Chapter 993: WORTHY NEMESIS
"NOONA!"
Neoma smiled at Skylus who greeted her so enthusiastically. "Hello, our baby saint."
"Princess Neoma, please address the new saint properly," Lord Manu scolded her. "Moreover, Prince Skylus is no longer a baby."
Not a baby?
But look at Skylus running towards her, his plump cheeks bouncing.
[That's a baby.]
Anyways, Neoma returned to the Imperial Palace after talking to Hanna and her parents last night.
She left Lewis with Hanna when she went to the palace.
After all, she had a few things that she needed to do first before leaving.
"Noona, more people are praying to Lord Yule now!" Skylus said cheerfully while clinging to Neoma's leg. "The devotees who have gone astray for a while because of the enemies' lies are starting to find the right path again! They're praying diligently to Lord Yule now!"
It was probably because of the prayer rally that Skylus and Lord Manu had been doing these past few days.
[I feel bad that Skylus has learned to tell a white lie, but it must be done.]
Skylus was a good boy anyway.
"Good job, Skylus," Neoma said, gently patting the top of Skylus' head. "You're on a break, aren't you?"
"Yes, Noona," Skylus said, and then he paused for a moment. "Can I do something for you, Noona?"
"Aunt Brigitte is still at the Exton Estate, isn't she?"
"That's right, Noona."
"Do you miss your family?"
Uncle Glenn and Skylus' siblings had already returned to the Hazelden Kingdom.
[Aunt Brigitte has to stay in the Exton Estate until she gives birth, so Uncle Glenn has to return to Hazelden with Monik and Claude.]
Skylus' face beamed upon the mention of his family. "Can I see them, Noona?"
"Of course," Neoma said confidently. "Let's go to Exton Estate first, then we'll go to Hazelden with your mother."
[I have something I need in the kingdom, after all.]
***
"YOUR IMPERIAL Majesty, Princess Neoma was here earlier."
"I know," Nero said without looking up at Melvin since he was busy stamping important documents. "She sent me a message asking to use the portal connected to the Hazelden Kingdom."
Apparently, Neoma fetched Queen Brigitte from the Exton Estate.
And then her group used the portal connected to the Hazelden Kingdom.
"Your Imperial Majesty didn't come out of your office to see Princess Neoma," Melvin wondered out loud. "Did you have a fight with the Imperial Princess?"
"If I had a fight with Neoma, you wouldn't see me here."
"Then why didn't you go and see her, Your Imperial Majesty? I'm sure Princess Neoma is more important than the documents you need to sign today."
"If I see Neoma again, it will be hard for me to watch her go again," Nero said bluntly. He decided to be honest since he was only talking to Melvin anyway. "It took me all the self-control I have to stop myself from seeing Neoma, so stop bombarding me with stupid questions."
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
"So, did you come here just to annoy me?"
"Of course not, Your Imperial Majesty," Melvin denied almost immediately. "The former emperor's Paladins have reported their return to the Imperial Capital. They said they have a few errands to do before they return to the palace."
Nero finally looked up at Melvin. "Is it safe to assume that my father's Paladins are willing to work for me now that I have become the new emperor?"
His father's Paladins belonged to his father.
After his father descended from the throne, he gave his Paladins the choice to either stay in the palace to serve the new emperor, or gain their freedom as a normal citizen of the empire.
"It seems like the former emperor's Paladins are willing to serve you, Your Imperial Majesty," Melvin said while nodding. "Do you need them to do something for you as soon as they return to the palace?"
"Yeah. I need them to stay in the palace and pretend I'm here."
"Your Imperial Majesty, are you leaving the palace?! You can't!"
"Shut up," Nero scolded his future Imperial Chamberlain. "Neoma's "children" have already claimed the Abyss. So, I need to do my job and put the souls of the male Rosehearts to rest."
And their resting place would be the Abyss, obviously.
"Ah, I remember," Melvin said, sighing. "When will we be leaving, Your Imperial Majesty?"
"I'm not bringing any of you."
"Excuse me?!"
"It's the Spirit World, silly. Neoma and my parents have already terrorized Queen Tara. The queen would be upset if I bring my own Order to her land."
"But you can't leave alone, Your Imperial Majesty! I know that you're strong. But even so…!"
"Who said I'm leaving alone?"
Now Melvin looked confused. "Then who will you bring with you, Your Imperial Majesty?"
"Who else?" Nero asked back, sighing. "I need Dahlia's help, so I'm bringing her to the Spirit World with me."
***
NEOMA wanted to spend time with Aunt Brigitte, Uncle Glenn, and the kids.
Unfortunately, she went to the Hazelden Kingdom for business and not to play.
Hence, as soon as she arrived at the Royal Palace, she asked for the "prisoner of war" that she wanted to see before leaving that world.
"It's been a while, Princess Neoma."
"Yeah, it's been a while, Regina," Neoma said, raising an eyebrow at Regina Crowell. "You're still thick-skinned, huh? I heard you kept coming in and out of the palace as if you own this place."
Regina sipped her tea before she talked back. "What can I do? The Hazelden Kingdom is too cold. On the other hand, the Royal Palace is warm."
"You can escape anytime you want, and yet to chose to stay. I wonder if there's something interesting in this kingdom."
"Crows like shiny things, and there are many shiny things here."
"Bullshit."
Regina laughed softly while shaking her head. "Why do you want to see me, Princess Neoma? You're not here because you miss me, are you?"
"I'm sure you've already heard about the war that I started."
"What about it?"
"Helstor chose you as one of his representatives, didn't he?"
"Are you asking because you don't know?"
"I just wanted to confirm," Neoma said, shrugging. "That's the only way Helstor can save you from getting killed, after all."
Regina paused for a moment before she nodded. "That's right. Being Helstor's representative is a lifeline to me."
And that was exactly why Neoma went to the Hazelden Kingdom.
[I had to inform them that they can't touch Regina Crowell since she's a chosen representative.]
"Is that really the only reason you want to see me, Princess Neoma?"
Neoma sipped her tea first before she answered. "Trevor ate Dilan Crowell's heart."
Regina looked shocked at first, and then she suddenly burst out laughing. "Trevor Kesser is really interesting, isn't he?"
Oho?
[Is that interest I see in Regina's eyes?]
"I asked Trevor Kesser to kill Dilan Crowell as slowly and as painful as possible. It seems like he's keeping the end of the deal," Regina said as if she was proud. "I wonder if there's something Trevor Kesser wants in return?"
"Don't mess with Trevor the way you messed with Rubin Drayton, you bitch," Neoma said coldly. "Do you want me to kill you— right here, right now?"
The rules of the war be damned.
***
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