Absolute truths are common among less evolved peoples, especially those from inferior worlds. Such beliefs are rarer in the middle worlds and almost non-existent among people with vast knowledge as they tend to doubt everything.
It can be said that in Blue Star, few things are considered absolute truth by everyone and the Mermaid Royalty's honor is one of them.
Through several generations of Royal Mermaids from the first to the present, all Mermaids of that lineage have put their people's happiness first than theirs and done whatever it takes to protect them.
With incorruptible ideals, the Royal Mermaids have never done anything vile to achieve their goals.
Kaisa's case made many people wonder about that, but in the end, she sent her own soul into the cold darkness to protect her people, just like the second Fox Princess did. Even though they used dark magic for that, they were the only ones harmed by that.
Another outstanding feature of the Royal Mermaids is their pure and righteous hearts. Such individuals are always loyal to their friends and never fail to repay the good made to them tenfold.
Nea knew Claire was hiding some kind of secret, but her intentions were good, and she was doing Saria good, which consequently was good for all the Mermaids.
Finding out that she is Greed's new host came as a shock, but that didn't change the fact that Nea sees Claire as a friend of the Mermaids.
But everything is different when it comes to Lucien.
While Claire wants friends and Greed treasures, which in that case would be the spoils of the Mermaids' enemies, Lust's devilishly seductive host seems like the most greedy person indeed, as what he really wants is the Mermaids themself.
Nea and no other person in her situation could understand how good it would be to the Mermaids if they became his servants, so she is determined to prevent that. But it becomes more and more difficult every time they see him.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})And the worst part is that while she tries to protect the Mermaids from him and he tries to seduce them, she's the one who ends up looking like the villain. She tried to show everyone that demons like him give with one hand and take away with the other, but he turned the game in his favor again.
Now she has to kiss that devil, or the thousands-of-years honor of her bloodline will be ruined.
The other option is to let Saria kiss Lucien; although she has already done that several times, Nea doesn't want that to allow it to happen anymore, or she could actually lose her daughter forever, and the Mermaid Race would be left without a Queen.
Saria, on the other hand, is too excited about that. She was always willing to sacrifice herself for her people as her sister did; she would give anything for the sake of the Mermaids and do anything to maintain the honor of her ancestors.
However, while paying debts in blood would at least be uncomfortable, kissing Lucien is more like a reward than a sacrifice. And all the Mermaids can see that.
How can the same thing for the mother be torture but for the daughter a blessing? Everyone can't help but find that situation pretty peculiar.
[No! I can't let that happen!!] Nea feels that if she gets into a fight with Lucien for her daughter's soul, she might already lose, let alone if she lets things keep that way.
"Wait!!" She says before Saria jumps into Lucien's arms and never stops kissing him.
Saria can't contain her excited smile from turning into an expression of disappointment while all the other Mermaids get shocked.
"It's not possible!!" Ramla, Nea's right arm, exclaims in confusion among the troops.
Even Nea doesn't believe what she's about to say, but Lucien already expected that; he smiles at the Mermaid Queen while Maya, Eve, and the Sins have neutral expressions on their faces.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Lucien glances toward the mysterious storm before looking at Nea with a teasing expression. "We'd better get this solved out quickly so we can focus on the real problem here, you know."
Nea tries to contain all her frustration and keep her expression serene and resolute. "Don't tell me what I must do, boy!"
"Alright, alright..." He smiles friendly. "Though you aren't in debt with me for real..."
She realizes that the Mermaids' opinion is increasingly failing to Lucien's side, so she sighs. "Let's get this over with."
"Come on, bring those beautiful and soft lips to me." He also can't hide how excited he is to kiss Nea's perfect lips.
Nea is furious, not at Lucien but at herself for not being able to be mad at him. Everything that's happening there is a consequence of her own choices, so she can't help but go towards him.
As thousands of Mermaids watch with wide eyes and astonished expressions, the great Mermaid Queen's tail glides smoothly over the water platform.
Nea tries to stand her ground, but Lucien's devilishly seductive smile makes her resolve waver, and she turns to the only deity with who she truly has faith.
[I beg you, mother of the seas, please give me strength now! Great Water Spirit, don't let me fall into this devil's traps, and don't let his seduction affect me!]
Nea hopes her silent prayer reaches the Water Spirit, but the day she finds out who her protector really is, she will feel like the most foolish person in the universe and will never be able to forget that moment.
Time seems to slow down, and seconds feel like minutes as she approaches Lucien.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})He just stands there, smiling and waiting for her to kiss him, which drives Nea crazy. [You devil!!! I will never forgive you for this!!!]
But no matter how much Nea prays to the Water Spirit, nothing happens, and she ends up in front of Lucien, looking into his blue eyes.
Since she'd met Lucien, Nea had tried not to look at his body for more than a second. With just one look, she understood that his appearance was one of his most powerful weapons, and she wanted to resist his charm as much as possible.
But now, due to that embarrassing situation, she ends up forgetting that and ends up staring at his face, especially his eyes.
She had already seen his eyes glowing purple and golden, but only now did she notice that they were actually blue, not just any random shade of blue but a specific type very similar to someone else's.
[No... that's not possible...] A very crazy thought pumps into Nea's head, and she quickly tries to deny that. However, the more she looks into Lucien's blue eyes, the more she finds them similar to those mysterious eyes that one day she saw.
If Nea could understand the irony of that situation, she would say that Destiny has an insane sense of humor.
"Something wrong?" Lucien's voice wakes Nea from her thoughts. He looks at her with a confused expression. "You look a little... shaken?"
"No..." She shakes her head and looks away, trying not to be hypnotized by his eyes. "It's nothing; I'm fine."
"Then let's do it." He comments as he takes a step toward her.
"Sure!" She responds and quickly moves her face towards his but still looking away; her intention is just to kiss him as fast as possible and forget about all that.
"Wait!!!" But a voice comes from someone close, preventing that from happening.
Nea quickly backs off without even questioning why that person is interfering as anything that helps her not have to kiss the devil is welcome.
Lucien sighs as he sees Nea's delicious lips moving away from his. But someway, he is not so disappointed as he prefers that Nea kiss him willingly rather than to pay a debt.
However, everyone else is confused. They look to the Mermaids on the water platform's floor, especially the older sister, now fully healed; it was she who interfered in the kiss.
That Mermaid tries to get up, but her body is still adapting to Lucien and Sophia's energy, so she fumbles and falls before quickly slithering like a snake toward him.
First, she looks at Nea with a sorry expression. "Forgive me for interfering with this, my Queen."
"..." Nea just nods at the Mermaid, making it clear that everything is fine; she manages to hide from almost everyone that she is actually relieved.
Then that Mermaid looks at Lucien with a grateful and determined expression. "I'm sorry, Lord Lucien, but I couldn't let my Queen pay a debt that is mine alone."
"And mine!!!" Her sister exclaims and quickly moans due to her injuries.
Sophia channels more life mana into the stubborn Mermaid's body while scolding her. "Be quiet!"
"Stay out of it!" The older Mermaid talks to her sister before looking at Lucien again. "For you, maybe it was just kissing, but for me, it was equivalent to my life... and a life debt can only be paid with another life."
Lucien understands what that Mermaid means, so he nods at her. "If that's what you really want, I won't stop you."
"No!" Nea is upset when she sees what she fears most happening in front of her eyes.
The Mermaid looks at her again with a sorry expression. "I'm sorry, my Queen... you will always be my Queen, but your soldier died in that hurricane; whoever stands before you now is a woman whose life belongs to Lord Lucien and Lady Sophia."
"I'm no lord..." Lucien comments as he smiles at that Mermaid. "Also, you don't have to give us your life; just your loyalty will be enough."
She makes a determined expression as she tries to get up, but she falls again. Lucien gently takes her arm and helps her up.
She also smiles at him before bowing and speaking in a frank tone. "From this day until the day I die, this servant will be loyal to you, my Lor-" She pauses as she becomes confused about what to call him.
"My King?" She asks.
"He's technically still a Prince in our homeworld…" Eve comments as her eyes have a sinister sparkle. "But I guarantee you that our father won't live longer."
That Mermaid is confused by Eve's words, and she also thinks 'Prince' isn't good enough for Lucien, so she looks at him with a thoughtful expression. "Can I call you Master? I heard some Naga calling you that way, and they seemed to enjoy it..."
"Master!!" The other Mermaid speaks again as she looks at him with an imploring expression. "Accept me too!! My sister only ended up like this because she sacrificed herself to save me, so this debt is mine too!"
"..." Nea huffs as she turns around and looks at the distant dark clouds, now wishing the storm could take Lucien away from her.
He smiles at the cute pair of Mermaid sisters. "I can accept you both into my group… If your Queen allows it."
"What???" Nea turns and looks at him with a confused expression. "What could I do to stop them from following you??? Also, wasn't that your plan since the beginning? You Devil... won't you stop until you seduce all my people???"
"My intention here is not to seduce but to show such excellent creatures a better way..." He comments in an honest tone.
Nea maintains a hostile expression. "Better… better than what? Better than what my family has been doing for generations??"
He smiles, moving the hearts of thousands of Mermaids. "Better than any other way."
