Royal Secret: I'm A Princess!

"I CAN KEEP it a secret, but that doesn't ensure that the other gods won't find out the truth," Goddess Alethea said. "If you really managed to get rid of the pollution here in my domain, the other gods who have the same problem as me would do everything in their power to find out how my domain was saved."

Neoma was also aware of that.

She knew that she couldn't keep her secret for too long since she couldn't hide her real power once she went on a full-on war with the crows.

However, stalling wouldn't be so bad.

"It's alright as long as you keep it a secret, Goddess Alethea," Neoma said. "The important thing is they don't get the answer right away."

"You're buying time."

"That, I am," she said, looking around. "I'm hungry."

"I apologize, but I have nothing to offer to your soul, young princess."

"That's not true," she said, smiling at the goddess. "I find Darkness delectable."

Goddess Alethea looked surprised by what she said. "That's a strange thing to hear from a de Moonasterio."

"It's too early for you to get surprised," she said to the goddess. "I'm a person full of awesome surprises, Goddess Alethea."

"I can tell that."

"I have to warn you, though."

"Warn me about what?"

"Once you see my ability, I'm sure you'll be greedy to get a hold of me," Neoma said in a warning voice. "I'm afraid I have to ask you to moderate your greed in advance, Goddess Alethea. I do not belong to the gods. Please remember that."

Goddess Alethea just looked at her as if she was confused.

She just smiled, then she opened her palm. "This is the first time that I'm going to use this ability properly, and you're the first god to ever see this cooler side of me, Goddess Alethea."

Before, she would just use her "air purifier" ability by following her instincts.

But after training with Mama Boss for the past five years, she finally learned how to use her purifying ability in the proper way.

"Namoo, come out," Neoma said, smiling. "It's your debut stage."

A small capybara made of wood appeared above her palm.

It was her Wood Spirit that she created herself. She carved the capybara from the wood that she inherited from Mama Boss.

[The 'wood' was actually a thick branch from the Cosmic Tree.]

Not just anyone could get a piece of the Cosmic Tree, not even a single leaf. The fact that her Mama Boss received a branch from the Cosmic Tree was a testament to how the Cosmic Tree treasured her mother.

[And Mama Boss gave the Cosmic Tree's branch to me as an inheritance.]

Her mother said she needed a medium that would absorb the Darkness for her instead of "eating" it directly. Then her Mama Boss suggested a Wood Spirit would be the best medium since Wood Spirits had a tree's properties.

But there wasn't a Wood Spirit in Korea, so Neoma created one.

She literally breathed life into the wood statue for the capybara to become "alive."

And now it was her Wood Spirit.

[I named it 'Namoo' because it means 'tree' in the Korean language.]

"I can't tell what that thing is," Goddess Alethea said as if she was confused. "It seems like a Spirit, but the soul doesn't seem to be natural…"

"It is a Wood Spirit– an artificial Spirit, that is," Neoma explained, then she got down on one knee and carefully helped Namoo, the wooden capybara, to get off her hand until it was walking on the soil covered in Darkness. "I made her."

Yes, Namoo was a girl– a kween.

[Because I said so.]

"You CREATED a Spirit?" Goddess Alethea asked in disbelief. "I have never heard of a human capable of creating a Spirit. After all, Spirits are still living things. How could you create an artificial life?"

Neoma stood up before responding. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that, Goddess Alethea. That's trade secret."

Of course, the goddess looked confused by what she said.

However, Goddess Alethea soon got distracted when Namoo suddenly stopped walking.

Then the Wood Spirit, despite its small size, opened its mouth wide. Slowly, the Darkness that covered the domain was sucked in by the small wood figurine.

"Will it be alright?" Goddess Alethea asked worriedly. "Its size is too small for the amount of Darkness that it's sucking in."

"Namoo is just a medium– she's not the one absorbing the Darkness," Neoma explained, her entire body slowly being covered in Darkness. The goddess looked shocked, causing her to chuckle. "Don't worry, Goddess Alethea– my appetite is big enough to eat all the Darkness in your domain."

***

NIKOLAI judged that Neoma was safe under the protection of Lewis Crevan, Trevor Kesser, Dahlia, and Hanna.

He was worried when Neoma collapsed, but was relieved when the fox caught his daughter.

The fake Juliet and Calyx Dalton were being quiet, so he was a bit worried.

[But seeing that Hanna is keeping an eye on them discreetly puts me at ease.]

He had noticed it before, but now he was certain.

[The person Neoma's allies must follow when she's out of commission is Hanna, followed by Lewis Crevan or Paige Avery.]

He didn't want to admit this, but Neoma could stand on her own now.

[She already has trust-worthy subordinates. Hence, she'll do well even without me or Mona.]

"The kids will be fine, Nikolai," Mona said gently, touching his arm. "There's something else that we should do."

"Ah, right," Nikolai said, nodding. "Please bring the trash out, Mona."

"Trash?" Nero, who seemed calmer now, asked curiously. "I'm sure it's no ordinary trash. What are you going to bring out this time, Father? Mother?"

Nikolai just patted Nero's shoulder.

Mona, on the other hand, just smiled at their son before turning to him. "I'll bring him out now."

Nikolai nodded in response.

Then Mona opened her hand.

A pink rose materialized above her palm, then she dropped the flower on the floor. After the rose hit the floor, several vines emerged– creating an egg-shaped nest where a familiar face was trapped in.

"Count Kyle Sprouse?" Nero asked with furrowed brows, then he looked at Nikolai and Mona with suspicious eyes. "You kidnapped the Empress Dowager's chief aide?"

"That traitor deserves the front seat to this shit show," Nikolai said. He rarely cursed, but he couldn't think of nice words to say when it came to Kyle Sprouse. The traitor didn't deserve to be treated with kindness. "Kyle Sprouse, watch this trial closely. I want you to see how Neoma, the person you looked down on ever since she was a child, will destroy the fake Juliet that you worship."

"You can't just accept the fact that Empress Juliet has returned alive, Your Majesty," Kyle Sprouse said bitterly. "How can she be a fake when she remembers everything? Moreover, I'm the person who knows Empress Juliet the most."

Nikolai scoffed at what the traitor said. "You don't even know that the real Juliet neither wished to be married nor be a mother. Despite claiming that you know her so well, you have no idea what her true calling was."

And the real Juliet's dream was to be a priestess.

To be precise, a priestess to Roxana– the Light Goddess.

"It's no use talking to someone who's as close-minded as Kyle Sprouse, love," Mona said, sighing while shaking her head. "Just let him watch the truth get unfold."

Nikolai nodded in agreement, then he turned to Neoma. "It seems like our daughter is back."

***

THE DEAL was a success.

When Neoma opened her eyes, she found herself in Lewis' arms…

… and her vision was a little weird.

Oh?

That was when she realized that her eyes were covered in a lacey blindfold. And it wasn't just any blindfold– it was a divine item.

[It's probably the same blindfold that the High Priestess wears.]

"Lewis, I'm back," Neoma said. "You can put me down now."

Lewis let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, Princess Neoma."

As soon as her feet touched the floor, she had already gotten used to her weird vision at the moment.

It was a little uncomfortable, but she could see just fine.

[I wonder if I look weird, though?]

<"I, Alethea– the Goddess of Truth– shall lend my divine power to Neoma de Moonasterio, the one and only royal princess of the Great Moonasterion Empire, until the trial is over. The royal princess received my ability to extract the truth from anyone who has consumed the Anwir Pill.">

It was weird to hear the glowing red orbs 'talking.'

But it was clear.

Everyone in the courtroom, and the people watching the broadcast, could definitely hear Goddess Alethea talking.

<"You must only speak the truth in the sacred courtroom. Those who utter lies shall receive divine punishment– and that rule also applies to Neoma de Moonasterio in the name of fairness,"> Goddess Alethea said firmly. <"Alethea, my precious child, guide the young princess until everything is over. I shall speak to you in private later.">

High Priestess Alethea cried while thanking Goddess Alethea for speaking to her.

Why would someone cry… oh, right.

[I'm so used to talking to gods directly that I often forget it's not common to speak to them in the first place.]

Anyway, after leaving her message, Goddess Alethea slowly vanished.

That meant the giant red orbs disappeared just like that.

Of course, the whole spectacle left most people speechless. She could imagine the people outside the courthouse to be in a similar state. However, she couldn't afford to give them a breather– not even a short break for them to process everything.

The show must go on.

[Now let's test Goddess Alethea's divine power.]

"We've all heard Goddess Alethea's message loud and clear," Neoma declared firmly. "Hence, from this moment, I will lead the trial."

"This is ridiculous," Calyx said, scoffing. "Princess Neoma, you are the accused here. I have never heard of an accused leading a trial before."

"Well, now you have," Neoma said casually. "With the power granted to me by the Goddess Alethea, we will find out whether I'm guilty or not. You heard her, too. The rule applies to me, so I will also be punished if I lied."

Since she was stating a fact, Calyx couldn't refute her words anymore.

[I have the Goddess of Truth by my side, after all.]

Neoma turned her back on Calyx and faced the fake Empress Juliet. "Answer me properly this time," she said indifferently. "Are you the real Empress Juliet?"

The fake Empress Juliet bit her bottom lip hard until it bled, but that wasn't enough because her lips still trembled before slighting parting. Of course, the fake Empress Dowager noticed that her mouth was moving on its own. Hence, she tried to cover her mouth with her hands.

[She's pretty good to be able to resist Goddess Alethea's power this much.]

However…

"It's no use resisting. Didn't you hear what Goddess Alethea said earlier? I have power over anyone who consumed the Anwir Pill," Neoma said, her eyes glowing red as she crushed the fake Empress Juliet with her Alluring Aura. You know, the ability that she changed the name of because she wanted it to sound chic. Anyway, it was working because the fake Empress Juliet was literally brought to her knees. "I'll ask you again– are you the real Empress Juliet?"

It seemed like the Empress Dowager didn't have enough strength to resist Goddess Alethea's divine power anymore.

"I– I am…" the fake Empress Juliet said, stuttering. "I am the real Juliet– argh!"

The fake empress wasn't able to finish her sentence as she was suddenly struck by lightning– a lightning made from divine power, to be precise.

[Divine Punishment…]

The fake Empress Juliet screamed in agony while getting burned by the lightning.

"I see, you lied," Neoma said indifferently. "It's game over."

***

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