Chapter 769 TRIGGER
"IF YOU DON'T stop speaking bullshit, I'll burn you to ashes," Neoma threatened the throne. "Don't test my patience."
She was now alone in the throne room after Papa Boss left with his Paladins.
Normally, the throne room would have been locked if the emperor wasn't there. But Papa Boss allowed her to stay there.
"You already chose Nero, so why are you clinging to me again?" Neoma complained. She was really close to hitting the throne with her fist, but she reminded herself that it wasn't her property to destroy. "Gosh, why are you so indecisive?"
<...>
And now the throne was quiet.
Huh?
[Is this thing broken???]
Her anger died out after the throne finally shut its mouth.
She was about to leave the room and head back to her office when she heard a voice coming from the throne.
<"The de Moonasterios' Lunacy resonates with Darkness... be careful, Nene.">
Neoma's eyes widened, then she turned around only to see a faint glow of bluish lights quickly disappearing into nothingness. The presence immediately disappeared as soon as she saw it, but she couldn't mistake it for someone else. "Lord Yule...?"
"YOUR MAJESTY, this is not an issue that we could turn a blind eye to."
Nikolai let out a frustrated sigh while listening to Rufus' nagging.
The two of them were in sitting face-to-face inside the royal carriage while headed to the Spencer Estate.
He had to come in person because only the emperor had power over the Crown Prince.
Of course, he had to bring Rufus– his most trusted aide.
[But he's been nagging me since we left the palace...]
"Although Marquis Spencer committed a grave crime, the Crown Prince still doesn't have the power to punish him directly. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Crown Prince even severely injured the knights of the Spencer family," Rufus continued with his nagging. "We made sure that this incident wouldn't leak out for now, but we can't keep this a secret forever, Your Majesty."
Of course, Nikolai knew that.
He was aware of how serious the situation was. Hence, he came out personally to deal with the issue. But that didn't mean he enjoyed getting scolded by his cousin.
"The nobles wouldn't stay put if we don't deal with this accordingly, Your Majesty."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Rufus said in a serious tone. "We must discipline Prince Nero if we have to."
Nikolai let out a sigh. "Let's check the situation first."
[In short, I must punish the Crown Prince properly.]
Nikolai raised an eyebrow. "Is that the Royal Faction's stance?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Rufus said in a serious tone. "We must discipline Prince Nero if we have to."
Nikolai let out a sigh. "Let's check the situation first."
When they arrived at the Spencer Estate, they realized how bad the situation was.
Nero, the culprit, was having tea while he was soaked in blood from head to toe. The Crown Prince's white hair was even dyed red. The garden was immaculate, but Nero's appearance ruined the beautiful scenery.
Nikolai hated to admit this, but he knew why Nero looked that way.
[It's easy for Nero to kill someone like Russell Spencer without spilling too much blood, but it's always more fun to see your enemy bleed to death. I hate to admit this, but my son obviously inherited my twisted thinking.]
"Welcome, Father," Nero greeted him while standing up. "You're here, too, Duke Quinzel."
"Yes, Your Royal Highness," Rufus said politely, then he looked around. "Marquis Spencer..."
"He's still alive, Your Grace," Nero said. "Marquis Spencer is being treated by Alucard. The family knights are revived by Lucien, too. Hence, no one died."
[Nero sounds so unapologetic.]
Nikolai raised his hands, asking the royal knights to leave.
Only Rufus, the Paladins (Geoffrey Kinsley and Jeanne Audley), and Nero's Order of Knights (Sanford Devon, Raku, and Melvin) were left in the garden.
"What are you doing here, Nero?" Nikolai asked coldly. "Why did you meet Marquis Spencer?"
"Marquis Spencer tried to bribe me for Neoma's hand in marriage, Father."
"And you're here because you got bribed?"
"I only came to check it out, Father."
"What did the marquis offer you?"
His son just sipped his tea, obviously not inclined to answer his question.
"Nero, you know it doesn't matter whether you open your mouth or not, don't you?" Nikolai asked, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I have many ways of finding out the truth. I could either ask my Paladins to torture your knights for information, or make my Soul Beasts torture yours to share their memories with them."
"Why are both options violent, Father? And you're scaring Melvin," Nero complained lightly. "Mother and Neoma would be so disappointed in you."
It was a threat that his son would tattle on him.
"Nero Roseheart de Moonasterio."
"The marquis tried to bribe me using a device that could make Black Witches submit to me."
Hearing his son's answer shocked him.
Rufus, on the other hand, let out a scoff.
[That reaction is understandable since Rufus is aware that Nero, his one and only daughter's fiancé, fancies a certain Black Witch.]
"Prince Nero, my daughter will hear of this," Rufus said firmly. "And allow me to speak as Hanna's father and not as a duke: I am disappointed, Your Royal Highness."
Nero just sipped his tea.
[This unapologetic punk needs to be punished, indeed.]
"Nero, you'll be put on probation indefinitely," Nikolai said firmly. "I don't care if your coronation gets delayed– you won't step out of your room until you reflect on yourself."
Melvin gasped softly. "That means Prince Nero will be locked up forever..."
"..."
That was a statement that would have made Neoma laugh out loud while (probably) rolling on the floor.
[Melvin just practically said Nero doesn't know how to admit his mistakes, after all.]
And it was funnier because it was obvious Melvin didn't mean to say it out loud. The poor secretary actually looked so shocked and embarrassed that he could only bow his head in apology.
But aside from Sanford Devon (who had to cover his mouth with his hands) nobody else reacted to Melvin's relatively funny remark.
"Your knights will be put on probation as well, and all their belongings would be inspected," Nikolai declared, making Nero's knights flinch. "Any item we find suspicious would be confiscated."
"Why don't you just ask me to hand over the device to you, Father?"
"Because I know you wouldn't give up on that device, no matter what," Nikolai said sternly. "You're my son, Nero. Unfortunately, you inherited my twisted personality. Hence, I know how you think."
Nero scoffed. "If Neoma committed the same deed, would you punish her the same way you're punishing me, Father?"
"Of course. I don't discriminate between my children."
"But Neoma is your favorite child, Father."
Nikolai knitted his eyebrows. "Why would you say that? You know that I raised you better than Neoma. Moreover, you even enjoy privileges that your twin sister doesn't ever since childhood."
"That's it, Father– you RAISED me as your SUCCESSOR, but you CHERISHED Neoma as your DAUGHTER."
It was definitely not the appropriate time and place to talk about their family affairs.
"Nero, didn't I just say I know how your twisted mind works?" Nikolai asked, clicking his tongue. "You can't avoid punishment by making me feel guilty for the favoritism you baselessly accuse me of."
***
Nero looked shocked at first, then he laughed as if he was amused. "Father, what will I do if my acting doesn't work on you?"
Nikolai just sighed and shook his head, then he raised his hand as a signal to his Paladins. "What are you waiting for? Arrest the Crown Prince and his knights." After giving his order, he looked at Melvin sternly. "Except you, Melvin Lucchesi. You're going to tell me every single thing that occurred here– in complete detail."
Melvin bowed his head. "As you command, Your Majesty."
***
NEOMA wasn't the type to ignore a god's warning.
She was also pretty sure Yule risked his life just to send her a single message– hence, she wouldn't waste it. That was the reason why she secretly headed to the Temple of Alethea with Lewis and Trevor.
High Priestess Alethea, the one who appeared at the recent trial, bowed her head towards Neoma. "Welcome, Princess Neoma."
The High Priestess brought them to a secret prayer room after they arrived.
"It seems like you already know I'm coming, High Priestess Alethea," Neoma said in a serious tone. She wanted to sound friendlier, but the urgency she felt prevented her from doing so. "Then I'm sure you already know why I'm here."
The High Priestess flinched, but she nodded politely before responding. "Princess Neoma, my goddess wishes to inform you that she's too occupied to grant you an audience."
"I'm not asking for an audience," Neoma said because she already knew the Goddess of Truth would be avoiding her. "It's the other way around."
"Princess Neoma, I don't understand what you're saying..."
"Goddess Alethea, I know you can hear me," Neoma said out loud, her voice echoing in the room. "I'm giving you the privilege to talk to me right here, right now. If you waste this precious opportunity, I'm going to come to your house uninvited. How's the air there, by the way? You should savor it while it lasts. I can always take back what I've given you, after all."
Of course, she was just bluffing.
She wasn't sure if she could take back the clean air that she had given. But who knows? She was a genius, so something like that was possible.
Her thoughts were interrupted when High Priestess Alethea suddenly dropped to the floor.
None of them moved to help.
After all, it wasn't needed.
"I don't understand why you're doing this to me, Princess Neoma," Alethea said while standing up. "It wasn't my fault that the other gods found out about your secret. As the Goddess of Truth, I couldn't help but speak the truth. I do remember that you asked me to keep your ability a secret, but I did say I would only keep mum as long as I can."
"Ohh. You can tell Trevor has become my Contractor?"
"I will not make another deal with a human, Princess Neoma."
Yep, this was the Goddess Alethea talking now.
[Good, my threat worked.]
"You don't have to make excuses, Goddess Alethea," Neoma said while waving her hand. "It was my fault for not making a contract when we made a deal."
"Is that why you brought a Contractor this time?"
"Ohh. You can tell Trevor has become my Contractor?"
"I will not make another deal with a human, Princess Neoma."
"Don't worry about it, my goddess, since I'm not a human anyway," Neoma said, then she pointed at her face. "I'm the Visual Goddess."
"..."
Lewis then pointed both of his hands at Neoma in a very respectful manner. "Princess Neoma is the Visual Goddess."
"Right?" Trevor agreed. "The Visual Goddess who's prettier than the Goddess of Beauty~"
[Uhm, let's not pick a fight with that goddess...]
"Goddess Alethea, do you want to be a few years younger?" Neoma said, approaching the goddess in the High Priestess' body. Then she gently held the goddess' chin and raised it to look at her properly. "I can make you a few decades younger, my goddess. That means you'll get back a portion of the power that you lost due to your old age."
"Is something like that possible?"
"You can ask the Queen of the Spirit World for proof," Neoma said, caressing the goddess' face with the back of her hand. "I can also take an Anwir Pill if you want."
[This is how you lie effectively– you must mix some truth in your lies.]
She bluffed earlier about taking back the air that she used to clean the goddess' domain, but now she was telling the truth about her ability to make anyone a few years youngers using her breathing technique.
"Let's say you really have the ability to do that," Goddess Alethea said carefully, then she gulped. "What would you want in return, Princess Neoma?"
"Oh, it's nothing big," Neoma said, smiling sweetly at the goddess. "I just need to borrow your eyes for at least a week, Goddess Alethea."
ALETHEA thought Princess Neoma wouldn't be able to handle her eyes.
Even though the young princess had Lord Yule's blood in her, to "borrow" a goddess' eyes was still too much.
Not even Mona Roseheart could use a god's body part directly.
But Princess Neoma was fine. The young princess' eyes turned red after receiving her eyes. It didn't look strange, though. After all, the de Moonasterios' eyes would turn red when experiencing intense emotions.
[Neoma de Moonasterio, you're indeed a monster.]
"Is this it?" Princess Neoma asked, confused. "I don't feel that much different. You warned me that I might lose my mind or something, but I feel fine, my goddess."
"Is it because you were never sane in the first place?"
Alethea didn't mean to say that out loud, but it was already too late.
The fox frowned at her, while the Contractor laughed.
But Princess Neoma suddenly flinched.
Just like that, the fox and the Contractor immediately flocked to the young princess' side.
"Are you alright, Princess Neoma?"
"What are you seeing, my Moon Princess?"
Ah, right.
Alethea belatedly realized that Princess Neoma was indeed staring at something else that only she could see.
[But Princess Neoma looks terrified for some reason...]
"Goddess Alethea, we need to return to the palace now," Princess Neoma said urgently, cupping Alethea's face between her hands. "So, lemme de-age you quick and easy."
***
"NEOMA, where have you gone to without telling your mother?" Nikolai asked when Neoma returned to the palace. He was about to scold his daughter for making Mona worry, but he froze when he realized Neoma's eyes are strange. "Where did you get those eyes, Neoma?"
***
"Papa Boss, let's talk about that later," Neoma said in a hurry. "I need to find Nero first."
"Your brother is currently locked in his bedroom."
"Locked up?"
"He's on probation, so you can't see him right now."
"That won't do, Papa Boss. I need you to give me permission to see Nero now."
"Tell me what's happening first," Nikolai said in a serious tone. "My decision depends on your answer, Neoma."
"The Darkness we see up there," Neoma said, her red eyes glowing. "It's a trigger."
***
NEOMA expected Nero to be in a bad condition.
But he didn't expect it to be THIS bad. Her twin brother was almost covered in Darkness, and none of them noticed.
[If Lord Yule didn't warn me... and if I didn't borrow Goddess Alethea's eyes...]
Neoma shook her head.
[Let's not think about that.]
"What are you doing here, Neoma?" Nero asked curiously. "I'm on probation. Did you get permission from Father?"
Neoma put her hands on Nero's shoulders, ignoring his question. "Let's get you purified first, Nero."
***
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