[MY LIFE story could be the next hit shonen manga. Tags: time travel, reincarnation, action, fantasy, gender-bender. I should definitely exploit my struggles and use it to create money for my dream of becoming a lady of leisure someday.]
Gosh, since when did she have a capitalist mindset?
[I'm scaring myself.]
"Princess."
Neoma turned to Lewis who knelt beside her bed with a worried look on his face. She smiled weakly at him. "Don't worry, Lewis," she assured him. "I'm not dying."
She had been stuck to her bed for the whole day and she hadn't eaten anything solid yet. Aside from antidote, all she was ever fed was soup. Thankfully, she didn't feel hungry. Anyway, the sun just set and Stephanie had already changed her pajamas for the third time because she was heavily sweating the entire time.
Anyway, aside from the discomfort that she felt all day, she was still a little grateful for the "break" that she had. Her brain came up with a few ways to look for the Devil's Grimoire.
Disclaimer: she wasn't book smart.
But the memories of her first life surely helped her get this far. Plus, she had read too many m*nga and w*bcomics series in her past life. They served as her guide.
[I was raised by S*ilor Moon, w*bcomics, and Sh*nen J*mp m*nga series.]
Anyway, she had to focus on her mission while locked up in her room because she didn't want to think about sad things. Sad things like Duke Rufus Quinzel's "kindness" to her in her past life might not really be kindness. If the duke's older brother betrayed His Majesty, then his "loyalty" to the emperor could mean another thing.
[It could be atonement for the sin that Commander Quinzel committed against Papa Boss.]
"I think I'm feeling better now," she lied to drive the sad thoughts away, then she got up and leaned against the headboard. "Lewis, can you do me a favor?"
Lewis immediately stood up and nodded.
"Thank you, Lewis," Neoma smiled sweetly at him. "Please get me my writing tools."
***
"YOUR MAJESTY, Her Royal Highness sent a letter to you," Glenn informed His Majesty who didn't even raise his head.
Well, it was understandable.
After all, Emperor Nikolai was reading an important document.
[I wish he would pay more attention to Princess Neoma.]
As an emperor, His Majesty was a great ruler. But as a father, he had to say that the emperor hadn't gained the right to be called one so far.
"Read it," Emperor Nikolai ordered him.
"As you wish, Your Majesty," Glenn said, then he carefully opened the royal princess's letter.
He had to stifle a laugh when he scanned the content.
"What is it?" the emperor demanded.
When he raised his head, he realized that His Majesty was already looking at him. The emperor probably got curious when he held back his laughter. "Your Majesty, I'm afraid that I don't have the right to utter such words in front of you."
"Did the royal princess cuss at me again?"
He shook his head. "Thankfully, Her Royal Highness didn't cuss at you, Your Majesty. But the royal princess's choice of words is unbefitting of her position."
"It's fine," the emperor said. He was obviously very used to the way the royal princess would talk to him. "Just read it. We both know how the royal princess talks anyway."
"Are you sure, Your Majesty?"
He rolled his eyes. "Yes, so read the damned letter now."
[And he wonders why Princess Neoma has a bad temper?]
"I'll read it now, Your Majesty," Glenn said, then he cleared his throat. ""Dear, Papa Boss. Every inch of my small body aches like hell. Will you kindly bring the Royal Grimoire to my room? Don't throw tantrums, okay? It's for my job. I need it now. As in n-o-w. That's all. Ciao!"
Not that he knew what "ciao" meant.
His Majesty looked stressed after hearing the content of Princess Neoma's letter. "It seems like the royal princess needs to learn how to write a formal letter.���
"I think Her Royal Highness knows how to write a formal letter," he said with a smile. "The royal princess just doesn't want to use formal language on you, Your Majesty."
The emperor nodded in agreement. "She's treating me like I'm her friend. How rude."
[But you don't seem to mind it, Your Majesty.]
He suddenly remembered Princess Neoma's face when he showed him Lady Roseheart's photo. It was unusual. He also didn't believe it when the royal princess said that she was just sad when she realized that she would never meet her mother.
[That look wasn't sadness. Her Royal Highness looked shocked and scared. She wouldn't hyperventilate like that if she was just sad.]
Most of all, he noticed that she didn't even glance at His Majesty in the photo.
He felt like the one the royal princess called "daddy" wasn't the emperor but Sir Gavin Quinzel. But he couldn't wrap his head around it. After all, Princess Neoma had never seen the former commander before.
Not that she would have a chance to meet Sir Quinzel.
He felt a painful thump in his chest when he remembered how the lives of Lady Roseheart and Sir Quinzel ended.
[Stop], he scolded himself. [Don't sympathize with people who betrayed His Majesty.]
He decided to just shrug it off. Maybe the royal princess was just confused, considering how lost she looked last night.
"Let's go," Emperor Nikolai said, then he stood up and grabbed his jacket. "Let's grab the Royal Grimoire from the royal library."
Glenn smiled in relief. As he though, His Majesty could really tolerate Princess Neoma. There was still hope for the two to fix their strained relationship. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
***
"YOU'RE still alive?" Nikolai "greeted" the royal princess as soon as he entered her chamber.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm still alive and kicking, Papa Boss," Neoma said in a fake sad voice.
He just smirked at his retort.
When he reached her bed, he quickly checked on the royal princess from head to toe. If she could still talk back to him with her usual sass, then that meant she was really fine.
"Next week, we'll increase the dosage of poison that you need to take," he said, then he sat in the chair that Glenn pulled for him.
Amazingly, the royal princess didn't complain at what he said.
"Don't look at me like you're expecting a comeback from me, Papa Boss," the royal princess said. "Like I said, I know my responsibility."
He didn't comment on that. "What do you need the Royal Grimoire for?" He needed to know that before he handed her the book. "Just so you know, it's not something that even the royal prince could easily get a hold of. I'm merely making an exception because you said it's for your job."
"I haven't seen a grimoire in my life yet," she started to explain. "I mean, I know what it looks like. But I need to touch it and find out what makes it different from ordinary spell books. I figured the Royal Grimoire could share some similarities with the Devil's Grimoire. If I know what makes them special from other spell books, then maybe I'd recognize the Devil's Grimoire once I see it."
He nodded in agreement. "For a girl, you're quite something."
"Stop saying "for a girl,"" she snapped at him again, her eyes clear as she glared at him. "I don't need your backhanded compliment."
[There's that look on her eyes again.]
God, why did the royal princess have to inherit that lowly woman's eyes?
"Papa Boss, why do you hate me so much?" Neoma asked with a dangerous glint in her clear, round ash gray eyes that she got from him. "Is it because my mother hurt you really bad?"
Glenn, who stood behind him, gasped loudly.
Nikolai, on the other hand, suddenly felt numb.
Every time he was reminded him of that lowly woman, all he could think about was the day that she ran away with the treacherous commander.
[F*cking traitors.]
"If I say that you're right, then what will you do?" Nikolai asked in a cold voice. "How will you atone for your mother's grave sin, Princess Neoma?"
***
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"HOW WILL you atone for your mother's grave sin, Princess Neoma?"
[This sc*mbag is really making me angry.]
Neoma smiled brightly, then she turned to Sir Glenn. The knight was good to her so she didn't want him to hear her curse. "Sir Glenn, can you give us some privacy?"
Sir Glenn smiled nervously at her before he turned to the emperor. "Your Majesty?"
[Right, the emperor is still his big boss.]
"Leave," Emperor Nikolai said.
Sir Glenn bowed to them and politely excused himself before he left the room.
Now that she was left alone with the sc*mbag, she prepared her heart for another blood-boiling confrontation with him. She took a deep breath, then she turned to her father with a dead serious look on her face.
"Are you high, Papa Boss?" Neoma asked in the most sarcastic tone she could muster. "I heard that the previous emperor, my grandfather, was a crazy ruler who almost drove the empire to ruins. Would you atone for your father's sins? Would you apologize to the families of every single person that he had killed during his time? Would you beg the forgiveness of the kingdoms and nations that he invaded before? If you would, then I'd atone for my mother's "grave sin." But if you wouldn't, then let's just drop this nonsense."
The emperor looked shocked by her long rant.
"If you still don't get it, then I'll be straightforward: I have nothing to do with my mother's sin," she deadpanned. "Whatever happened between you and her in the past, it's none of my business. In short, you can't punish me for my mother's sin." She let out a frustrated sigh when she remembered something. "And why are you venting out your anger only on me? Nero is also my mother's son. But I never saw you treat my brother the way you treat me."
"Nero and you are different," he deadpanned. "Nero is the crown prince."
She rolled her eyes at his lame excuse. "I look like my mother, right? You hate me because you see my mother in me."
This time, he didn't have a comeback.
"I see it now," she said while nodding her head. "You haven't moved on from my mother yet."
He looked offended by that. "Excuse me?"
"If you have truly moved on from my mother, then you wouldn't punish me for her alleged sins," she insisted. "Papa Boss, there's a thin line between love and hate. Make up your mind."
He glared at her.
She opened her eyes wider in return. "Will you please stop being mean to me now? I'm not even asking you to like me. If you want to prove to me and to yourself that you're really over my mother, then let's at least be civil to each other."
To be honest, she understood if Emperor Nikolai became a sc*mbag because he was hurt badly by her mother's betrayal. Even though she loved Mommy Areum of her second life, she couldn't say the same for Lady Mona Roseheart.
[Well, I'd like to think that they are two different people for now.]
She hated cheating and she would never tolerate cheaters even if it was her mother.
[Cheating means you don't respect or love your significant other. It's not a simple mistake– it's a choice. And there's no other way around it.]
However, she had only heard Emperor Nikolai's side of the story. She wouldn't judge her mother until she discovered the truth behind the past. Usually, she'd easily side with the person who was left behind by a cheating partner.
[But my Papa Boss isn't exactly someone you can trust.]
Argh. She was being biased against her father. But she couldn't help it.
[Gosh, if he isn't so mean to me, I would be more generous to him.]
"This is the last time you're bringing up your mother in a conversation," Emperor Nikolai said sternly. "The next time you do, I won't let it slide."
She didn't clap back this time.
[Papa Boss couldn't come up with a proper response so this is my win.]
"I'll lend you the Royal Grimoire but only for a few hours," the emperor continued. "You have to return the book before tomorrow midnight."
"Okay, Papa Boss," she said brightly. She was relieved that he didn't throw a tantrum this time. Even though she could handle his bad temper, it was tiring on her part. "Where's the book?"
"Give me your hand."
She extended her hand to him.
Then, he dropped a small and round mirror on her palm. She was about to complain when all of a sudden, the plain mirror turned into a huge and heavy book. Because of its unexpected weight, she almost dropped it.
[Wow, it's so pretty.]
The Royal Grimoire had a golden hardcover. Also, the title 'Moonasterion Book of Spells' was written in Solanian Language.
"The Royal Grimoire would only show its true appearance when touched by a de Moonasterio," the emperor explained. "It can recognize our blood and so, only the members of the royal family can use the Royal Grimoire."
"That's cool," she said, impressed. [And that proves that he's really my father.]
It was a pity.
"Remember to return it to me before midnight," Emperor Nikolai said, then he stood up. "Now, rest."
"Thank you, Papa Boss," she said. Then, she put the Royal Grimoire on the night table before she covered her mouth with her hand when she yawned. The emperor was about to leave when she remembered something. "Wait, Papa Boss."
"What is it?"
"Once my stamp is done, I'm going to write a formal contract of our deal," she reminded him. "I will put a clause that says you can't bully me."
"I'm not bullying you," he insisted as if he was offended by her accusation. "What am I, a child?"
She nodded eagerly. "Lewis is more mature than you, Papa Boss," she said. "Don't worry. I will raise you as my second child."
"You're speaking nonsense again," Emperor Nikolai said, then he turned his back on her and walked out of the room.
"Tsk. My life would have been easier if he was just a tsundere," Neoma mumbled to herself. A tsundere was someone who was cold on the surface but would eventually show their soft side. She was 100% certain that the emperor wasn't like that. "He's just an outdated mean dude."
***
NIKOLAI drank alone in his room while looking at the full moon outside his window.
He couldn't sleep because Neoma's words kept ringing in his ears.
["If you still don't get it, then I'll be straightforward: I have nothing to do with my mother's sin.]
He knew that, of course.
But he also couldn't help it. Every time he looked at Neoma, her eyes bothered him. The royal princess inherited his eye color, but the life in them was definitely from that lowly woman.
["You haven't moved on from my mother yet."]
He almost crushed the glass in his hand when he heard what Neoma said a while ago.
"You're wrong, Princess Neoma," Nikolai whispered to himself. "I will prove to you that I've moved on from your mother a long time ago."
Would it make a difference if he made an effort to look at Princess Neoma as herself and not the replica of that lowly woman?
[I can't believe a child could control me like this.]
***
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Gifts, power stones, comments, and reviews will be super appreciated. Thank you so much! <3