Royal Secret : I'm a Princess!

MY THREE AWSOME WHISHES

He laughed softly and pinched her cheeks. "Oh, my naïve little sister. Let's just say that the saint is doing this for the sake of the empire. After all, His Majesty intends to declare me as his official heir someday."

[Oh, to be a crown prince who's adored by the emperor just because he's a dude.]

"I don't really understand but I'm glad that you won't be alone," she said with a smile. "I hope you get along with His Grace and his child."

"How did you know that the duke has a child?"

[Oops.]

"Well, you said he moved with his family," she said as an excuse. "I assumed that the duke has a child."

"My Neoma is really smart," he said while patting her head gently. "You're right. Duke Quinzel has a daughter around her age."

"Isn't that nice, Brother?" she asked him. "You'll have another sister."

His face turned sour. "You're my one and only sister, Neoma. I have no relation with Duke Quinzel's daughter."

"What are you talking about, Brother?" she asked between giggles. "Duke Quinzel is Papa's cousin. That means the duke's daughter is our second cousin."

"You're my only family, Neoma," Nero said in an eerily serious voice. Then, he touched her face while looking at her with a warm gaze. "Let's keep this goodbye short. It's not like we're not going to see each other again. I want to be healed as soon as possible so I need to go now. My Neoma is smart so she understands, right?"

Neoma smiled and nodded. "Take care of yourself, Brother. I'll pray for your fast and safe recovery."

They ended their farewells with a tight and warm hug.

***

NEOMA was sad that she wasn't even allowed to send Nero off outside the palace.

She heard that Duke Quinzel came to pick him up. But since she was locked up in her room, she didn't even get a glimpse of the duke.

[I wanted to see Duke Quinzel again. The duchess may have been a terrible mother to me. But the duke treated me like his own daughter. Although he was absent for most parts of my previous life because he was too busy, I would never forget his kindness.]

Her thoughts were cut off when she heard a knock on the door.

When she let them in, Alphen and Stephanie entered the room with Lewis. Ever since she was stuck in the palace, only Alphen and Stephanie had been the ones looking after her.

[And now, Lewis.]

"Greetings to the First Star of the Great Moonasterion Empire," Alphen and Stephanie greeted her in unison with their heads hanged low.

Except for Lewis who was staring at the ceiling, obviously spacing out again.

But never mind the fox boy.

She was actually surprised that Stephanie and Alphen greeted her as the "First Star." That was the title reserved for the crown prince.

[Ah, my role play as Nero has begun.]

"Hello," Neoma greeted them cheerfully. "Please tell me I can go out now. I'm close to dying of boredom here."

"His Majesty wants to have tea with you, Your Royal Highness," Stephanie informed her. "We're here to pick you up."

"Your Royal Highness, starting from today, Lewis has become your official butler and bodyguard," Alphen added. "Lewis knows the royal secret and to keep that from everyone else, he'll follow you around wherever you go. But rest assured, he won't do something inappropriate to you, Your Royal Highness."