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Hanna was a bit startled when His Majesty called her by her first name instead of calling her by her full name, as usual. Thus, she suddenly got tongue-tied.

[It feels strange to hear His Majesty call me by my name casually.]

The current emperor was known for addressing people by their full names.

[Did His Majesty change the way he addresses me because we’re going to be family soon?]

“Hanna, sweetie,” her father, who was sitting beside her on the couch, gently called her as if he was snapping her out of her trance. “His Majesty just congratulated you for passing the entrance exam with an impressive result.”

Hanna politely bowed her head to the emperor. “My utmost gratitude, Your Majesty.”

.....

His Majesty, who was sitting on the sofa across from them, just nodded. “I’ve already heard from your father about the threat that you received from Calyx Dalton. In order to ensure your safety, I’d like you to move to Blanco Palace in the meantime.”

[Blanco Palace is the Crown Prince’s residence, right?]

She already expected that the emperor would ask her to move to the royal palace.

Once her engagement with Nero became official, then her stay at the palace would be permanent. After all, she’d be taking bridal and royal etiquette lessons by then.

“Your Majesty, instead of the Blanco Palace, would it be alright if I stay in another palace?” she asked bravely, although her heart was beating erratically out of nervousness.

Even her father looked surprised by her request.

His Majesty sipped his tea elegantly before he spoke. “If you wish to stay at Estella Palace, then I’m afraid I can’t grant your request. Estella Palace is reserved only for the official Crown Princess. However, you can move there as soon as we announce your engagement with Nero.”

She smiled and politely shook her head. “I do not wish to move to Estella Palace, Your Majesty. But I wish to move to Luna Palace instead of the Crown Prince’s residence.”

The emperor looked surprised by her request.

Even her father looked surprised. “Sweetie, Luna Palace is for the royal princesses...”

“I know, Father,” she said to her father gently, then she turned to the emperor again. “Your Majesty, if it’s possible, I’d like to stay at Luna Palace as my temporary residence.”

“Well, since there’s no official royal princess in the records, it would be possible for you to use Luna Palace as your temporary residence,” the emperor said. “But I want to know why you chose Luna Palace.”

“I’d like to renovate Luna Palace and turn it into a residence that Princess Neoma deserves once she’s finally acknowledged as the empire’s royal princess, Your Majesty,” she said firmly. “Now that Prince Nero is back, I’m assuming Your Majesty would soon announce to the world that the Crown Prince has a twin sister.”

Her father almost choked on his tea because of her brave words.

To be honest, she was just pretending to be fearless. Deep inside, she was having a mental breakdown.

After all, His Majesty’s cold facial expression didn’t change.

“I intend to use my personal funds for the renovation, Your Majesty,” she said to convince the emperor, then she turned to her father. “Father, I can use my allowance for that, can’t I?”

“Of course, sweetie,” her father said. “It’s your money- you can do anything you want with it.”

“Thank you, Father,” she said, then she turned to the emperor with hopeful eyes.

“You don’t have to use your personal funds, Hanna. In fact, you won’t need to spend a single coin while you’re here,” the emperor said. “I’ll put you in charge of Luna Palace, and you’ll receive an allowance from me from now on. If the cost of the renovation exceeds your budget, then you can always ask for more.” He sipped his tea before he continued. “I’ll send you the most elite servants the palace has, and you may choose whom you want to serve you closely. I’ll also hire the best people to work with you for the renovation.”

She was relieved to hear that.

Not because she didn’t want to use her own money- but because she wanted the emperor to actively care more about Neoma’s well-being. Moreover, Neoma would be happier to know that her royal father was involved with the renovation of her future residence.

[Neoma won’t be Nero’s proxy forever, so we have to start preparing for the time she finally reclaims her birthright.]

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s generosity,” Hanna said while bowing to him politely. “I will use the people and the allowance Your Majesty will send me wisely.”

Much to her surprise, the emperor let out a chuckle.

[Oh, it’s rare for His Majesty to laugh...]

“I can already tell that Nero chose his Crown Princess well,” Emperor Nikolai said while looking at her with expectant eyes. It was as if the emperor was telling her he was expecting more great things from her as the future Crown Princess of the empire. “Hanna, if Nero doesn’t treat you right, tell me or Neoma- we’ll scold him for you.”

Hanna smiled and nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind, Your Majesty.”

***

“PRINCE NERO, you snuck out of the palace again.”

“Sev wants to play in the snow,” Nero, who was sitting on a rock while looking at the entrance of the cave where his Soul Beast ran off to, said in an indifferent voice. Then he turned to Glenn, who followed him there. “I’ll be fine, Sire.”

He was currently in the deepest part of the Frozen Woods.

It was a safe area since it was protected by a barrier that the Fletcher Twins created themselves. And the said twins were also currently hiding somewhere they could see him. Of course, if something was to happen, he was sure the twins were in a distance where they could reach him easily.

[Not that I need their help.]

“Your Royal Highness doesn’t have to address me formally,” Glenn, the king of Hazelden Kingdom, said as if he was shy, then he gently put a thick and warm blanket on his shoulders. “Please use this. I don’t want you to get a cold.”

“That won’t happen, Sire.”

The king still looked worried, though.

[I probably didn’t sound convincing when I said I won’t get a cold since I look like skin and bones at the moment.]

“Prince Nero, it’s almost time for dinner,” the king said worriedly. “Let’s head back.”

[Glenn is still a worrywart, I see.]

Since he knew the king wouldn’t return to the palace alone, he decided to call Sev by whistling, using his fingers.

It was a trick that he and Sev learned together during their time at the Spirit World.

As he expected, just a few seconds after he whistled, Sev came out of the cave.

His Soul Beast was a wolf the size of a horse, with two tails that were starting to change. Ever since he gained his physical body back, he noticed the ice-like scales spreading across Sev’s tails.

[Wait... what’s in his mouth?]

His thoughts were distracted when he noticed a fish- the size of a mackerel- in Sev’s mouth while his Soul Beast was running toward him.

[The fish looks like a Blue Whale... but what kind of Blue Whale is that small?]

Glenn seemed to notice the strange fish, too. After all, the king suddenly stood in front of him protectively.

“It’s alright, Sire,” he said politely. “Sev wouldn’t bring me something that might harm me.”

Glenn looked at him worriedly. “Are you sure, Prince Nero?”

“Yes, Sire.”

The king looked hesitant, but he still nodded in the end and stepped aside.

Sev slowed down until he was just walking towards him, the strange fish still stuck in his mouth. The closer the wolf was, the more certain he was that the fish was a small Blue Whale.

[But why does that Blue Whale look familiar...?]

“Did you bring me a present, Sev?” he asked, then he opened his hands in front of his Soul Beast. “Did you catch that fish in the cave?”

There must have been a lake inside the cave.

Sev opened his mouth, dropping the strange fish in his hands.

And that was when he heard the unfamiliar voice in his head.

He felt a pang in his head when the fish that turned out to be some sort of Spirit forced a link in his mind.

[Argh!]

As a result, he dropped the fish as he clutched his head tight.

“Prince Nero!”

“Ah, Lapiz!”

Huh?

It was a girl’s voice- a familiar girl’s voice, at that.

When he raised his head, he was surprised by what greeted her.

Well, it was really Dahlia who looked more mature now than he remembered.

But the Black Witch, who was plopped on the ground while carrying the small Blue Whale in her arms like a baby, was surrounded by Glenn and the Fletcher Twins who just came out of thin air just like Dahlia.

[I knew the twins would appear if something strange happens.]

Anyway, the three men had drawn their swords, and all of it was pointing at Dahlia.

“Oh, it’s just Miss Dahlia,” Warren Fletcher said, but he didn’t withdraw his sword. “But what are you doing here?”

“His Royal Highness didn’t summon you, Miss Dahlia,” Wyatt Fletcher said, and he actually sounded suspicious of the Black Witch. “I don’t know how you did it, but you went completely off our radar. Why did you approach Prince Nero while concealing your presence?”

.....

[Oh, dang.]

Dahlia looked like she was about to cry.

[She’s so easily overwhelmed even now...]

“Uhm, Fletcher Twins, let’s not overwhelm the young lady,” Glenn said while withdrawing his sword and backing away to give Dahlia some space. But the Fletcher Twins didn’t budge. “Come on, guys...”

“I-I’m sorry, good sirs,” Dahlia said in a cracked voice, her pupils shaking and so was her whole body. Why was a powerful Black Witch like her such a crybaby? “I d-don’t mean any harm to Prince N-Nero... I s-swear I’m h-harmless...”

He didn’t want to admit this, but he was flustered to see Dahlia here.

Although he asked his father to help him find the Black Witch, he didn’t mean for them to have unexpected encounters like this. He just wanted to keep Dahlia at bay because her power as a Black Witch was useful.

[She knows what kind of relationship we had in our first lives, and I thought we already agreed that we wouldn’t let it happen again in this lifetime.]

He was about to tell Dahlia to leave when he got a good look on her face.

Nero clicked his tongue, annoyed to see Dahlia on the verge of tears. “Move away from her,” he ordered the Fletcher Twins who immediately withdrew. Then he stood up and offered his hand to Dahlia. “Come here.”

Much to his surprise, Dahlia grabbed his hand as if she was his lifeline.

The moment their hands touched, Nero immediately regretted it- he regretted it because a gnawing feeling in him told him he wouldn’t be able to let go of that hand anymore.

***

“DID YOU enjoy your meal?” Nikolai asked Neoma when his daughter arrived at his room to check on the dragon egg. “It was Ruston Stroganoff’s request to let you have dinner first before you go to work. But I would have done the same even without him reminding me to feed you first once you get home.”

Neoma smiled, but her smile looked tired. “Thank you for telling me, Papa Boss,” she said, then she sat beside him instead of the sofa across from them. Then she stared blankly at the red egg sitting prettily on the cushion on top of the table. “You know, Papa Boss. I was ready to go ape on Ruto after he ghosted me. But I realized he might have a reason for avoiding me.”

“What happened?”

“We were talking earlier when I heard explosions in the background,” his daughter said. “I think he was in the middle of a fight while we were talking. And I have a feeling that I’m the reason why he was risking his life in a battle when he just woke up.”

He scoffed because he didn’t like seeing his daughter worry about some boy.

Well, that boy was pretty useful. Still...

“Don’t feel guilty,” he told his daughter. “You didn’t tell Ruston Stroganoff to fight for you.”

“I also said those words to Ruto,” she said while laughing, but that laugh was lifeless.

[Let’s not talk about Ruston Stroganoff.]

Moreover, he needed to congratulate his daughter for acing the entrance exam and making him proud once again.

He was about to open his mouth when he heard Rufus Quinzel’s voice in his head.

Ah, right.

Rufus kept on calling Hanna ‘sweetie’ earlier and now, it was stuck in his head.

To be honest, he found it too cheesy to use endearment for his children. But Rufus made it sound... well, okay. After all, his cousin was naturally an affectionate person.

[And Neoma admires Rufus.]

Should he try copying Rufus and his parenting style this once?

“Neoma.”

“Yes, Papa Boss?”

He cleared his throat first before he spoke. “About your entrance exam...” He panicked a little, so he turned away from his daughter. Then his gaze fell on the first thing that caught his attention from the dessert trolley beside the tea table. “Congratulations on acing the exam... Muffin.”

Yes, he called Neoma ‘Muffin’ because it was the pastry that caught his eye first...

... and he immediately regretted it when his daughter turned to her with a shocked look on her face.

Neoma, for the first time since her adolescence, gave her a look full of disgust. She even rubbed her arms as if she was showing him that she got goosebumps. “Papa Boss, did you just call me ‘Muffin?\'”

Nikolai covered his burning face with his hands. “Neoma de Moonasterio, delete this moment from your memory- and it’s a royal order from me!”

***

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