Royal Secret: I'm A Princess!

Thanks to that, she felt refreshed and didn't throw a tantrum that busy morning.

Her day started with Stephanie and the other maids (because she was yet to choose her own ladies-in-waiting) giving her a long and very thorough bath.

Then they spent hours choosing the right clothes for her.

In the end, Neoma chose to wear trousers so that Nero would be able to move easily after their switch later.

"Will this be alright, Your Imperial Highness?" Stephanie, the head maid of her palace and her nanny since she was a toddler, asked worriedly. "I know Your Imperial Highness will still look good in a knight's uniform, but it's a shame that people won't see how beautiful Your Imperial Highness looks in a dress…"

And then her nanny glanced at the dresses she tried on with sad eyes.

[She really wants me to wear a dress.]

However, she wouldn't be in her own body later so it would just be a waste.

"It's alright, Stephanie," Neoma said, consoling her nanny. "I'll wear a really fancy and glamorous pink dress on my own coronation day."

It was a dangerous statement because people might misunderstand and think that she was out to steal the throne from her twin brother.

[But I said what I said.]

***

PFFT.

Neoma couldn't help but laugh when she saw Nero in his fit when she dropped by his room.

She couldn't really see the clothes he was already wearing the Imperial Mantle that looked pretty big on him. But he could see his Coronation Sword Belt and Coronation Gloves.

"Don't laugh," Nero warned Neoma. "You'll be in my place later."

"It's not that I find you funny," Neoma said while shaking her head. "I just thought you were really Papa Boss' carbon copy. For a moment, I thought Papa Boss was back."

Nero even had half of his hair slicked back, just like Papa Boss' signature hairstyle.

"My baby brother is all grown up now," Neoma said, cupping Nero's face between her hands. "I'm sure Mama Boss and Papa Boss are proud of you. But I have to say that I'm the proudest of all. I practically raised an emperor."

Of course, the reason she was able to say that to the emperor while squishing his cheeks was because only the two of them were in the room at the moment.

Nero rolled his eyes at what Neoma said, but he didn't deny it. "I told our guests to dress down. But that doesn't include you, Neoma. Why are you wearing a knight's uniform?"

"It's the fancy version," Neoma insisted. "Can't you see I'm wearing a formal gold cape?"

"I hope you didn't dress down in consideration of me."

"…"

"Neoma, I can move freely even if you wear a dress," her twin brother said, sighing. "I know how much you love dressing up. Go and change."

"Nah, we'll be late if I change my fit since I'll be changing everything from my hairstyle to my jewelry," Neoma said while shaking her head. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep."

"Alright. Then let's talk for a moment."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I'm setting some ground rules," Nero said firmly, giving Neoma a firm look. "Once we swap later, don't smile too much."

"Why?" Neoma complained lightly. "You're good at making business smiles anyway. A good politician is an excellent actor, after all~"

"I can imitate your annoying grin and the sneer you give people you hate, but I can never imitate the soft and warm smile you give to people you're fond of," her twin brother said. "So, don't smile too much."

She just rolled her eyes, not making a commitment.

"Second, don't use foreign words. It's fine if you don't use overly formal words since most of our citizens don't speak that way anymore, but refrain from using… uh, what do you call it? Korean? English? Memes?"

Right.

Neoma and Trevor would often speak 'memes' to each other.

"Just don't use slang that people from this world won't understand anyway."

"Okay, that sounds reasonable," Neoma said, nodding. "Anything else?"

"If it gets too dangerous, you may abandon my body and switch with me right away."

That wasn't something Neoma would do.

[I won't abandon my baby brother.]

"I'll be fine," Neoma said vaguely, and then she changed the topic. "I have one ground rule for you, too."

"What is it?"

"Don't even think about kissing my Ruto, okay?"

Of course, that was just a joke.

And, as expected, her twin brother overreacted.

"Why would I kiss Commander Ruto?" Nero complained, obviously aghast. And then it was his turn to cup Neoma's face between his hands. "I don't even want to imagine you kissing that commander, but you put that idea in my head. And I hate it!"

Gosh.

Neoma rolled her eyes at Nero again. "Your Imperial Majesty, it's time to let me go~"

***

NIKOLAI got the message, but he was still surprised to see Trevor Kesser, Lewis Crevan, and the rest of Neoma's Order of Knights in the Spirit World.

Even Mona looked startled when the children appeared in front of the villa.

"Children, is it really wise to go on an away mission when it's Nero's coronation day?" Mona asked worriedly. "The crows will definitely attack the Imperial Palace."

"His Imperial Majesty Emperor Nero tried to stop Princess Neoma, but Princess Neoma didn't budge, my lady," Trevor said, sighing while shaking his head. "Hence, we have no choice but to follow the Imperial Princess' command~"

Nikolai glanced at Lewis and the other kids.

[They look gloomy. I bet they didn't want to leave Neoma's side during such an important event where the enemies are sure to attack.]

The kids' loyalty was indeed commendable.

"What are you all doing there?"

It was Tara, the Queen of the Spirit World.

[Of course, she'd know right away when there are intruders.]

"I did not give you permission to enter the Spirit World," Tara said, frowning while glaring at Trevor Kesser. "It must be you, Sorcerer. How dare you open an illegal portal–"

"We're here to take over the Abyss~" Trevor said, rudely cutting off Tara's words in a playful manner. "Whatever my Moon Princess wants, my Moon Princess gets, so…" He grinned at the obviously shocked Queen. "FYI, Princess Neoma gave us permission to go wild here~"

Nikolai was flabbergasted.

[Neoma wants the Spirit World's Abyss?!]

It was a filthy, corrupted land that not even Mona could even dream of purifying.

[So why?]

***

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