"YOU'RE still in bed, you weakling?" Neoma teased Nero, who was still bedridden after getting his divine power sucked out of his body, while laughing at his face. "This is my I'm the noona and you're the dongsaeng."
She was just laughing to hide her worry.
But deep inside, she was seething.
Nero may be a violent psychopath with a small heart who could only love his family and two other ladies (*cough*Hanna*cough*Dahlia*cough), but he was still her baby brother.
[Nobody touches my baby brother and gets away with it alive.]
"What does our birth order have to do with this?" Nero complained, frowning. "And for the nth time, being born a few minutes earlier than me doesn't make you my big sister. Moreover, do you know that in some other cultures, they actually consider the second twin to be older? They believe that the older one is deeper in the womb and, therefore, has been there longer. Hence, I could be the older one between us, Neoma."
"Unfortunately for you, in OUR culture, the firstborn is the older one," Neoma said, smirking. "Plus, the stronger one should be the older. After all, one of my favorite anime dudes once said that older siblings are born first to protect their younger siblings."
"Are you picking a fight with me, Neoma?" Nero asked, growling lowly as if he was offended. "When did you become stronger than I am?"
Pfft.
It was really fun to tease Nero.
If she was the same Neoma as before, she wouldn't even dare to joke about things like this. After all, she used to feel inferior towards Nero.
"My youngest made a potion that helps replenish our Mana and divine power," Neoma said while handing the vial of Mana potion that Greko made for her. "Here. Take it. We'll be fighting on the front line soon, so you need to be on your best condition."
Nero hesitated at first, then he thanked her as he took the vial.
Then he drank it without even checking if it was really safe to consume or not.
She was touched.
[Nero trusts me with his life. It's a far cry from our horrible relationship in the first timeline.]
Which reminded her…
"Nero, I used to think you were a boy who was born with everything," Neoma said in a serious voice. "I used to envy you because you didn't have to put your life at risk to get the same things that I almost died for. Plus, Papa Boss treated you better when we were babies just because of the thing between your legs. I'm not saying you didn't work hard enough to be where you are today. But you have to admit that your male privilege gave you an advantage."
"I won't deny it, but why are you suddenly bringing that up?" Nero asked, confused, after drinking up all the Mana potion. "Are you really picking a fight with me?"
She laughed at Nero's temper.
[Gosh, we really are Papa Boss' children.]
"I know, right? I also wonder why I suddenly opened my Pandora's box."
"Pandora's box?"
"There's a whole mythology behind that, but in modern languages, it just means a source of endless complications or troubles."
"So, you're really picking a fight with me?"
Neoma laughed again. "Maybe it's because I just realized that I no longer feel inferior towards you, Nero."
"Huh?" Nero seemed surprised, and he even raised an eyebrow at her. "You? Feeling inferior towards me? Really?"
"Gosh, I may be the Visual Goddess, but I'm still human, Nero," she said, laughing. "I may never feel ugly, but I feel inferior and weak sometimes. But I finally got over my inferiority complex."
Her twin brother scoffed. "Because you believe you're stronger than me now?"
"Because I realized I love you even though you're a little psycho."
Nero blushed, then he avoided her gaze. "Why are you suddenly acting sentimental?"
[I know, right? I'm practically raising my own death flag. Well, since I know I'm dying soon, might as well go all out so I could die without regrets.]
"Nero."
"What?"
"Can you call me 'noona?' Once will be enough. That's the only wish I want to ask from you."
"I don't want to," Nero said, then he faced her again with a playful smile on his face. "But I can tell you I love you no matter how many times you want me to say it, Neoma. I love you to death, my precious twin sister."
"Eww. Stop being gross, Nero," Neoma joked, laughing. Then she stopped when she felt a familiar feeling. "Oh, Ruto trespassed on Papa Boss' palace again."
***
"I CAN'T say for sure, Your Majesty."
Nikolai let out the breath he didn't know he was holding after hearing Ruto's response. "I see."
He was disappointed, but he couldn't blame Ruto.
[It's not easy to judge another person's feelings, after all.]
"I don't know if it was love, but before the emperor of the first timeline willingly gave up his life, he recognized the fact that it was his fault Neoma died alone and lonely," Ruto continued. "He said he'd take responsibility by giving Neoma another chance at life. Moreover, if I remember correctly, the emperor of the first timeline also gave half of his wealth and properties to Neoma as her inheritance. Most of all, he also named her the Imperial Princess before his death."
Nikolai smiled bitterly after hearing that.
Since he knew himself well, he could tell that the him in the other timeline only did that to make himself feel better before his death.
He gave "nice" things to Neoma not out of love, but out of obligation.
[I don't think it was enough to make the Neoma of the other timeline loved. The me of the other timeline was really a useless father until the end.]
He was angry at himself.
After all, if Neoma of this timeline didn't change, then he wouldn't learn how to become a decent father.
[It was Neoma who worked hard the most to fix our family.]
Nikolai suddenly missed his precious daughter.
"Love?" Mona called him worriedly, then she placed a hand on top of his. "Don't be too hard on yourself. You've already changed your relationship with Neoma in this timeline. I'm sure Neoma doesn't hate you anymore."
Ah, as expected of his wife.
Even so…
[I still need to see my little rogue.]
"Thank you, love," Nikolai said, squeezing his wife's hand. "I'm sure Ruto didn't come here just to talk about the past. Can I leave it to you? I just suddenly feel the urge to see Neoma right now."
Mona smiled and nodded. "Go, love. Hug Neoma for me, too."
***
NEOMA wasn't headed to her Papa Boss' palace just to see Ruto, okay?
[I'm sure Ruto is here to help us overcome the Calamities. So, I need to hear his plan as well. I'm not just here to see his face– definitely not.]
"Neoma, you're here?"
Oh?
Neoma was surprised when she bumped into Papa Boss in the hallway.
Her father was alone, but she couldn't say anything about it since she was also alone.
She sent Lewis to Hanna because Hanna needed Lewis' help, while her other "children" were all busy with their respective tasks.
[The palace is relatively safe, so my "children" allow me to be alone from time to time.]
After all, her "children" knew that the more she felt stuffy, the more she tended to sneak out of their sight. So they just let her have some alone time as long as it was within the palace.
"Is Ruto here, Papa Boss?" Neoma asked a little too excitedly. "I felt his presence–"
Hmm?
She was forced to stop talking when Papa Boss suddenly hugged her.
[Gosh, why am I being showered with love today?]
First, she almost died of cringe when Nero said he loved her to death.
[Well, I started it so I can't really complain.]
Anyway, Papa Boss wasn't showy with his feelings.
Hence, it was a surprise when her father suddenly hugged her.
It could only mean one thing.
[Yep, you're looking at my death flag right there.]
"Papa Boss, what's wrong?" Neoma asked, patting her father's back gently. "You're scaring me."
"I just missed you, is all," Papa Boss said softly. "And your mother told me to hug you for her."
[???]
"I didn't go anywhere far, though? Why would you and Mama Boss act like I've just returned from a long vacation, Papa Boss?" she asked, confused. "And we had a meeting before I went live?"
"We've been talking about nothing but business recently."
[???]
"Isn't it natural to talk about business when there's a war coming, Papa Boss?"
"I don't care," Papa Boss said, hugging her tighter. "How are you these days, Neoma? Are you tired? Do you want to take a break? I heard you were in Nero's room earlier. Tell me if that brat is bothering you. I'll scold him."
[Yeah, I'm definitely dying soon.]
But it didn't feel bad, to be honest.
Since they had been so busy lately, she barely spent quality time with her family since all they talked about recently was things related to war.
[Let's act spoiled for once.]
"Nero refused to call me 'noona,' Papa Boss," Neoma tattled on Nero, hugging her Papa Boss tight. "Please scold him for me."
Papa Boss laughed softly. "Alright. I'll definitely scold your brother for you. Anything else?"
"Please raise my palace' budget. I want to build a swimming pool in my front yard for the summer next year."
"Alright. What else?"
"Don't be mad when I wear clothes that show skin. I spent a lot of money to have flawless skin, Papa Boss. The world has to see it so that my hard work pays off."
"Fine," her father said begrudgingly. "What else, Baby Muffin?"
'Baby Muffin.'
That shit was so cringe no matter how many times she heard it.
She was pretty sure her Papa Boss was also dying from cringe, but he seemed to be adamant about spoiling her today."
"I want to see Ruto for research purposes, Papa Boss. Definitely NOT for a personal reason."
"…"
"Pretty please, Papa Boss?" Neoma said, acting and talking cutely. Perhaps she would die from cringe first before the crows got a hold of her? Well, whatever. "Ruto's face has the power to soothe me, Papa Boss. I'll just take a peek, promise!"
Papa Boss let out a frustrated sigh, but his voice sounded defeated when he spoke. "Alright. I'll allow you to have a private moment with that punk."
Wow.
Papa Boss really allowed her to have a "date" with Ruto?
That put the final nail in the coffin.
[My death flag is strong in this one.]
"Thank you, Papa Boss," Neoma said, resigning herself to her doomed fate. "I love you."
"…"
"Are you shy, Papa Boss?"
"…"
"Gosh, don't make me wait too long for your response, Papa Boss."
"I love you, too, Neoma," Papa Boss whispered softly. "You, Mona, and Nero."
Neoma smiled and hugged her father tightly.
[Okay, I can die in peace now.]
***
REGINA rolled her eyes when she heard the loud and agonizing scream of Marquis Russell Spencer.
They were currently at the estate of the marquis who was currently under house arrest.
There were royal knights all over the estate, but they already took them down.
"I knew it was a good idea to raid Marquis Spencer's armory," Regina said, smirking while looking at the precious items in front of her. "That bastard has all the kinds of devices to control and make other races submit to him."
"Marquis Spencer's household used to be the top slave traders in the empire before Emperor Nikolai made it illegal to own slaves– humans or non-humans," Dilan Crowell, who was standing beside her, said. "It isn't surprising that the marquis owns devices that could subdue control other races. That was how they caught and made slaves out of their victims." He pointed at the devices in front of them. "Should we take them all?"
"Of course," she said. "But I need you to find me the device for subduing fairies first."
"Alright. That's easy," he said, then he turned to her with a curious look on his face. "But why do you need that? I thought we wouldn't pick up a fight with the fairies yet."
"I just need one fairy," she said, smirking. "A half human-half fairy, to be precise."
Dilan paused for a minute, then he tilted his head to one side. "Princess Neoma's youngest "child" is a half human-half fairy kid. Why are you targeting the poor child when he's not relevant to the First Calamity?"
Haaah.
How did a person this dumb beat her in the ranks?
[Do I really have to spoon-feed these morons?]
She had no choice since she was in charge of the First Calamity.
"Princess Neoma has a weak spot for children," Regina said, smiling as the picture in her mind became clearer. "We'll use Greko to bring Princess Neoma down."
***
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