性瘾者

IF ATLANTIS was real, then it would have looked like THIS.

By \'this,\' Neoma was talking about Maan\'s house. In other words, the Mermaid Kingdom under the sea. They were able to reach the kingdom easily because the Mermaid Princess let them use a portal directed to her home.

It was a whole civilization right there.

[So many mermaid tails!]

Neoma, who was inside a bubble that Dahlia created for their group, observed the kingdom before her with awe.

Mama Boss, Lewis, Trevor, and Dahlia were also inside the same bubble.

Those bubbles allowed them to breathe underwater. Also, those bubbles served as their transportation.

Maan, in her full mermaid form, was now guiding their group.

[Princess Maan looks like a D*sney mermaid…]

Maan\'s beautiful mermaid tail shimmered, and her tail had the same color as her hair. Plus, the Mermaid Princess was also wearing those coral shells as brassiere.

[Wow, just like in animations and movies…]

The entire vibes in the Mermaid Kingdom were the same.

Fascinating marine life, beautiful merfolks, and mesmerizing architecture.

And it was colorful.

Vibrant colors everywhere you looked definitely made the entire kingdom more beautiful.

Neoma whistled in appreciation. "Had I known the Mermaid Kingdom is THIS pretty, I would have asked a palace as payment for my service~"

She was only joking, but Maan turned to her with a nervous look on her face.

"We can add a clause if that\'s what you wish, Princess Neoma~" Trevor said playfully even though it was obvious he knew she was only joking. "After all, our side has the upper hand in this deal~"

Maan gulped down before speaking. "If Princess Neoma succeeds later, I\'m sure my father will consider it positively…"

Neoma was about to say that she was only joking, but she stopped when she finally saw what they came there for.

[Holy shit.]

In the middle of what seemed like a plaza, a huge "bubble" that contained Impure Mana was placed in the middle.

The bubble became black because of the Impure Mana inside.

Argh, the bubble already had long cracks over it. To simply say, it was about to burst any moment now.

Neoma gulped unconsciously. "Everyone, we need to hurry."

***

NEVER IN Hanna\'s wildest dreams did she ever imagine that she would be having tea with Rubin Drayton alone.

Yes, Sandie left to give the two of them some privacy.

[As requested by the young lord, of course.]

Hanna noticed that there was something different about Rubin Drayton today. He was calm, unlike his usual self who would often act and sound dumb. In fact, the young lord actually looked intelligent at the moment.

[Is it because of his handsome face?]

Even so, she didn\'t let her guard down.

[After all, this is the person who tried to kill me before.]

"As far as I know, my father gave you and your entire family a warning already," Hanna said, sipping her tea before speaking again. "You\'re not supposed to approach me, Lord Rubin. If my father hears about this, House Drayton will be in trouble."

"I\'m aware of that, Lady Hanna."

See?

[His calm voice suits his calm appearance.]

That was probably why the young lord looked mature and intelligent at the moment.

"And yet you dare and approach me when I\'m not on official duty," Hanna said calmly. "You even muttered nonsense earlier."

Of course, it was the only reason why she granted the young lord an audience.

[I don\'t care if it\'s a trap– I need to know what he meant by what he said earlier.]

""Nonsense?"" Rubin Drayton asked, laughing softly. No, bitterly. "Lady Hanna, you and I both know that it wasn\'t nonsense."

She was shaken by his brazen declaration, but she didn\'t let it show. "I need you to elaborate on what exactly you mean by that, my lord."

"Oh, that I will," he said, then he paused before he continued speaking. "I will tell you what you want to hear at your engagement ceremony, my lady."

Ah, so despite House Drayton\'s current predicament, they still had eyes and ears in the palace.

The preparations for her engagement ceremony with Nero should have been a secret.

Invitations hadn\'t been sent yet.

The fact that Rubin Drayton already knew about the ceremony only meant that his family\'s spies were working very hard.

[I must inform Nero and His Majesty later.]

"I\'m not sure if you only brought it up for confirmation, but I will pretend I fell for your trap," she said carefully. "It\'s true that Nero and I will have our engagement ceremony soon. But, I assure you, Lord Rubin. You and anyone related to House Drayton won\'t be invited."

It was well known within the high society that House Quinzel and House Drayton were currently in a cold and silent war.

[Of course, we\'re winning.]

Her father, the one and only Duke Rufus Quinzel, had succeeded in swallowing almost half of House Drayton\'s source of income already.

[One must be crazy to go in a war against THE House Quinzel.]

"You have to invite me to the ceremony, Lady Hanna."

"Is that a threat, Lord Rubin?"

The young lord smiled as if he was amused.

[Ah, that smile. No wonder this person is hailed as the most handsome young man in the empire. He has the face that won\'t lose to Nero even if you put the two of them side-by-side.]

Strangely enough, Lewis\' handsome face suddenly entered my mind.

Oh, right.

[I think Lewis is more handsome than Rubin Drayton, though?]

"You\'re curious about whether or not I remember the past, don\'t you?"

She didn\'t want to admit it, but the young lord\'s declaration made her freeze in her seat.

But she quickly caught herself and acted indifferent. She was afraid she was already too late, though.

It looked like Rubin Drayton already noticed her expression.

[When did the dumb heir become so quick-witted?]

"I need you to give me the golden opportunity to meet Neoma, Lady Hanna."

"That\'s \'Princess Neoma\' to you."

This time, she didn\'t bother to speak politely to Rubin Drayton.

Even though the young lord was on the list of people that she wanted dead, she still kept things civil between them. However, that changed when Rubin Drayton disrespected Neoma by calling her without honorifics.

[They don\'t have the kind of relationship where he\'s allowed to call the Imperial Princess by her first name casually.]

Hence, Hanna was offended in Neoma\'s stead.

"Right, she\'s finally recognized as the one and only Imperial Princess this time."

He said \'this time\' again.

Hanna felt a chill down her spine once more.

[Why do I have a feeling that Rubin Drayton is being genuine at the moment?]

"Stop speaking nonsense, Lord Rubin," Hanna said sternly. "Princess Neoma is and has always been a princess."

Of course, she had to address Neoma formally in front of a stranger.

[I only call Neoma by her first name privately.]

Rubin chuckled while shaking his head, then he changed the topic– practically ignoring her light warning. "Lady Hanna, you don\'t have to invite my father and anyone else connected to House Drayton." He put the teacup on the saucer as elegantly as any high-ranking noble like them would. "You just have to send ME an invite."

"If you have the guts to approach me this way, then I\'m sure you also have the guts to crash the ceremony."

"Don\'t overestimate me, Lady Hanna," he said lightly. "I only have my handsome face going for me."

Okay, that surprised her.

[Why is he suddenly putting himself down?]

"I don\'t have the power I should have as House Drayton\'s one and only heir," Rubin Drayton said as if he could read her expression at the moment. "Even my level as an archer is average. I\'m sure I\'ll die if I tried to intrude on your ceremony, and I don\'t have any intention of dying until I meet Princess Neoma."

[He\'s… serious.]

"I swear on my remaining dignity that I won\'t hurt Princess Neoma."

"You can\'t hurt Her Royal Highness even if you tried."

The young lord looked shocked at first, then he smiled bitterly while nodding in agreement. "You\'re right, Lady Hanna. I\'m as insignificant as a pebble to Princess Neoma now."

"It\'s good to have self-awareness, Lord Rubin."

He chuckled again, but honestly, he looked defeated at the moment. "You\'re so different from the sickly Lady Hanna I remember. Even so, I\'m glad that a bright child like you has grown up well."

She scoffed.

[Why is he speaking as if he\'s older… ah, right. He is.]

She would often forget that Rubin Drayton was older than her because of how he behaved poorly in the past.

"Lady Hanna, all I\'m asking for is an invite."

"You tried to kill me before."

Rubin Drayton had the nerve to look guilty. "I will apologize to you properly at the ceremony."

She scoffed at his words. "Why don\'t you apologize now?"

"Because I don\'t have it yet."

"And what\'s that supposed to mean?"

"If you give me an invitation to your engagement ceremony, I will help you awaken as Princess Neoma\'s official Shadow."

Hanna\'s eyes widened in shock. "What–"

"Lady Hanna Quinzel died young, but the Pirate Princess awakened as one of Princess Neoma\'s Pillars," Rubin said, standing up and smiling at her apologetically. "I\'ll tell you all about it at the ceremony, my lady."

***

IT WAS beautiful and scary at the same time.

Mona couldn\'t help but worry while watching Neoma purify the Impure Mana contained inside a bubble that was about to burst.

Fortunately, they arrived at the perfect time.

Neoma immediately put her inside the small hole, stopping the Impure Mana inside the bubble from leaking.

Mona almost fainted when she saw her daughter touch the poisonous substance.

But fortunately, nothing happened.

Then she noticed it.

Neoma\'s palm was bleeding, and the Impure Mana was moving inside the bubble as if it was trying to avoid her daughter\'s blood.

Soon, Neoma\'s blood turned glowing blue.

And the blobs of black Impure Mana that Neoma\'s blood touched quickly changed into a lighter color until it completely turned white.

It was a strange yet fascinating sight.

"Princess Neoma\'s blood has the oxygen that has the power to cleanse Impure Mana," Trevor whispered to her. "Don\'t worry, Lady Mona. I cast a spell around us so the mermaids won\'t see how Princess Neoma purifies Impure Mana. Not even Lady Maan could see it. Only Lady Roseheart, Lewis, Dahlia, and I could see Princess Neoma at the moment."

She was glad that Trevor was a quick-witted child.

"Thank you, Trevor," Mona said, relieved. But she got worried when she saw the upset look on the mermaids around them. "I guess we have to deal with the mermaids while Neoma is busy purifying the Impure Mana inside the bubble."

***

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