Lucien can't help but be happy that Nea finally seems to be giving him a chance. "I won't let you down, Nea; I promise you'll soon realize how beneficial this is to all of us."
"Hold on, my dear devil." She speaks in a teasing tone, which makes Lucien confused but also happy. "I believe in your intent and that your plans would be very good for my people, but I'm not sure you have what it takes to make my whole race stronger."
Before he can say anything, she continues. "It's evident that you're crossing layers faster than anyone else ever, but I still need to see your ability to strengthen other people with my eyes. And for that, the little competition you suggested will still be the deciding point of any future alliance among our people."
Lucien can only agree with that as, after all, he suggested that competition first. However, after seeing Nea's power in person, he is not as confident as before due to the short time the girls have to get stronger and train. Also, right now, he could be in the purple world strengthening them, but he's in the sea, helping Nea.
"Also..." She smiles at him, but that's a provocative and arrogant smile. "I'm not going to go easy on your girls, so you should already have an idea of what kind of challenge awaits them... although I should give you guys more time due to our current situation, to be fair, of course."
He sighs. "You're boycotting yourself... one day you'll look back and regret being so stubborn."
"Hehehe..." She giggles gracefully, leaving Lucien upset and impressed at the same time. "That's part of my charm, you know."
"..." He doesn't know how to react to that contradictory and arrogant woman. Even Pride seems more predictable due to her straightforward personality.
Nea turns forward and continues swimming, leaving Lucien behind with a listless expression.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Lust is furious with that and complains in his mind. 'I hate this woman! You should let her die in the fight against Tyrion, then Saria would make you King of all Mermaids.'
'Probably...' He comments as he again looks at Nea's tail gracefully swaying as she swims. 'But that would break Saria's heart... she would never leave the Mermaids' throne, and I couldn't make her totally happy.'
'...' Lust doesn't know what to do. She doesn't like seeing Lucien try so hard to help people who don't understand how special he is. But on the other hand, she knows that just by allowing him to act as his heart desires, the development of his powers will continue to evolve so rapidly.
Lucien wastes no time before following Nea. She avoids looking at him but doesn't speed up either, so he smiles teasingly. "Sometimes I get the feeling you're running away from me... but as I don't have your special sense abilities, I can't say for sure."
"Why would I be running away from you?" She asks.
"Maybe because you're afraid you'll end up liking me..." He comments in a confident tone. "Or even already like more than you want to admit."
"Hahaha..." Nea laughs to cover the truth in her heart. "I know you've already answered this question for me, but I still don't understand exactly why you chose my people. I understand your motives, but I believe that if you want power, you could find it much easier elsewhere."
Lucien gets curious about that. "What places exactly?"
"To start, the Shadow Star." Nea quickly responds. "I bet those damn Dark Elves would make you the King of their whole race the moment they see your naked body and power; you'd have a gigantic army at your disposal, one less complicated than my people and also people who adapt easily to different biomes and are not dependent on an element to be effective in combat."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})"Really??" Lucien grows even more curious. "Why do you think that?"
She explains. "Well, the Dark Elves are more ambitious than the Vampires, prouder than the Golden Lords, and more naughty than the Fox People, so I think they're a perfect match for the Demons... in fact, I don't know why the Sins didn't recruit them before."
Before Lucien can ask Lust about that, she mentally talks to him. 'We went to them; actually, it was Greed one time and Envy another; Pride didn't even try because she knew they would refuse any alliance with our people due to their rebellious personality.'
'I see...' He can't help but remain interested in the Dark Elves. 'Isn't there really any chance for an alliance?'
Lust looks a little hesitant, but she's still as honest as ever. 'I believe that Nea is right; if there is anyone who can move the hearts of those weird people, it's you. Although...'
'You don't seem to like them.' He comments.
'Yeah, I don't like them.' She quickly explains. 'The Dark Elves are born with a high affinity for dark mana, which makes them one of the least reliable people in the universe; they betray everyone frequently, are depraved to an absurd degree, and don't respect any laws or ethics... I don't think they would be good for you.'
'Hmm...' Lucien finds Lust's words somewhat contradictory because just as Demons are viewed in an exaggerated way by other races, the Dark Elves also seem to suffer from such prejudice. And even if they are morally corrupted, Lucien doesn't think any people are beyond redemption; they just need a good reason to improve, something he can easily give them.
Lust feels really bad about using her words so slyly to avoid being totally honest, so she quickly apologizes. 'Okay, okay... I really think poorly of them in general, but I didn't talk to you before because I was afraid that all the female Dark Elves would want to be your wives and... and I would have to share you with thousands of women horny as hell.'
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Now Lucien really understands what happened, but instead of being pissed at Lust for hiding a possible great opportunity, he's grateful to her. 'You always think of the best for me, even when you think you're just being selfish...'
She is a little confused, but he quickly explains. 'If you had motivated me to go after these Dark Elves, I could have lost focus of my real goals, and I could not pay attention to the women who are now so important to me. I don't need an army of horny women, but the good women who are with me now, especially you.'
Lust has heard many loving words from Lucien, but she never gets tired of them and is always thrilled when he tells her he loves her. 'I'm glad you think so, but the Dark Elves won't leave the Shadow Star, so you can conquer them whenever you want, and I'll support you, of course.'
'Maybe one day, but now we have a lot of problems to solve.' He comments. 'Also, as soon as we deal with the Bloody Rose issue, I want to focus my attention on the Mermaids and gather an army to return to my homeworld. The Mermaids are loyal, brave, and adorable, so they deserve my power more than some weird people.'
'I agree.' She responds.
Lucien loses his curiosity about the Dark Elves and turns his attention back to Nea. "Do you think the Dark Elves are more loyal than the Mermaids?"
Nea quickly understands what Lucien wants to do, but she refuses to lie blatantly. "No."
"So you already have your answer about why I prefer your people." He smiles.
She shakes her head and sighs. "I think that was inevitable, yet… I can't help but think that someone planned all this."
"Why do you think that?" Lucien asks, though he clearly understands that someone is behind everything that happens in his life.
She looks into his eyes, trying to understand how much he knows about that. "Your reasons, of course, they are why you came to the Blue Star and met my people… you brought my daughter back, but also a lot of trouble."
"Trouble?" He asks in a sarcastic tone. "As far as I know, all I offer are benefits to you, your people, and to the Nagas..."
"But not everyone has your compassion, do they?" She interrupts him with another question.
"Are you talking about Tyrion?" He responds with another question and quickly continues. "You know he has to die, not for revenge but for the whole Blue Star to not crumble under his blind greed."
Nea stops abruptly, surprising Lucien by creating an opaque barrier around them, preventing any sound from reaching Saria while she is a few miles ahead of them.
Her expression turns cold and hostile again as she seems to want to attack him. "Don't lie to me, or I'll lose the respect I'm starting to have for you."
"..." Lucien doesn't understand what's going on; he hasn't lied to her about thinking Tyrion should die for Blue Star's sake.
"Do you think you can trick me using words and emotions in a cunning way?" She asks and quickly continues talking. "What you call a special sense ability might just seem like a characteristic of my people, but my ancestors have always used it as a powerful weapon, something that allows us to see things that no one else can."
"And what are you seeing now?" He asks.
Nea's expression softens, and Lucien can see pity in her eyes. "A young boy, confused, scared, in pain, and angry..."
Before he can respond, her gaze becomes sharper, and her tone even colder. "But also a determined, ruthless, lustful, and ambitious man."
"That sounds like the definition of a usual man." He comments.
She shakes her head. "I don't know many men that want to conquer my people and... kill my friend."
[HOW???] Lucien panics, not understanding how Nea can know about that, but he continues to control his emotions and maintain a neutral expression.
Lust also panics and exclaims in his mind. 'FUCK!!! She knows!!!"
Nea is impressed by Lucien's ability to remain calm when his secret plans are exposed that way. But somehow, she understands that he doesn't like that plan at all and is somewhat relieved not to have to hide it from her anymore, which improves her opinion of his character.
Lucien doesn't say anything, so Nea continues. "Don't blame yourself; I was going to find out at some point anyway. I actually imagined it when the Sins came at my castle."
"I knew the elite of the Demon Race wouldn't come to Blue Star because of my people or even Tyrion," Nea explains. "Seeking Claire and Greed was certainly a good reason, but I know when it comes to demons, there's never just one motivation."
She sighs before continuing. "Well, there aren't many treasures here, and except for the Water Spirit, which must seem more like legend than truth, the last Phoenix is pretty real."
"So, do you know it since the beginning?" He asks.
She shakes her head. "I just had that idea in my mind, and I became sure when I felt the murderous intent of the Sins and Eve toward Maya."
"And why didn't you do anything?" Lucien is confused. "I believe you want to protect your friend."
"I do." She quickly responds. "But well, you want to know why I didn't kill you and your sisters right on the spot? It was because of you, and also because I like Claire; she's a good girl just like your other sisters."
Lucien still doesn't understand how Nea's mind works, so he stays silent and lets her keep talking. "I really thought about attacking you guys quickly, but I noticed you had very conflicting feelings..."
She looks at him with a curious expression too. "Eve and the Sins seem determined to kill Maya, but you don't... you want something from her, but you can't feel good about it; you try to hate her, but you just feel sorry for her... you think that she's weak and just naive or what?"
"Was it because of my lack of determination that you didn't do anything?" He asks.
"It's not lack of determination." She quickly responds. "You have an incredibly powerful desire, but there is no evil in your heart... well, there are shadows within you, as in most of us, but there is also a lot of goodness in your heart, and that's why you can't hate a creature purely good as Maya."
Lucien doesn't entirely agree with Nea as he thinks he's more evil than good due to how cruel he can be to his enemies. But the truth is that he never attacked someone without reasons or thinking only of him; everyone he hurts deserves that, and they are enemies of his loved ones rather than his.
"But you didn't keep quiet out of kindness, right?" He looks into Nea's eyes with a sharp expression.
Nea can't help but smile even though she isn't happy. "You see, the more time we spend together, the more I understand how similar we are... we're both trying to do the best for those we love, we both have to make sacrifices for that, and..."
"And we both have to suffer the consequences of such sacrifices." He completes her sentence as they both smile to mask the frustration they feel.
