[IS IT LESS effective?]
Neoma observed Trevor's complexion while the demon boy was busy pouring a vial of healing potion into her wound.
Since it was a healing potion made by her baby Greko, it was very effective.
The wound closed up right away.
"Enough. I'll do that," Neoma said when Trevor tried to wipe the blood off of her arm with a wet washcloth. "Go and treat your wound now."
She offered to do that for Trevor, but he refused.
Apparently, a princess shouldn't be "serving" her subordinates.
Honestly, she didn't care about things like that because Trevor was her best friend and not a subordinate. But Trevor was serious about being her Contractor, so she just gave in. After all, she didn't want to get in the way of his work.
"It's working, Princess Neoma," Trevor assured her after he noticed that she was looking at him worriedly. "The effect is slower than the time you directly breathe into my mouth. But nevertheless, giving me your blood was a wise choice. It reaches the corrupted part of my heart that you couldn't reach earlier."
A person's Mana Core was located in their heart.
Hence, when Trevor's Mana was corrupted by Impure Mana, it meant his heart was directly affected by it
"The blood that you donated to me is now flowing through my veins with my own blood, and it's being pumped all over my body," he explained. "That's why I feel better now. I'm slowly yet surely recovering well, so you don't have to look at me like I'm a fragile glass, Princess Neoma."
"But you are," she argued weakly. "You fainted just after making our contract."
"My ability to make contracts with gods and other stronger beings won't go anywhere just because my stamina is shit, Princess Neoma," he said, laughing and cursing casually. "Don't worry, I won't let it affect my job. The ability that I inherited from the Ancient Devil is the real deal."
"Do you think I'm only worried about how you'll perform your job as my Contractor and not about your well-being?"
"…"
"Trevor, don't undermine yourself," Neoma said in a serious tone. "Do you think I wasn't serious every time I said you were my best friend?"
"Ah, I know that you were serious, Princess Neoma. I just refuse to be friendzoned."
Pfft.
'Friendzoned.'
[Trevor really learned a lot of slang in the modern world~]
"Whether you want to accept it or not doesn't change the fact that you're my best friend– my chingu," Neoma said, gently flicking Trevor's forehead. She did it as lightly as possible because she was afraid she'd put a hole in his head if she wasn't careful. That was how frail he looked in her eyes at the moment. "I care about you more than you thought, Trevor."
"Aww, you're so sweet, Princess Neoma."
She rolled her eyes at him. "And you sound fake."
Trevor laughed out loud. "What can I do, my Moon Princess? I'm greedy, and I want to be more than friends with you."
"Control your greed, Trevor Kesser," Neoma scolded him. "Anyway, if you feel better now, let's go and make a deal with the Mermaid Princess."
***
"WHAT CAN the mermaid clan offer to me?" Neoma asked seriously while walking on the shore with Maan, the Mermaid Princess. "If you want me to purify the Impure Mana in your turf, then you must offer me something with the equivalent value."
Maan fell silent, obviously in deep thought.
She let the Mermaid Princess ponder as she appreciated the beautiful sunset in front of them.
Lewis and Trevor were behind, following them in silence.
Hence, Neoma also had time to ponder.
[To be honest, I don't mind helping the mermaids for free because they're on friendly terms with my "children." But if I do that, Trevor said the people around me would take me as a pushover. Plus, I can't afford to offer my services for free when there are gods hunting me down for my wonderful ability.]
"Princess Neoma, I suppose offering our help and joining you in your fight against the crows won't suffice."
"Well, I'm not fond of asking people to put their lives in danger for me," Neoma said, shrugging. "Moreover, I'm sure the mermaids are already planning to get back at the crows for the horrible things that they did to your clan members."
In short, the Mermaid Princess' offer was weak.
[And she knows that.]
"Then how about we give the empire a safe route in the sea that we rule?" Maan asked carefully. "A route that only the de Moonasterios and the people working for them could use. Moreover, we will also formally announce that we've formed an alliance with you, Princess Neoma."
Oho?
She didn't really care about the route that the Mermaid Princess offered.
[After all, it falls under Papa Boss and Nero's authority.]
On the other hand…
"You're going to pledge your alliance with ME and not the Imperial Family?"
"The emperor and the Crown Prince already have enough power, as expected of male monarchs," Maan said, shrugging. "I thought about it a lot, and I believe that what Your Royal Highness needs the most is strong backing in order to stand firm as the Imperial Princess."
Well… the Mermaid Princess wasn't wrong.
"Lastly, I'll give you my Tears, Princess Neoma."
"Huh?"
"Mermaid Tears. Have you heard about them?"
"You mean those premium pearls that not even my greedy ancestors could collect?"
Aside from the fact that Mermaid Tears/pearls were very rare, they were also very expensive. Most of all, they weren't available to just anyone.
[Think of THAT luxury handbag that's only available to a select few.]
Maan nodded subtly. "The tears of the members of the Royal Family are different, though. Aside from being the finest quality of pearls, our tears also contain Mana. But I know you don't need more Mana, Princess Neoma. However…"
"The prestige," Neoma said, smirking. "The prestige of owning the tears of a Mermaid Princess will surely boost my standing as the Imperial Princess."
[Just like how some people would only buy a luxury handbag because of its brand name and not quality. In short, they're buying a status symbol.]
It was funny how Neoma, a princess with Imperial and divine blood flowing through her veins, had to play that kind of game. But what could she do? Most greedy nobles of the empire didn't have the intelligence to realize her awesomeness~
Anyway, Maan's offer wasn't bad.
The safe route could be her contribution to the Imperial Family.
The alliance with the mermaids would be good for her public image.
And the Mermaid Tears would help her dominate the high society.
[Yep, it's a good deal.]
Now that she figured out how to purify Impure Mana, everything else would be easy from now on.
"Trevor."
"Yes, my Moon Princess~"
Neoma looked over her shoulder, smirking at Trevor. "Prepare the contract."
***
NIKOLAI was half-worried and half-relieved after receiving Mona's message.
["We're going to have a detour and visit the Mermaid Kingdom. Don't worry, Neoma and I are both safe. We miss you and Nero."]
That was the short message that he received earlier.
Of course, he was worried that Mona and Neoma were about to step foot on an unknown territory.
[No matter how strong they are, I will always be worried about them.]
If he could, he would stay with Mona and Neoma.
But he had duties as the emperor.
[Moreover, we promised that we won't leave Nero alone again.]
"Your Majesty, another formal letter that asks for Princess Neoma's hand in marriage has arrived."
Tsk.
Nikolai almost broke the pen in his hand after hearing Geoffrey Kinsley's report. "From which house did it come from this time?"
Yes, it wasn't the first marriage proposal that the palace received.
[Those greedy nobles sure know how to cling to the Imperial Family.]
"It's from… House Spencer."
Nikolai raised an eyebrow after hearing Geoffrey's answer. "House Spencer? Do they have a young master around Neoma's age?"
Geoffrey gulped before responding to his question. "It was Marquis Russell Spencer who sent the marriage proposal, Your Majesty."
"What?"
"M-Marquis Spencer expressed his desire to marry Princess Neoma–"
"Is that bastard out of his mind?!" Nikolai yelled angrily, breaking the fountain pen in his hand. "He is older than me and yet he asked for my daughter's hand in marriage?!"
Marquis Russell Spencer used to be obsessed with Mona.
[And now, that bastard is aiming for my daughter?]
He should have destroyed House Spencer when he had the chance before!
"Does he think I'd let him marry Neoma?"
"Your Majesty, I believe Marquis Spencer is aware that you won't allow him to even lay a finger on Princess Neoma," Geoffrey said carefully. "That's probably why the marquis is aiming for Prince Nero's approval. After all, Prince Nero will succeed the throne later. I believe the marquis is planning to coax the Crown Prince."
"Did that bastard already approach Nero?"
"Not yet, Your Majesty. However, I heard Marquis Spencer sent expensive gifts to Prince Nero's palace along with the letter earlier."
Nikolai had to take a deep breath to calm himself down.
The old Nero would definitely slice Marquis Russell Spencer's throat before the marquis could even dare to ask for Neoma's hand in marriage.
However, the current Nero was unpredictable.
"Keep an eye on that bastard," Nikolai said, clenching his hands tight. "Report to me right away once Russell Spencer approached Nero."
Geoffrey bowed his head politely. "As you command, Your Majesty."
***
"AS EXPECTED, the young ladies of the high society secretly look down on Princess Neoma."
Hanna sipped her tea while listening to Sandie talk.
Right now, the two of them were alone in the private tearoom of the shop that she owned.
There was an afternoon tea party happening next door.
Of course, she didn't attend it even though it was a party hosted by one of her female classmates in the academy.
Sandie did, and that was why her friend was giving her a report.
"They think poorly of Princess Neoma simply because she wasn't raised a "proper" princess," Sandie continued with her report while putting sugar cubes in her tea. "They don't care about Princess Neoma's achievements because none of those benefits the rich."
That was true.
Most of Neoma's achievements were centered on the poor. Hence, it made sense why the greedy and selfish nobles wouldn't care.
"Hence, they don't care about Princess Neoma's plight against the crows."
"The future of the high society looks dim if the young ladies of our generation fail to realize that if the empire falls, the nobles would also fall with the Imperial Family," Hanna said, sighing while placing the teacup on the saucer silently. "Changing the public's opinion of Neoma was easy. But it seems like manipulating the haughty members of the high society into accepting Neoma would be difficult."
Neoma might say that she didn't need the approval of the high society.
But Hanna begged to differ.
Why would Emperor Nikolai be forced to marry the late Empress Juliet in the past if it was easy to dominate the nobles?
[It's because His Majesty needed them.]
To be precise, the emperor needed the nobles' approval back then since His Majesty seized the throne by force.
[The high society is run by the high-ranking young ladies of the empire. Neoma might hate it, but in order to become the empress regnant in the future, she needs the support of the high society. Hence, she must start by coaxing the young ladies of our generation first.]
Whether Neoma liked it or not, the empire wouldn't thrive without the nobles.
"There's a quick solution to this problem, Hanna."
"What is it?"
Sandie sipped her tea before responding. "Princess Neoma just has to marry into a prestigious family. Penetrating the high society would naturally follow then."
Ah, of course.
There was that option.
[But Neoma would reject it in a heartbeat.]
"Is Princess Neoma the type to marry out of love?"
Hanna was about to say that Neoma already had a lover, but she stopped when she sensed a presence outside the door.
She didn't bring her knights because she was only meeting Sandie.
[Father will scold me later…]
"Who's there?" Hanna asked calmly. "I already sensed your presence, so don't even think about running away."
Sandie tilted her head to one side. "Should I throw a poisoned dart as soon as the door opens?"
She just shook her head in response.
The door then burst open…
… and an unexpected guest entered the tearoom.
Hanna knitted her eyebrows, confused. "Lord Rubin Drayton?"
Yes, it was the allegedly most handsome young man in the empire– Rubin Drayton. As his reputation suggested, the young lord really had the face that even Sandie– a young lady known for only caring about her poisonous plants while rejecting marriage proposals left and right– appreciated.
"I apologize for being rude, Lady Hanna," Rubin Drayton said in a polite tone. Although his voice sounded firm, his face actually looked hesitant. "I just can't wait to confirm that… that you're really alive…"
Excuse me?
Sandie scoffed, obviously offended in Hanna's stead. "Did you want Hanna dead, Young Master?"
"Ah, no. It's not like that," Rubin Drayton said, then his face turned red as if he was embarrassed. Then he turned to Hanna with a nervous look on his face. But there was also relief in his eyes. "You're alive… this time… you didn't die young…"
The young lord actually just murmured the last bits of what he said, as if he was just talking to himself.
But Hanna heard Rubin Drayton loud and clear, and now she had goosebumps.
[There was a time I died young, but how did Lord Rubin know that?]
***
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