[A few nights ago...]
"YOU found a way to fight the Goddess of Misfortune?" Nero asked Neoma. "How?"
"Because I'm a genius."
He rolled his eyes at his twin sister's cheeky answer.
Neoma, on the other hand, just silently put grapes in her mouth while sprawled on the sofa in her pink 'pajamas.'
[So unbecoming of the empire's sole Imperial Princess.]
Nero was already used to Neoma's antics, so he just kept his mouth shut and drank his wine while waiting for his twin sister to speak.
And she did a little later.
"Nero, you're the boy who has everything."
"That, I am."
"You're so freaking annoying."
"Well, you're the one who gave me that ridiculous name."
Neoma, who hated being wrong, frowned. Then she got up, sat straight, crossed her arms and legs, and looked at Nero with glowing red eyes.
His twin sister wasn't mad, but she still looked intimidating.
Moreover...
[Why is she sizing me up again?]
"It's a fact that I am more of a de Moonasterio than a Roseheart since my Moonglow is stronger than my Roseheart Blood."
Nero nodded in agreement. "And I am more of a Roseheart than a de Moonasterio. Apparently, I'm special since I'm a male Roseheart."
"Uh-huh."
"So, what about it?"
"I guess you inherited Mama Boss' natural power as a Roseheart. You're good at Summoning, aren't you?"
"I'm good at everything I do."
"Do you want to die?"
Nero laughed at Neoma's outburst. "You really have a nasty temper, my precious twin sister."
"I'm being serious here."
"And that's why it's more fun to tease you."
"Nero Roseheart de Moonasterio."
"Fine," Nero said, smiling. He briefly raised his hands in surrender before Neoma slit his throat. "What do you want me to summon?"
Neoma wouldn't bring up their abilities to summon Spirits or whatever it was that could be summoned for nothing.
Hence, he ended up with that conclusion.
"It's not that I don't trust you, but I haven't seen you practicing your Summoning skills," Neoma said skeptically. "Do you even know how to Summon Spirits?"
"Sure," Nero said bluntly. "I didn't waste my childhood in the Spirit World sleeping, Neoma. William and even Queen Tara were there, and they helped me hone my talent as Mona Roseheart's son."
"Really? But I never saw you practice those skills before."
"I don't need to practice the things I've already mastered. And, no, my skills won't get rusty. As I said earlier, I'm good at everything I do— whether it's for the first time or not."
"Damn you."
Pfft.
It was really funny to see Neoma fuming.
"I am THE Mona Roseheart's only son— and I can summon whoever I want."
After declaring those arrogant words, the magic circle suddenly lit up— golden lights 'exploding' like fine dust, covering Nero from head to toe.
[What is this...?]
"Who dares to awaken me from my slumber?"
Oh.
Nero, for the first time in a long while, actually felt a chill down his spine.
Even so, he still felt proud of himself.
[See, Neoma? I did it. This proves I'm older than you.]
***
"CALYPSO," Neoma said, raising her hand. "Come here."
And, just like a boomerang, the Holy Sword returned to her hand as if it was thrown back to her by an invisible hand.
Heh.
[It reminds me of Thor's— no, I can't say the name.]
"Now, it's time for judgment," Neoma said, and then she looked down at Calyx de Luca and smirked. "Come here, crow bastard."
Calyx looked at her coldly. "You're Princess Neoma, aren't you?"
Ah, the crow bastard grew a brain during the time she hadn't seen him, huh?
Neoma raised an eyebrow at Calyx. "What about it?"
Calyx smirked— he was angry, but he was obviously holding back since his plan with Helstor had already gone south. "Did Nero run away? What a coward."
"You can shit talk my twin brother, and you can't do that in front of me. Did you forget that I'm better than you at verbal assault?"
"Ahem."
It was Manu.
"Your Imperial Majesty, I don't think it's something that you should be saying," Manu said awkwardly. It was his way to subtly remind Neoma that she shouldn't be speaking vulgar words while in Nero's body. "Please calm down."
[Ah, gotcha.]
Neoma was about to assure Manu that she would act accordingly, but it happened.
In just the blink of an eye, an ominous presence appeared behind her.
[Dammit!]
Neoma turned around— just in time to block Helstor's attack.
She used her hand— covered by her barrier called 'Coat— to grab the black, ancient dagger that Helstor tried to use to stab her from behind. The black smoke covering the dagger was a mix of dead Mana and some substance that she couldn't pinpoint yet.
But she could tell that she shouldn't touch it with her bare hands.
[This bastard finally showed up, huh?]
This time, Hesltor was in his old form— the disgusting one.
Neoma made a gagging sound. "I'm sorry— my stomach gets upset when I look at ugly, vile things."
Helstor sneered at her. "As expected— it's you, Princess Neoma."
"Not for long, though~"
[It's switch time!]
***
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