"JASPER OPPA, can you steal something for Neoma?" Neoma asked in a sickeningly sweet voice while giving Jasper Hawthorne puppy dog eyes. Yes, she was doing 'aegyo' for him. "Since your guild buys and sells information, I figured you wouldn't mind stealing information for your cute and charismatic little sister."
Jasper Hawthorne raised an eyebrow at her "aegyo." "I don't have a cute and charismatic little sister," he said in a teasing voice. Then he sipped his tea before he spoke again. "I have a sly and manipulative one, though."
She laughed at how the young duke described her. "Sly and manipulative then," she said, agreeing with his assessment of her. Then she turned serious as she handed him a scroll. "These are the families who own the territories near the Holy Land, oppa. Those people were also the ones in charge of the investigation regarding the recent attack at the former saint's home."
The young duke unrolled the scroll and scanned the content. "What exactly do you want me to steal from these people?"
"Weapons," she answered seriously. "To be precise, I want you to raid their weaponry."
"I thought you wanted me to steal information, little miss."
She laughed softly at his teasing. "Oppa, those weapons contain the information I need," she explained. "The weapons that the rebels used to attack the Holy Land disappeared. Those weapons are tempting, oppa. I have a feeling that the families who investigated the incident stole the weapons and kept them for themselves. Don't you find it suspicious that they caught the rebels, but the weapons they used disappeared?"
"I can see why you're suspicious," he said, then he tapped his index finger on the last line that she wrote on the scroll. Then he looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "But Princess Neoma, are you sure about this one?"
She just smiled and sipped her tea.
"The last group you're suspecting of stealing those weapons is the Holy Knights," Jasper oppa said in a serious voice. "Princess Neoma, the Holy Knights are said to be as strong as His Majesty's Paladins."
Xion, who was standing behind her, smirked. "What? You're scared of the Holy Knights? If you can't do it, just say so. As long as I'm here, Princess Neoma doesn't need another guild."
Jasper oppa wisely ignored Xion. "Princess Neoma, I'm not hesitating because I'm afraid for myself. I'm just worried about you," he said while looking at her with a concerned look on his face. "The Holy Land is the home of Lord Yule, the god that governs the continent– and you're the descendant of Lord Yule. If you pick a fight with the Holy Knights, it will tarnish your reputation as the "Crown Prince." Majority of the people of the empire worship the Moon God after all."
"Oppa, I'm grateful for your concern, but please don't worry too much," she assured him. "The Holy Land won't touch the "Crown Prince" even if I pissed them off."
The young duke blinked, then he let out a soft "ah." "Right," he said while nodding. "Lord Yule left a prophecy that says you'll be the one bringing the next saint in the near future. The Holy Land would want to avoid a fight with you because of that."
"Yep," she said. "I'd like you to suggest investigating High Priest Wellington first. According to my experience as a veteran weeb, it's always the saint or the high priest who turns out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing."
Jasper oppa looked confused by her words, but he still nodded in the end. "I understand, Princess Neoma. I will start my investigation with High Priest Wellington. He's the one in charge of the Holy Knights now that the saint is gone."
"Very well," she said, then she gave him a thumbs up. "Just run wild, oppa. If you and your guild get in trouble because of my order, I will come and save you."
Jasper oppa laughed softly. "It's a relief to know that the great Princess Neoma has my back."
"Aren't you lucky you have a sly and manipulative little sister?"
He smiled and nodded. "Princess Neoma, the moment you risked your life just because I asked for your help during the incident at the Death Camp, I already made a vow to myself."
"Oh, what kind of vow?"
The young duke just smiled, then he stood up. After that, he approached her. Then, much to her shock, he got down on one knee and held her hand.
"I promised myself I'll follow you even to hell, Princess Neoma," Jasper oppa said softly, then he kissed the back of her hand without breaking eye contact. "Whether you need me or not, I'm always here for you."
Oh.
That kind of made her heart skip a beat.
[It's like when your bias or favorite actor says sweet nothings to you as fan service.]
"His Majesty…"
[Huh?]
She turned to Lewis who mentioned her Papa Boss out of the blue.
"I'm going to be a snitch," Lewis said in a low yet cold voice, his golden eyes glowing for some reason. "I'm going to tattle on His Majesty that Duke Jasper Hawthorne kissed Princess Neoma."
"Hey, it's just my hand," Neoma complained, afraid that House Hawthorne would be the next noble household to disappear in the empire. "And I didn't raise a snitch, you brat!"
***
NEOMA smiled proudly while looking at her "children" who were standing in front of her like the gallant knights they were.
Lewis, Juri Wisteria, Jeno Dankworth, Paige Avery, Xion Redgrave, and little Greko.
Right now, she gathered her children in his personal training grounds. But since it was hot, and she was feeling lazy today, she was sitting on a comfortable chair while under a huge umbrella. There was also a round table beside her, and a glass of orange juice on top of it.
"Eat, sleep, play, and rule," Neoma said cheerfully. "That's our team's motto. I believe we already have had plenty of "eat and sleep" moments recently. And so, I believe it's time for us to "play and rule.""
It was funny how her children showed different reactions.
Lewis, Xion Redgrave, Jeno Dankworth remained stoic.
Juri Wisteria and little Greko looked excited.
Paige Avery just smiled her signature calm and healing smile.
"It's time for us to play," she declared cheerfully. "And our target is the Hazelden Kingdom."
Juri and Greko both clapped their hands.
Aside from the Hazelden Kingdom's involvement with smuggling weapons to the enemy nations, she had two other reasons for visiting the kingdom.
The second reason was to find Delwyn, the traitorous Ice Spirit.
And the third reason was related to Jasper oppa's report regarding his search for Regina Crowell's whereabouts. She asked the young duke to look for the little crow because she didn't believe that she died in the fire.
Actually, she went to Jasper oppa's guild to ask him to stop looking for Regina Crowell since Ruto told her he had already taken care of the little crow. But the result of Jasper oppa's investigation was already available.
["Princess Neoma, the trace of the sole person who escaped from the fire at the Belle's House ended at the border of the Hazelden Kingdom."]
That was Jasper oppa's report.
[It won't hurt to check it since I'll be there anyway.]
Although Ruto already promised her the crows would lie low in the meantime, she couldn't be too complacent. It wasn't like she didn't trust him. She just couldn't leave everything to Ruto and the Sun Goddess.
Most of all, she had a personal beef with Regina Crowell. She wanted to deal with the crows on her own for that very reason.
[But I have to focus on our mission in the meantime.]
"I'll give you your assignments now," she said, then she turned to Paige Avery. "Paige."
She called Paige by her first name instead of 'Lady Avery' because it was her request. Paige Avery wanted to be called by her first name when the young mage realized she addressed the other "children" casually.
"I want you to work with Duke Jasper Hawthorne," she said. "I asked His Grace to look for weapons made from the Hisa Jewels. Since you're familiar with the Hisa Tree and the jewels it produces, I'm hoping you can help him find the weapons we need to find."
"I understand, Princess Neoma," Paige Avery said with a gentle smile on her face. "I will create a device to detect weapons made from Hisa Jewels."
"As expected of our dear mage," she said happily, then she turned to Xion. "Our dear assassin, my order for you is vague. But I want you to find a document in the Hazelden Kingdom– a document that will prove they're smuggling weapons to our empire's enemies. Is that too vague?"
"No," Xion said with a shrug. "I've done missions like that in the past. I know where and what to look for, Princess Neoma."
"Good," she said. "Bring Jeno with you. You're both good at stealth. You can trust him to watch your back since he's a long-range fighter."
Xion and Jeno looked at each other briefly before ignoring each other.
[Haaah.]
"Lewis, Juri, and Greko will be with me," she said. "We will destroy the Hazelden Kingdom palace if we need to."
"Yes, Princess Neoma," Juri said excitedly. "I'm good at destroying things!"
She laughed softly. "I know– that's exactly why you're the Tank."
"Eomma, I'm also g-good at destroying things," Greko said shyly. "I will destroy anything you want me to destroy."
Ah, no.
She wouldn't be bringing Greko with her for that reason.
"Greko, you're in charge of our health," she said to her youngest gently. "Your hyungs and noonas are in charge of destroying things. Leave it to them. Your job is to make sure none of us would get hurt. Can our maknae do that?"
Greko nodded eagerly. "Of course, eomma. I will make sure everyone is healthy!"
She just smiled at Greko's cuteness overload.
Then she stood up and addressed her children one by one with her gaze.
"This mission is going to be your debut," Neoma said seriously. "Children, let's shake the continent until everyone knows the existence of the Moonrose Knights."
And Neoma didn't lie.
Her children destroyed the Hazelden Kingdom.
She gained "ownership" of the Holy Knights.
And she, along with her Moonrose Knights, eliminated the remaining members of the enemy nations who allied together to wage war on the empire.
Thanks to her victory, her children became heroes of the continent overnight.
Three years later…
***
"I'M SO fucking pretty," Neoma said, then she let out a sigh while looking at her beautiful reflection in the mirror. Even though her hair was short and she was wearing the uniform for the male students of the Royal Moon Academy, she still managed to look pretty. It would be hard to pretend as a boy when her features were so lovely and soft. "Ah, the burden of being born with a shocking visual…"
Thirteen-year-old Neoma would definitely become Royal Moon Academy's most beautiful face as soon as she step foot on the school premises.
[I can already see myself breaking so many innocent hearts.]
"Y-Your Royal Highness!"
She looked at Lewis, who was standing behind her, in the mirror.
[Gosh.]
Fifteen-year-old Lewis was a total hottie: tall, handsome, strong.
She knew she shouldn't be saying this towards her "son," but Lewis really grew up as a very attractive young man.
[Here's another heartbreaker in the making.]
"B-Blood," Lewis said, his face red as he avoided her gaze in the mirror. "There's a spot of blood in your pants, Princess Neoma."
Blood?
In her pants?
Neoma gasped when she realized what it could be. "I got my period?"
Why did her menstruation have to begin on her first day as an academy student?!
***
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***
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