性瘾者

"IT'S TIME to wake up from this nightmare now, my precious star."

'Nightmare?'

Ah!

Neoma blinked several times and when her mommy didn't disappear, she finally convinced herself that she wasn't hallucination. Most of all, whether she was her mommy (Areum Kim from her second life) or her Mama (Lady Mona Roseheart from her first life), it didn't matter anymore.

It wouldn't change the fact that this woman was her mother.

"Mama," Neoma said, switching from 'mommy' to 'mama' because she had a feeling that in this world, Areum Kim was Lady Mona Roseheart. After calling her mother, she got up and hugged her tight. She noticed that they were in a white, empty room but she ignored it for now. She'd think about that later. "Mama, why?" she asked in a cracked voice, then she looked up her mother's beautiful face. "What did you like about my Papa? He's a scumbag."

"I like Nikolai's face and body," her mother said bluntly. It didn't even take her a minute to think about her answer! "I'm a sucker for beautiful people, Neoma."

She let out a soft gasp.

That vanity… shallowness… and obsession with beauty…

"I really am your daughter, Mama."

"Of course, you are, Neoma," she said with a soft laugh. "You were born that pretty because I was the one who gave birth to you."

She giggled because she could tell that her mother was only joking.

Well, maybe.

"Have you calmed down?" her mother asked, then she cupped her small face between her hands. "Are you feeling better now, sweetheart?"

She paused, then she nodded. "I'm Neoma, I'm okay."

"I'm glad to hear that," her Mama said, relieved. "I hate to say this but I don't have much time left. I left a piece of my soul to Gale, and I was able to successfully meet you like this because of the fox boy's Marble."

Lewis's Marble? And who's Gale?

She didn't voice out her questions because she didn't want to interrupt her mother. It looked like that she was really in a hurry now.

"A Silver Fox's Marble can bring anyone or anything back to life," her mother explained. "Gale put the piece of my soul inside the Marble, then she sent it to where your consciousness is. Because of that, I was able to reach you. But the Marble is rejecting my soul. It's only a matter of time before it kicks me out."

"The Marble is rejecting your soul?" she asked. This time, she could no longer hold back her curiosity. "Why is the Marble rejecting your soul, Mama? Is it because it cannot revive a soul without a physical body?" She paused, then she gasped when she realized the other reason that she came up with. "Or the Marble doesn't accept your soul because you're still alive?"

Her mother looked shocked by her deduction. Then, much to her shock, she gently pinched her cheeks. "Neoma, you're too smart for your own good. I know that you inherited your brain from me but your mind is still scaring me."

"Then, it's true?" she asked in a cracked voice. "You're still alive, Mama?"

"I'm in a state where I'm neither alive nor dead," her mother answered seriously. "But that's not important right now."

"How is it not important, Mama?"

"Because if you know where I am, you'll come and find me," she said firmly. "It's dangerous if you look for me now."

"But why?"

"Because your still weak," her mother said bluntly. "You'll die if you look for me."

"I'm not that weak, Mama."

"You're my daughter and I love you but you're really weak," her Mama said while shaking her head. "Your Roseheart blood already awakened but you still can't see spirits, can you?"

"I have Tteokbokki though," she said instead because she couldn't refute the fact that she couldn't see spirits yet. She also wanted to brag about Skewer but she lost it when her aunt, Princess Nichole, appeared a while ago. "My Soul Beast is a Red Dragon and our souls resonate with each other very well."

"Where's your Soul Beast now?"

"Good questions, Mama," she said. "I sent Tteokbokki on a mission. I'm just waiting for him to find me."

Tteokbokki was inside her body a while ago. She even asked him to burn Gin, the stupid black cat. But after that, right before she was abducted, her Soul Beast narrowly escaped just like what he ordered her to do.

My plan is fool-proof, you know?

Well, almost.

"Neoma, you'll still die if you find me even if you have your Soul Beast," her mother said. "I will only acknowledge that you're strong once you successfully summoned William– my most powerful Spirit Guardian. If you manage to tame him, he might help you find me."

"Is it hard to summon him, Mama?"

"I've known him since I was born," her mother explained. "But I only managed to tame him after my coming of age. If you think your father is a scumbag, then you clearly haven't met William yet."

She gulped at that. "Mama, are you a magnet of scumbags or what?"

"That seems to be case," her mother said with a laugh.

She said the "scumbag" twice but she noticed that her mother didn't react both times. "Mama, aren't you going to scold me for using foul language?"

Her Mama laughed softly, then she playfully poked on her nose. "Boop."

She gasped when she realized that her Mama "booped" her nose the way her "mommy" did back in her second life. "You're the same person," she said. Her mother did the "booping" for her to confirm that, didn't she? "You're also Areum Kim, my mommy in my second life."

"I can never give up on you, can I?"

"Then, who's my father in my second life, Mama?" she asked. "Is it still my Papa in this life or is it Commander Gavin Quinzel? Won-shik Kim, my father in my second life, looks exactly like the commander of the White Lion Knights in this lifetime."

"I don't have enough time to explain everything, Neoma," her mother said in an urgent tone. "But let me say this: don't hate Nikolai too much. It's my fault why he turned out that way."

"Even if that's the case, I will still stand up for myself if Papa crosses the line."

Her mother smiled, then she nodded. "Yes, you do that," she said. "Neoma, how is Nero?"

"I raised Nero well, Mama," she said proudly. "Don't worry, Mama. He won't end up like Papa. He was cursed but we found a person that could cure him." She paused, then she touched her mother's face. "I won't let my twin brother die so please don't look like you're about to cry, Mama. Nero is also a strong person."

Her Mama looked relieved to hear that. "Take care of Nero for me, Neoma," she said. "And take care of Nikolai, too."

The look on her mother's face reminded her of her Papa Boss's soft look when he talked about her Mama in the past.

Mama loves Papa Boss.

But why was Commander Gavin Quinzel in the picture--- literally and figuratively?

Her thoughts were cut-off when the white room that they were in began to shake hard until the walls had huge and long cracks in them.

"Our time is up, sweetheart," her mother said sadly, then she held her shoulders tight. "Neoma, remember these three important things: First, do not try to find me until you successfully summon William. Second, protect Nero and Nikolai at all cost. And third…" Her mother suddenly turned serious. "Help your father find Juliette's body no matter what."

She noticed that her Mama called the late empress by her first name.

Were they friends in the past?

"I'm sorry, Neoma. I want to give you a normal life but you can't escape your destiny," her Mama said in a sad voice. "Neoma, as a Roseheart, it's your duty to protect the throne. It's not just for your father. If the royal family falls, the whole empire will suffer."

"I'm not complaining but why are you saying this to me, Mama?" she asked. "The empire looks down on princesses. And Nero is the first star. He is our father's chosen heir."

She wanted to say that her goal was to become a lady of leisure.

But she didn't want to make her mother feel like that the requests that she made would be a burden to her. Well, it was a burden but for her Mama, she was willing to take it.

"You're special, Neoma. Don't forget that," her Mama said with a smile, then she hugged her tight. "Let's meet again soon, my precious star."

Neoma hugged her mother back, closed her eyes, and savored that moment. She held herself back from crying. The fact that her mother might still be alive somewhere filled her heart with hope and joy. "I will work hard to be stronger to meet you again, Mama."

***

WHEN Neoma opened her eyes, she thought she'd found herself outside the white room.

But much to her shock, she found herself standing at the edge of a cliff while facing the crescent moon in the night sky. Surprisingly, just like the Dr*amworks Animation logo, a man was seated on the moon. But instead of a fish rod, he held a cane.

To be honest, she couldn't see the man's features. The only clear image in her eyes was his silhouette. The moon was a little too far, and the light surrounding it was blinding.

Where the hell am I? And who's that weirdo?

"THUG PRINCESS!"

Neoma covered her ears with her hands when she heard Tteokbokki's loud scream. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the ground shook because of her Soul Beast's booming voice. "I'm here!" she yelled back. If she could hear Tteokbokki that clearly, then it must mean that he was nearby. "Where are you, Tteokbokki?"

"THUG PRINCESS, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

She was about to respond when she heard the sound of flapping wings. When she looked up, she smiled when she saw Tteokbokki flying above her. Her Soul Beast was in his Red Dragon form, but his size would be considered "small." In fact, he was only the size of an average eagle.

Oh, well. Tteokbokki is still a baby dragon anyway.

Neoma smiled and waved her hands. Her longs arms confirmed that she was still in her adult form. "Tteokbokki, I'm here!"

"THUG PRINCESS, IT'S NOT LIKE I'M WORRIED ABOUT YOU BUT I DON'T LIKE PLAYING HIDE-AND-SEEK!"

She was shocked by her Soul Beast's lack of reaction.

They often fought with each other but Tteokbokki never pretended that he couldn't see her. Plus, the desperation in his voice was real.

"Tteokbokki can't see and hear me," she said. "What the hell is going on?"

"Call him by his real name."

She looked up and turned to the man seated on the moon. His voice sent shivers down her spine. She didn't feel like he was a dangerous person. But her instinct told her that she shouldn't approach him.

"You're not ready yet to call your Soul Beast by his real name," the man continued in a voice that sounded very soothing. So even though she didn't like what he just said, she couldn't bring herself to hate him. "But because an old friend asked for my help, I shall lend you a hand." He pointed the end of his crane at her. "I'll tell you the Red Dragon's name, but you shall forget it once you're out of the demon's territory."

She wanted to refuse and say that she didn't need his help, that Tteokbokki would always be Tteokbokki to her. But her body suddenly froze, then a name kept ringing in her head. Before she knew it, she just found herself speaking.

"Crimson…?" Neoma said, then she gasped when she realized that it was Tteokbokki's "real name." "'Tteokbokki' is a better name than that!"

***

JASPER couldn't believe that he didn't even last five minutes fighting Lewis Crevan.

He was even more shocked to find himself underneath the fox boy who seemed to have lost his mind because of his transformation. When Lewis Crevan raised his hand as if he preparing to rip his heart out, a pale hand suddenly grabbed the fox boy's wrist.

"Lewis Crevan, your master needs your help."

Jasper was shocked to see that the stranger who saved his life was Dominic Zavaroni– the saint! He noticed that the saint wore civilian clothes instead of his usual attire. Did he sneak in? What is His Holiness doing here?

He was distracted when he noticed that Lewis Crevan suddenly calmed down, and when the fox boy stood up to face the saint, he was already back to his usual self. But his two white and fluffy tails were still there. Also, his Mana remained very strong.

The only thing that Lewis Crevan lost when he calmed down was his killing intent.

Is it because the saint mentioned his "master?"

That would be Prince Nero, right?

"Where?" Lewis Crevan asked the saint without an ounce of respect. He even sounded impatient. "I'll go."

Saint Zavaroni didn't seem to mind the fox boy's disrespectful tone. "Everything is going according to your master's plan," the saint said. "We should follow the plan, Lewis Crevan."

"Is this about Prince Nero?" Jasper asked, causing Saint Zavaroni and Lewis Crevan to turn to him. "What's going on with His Royal Highness?"

***

MUCH TO Neoma's shock, she found herself seated on top of the head of a huge Red Dragon.

Tteokbokki got big!

But she ignored it for the meantime. She realized that the "world" where she had to relive her awful first life was just like a huge playhouse. Now that she was flying up there, thanks to Tteokbokki, she could see that the "sky" was actually made of glass.

"Break it, Tteokbokki," Neoma said to her Soul Beast. When it didn't react, she realized that it might not have heard because she called it by the "wrong" name. She didn't want to call him by his "real" name but she had no time to be stubborn. "Let's get out of here, Crimson!"

Her Soul Beast finally reacted.

"Crimson" roared and breathed fire before breaking the glass that almost trapped her consciousness forever.

I'm gonna fuck you up so good, Gin.

***

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