AVERY PAIGE woke up after a long dream.

Ah, no.

It was more of a nightmare.

She recalled most of the memories of her life starting from childhood up to when she met the despicable Crown Prince Nicholas de Moonasterio. Come to think of it, the moment she got involved with the Crown Prince was the moment her life was ruined.

Nicholas de Moonasterio…!

She opened her eyes and immediately got up while catching her breath.

A splitting headache greeted her as soon as she woke up.

She had to shut her eyes tight and clutched her head tight.

To be honest, her mind was a mess because after the nightmare that she had, she suddenly recalled the recent events that transpired.

She met the new Crown Prince of the Great Moonasterion Empire.

He told me fifty years have passed since I've been trapped inside the Hisa Tree. But everything feels like yesterday.

Thus, she was very confused.

"B-Big sister, you're awake?

"

She opened her eyes when she heard a child's voice. When she turned to her side, he saw a chubby, bald little boy sitting on the chair beside the bed.

He's no ordinary boy.

If her diagnosis was correct, then the boy must be half human-half fairy.

"Who are you?

" Paige Avery, whose head was still spinning, asked.

"Where am I?

"

"M-My name is G-Greko, and I'm one of Prince Nero's protectors,

" the child explained.

"Big sister, wait here. I'll just inform my eomma that you're already awake.

"

Before she could even respond, the boy already bolted out of the room.

Prince Nero?

Was that the name of the child that introduced himself to him as the new Crown Prince of the empire?

Have fifty years really passed already?

She put little thought into it earlier because she was focused on getting out of the Hisa Tree. But now that she was free, fear devoured her.

The Avery Clan… no longer exists…

She couldn't help but let out a scream while thumping her fist against her chest.

What do I do now?

"Ah, you're awake.

"

She froze when she heard the voice of an unfamiliar man with a familiar divine power– the divine power that instantly made her nauseous.

Moonglow…?

"I met my child's servants, and he informed me you've awoken, so I'm here to check on you,

" the man said.

"My child can't meet you right now. I came here in his stead.

"

She raised her head while her heart thumped harder and faster against her chest.

A pair of cold, ash-gray eyes greeted her instantly.

White hair.

Pale complexion.

A face that would put a fairy's beauty to shame.

Well, there were two knights behind the majestic man, but she completely ignored them. She couldn't take her eyes off of that… emperor.

Nicholas de Moonasterio…?

She knew it couldn't be Nicholas de Moonasterio. Although the de Moonasterios aged very slowly once they reached their mid-twenties, Nicholas de Moonasterio couldn't be this young-looking after fifty years.

But her body already moved in its own accord.

Before she knew it, she was already in front of the emperor. Then she slapped him hard on the face. Because in her eyes, she was looking at the person she hated most in the world.

"Nicholas de Moonasterio,

" Paige Avery said angrily.

"I will never forgive you!

"

***

"STOP,

" Neoma said when she saw Geoffrey Kinsley and Dion Skelton move after Paige Avery slapped her Papa Boss.

"I'll take care of it.

"

She went past the two Paladins without waiting for their response.

Thankfully, her Papa Boss remained calm despite being slapped. Since Paige Avery called him by the previous emperor's name, she assumed that her Papa Boss realized the poor mage was seeing someone else in him.

I haven't seen my crazy grandfather's portrait when he was younger. But if Paige Avery mistook my Papa Boss for that psycho, then the previous emperor probably looked like my father during his youth.

"You've mistaken me for my father, lady. That old man has been buried six feet under for more than a decade now,

" her Papa Boss said in a calm yet irritated voice.

"I am Nikolai de Moonasterio, the current emperor of the Great Moonasterion Empire.

"

Paige Avery didn't look shock, as if she had already expected that. But she clutched her chest tight while catching her breath. The devastated look on her face was clear, too.

"Fifty years,

" she whispered weakly.

"So, everything is true…

"

"Lady Avery, please rest a little more,

" Neoma said when she carefully approached the lady, who looked at her as if she saw her for the first time. Ah, it seemed like Paige Avery's mind was a mess at the moment. To be honest, that was understandable.

"Do you remember me? We met inside the Hisa Tree.

" She put a hand on her chest and bowed politely.

"I'm Nero de Moonasterio, the current Crown Prince of the Great Moonasterion Empire.

"

Paige Avery looked at her for a moment before recognition crossed her eyes.

"Ah, I remember you,

" she said weakly.

"You're that child…

"

"Yes, that's me,

" she said, then she turned to her father.

"Father, can you give us privacy? I want to talk to Lady Avery alone.

"

She called her Papa Boss 'Father' to imitate Nero. That was how usually she talked when pretending as her twin brother, especially when they had an audience who didn't know the royal secret.

"Will you be fine?

"

"Yes, Father,

" Neoma said, then she smiled.

"Lady Avery and I will be fine.

"

***

"WOULD you like me to pour some tea for you?

" Neoma asked, but she still poured tea in Paige Avery's teacup without waiting for her response.

"I actually don't know what tea is this. But Stephanie brewed this, so this must have a calming effect or something.

"

Since she wanted to talk to the mage in private, she dismissed the servants who served the tea earlier. Then she asked Trevor to cover the entire tea room with soundproof barrier magic.

Of course, Lewis was standing behind her.

"Prince Nero, I don't want to be rude, but can you get straight to the point?

" Paige Avery asked weakly while holding the teacup in her hands. The mage wasn't looking at her, too.

"I want to leave the palace as soon as possible.

"

"Alright, that works for me,

" she said, then she didn't beat around the bush anymore.

"Let me introduce myself again, Lady Avery.

"

The mage looked up at her with a confused look on her face.

"I am Neoma de Moonasterio, though I am not officially registered in the royal family registry,

" she said, then she drank the potion that she asked Marcus (her Papa Boss's personal Healing Sage) to make.

It was the same potion that the late Madam Hammock would make for her every time she wanted to be 'Neoma Ramsay.'

Paige Avery gasped when Neoma's hair grew longer.

"I'm a royal princess,

" she said, then she removed the choker around her neck for the mage to hear her real voice.

"And I'm just a proxy for my twin brother– the real Crown Prince.

"

"Why?

" the mage asked in disbelief.

"Why would Your Royal Highness reveal your royal secret to me like that?

"

"Because I want to be honest with you,

" she said with a shrug.

"Lady Avery, I need people by my side– people who would protect me and keep my secret safe. I already have a Fighter, a Tank, a Marksman, a Support, and a potential Assassin. The only spot left is for the Mage position.

" She pointed her hands politely to Paige Avery.

"I would like to offer that position to you, Lady Avery.

"

The mage looked shocked.

"Does Your Royal Highness really think that I will work for a de Moonasterio?

"

"No,

" she said with a soft laugh.

"But didn't you hear what I said earlier? I'm not officially registered in the royal family registry. I practically don't exist in this empire. But once my twin brother returns, I plan to live as Neoma Ramsay– a lady of leisure.

"

"Even if you don't use your family name, you're still a de Moonasterio–

"

"Is it my fault that my grandfather, and probably most of my ancestors, were scumbags?

"

The mage looked shocked to hear a child curse her own family.

"But I understand where you're coming from,

" she said when the mage was rendered speechless.

"As a de Moonasterio, I inherit the sins committed by my predecessors. It's the price I have to pay for living in luxury. Thus, once I sit on the throne, I plan to destroy everything.

"

"Sit on the throne?

" Paige Avery asked in confusion.

"Does Your Royal Highness plan to pretend as your twin brother until he's supposed to ascend the throne?

"

"Nah,

" she said casually.

"I will become the first empress of this godforsaken land.

"

The mage's pupils shook, then she gulped hard before speaking again.

"But the law forbids a woman to inherit the throne…

"

She shrugged before she sipped her tea.

"We just have to change the law.

"

"Can Your Royal Highness do it?

"

"I can't do it alone,

" she admitted.

"That's why I need as much help as I could. After all, I'm aware that if you want to break a system, you have to break yourself first.

" She put a hand on her chest.

"Paige Avery, if you follow me, I swear on my pride and vanity that I'll let you see the downfall of the empire that hurt you and your family.

"

Paige Avery blinked several times, then she laughed in disbelief.

"Let me think about it, Your Royal Highness.

"

"Sure.

"

"And I have a favor to ask. Is that okay?

"

"Go ahead.

"

"I want to see my old lover.

"

She almost spat her tea.

"L-Lover?

"

"I can feel that he's still alive,

" Paige Avery said softly.

"His name is Marcus, and his dream is to become a Healing Sage. I wonder if he achieved his dream.

"

"Lord Marcus?

" Neoma asked in disbelief.

"My father's Healing Sage?!

"

***

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***

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