Royal Secret: I'm A Princess!

998  HELLO, OLD WORLD

NIKOLAI's excitement towards the new technique that he had used died quickly when he realized that he had broken Mona's main weapon. "I'm so sorry, my love…"

"No, don't be," Mona said while shaking her head. "The main jewel isn't broken, so I can still fix it."

He was relieved to hear that.

His wife looked like she had something to say, but stopped when the air changed.

But it wasn't a hostile presence.

In fact, it was a welcome one.

"Mother, Father, we're here."

Nikolai nodded while Mona smiled when Nero materialized in front of them.

Their son wasn't alone.

Dahlia bowed towards them politely. "Greetings, Your Majesties."

Nikolai just nodded in response.

"It's good to see you again, Dahlia," Mona said, smiling. "Thank you for accompanying our son here."

Dahlia's face turned red as if she was shy. "I-I'm just doing my job, Your Majesty…"

Mona just smiled and patted Dahlia's back as if consoling the child.

"Father, Neoma will tease you if she sees you right now," Nero commented, obviously making fun of Nikolai, while looking at his dragon arm. And then his son raised his head to look at him disapprovingly. "You scolded her before when she borrowed her Soul Beast's features."

"I know, and I'm already looking forward to it," Nikolai said, giving his son a small smile. "I can't wait for your twin sister's return."

He could see that his son felt the same, but didn't want to voice out his feelings.

[My son really reminds me of my younger self.]

"Are you headed to the Abyss?"

"Yes, Father," Nero said, nodding politely. "Neoma and her "children" kindly cleansed the Abyss for me. I have to do a good job."

He was happy that his children were getting along well as usual.

[Whenever our twins work together, they create miracles.]

"Take care, son," Nikolai said, patting Nero's shoulder. "It's important to perform your task well, but don't forget you're not alone. Make sure Miss Dahlia will be safe. If it gets too dangerous, your mother and I will come and help you."

A strange emotion crossed Nero's eyes, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared. "I'll keep that in mind, Father."

***

PFFT.

Hanna was amused while watching Lewis' reaction.

Right now, she and the fox boy were in her chamber while she was busy putting all their luggage inside a dark whirlpool made of shadows.

Lewis' eyes sparkled every time a baggage would disappear.

[He's like a child sometimes.]

"Neoma calls this Shadow Technique an 'inventory,'" Hanna explained with a smile on her face. "According to her, in some "video games," the "players" have an "inventory" where their weapons and other items are stored. My skill is similar to that."

Lewis nodded as if saying he understood. "Where do the items go to, Your Grace?"

"To the Shadow World," she said proudly. "I'm the current head of the Quinzel Household, so I hold the key. Other than me, only my father is allowed inside. So, our belongings are safe there."

"I never doubted that."

She just smiled and nodded.

"Are you done packing, Hanna?"

To be honest, at this point, Hanna was no longer surprised when Neoma just appeared out of nowhere.

[Trevor Kesser installed a portal in my room for Neoma to use.]

"I'm done packing our things," Hanna said to Neoma. "Where will we meet Lord Manu?"

"We're meeting at the Imperial Shrine," Neoma said, stretching her arms. "Apparently, that room fills him with divine power that he needs to send us to the Dead World."

***

USUALLY, only members of the Imperial Family were allowed in the Imperial Shrine.

But today was an exception.

Neoma gave Lord Manu, Hanna, and Lewis to enter.

[This meeting is a secret anyway.]

"Princess Neoma, Duchess Quinzel, Commander Crevan," Lord Manu addressed them one by one. "This is the first time I'm sending people to the Dead World ahead of me, so I can't guarantee that I can send you exactly where you need to be. But I can assure you that you'll end up at the empire."

Right.

Unlike when Lord Manu and Tteokbokki went to the Dead World together, Lord Manu couldn't join them right away.

[Apparently, he has to 'close' the 'door' to this world first.]

"You can stay in that world for a year, but only a few weeks would pass by in this world by the time you return," Lord Manu said in a serious tone. "You better make the most of what little time you have there."

One year may sound long for some people.

But for Neoma and the others who were about to go to war in two months, even a year of training was too short.

[We won't waste this opportunity, of course.]

"We'll take the risk, Lord Manu," Neoma said. She had already discussed that issue with Lewis and Hanna, and the two didn't back out. "Please send us to the Dead World now."

***

COUGH.

Manu coughed up a huge chunk of blood after sending Princess Neoma, Duchess Hanna Quinzel, and Commander Lewis Crevan to the Dead World.

Needless to say, his Mana and divine power were both depleted right away.

In fact, he changed into his black panther form against his will after losing his strength.

[No…!]

Manu tried to fight his consciousness fading away, but to no avail…

[I can't hold the three of them together!]

***

THE "SALTY" smell of the sea.

That was the first thing that greeted Hanna as soon as she became conscious.

Her eyelids were too heavy for her to open, though.

"If you don't open your eyes in three seconds, I'll stab you in the throat."

Hanna, surprised that she didn't feel the other person's presence, immediately opened her eyes.

A pair of glowing green eyes greeted her this time.

Oh.

The woman, dressed like a pirate, drew a sword made of shadows and pointed it at her. "What are you, and why did you copy my appearance?"

Ah.

Hanna wondered if the "Pirate Princess" in front of her would believe her if she said her name was Hanna Quinzel, too.

***

"DIDN'T I send you to the South to capture the pirates who sank the Imperial Ships?"

Hmm?

Lewis was surprised when he saw Emperor Nero as soon as he opened his eyes.

[No, this isn't the Emperor Nero I know…]

"Why are you sleeping here?" Emperor Nero asked, his red eyes glowing menacingly. "Do you want to die, huh?"

Lewis immediately got up and looked around.

He was in the pavilion by the pond— Princess Neoma's favorite spot in the Imperial Palace.

But it looked different.

Ah.

[This is the Dead World…?]

Emperor Nero clicked his tongue. "Are you high? Didn't I tell you I'd kill you if you used drugs, Lu?"

'Lu?'

Lewis looked up with knitted eyebrows.

[Am I supposed to be 'Lu?']

***

"WHY DO I have a feeling that we've met before, Young Lady?"

Oh, wow.

[This Lewis speaks well.]

That was Neoma's thoughts while in Lewis' arms.

He caught her after she fell from the sky.

[How cliché.]

Neoma raised an eyebrow at Lewis. "I wonder where you've met a woman as beautiful as your mother?"

***

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