"AREN'T you supposed to be on probation?" Neoma asked, confronting Nero. "Why are you here in my room again?"
"I just missed you," Nero said while cutting the steak into bite-sized pieces for her. "Moreover, it's not like I went out of the palace. My room is just next to yours."
Ah, right.
Nero was on probation.
On the other hand, Neoma was grounded.
Hence, to make sure that it would be easier for their knights to keep an eye on the two of them, Papa Boss ordered her to be 'confined' in the room next to her twin brother.
[Gosh, Papa Boss and Mama Boss are treating us like we're some troublemaker kids…]
"Here," Nero said, offering a piece of steak near her mouth. "Open your mouth, Neoma."
"Argh, this is so cringe-y," Neoma said, but she still opened her mouth and ate the piece of steak. "Oh, wow."
The meat was so tender and juicy that it almost melted in her mouth.
"Gosh," she gushed. "Ruto is really a good chef. Imagine having a guy like him cook for you every day. That's the dream, dude. Then imagine having an excellent chef for a husband… wow. I'm smitten."
Nero frowned at what she said. "Just hire that punk to be your personal chef again. Why do you need to marry him just because he's good at cooking?"
Lewis nodded passionately in agreement with Nero.
Neoma rolled her eyes at the two, then she just changed the topic. "So, how is Papa Boss dealing with the damage you caused House Spencer?"
She received a report as to why Nero was on probation.
Her dear twin brother almost killed Marquis Russell Spencer and his army of private knights.
'Almost.'
[According to Sir Melvin, if their group's Healer didn't treat the marquis and the knights right away, everyone would have died that day.]
"I don't regret it," Nero said firmly. "I will not apologize to that pervert."
"Nero, I understand why you wanted to kill that pedophile," she said, sighing. "But don't kill people who have nothing to do with the problem."
"It's a problem that they allowed a pervert who preys on children as the head of their family."
Ah, Nero had a point.
Tsk.
[I hate how smart he could be at times like this.]
"Next time, just take out the trash quietly," Neoma said, shaking her head. "I heard that despite what happened, House Spencer still sent a candidate. As compensation for the damage you caused to their household, the vassal families of House Spencer asked for their candidate to get added to the Selection."
Instead of getting pissed, Nero just smiled as if he was looking forward to it.
"Don't touch any of my marriage candidates," she warned her twin brother. "I'll deal with the Selection on my own."
The brat just shrugged, obviously not listening to her.
"You should listen to your noona or you'll regret it once I die."
It was supposed to be a joke.
A tacky one, yes.
But she was just glad that she could finally joke about it now that her secret was out in the open.
However, Lewis and Nero didn't appreciate her joke.
"Princess Neoma, it wasn't funny so please don't say something like that," Lewis scolded her lightly. "I'd rather hear you call me 'son' again."
She wanted to say that she'd take him up on that offer.
But Nero, who was obviously displeased, suddenly stood up.
"I'm going back to my room, Neoma," Nero said, avoiding her gaze. "Rest well."
[He looks like he's about to cry.]
Neoma sighed, then she nodded. "I will never joke about that again– promise."
***
[AH, the taste of freedom.]
Neoma was finally 'released' after a week of confinement.
[Nero's probation is still on since he keeps on sneaking out of his room to visit me.]
It was good news for her since she didn't want her twin brother meddling with the Selection.
"The three hundred successful candidates would arrive here tomorrow morning."
Neoma's thoughts were interrupted when she heard Hanna explain.
The two of them were currently walking around the courtyard of the People's Palace.
[It's the palace that the Imperial Palace would often for the commoners during festivals.]
But it would be used for the Selection now.
It was the Crown Princess who worked the hardest, along with Melvin and Dahlia, so that the preparations for the Selection proceed smoothly.
Right now, Neoma was walking with Hanna in front of the People's Palace.
The vast courtyard was empty at the moment, but there was already the palace staff who were busy setting up tents for their guests.
"Will the guests be staying in the People's Palace?"
Hanna nodded. "The People's Palace is the smallest palace that we have, but it can still accommodate up to five hundred people. However, not all candidates would be given the guest room. We already informed them that everyone would be using the staff room."
After all, the People's Palace had more staff rooms than guest rooms for royals and nobles.
"Of course, the staff rooms were prepared in a way that would still make them feel they're staying in a luxurious hotel room," Hanna continued with her explanation. "There are royals, nobles, and commoners among the three hundred candidates, and we informed them that they will all be treated equally. Hence, their servants aren't allowed to accompany them. We have already warned the candidates that anyone who complains about the arrangement would be kicked out of the Selection immediately."
Neoma chuckled since Hanna was still as consistent as ever. "Since this Selection is only for show, I'll try to cut down the number of candidates to at least half as much as I could. I feel bad for you and the other staff who have been working hard these past few days."
"Don't worry about it, Neoma," the Crown Princess assured her with a smile. "We want to make this Selection as believable as possible, so we shouldn't spare our resources into making this Selection as grand as possible."
That was exactly why her heart felt heavy.
[This was a huge waste of money.]
But, come to think of it, it was better to waste money this way than waste it on a war.
[Yeah, at least the citizens are safe.]
"Neoma, don't overwork yourself, okay?"
Aww, that was touching.
"Hanna."
"Hmm?"
"You were avoiding me before, weren't you?"
Hanna smiled and avoided her gaze. "I was just thinking about what you said before you almost gouged your eyes out."
["Why did you do that, Hanna?"]
That was what Neoma asked Hanna after she remembered that Hanna sacrificed her life to stop her Lunacy in the first timeline.
If Hanna avoided her because of that, then it could only mean one thing.
"You understood what I mean by that right away," Neoma said, smiling sadly. "Does it mean you already know how you died in the first timeline?"
"Lord Rubin told me the technique that I used as the Shadow Pillar, and how it took my life away."
[Damn that pretty boy…]
"Neoma, don't worry," Hanna assured her, holding her hand tightly. "I won't die that way. We've already changed my fate once– I'm sure we could do it again. I'm sorry for avoiding it when I shouldn't have. I just didn't want to see you blame yourself for something that you shouldn't feel guilty about."
Once again, she was touched.
People like Hanna were really good for Neoma's mental health.
"Thank you for saying that, Hanna," Neoma said, smiling while squeezing Hanna's hand. "You're right– we won't let history repeat itself."
***
THREE HUNDRED handsome young men from all over the world.
Neoma's beautiful and sparkling ash-gray eyes were having a feast as she stood on the palace's balcony.
The red curtains blocking the balcony were still drawn.
But she could see just fine, even after returning Goddess Alethea's eyes, because of her amazing eyesight as a de Moonasterio.
[All these children want to marry me, huh?]
She heard from Melvin that over a thousand men had applied for the Selection, but the Crown Prince's secretary only chose the strongest and the most unique individuals that also had an attractive face.
Of course, that would definitely make her appear shallow.
She didn't care, though.
[The Selection isn't meant to look for my husband anyway.]
"Neoma, control your expressions and maintain your dignity as the Imperial Princess," Papa Boss scolded her lightly. "Why are you fawning over those lacking young men anyway?"
'Lacking young men.'
Trust Papa Boss to ruin the moment if it had something to do with her love life.
[Gosh, is this the same man who wants me dead when I was a baby?]
"Ignore your father, baby. He just can't believe that his little princess is now looking for a spouse," Mama Boss said. Obviously, her mother didn't mean that since her mother knew the real reason behind the Selection. "Neoma, you're extra beautiful today. I can already hear the hearts of those young men getting broken."
Pfft.
Trust Mama Boss to always lift her up.
But it wasn't like her mother was lying.
Neoma, in her red and gold off-shoulder dress, looked really worth launching a thousand ships just to see her beauty.
Heh.
[Just call me 'Neoma of Moonasterion.']
"Thank you, Mama Boss," Neoma said, hugging her mother. "Thank you for the genes."
***
AFTER PAPA Boss gave his quick yet thorough opening speech as the emperor, it was finally Neoma's turn to greet the candidates.
[Lezzgo.]
Aww, she loved the feeling of being admired while all those young men from all over the world looked up at her with sparkling eyes.
Of course, she knew that not everyone had pure intentions.
But business was business, so she was fine with it.
"Gentlemen, shall we begin?" Neoma asked with a smile after her short speech. "For the First Round of the Selection, how about…" She paused, acting demure. Then she smiled 'shyly' and pointed a finger at the sky. "How about each one of you draw me a picture of the sky like how you see it at this very moment?"
***
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