FAKE DISCORD.

Western Continent = Scene Stealer.

Eastern Continent = Phantom of the Night.

Sun = Prince Charming.

Moon = Princess in the Tower.

Crows = Evil Dragon.

"Fuck," Neoma said after finally deciphering the codes she found after reading the 500-page "BL" novel all night. "Goddammit, Sun Goddess. You could have just sent Ruto here to discuss the plan with me."

After an entire night of socializing with the nobles who attended the royal engagement and the surprise royal wedding, she had to stay up all night reading the Korean history book.

Yes, it was a fucking Korean history book.

Worse, the letters in the ancient language that looked slightly similar to Hangul were thrown in the mix. Even with her big brain, it still took her hours to form words from the clues that she found within the book.

Before she knew it, the sun was already smiling down at her.

[Fuck it. I lost my beauty sleep because of this when we could have just had a secret conversation.]

She was just pissed, but she knew there was a reason why the Sun Goddess resorted to this method just to reach out to her. Plus, she appreciated the fact that she was able to give her big brain a good exercise.

[If the Sun Goddess gave me this kind of test, then I’m sure she knows I’m really smart.]

Hence, her anger melted away quickly.

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[Fine, I’ll let it slide this once~]

"Fake discord, huh?" Neoma said, lying on her back while staring at the fancy ceiling of her bedroom. "So, my job is to grab attention until everyone only pays attention to the Western Continent?"

And while doing that, the Sun Goddess and her people would work silently to save Yule.

That was how she understood the message.

Psh.

It was an easy job.

[I’m a walking drama, after all.]

"Let’s sleep and meet up with everyone later," Neoma said, closing her eyes. She’d take a nap before starting her day. "I bet Papa Boss and Mama Boss’ surprising wedding ceremony has already made noise all over the empire."

***

THAT morning was indeed noisy.

The citizens of the Great Moonasterion Empire were pleasantly surprised to wake up and find out that they had a new empress now.

"We now have a Crown Princess AND a new empress!"

"I’m glad that His Majesty finally got to marry the love of his life!"

"Although Her Majesty, Empress Mona will only serve as the empress briefly, I’m not worried. After all, we have Princess Hanna to take over the empress seat soon!"

"Wow. Our empire is lucky to have kind AND competent female rulers!"

"Don’t forget Princess Neoma, too."

"Pfft! These women are delusional! Do you think the empress and the young princesses could really run the empire without His Majesty and the Crown Prince?"

"Yes, yes, they could. How dare a hopeless man like you look down on the empress and the princesses when you can’t even run your failure of a business properly?"

"Let’s not fight on this joyous occasion!"

"Right! The palace has sent food and drinks for every family here. Let’s have a feast!"

While the common people in every part of the empire celebrated, the nobles who weren’t invited to the royal engagement and the surprise wedding ceremony were enraged…

… and filled with envy after hearing what the nobles there got as wedding favors.

"A Hisa Flower that comes in a vase crafted by a world-famous potter… a vintage and very rare bottle of wine that only nobles like the Quinzels could get their hands on… and a box of luxury chocolate made by the most sought-after Royal Pastry Chef in the empire…"

"How arrogant of them to flaunt their wealth as if we don’t already know that the Quinzels are the richest noble household in the empire!"

"I heard it was the Crown Princess who was responsible for the guest list."

"It doesn’t matter even if Lady Roseheart has become the empress since Her Majesty will only stay in power for a short while. It’s the Crown Princess we should be wary of since she’ll take over the empress seat very soon."

"Hah! So, Princess Hanna is already drunk with power?"

"The Crown Princess is the Quinzel Princess, and the Prince Nero is also fond of her. That’s probably where Her Highness’ arrogance is coming from."

"We should teach the Crown Princess a lesson before she gets more arrogant than this."

"But Princess Hanna single-handedly destroyed House Drayton…"

"We should watch for now."

It wasn’t only the nobles of the Great Moonasterion Empire who got offended for not getting invited to the royal engagement and wedding.

Monarchs and nobles all over the world were upset.

"The Great Moonasterion Empire is one of the most powerful empires in the entire world since they have the de Moonasterios. But it seems like they’ve been too arrogant lately since no one is keeping them in check."

"They didn’t invite anyone from outside the Western Continent. Isn’t it basic courtesy to invite the leaders all over the world for the emperor’s wedding?"

"Don’t tell me they’re not going to invite us for Prince Nero’s upcoming coronation?"

"Is this the Great Moonasterion Empire’s way of letting the world know they’re closing off their doors now?"

"This is upsetting. Are they ignoring us?"

Yep– the noise had already spread all over the world.

But there was a very specific noise at the emperor’s palace that was giving Neoma a very bad headache at the moment.

[This damned family…]

"Do you think you could ask me anything just because you became the king of a small kingdom?!"

"No– and that’s exactly why I’m proposing a deal with you, Father!"

"Don’t call me ’Father!’ I don’t have a disobedient son like you!"

"Very well then, Duke Exton!"

"Listen to this ungrateful punk!"

Neoma shut her eyes tight and pinched the bridge of her nose.

[The Extons are so fucking loud.]

But it was also amusing.

[This is the first time I saw the kind-hearted Uncle Glenn lose his shit.]

***

NEOMA wanted to have a peaceful breakfast with the Griffiths since she wasn’t able to interact with them much during the engagement and wedding ceremony.

But surprise, surprise.

Duke Gilbert Exton, Uncle Glenn’s father, arrived unannounced and invited himself to their breakfast.

But the old duke was big and intimidating because of his loud angry voice.

Hence, the Griffiths babies got scared.

Aunt Brigitte excused herself to calm her children down.

That seemed to be what set off Uncle Glenn from snapping.

While the father-and-son duo yelled angrily at each other, Neoma continued savoring her favorite breakfast combination: fried chicken and pancake.

Papa Boss, on the other hand, just sipped his tea while reading the newspaper.

[Argh, Papa Boss looks disgustingly refreshed…]

Hanna was also there, and the new Crown Princess ignored the Extons as she was busy reading some documents that was probably related to her businesses.

And lastly, Nero was busy ripping Melvin’s resignation letter to shreds.

Yep, Mama Boss couldn’t join them for breakfast because her mother was… too tired.

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[I don’t even want to know why Mama Boss was so tired she couldn’t even walk.]

Papa Boss brought Mama Boss breakfast to their bedroom and was supposed to join her there, but Mama Boss kicked out Papa Boss.

[Argh, Nero would lose it if we suddenly get a new sibling…]

"Do you think you could ask me anything just because you became the king of a small kingdom?!"

"No– and that’s exactly why I’m proposing a deal with you, Father!"

"Don’t call me ’Father!’ I don’t have a disobedient son like you!"

"Very well then, Duke Exton!"

"Listen to this ungrateful punk!"

Neoma shut her eyes tight and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Can you please shut the fuck up for a moment?"

Oops.

She didn’t mean to curse.

When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by Uncle Glenn’s embarrassed face and Duke Gilbert Exton’s shocked face.

Papa Boss simply put the newspapers down on the table.

Hanna raised her head to look at Neoma, while Nero smirked before sipping his tea as if he was amused that she cursed in front of a king and a duke.

Neoma would admit that she was rude.

[But the Extons are also rude for yelling and fighting in front of the Imperial Family, no?]

"I’m sorry, Your Majesty, Princess Neoma, Princess Hanna, Prince Nero," Uncle Glenn said, obviously ashamed. "I didn’t mean to be rude in front of the Imperial Family."

Duke Exton only bowed his head in apology.

[Woah, we have a prideful old man here.]

"Father," Neoma said, addressing Papa Boss formally because Duke Exton was a stranger to her. "Can I deal with the Extons?"

Papa Boss sipped his tea before responding. "Of course, my daughter."

Pfft.

[Someone is in a good mood.]

"Duke Exton."

"Yes, Princess Neoma?"

"Your Grace owes my mother an apology."

Of course, the old duke looked confused by what she said.

"Your Grace forcefully took Gale, my mother’s Wind Spirit, from her resting place."

Gale would be Mochi.

When Neoma was a child, Uncle Glenn rescued Mochi from House Exton and gave the Wind Spirit to her as a birthday gift.

"Princess Neoma, you make it sound like I stole Gale from Lady Rose–"

The old duke was forced to stop talking when Papa Boss glared at him.

"I mean, Her Majesty Empress Mona," Duke Exton said, correcting himself right away. "We found Gale during the time everyone thought Her Majesty was gone."

Uncle Glenn scoffed. "You didn’t "find" Mochi by accident, Duke Exton. Please don’t lie to Princess Neoma. You and your sons actively searched for Her Majesty’s Spirits. Fortunately, Mochi gave her fellow Spirits a warning after she was caught."

Duke Exton glared at Uncle Glenn.

"Regardless Mother was still alive or not back then, it doesn’t change the fact that you went after my mother’s Spirits that already expressed their desire to rest in peace," Neoma said, leaning against the chair with her arms crossed over her chest. "How dare a mere duke like you covet the Spirits that belong to Mona Roseheart, the Daughter of Nature?"

She didn’t like looking down on people, especially for something as trivial as a background.

But this was the most effective way to deal with prideful nobles.

[You have to put them in place or else they’ll look down on you as well. Isn’t that the reason why Duke Exton didn’t hesitate to raise his voice in our presence?]

"I… will apologize to Her Majesty."

Papa Boss scoffed at Duke Exton’s remark, but didn’t say anything else.

"You don’t have to apologize to Mother since I’m sure Mother isn’t inclined to forgive you," Neoma said. "Moreover, I am now Mochi’s master. I get to decide how to punish you, Duke Exton."

"Does Your Royal Highness have the power to punish a duke for something that couldn’t be even considered a crime legally?"

The atmosphere suddenly turned chilly as Papa Boss, Hanna, and even Nero looked at Duke Exton coldly.

Uncle Glenn looked at his father in disbelief. "Have you gone mad, Duke Exton?"

"I’m only stating a fact," Duke Exton said firmly even though he was clearly nervous under Papa Boss, Hanna, and Nero’s scrutinizing gazes. "Does an Imperial Princess who’s about to lose her title have more powerful than a duke?"

[Ah, so this is why Uncle Glenn disowned his family.]

Neoma raised her hand to stop Papa Boss from reacting.

[I got this, Papa Boss.]

"Princess Hanna, can you cover the entire dining hall with your Shadow Veil?"

She could create a sound-proof barrier, but she wasn’t as meticulous as Hanna when it came to hiding her shield.

Hence, the Shadow Veil was the better choice.

"As you wish, Princess Neoma."

After Hanna said that, the entire dining hall became engulfed in Hanna’s Shadow Veil.

"Duke Exton, you’re not even aware that Lord Helstor, the God of Eternal Darkness, is trying to drown the world in Absolute Darkness once again, and yet you’re bragging your mere position as a duke?"

Of course, the old duke looked shocked by her revelation. "Absolute Darkness? But that’s impossible–"

"What would I get from lying to you, Your Grace?" Neoma said, interrupting the old duke. "Duke Exton, once the Absolute Darkness arrives to cover the entire world with Darkness, guess who among the Imperial Family has the power to purify it. It’s not the emperor, the empress, the Crown Princess, or the Crown Prince."

She smiled at Duke Exton ’sweetly.’

The old duke gulped in response.

"If that time arrives, I wonder if a mere duke would be more important than an Imperial Princess who’s about to lose her title soon?" Neoma said, smirking at the now pale Duke Exton. She was done saying her piece, so she stood up while wiping her mouth with the napkin. "Trevor."

Just like that, Trevor appeared beside her.

"Yes, my Moon Princess~"

"Make a contract that will prevent Duke Exton from speaking about the Absolute Darkness to other people," Neoma said, then she turned to Nero. "Prince Nero, can we talk after you’re done with your breakfast? I have something important to discuss with you."

"Alright," Nero said, nodding. "Let’s meet at the office later."

"Very well," Neoma said, then she turned to Duke Exton again. "I’ll forget about all the bullshit Your Grace sprouted here on one condition: cooperate with Uncle Glenn. If Aunt Brigitte and her baby were ever put in danger because of Your Grace’s stubbornness, then there will be hell to pay."

***

"SO, WHAT is the business you wish to discuss with me?"

Neoma hadn’t even setted herself in the sofa when Nero immediately brought up business. "Well, you’re the Crown Prince so I thought I should ask for your permission first."

She could have gone straight to Papa Boss, of course.

But she figured her father would go ballistic after hearing her request.

Hence, her twin brother who didn’t have any affection for her seemed to be the best choice.

"Permission for what?" Nero asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "I didn’t expect you to ask for my permission since you look like the type to do whatever you wanted, Neoma."

"Well, that’s usually the case. But my request falls under your authority."

"Alright. Let’s hear it then."

"Give me the list of the Imperial Princess’ potential husbands."

Nero looked shocked by her request. "What?"

"I know you’re going to marry me off as soon as you ascend the throne," Neoma said. Of course, she only came to that conclusion because Nero hadn’t retrieved his memories of her yet. "So, I want you to announce that I– Princess Neoma Roseheart de Moonasterio– am looking for a potential husband."

***

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