Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

NEOMA was ready to go to jail, but apparently, Lewis wasn't.

She was okay with being handcuffed by Sanford Devon because she thought it would be a fun experience. In fact, she would have asked Paige to take a picture of her "mugshot." But her "son" seemed to have a different idea.

"No need to put Restrictors on Princess Neoma," Lewis said to Sanford in a threatening voice. "Her Royal Highness will cooperate with you."

'Restrictors,' as its name suggested, was a device equivalent to the modern world's handcuffs. But instead of handcuffs, Restrictors were ropes. Of course, they were laced with magic. The ropes were meant to nullify the captive's Mana.

[It won't work on me since I'm OP, though. I just wanted to be handcuffed for the experience.]

But perhaps she should set the idea aside.

[Lewis doesn't want to see me handcuffed, after all.]

Neoma slowly lowered the hands that she offered so easily earlier.

[Yep, I should act like a dignified princess.]

"Lewis is right. You don't have to restrict me– you can't anyway," Neoma said, smiling at Sanford apologetically. "Sir Devon, you can just lead me to wherever I'm supposed to be locked up, hmm?"

Sanford avoided his gaze nervously, then he turned to Nero.

"Members of the Royal Family who have sinned are supposed to be locked up in the Moonless Tower. But you're not officially registered to the Royal Household, so you won't get to enjoy that privilege," Nero said coldly while glaring at her. "Neoma Roseheart de Moonasterio, you shall be locked up in the Dungeon."

The Dungeon with the capital 'D,' huh?

It was the underground prison right below Yule Palace– the emperor's residence.

Nero was being a little harsh.

[The Dungeon below Yule Palace is known as a torture chamber, after all. It's the place where hardcore criminals that directly offended the Royal Family are thrown into. I feel kind of offended.]

"Arrest me, too," Lewis demanded in his usual monotonous voice. "I want to be locked up next to Princess Neoma."

Neoma was surprised. "Lewis, I'll be fine. Tteokbokki will be with me, anyway."

What kind of mother would let her son get locked up in a dangerous prison with her?!

Tteokbokki would return to her soul later.

[Well, I'm sure Tteokbokki would sleep since he's tired. But at least I won't be alone.]

"I'm not fine, Princess Neoma," Lewis said when he turned to her, frowning. "I'll get in prison with you."

Aww.

Of course, no son would also want to see their mother behind bars.

[I'm touched that Lewis is willing to go to prison with me, since he knows it's my plan to have a "vacation" in prison.]

Anyway...

Her touching moment with Lewis was interrupted when Nero suddenly grabbed Neoma by the arm.

"I'll personally throw you in jail," Nero growled, then he pushed Lewis away with his other hand. "And you, fox. Leave the palace immediately–"

"Let go of Princess Neoma," Lewis said coldly, his gold eyes glowing dangerously. "How dare you grab my princess so roughly?"

Did Neoma hear Lewis correctly?

[But, fortunately, Lewis is speaking properly.]

"How dare a mere fox like you lecture me– the Crown Prince?" Nero growled, letting go of Neoma's arm to grab Lewis by the collar. "Who do you think you are?"

Neoma wanted to stop Nero, but she didn't when she saw the look in Lewis' eyes.

[Yep, he got this.]

Even Lewis' "siblings" remained calm.

"I'm Princess Neoma's knight," Lewis said indifferently. He didn't even bother to use polite speech to Nero. "Clench your teeth, prince."

[That's right, Nero! Listen to our boy Lewis and clench your– wait, what?!]

Neoma, and everyone around them, gasped out loud when Lewis suddenly punched Nero in the face.

For the first time in a while, she was too flabbergasted to react.

She could only watch Nero stumble while covering his bleeding nose with his hands. Her twin brother, needless to say, looked shocked after getting punched.

[Oh, god…]

"I punched the Crown Prince," Lewis said casually while wiping the blood on his knuckles with a white handkerchief. "I can now go to prison with Princess Neoma, right?"

Neoma suddenly felt like fainting after hearing what Lewis said.

[Lewis, you dummy! Punching the Crown Prince is high treason! You'll go straight to the guillotine and not to prison!]

"You fox bastard!"

It was Lucien, the so-called crazy mage who had a knack for explosives.

Naturally, Nero's "children" apprehended Lewis immediately.

Neoma couldn't react right away because she knew her "son" was in the wrong.

Fortunately, Lewis didn't get violent when Raku put his hands behind his back while Sanford Devon put Restrictors around Lewis' wrists. As if that wasn't enough, Lucien even put bigger and stronger Restrictors around Lewis' body.

Melvin, on the other hand, put a handkerchief on Nero's nose while Alucard was healing Nero's broken nose with Mana.

"You're not going to prison," Nero said to Lewis in a very angry voice, his red eyes glowing, and his face had a murderous look on it. "I'll kill you– right here, right now."

Neoma moved before any of her children could. "Stop."

She said that one word with a huge amount of Mana.

Unfortunately, she wasn't able to control her power. Hence, everyone except for Neoma, Lewis, and Nero remained standing. Everyone else was brought to their knees because they couldn't withstand the sudden burst of her Mana.

Long cracks all over the walls and the floor also appeared.

[Gosh, I need to pay for repairs before I go to jail.]

Neoma turned to Paige, Juri, and Greko who were standing up now. "I'm sorry, kids," she said apologetically to her "children," then she turned to Nero with a hardened expression on her face. "Nero, let's not be petty and use that punch as an excuse to execute my knight. Frankly speaking, you deserved that punch."

But Lewis was wrong for punching Nero, too.

[I'm going to scold Lewis in private later.]

"Are you crazy? That bastard just punched me in the face," Nero complained like a child. "Don't worry, I won't kill him. I will just break his arms and legs."

"Nero, if you lay a hand on Lewis, I will make sure you'll never see Hanna and Dahlia again," Neoma warned her twin brother. "Pettiness runs in our blood, so don't test my patience."

***

CALYX followed Nero and ended up listening to Princess Neoma's speech discreetly.

But he didn't mingle in the crowd to simply listen. He actually planted several disposable pawns there to bomb the plaza in front of the People's Palace where the commoners had gathered. It was a hasty plan he came up with to interrupt the royal princess, and make the people hate her.

Unfortunately, the disposable paws that he planted were immediately caught.

He was debating whether to try another trick when his mother summoned him.

On his way to the Empress Dowager's palace, he received a report that he needed to hear from the spy: Nero arrested Princess Neoma for the crime of tarnishing the Royal Family's reputation after the royal princess' speech.

Hence, he went straight to the Empress Dowager's residence with Owen and Rowena. When he arrived at his mother's quarters, he already expected to hear some bad news based on the gloomy look on her face.

"I've received reports that some people in the Royal Palace have gone missing," his mother, Empress Juliet, said while sitting on the chair and drinking tea. Only the two of them were in the room at the moment. "Marcus– Nikolai's former Healing Sage. Abigail Barlowe– the Royal Archmage. Stephanie– Prince Nero's former nanny. Alphen– Prince Nero's former butler. Those are the people who suddenly disappeared during the banquet."

Calyx knitted his eyebrows. "We've been keeping an eye on those people even after they have forgotten about Princess Neoma. Moreover, all the main forces that support Princess Neoma are in the banquet. Who has the power to kidnap the people under the surveillance of our elite team?"

He was pretty sure that the main forces of Princess Neoma's allies didn't move.

"Nikolai's Soul Beasts."

Ah.

He suddenly remembered what Princess Neoma said to him earlier.

["Are you not wondering where my father's Soul Beasts have gone after their grand entrance?"]

So, that was what the royal princess had meant by that.

[I can't believe Princess Neoma only used the great Four Holy Guardians to run an errand for her...]

"I already sent people to look for the abducted people, but our biggest problem is Princess Neoma's announcement," his mother said, sighing. "The royal princess made a declaration that she'd voluntarily attend a trial, and she even invited the public to witness it. Worse, she used the same technique that she did before: she used several communication devices to let people outside the Royal Capital know what was happening."

"Then we can't manipulate the information now," he said. "A trial must be held."

"A trial must really be held if we want to salvage Prince Nero's reputation," her mother said, nodding. "At the end of the trial, we should pin all the blame on Princess Neoma and make it look like she stole Prince Nero's place."

"In short, we have to make it look like Nero was the victim in order to gain the public's sympathy."

"That's right," his mother said. "I'm the one who's going to give the verdict anyway. Even if Princess Neoma has somehow pulled the majority of the Twelve Golden Families by her side, I'm still the one who has the final say."

He tilted his head to one side. "I'm sure Princess Neoma knows that. I wonder why she let Nero arrest her, though."

"That's what we need to find out," his mother said. "Now that Princess Neoma is in prison, her movements are limited. Hence, it's inevitable for the royal princess to leave the rest of her plan to her people. We have to keep close surveillance on them."

"I heard from the spy that Lewis Crevan is going with Princess Neoma to prison," he said, tilting his head to one side while thinking. "If Lewis is also locked up, then I suppose Paige Avery will lead Princess Neoma's people."

"Paige Avery only has authority over Princess Neoma's Order of Knights, so it can't be the mage," Empress Juliet, his mother, said. Then she paused for a moment as if she was in deep thoughts before she spoke again. "It's Hanna Quinzel– the person that Princess Neoma's allies must follow while she's out of commission is none other than Hanna Quinzel. That little hawk is as cunning as Princess Neoma, after all."

"I guess you're right, Mother," Calyx said, looking up at the ceiling while making his brain work. "I wonder how I can monitor the sly vixen that is Hanna Quinzel?"

***

THE BANQUET ended after Prince Calyx returned to the hall and announced that Neoma had been arrested for tarnishing the Royal Family's reputation.

After that, the Twelve Golden Families held an emergency meeting in the palace.

That was why Hanna was on her way home now.

[Father will definitely get home late.]

Her mother, on the other hand, was also on her way home. However, her mother used a different carriage.

[After all, mine is already full.]

Hanna and her allies also parted ways after the party.

[I asked Dahlia to stay with Prince Skylus and the Griffiths. Lord Manu is also there, so I'm sure nothing bad will happen to the saint. Lord Trevor disappeared without saying a word, but I'm sure he just followed Neoma.]

Lady Paige would take care of Neoma's "children."

[I also left the matters related to High Priest Dion and the Holy Knights to Lady Paige.]

Hanna was merely acting like how she imagined Neoma would act if she was in her place.

[I hope I'm doing the right thing, though.]

"According to the report I heard from Lady Paige, Lewis punched Prince Nero in the face."

Hanna stifled her laughter after hearing what Lord Jasper said. "If Neoma wasn't there, Lewis would have been sentenced to death and not locked up."

Lord Jasper, who was sitting beside her, let out a sigh. "Lewis could really be reckless sometimes. I bet he punched Prince Nero to give them a reason to arrest him with Princess Neoma."

She smiled and nodded in agreement. "That's what I thought, too."

Hearing that Neoma and Lewis were arrested was surprising, but she wasn't that worried.

[I'm sure they got arrested on purpose. If they want to, they can break out of prison anytime they want to. There must be a reason why Neoma has to be jailed, though.]

"Lady Hanna, did you already know in advance that Princess Neoma would reveal the truth and get herself arrested?"

Her smile turned into a sigh while shaking her head. "I didn't know, Lord Jasper. But I believe I can see what Neoma is trying to do."

Lord Jasper looked at her long and hard before he spoke. "Then I will trust and follow you, Lady Hanna. I'm sure that's what Princess Neoma would want me to do, anyway."

"Thank you, Lord Jasper."

"May I know what you think Princess Neoma's goal is?"

Hanna smiled because she could see why Neoma suddenly volunteered to attend a trial even though she could avoid it as a member of the Royal Family. "I think Neoma's goal is to depose the Empress Dowager from the high position Her Majesty doesn't deserve."

"But why the Empress Dowager?"

She was about to give Lord Jasper a short explanation, but she was interrupted when she felt a strong bloodlust directed at her.

[Ah, right. Aside from Lord Jasper, there are two other gentlemen here.]

The first one, sitting across from Lord Jasper, was the Azure Dragon in his human form. Lord East was sitting there like a statue.

[His face is totally Neoma's type.]

"Should I kill him?" Lord East asked Hanna indifferently. "Princess Neoma asked me to bring this guy to you, but the princess didn't specify whether she needs him alive or not."

She smiled and shook her head. "Please don't kill him yet, Lord East," she said politely to the Soul Beast, then she turned to the captive next to the Azure Dragon.

The person had his mouth gagged with a piece of black cloth, but he was glaring at Hanna.

"Were you offended when I said our goal this time is to depose the Empress Dowager?" Hanna asked in a serene voice. "Is that right, Count Kyle Sprouse?"

***

IF NEOMA was in Korea, she would have already tweeted #NeomaJailParty.

She was really in prison right now.

A single bed, a window, a sink, and an old-looking toilet bowl.

Yep, that was all that she had in her little prison cell.

[It's hot, and it doesn't smell nice here, too.]

"The mattress is super tough, too," Neoma said when she sat on the bed. "Gosh, now I feel bad for Lewis."

Lewis was in the prison cell next to hers.

Nero already left after he personally saw her (and Lewis) enter their respective prison cells.

The entire underground prison was currently empty, but she could tell that Sanford Devon and Raku were guarding the main entrance.

Not that it mattered.

[My people and I can enter and leave this place anytime we want.]

Neoma knew that Nero was aware of that fact, too. Hence, the lax security. She was only there for the drama she was building up.

And Nero just wanted to see her behind bars to lessen his anger.

[Probably.]

"Where's Trevor, though?" Neoma whispered. "I need my skincare products."

Tteokbokki was already back inside her soul and was resting.

She didn't want to wake up her poor Soul Beast, so she was hoping Trevor would visit her. After all, she wanted to ask the demon boy to pull out her skincare products from his magic pouch or something.

"Must you really stay in this shabby prison, Neoma?"

Neoma turned to the owner of the disgruntled voice, then she smiled softly. "Ruto."

[No wonder I heard Lewis growl from next door.]

Ruto had already changed into casual clothes underneath a black hooded robe, and her man was standing outside the prison cell while looking like he was debating whether to break the door or not.

"You're just the person I wanted to see, Ruto."

"I suppose you don't need me to get you out of here," Ruto said, sighing. "What can I do for you, Princess Neoma?"

Neoma chuckled because Ruto addressed her as a princess in a very tired voice, as if he was so done with her crazy antics already. "Babe."

"Yeah?"

"Let's break up."

***

NOTE: Sorry for disappearing for three days. I got super sick. Monthly period plus a slight fever/cold is such a terrible combination.

***

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