Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

Chapter 1038: THE LAST CHOICE

"SO, Duke Drayton. You’re saying that you found records of the previous Duke Drayton hoarding weapons with Darkness attribute?" Nero asked while cutting his steak with a knife. "But when you tracked down the merchant who sold the weapons to your father, you were led to nothing? And when you didn’t find the person, you tracked down the smith who created the weapons, that was when you found out that there’s a shortage of weapons with Darkness attribute?"

Rubin Drayton, who barely touched his food, nodded politely. "Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. I thought it wasn’t normal."

"What made you think it wasn’t normal?"

"There can be only one reason for a weapon shortage, Your Imperial Majesty— and it’s war. Whoever is hoarding weapons must be preparing for a war, and that’s why I thought I should report this matter to His Imperial Majesty directly."

Right.

As one of the few dukes of the empire, Rubin Drayton had such a responsibility.

And maybe he’s overcompensating for his father’s betrayal of the Imperial Family.

"Moreover, it bothers me that the weapons that were hoarded were weapons with Darkness attribute," Rubin Drayton continued, pausing briefly before speaking again. "Humans are wired to fear Darkness because of the Absolute Darkness that almost ended the world during the Ancient Period."

Nero raised an eyebrow, wondering why Rubin Drayton was suddenly giving him a history lesson.

But it sounded interesting, so he kept his mouth shut and listened.

"So, even if Darkness isn’t inherently evil, humans still fear anything related to Darkness— especially people with Darkness attribute. The stigma still lingers today, but it’s not as bad as when Darkness attribute users were hunted down and killed."

Correct.

Nero couldn’t help but wonder.

When did Rubin Drayton grow a brain? He used to be a dumb kid.

"Having said that, only people like the Quinzels could proudly show that they are Darkness attribute users without getting harmed. Other Darkness attribute users who don’t have the same luxury as the Quinzels hide for all their lives," Rubin Drayton continued. "That’s how Darkness attribute became a rare trait, and that’s also how weapons, items, and even potions with Darkness became uncommon. But there has never been a shortage in the market because of its low demand. People are still afraid of touching Darkness, after all."

Yeah, that was also why Nero found the situation suspicious.

He just couldn’t believe that Rubin Drayton noticed that, too.

Wow, this bastard finally learned how to use his brain.

"Hence, the sudden shortage of Darkness attribute weapons is concerning," Rubin Drayton continued. "I hope I’m wrong. But if the hoarder isn’t planning to start a war, then I’m afraid they’re planning to use the weapons in a different way."

"And that different way being...?"

Rubin Drayton gulped hard before answering. "Extracting Darkness from the weapons, Your Imperial Majesty."

Wow.

Nero was stunned.

Seriously, who gave Rubin Drayton a functioning brain?

***

AFTER NERO’s valuable breakfast meeting with Rubin Drayton, he found himself having tea with his parents in his office.

Well, he was the only one having tea.

His mother and father were having a light meal— something that was perfect for late breakfast and early lunch.

Neoma calls it ’brunch.’

"When did Rubin Drayton realize that he had a brain?"

Nero didn’t want to admit this, but his father’s comment— similar to his inner monologue earlier— was proof that he was, indeed, his son.

But anyone who knows Rubin Drayton will think the same.

"My love, you’re being harsh towards the child," his mother scolded his father. "Moreover, you should address him by his proper title. He is Duke Drayton now."

"When did Duke Drayton realize he had a brain?"

Nero almost laughed because of his father’s corny joke.

But that joke earned his father a sharp look from his mother.

"I’m sorry," his father said, clearing his throat before finally getting serious. "I agree with Duke Drayton’s assessment: the weapons with Darkness attribute aren’t going to be used for war— they were probably hoarded for the purpose of extracting Darkness from them."

"It’s easier to extract Darkness from weapons than it is from Darkness attribute users because the latter are hiding themselves," his mother said. "If someone is collecting Darkness, then..."

"Then they are probably creating something as sinister as the artificial Elemental Guardian that Neoma saved before," Nero said the things his mother couldn’t say out loud. "Mother, Father, you said you encountered minor gods that didn’t feel like minor gods, didn’t you?"

His mother and father nodded.

Yeah, that was the report that he had heard from his parents earlier.

"The possibility of those beings turning out to be artificial minor gods is high," Nero said while putting down the teacup on the saucer quietly. "The hoarder is probably extracting Darkness and using it to create artificial minor gods."

***

POP.

POOOP.

POP! POP! POP!

Neoma laughed like a maniac while watching the ’bubbles’ that she created pop one by one.

Training complete.

She suddenly missed the former Saint Dominic Zavaroni— the person who taught her how to create the strongest shields and barriers in the world.

I’ll brag about my new skill to my mentor later.

"Princess Neoma, I don’t like your new skill."

Aigoo.

Neoma avoided Lewis’ gaze.

Her son was there with her while she was perfecting her new skill, so it was no wonder that he ended up hating it.

"What are you planning to do with that kind of skill?"

"I won’t use it unless it’s a life-or-death situation, so don’t worry too much," Neoma said, and then she quickly changed the topic. "By the way, Lewis. If you’re going to suggest someone to be the last Battle Representative, who would it be?"

Lewis tilted his head to one side. "You haven’t decided who the last Representative would be, Princess Neoma?"

"Yeah," Neoma said, plopping down on the ground. "You’re automatically my first choice. Then I chose Jasper Oppa with difficulty. Not because I don’t trust him or his skills, but because I wasn’t sure if he would be willing to fight for me when he had so much to lose as a young duke."

"Really? You didn’t think Duke Hawthorne would fight for you, Princess Neoma?"

"Of course, I didn’t."

"That duke will die for you."

"Don’t say something so scary, Lewis," Neoma said while shaking her head. "I mean, I know that Jasper Oppa really sees me as his little sister. But he’s still a duke, and he’s responsible for so many lives. I wouldn’t have held it against him had he turned down my invitation to fight for me."

"Princess Neoma, you should seriously stop looking down on how much your people love you."

"I’m not looking down on the love each one of you has for me— I’m not just that arrogant to think that I’m the center of your lives," Neoma said while waving her hand dismissively. "So, who do you nominate to be the third Battle Representative?"

"That depends on the requirement," Lewis answered carefully. "Does it only have to be people from our side?"

"Who are you thinking of recruiting if they’re not from our side?"

"The demigods on Commander Solfrid’s side."

Ah.

"I’m sure they will fight for me, especially if Ruto asks them to," Neoma said, scratching her cheek awkwardly. "But if I’m being honest, I don’t want to choose people I don’t have a personal connection with."

"And that’s exactly why I want to choose people not from our side."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Princess Neoma, I know you," Lewis said while giving Neoma a sharp look— a look that he rarely gave her because her ’son’ respected her so much. "You want to choose people close to you because you’re willing to die for us the same way we’re willing to die for you. I can already see you breaking the rules and forfeiting the fight to save us in case we get into a life-or-death situation."

Tsk.

My ’son’ really knows me like the back of his hand, huh?

"That’s why I’m proposing that you choose people that you have no personal connection with— like the demigods that serve Commander Solfrid," Lewis said coldly. "That way, even if they get in a dangerous situation, you wouldn’t be as inclined to save them as you would if it were one of your ’children.’"

True.

"Moreover, those demigods serve Commander Solfrid," Lewis said, shrugging nonchalantly. "He should be the one saving them in case something goes wrong during the fight."

Aigoo.

Our Lewis can be so cold-hearted sometimes. I wonder where he got that from.

"But I’m sure you already have a choice, Princess Neoma."

"Yeah."

"Is it Trevor Kesser?"

"No."

Lewis looked surprised. "Is there a rule that won’t allow Trevor Kesser to join as your Battle Representative?"

Neoma shook her head. "Trevor is and will always be my ’Plan B,’ my safety net, the one who’ll work in my place if all else fails. So, I can’t let him be one of the Battle Representatives."

Lewis frowned, but he didn’t refute Neoma’s words.

After all, they all knew that Trevor was someone they could depend on if everything suddenly went downhill.

He’s that valuable.

And that was exactly why Neoma forced Trevor to sleep and recover his strength.

"Little princess!"

Huh?

Neoma was surprised when Mochi— her Wind Spirit— suddenly appeared out of thin air.

But she was even more shocked to see Mochi injured.

"What happened?" Neoma asked worriedly while holding Mochi in her arms. She couldn’t believe that her Wind Spirit was bleeding— her white fur covered in blood. "Who hurt you, Mochi?"

"The Royal Mage Tower is under attack, little princess!"

Lewis let out a gasp. "Paige and Greko are in the Royal Mage Tower, Princess Neoma."

And that was when Neoma remembered that her Spirits were still accompanying her ’children’ whom they accompanied during her absence.

Mochi was in charge of Paige and Greko.

Hence, it was no wonder that the Wind Spirit was hurt.

Who the fuck dares to mess with us during the ceasefire?

***

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