性瘾者

“Same old, same old,” Neoma said, then she sat down on the sofa next to her mother. “The crows are still crazy.” She hugged Mama Boss’ arm and laid her head on her mother’s shoulder. “They’re hastening Nero and Hanna’s marriage because they want Hanna to give birth to Nero’s successor as soon as possible.”

After her meeting with her allies, she went to the living room and found Mama Boss watching her favorite Kdrama.

It was a ‘makjang’ type, aka ludicrous dramas that would only make your blood boil.

[Mama Boss likes watching makjang when she’s not working at the flower shop.]

“Hasten Nero and Hanna’s marriage?” Mama Boss asked, obviously shocked. But then, she suddenly looked like she was guilty. “Perhaps I don’t have the right to react this way. After all, I was also that young when I gave birth to you and Nero.”

She knew that her Mama Boss was a teenage mom.

But in the other world, the concept of a teenage mom was the norm. People in the empire married early. Plus, the royal family and the nobility relied heavily on their successors. Hence, it was normal for their people to get married and have children at a young age.

[I can’t apply my modern values to the other world.]

.....

Anyway…

Neoma, Mama Boss, and Papa Boss were currently living in an apartment.

They were neighbors with Trevor, Aunt Nichole, and Uncle Dominic.

Nabi, Won-shik appa, and Areum eomma were living in a more upscale apartment, though. But it was also near their neighborhood. Hence, getting together was easy.

“Mama Boss and Papa Boss had Nero and me because of love,” Neoma said to console her mother. “It’s not similar to Nero and Hanna’s situation. The crows are hastening the marriage between the two because of two things. First, Regina Crowell is eyeing the Quinzels’ wealth. Once Hanna becomes the Crown Princess, Duke and Duchess Quinzel will need a new successor since they don’t have other children.”

“I can see why even the crows will be greedy for the Quinzels’ assets. After all, their wealth is immeasurable,” her mother said. “But what could be the other reason for the crows to hasten Nero and Hanna’s wedding?”

“This is just my hunch, but my gut feeling is telling me that it’s time,” Neoma said, turning serious for once. “It’s time for the rightful ruler to sit on the throne.”

“Neoma… you…” Mama Boss gently pulled away from her hug to look her in the eye. “Is the throne calling for you?”

“To be precise, it’s the moon,” she said, sighing while shaking her head. “Ever since I turned eighteen, the moon has been seducing me to take the throne. I know that I’m destined to be the empress, but I also know that Nero needs the throne more than I do.”

Because if Nero couldn’t take the throne for himself, then the crows would kill him.

Hence, Neoma was worried.

[I can’t return to the other world yet, so Nero, you must survive until your noona comes back, okay?”]

***

“WHY ARE you so noisy?” Nero whispered to himself while looking at the emperor’s throne. “You keep on reaching out to me, but why are you calling another name with mine?”

He was alone in the throne room at the moment.

Even though the Empress Dowager had the highest position as the elder in the Royal Family, she had never sat on the throne.

The Empress Dowager had a fancy seat of her own, though.

On the other hand, the throne had been sealed away in this room for the past five years.

“Nero and who?” he asked the throne even though he knew it wouldn’t respond. “Why can’t I hear the other name you’re calling?”

Yes, the throne wasn’t calling out his name alone.

There was another one whose name he couldn’t hear clearly. Although he was pretty sure it wasn’t Calyx.

Even though he had a feeling that he should cherish Calyx, he couldn’t wholeheartedly say that his brother was that important to him. But it was probably because of his apathy towards his monotonous life.

To be honest, the only thing that could bring him joy these days was the dream he would often have.

The dream about the girl with a foul mouth.

[Just… who are you?]

He had been sleeping a lot these days just to

“Prince Nero, I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

It was Melvin Luchessi, his annoying secretary.

“Why?” Nero asked, annoyed. “I told you not to look for me when I’m here in the throne room, didn’t I?”

“It was also Your Royal Highness who told me to deliver the news to you about the Black Witch as soon as I have one,” Melvin retorted in a more annoyed tone. “Should I just leave then?”

He grabbed the secretary by the throne. “Have you found the Black Witch?”

Dahlia– the last Black Witch in the world.

Calyx captured the Black Witch a few years ago.

Nero, for some reason, knew that Dahlia was a part of the life that he couldn’t remember clearly. He didn’t know why, but he felt so drawn and attached to the Black Witch to the point that he wanted to hide her from Calyx.

His brother wanted to use Dahlia for his experiments.

The day Nero was about to help the Black Witch escape, she disappeared.

“We haven’t confirmed it yet,” Melvin said while patting his arm. “But one of our people has seen the Black Witch on the East Continent.”

He let go of the secretary’s collar, then he knitted his eyebrows. “The East Continent?”

“And she wasn’t alone,” the secretary said. “Apparently, Miss Dahlia was seen with a young man with purple hair.”

Purple hair?

Argh!

He clutched his head with his hands when he suddenly felt like his skull was being split into two.

It was as if his memory was triggered for some reason.

But it was futile, since nothing important came to his mind.

“Prince Nero, are you alright?” Melvin asked worriedly. “Should I call Alucard?”

Alucard was the demon that also served as his personal physician.

However, the demon hated mingling with humans. Hence, he would often hole up in his home and would only step foot in the Royal Palace when summoned.

[That lazy bastard…]

“I’m fine,” Nero said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Just send a message to Alucard. Tell him to bring the Black Witch to me if he doesn’t want me to blow up his little castle.”

***

“MY MOON Princess, I have good news for you.”

“What?” Neoma asked while spacing out. She was on the balcony while staring at the starry night sky. “Did you talk to Grandma Aruna and Grandpa Arche?”

The ancient royal twins didn’t come with them to Earth since the two were Spirits bound to the other world.

However, it was thanks to Aruna and Arche that they could maintain a connection to their allies back in the empire. If it weren’t for the ancient royal twins’ help, they wouldn’t be able to create a bridge between the two worlds.

[A lot of things really happened for the past five years.]

Trevor stood beside her and looked up at the moonless sky. “The door that leads to the other world will open soon. Are you ready to return to the empire?”

Neoma scoffed at the demon boy’s question. “You should be asking if the Great Moonasterion Empire is ready for my comeback.”

The demon boy laughed. “You’re right. The empire is the one who should get ready for your return.”

“Is that all you’re going to report to me?”

“Is there something else I’m missing?”

“Have you found Ruto?” Neoma asked, then she turned to Trevor. “I asked you to mobilize your people in the empire to look for Ruto, didn’t I?”

Up until three years ago, Ruto had been working with them.

But he suddenly vanished one day.

[He didn’t say goodbye to me, so I know something happened.]

Ruto wasn’t the type who would just disappear on her.

“There’s a rumor of his whereabouts, but I haven’t verified it yet so I’m not sure if I should report it to Your Royal Highness.”

“Just spill it, Trevor.”

“A young man with purple hair has appeared on the East Continent,” the demon boy. “It’s a rare hair color, especially to the East Continent dominated by people with dark hair. Moreover, the Solfrids are known to have a successor with purple hair.”

She knitted her eyebrows, confused. “Why don’t you just get straight to the point, huh?”

Trevor sighed before responding to her. “Princess Neoma, my people have seen Ruston Stroganoff with Dahlia, the Black Witch.”

First, she was happy to hear that Dahlia was safe.

Even so…

.....

“But why?” Neoma asked, more confused now. “Why are Dahlia and Ruto together?”

***

SHE MISSED her step when she jumped to the next tree branch, causing her to slip.

[Oh!]

She was about to summon her Elemental Guardian, but she didn’t have the time to do so because his savior already caught her before she even utter Lapiz’ name.

“Are you alright?”

The slightly strong breeze caused the young man’s hood to get pulled down– revealing purple locks that looked smooth and silky.

Those dark purple eyes…

And the strong body that was holding her…

[He’s really handsome.]

“Miss Dahlia?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Dahlia said, her cheeks burning from embarrassment. “I’m alright, Lord Ruto. Thank you for catching me.”

Ruto just nodded, then he put her down carefully before turning his back on her. “Let’s go.”

Ah.

Before she knew it, the young lord was already gone.

[Lord Ruto is kind, but he’s really aloof1…]

***

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