"THUG PRINCESS, are you alright?

"

Neoma wasn't okay.

For some reason, the cut on her arm that she received from her Papa Boss hurt like hell. The wound was giving her a burning sensation. Plus, the cut was bleeding like crazy.

But she forgot all of that when she sensed the pain in Tteokbokki's voice.

"I'm fine, Tteokbokki,

" Neoma said while covering the cut on her arm with the handkerchief that she pulled from the breast pocket of her suit.

"But are you okay? I can feel that you're also in pain.

"

"Just worry about yourself, thug princess.

"

She was about to scold Tteokbokki for being a tsundere in that kind of situation.

But all of a sudden, she was suddenly surrounded by Sir Glenn and Duke Rufus Quinzel who both looked worried about her. The two men were on their knees while trying to check the extent of her injury.

"I'll call Madam Hammock,

" Sir Glenn said.

"Please wait here, Princess Neoma.

"

"I'll try to stop the bleeding first,

" Duke Rufus Quinzel said.

"I'm not good at healing but I can try closing the wound at least.

"

Aww, she was touched.

But then again, her Papa Boss had to ruin that moment.

"Rufus, Glenn, leave the room,

" Emperor Nikolai said coldly, the two men flinching as a result. But before either of Sir Glenn and Duke Rufus Quinzel could complain, the emperor spoke again.

"Calypso, my sword, has cut through Neoma's Soul Beast. My Azure Dragon can heal her Soul Beast. Only then will my daughter's physical wound could be treated. In short, any kind of treatment for now would only be futile.

" The emperor returned his sword to the sheathe attached to his hip.

"So don't make me repeat myself, Rufus, Glenn.

"

The duke and the knight didn't move an inch.

Despite His Majesty's bad mood, it seemed like Sir Glenn and Duke Rufus Quinzel still didn't want to leave her.

That was touching, but she didn't want the two to receive her father's wrath.

"Sir Glenn, Duke Quinzel, I'm fine,

" she said with a forced smile. It wasn't like she was faking it. She just couldn't fake a smile because of the pain that was killing her.

"Please go. I can handle Papa Boss.

"

Sir Glenn and Duke Quinzel looked hesitant to move.

But in the end, the two followed the emperor's order.

After bowing to her and Emperor Nikolai, Sir Glenn and Duke Quinzel left the office. She really appreciated the fact that the two men hesitated a lot before leaving her. If she didn't smile and wave them goodbye, they wouldn't probably leave.

Your sentiment is enough, Sir Glenn and Duke Quinzel.

"You foolish child,

" Emperor Nikolai said, then he got down on one knee and grabbed her injured arm carefully. Then, without saying a thing, he put his hand over her bleeding wound. As soon as he did that, she felt a warm energy flow through the veins of her body.

"Do you know what you've just done?

"

"Yes, Papa Boss. I saved Duke Quinzel,

" she said bluntly.

"What are you doing to me? My body feels warmer than usual.

"

"I sent my Azure Dragon to your Soul Beast,

" her father said.

"Once East is done treating your Soul Beast's wound, the cut in your arm will heal as well.

"

"Okay,

" she said.

"Will it leave a scar? Your Calypso is so savage, Papa Boss.

"

"The wound isn't deep so let's hope it doesn't leave a scar,

" he said, then he stood up.

"I'll call Madam Hammock later to apply Hisa ointment on your wound.

"

Much to her shock, her father picked her up by the waist.

She didn't react because her body suddenly felt heavy. It was probably because of the powerful Soul Beast inside her. She could literally feel the Azure Dragon's overwhelming power inside her body and it was enough to make her feel exhausted.

Plus, her arm was still bleeding a lot.

"I wasn't trying to kill Rufus,

" her father said when he put her down on the sofa of his office's lounge area. Then, he sat on the opposite chair. He even crossed his legs like a mafia. At least, the mafia in the movies that she had seen in her second life.

"I just wanted to make him bleed a little.

"

She huffed upon hearing that.

"All because Duke Quinzel wanted to send Hanna to Gonora where Lord Garrett Quinzel lives?

"

"He was already stripped off his title as a noble,

" he snarled at her.

"Do you know what that man did to me in the past?

"

"Apparently, Mr. Garrett Quinzel helped the former Commander Quinzel escape the palace with Mama.

"

Her father looked shocked by her blunt response.

"I have ears, Papa Boss,

" she said to answer his confusion.

"I have heard the rumors about the former commander and my Mama.

"

Her father glared at her.

"If you know that, then why did you stop me from punishing Rufus for his insolence?

"

"Why does Duke Quinzel have to suffer just because he wants to save his daughter?

" she snapped back at her father.

"I understand that Mr. Garrett Quinzel had wrong you in the past. But will you let your personal grudge against him blind you, Papa Boss? The Quinzels are one of the Royal Family's biggest supporters. Plus, Hanna is the only heiress of House Quinzel. It's your duty to help my cousin.

"

"There must be other ways to fix Hanna Quinzel's heart.

"

"If there are other ways to do that, Duke Quinzel wouldn't have risked his life just to ask for your permission to send Hanna to Gonora,

" she reminded her father.

"His Grace is desperate. That means sending Hanna to Mr. Garrett Quinzel is the only way to help his daughter get her heart fixed.

"

"I still won't allow that to happen.

"

"Do you still love Mama, Papa Boss?

"

Her father's eyes suddenly turned red.

"I hate that woman.

"

"There's a thin line between love and hate, Papa Boss,

" she said while shaking her head.

"And I can see that you hate my mother as much as you love her.

"

"Just what do you know about love?

"

"I have no experience yet in the romance department but I think I'm still more emotionally intelligent than you, Papa Boss,

" she said seriously.

"But I can tell that you love Mama by how much you hate me and Nero. Well, you treat Nero okay because you need an heir. But since you don't have any use for a royal princess like me, you vented out your anger for our mother on me instead of my twin brother.

"

He looked shocked by her calloused words.

"You love Mama too much that Nero and I, especially me, do not have any space left in your heart anymore,

" she said in a sad voice. Argh. She also didn't expect that she'd sound this sad, but she couldn't help but feel that way.

"I think I understand you a little now, Papa Boss.

" She smiled at her father even though she knew that it only made her look more miserable.

"You gave your heart to our mother wholly. You didn't leave anything for yourself. For us.

"

It seemed like her words slapped her father back to reality.

The anger and bitterness on his face a while ago disappeared. Plus, his eyes returned to their original color as well. This time, guilt was displayed in his ash-gray eyes.

"You must have been devastated when Mama left you,

" she continued. This time, she could feel her heartbreaking for herself. Yeah, she felt pathetic at the moment.

"I understand how the love that you have for Mama may have turned into resentment. After all, I know that it's easier to convince yourself that you hate the person that hurt you than to admit that you still love her.

"

"Stop,

" her father warned her.

"No,

" she said firmly.

"Papa Boss, do you know how many series would end in one season if only the main characters communicated properly instead of dragging a misunderstanding for several more seasons, huh?

"

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You're not making sense again.

"

"What I mean to say is I'm not leaving this office until we talk this out,

" she explained clearly.

"Papa Boss, I support Duke Quinzel's decision. I want Hanna to live.

"

He glared at her again but thankfully, his eye color didn't change this time.

Alright, talk-no-jutsu might work on Papa Boss since he looked calm now.

"Hating people who helped the former Commander Gavin Quinzel and my mother escape won't bring my Mama back, Papa Boss,

" she said, obviously offending her father.

"Plus, as an emperor, you're making a grave mistake by ignoring House Quinzel's plead to save their only heiress. Hanna is going to be a very significant figure in the future. If you let her die now just because of your grudge, then maybe it's time for you to give up your throne. Maybe I should run the empire in your place until Nero returns.

"

That was just a bluff.

She didn't need any royal pain in the ass, thank you very much.

"I already told you to stop saying things like that,

" her father scolded her.

"And don't you want to be a lady of leisure anymore?

"

She blinked in surprise.

"Oh. Papa Boss, is that you caring about me?

"

"Shut up, little rogue.

"

She smiled because she realized that her Papa Boss was back to his usual self.

Well, he was still grumpy. But at least, this time, he wasn't oozing with bloodlust. It seemed like he didn't have any intention to hurt Duke Rufus Quinzel.

"Papa Boss, Nero and I are Mama's precious children,

" she said gently. Argh, she hated that she said something cringey. But she felt like it was the right moment for her and her Papa Boss to admit that

"issue.

" As she said earlier, nothing good would come out of a dragging misunderstanding.

"Even if Mama is no longer here, you still have us. Of course, I know that we can't replace our mother in your heart. But the fact that Nero and I are the proof of the love that you and Mama had should be enough for you to treasure us.

" She felt awkward when her father just gave her a blank look. So she shrugged in an attempt to act nonchalant.

"Just saying.

"

Her father remained silent.

Since his face was blanker than usual, she couldn't decipher what was on his mind. But she noticed that her Papa Boss's eyes looked gentler and warmer than normal.

"I'm not saying that you have to love me and Nero. You also don't have to dote on us,

" she said quickly to hide her embarrassment. Argh, she was getting goosebumps from being so cheesy.

"But I ask you to properly look at us, Papa Boss. We aren't mere

"memorabilia

" from Mama. We are your children and we have nothing to do with what happened between you and our mother. So please don't take it out on us.

"

He scowled but she knew that it wasn't because of what she said.

Her father was probably having an inner debate with himself. He was probably thinking of how to respond to her.

"I probably won't understand what kind of feelings you have for our mother,

" she continued because there was something else that she needed to take off her chest.

"But from my standpoint, I can see that your possessiveness with Mama is very toxic, Papa Boss. Looking at how you're acting right now, it's easy for me to conclude that you had an unhealthy relationship with Mama.

"

"You don't know anything about us, Neoma de Moonasterio.

"

"It's because you're not telling me anything, Papa Boss,

" she retorted.

"That's why I said communication is important. If you want me to understand you, then open up to me. And I'll do the same.

"

Well, she wouldn't tell her father about her previous lives, of course.

Her father's mood wings were still bad so she couldn't predict how he would react to her secret. Especially if she told him that the father that she had in her second life looked exactly like the former Commander Gavin Quinzel.

Papa Boss might go insane if he learns that.

"As I said before, I can't tell you what you want to know about my history with your mother,

" her father finally said.

"Let's stop here for today. My Azure Dragon is done treating your Soul Beast's wound. You may now go to Madam Hammock.

"

"How about the matter about sending Hanna to Mr. Garrett Quinzel?

"

"My answer is still 'no.'

"

"I won't accept a 'no' for an answer, Papa Boss,

" Neoma said firmly.

"Until you apologize to me for cutting my arm, and until you allow Hanna to be sent to Gonora to meet her great uncle, I won't eat.

"

"Fine,

" Emperor Nikolai said with an annoyed look on his face.

"Let's see if you'll last.

"

***

NOW ALONE in his office, Nikolai already emptied a bottle of vodka.

He didn't want to admit this but Neoma's sincere words tugged at his heartstrings. After all, everything that his daughter said was true.

His possessiveness and obsession with Mona had gotten worse even though she was already gone. And despite the fact that she stole almost all the fond memories that he shared with her and replaced it with the bad ones, he still couldn't completely hate her.

After all, like what Neoma said earlier, he gave his heart wholly to Mona.

"You shouldn't have stolen my ability to love, Mona,

" Nikolai whispered to himself, then he finished the vodka in his glass before he continued.

"You should have specifically stolen my ability to love you.

"

***

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***

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