your eyes, Saint Skylus."

It was too early to address the child with the saint title, but she couldn't help it.

Neoma felt like she was staring at the holy man that Skylus would become in the future.

[It's his eyes.]

Skylus' eyes had sparkles in itâ€" sparkles that only the representatives of gods possessed.

"You're doing well, Skylus," Neoma said firmly. "I'm going to pour more divine power into you, so endure it."

Skylus looked her in the eye and nodded determinedly. "I will persist, noona."

***

HANNA could hear it.

She could clearly hear the painful cries of Prince Skylus.

[And I'm not the only one who can hear the child's cries.]

The room was silent, even though it was full of people.

Lewis, Dahlia, Greko, Lady Paige, and Hanna's parents were there.

None of them could open their mouth as they listened to Prince Skylus cry out in pain.

Greko looked the worst, though. The young Healer looked pale while listening to the new saint's cries. It was as if Greko wanted to run to the other room and help ease Prince Skylus' pain.

But Lady Paige was holding Greko's hand tight, keeping him in place.

It was probably Neoma's order to not let the youngest enter the room.

[I know Neoma well, so I know Neoma wouldn't want Greko to see Skylus in pain.]

Now Hanna was annoyed because both children had to go through something that no child should go through.

[Why does being a saint has to be that painful? Prince Skylus is still a baby...]

Thankfully, after a few minutes, the next room finally fell silent.

Of course, they could all feel the birth of the new saint since only his existence could exude such pure divine power.

Everyone looked relieved.

[Good job, Prince Skylus. You worked hard.]

Neoma did a fine job, too, as usual.

CRASH!

The silence in the room was broken when Lord Ruto suddenly appeared out of nowhere while dragging a man by his neck.

Unfortunately, the two landed on the center tableâ€" causing it to break in two.

"I apologize, everyoneâ€" I teleported in the wrong room," Lord Ruto said, bowing ever slightly to everyone before heading towards the door. Then he stopped in front of Dahlia. "Can you come with us, Miss Dahlia? We need your power to ease the new saint's pain."

Dahlia immediately stood up while nodding. "Of course, Lord Ruto."

Ruto addressed everyone with an intense gaze before heading towards the door once again. "Please excuse us."

And, just like that, Lord Ruto disappeared with Dahlia while grabbing another man's neck.

The man in question was...

"It was Lord Manu, wasn't it?" Hanna asked, breaking the silence once again. "Did we just see Lord Ruto drag the Moon Priest by the neck?"

Everyone, except for Lewis, could only nod in disbelief.

"He's not a nice person," Lewis said while frowning. "He's deceiving Princess Neoma."

Hanna smiled awkwardly at Lewis.

[My friend, Princess Neoma knows Lord Ruto isn't exactly a nice person. But she's willing to look past it because she likes him that much.]

She didn't want to hurt Lewis, so she just kept those thoughts to herself.

"What did you say, Xion?"

Everyone turned to Lady Paige this time.

The mage was obviously talking to the communication device attached to her ear. It was different from other devices in this world because it was modeled after an item called 'earbuds' in the other world.

"What? Is Lord Hawthorne okay?"

Lady Paige then stood up and excused herself as she headed towards the balcony.

Lewis and Greko also stood up and politely excused themselves before following Lady Paige.

Something terrible definitely happened.

[But I hope they're fine.]

Hanna couldn't help but sigh, though.

[If something bad indeed happened, then Neoma would get busy again when she hasn't had a decent rest yet ever since she returned.]

"Hanna, sweetheart, I believe it's time for me and your mother to return home."

"I agree, Father," Hanna agreed with what her father said while nodding politely. "Please return home first. I'll come home once Neoma is done helping the new saint regain his divine power completely."

She was aware that Neoma didn't particularly need her help. But she still wanted to stay by her cousin-slash-best friend's side.

[I'll make sure to give Neoma a break after all of this.]

"Hanna, sweetie, was it House Drayton?"

It was her mother who asked that question, but she almost didn't recognize her own mother's voice.

[This is the first time I heard Mother talk so coldly...]

Hanna got the chills.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see that her father also had the same reaction.

[Ah, so Father is scared of Mother when she's angry.]

"Was it House Drayton that has been supporting Regina Crowell all this time?" her mother asked, her voice and expression still cold. "And did you say Rubin Drayton himself tried to kill you?"

At the reminder that Rubin Drayton tried to kill her, even her father's face turned grim.

"Duke Drayton isn't involved. I think," Hanna said hesitantly. This was the first time in a while that she saw her parents get this angry, so she was a little spooked. But at the same time, she also felt touched because she knew that her mother and father were THIS angry because they loved her THAT much. "But Rubin Drayton has been Regina Crowell's puppet all this time."

She was aware that Rubin Drayton was showing signs of having a split personality.

[Neoma also suspected that Rubin Drayton doesn't know what he's doing most of the time.]

Even so, Hanna couldn't find it in her heart to sympathize with Rubin Drayton.

[I almost died twice at Regina Crowell's hands. Even if Rubin Drayton is only her puppet, I won't lower my guard.]

"It seems like Regina Crowell is sticking to Rubin Drayton like glue for money and power."

"Then we'll take the money and power that House Drayton has," her mother said firmly, then she turned to Hanna's father. "Is that possible, darling?"

"Of course," Hanna's father said in a calm yet firm manner. "House Quinzel is way above House Drayton in every aspect, darling."

Oho?

Well, she knew that House Quinzel was arguably the richest noble household in the empire. But House Drayton was a noble household that was powerful and influential all over the entire continent even though their household wasn't a part of the Twelve Golden Families.

And yet, despite that, her mother and father still talked like House Drayton was just a small noble family from the countryside.

Hanna could only smile while listening to her parents talk.

[Mother and Father are so cool.]

***

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