[Which one?] Lucien's question leaves Nea and Saria very confused. They want to think he's referring to which one will use the teleport gems first, but that would mean he doesn't know how such treasures work, and it seems pretty unlikely.
Also, his teasing smile makes it clear that he has 'less noble' intentions with them, so while Saria blushes just by wondering what that is about, Nea gets upset.
"You devil, what's on your perverted mind?!?" Nea asks in a tone more concerned than angry.
"Isn't it evident?" Lust asks.
The cute mother-daughter Mermaid pair still seem a little confused or are just avoiding accepting that, so Sloth starts talking in her usual sloth tone. "We only have two instant teleport gems, meaning only two of us should be able to get out of here that way..."
Envy can't wait until Sloth finishes explaining and gets right to the point. "But thanks to Lust's special ability, Lucien can take many people in his soul realm, so one of you will have to go with him."
"Oh, that ability?" Nea looks expectant for a second while Saria blushes even more. "I had forgotten about it because I thought only his wives could..."
Nea stops talking when she understands what's going on. Although Lucien, the Sins, and even Mira see nothing unusual in such a situation, she can't help but see that as something too important to be discussed so casually, especially when it involves her daughter's future.
"You mean…" She looks at Lucien and the Sins, desperately trying to find another way out.
Lust makes a thoughtful expression. "Lucien should be able to take anyone to the Purple World with time..." Those words give Nea hope, but the next one shatters those hopes. "...But due to the need to use that ability early, we used the soul contract to facilitate it, and now this is the only way in."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"..." Nea looks lost, but Saria, on the other hand, has an expectant gleam in her eye, despite her blushing more and more.
Lucien understands Nea's concerns, but he sees things in a simpler way and tries to show her that. "Making a soul contract with me is not that bad; I mean, it's the same for both, an equal connection that will bring us the same benefits and downsides..."
Despite seeing through Lucien's feelings, Nea can't let go of her cautious side, which has helped keep her people safe for thousands of years. "That sounds like something a demon would say."
"Well, I'm a demon." He comments in a disappointed tone. "But I doubt that's the only reason you hate me..."
"My mother doesn't hate you!" Saria quickly speaks. "She couldn't even if she really wanted it."
Envy rolls her eyes. "But she seems to want to choose to keep confined here while her people need her most just to avoid making a soul contract with Lucien... it's like despiting the treasures that every woman in the universe desires."
"It's not that simple." Nea comments before looking at the glass coffin. "Maybe the Water Spirit is about to wake up..."
Sloth also looks at the coffin. "I'm sure she'll wake up when she's finished recovering, but when exactly will it be... it could be in a few hours, a few days, months... or thousands of years."
Nea understands that, and it makes her more desperate than ever. "And what do you want me to do? Should it be easy to give him my soul just like that???"
"Why are you ignoring the possibility of letting your daughter do it?" Lust asks before looking at Saria. "Isn't it evident that she's not only willing but also desires it??"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})"No way! Not my daughter!!" Nea steps in front of Saria. "She's the future of our people... I can't let her do something that puts all the Mermaids at risk!"
Lucien looks at Saria with a gentle smile. "I'm sure she would never do anything harmful to the Mermaids; after all, she wants to take care of them as much as you do, Nea."
"So you understand how hard it seems to me??" Nea asks.
"Time is passing, Nea," He comments. "We have to stop that dark spell and kill Tyrion before he damages this world beyond repair... your people are waiting for you, so you have to make this decision now."
Nea's brain nearly melts as she tries to think of a solution, and she can't help but wonder how things turned out that way.
She wants to blame Lucien, but she can't do it because although it seems favorable to his plans, she asked him to help the Water Spirit, so she is also to blame for how they got to that point.
She also doesn't want to believe that her daughter wants that soul contract, but it's evident that Saria has already developed a special affection for Lucien, and it has awakened the desire she always had to explore the universe before taking the Mermaid throne.
[What should I do?!?!] Nea finds herself asking that question dozens, hundreds, and thousands of times repeatedly in her mind. And most people in her situation would also be in doubt about such an important decision.
After looking at Lucien, the Sins, and the glass coffin several times, she works up the courage to look at her daughter. "I'm so sorry..."
Saria's eyes get watery as she understands her mother's pain. But she tries to maintain a confident expression as she holds Nea's hand. "It's okay, Mom... our family always made sacrifices for the good of our people, including Kaisa, but..."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})The cute Mermaid Princess pauses before looking at Lucien, and while she does that, she can't hide many expectations. "It won't be a sacrifice for me..."
"That's why I'm so sorry..." Nea sighs but then holds back her emotions and makes a determined expression. "I can't let you do this because we have no other way out."
"Mom-" Saria tries to say something.
"Shhh." But Nea seals her lips with one finger. "My life is already at an end... even if I didn't die in the battle against Tyrion, I wouldn't live more than a few years... But you represent the future of our people, so please..."
"But-" Saria doesn't believe that the Soul Contract with Lucien would prevent her from taking care of her people, but it would actually be of great help to her reign.
"She's already made her decision." Lucien interrupts Saria and tosses one of the instant teleport gems to her. "Take it and head back to camp; we'll be right after you."
She quickly takes the gem and looks at him thoughtfully before looking at her mother; she can't help but hesitate, so Lucien speaks again. "Trust me, Saria, everything will be fine."
"I trust you." She nods at him. "But, please... be nice to her."
He smiles, and Saria takes that as confirmation; then she looks at her mother again, and words are unnecessary as they understand each other's feelings. Then she squeezes the colored gem in her hand, and her body turns into glowing energy before crossing through the shell walls at super speed.
"..." After Saria leaves, the atmosphere becomes tenser inside the shell, and an uncomfortable silence makes everything worse.
Lucien opens the purple world portal, causing shivers to run through Nea's body, but it quickly closes after Mira and Helena enter. The Sins also return to the purple world, leaving Lucien and Nea alone with the woman in the glass coffin.
Nea grows increasingly apprehensive, wondering what comes next. But Lucien eases the situation for her by returning to the glass coffin and gazing at the Water Spirit.
"Do you know how I feel about hard decisions?" He asks casually.
"How?" Nea asks curiously.
A golden gleam passes through his eyes as he looks at the beautiful face of the woman in the glass coffin. "I think there are no hard decisions when our family's safety depends on one of the options."
"That's a good way of thinking..." Nea comments in a positive tone, but her next words make it clear that she doesn't agree with that. "But people who think like that don't have a whole race depending on them, which means thousands of other families, you know."
"Maybe..." Lucien continues to avoid eye contact with Nea to make her more comfortable. "However, I still believe that a good ruler has to take care of their own family before being able to take care of thousands of other families."
Nea wonders about his words, and then after a few seconds, she responds with another question. "Do you know a lot about how to be a good ruler?"
"I can't say I know much about politics in general." He still speaks in a casual tone. "But I have some experience with rules that don't take good care of their own family; actually, I've seen it from the closest perspective possible."
"Your father?" Nea was already curious about Claire's family before meeting Lucien; all she heard was that their father was a horrible person.
But she quickly regrets asking that because she fears that subject will hurt the siblings, mainly due to the reaction Claire had when she asked about her family the first time.
However, Lucien quickly responds in a calm tone. "Yeah, my father is a ruler who failed to take care of his family... and that's one of the main reasons he's called Evil King by his people and not called father by his children."
Nea can't help but feel sad for Lucien and his sister. "No one should have a father like that, but your situation is very different from our situation."
"And what is your status??" Lucien changes his tone to something more neutral and cold as he turns and looks into Nea's eyes.
"That-" Every time he acts cold, she misses his teasing, friendly smile.
"As far as I know, you guys were in deep shit." He interrupts her. "Your problems with Tyrion and the Nagas aren't recent but come from a long time... I understand you wanted to avoid open war, but you let a lot of good Mermaids die because of it."
His harsh words are a truth Nea has been avoiding, but she knows her flaws better than anyone.
And before she can admit that, he continues. "What were you going to do? Do you think taking the war to him now would be best for everyone? How many other Mermaids would die during the battle, and even if you managed to kill Tyrion by sacrificing your own life, Saria would have to rebuild your kingdom alone."
"You're right!!" She responds in an upset tone, yet, she doesn't feel angry at him but at herself.
"I don't want to be right." He walks towards her as his cold expression turns friendly again. Her body feels more and more comfortable with his presence, and she lets him get very close to her.
"What do you want?" She asks as she looks into his eyes.
"I want to help you..." He comments as he slowly brings his hand towards her face. "I am not a heavenly savior nor even a good soul, but I want the best for you and your people because of my own selfish desires."
Nea believes Lucien's words and intentions, but she instinctively brings her head back, trying to avoid contact with him not to be seduced by the devil.
But he leaves no escape for her by acting faster and placing his hand behind her neck before bringing their faces close and their lips together.
[Fragrant, warm, and delicious...] Those are the only things Nea can think of as Lucien kisses her.
