<strong></strong>"NEOMA, I think we''ve waited enough."


    [Tsk.]


    Neoma wanted to wait longer, but Nero''s stern voice made her shut her mouth.


    "And think about Hanna," Nero added, sounding very displeased. "She said she fainted in front of Duke Quinzel. Don''t you think the duke would grow more worried the longer Hanna remains unconscious?"


    "Ah, it''s fine," Hanna said while waving her hands as if saying she didn''t need to worry about it. "I managed to tell my father you were summoning me before I fainted, Neoma."


    "It''s not okay, future Crown Princess," Trevor said bluntly, but it was obvious she wasn''t taking Hanna''s side. This damned demon just didn''t want to wait for Ruto. "I know it''s also hard for you to cover our tracks using your shadow."


    Hanna turned to Trevor with a cold smile on her face. "It''s not hard for me. If it''s too hard for the great Devil''s Grimoire to keep up with me, then I suppose I should just do it on my own."


    Trevor turned to Hanna with a pissed look on his face. "Excuse me?"


    "Don''t fight," Lewis said, then he stood behind Trevor and kicked the demon behind his leg– causing Trevor to fall to his knees while cursing Lewis. "Don''tsh out at Lady Hanna just because you''re weak."


    Neoma was surprised to hear Lewis address Hanna by her first name instead of ''Young Lady Quinzel.'' [When did they be close?]


    Hanna, who seemed satisfied by what Lewis did to Trevor, smiled at the fox boy. "Thank you, Lewis."


    [But it''s nice to see Lewis getting along well with other people.]


    She was proud of her "son" for expanding his world.


    "Everyone, calm down," Nero said in amanding voice that made everyone freeze and shut their mouths.


    [Yep, that''s our little Papa Boss there.]


    Nero really had the presence to make everyone obey him with just a few words– even someone like Trevor who was a menace to society listened to her twin brother.


    "Neoma, we can''t wait any longer," Nero said firmly while looking at her with cold eyes. "You didn''t gather us here just to wait for someone who''s obviously noting, right?"


    [Gosh, so brutal.]


    "I didn''t ask you to wait for Ruto just because I wanted to see him," Neoma said defensively. [Gosh, do they really think I''m that desperate to see Ruto–]


    "Really?" Nero, Hanna, Lewis, and Trevor asked as if they couldn''t believe she didn''t make them wait for Ruto just because she wanted to see him.


    She clenched her shaking hands.


    [So, they''re really thinking I made them wait just because I wanted to see Ruto?!]


    These brats…


    "Anyway, let''s talk," Neoma said, then she sat on the grass in a lotus position. "Everyone, gather around and form a circle."


    Nero sat on her right side, while Trevor and Lewis fought to take the space on her left side. But while Trevor and Lewis fought, Hanna sat on her other side. It surprised her a little, because she thought Hanna would sit beside Nero.


    [But my twin brother looks like he doesn''t care…]


    Anyway, in the end, Lewis sat beside Hanna while Trevor sat beside Nero. Since they were forming a circle, Lewis and Trevor still ended up sitting together– and the two obviously hated it.


    [Hehe. They''re so cute.]


    As soon as everyone turned to her with a serious look on their faces, she turned serious as well.


    "Ah, first of all, I have something to say to Lewis and Hanna since I don''t think I''ve already told you about it," she said, then she turned to her left side to look at Lewis and Hanna. "Lady Mona Roseheart, our Mama Boss, is still alive. Our mother is trapped in a block of ice under the ck Ocean, but we can still save her."


    Hanna gasped softly, while Lewis''s face lit up.


    This time, she addressed everyone.


    "I met the Moon Priest recently, and he took Tteokbokki with him," she exined. "An adult Fire Dragon''s me could melt the ice where Mama Boss is trapped. The Moon Priest took my Soul Beast with him in order to raise him to be an adult dragon in just three years. I decided to trust him with his promise."


    "Then you don''t have a Soul Beast right now?" Nero asked worriedly. "Will you be alright?"


    "I can fight without my Soul Beast," she assured her twin brother. "I still have Skewer and my natural strength, so I''m not really worried about Tteokbokki''s absence. Although the Moon Priest advised against using my demonic power too much. Apparently, the more I use it, the more I get exposed as a girl because the Moonglow that hides the flower in my heart weakens."


    "Should I return now?" Hanna asked worriedly. "I want to be by your side to protect you, Neoma."


    "Thanks, Hanna, but you mustplete your training first," she told her cousin. "Duke Quinzel told me you''ve begun training with his uncle."


    "But…"


    "Don''t worry, Hanna," she said while patting her hand. "Lewis is always with me, anyway."


    Lewis''s face lit up as he nodded eagerly. "I will protect you, Princess Neoma."


    "I know, Lewis. Thanks," she said whileughing softly.


    "Tsk," Trevorined. "If only I wasn''t stuck with a certain sleeping prince…"


    "Shut up, drama king," Nero said to Trevor before her twin brother turned to her. "Neoma, why did you ask Trevor to bring William to you when the Moon Priest already took care of your Soul Beast? I thought you needed William for your Soul Beast."


    "Because I need to be stronger than Tteokbokki once hees back," she said seriously. "If Tteokbokkies back stronger than I am, I wouldn''t be able to bully– er, tame him. Plus, Mama Boss told Nero I needed William to save her. I don''t think it''s only to locate her."


    "Okay, I understand," Nero said while patting her head. "I will tell William to behave around you, Neoma."


    She didn''t think William would listen to Nero, but she smiled anyway. "Thanks, Brother."


    Nero looked happy that she addressed him as ''brother'' instead of calling him by his name.


    [Well, it''s been a while since I''ve called him that way. Even though I''m mentally older, he''s still my oppa. I should call him ''brother'' often, seeing that it makes him happy.]


    "Aside from the crows, I found out I''m also being hunted by some gods who wanted to turn me into their personal air purifier," she continued with her report. "Some gods believe I could be the next Aether. They''re keeping an eye on me, that''s why I need some Darkness attribute to cover my tracks. Thankfully, we have Hanna and Trevor."


    She could also conceal herself since she had demonic power inside her, which was considered a Darkness attribute as well.


    [But I have to use it less to protect my identity.]


    "It won''t be easy to fight with gods," she said seriously. "So, if you don''t want to get involved with my problem, I''m giving you the chance to leave my side now–"


    She trailed off when she realized her friends were giving her a look that said, "are you kidding?"


    "Well, is it safe to assume you''re not leaving me?"


    "Of course," Hanna said, then she held her hand. "We''ll stay with you, Neoma."


    Nero, Lewis, and Trevor nodded in agreement with Hanna.


    "That''s a relief," she said. Of course, she already knew her friends wouldn''t leave her. But it was still nice to hear it from them. "I retrieved a piece of memory from my first life that I don''t remember."


    Now her friends looked curious.


    She turned to Nero. "Brother, it seems like you didn''t kill me back then."


    Nero looked surprised, then relief reced the shocked look on his face. "What did you see, Neoma?"


    "It''s not much, but it seems like I woke up after a long slumber," she said while gazing at the people around her. "Then, I met you and Ruto. The memory ended there."


    "Neoma, did you see me, too?" Hanna asked, confused. "I thought I died early in your first life."


    "That''s what I thought as well, Hanna," she said. "But I''m sure that it''s you. Ruto was also there–"


    "Why is he with us?" Nero, Lewis, and Trevor asked at the same time.


    She almost let out a hup out of surprise.


    [Ruto, why are you hated by these boys?]


    "I don''t know, and it even confuses me that I didn''t know he was themander of the White Lion Knights in my first life," she said, frustrated. "If he was themander then, I should have remembered him."


    "That damned chef is really suspicious," Trevor said while shaking his head.


    Lewis, on the other hand, nodded his head in agreement with what Trevor said.


    "Neoma, that chef…"


    She turned to Nero with a curious look on her face. "What about Ruto?"


    "In the memory that you retrieved, what hair color did he have?"


    "Purple?" she said, then she gasped softly. "Oh. Ruto has ck hair. But themander I met had purple hair."


    "Neoma, to be honest, Ruto turned out to be the person I''m looking for," Nero said. "I was actually looking for a guy with purple hair. In the dream that I had, that purple-haired bastard seemed to have yed a huge role in our first lives."


    "But I don''t remember him…"


    "That only proves that you haven''t retrieved all your memories yet," Nero said. "It seems like your memory ended when I stabbed you. But apparently, you survived." His gaze went past her and he looked at Hanna. "You and Hanna lived."


    "The fact that you don''t remember it only means something or someone sealed your memories," Trevor added. "But to be honest, you''re not supposed to remember your previous life in the first ce. You''re really special, Princess Neoma."


    "I''m so special that everyone wants a piece of me– literally," she said with a shrug. "The crows want to devour me, and the gods want to use me as their air purifier. As if that wasn''t enough, the Moon God wanted me to be the empress, too."


    Nobody asked her what she wanted to do or be.


    [Well, it''s not like my dream to be ady of leisure is grand.]


    "Speaking of bing the empress…" she said, then she turned to Nero. "Brother, I''m sorry, but I think I really need to ascend the throne."


    "I don''t mind," Nero said, then he gently patted her head. "I told you, I''m not interested in the throne."


    "Well, I don''t n to be the empress forever," she said. "So when my job is done, I will give the throne to you, Brother."


    Nero smiled and nodded. "Okay. Like I promise you before, I will give you the leisure life you want, Neoma. In short, I''ll grant you your retirement when the timees."


    Sheughed and gave her twin brother a thumbs up. "I''d love that, Brother."


    Nero smiled and ruffled her hair.


    "It''s unfair," Trevorined while looking at her with a frown. "Princess Neoma, you let Prince Nero touch you freely. But you almost bite me when I invade your personal space."


    "If you''re jealous, then die now and pray to whoever you worship for you to be reborn as Neoma''s brother in your next life," Nero said to Trevor with an arrogant smirk.


    She cleared her throat before Nero and Trevor got into a fight again.


    "Everyone," she said to get everyone''s attention, and she seeded. "Let''s meet again in person after three years."


    "Three years?" Nero, Hanna, and Trevor asked at the same time.


    Lewis, of course, didn''t have to react, since they would be together in the next three years, anyway.


    "I had a fight with the Sun Priestess earlier, and I lost," she dered in a serious voice. "If I can''t beat the representative of the Sun Goddess, then there''s no way I''m good enough to beat the crows with the same blood as me. Obviously, I don''t stand a chance if I fight a major god now." She pointed to everyone around her with her hands. "We are not yet ready to fight our enemies head-on."


    "So, we''re going to train for the next three years?" Trevor asked. "Is that why you summoned us here, Princess Neoma?"


    "Well, training is already a given," she said. "I summoned you here to give each one of you an assignment." She raised her index finger. "The crows." Then she raised her middle finger next to her index finger. "The gods who want to turn me into an air purifier." Finally, she raised her ring finger. "And the nobles who want to bring me down because of my Roseheart blood."


    "Our top enemies?" Nero, Hanna, Trevor, and Lewis asked at the same time.


    [They have a good rapport.]


    "Yes, we need to get rid of them for the next three years," she said seriously. Then she turned to Hanna. "Hanna, while you''re training to master the Quinzels'' Shadow Maniption Technique, can you dig more information about the Darkness attribute that could cover the eyes of gods?


    "Of course," Hanna said while nodding seriously. "I will be the best master of the Shadow Maniption Technique."


    "I trust you, Hanna," she said, then she held and squeezed Hanna''s hand before turning to Lewis. "Lewis, I entrust the training of your siblings to you. You''ll be themander of my Order."


    Lewis looked pleasantly surprised by her announcement.


    Nero and Trevor frowned, but they didn''t disagree with her decision. The two might fight with Lewis all the time, but Nero and Trevor also knew that Lewis deserved that position.


    "Congrattions, Lewis," Hanna said cheerfully while pping her hands. "You totally deserve it."


    "Thank you, Lady Hanna," Lewis said shyly, then he turned to her with a determined look on his face. "I won''t let you down, Princess Neoma."


    "I know you won''t. I trust you, Lewis," she said with a smile, then she turned to her twin brother. "Nero, I want the Spirit World."


    Nero didn''t even blink when he smiled and nodded. "I will give it to you soon, Neoma."


    "Thank you, Big Brother," she said, acting cute as a fan service to her twin brother. "To be precise, I''m interested in the Cosmic Tree."


    "Okay," Nero said while ruffling her hair again. "I''ll get all the pieces of information I could get about the Cosmic Tree, then send them to you as soon as I can."


    She smiled at her twin brother, then she turned to Trevor. "And for you…"


    "What is it, Princess Neoma?" Trevor asked excitedly. "I''m willing to do anything and everything for you."


    "Then find out everything you can find out about the ''Four Pirs,''" she said seriously. "I''ve heard about the Four Pirs from Lisica, the Silver Fox Queen I met before. She told me the Four Pirs in the past helped Princess Aruna de Moonasterio start a rebellion."


    "The Bloody Moon Hunt," Trevor said while nodding his head. "That rebellion failed, and they killed everyone who assisted Princess Aruna with her rebellion. That probably included the Four Pirs."


    "The Ruto that I saw in the memory I retrieved called you my Four Pirs."


    Trevor, Nero, Lewis, and Hanna all looked confused but interested in what she said.


    "I want to know what it means to be a pir, and if Princess Aruna''s rebellion is simr to what we''re doing right now. You know what they say about history, right?" Neoma said, then she smiled at her friends. "They say history often repeats itself."


    <strong>***</strong>


    NEOMA couldn''t help butugh when she saw her "children."


    Greko, Paige Avery, Jeno Dankworth, and Juri Wisteria were all there.


    Of course, Xion was also there because she summoned the assassin.


    And that was the thing she wasughing at.


    Xion was the only one tied up with some vines while seated on the ground, sulking.


    "We still don''t trust this assassin, Princess Neoma," Juri Wisteria exined while scratching her cheek. "We just wanted to make sure he couldn''t do anything funny."


    "This is abuse," Xionined while ring at Juri. "Even criminals have rights– mmf!"


    The assassin was forced to shut his mouth when Jeno Dankworth snapped his fingers, and balls of small clouds gagged Xion.


    [How savage.]


    "P-Please don''t fight," Greko said worriedly. "L-Let''s get along well."


    "Don''t worry, little Greko," Paige Avery said gently. "Your siblings are just ying."


    [Ohh, Paige Avery is a good babysitter.]


    Neoma pped her hands to get everyone''s attention.


    Her children were standing in front of her, while her Four Pirs were standing behind her. She could tell that the two groups were curious about each other.


    "Juri Wisteria, Jeno Dankworth, Paige Avery, Xion, and my baby Greko," Neoma said, then she gestured to the people behind her with her hands. "When I''m out ofmission, these are the people you should follow after me."


    She gently pulled Nero (who had his usual cold look on his face) by her side.


    "I know you can already tell who this is," she said cheerfully. "This is my twin brother, the real Crown Prince– Nero de Moonasterio."


    Juri, Jeno, Paige, Xion, and Greko all bowed and said their greetings. "We greet the Lesser Moon of the Great Moonasterion Empire."


    "Lift your heads," Nero said in his usualmanding voice. Then he stared at the faces of her children with cold eyes. "I remember your faces now. If something bad happens to Neoma, you''re the first people I''ll hunt down."


    Her "children" flinched, and they obviously realized Nero wasn''t joking.


    "Ignore my brother– he could be overprotective sometimes," she said, then she quickly changed the topic. She pointed her hands politely to Hanna. "This is Hanna Quinzel, the Quinzel Princess. She''s our cousin, and the potential Crown Princess in the future."


    The group greeted Hanna politely, but she could tell that Juri and Jeno were confused.


    "The news about the Quinzel Princess falling into aatose state after getting disfigured by the bombing incident was a lie," Hanna said gently. "I am well, but my real condition is a secret. Since Neoma trusts you, I will assume you''d keep my secret as well."


    Hanna was smiling, but her eyes looked intimidating.


    No wonder Juri, Jeno, Xion, Greko, and Paige nodded and promised to keep her secret without any more questions.


    [Huh? When did my sweet, innocent Hanna go? Is my terrible personality rubbing off on her?]


    "Anyway, you already know Trevor and Lewis," she said to Juri, Jeno, Xion, and Greko. Then she turned to Paige Avery who hadn''t met Trevor yet. "Lady Avery, Trevor is a demon I trust. You can also trust him… maybe."


    "Princess Neoma, you''re hurting my feelings," Trevorined. "I''m a trust-worthy person, you know?"


    Of course, she just ignored Trevor''s whining.


    "Juri, Jeno, Greko, Xion, Paige," Neoma said, addressing her children casually. "I will tell you everything you need to know about me– me and the previous lives I lived."


    <strong>***</strong>


    [SHE still trusts people too much.]


    Ruto was there.


    He didn''t show up, and only listened to Neoma as she talked to her people. It took a while, but they finally left after having a long conversation. He was d that it was finally over because it wasn''t safe to gather powerful children in one ce– even while being covered by Trevor and Lady Hanna Quinzel''s Darkness attribute.


    [I should leave, too.]


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    He froze, before he slowly turned around to meet the owner of the soul he secretly intruded.


    "Are you running away?" Neoma asked, then she crossed her arms over her chest. "Commander Yoan Stroganoff?"


    Ruto let out a sigh whilebing his fingers through his hair. "Please don''t call me by that name, Neoma."


    <strong>***</strong>


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    <strong>***</strong>


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