Royal Secret: I'm A Princess!



[NEOMA?]

Ruto suddenly felt anxious while looking at the Eternal Flame that absorbed Neoma's soul a few moments ago.

[I feel two Neomas inside.]

"Divine lord, let's begin," Drystan said, sighing while shaking his head. "But before we begin, let me give you a warning."

"Warning?"

"Please don't make out with the little princess in front of me again," the King of Hell pleaded in a tired voice. "It's so traumatizing to see the children I raised exchange saliva."

He frowned at that.

Well, technically, Drsytan did raise Ruto and Neoma when the two of them went through 'Divinization.'

Just like its name suggested, it was a process a human had to go through to become a god.

Ruto and Neoma refused to ascend to the Upper World during their Divinization, so they opted to stay in Hell and learn from Drystan. After all, the King of Hell was still a god.

[And Drystan was and is still not interested in Neoma's power.]

"Why are you complaining when I saw you avert your eyes anyway?" Ruto argued. "And it was only for a brief moment."

"It still feels weird to see you two in that kind of relationship again after you said you'd only watch the little princess from afar this time."

Yeah, that was the plan.

But…

"Never mind. I never believed you could stay away from the little princess in the first place," Drystan said, sighing again. "It was always you who would fall first and fall harder for the little princess."

"…"

"Hence, it's only befitting that you give your heart to the little princess– literally, this time," Drystand said in an amused voice. "Anyway, it won't matter since you're already on the second phase of your Divinization. That means your organs will grow back even if I cut a portion of it."

Right.

Gods' limbs and organs would grow back quickly no matter how many times you cut them.

[It's just one of the things that make them seem immortal.]

"I'm ready," Ruto said firmly. "Please take my heart out in order to fix Neoma's heart."]

***

"MY QUEEN, do you feel better now?"

Brigitte nodded at Glenn's question while munching on the shaved ice that Prince Nero made for her before he left the estate. "Yes, honey. Prince Nero's ice is really delicious." She put a hand on her baby bump. "Our little angel loves it, too."

Before the Crown Prince, he left several huge blocks of ice for Brigitte.

'Shaved ice' was a popular dessert in Hazelden, and it was easy to make.

She just asked her husband to crush to ice finely, then pour syrup over it. Glenn also sliced some fresh fruits and used them as toppings.

[Glenn is really a man of Hazelden now.]

"How about the Frost Wyverns, honey?" Brigitte asked worriedly. "Did Prince Nero manage to calm them down?"

Delwyn, the Ice Spirit, couldn't tame the hungry Frost Wyverns.

[It just goes to show that Prince Nero's ice is really special.]

"The Frost Wyverns have calmed down, so Delwyn put them to sleep now," Glenn explained. "You should rest once you're full, honey. Don't worry because Father and my brother are making sure that the estate is safe."

Brigitte nodded, and she was about to say something when the communication device that she had suddenly vibrated.

Her face lit up because only one person was connected to that device.

[Skylus!]

Glenn immediately opened the portable stone tab.

<"Mommy, Daddy, Monik noona has already left the palace with His Majesty to fight the Second Calamity.">

Brigitte and Glenn were both surprised and worried by the sudden news.

But that wasn't the only thing that made them anxious.

"Skylus, what are you wearing?" Brigitte asked nervously. "I-Is that the uniform that the saints of Astello Temple?"

She knew that her son was the new saint.

Even so…

"Why are you wearing that, son?" Glenn asked worriedly. "What's happening?"

<"Mommy, Daddy, I'm going to fulfill my job as the new saint of the Moon God,"> Skylus said in a serious tone. <"Don't worry. Lord Manu, Uncle Dion, and the Holy Knights are here to guide and protect me.">

***

PRAY.

Manu knew that at a time like this, the best thing that the people who worshipped Lord Yule could do was to pray.

[Praying will also help them calm down.]

"My lord, the video stone tabs have been set up already," Dion Skelton whispered to Manu. "We can start the broadcast anytime."

Manu nodded, then he turned to Prince Skylus. "Your Holiness, everything is ready."

Since Prince Nero was busy, the Crown Prince put Manu in charge of the Holy Knights in the meantime.

"I understand," Prince Skylus said, then he raised his hand. "Open the gates."

The captain of the Holy Knights bowed to him politely, then he turned to the Holy Knights under his command.

And then the Holy Knights moved to open the palace gates.

As expected, the people who were waiting outside immediately reacted.

"It's the new saint!"

"But the new saint is still a child… can he do anything for us?"

"Isn't the new saint only a symbol now?"

"And where will the new saint get his power if the Moon God is missing?"

"This doesn't change a thing…"

Of course, Manu already expected that kind of reaction.

[Humans always cower before the Darkness because it is instilled in every fiber of their being to fear the Darkness.]

"Everyone, let's pray."

Hmm?

Prince Skylus only said three words, but it was enough to suddenly keep the crowd quiet.

It was because the baby saint had used his divine power to amplify his voice, not only for the people to hear him, but for them to fully comprehend what he was saying.

[The saint has the power to soothe the anxious hearts of people, after all.]

That was exactly how the saint could influence the Moon God's devotees.

"The entire world is currently being threatened by Darkness. But please don't worry, everyone. The Imperial Family is doing their best to protect us. They won't allow the Darkness to swallow up the moon," Prince Skylus said calmly, clasping his hands together. Then he smiled angelically, putting everyone's anxious heart at ease. "Please lend me your strength and pray with me, everyone."

***

[IT'S DONE.]

Trevor was relieved when he finally finished extracting 30% of Prince Nero's Roseheart Blood.

And now the Crown Prince was sleeping deeply.

Hmm.

That wasn't normal.

[He's going to wake up soon, right?]

"Is my son going to be alright?" Empress Mona asked worriedly. "Doesn't he look like he's sleeping a little too deeply?"

Right???

But he kept a poker-face because he didn't want the empress to get worried.

"Prince Nero will wake up soon since I only took 30% of his blood," Trevor said, sounding confident even though he wasn't. "Dahlia is here to check on the Crown Prince's condition, Your Imperial Majesty."

Dahlia, who was standing behind the empress, looked startled. But she quickly collected herself. "Yes, I'll make sure Prince Nero will wake up."

Great.

[I don't really care about the Crown Prince, so I'm glad the Black Witch is here to take care of him.]

Trevor turned to the empress. "Your Imperial Majesty, we should hurry. The portal to the Cosmic Tree might shut down soon because of the Second Calamity."

"I understand," Empress Mona said, then she leaned down and kissed Prince Nero on the forehead. "Baby Pumpkin, please wake up soon. I'll be gone for a moment, but I promise to come back soon. Let's welcome your twin sister together, hmm?"

***

[IT FUCKING HURTS.]

Neoma couldn't even move.

She could only hug herself while sitting on the ground like the fucking loser that she was.

GOD SHE HATED LOSING.

"I don't think it hurts as much as it did when I took the Eternal Flame's test before," Neoma of the first timeline said, squatting down to meet Neoma's eye level. "It's probably because you have a red dragon for a Soul Beast."

Tteokbokki's physical form disappeared when Neoma touched the Eternal Flame.

[But I can feel Tteokbokki's presence in my soul, and I can feel him protecting me from the Eternal Flame.]

"Ma'am, are you jealous of me?"

"I am," Neoma of the first timeline admitted bluntly. "You lived a good life after the commander turned back time for you."

"But I am you," Neoma argued. "I lived the harsh life that you lived, too. We're the same people, so you also get to live the life that I'm living right now."

"That's not true."

"What?"

"I came from the Dead World," Neoma of the first timeline explained. "The world that I lived in disappeared when the commander turned back time to give you a better life. That's why you can't remember everything. It wouldn't be strange to say that we're two different people now."

"Even if what you said was true, I still don't get how any of that was my fault. Why are you upset with me when I am also a victim like you?"

"Because I am petty," Neoma of the first timeline said shamelessly. "And I hold grudges."

Neoma nodded approvingly. "Yeah, we really have the same rotten personality."

"Do you hate the fact that I am tall?"

"Yeah! I want to be cute and portable!"

Neoma of the first timeline smiled sweetly, then she put a hand on the top of her head. "Then I curse you to be taller than your commander in this timeline."

"You fucking bitch!" Neoma yelled at her older version angrily. "I won't forgive you if I hit the seven feet mark– aaahhh!"

She once again screamed in agony when the flame that swallowed her up grew bigger and hotter.

Even though she didn't have a physical body, she still felt like she was melting to the bones.

[It's hot. It burns. It hurts…]

Neoma fell to the ground, unmoving.

"Now that I've successfully passed the Eternal Flame to you, I'm going to collect my good karma points now," Neoma of the first timeline stood up while stretching her arms. "I'll use it to meet his version in this timeline."

Neoma, despite her consciousness fading away, still managed to raise her middle finger at the Neoma of the first timeline. "Ruto is mine, bitch."

***

"THANK YOU for giving me your heart, Divine Lord."

Ruto watched as Drystan put his heart inside a clear jar, freezing his heart in the process.

Then he clutched his chest.

[I'm still alive.]

The hole in his chest was quickly closing up. Hence, even though his chest area was covered in blood, he remained standing.

He just felt a little tired.

"Divine Lord, only a few of us remember the first timeline," Drystan said out of the blue. "I believe you should help the little princess remember her past completely. We need her to win this war, after all."

Ruto just avoided the King of Hell's gaze.

"You're still as overprotective as ever, Commander."

What the…

To say that Ruto was shocked when the Eternal Flame spit out Neoma would be an understatement.

But that wasn't his Neoma.

"Ah, the big princess is here," Drystan said indifferently. "Did you seriously use your good karma points just to get out?"

Neoma of the first timeline ignored Drystan, then she walked towards Ruto with a serene look on her face. "I'm taller than you now, Commander Yoan," she said in a playful manner. "And you're weaker than I am at the moment. I can kill you with my bare hands if I want to."

"Well, I'm still in the second phase of Divinization at the moment," Ruto said, awkwardly looking up at Neoma. "Why did you come out, Princess Neoma?"

Neoma of the first timeline tilted her head to one side. "Are you not happy to see me, Commander?"

***

[THIS IS harder than I thought…]

Nikolai's nose was already bleeding from using too much of his divine power.

It wasn't easy to control both his Soul Beasts and divine power at the same time.

[My Moonglow is almost non-existent now, so my divine power isn't as strong as it was before my children were born.]

It was proof that he was slowly losing his right to the throne.

COUGH.

Nikolai turned to Monik and he got anxious when he saw the child cough up a chunk of blood. "Stop using your divine power, child."

Monik, who was floating in the air while surrounded by some pinkish lights, shook her head while wiping the blood off her nose using the back of her hand. "I'm okay, Your Imperial Majesty."

"Our divine power isn't working."

Nikolai had already summoned his Soul Beasts.

It was difficult for him to handle the five Soul Beasts in their beast forms, but he had to maintain that form for them in order for him to use his divine power effectively.

The burning Vermilion Bird was breathing fire at the blobs of Darkness.

The White Tiger was trying to pop the blobs with his sharp claws.

The Azure Dragon was breathing water at the blobs.

The Black Tortoise and the snake were trying to freeze the blobs with ice.

But none of those attacks worked.

The blobs of Darkness that popped would just appear and multiply again and again.

[Worse, we can't descend.]

The strange vapor was acting like a shield that was preventing them from descending back to land. Hence, they were trapped there. The only reason they could breathe properly at that height was thanks to the barrier that he created.

[But even this barrier is hard to maintain.]

When did Nikolai become this weak?

"Don't worry, Your Imperial Majesty," Monik assured him. "We just need to gather the Light Goddess' scattered fragments in the sky to win."

"The Light Goddess' scattered fragments?" Nikolai asked, confused. "I know that the reason why Darkness couldn't swallow the world again was because of the Light Goddess' scattered fragments. However, I don't think it's true since the blobs of Darkness have successfully infiltrated the sky."

"That can't be true."

"Huh?"

"Neoma unnie is THE sky," Monik insisted, her pink eyes glowing. "Neoma unnie can't be infiltrated by something as corrupt as Darkness!"

"Are you my fan, little girl?"

[Who…]

Nikolai looked up in the direction where he heard the strange yet familiar voice, only to be surprised when he recognized the face that greeted him. "Neoma?"

[But when did my daughter grow taller than me?]

***

[PRINCESS Neoma didn't come out to see me.]

Ruto clenched his hands tight while looking at the embers that were left on the spot where Princess Neoma was standing a few moments ago.

"I can't believe that the big princess used her good karma points to see the emperor," Drystan said, his voice slightly more lively than usual. "Is she going to get her revenge on the father who neglected her? That child holds grudges."

"If that's what you think, then you really don't know Princess Neoma," Ruto said, scoffing at the King of Hell. "Whatever world she is, she will always have a soft spot for her father."[1]

***

[THIS IS not the Neoma I know.]

Nikolai knew that, but he knew another thing.

[She's still my daughter.]

His heart thumped hard and fast against his chest when he recognized the Neoma in front of him.

And how did he recognize her, you ask?

Her eyes.

[This Neoma's eyes are dull and empty.]

"Father, don't look at me like you're about to cry," Neoma, the one from the first timeline, said with a hollow smile on her face. "I used my good karma points to curse at you in person, but how can I do that when you're looking at me like I'm your precious daughter?"

"Because you are."

"I'm not the Neoma of this timeline."

"I know, and you can curse at me all you want, daughter," Nikolai said in a cracked voice, opening his arms to the older Neoma. "But will you allow me to give you a hug first?"

***

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[1] read the AU, guys. you'll see how special neoma and nikolai's bond as father-and-daughter is. and you'll get a small spoiler of how the main story here will end. hehe. the AU is complete in my patreon page: patreon .com/sola_cola