NEOMA'S eyes widened, gasping as she held Impure Mana in her hands.
It felt disgusting, and it reminded her of the slime that used to be a trend in Korea before. She hated it because she hated the slime's texture.
But since she was a professional, she endured it well.
"P-Princess Neoma, are you alright?" Charlotte asked nervously. "Your hands… are they not melting or getting burned?"
Neoma smiled and shook her head. "Nah, I'm totally fine."
Now the baby unicorn looked more confused and a bit scared. "How could you be fine when you're directly touching Impure Mana with your hands?"
"Oh, I'm not touching it with my bare hands," she denied. "I am not that reckless, so I covered my hands with Coat first."
'Coat' was the kind of barrier that covered her body like a well-fitted latex.
"Even so, Impure Mana could melt even the sturdiest barriers…"
"Well, my barriers are built different," she said smugly. "I learned from the best people."
It was the former saint Dominic Zavaroni who taught her how to create Holy Barriers, and it was her Aunt Nichole who taught her how to improve her technique while they were in Korea.
Plus, Aruna and Arche de Moonasterio also helped her.
"This is the Impure Mana that I caught and stored in my Dome earlier," Neoma explained to the baby unicorn. "When this thing hit my Dome at first, it created a sizzle as if it was trying to melt my barrier. But it's calm now, isn't it?"
Charlotte's eyes widened as if she just realized it now. "You're right, Princess Neoma. And now that I'm looking closer, the color is lighter. It was pure black earlier, but it's more like charcoal at the moment."
"I know, right?"
"What did Your Royal Highness do?"
"This Dome is actually not a Dome right now after the shape changed," Neoma explained carefully. "I'd like to call this one a 'Balloon.'"
"A Balloon…?"
"I used my breath to inflate it," she explained. "This Balloon is filled with air that came from my own breath."
"Your Royal Highness' breath… then…?"
"My breath once revived a dying minor god," Neoma said indifferently. It wasn't something that she did according to her own will, so she was neither proud nor embarrassed. She simply didn't care. "And I also accidentally turned the Queen of Spirit world a few years younger."
The latter was a piece of information that she got from Trevor before.
"How is this possible?" Charlotte murmured in disbelief while watching the blobs of Impure Mana change into a lighter color while inside the Balloon. "It's as if the Impure Mana inside is… getting revived."
"Right?" she agreed with the baby unicorn. "The Mana of dead Darkness attribute users don't return to Nature. Then they turn into poisonous Impure Mana that kills humans instantly. But it seems like my premium air purifier ability has the properties necessary to cleanse the poison in Impure Mana. Once it happens, then doesn't it mean the now "Pure Mana" could finally return to Nature?"
Gosh.
[Look at me– I'm even helping Nature now.]
No wonder Neoma was sooo in-demand.
"Princess Neoma, your ability is scary," Charlotte said, gulping hard. "The blessing that the Goddess of Life gave you is too great, isn't it? Because of that gift, you became an exceptional individual, Your Royal Highness."
"You may be right, but you can't simply credit all my awesomeness to the Goddess of Life's blessing," Neoma said in a serious tone. "I worked hard to be where I am today."
Charlotte suddenly looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Princess Neoma. I didn't mean to be rude."
"It's okay. I get what you're trying to say anyway."
The baby unicorn looked relieved that Neoma accepted her apology.
[Unless a unicorn commits a heinous crime, there's no way I'd hate one.]
"Anyway, now that I know my theory is correct, then all I have to figure out is how to extract the Impure Mana inside Trevor's body," Neoma said, sighing. "The Impure Mana has unfortunately tainted Trevor's body and Mana already. Even if I could unalive it, how could I do it when it's inside his body?"
"Doesn't it mean Princess Neoma just has to fill Trevor's body with your breath?" Charlotte asked, tilting her head to one side innocently. "Then isn't kissing the easiest way to do that?"
Huh?
Neoma was too stunned to speak.
[Do I need to kiss Trevor to save his life…?]
***
"I THINK I need to blow up the entire island and sink it, Lady Roseheart."
To say that Mona was shocked to hear that would be an understatement. "But why would you do that?"
"Is it because of what I said?" Princess Maan asked awkwardly. "About your territory's barrier being weak?"
Dahlia fell silent for a moment before she nodded her head gently. "There are people who are after the potions and the devices that the Black Witches created. Now that the barrier that keeps this island hidden has weakened, it's only a matter of time before people who hunted down the Black Witches find my home."
The young Black Witch had a point.
Even the Mermaid Princess agreed with Dahlia.
"It's a good thing that I've already packed and hidden all the important heirlooms of our clan," Dahlia said, obviously relieved. But, of course, the Black Witch looked sad. "It's sad to lose the home where I was raised by the clan. But it's more important to protect the treasures of the Black Witches. Moreover, the marine life here will be safer if the island disappears before we get terrorized by people who want to harm me."
Mona felt sad for Dahlia because she could relate to the young Black Witch.
[The Rosehearts were also hunted down by the greedy nobles in the past. We were forced to surrender everything we have in order to survive.]
That was why Mona could see herself in Dahlia.
[This child shouldn't go through what I have been through in the past.]
"Dahlia, can you reconsider blowing up this island?" Mona asked carefully. "I have a suggestion."
Of course, the Black Witch was surprised. But, after a few seconds of considering it, she immediately nodded. And quite eagerly, at that. "Please let me hear your suggestion, Lady Roseheart. After all, if there was a way to keep the island safe without destroying it, I'd grab it with my hands tightly."
[A child like you shouldn't be shouldering everything on your own.]
"If the problem is the security, then we should just strengthen it," Mona said, smiling at Dahlia. "Let's bring Nathaira of the Black Ocean here."
Princess Maan's eyes widened, shocked. "Nathaira, the Imoogi? The Legendary Sea Monsters of the Black Ocean?"
"Can we do that, Lady Roseheart?" Dahlia asked, her eyes sparkling. "Can we ask Nathaira to guard the island?"
***
"NEOMA, what happened?"
"I made something amazing, Mama Boss," Neoma said, smiling at her mother. "I succeeded in "unaliving" the blobs of Impure Mana that I caught earlier."
The Balloon floated in front of Mama Boss and the others.
Of course, the blobs of Impure Mana inside the Balloon were still there. But the blobs had turned into a silver-ish color now. Moreover, anyone on the level of an advance Mana user could tell that the poison in those blobs was already gone.
In short, Mama Boss, Dahlia, Lewis, and Maan could tell that the blobs of Impure Mana were no longer corrupted.
Those blobs were no different from ordinary Mana now.
[I succeeded. Hurray for me! You can call me Neoma the Necromancer now~]
"No, I'm not talking about that," Mama Boss said, cupping Neoma's face between her hands. "Baby, you look paler than normal. Moreover, your Mana feels weak. I can barely feel your Moonglow, too."
"Princess Neoma really worked hard, Lady Roseheart," Charlotte said, her eyes sparkling in delight. "At first, I thought the Imperial Princess was crazy when talking about her ridiculous theories. She talked about breathing life into Impure Mana as if she was just talking about raising a plant! But the craziest part? Princess Neoma pulled it off easily!"
"It's not "easily" when my daughter looks like this, Miss Charlotte," Mama Boss said in a cold voice. "Neoma only makes it look easy because she's a genius, but that doesn't mean she didn't suffer."
Charlotte, who suddenly looked scared of Mama Boss, closed her mouth.
Neoma was also surprised.
[Mama Boss rarely gets upset…]
"I'm fine, Mama Boss…"
"You're not fine," Mama Boss said sternly. "You need to rest, Neoma."
"Okay, Mama Boss," Neoma said, afraid of getting scolded by her mother. "I will rest… later."
It seemed like she chose the wrong words since Mama Boss looked more upset now.
"I knew I shouldn't have left you alone the moment I caught you trying to touch the Impure Mana earlier," Mama Boss said, frustrated. "Neoma, I know you're desperate to save Trevor. But please don't forget to take care of yourself."
"I'm taking care of myself well, Mama Boss."
Of course, her mother didn't sound convinced.
"I apologize for interrupting your conversation, but I'm also desperate here," Maan said, her eyes focused on the blobs of (no longer) Impure Mana before turning to Neoma. "Princess Neoma, please help my clan. We need your ability to cleanse the Impure Mana that's slowly killing our people."
Oh.
To be honest, she was conflicted. Her priority was Trevor, of course. However, it wasn't like she could ignore the mermaids…
Neoma eyed Mama Boss nervously.
As expected, her mother looked displeased.
[Mama Boss probably wants me to reject the request, but she's not saying anything since she wants to respect my decision as an adult.]
"Please, Princess Neoma," Maan begged her. "I'll do anything and everything in return."
Okay, Neoma almost caved in.
However…
"Hey, talk is cheap– why don't we make a contract first?"
Huh?
A black hole suddenly appeared on the spot near Neoma.
No wonder Lewis stood in front of her protectively.
However, everyone immediately relaxed when they saw Trevor emerge from the black hole.
[Gosh, what's with the monocle and weird book in his hand?]
Moreover…
"Hey, what happened to you, Trevor?" Neoma asked with knitted eyebrows. "Why do you have the same smell as that relic from the past?"
Trevor laughed at what Neoma said. "My Moon Princess, I chose to be the Devil for you."
Huh?
***
Please ADD my story to your LIBRARY to be notified when an update is posted. Thank you! :>
Follow current nov𝒆ls on freew(𝒆)bnov𝒆l.(c)om