RUTO recognized the look that Emperor Nikolai gave him.
[Translation: If you could do something like that, why didn't you do it earlier? This is a race against time, you know?]
"Ah. Let me explain properly first, Your Imperial Majesty," Ruto said politely, trying not to get on the emperor's bad side again. "I'm not saying that I can open a portal out of nowhere. I'm not an omnipotent god."
[Not anymore, at least.]
Ruto then turned to Gin who looked like he was about to pass out at any given moment. "Gin, tell me once you find a door. It doesn't matter if it's blocked from the outside. I can destroy it from here."
"Alright," Gin said, and it was clear that it was difficult for him to talk. Still, he explained the situation properly. "It seems like the Ancient Devil knew that we would try to rescue the Crown Princess from the outside. Hence, he did the doors with his Darkness. But please trust me. I'll find a door no matter what. I just need a little more time…"
They were pressed for time, but there was no need to remind the poor guy who was already doing his best to help.
[Gin can do it since he was trained by the Ancient Devil before.]
"Ah, so that's what you meant," Emperor Nikolai said. "You cannot forcefully open a portal unless the cat finds a proper door first."
Ruto nodded politely. "That's correct, Your Imperial Majesty."
The emperor fell silent for a moment before he opened his mouth. "I hate to ask, but where do you think I'm more needed, Commander Ruto? If I could be at three different places at the same time, then I would be with Mona, Neoma, and Nero. However, I only have one body. Hence, I want to hear your opinion. I want to know where I would be most useful."
Hmm.
He observed the emperor at the moment.
[It looks like His Imperial Majesty already knows where he needs to be, but he probably wanted to hear that he made the right decision.]
"I believe the best choice would be to have Your Imperial Majesty stay in the Imperial Palace," Ruto said firmly. "Duke Quinzel and Gin are enough as reinforcements to help the King of Hell fight the Ancient Devil. The Ancient Devil's goal is only to delay Princess Hanna's return to the palace as much as he can. He won't risk his life for that."
Because the Ancient Devil would want to be in his best condition once Neoma woke up.
He didn't say that because he didn't want the emperor to get distracted.
"And, to be honest, Your Imperial Majesty won't be able to help Prince Nero and Dahlia fight the Third Calamity. Hence, I don't recommend going to the throne room with us."
Emperor Nikolai, who was clearly offended, raised an eyebrow at him. "You sound like you know what the Third Calamity is."
"Neoma and I fought the Third Calamity in the first timeline," he said bluntly. "Only people with Roseheart Blood have the chance to defeat it."
By then, it was obvious that the emperor had already conceded.
Still, His Imperial Majesty glared at Ruto as if the emperor was calling him a "know-it-all" with his sharp gaze.
[But His Imperial Majesty was the one who asked for my opinion…]
Ruto felt wronged.
Emperor Nikolai scoffed. "Fine. I'll stay in the palace. But make sure to bring my son back safe and sound."
Ruto nodded politely. "I'll do my best, Your Imperial Majesty."
"Commander Ruto, I found one!" Gin, who was at the other end of the emperor's office, yelled. "But as expected, it's locked from the inside!"
"It's alright," Ruto said, raising his fist covered with literal sparks while walking towards Gin. "All you have to do is punch a hole in it."
Gin laughed nervously. "My lord, you're probably the only person beside Princess Neoma who can do something like that…"
That was pretty accurate.
"Move and make a barrier," Ruto said in a hurry, causing Gin to immediately stand up and make way for him. "And Your Imperial Majesty, I apologize in advance for what will happen to your office. I'll pay for the renovation."
***
[TSK.]
Nikolai clicked his tongue after Commander Ruto destroyed his office with just a single punch.
If Gin hadn't made a barrier, they would have been hurt by the flying sparks that exploded in the office when the young commander's fist hit the door. That was how huge the impact was. And it probably had the same effect on the other side.
[He's not the divine son of Levi for no reason, huh?]
"It's open," Ruto said, retrieving his hand that passed through the black hole on the floor. "Please hurry. The door won't be open for too long since the Ancient Devil would close it as soon as he realized that it was open."
"Oh, I got this!" Gin said, his hands pressed against the floor once again. "I'll keep the open door hidden so that the Ancient Devil won't notice it for now. But please hurry. I can't deceive the Ancient Devil's eyes for so long."
Nikolai nodded, then he turned to Rufus who had been patiently waiting behind him. "Rufus, are you sure you'll be okay? Gin will be with you, but I don't think we can send more reinforcements easily."
"I'll be fine, Your Imperial Majesty," Rufus said determinedly. "I swear on my life that I'll protect Hanna and Princess Neoma."
"I know you would, and I never doubted you. I'm just worried that you'll sacrifice yourself for the children," he said, frowning. "Don't do that. If it gets too dangerous, use the King of Hell as a shield."
His cousin laughed, probably thinking that he was just kidding.
[I'm serious, though.]
"Thank you for worrying about me, Your Imperial Majesty," Rufus said, smiling at Nikolai. "But don't worry. I have no intention of dying."
Hmm.
[I can't see the crybaby in Rufus right now.]
That was a relief.
"Alright," Nikolai said, patting Rufus' shoulder. "You and the children must return alive– and that's an order, Duke Rufus Quinzel."
Rufus smiled, then he put a hand over his chest while bowing towards him. "As you command, Your Imperial Majesty."
***
THE THIRTEEN Madmen.
That was what Primo liked calling the horrible emperors who ruined the de Moonasterios throughout the history.
As the first emperor, didn't get to rest in the Afterlife after he died.
After all, he wasn't human.
He was the only son of the Moon God and the Goddess of Light.
Yes, he was conceived while Yule and Roxana were in their human forms. But that didn't mean the two major gods gave birth to a human.
Primo was a full-fledged god with a shackle called a 'human body.'
But when he died, his soul was sealed inside the throne in order to guide the future emperors.
However, his influence had gotten weak because of Callisto de Luca's influence.
Hence, he was forced to watch his descendants deteriorate as time passed by.
Of course, there were exceptional emperors who had the same vision as Primo. But the crows, who wanted to control the de Moonasterios, killed all the good men in history. Yes, including the poor Imperial Princesses.
The good emperors were forgotten in history.
But the Thirteen Madmen gave the de Moonasterios a bad name.
And, at that very moment, Neoma Roseheart de Moonasterio was forced to see the crimes and the sins that her ancestors had accumulated all this time.
[My poor granddaughter…]
"Are you worried about Nene, son?"
"Of course, Father," Primo answered Yule politely. But he couldn't help that his voice sounded like he was whining. After all, no matter how many centuries had passed already, he still felt like a child next to his father. "Neoma is my precious descendant. She's the only one who can fulfill the vision that I see."
Yule laughed at what he said. "Your vision of ending the de Moonasterion bloodline?"
"Our bloodline has already been tainted by Callisto de Luca for a long time, Father," he said. This time, his voice sounded bitter. "They raised all the emperors born after my son's reign. It's better to end our bloodline before we become the next villains in human history. Does it make you sad to hear that I want to end our bloodline when you and Mother sacrificed your lives just to have me?"
"Of course not," Yule said while shaking his head. "I understand why you want to end our bloodline, son. However, now that Nene is here to change the world, I don't think it will be necessary to end our bloodline."
"I don't know about that, Father."
"You think Nene would still let go of her name as a de Moonasterio?"
"Neoma never liked that name in the first place," Primo said, laughing softly. "I think she's more attached to the 'Ramsay' last name that she invented when she was young. But don't get me wrong, Father. Neoma may hate her last name. That doesn't mean she hates us, though. Her hatred only extends to the bad people in the family."
Yule, his father, smiled bitterly. "It looks like I just got on Nene's bad side, son."
***
[ARE THEY fucking crazy?]
Neoma realized that the sins of her ancestors were too much for her poor shoulders to carry.
In the first place, her ancestors' sins had nothing to do with her.
[I'm Neoma– I'm innocent.]
But that didn't mean she wouldn't take responsibility.
"I know they're already dead, but I can kill them again," Neoma said, her red eyes glowing dangerously. "Pinkie, come out."
'Pinkie' would be her Pink Hellgate, of course.
***
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