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“I will return home later, and give my greetings to the Cosmic Tree,” Kingston said. “But only after I’m certain that Lady Monik has settled down somewhere safe. The Light Goddess personally asked me to care for the Light Saintess. Hence, I’ll be her guardian in the meantime.”

She smiled at the Elemental Guardian. “That’s a relief.”

“Please wait for me, Princess Neoma.”

“Huh?”

“I will stay with Lady Monik until she’s capable of protecting herself,” Kingston said firmly. “But later, please allow me to serve you as your Elemental Guardian.”

“Huh?” she asked, surprised. “Me? Why me? Nero mentioned you’ve mistaken him as your previous master. So, I thought you’d choose him as your new master.”

“I was surprised by the similar “scent” that Prince Nero and my previous master exuded,” the White Lion explained. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll serve the Crown Prince just because of that. I didn’t feel any connection to Prince Nero at all.”

“Oh, is that so?”

.....

Kingston nodded. “Lady Roseheart and Prince Nero contributed a lot in freeing me. However, it was you who recognized that I needed help, Princess Neoma. It was you who gave me hope first. If you didn’t promise that you’d free me from Calyx Dalton’s clutches, then I wouldn’t have the will to fight.”

She smiled shyly. No matter how arrogant she was, she knew when to take a compliment and when not to. “It’s embarrassing since I didn’t do much to warrant this kind of praise from you, Lord Kingston.”

The White Lion laughed merrily. “Princess Neoma, it’s in your nature to help people. Hence, you don’t think it’s a big deal. But for the people you saved like me, we owe you our lives.”

“But I’m just doing the bare minimum,” she said, still feeling bashful for some reason. She could brag about her beauty and brains all the time. But when it came to her good deeds, she wanted to keep quiet about them since for her, it wasn’t a big deal. “Living decently while helping the less fortunate is normal. In fact, sometimes, it’s arrogance itself.”

“You truly are the hope of the Great Moonasterion Empire, Princess Neoma,” Kingston said gently. “I can’t wait for the day when I can serve you fully, Master.”

Neoma covered her small face with her tiny hands. “Now I’m shy.”

The White Lion just laughed as if he was amused.

Fortunately, she recovered from her being embarrassed when she remembered there was a reason she wanted to talk to Kingston.

“My lord, I have a favor to ask.”

“You don’t have to ask me for a favor, Master,” Kingston said, making Neoma shy again. “Your will is my command.”

[Aigoo.]

She cleared her throat to mask her embarrassment from being called ‘Master’ by someone like the White Lion. “I can’t summon the Spirits or contact the Cosmic Tree since I became a baby. Can you help me with that?”

“I can reach out to the Cosmic Tree now that I’m free from the crows,” the White Lion said. “I can communicate with the Spirits, too. But it depends on which Spirit it is, Princess Neoma. I’m afraid I cannot reach out to Higher Spirits.”

“I just need a Spirit who can send a message to the Queen of the Spirit World.”

“The Cosmic Tree and the Queen of Spirit World, huh?” Kingston mused while giving her a look full of amusement. “I wonder what my Master is up to.”

“They both owe me a lot,” Neoma said, smirking. “It’s time for the Cosmic Tree and the Queen of Spirit World to pay what they owe me.”

***

“NIKOLAI, our children are waiting for us,” Mona said while patting Nikolai’s arms that were wrapped around her waist tightly. “And we need to go now.”

Nikolai just hugged her tighter, burying his face against the crook of her neck. “You and our twins are leaving to do dangerous missions. And I’m left here in the Royal Palace, safe while my entire family is risking their lives. I hate it.”

“Just because you’re in the Royal Palace doesn’t mean you’re safe,” she scolded him. “And your responsibility to hold the fortress while we’re gone is just as important as our missions. You have to do well, okay?”

“Of course,” he said even though it was obvious that he was still sulking. “I’ll keep the Royal Palace safe while running the empire well. I won’t let either the nobles or the crows disrupt the peace that we have here.”

“Very well, my love.”

“Please return to my side safely, Mona,” Nikolai begged her. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I lost you again.”

“Of course, my love,” Mona assured him. “The twins and I will come home as quickly as we could.”

***

“NERO, as soon as I’m done saving Lewis, I will follow you and your team in Saanya Desert,” Neoma said while looking at Nero who was holding her in his arms. “So hang in there, okay?”

Right now, Neoma and Nero were in the room next to the Papa Boss’ room. Their parents were still saying goodbye to each other, and they refused to see it.

[I mean, no child wants to see their parents flirt…]

Anyway…

She was telling Nero that she would act as reinforcement, since she was confident that they could save Lewis quickly since she was with Ruto and Hanna. Plus, her “children” would follow them as well.

[The Devil’s side won’t kill me, so it’s possible to escape from them.]

“You don’t have to follow me since I’ll be fine,” Nero said confidently. “In fact, I’d like it more if you return to the Royal Palace as soon as you’re done saving Lewis. After all, you can’t fight as long as you’re in the body of a baby.”

“But you need our help,” she insisted. “You’re heading to the enemy base, Nero. As your noona1, it’s my responsibility to help you.”

To be honest, it wasn’t just Neoma’s idea.

Hanna actually asked her if they could aid Nero in saving Dahlia once they were done saving Lewis.

[But Hanna doesn’t want me to tell Nero that she asked me that favor.]

Nero frowned. “Who’s my older sister? We’re the same age. And I don’t need your help–”

“Shh,” she scolded her twin brother, putting a finger on his lips. “Just listen to your noona. And calling for backup isn’t a sign of weakness. It shows you’re smart and prepared. In fact, it’s stupid to go to war without Plan B-Z. And speaking of which, I even prepared a backup plan in case saving Lewis would take longer than expected.”

He knitted his eyebrows. “And what else did you prepare?”

“You’ll find out later, my baby brother,” Neoma said while patting Nero’s cheek gently. “But I really hope and pray that we won’t need their assistance.”

Because needing the help of outside forces meant they lost the fight.

[We can’t lose this time.]

“Don’t worry about me, Neoma,” Nero said, then he sighed and hugged her tighter. “I’ll be fine as long as you’re safe.”

She smiled while savoring her twin brother’s embrace.

[Why do I have a feeling that we won’t see each other in a while after this…?]

But she set those negative thoughts aside when the door burst open and their parents entered the room.

[Oh, did Papa Boss cry? Gosh, he’s so clingy to Mama Boss.]

Before Neoma knew it, she and Nero were already locked in Mama Boss and Papa Boss’ tight and very warm embrace.

[Aww… I really love our family.]

***

“DUKE QUINZEL, I leave Papa Boss to you,” Neoma said to the duke in a serious voice. “Please protect the empire with him.”

Neoma, Hanna, Ruto, and Monik were in the Quinzel Estate in order to use the portal that connected to the Hazelden Kingdom directly.

[I left a message to Paige and told her to head straight to Hazelden instead of the empire.]

Duke Rufus Quinzel already informed Brigitte unnie and Uncle Glenn of their arrival.

[Anyway…]

Right now, she was in Hanna’s arms.

Monik (the former Empress Juliet), on the other hand, returned to the transparent egg that she was now using as some sort of flying vehicle.

And, finally, her Ruto was standing behind quietly.

“Don’t worry, Princess Neoma. I will protect His Majesty and the empire,” Duke Quinzel promised her. “I will also pray for your safe return.”

Neoma smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Your Grace.”

The duke smiled back, then he turned to Hanna. “Sweetie, please take care. Your mother and I will wait for your safe return.”

“I’ll hurry back to Mother and Father,” Hanna promised the duke. “Please be safe, too.”

Duke Quinzel nodded at his daughter’s request, then he turned to Ruto. “Lord Ruto, the ladies are capable of protecting themselves. Even so, I still entrust them to you.”

“Of course,” Ruto said politely. “I’ll keep them safe, Your Grace.”

“Thank you, young lord,” Duke Quinzel said, then he turned to Monik. After that, he bowed politely to her. As the duke of the empire, His Grace was only supposed to bow that way to the Royal Family. “It’s an honor to meet you again, Lady Monik. I wish my lady the best in this lifetime.”

Yep, Neoma told Duke Quinzel that Baby Monik was the former Empress Juliet because the former empress wished to say goodbye to the duke.

[And as far as I know, Papa Boss will need Duke Quinzel’s help to expose the fake Juliet.]

“Thank you, Rufus,” Monik said, smiling faintly at the duke. “I’m happy to see that you finally have your own family.”

Neoma smiled sadly when the duke’s shoulders trembled.

Duke Rufus Quinzel did or did not cry at that moment.

[I have to protect the duke’s dignity.]

***

.....

[OF COURSE, they’re shocked.]

Neoma already expected Brigitte unnie, Uncle Glenn, and Manu to be shocked after she introduced Monik as the former Empress Juliet.

Monik said that she’d explain the rest.

Hence, Neoma and Ruto were left to babysit Baby Skylus– the Crown Prince of Hazelden Kingdom, and the new saint.

Right now, they were watching the baby who was lying down in the crib.

[Hanna is being considerate, so she volunteered to stay with Monik to carry her even though Monik has the transparent egg for a flying vehicle.]

“Gosh, look at his eyes,” Neoma, who was in Ruto’s arms, said while looking at Skylus’ sparkling blue orbs. “They look like they contain the milky galaxy in them.”

“It’s amazing,” Ruto commented. “Even though Prince Skylus lost most of his divine power, he remains this strong. I know it’s too early to say this, but I think Prince Skylus is the strongest saint born in history yet.”

“Of course,” she said. For some reason, she felt proud. “Prince Skylus belongs to our generation, and our generation is destined to shake the world.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Prince Skylus, I’ll give you the title ‘The Strongest Baby in the World,\'” Neoma said to the baby saint. “This noona is sorry that we took your divine power from you. But I promise we’ll retrieve them for you.”

<“Princess Neoma, please abandon Lewis Crevan.”>

She frowned and massaged her temple when the voice of a young boy entered her mind without her permission. “Ruto, the baby saint just talked to me in my head,” she said. “Did you hear his voice, too?”

“I didn’t,” Ruto said while shaking his head. “What did Prince Skylus say?”

“It’s total bullshit,” Neoma said, her eyes glowing red. She wasn’t mad at the baby saint. It was just she couldn’t control her emotions because the baby saint’s words were obviously a prophecy. And she didn’t like it– not one bit. “I’m sorry for cursing, but please don’t say something as nonsensical as asking me to abandon Lewis, Prince Skylus.”

***