Royal Secret: I'm A Princess!

NEOMA took a deep breath and calmed herself before she spoke to Lady Sera Wisteria again. "Why?" she asked calmly. "Why are you saying this to me, Lady Wisteria?"

Lady Sera Wisteria raised an eyebrow at her question. "Why, indeed," she said. "Perhaps, this old lady is wondering if you're interested in knowing your parents' history."

"You're not old, my lady," she said politely. "And if I want to know my parents' history, then I will simply ask my father."

The older noblewoman laughed loudly. "That's true, Your Royal Highness," she said while nodding. "But what if His Majesty doesn't really know the truth about the past? To me, it seems like His Majesty and the late Lady Roseheart have been fooled and manipulated by the former Commander Quinzel."

She wanted to sigh, but she refrained from doing so to remain polite.

[I can see that Lady Wisteria holds a grudge against my appa. But I don't see the point of talking about it straight to my face.]

"It seems like I have offended Your Royal Highness."

"No, I'm not offended," she denied calmly while shaking her head. "I do feel bad for Lady Wisteria, though."

Lady Wisteria visibly flinched. "And why does Your Royal Highness feel that way?"

"It seems to me that you haven't let go of the past yet, my lady," she said, acting like she pitied the noblewoman. "I can feel the bitterness in your heart. Did Commander Quinzel break your heart that badly?"

"Your Royal Highness–"

"Saying that the former commander has fooled and manipulated my father and my mother is an insult to my family," she said bluntly, cutting her off. "My lady said earlier that you're not afraid of His Majesty. Is it because you're confident that my father won't touch someone from House Wisteria?"

The noblewoman's lips formed a thin line.

"But I'm different from my father," she said, smiling sweetly this time. "Lady Wisteria, let's be careful with our words."

Lady Sera Wisteria bit her lower lip, then she nodded. "I apologize, Your Royal Highness."

"I accept your apology, but please use a different carriage on our next stopover," Neoma said, then she smiled brightly. "You made me uncomfortable, after all."

***

"YOUR ROYAL Highness, did something happen between you and Lady Wisteria?"

"Yes," Neoma smiled brightly at Jeanne Audley's question. "Lady Wisteria pissed me off."

Jeanne Audley and Dion Skelton, who were sitting side-by-side on the couch across from her, suddenly turned serious.

[They will probably report this incident to Papa Boss.]

Since only the three of them were in the carriage, she talked.

"Lady Wisteria insulted my mother and my father by saying that they've been fooled and manipulated by the former Commander Quinzel," she said. "She also bragged that she's not afraid of my father. Thus, she ran off her mouth until my ears almost fell off from listening to her bullshit. That's why I kicked her out my of carriage."

She didn't enjoy being a snitch.

But she didn't have time to deal with Lady Sera Wisteria's grudge against her parents and her appa. And it looked like the issue was something that only her Papa Boss could handle anyway.

[But I'm really curious as to why Lady Wisteria is that bitter towards my appa. It has been years already since the former commander was declared dead. So why is she still mad at my appa?]

She knew that her appa wasn't a saint, and no one could live a life without hurting other people whether it was intentional or not.

[Still, I refuse to believe that my appa is the cunning and the manipulative type.]

She spent years with her appa, and she just met Lady Wisteria now. Of course, she wouldn't believe a stranger over her kind appa.

[But what is this doubt in my heart...]

"I shouldn't have left you alone with Lady Wisteria," Jeanne Audley said remorsefully. Then she bowed to her. "I apologize for being inadequate, Your Royal Highness."

Dion Skelton also bowed in silence.

"It's alright. Lady Wisteria is still a noble, so we have to treat her kindly," she said, then she looked at the view outside the window. It seemed like they had already entered the premise of the villa where she and her envoy would stay at. "Anyway, where are my children?"

Jeanne Audley and Dion Skelton informed her earlier that Lewis, Juri Wisteria, Jeno Dankworth, and her baby Greko checked the villa first.

[Something smells fishy, though.]

Since when did her children get along well?

[And Lewis left my side to join his siblings?]

Although she was delighted because Lewis was now expanding his circle, she couldn't help but feel suspicious.

[Is this what they call maternal instinct?]

"The children mentioned something about checking the villa employees' faces," Dion Skelton said bluntly. "Apparently, they can't let good-looking people work for Your Royal Highness."

Her head whipped in Dion's direction fast after hearing such bullshit. "Why would they do something so unnecessary?"

Jeanne giggled before she answered. "Your Royal Highness, according to Lewis, you lower your guard when you're surrounded by good-looking people. Thus, the children thought they should select "average-looking" employees to serve you while we stay at the villa."

Huh?

Neoma held her nape when she felt her blood pressure rise. "How dare those kids to betray their mother?"

***

"PRINCESS Neoma has three types."

Juri Wisteria turned to Lewis, who rarely spoke coherently.

[Scratch that, this is the first time he spoke to us first.]

To be honest, when she invited Lewis to join them in the carriage, he didn't expect him to agree and leave Princess Neoma to the Paladins. And so, right now, all the young princess's "children" were in the carriage headed to the villa.

Juri and Jeno sat side-by-side, while Lewis and Greko were next to each other on the couch across from them.

"Since you've been with the princess longer, please tell us what you know," Juri said. It was safe to mention Princess Neoma's real identity because of the spirit stones in the carriage that worked like a soundproof barrier. "What is Princess Neoma's style?"

Lewis jabbed his thumb in Greko's direction. "Cute."

Greko gasped softly, then he put his hands on his chubby cheeks. "I'm cute?"

Lewis just nodded, then he pointed to Jeno. "Handsome."

Jeno, who looked sleepy at first, suddenly sat straight as if hearing that he was handsome, woke him up completely.

Lewis then pointed to her. "Pretty."

She couldn't help but smile when a funny thought crossed her mind. "Did Princess Neoma choose us to be her knights because of our looks?"

"I can't say that it's not one reason that Princess Neoma chose us," Lewis said, answering her playful question seriously. "But you know that Princess Neoma is quite… sassy."

She just smiled politely.

['Sassy' is putting it nicely since Princess Neoma is hella rude.]

But it was a part of the young princess's charm.

"Princess Neoma doesn't treat people she doesn't genuinely like as her "children," so it's safe to assume that she didn't choose us just because of her looks," Lewis continued with his explanation. "But Princess Neoma remains weak to good-looking people. We can't let the enemies realize that."

"It's a good thing that you mentioned that in advance," Juri said, then she pulled out an envelope from her sling bag. "I have the list of employees currently serving at the villa."

Jeno looked at her suspiciously. "Where did you get that list?"

"Jeno Dankworth, the villa we'll be staying at belongs to the Wisteria family," she reminded the young lord. "I'm the granddaughter of the current head of House Wisteria, and Lady Sera Wisteria is my aunt. I asked my aunt to give me the list of the employees at the villa. And since I'm one of Princess Neoma's personal guards, she entrusted it to me."

"Right," Jeno said, uninterested.

She grabbed the young lord's collar with wide eyes. "Don't ask if you're not interested in what I say!"

Jeno just avoided her gaze.

"N-Noona, H-hyung, please don't fight," Greko begged them. 'Hyung' was a term used by young males to address older brothers or males older than them, while 'noona' was a term used by young males to address older sisters or females older than them. Those were the terms that Princess Neoma taught them a while ago. "L-Let's get along well, please?"

She immediately let go of Jeno's collar and faced Greko with a smile. "Maknae, your hyung and noona aren't fighting."

According to Princess Neoma, 'maknae' meant 'youngest.'

Since Greko was the youngest among their group, she told them that they could call Greko 'maknae,' and Greko gave them the permission to do so.

"I'm sorry if we startle you," she said, then she elbowed Jeno at his side. "Right?"

"Yes, we're not fighting," Jeno said in a sleepy voice while rubbing his eyes with his hand. "Sorry for showing something shameless to you, maknae."

Greko smiled, obviously relieved. "I'm glad to know that, hyung and noona."

Juri just smiled back, then she pulled out the documents inside the envelope. "Now, let's choose the employees worth serving our Princess Neoma."

***

NEOMA immediately understood why the villa was called the 'Golden Field Villa.'

In the middle of a golden-colored field stood a modest villa. Compared to the grand villas found in the Royal Capital, the one in front of her looked simple but cozy. And yes, the mansion could still house at least thirty guests minus the employees.

[When I said 'modest,' it's based on my standards as a princess who lives in an enormous palace.]

"I like this villa," Neoma said after admiring the villa. "I heard that the Wisteria gave this villa to the Royal Family as a present."

Calling the villa a present was putting it nicely.

Based on her studies, the Wisterias gifted the Royal Family the Golden Field Villa as a bribe. It was a known fact that the Royal Family monopolized the Hisa Tree. But the Wisterias and the Hammocks got their hands on the tree.

[I don't know what the Hammocks presented to the Royal Family as a bribe though.]

Sending a member of the royal family to harvest Hisa Tree was only a formality. After all, the Hammocks and the Wisterias were the ones truly in charge of the harvest.

[But since Madam Hammock is gone now, the Wisterias have taken over.]

"I am glad that you like the villa, Your Royal Highness," Lady Sera Wisteria, who was standing behind her, said. "The inside of the villa is just as beautiful outside."

She didn't waste any moment and walked towards the entrance.

"We welcome Your Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince Nero to the Golden Field Villa," the servants of the villa greeted her with their heads bowed deeply.

As expected of people working for the Royal Family, even the servants looked fine.

[And since they work for the Royal Family, most of them– if not all– are definitely nobles.]

But her eyes focused on the shocking visuals of the four people behind the servants.

Neoma smirked at her children, who looked somewhat proud, as if they had accomplished something great. [Did those brats seriously hide all the god-tier beauties here?]

***

AFTER they formally introduced Neoma to Count and Countress Campbell– the caretakers of the Golden Field Villa– she headed to her room to rest for a while.

Later, she would hold her first formal meeting with Lady Sera Wisteria and the mages that would harvest everything that they could harvest from the Hisa Tree. She saw the team earlier, and the mages looked like they were in their mid to late twenties.

[Come to think of it, isn't Lady Wisteria in her early thirties now? She's still a Wisteria, so that means she isn't married yet. But once her older brother inherits her father's title, she cannot stay as 'Lady Wisteria' anymore. After all, she can no longer be referred to as the daughter of House Wisteria if her brother becomes the next duke.]

Once that happened, Lady Wisteria wouldn't be a lady anymore and would be addressed as 'Miss Sera.'

How cruel.

[Is that the reason why Lady Wisteria is so bitter? I should be more patient with her.]

"Eomma?"

Hearing Greko's small voice addressing her as eomma/mother interrupted her thoughts. She initially told Greko to call her noona/older sister. But later, she realized that her youngest "son" should address her as mother.

It was fine for Greko to speak that comfortably because a soundproof barrier protected her room.

Neoma smiled at Greko, who was sitting beside her on the couch. "What were you saying again, maknae?"

"Eomma's cup is empty," Greko said shyly. "Can I refill it for you?"

Greko wasn't her servant so he didn't have to do that.

But she couldn't say 'no' to his adorable face.

"Alright, you can do that," she said. "Our Greko is really sweet, huh?"

Greko giggled, then he stood up and began refilling her cup with tea.

Her son's diligence impressed her.

[It looks like Alphen is taking good care of Greko, huh?]

Sadly, Greko was a slave and therefore, he didn't have the right to enroll into an academy. It was a stupid law that she was determined to change soon.

[Thankfully, Papa Boss ordered Count Kyle Sprouse to change Greko's status into a commoner. And just like what Papa Boss did to help Lewis before, we plan to make Greko a knight for him to receive a title. In the empire, being a knight is the only way for a commoner to become a noble.]

But of course, a division between knights born as nobles and knights born as commoners still existed.

[We have to close that gap.]

"Eomma, here's your tea," Greko said politely after refilling her cup. "Did I do well?"

She smiled and nodded as she received her refilled cup. "You did well, baby," she said, then she ruffled his hair. "Where are your hyungs and noona?"

Jeanne Audley and Dion Skelton were patrolling the area.

Jeno Dankworth told her earlier that he would survey the area from above.

But she didn't know where Lewis and Juri had gone to.

"Lewis Hyung and Juri Noona said that they are going to interview the employees who want to be eomma's butler," Greko explained. "I think they will be here soon."

She just smiled at her youngest "son."

[Ah, so that's what you're up to, huh?]

A Crown Prince wasn't allowed to have a close female servant except for the head maid of his palace and female knights until he reached his coming-of-age ceremony. And thus, the Golden Field Villa provided a butler for her.

[Lewis and Juri probably chose the most average-looking butler to serve me.]

As if on cue, she heard a knock on the door.

As she expected, Lewis and Juri entered the room with her butler.

"Your Royal Highness, we brought the butler that will serve you while we stay at the villa," Juri said cheerfully. "We'd like to introduce Mr. Xion to you."

Lewis didn't say anything, but he looked pleased.

Thus, she didn't understand why Juri and Lewis looked happy after they brought a man with a monster attached behind him.

[Can they not see that weird black thing behind "Mr. Xion?"]

Xion was a tall man with black hair and black eyes. He looked like he was in his early twenties, and he carried himself like a nobleman despite not having a title. The butler also looked neat, competent, and polite.

Most of all, Xion looked so damned handsome.

[I expected my children to choose an average-looking butler. The fact that they look proud can only mean one thing.]

Lewis and Juri couldn't see the actual face of Mr. Xion.

[Interesting.]

"This humble servant greets the Lesser Moon of the Great Moonasterion Empire," Xion politely greeted her in a husky voice, then he bowed to her. She used to be addressed as 'First Star' because he was acting as the royal prince. But after she had officially begun her duties as the Crown Prince, people addressed her as the "Lesser Moon" which was a title reserved for the emperor's official heir to the throne. "My name is Xion and I'm honored to serve His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Nero."

When Xion bowed, the dark material behind him took the form of a man.

And then, "it" opened its eyes.

["Red eyes,"] Tteokbokki snarled in her mind. ["It's weak– but that thing is definitely a god!"]

Neoma smiled brightly at Xion. "Hello, Mr. Xion."

***

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