649 HANNA AND DAHLIA
[THIS IS a little awkward.]
Hanna was waiting in Neoma’s room while the royal princess was taking a bath when Dahlia arrived.
Apparently, the Black Witch also wanted to talk to Neoma.
“If Princess Neoma is still in the bathroom, then I’ll take my leave first,” Dahlia said awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. “Lady Hanna.”
Hanna gathered her courage before speaking. “You don’t have to leave, Miss Dahlia,” she said as calmly as she could even though she was nervous. Then she politely pointed at the sofa across from her. “We can wait for Princess Neoma together.”
“Will that be alright, Lady Hanna?”
She only nodded her head lightly.
“Then please excuse .”
Dahlia then sat on the sofa across from her in silence.
.....
Hanna felt awkward even though she didn’t do anything bad, and it wasn’t like Dahlia did her wrong either.
[This is weird.]
She didn’t like feeling that way, so she finally broke the silence.
[Let’s face this head-on.]
“Miss Dahlia, I am currently Prince Nero’s fiancée,” Hanna said as carefully as she could. “It hasn’t been announced officially yet, but people already consider as the Crown Princess.”
She would only be officially declared as the Crown Princess once she married Nero.
[Nero and I planned to break up before, but the plan changed when Nero forgot about Neoma. The crows would have tried to kill if I broke up with him, so I stayed with him.]
And honestly?
[I wanted to stay with Nero.]
“I’m aware of that, Lady Hanna,” Dahlia answered carefully. “Everyone in the empire knows.”
Hanna clenched her hands. “Are you aware that Nero is looking for you then?”
The Black Witch nodded her head slowly. “It doesn’t matter, though. I know my place.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, do you have the mory of your past life?”
She already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it directly from Dahlia.
“I’ve seen snippets of my life with Prince Nero before as his wife,” Dahlia answered honestly. “I don’t want to live that kind of life again, Lady Hanna. So please believe – I have no intention of getting in your way with Prince Nero.”
“That’s not what I want to know, Miss Dahlia.”
“Then…?”
“I have feelings for Nero.”
“Oh.”
“But I have no intention of forcing my feelings on Nero,” Hanna said in an honest and calm voice. “Once he’s back to his senses, I’m going to confess my feelings for him and make him choose between us.”
Dahlia obviously panicked. “Lady Hanna, I already told you that I have no intention of getting back together with Prince Nero just because we were married in my past life.”
“I can’t stay with a man who’s in love with soone else,” she said calmly. “If Nero says he’d forget about you and start to sincerely try to like back, then I will stay with him and give him a chance. But if he continues staying obsessed with you, then I have no choice but to let him go.”
Dahlia fell silent for a mont before she spoke again. “Why are you saying this to , Lady Hanna?”
“I’m trying to say that if you also have feelings for Nero, then you don’t have to conceal your feelings for my sake,” Hanna said bravely. Her chest was actually tightening painfully at the mont, but she hoped it didn’t show on her face. “Miss Dahlia, at this mont, I’m only engaged with Nero because I’m the best noble lady in the empire. Nero doesn’t love .”
“Lady Hanna…”
“I’ll return to the empire soon, and Nero’s coming of age ceremony is near,” she said carefully. “Once that happens, people will push for our wedding. I’m giving you the chance to stop our union, Miss Dahlia.”
Dahlia closed her eyes tight. “Lady Hanna, to be honest with you, I don’t know what I feel for Prince Nero at the mont. My past self loved him too much. Hence, every ti I think about him, my past feelings for him flood my system.” The Black Witch opened her eyes as she clutched her chest tight. “I don’t know if the love I feel for Prince Nero is my current feelings or not.”
“I see,” she said, nodding. “Then I’ll give you enough ti to figure out your feelings, Miss Dahlia.”
The Black Witch looked hesitant. “Thank you, Lady Hanna.”
“One more thing.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can be friends with you, Miss Dahlia,” Hanna said, smiling apologetically at the Black Witch. “I respect you as a person and as Neoma’s friend, but I can’t treat you like my friend. Not now, at least.”
Dahlia looked hurt, but she quickly hid her feelings as she bowed towards her. “I understand, Lady Hanna.”
***
NEOMA didn’t want to listen to Hanna and Dahlia’s conversation.
But the bathroom she was currently in was adjacent to her bedroom.
She had sharp hearing, so she could hear the two ladies talking while she was in the tub and enjoying a bubble bath.
Of course, she could have used her shield to block the noises.
[But Hanna and Dahlia would know, and I don’t want to interrupt their serious convo.]
“Gosh, Nero. You’re handso, but you have a worse personality than ,” Neoma whispered to herself. “I can’t believe you have two amazing ladies fighting over you.”
It was Mochi, the Wind Spirit in the form of a white bunny.
“What do you an by that?”
Mochi teased her.
“I don’t have that kind of relationship with Lewis, Trevor, and Jasper oppa. Plus, I don’t think they like as a girl– except maybe for Trevor. And my conscience is clean because I never led Trevor on,” she said defensively. “I only flirted with Ruto since we have mutual feelings. I’m different from my indecisive twin brother who can’t let go of either Hanna or Dahlia.”
Neoma glared at Mochi playfully. “Gosh, fine. If being charming and seductive is a sin, then I plead guilty.”
***
“IS IT really the Fourth Elental Guardian?”
“It’s cute and tiny.”
Neoma smirked while watching Hanna and Dahlia gush over the duck that was sitting comfortably on her bed.
Right now, the three of them were in Neoma’s room.
Hanna and Dahlia were already waiting for her when she was done taking a bath. Fortunately, the two weren’t acting awkward.
[They’re not acting friendly either, though.]
Anyway…
[Trevor is busy breaking Brigitte unnie and Uncle Glenn’s curse in order for the two to rember . I think my children are preparing a feast for . According to Paige, all of them learned how to cook delicious als because they know I’m a big foodie.]
“It’s definitely the Fourth Elental Guardian,” Neoma said confidently. “It has the sa vibes as Veton, Lord Kingston, and Lapiz.”
[And it’s strong– very strong.]
She just didn’t want to say it out loud because it seed like the duck was trying to hide its own strength.
[But it can’t fool my eyes.]
The noisy duck was talking about Hanna.
The judgntal duck was talking about Dahlia this ti.
“Ya,” Neoma called out the duck while looking at it with sharp eyes. “If you have nothing nice to say, then keep your damned mouth shut.”
Hanna and Dahlia looked at Neoma with a surprised look on their faces.
The duck, on the other hand, looked terrified all of a sudden.
“Everyone on this island is my people,” Neoma warned the duck. “And an insult to my people is an insult to . Just so you know, I don’t take insults lightly.”
Hanna and Dahlia turned to the duck with a blank look on their faces this ti.
Her girls were both sharp, and it wasn’t like Neoma was being discreet. Hence, it was easy for Hanna and Dahlia to figure out that the duck insulted one of them.
the duck said between sobs.
Neoma could tell that there was a deep story as to why the duck was obsessed with money, hence she decided to let it slide. “Alright. As long as you reflect on your behavior, then all is good.” She turned to Hanna and Dahlia. “The duck apologized for being rude.”
.....
Hanna and Dahlia’s expressions both softened up.
[See? My girls are nice.]
“Anyway, I feel disrespectful by calling you ‘duck,'” Neoma said. “May I know your na and gender?”
the duck said, speaking politely to her now.
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