Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

"YOUR MAJESTY, the strange skeleton dragon has already disappeared."

Nero nodded after hearing Melvin's report.

Of course, he would know if a strange thing had appeared in the Imperial Palace even though he hadn't stepped out of his office yet.

He was actually with Dahlia earlier because of the thing that he decided to do.

But he had to postpone it for a while when a strange red sphere and a giant skeleton dragon appeared above Larissa Palace.

[Neoma told me that she'd destroy that palace.]

His twin sister and her knights probably discovered something sinister after breaking the palace that (understandably) offended Neoma.

[She hates that the empress' palace was named after Larissa.]

"Your Majesty, are you not going to ask Princess Neoma about the skeleton dragon and the red sphere that appeared?" Melvin asked carefully. "Everything in the palace belongs to Your Majesty, after all."

Nero scoffed at what Melvin said. "And everything I own belongs to Neoma. Problem solved, right?"

Melvin just only sighed while shaking his head.

Of course, that reaction didn't sit well with Nero.

"Melvin, if you have something to say, just spit it out."

"It's not like Your Majesty will listen to me."

"I won't listen if you're going to criticize Neoma or my relationship with her."

"That's why I'm keeping my mouth shut, Your Majesty."

"How dare you criticize Neoma in your head?"

Melvin seemed to have forgotten that he was supposed to hold back because he suddenly gave Nero a piece of his mind. "Your Majesty, you were crowned in a hurry so many people aren't convinced of your authority as the new emperor yet. It doesn't help that calamities keep hitting the empire ever since you sat on the Throne.

The least thing that we could do is show that the power of the Imperial Family is still as strong as ever."

"And it is," Nero said, knitting his eyebrows. "So, what exactly is the problem?"

"If Your Majesty keeps on showing your affections towards Princess Neoma openly by letting Her Imperial Highness do whatever she wants, then people might see Your Majesty as a mere puppet!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Nero grinned– partly because he was amused, and mostly because he wanted to annoy Melvin for his funny reactions. "Acting as Neoma's puppet doesn't sound so bad."

Melvin pulled his hair as if he was frustrated. "Your Majesty, please take this seriously!"

He couldn't laugh out loud, but he did inwardly.

[Why is it so fun to bully Melvin?]

"Don't worry, Melvin," Nero assured the soon-to-be Imperial Chamberlain. "After the show that Neoma and I prepared for everyone, the people of our empire will immediately acknowledge me as their new emperor– whether they like it or not."

***

"ONCE he remembers the past, then he will also remember that he wants to destroy the world. After all, the God of Wrath is now the owner of the Red Dragon's body."

Neoma's brain went into overdrive again after hearing Ruto's explanation.

[So, the Red Dragon wants to destroy the world.]

And, for some reason, the God of Wrath made it his mission to make the Red Dragon's wish come true.

[But why?]

"So, the problem is the God of Wrath," Neoma concluded after pondering for a moment. "I met him a few times. He's crazy, yes. But he's not obsessed with destroying the world."

The God of Wrath always picked a fight with her.

[But I don't think I ever heard him say he wanted to destroy the world?]

"It's because the God of Wrath doesn't have the Red Dragon's memories yet," Ruto said, making it clear that the God of Wrath and the Red Dragon were two separate beings. "If he remembers the pact, then the God of Wrath will also retrieve the Red Dragon's memories. And if that happens…"

"Boom," Neoma said, clapping her hands. "The God of Wrath will kill himself because the dead body of the Red Dragon is capable of ending the world."

"Oh?"

"Why?"

"I didn't think that far ahead," Ruto said, tilting his head to one side. "I know that the God of Wrath would try to destroy the world, but I didn't think he might do it by killing himself."

"Well, I heard the prophecy about killing the Red Dragon and the effects that it would cause the world."

And then she recited the prophecy in front of Ruto.

Of course, she memorized the entire thing even though she had only read it once.

But she only emphasized the part that described the consequences of killing the Red Dragon:

[The blood of the Red Dragon she had to slay would be her red carpet– scorching and withering the world with fire and poison. The toxic fumes released as the dragon decayed would choke the land and all the nearby living creatures. The entire landscape would then be transformed into a blighted wasteland where bleached leviathan bones loom upwards out of the ground.]

"It's funny how most fantasy books describe slaying dragons as a noble thing to do," Neoma said, laughing softly. "But, in this reality, killing a dragon actually has catastrophic-level environmental consequences."

Ruto fell silent for a moment before he nodded in agreement. "That actually makes sense. Killing a dragon has never been noble, in the first place."

"Right?" Neoma then glanced at the sleeping Tteokbokki on the bed. "Ruto."

"Yeah?"

"That was the God of Wrath's eye, wasn't it?"

The God of Wrath was still a god, but it never really showed any signs of its divinity until now.

[It's probably because the God of Wrath has been turned into a Soul Beast.]

"Ruto, do you really not know the story between the God of Wrath and the Red Dragon?"

"No. Why?"

"I just don't understand why the God of Wrath would want to fulfill the Red Dragon's thirst for destroying the world. Gods are selfish beings. And the God of Wrath was not a friendly god. Yet, he wants to end the world for the Red Dragon."

"But it's plausible, isn't it?"

"Is it?"

"There was even a movie where a guy destroyed a criminal organization because one of them killed his dog, right?"

Neoma burst out laughing at Ruto's cute justification.

And, as someone who had seen the movie he used as a reference, she had no choice but to nod in agreement.

[Ruto is usually the logical one between us, but this is also a cute side of him.]

"Right," Neoma said, nodding. "If a man could go on a killing spree for his dog, a god could also do the same thing for his pet dragon."

Ruto suddenly broke into a wide smile. "We're talking silly, aren't we?"

"Well, it gets tiring if we always use our brain for the serious stuff."

"That, I agree."

"So, let's talk about something else."

"What do you want to talk about this time?"

"Can I get pregnant with your child naturally after I become a full-fledged god?"

Ruto almost choked on his saliva. "Are we done talking silly now?"

"Unfortunately, we have a lot of serious stuff to deal with," Neoma said, and then she looked at her hands. They were quite trembling. It wasn't because she was feeling weak. Actually, it was the opposite. She was shaking because his Mana and divine power kept on increasing even though she was just sitting there.

"My Divinization has begun, and I feel like I'll be going through the second phase very soon."

***

NOW THAT Nero was sure that the Imperial Palace was safe, he headed to the place where he was supposed to meet Dahlia.

It was a long night, indeed.

[I can't stay still when Neoma is working hard for all of us.]

"Welcome, Your Majesty."

Nero accepted Dahlia's polite greeting after he entered the room.

Since the two of them were about to use a large amount of divine power that may hurt others, he asked everyone to leave.

Hence, only the two of them were left there.

[But not for long.]

"William, come out."

After summoning the Grand Spirit, William appeared right in front of Nero.

He actually didn't want to summon the Grand Spirit because he thought his mother and father needed William's help more.

But, in the end, he decided to call William since he wanted to end his problem quickly.

"Have you made your final decision, Nero?" William asked. It wasn't the first time that he asked that question, and it was clear that this was the last time that he would ask. "Whatever we'll end up doing here will be irreversible, so don't make careless choices."

"I know," Nero said firmly. "And I haven't changed my mind about the choice that I made."

***

NIKOLAI had to stop helping Mona for a moment when he received a message from Nero.

And his son did that by sending his Soul Beast.

Hence, right now, the beautiful Ice Phoenix appeared before him.

"What did you say again?" Nikolai asked Nero's Soul Beast. "Are you sure about that, son?"

This time, Nero's voice came out when the Ice Phoenix opened its beak.

<"Yes, Father– let's end the Soul Beasts' lineage now.">

***

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