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Neoma was glowing.

Well, to be fair, she was always glowing because of her healthy and glass-like skin. Plus, her beautiful face was blinding, whether she had makeup or not. Anyway, that wasn’t the point.

She was LITERALLY glowing.

“Wow,” Trevor said while looking at her with wide eyes. “Princess Neoma, your life force, Mana, Moonglow, and divine power just doubled up all at the same time.”

“No,” Neoma said weakly, then she ran to the living room where she found her Mama Boss talking to someone on the phone. Based on her mother’s pale face, the phone call couldn’t be a simple phone call. Hence, as soon as her Mama Boss hung up, she asked: “Mama Boss, is that Papa Boss? Where is he?”

“It was G-Gavin,” Mama Boss said in a trembling voice. “He said Nikolai collapsed earlier and was brought to the hospital. Gavin wasn’t there when your father collapsed, so the employees who saw what happened called the ambulance.”

She already suspected that Papa Boss collapsed when Won-shik appa wasn’t with him.

After all, if Won-shik appa was there, then he would have brought Papa Boss home instead of a hospital.

.....

[Because Papa Boss won’t collapse for a normal reason.]

“Gavin said he was headed to the hospital,” Mama Boss said. “Neoma, let’s go.”

“You go ahead, Mama Boss,” Neoma said while shaking her head. “I have something to discuss with Trevor first. But we’ll be there as soon as possible.”

It wasn’t like she wasn’t worried about Papa Boss.

And her Mama Boss knew that.

“I understand,” Mama Boss said, then she pulled her for a tight hug. “Neoma, this isn’t your fault. Your father would also hate it if you blame yourself for what happened to him.”

Ah, as expected of the person whom she inherited her big brain from.

[Mama Boss already knows the reason Papa Boss collapsed. But I guess it’s pretty obvious since I’m literally glowing from the Moonglow that doesn’t belong to me.]

“Okay, Mama Boss,” Neoma said, nodding. “Drive safely.”

Yep, Mama Boss knew how to drive a car now.

[Mama Boss and Papa Boss like cars.]

Anyway, after her mother left, she called Trevor.

It looked like she didn’t have to say anything because the frown on the demon boy’s already told her he already knew what she wanted him to do.

“It’s only a temporary solution, Princess Neoma.”

“I know.”

Trevor ran his fingers through his hair as if he was frustrated. “If you do that, you’ll lose the chance to get the throne the EASY way. Do you want to walk the harder path to the throne?”

Neoma crossed her arms over her chest. “Whatever path I take, it will lead me to the throne in the end. I don’t care if I have to suffer a little,” she declared bravely. “Papa Boss is more important to me than having an easy life.”

***

“HANNA, sweetie, I have something to say to you.”

“What is it, Mother?” Hanna asked, smiling. “I’m listening.”

When her mother asked her to take a walk in the garden with her, she already knew that her mother wanted to talk to her about something important.

[Mother is probably going to talk about Regina.]

“Sweetheart, you’re our one and only child,” her mother began carefully. “Your father and I weren’t blessed with another child because of my poor constitution. Even so, we are very happy and blessed to have you in our lives. You complete us, daughter– you complete our family.”

She smiled, touched by what her mother said. “You’re making me emotional, Mother. My life is also filled with love and happiness because I was born as your daughter.”

Her mother smiled back at her and nodded, then she held her hand. “Hanna, about Regina…”

[I knew it.]

“She’s Brother Gavin’s daughter,” her mother said carefully. “She may be an illegitimate child, but she’s still our family. But since her father was declared a traitor by the previous emperor, it will affect her social standing if we register her in the family as Brother Gavin’s daughter. So, I’m thinking…”

[Ah, here it is.]

“I’m thinking of adopting Regina into our family.”

Hanna tried to maintain her smile.

[Regina Crowell, whatever spell you created to make my mother and father that you almost killed me, it worked.]

Five years ago, she was shocked when she realized that her mother and father didn’t only forget Neoma– her parents also forgot that Regina Crowell was an enemy who tried to kill her when she was younger.

[If it wasn’t for Lord Ruto, I would have already exposed the truth that I didn’t forget Neoma.]

However, she finally learned how to control her emotions now.

[That’s why I can act like I treasure Regina as my sister.]

“Hanna, once you become the Crown Princess, you may no longer inherit the family title,” her mother said carefully. “Of course, you will still get your inheritance. But your father and I will need a successor. Instead of naming a distant relative as our successor, what do you think about Hanna being the new Quinzel Heiress?”

She was already prepared for that moment.

Hence, Hanna smiled. “I will follow what Mother and Father want, of course.”

[But I’m sorry, Mother– I won’t let Regina take anything away from me.]

***

“I HEARD you closed a business deal with Duke Hawthorne,” Nero said to Hanna while they were in the carriage. They were headed to the Royal Moon Academy for a banquet celebrating the academy’s foundation day. “Since when did you two get close?”

“Duke Hawthorne and I often met at auction houses where old properties are sold,” Hanna explained gently. “His Grace is a good business partner.”

“Is that all?”

“What do you want to know, Prince Nero?”

He looked at his fiancée while studying her face.

Hanna may not be the drop-dead gorgeous type, but she was pretty. She had a gentle face that was easy on the eyes. Moreover, she was the most elegant lady that he had met in his life. Even the dark moss green dress that she wore for tonight’s party looked very classy on her.

[The dress matches her pretty green eyes.]

To simply put, Hanna was the only lady who was suited to become the Crown Princess.

“Prince Nero?”

“It’s just strange that you’re the only business partner that Duke Hawthorne accepted even though many investors wanted to join the new business that he’s building,” he said. “It’s called a ‘mall’ or something, isn’t it?”

Hanna smiled charmingly at him. “Perhaps I’m the most competent out of all the businessmen who reached out to Duke Hawthorne?”

“Is that you’re way of telling me to stop meddling with your business?”

“Prince Nero, jealous men aren’t attractive.”

“I’m not jealous.”

Hanna just smiled at him again. “If you say so, my prince.”

He knitted his eyebrows. “But why are you addressing me by my title when it’s only the two of us here? Are you trying to build a wall between us when we’re about to get married?”

“We’re about to get married?” she asked. “Really?”

He knitted his eyebrows.

Hanna was still smiling. However, she looked cold at the moment. She didn’t look like the sweet and kind fiancée that she was used to seeing.

He was about to ask her what was wrong when the carriage stopped.

The coachman announced that they had arrived.

And a few moments later, Sanford Devon opened the carriage door.

Sanford, the huge flirt that he was, ignored Nero to smile seductively at Hanna. “Good evening, Lady Hanna,” he greeted the future Crown Princess casually. “You’re as beautiful as the moon.”

Nero looked at Sanford with cold eyes.

[I’ll throw that flirty bastard into the dungeon later.]

“As beautiful as the moon, huh?” Hanna said, laughing softly. “I appreciate the praise, but please don’t say it again, Sir Devon. It’s an insult to the person who’s actually more beautiful than the moon.”

Sanford looked like he was about to shower Hanna with praises again.

“Shut it, Sanford Devon,” Nero said coldly. “How dare you flirt with my fiancée in front of me?”

This time, Sanford finally backed down by bowing and retreating.

Nero stepped out of the carriage, then he extended his hand to Hanna. “Let’s go.”

Hanna nodded, then she held his hand and let him guide her out of the carriage.

Together, Nero and Hanna entered the Ballroom after their arrival was announced at the door.

.....

And now, all eyes were on them.

Since he was the Crown Prince, he was the last to arrive. The Empress Dowager didn’t attend the foundation night because Her Majesty didn’t want to steal the spotlight from him.

[The Empress Dowager wants me to take the throne after my coming-of-age ceremony.]

Hence, the Empress Dowager wanted him to convince the nobles to accept him as the future emperor by socializing.

“Prince Nero?”

It was Hanna who called him while looking at him with a shocked look on her face.

And it wasn’t just her.

Everyone in the room fell silent while looking at him in disbelief.

Nero didn’t have to ask what was wrong.

He knew everyone was shocked because his entire body suddenly glowed literally.

Blue and white lights surrounded him from head to toe.

And those strange lights were doing miracles on him.

His life force, Mana, Moonglow, and divine power doubled up.

[Ah, it’s happening.]

“That’s the Moonglow that only the emperors and the future emperors could possess,” Marquis Lennox said in a loud and clear voice. Since the entire ballroom was silent, everyone heard the marquis’ words. “Prince Nero has been chosen by the throne to lead a new era that will bring more glory to the Great Moonasterion Empire!”

Hanna knelt and bowed in front of Nero. “Congratulations, Prince Nero.”

Then everyone in the ballroom, including the representatives of the Twelve Golden Families, followed suit.

Everyone was kneeling and bowing in front of Nero now.

“Long live the new Moon!”

Nero should be happy.

However, he only felt a pang in his chest. He felt gutted for some reason. Worse, tears rolled down his cheeks uncontrollably.

If he was now the new Moon, then what happened to the old Moon?

[Is Father… gone?]

***

“I’M SORRY for your loss, Ma’am.”

What?

Mona was confused when the doctor said those words to her.

When she arrived in the private room where Nikolai was confined, she was surprised to see a group of doctors and nurses.

Everyone, including Nikolai’s male secretary, looked heartbroken.

She already knew what happened, but she refused to accept it.

“What are you saying, doctor?” Mona asked, her voice cracked. “Nikolai can’t be dead– my husband can’t be dead!”