"I THINK you misunderstood me, Helstor. It’s not that I can’t kill children— I just choose not to. But I’ve already made up my mind. If there was going to be a child killer here, that would be me and not anyone from my group. So, if you’re confident that the kids you’d bring could win against me, then bring them here."

Ah, my plan is useless now.

Helstor could tell that Princess Neoma was serious.

The bloodlust oozing from her wasn’t a bluff.

It’s a warning.

If Helstor still brought children as his Battle Representatives, then he would lose instantly since Princess Neoma had made up her mind to kill children.

And I’m sure her subordinates would follow suit.

What a waste.

I really thought I got Princess Neoma through her weakness.

"Don’t misunderstand, Princess Neoma. It was only a joke," Helstor said, even raising his hands in surrender. "Let’s have a fair fight this time."

He was already expecting the little princess to curse at this point.

Or at least sneer at him.

However, Princess Neoma just smiled.

Yes, it was a beautiful smile.

However, it was also a smile that gave Helstor a chill down his spine.

Ah, someone is in a bad mood.

"Yes, let’s have a fair fight this time," Princess Neoma said, still smiling benevolently. "Now, let’s start the negotiation."

***

NEOMA felt like her cheeks would get ripped because she kept smiling.

She couldn’t help it, though.

The more she was pissed, the more she forced herself to smile.

Otherwise, she’d snap.

It wasn’t like something made her irritated.

She was just simply in a bad mood after she made the decision to kill children, and seeing Helstor made her even more annoyed.

I just want to get this over and done with.

"Neoma, open your mouth."

Without thinking much, Neoma obediently parted her lips because Ruto asked her to.

To her surprise, Ruto put a small chocolate bar in her mouth. It instantly melted, hitting her taste buds— giving her the sugar high that she needed.

Wow.

Just like that, she calmed down a little.

"Moon Princess, look here."

Neoma turned to her side when Trevor called her.

Much to her pleasant surprise, she saw the Sorcerer holding physical photos of her ’children.’

Lewis, Juri, Jeno, Xion, Paige, and my baby Greko.

And, just like that, she completely calmed down.

"Thank you, Ruto, Trevor," Neoma said, patting Trevor’s shoulder while holding Ruto’s hand. "Rest assured, I’m not going to lose my cool here."

Ruto and Trevor looked relieved by her assurance.

I guess they were really worried that I might go on a rampage.

"Anyway, let’s begin," Neoma said, looking at Helstor, who was sitting across from her. For some reason, two gods were sitting on each of his sides. "What are the God of War and Goddess of Beauty doing here?"

"I’m here to make sure that there would be no unfair or hidden clauses in the contract this time," Astrid, the Goddess of Beauty, said while crossing her arms over her chest. "I may be known as the Goddess of Beauty. But I’m also known as the goddess who punishes cheaters. Hence, you can’t deceive my eyes. I would know if you and your Contractor start pulling tricks, little princess."

Neoma raised an eyebrow. "That’s rich coming from the woman who’s been lusting after my man all this time."

Astrid glared at Neoma and was about to talk back, but...

"Stop," Arien, the God of War, said sternly. "I’m here because I want to enjoy a good fight, and fights are only good if everyone follows the rules properly. Hence, I’m here to make sure that no one messes with the contract. But I don’t have all the time in the world, so let’s start the negotiation."

"Alright, then," Helstor said, and then he finally started talking about the rules. "Princess Neoma, do you agree with my suggestion to raise the number of our Battle Representatives?"

"Let me ask you something first," Neoma said, already on business mode. "Who and what can be our representatives in this war? The fight before we fight requires us to have "human weapons." So, for the Battle Representatives, are we only allowed to choose humans? And, if we say ’humans,’ does it include beings that are only half-humans?"

"Let’s limit it to humans and half-humans. Even part-humans are fine," Helstor said. "However, let’s not involve gods, demigods, and those who share even an ounce of a god’s blood in them." The God of Eternal Darkness then glanced at Trevor. "The Ancient Devil was a fallen god, just like the King of Hell. That means you’re eliminated, Trevor Kesser. Moreover, the fact that you’re the Contractor already makes it unfair for you to join the war."

Trevor just raised an eyebrow, not bothering to respond to Helstor.

"That’s fine," Neoma said, so Trevor wouldn’t have to respond to that bastard. "I never considered Trevor as one of my representatives anyway."

"Aren’t you hurting Trevor Kesser’s feelings, Princess Neoma?"

"Trevor is in charge of killing you, in case something goes wrong during the fight."

"Ah, I see."

"Anyways, that means Callisto de Luca can’t join the fight, right? That bastard is also a god."

"Yeah. It’s not like I intended to include Callisto de Luca in my roster in the first place."

"Alright."

"Princess Neoma, just to be clear, when I said ’humans,’ I mean living humans."

Heh.

This bastard is getting smarter.

Neoma realized that Helstor knew that there were "ghosts" at the Imperial Palace.

Impressive.

Ah, that reminded her.

"The Ancient Devil," Neoma said. "If Trevor can’t join the fight, then the Ancient Devil shouldn’t also qualify."

"Why not? The former Ancient Devil has already lost his body and powers that made him the Ancient Devil," Helstor argued. "He’s now living as Noah Solfrid— a human."

"That doesn’t make the Ancient Devil human," Ruto argued back in a calm yet firm voice. "His soul is still that of a god’s."

Right?

Neoma already felt a splitting headache coming.

This is going to be a long talk, isn’t it?

***

NERO stared at Princess Monik, the young princess of Hazelden Kingdom, sitting across from him.

After Neoma left for the Upper World with Trevor Kesser, he invited Princess Monik to have tea with him. He only invited the princess, but she came with Prince Skylus, the current saint of the Moon God.

So, he was now dealing with two kids.

Ah, King Glenn wanted to join them, but Nero politely said that he wanted to have a private talk with the kids.

"Are you going to go with Neoma to the Upper World?"

"Yes, Nero Oppa!"

"Yes, Nero Hyung!"

These little brats just called the emperor of the empire their ’older brother.’

Nero may not speak Korean, the language that Neoma would speak from time to time, but he had listened enough to his twin sister to pick up a few terms from her.

But since these children were important figures, he just let it slide.

"Princess Monik, before you leave for the Upper World, can I ask you for a favor?"

This was why Nero only wanted to speak with Princess Monik.

But he figured it didn’t matter if Prince Skylus heard about his request.

"If it’s something within my power, then I’ll gladly help Oppa!"

Ah, she doesn’t speak like a child.

"Neoma is spending her entire fortune to protect each and every household in the empire safe from Darkness. But there are things that not even money could save or protect," Nero said, putting down the teacup on the saucer quietly. "Like divine power."

"Do you need my divine power as the saintess of the Light Goddess, Oppa?"

"Yes, I do— we all do. After all, during the Ancient Period, it was the Light Goddess who had successfully defeated the Absolute Darkness."

"But the Light Goddess died because of that," Prince Skylus complained. Even the prince didn’t sound like a child. "I don’t want Monik Noona to die, Hyung."

"No one is dying," Nero assured the kids. The siblings didn’t look like they believed him, so he had to say something that would put their hearts at ease. "Neoma will hate me if something bad happens to you— and I don’t want Neoma to hate me."

Thankfully, that was enough for Prince Skylus and Princess Monik to believe him.

These kids really like and trust Neoma.

"Princess Monik, I’m not asking you to fight the Darkness that’s emerging from the shadows," Neoma said, flashing his ’business smile.’ "I just need you to bless something for the Imperial Family."

***

HANNA personally paid House Drayton a visit that day.

She sent a letter the other day to announce her visit, and now was the time to come and see Duke Rubin Drayton.

However, she didn’t expect that she wouldn’t be the only visitor there.

"It’s been a while, Your Highness... ah, you’re no longer the Crown Princess."

Hanna raised an eyebrow, half-amused and half-annoyed.

"Greetings, Duchess Quinzel."

"Regina Crowell," Hanna said, greeting the smiling lady in front of her. "You’re still alive?"

"Do you want me dead?"

"No."

Regina Crowell looked shocked by Hanna’s response. "You don’t seem to be lying. But I don’t think there’s a good reason for you not to want me dead either."

"Of course, there’s a reason why I’m glad to see you alive, Lady Crowell," Hanna said, smiling while addressing Regina Crowell properly. Her etiquette as a duchess suddenly kicked in. "After all, I want to kill you with my own hands."

***

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