Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

HANNA was surprised when Nero returned to the hall with a frown on his face.

[He rarely shows his grumpiness to the public.]

Fortunately, the Crown Prince went straight to her. And now that he was closer, she could see that his eyes were red and puffy.

[Did he cry?]

"Hanna," Nero said, holding her hand. "Should we get some fresh air?"

She didn't like how Nero ignored her parents who were standing behind her, but she just let it slide because she could see that the Crown Prince hadn't completely calmed down yet.

[Something definitely happened.]

Hanna turned to her parents with an apologetic look on her face. "Mother, Father, I'll step out for a moment with Nero."

Her mother looked worried, but the duchess nodded nonetheless. "Alright, sweetheart. Take care."

"Thank you, Mother."

"Your mother and I will stay here," her father said while eyeing Nero carefully. "Call us if something happens."

"I will, Father," Hanna said, then she turned to Nero. "Where are we going?"

"Let's head to the Balcony," Nero said, then he finally turned to Hanna's parents. "Excuse us, Your Graces."

After the Crown Prince said that, he escorted her to the Balcony in a hurry.

Naturally, Nero's royal knights followed them.

Sanford, Raku, Lucien, Alucard, and Melvin walked behind the two in silence.

Hanna only focused on Nero's face. It looked like something terrible had happened because the Crown Prince looked very serious at the moment.

And she wasn't the only one who noticed.

There were nobles who tried to greet Nero. But upon seeing the dark look on the Crown Prince's face, the nobles quickly bowed their heads and lowered their gazes.

Hanna smiled and greeted the nobles to salvage Nero's reputation.

Although she wondered if she really had time to worry about their reputation when there was something she was more worried about.

[Neoma hasn't returned yet…]

She saw Neoma leave the hall with Lewis through the Balcony after Nero left.

[I wonder what happened.]

"Are you wondering why I suddenly left earlier?" Nero asked when they reached the Balcony. Then he let go of her hand and leaned against the railing, his arms now crossed over his chest. "I felt Dahlia's presence."

Ah.

Was Nero speaking freely because only the two of them were on the Balcony? His knights were just outside, so they could still hear what they were talking about.

[He trusts his guards that much.]

Or perhaps Nero's guards were already aware of his obsession with Dahlia?

"You ran out of the hall in such an inelegant manner just because you felt Miss Dahlia's presence?" Hanna asked, putting her hands together on her stomach. She wished she could stand in a relaxed manner, but she couldn't do that. The curtains were drawn to give them privacy, but she still had to carry herself properly as the Quinzel Princess. "Have you changed your mind about marrying me?"

It wasn't an easy thing to ask.

However, she knew there was no point in delaying it.

Hence, despite the loud and hard beat of her heart against her chest, she still had the question that might devastate her.

"I will marry you, Hanna."

She didn't know why, but hearing that from Nero only made her feel more nervous.

"I need you, and you're the only one who deserves to be the empress."

She clenched her hands tight. "Then what about Dahlia?"

"She's a Black Witch– she'll never be accepted even as a royal concubine," Nero said in a serious tone. "But I intend to keep Dahlia by my side, Hanna."

To be honest, it hurt hearing that.

[But not as much as I thought it would.]

In the past, Nero tried to hide his obsession with Dahlia and pretended that he didn't care about the Black Witch.

But it seemed like he had already accepted the fact that he couldn't let go of Dahlia.

"I will not treat Dahlia as my wife, and I don't plan to have any children with her. You'll be the empress, so you're the only woman who has the right to give birth to my successor," Nero said in a clear and firm voice as if he had already made up his mind. "I just need Dahlia beside me, so allow me to give her the other spot next to me, Hanna."

"Do you realize that you're being incredibly rude and shameless right now, Nero?"

"I do."

And he looked unapologetic, at that.

Hanna let out a sigh. "It's your right as the future emperor to have your own harem."

That was why she couldn't really say that Nero was disrespecting her.

[I know what I'm getting into when I decided to stick to Nero even though I'm aware of his obsession with Dahlia.]

"Don't call it a harem– I only want Dahlia."

Now Nero's words were starting to hurt.

[He NEEDS me because I'm the most qualified lady to be the empress, and yet he WANTS Dahlia just because.]

She felt the strong urge to throw a tantrum and break off their engagement.

But she held back.

[I can't leave Nero's side until he has returned to normal. Neoma can't approach him freely, so I have to stay by his side in his twin sister's place.]

"Hanna, allow me to keep Dahlia by my side."

"You're asking the wrong person here, Nero," Hanna said, letting out a frustrated sigh. "None of us has the right to decide whether you get to keep Dahlia by your side or not. You should be asking her."

Nero just clenched his jaws while avoiding his gaze.

Hmm?

[That look…]

"I guess you already asked and Dahlia rejected you," Hanna said, growing more annoyed by the minute. "Nero, don't tell me you're going to force Dahlia to be with you?"

"You said it earlier," Nero said, turning to Hanna with glowing red eyes as if he was suddenly annoyed. "It's my right as the future emperor to have my own harem– and that comes with the right to choose any woman I want."

"That's called being a tyrant, you piece of–"

She stopped herself before she cursed Nero.

In fact, she had to remind herself that the Crown Prince wasn't in his sound mind at the moment.

Fortunately, a distraction appeared.

A portal opened up above them, causing her to look up.

[They're here.]

She was relieved when she saw Tteokbokki come out of the portal, but she soon felt confused and nervous when she saw two faces that shouldn't be there.

[A child with rose-gold hair, and…]

"Regina Crowell?" Hanna whispered in disbelief, then she immediately turned her back on Nero. "Let's head back to the hall."

***

WHEN Neoma pulled herself together, she found herself the center of attention.

Of course, Calyx Dalton was still beside her.

Tteokbokki had already descended and was now in his human form. Manu had already put Skylus and the boy with rose-gold hair down. Trevor quickly stood behind Neoma (right beside Lewis) while Regina Crowell remained standing beside the Moon Priest.

"A red dragon…"

"It's a Soul Beast since it's oozing with divine power similar to the Royal Family…"

"He must be Princess Neoma's Soul Beast…"

That was what the nobles were "whispering" among themselves while Tteokbokki was walking towards Neoma.

[Why does Tteokbokki look nervous?]

It seemed like Tteokbokki didn't like the attention he was getting. Hence, he suddenly transformed into his baby dragon form while asking to be carried.

Neoma mindlessly picked up Tteokbokki and hugged her close to her.

Oh?

She suddenly realized that hugging Tteokbokki was actually therapeutic because she calmed down instantly.

Just like that, her head was suddenly cleared again.

[I'm Neoma, I'm okay.]

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce the saint candidate that I met a few months ago during one of my voluntary works," Calyx said in a loud, clear, and cheerful voice. Of course, the entire hall once again became noisy after the psycho crow mentioned the 'saint candidate.' "And he brought a divine message with him."

"Good evening, everyone. My name is Dustin," the boy with rose-gold hair introduced himself politely. "This humble servant of Lord Yule received a divine message from him. It comes in the form of a letter."

Dustin then pulled out an old scroll from the inner pocket of his jacket, then he handed it to Calyx carefully.

In all fairness, the old scroll looked legit.

[I can feel the divine power of the Moon coming out from it.]

"The saint candidate is generous enough to allow me to read Lord Yule's message to all of you," Calyx said, then he looked at the scroll and read it out loud for everyone to hear. "The First Star shall bring the new saint to the Astello Temple."

Neoma was a little surprised when Calyx mentioned the old prophecy.

[Now I'm looking forward to his little ploy.]

"In this generation, we are fortunate to have two First Stars," Calyx continued, shocking Neoma. "Both Empress Juliet and Lady Mona Roseheart gave birth to a First Star."

That wasn't exactly wrong.

Calyx deceived everyone by pretending to be the son of the fake Empress Juliet.

Hence, everyone thought Calyx was the eldest son of Papa Boss and the previous empress.

[And as Papa Boss and Mama Boss' eldest daughter, I am the First Star between me and Nero.]

"Both the First Stars shall bring a saint candidate," Calyx continued reading the divine message. "Both children deserve to be the saint, but only one shall claim the title." The fake First Prince then turned to Nero. "And that new saint shall be chosen by the next Moon of the Great Moonasterion Empire."

Ah, so this was why the crows brainwashed Nero to forget about me.

[They will make Nero choose the new saint that they brought.]

"That's quite a task that Lord Yule has bestowed upon my shoulders," Nero said indifferently. "But, Brother, how do we know that the divine message really came from Lord Yule himself?"

Tsk.

[I hate how Nero calls Calyx 'brother' when he wouldn't call me 'noona.']

"Fortunately, the Sun Priestess is here to verify the authenticity of the divine message."

Hmm?

Judging by the surprise on Sienna's face, it was obvious that she didn't expect Calyx to drag her into his ploy.

Neoma was relieved to see that the representatives of Ruto's kingdom all looked confused.

[Whew.]

"Of course, the Moon Priest is also here," Calyx said, smiling while looking at the main door. "The High Priest and the captain of the Holy Knights are also here to verify the divine message."

Neoma turned to the main door that slowly opened, revealing Dion Skelton and Hendrik Benedict.

[Hmm~]

***

"THE DIVINE message is authentic."

It was Sienna, the Sun Priestess.

"I agree with Lady Sienna," Manu, the Moon Priest, said in an anguished voice. "The divine message has Lord Yule's unique Moonglow."

"And the letter hasn't been tampered with in any way," Dion Skelton, the High Priest, said in an indifferent voice. He looked guilty, though. "The message is real."

Of course, it was.

Calyx couldn't help but smile at his complete victory after the Sun Priestess, the Moon Priest, and the current High Priest confirmed the authenticity of the divine message that Dustin shared with him. "Now, let's talk about the First Stars," he said, putting a hand over his chest. "Of course, I am the First Star as Emperor Nikolai and Empress Juliet's son. And the second First Star is my father's oldest child with Lady Mona Roseheart– our Crown Prince Nero, the one who received the old prophecy in the past."

That was it.

He finally crushed Neoma de Moonasterio with his own hands.

Calyx slowly turned to Princess Neoma, excited to see the devastated look on her face.

However…

[Princess Neoma is… smiling?]

It was the royal princess' signature ARROGANT SMIRK.

He was confused.

[Princess Neoma has been quiet all this time that I thought she was already crying internally. But why is she smiling?]

He could tell that the royal princess wasn't faking it.

Princess Neoma was really smiling as if she found him amusing.

That gave him the shivers.

"That's right, "Prince Nero" received the first prophecy as the First Star," Princess Neoma said, smiling while pointing at her face. "And that "Prince Nero" was ME disguised as my dying twin brother back then."

Calyx's eyes opened wide, shocked by the fact that Princess Neoma just revealed her royal secret.

[Does Princess Neoma no longer care about what would happen to Prince Nero?!]

It never crossed Calyx's mind that Princess Neoma would reveal the fact that she pretended as Prince Nero for many years in the past. After all, revealing the truth would affect Princess Neoma and Prince Nero NEGATIVELY for deceiving the people of the empire!

The nobles wouldn't let it slide either.

[So why reveal the royal secret now?]

"Prince Calyx, don't be shocked yet because I'm not yet done with my surprise," Princess Neoma whispered in Calyx's ear. "Are you not wondering where my father's Soul Beasts have gone after their grand entrance?"

***

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