CH 422

"Makris apologized for appearing suspicious, and took off his hood."

"Did she turn away too then?"

Cecile's eyes shone as she leant forward, urging Princess Rapsonile to continue.

Allen knew that look, and knew he would never be forgiven if he said a single joke.

"No, she apparently asked him, what's wrong?"

Diadora did not seem to mind his appearance in the slightest.

She even seemed curious why Makris had been so hesitant to remove his hood.

Makris was completely shocked.

At first he wondered if maybe commoners did not pay much attention to appearances, but that was not the case.

The other clients and staff of the tavern quickly averted their eyes from him, like they were seeing something hideous.

(I guess there really are people who don't care about appearances then.)

It was then that Diadora truly became someone special for Makris.

Meanwhile Diadora's impression was that Makris was likely some influential noble, from considering his clothing.

"I see. And that's why Makris is so fond of people of humble origin. That sounds quite different from Rosalina though?"

Shea brought back the conversation to the original topic.

It had devolved into a girls' romantic conversation, but it had started as a way to figure out what Makris' beloved Diadora was like.

They wanted to know what Princess Rapsonile knew about Makris' life.

They wanted to prepare Rosalina for the contest, but she looked far from plain or humble.

She actually chose showy clothes and had a wild and narcissistic personality.

"He did prefer simpler people, but we can't forget that he had never gotten to dance with someone either."

That brought back something else she had mentioned about Makris' life.

He had never been able to dance with a noble's daughter during a ball before.

And that left him with a desire to experience that at least once too.

Because of his life experiences, Makris' tastes were quite wide.

The merchants were also aware of that, so they would always search for various items that aligned with those tastes.

"And so what happened with Makris and Diadora after that?"

"Yes, tell us. Were his feelings able to reach her?"

While Shea was trying to obtain answers, Cecile and Sophie were too distracted by the romantic side of the story.

Princess Rapsonile had only mentioned how they had met.

"I was told that the emperor opposed their relationship."

"Oh my! I could never forget him, getting in their way like that!"

Sophie was angry hearing that.

She thought of the emperor, who also made Makris wear a hood, as her enemy.

(That sounds the same as the picture book.)

The emperor in the picture book had also been opposed to Makris and Diadora's relationship.

Makris wanted to make Diadora his wife, but the emperor refused to allow that.

His chances at becoming the next emperor had decreased drastically due to his bad looks since birth, but he was still the prince of a large empire.

The emperor would never allow him to marry a commoner.

"What happened then? Did he run away from the palace again?"

"Apparently Makris cast away his position as a candidate for the throne."

Makris was also determined to be with Diadora, refusing to step back from his decision.

His feelings were firm, this being the first time someone looked his way.

That was the first time a prince abandoned the race for the throne like that though, sending the palace into chaos.

"So Makris was serious about that. But what did Diadora think of Makris?"

It was impossible to stop the girls from talking about love stories, so Shea also joined in.

"Apparently things went well with Diadora. Makris would always find ways to sneak out and meet her too."

The emperor had forbidden Makris from leaving the palace.

The emperor tried to close any secret exits from the palace, trying to keep the prince trapped, telling the servants and knights that anyone who helped Makris escape would be severely punished.

Yet he would still find holes no one had noticed, sneaking out to see Diadora.

Diadora took notice of Makris' feelings, and they slowly grew closer.

At the same time, the emperor's heart slowly softened, noticing Makris' burning determination.

Cecile was fully slouched, attentively listening to every word Princess Rapsonile said.

Then she recalled the Ultimate Terror mentioned in the picture book.

"Wait, I think it was after this that…"

"Yes. The Sea Monster woke up. Just like in the legend, Prostia was taken by surprise. Apparently there were entire cities that were devoured by the Sea Monster."

'The Sea Monster? So there really was a Sea Monster then?'

Allen finally reacted hearing that, after having been silent during the love story.

"Yes, the Sea Monster is real. It's said to have existed since ancient times, and since millenia ago no one was able to defeat it."

Apparently the Goddess of Water Aqua had told them the Sea Monster had existed since ancient times, before mermen civilization took root in the bottom of the ocean.

'No one could defeat it? Was it something like a Demon General then?'

Allen continued asking questions.

Cecile had forced him to read the Tale of the Prostia Empire while he was working as a servant, so he was always curious about the Sea Monster mentioned within.

Judging from its described strength and appearance, he felt like it was likely a S Rank monster, or maybe a Demon General.

"Aqua didn't mention anything about monsters or Demon Generals."

'Does Aqua have some special connection with the Prostia family?'

Princess Rapsonile sounded quite familiar with the Goddess of Water Aqua.

"Of course. My family has been tasked with protecting mermen from the Sea Monster after all."

'I see. So she made you the guardians of mermen, who revere her?'

"Precisely. There's obviously many other monsters in the ocean, but the Sea Monster is special."

'I know it was only called the Sea Monster in the picture book, but does it have an actual name?'

"Aqua called it the Sea Monster as well, so we just use that name."

'I see.'

(Hmm, a monster without a name.)

"..."

The conversation went from Cecile's favorite love story to discussing the Sea Monster.

She glared angrily at the Bird G summon, but Allen had entered monster hunting mode.

"But as I mentioned, it's said the Sea Monster can't be defeated no matter what. Aqua also called it an immortal monster."

'Immortal? So it can't die?'

"No, the Sea Monster won't die no matter what one tries. My family was told to never forget that. That's also why our legend is so well-known."

The first members of the Prostia family had written the picture book as a long-standing record that the Sea Monster was immortal.

'So leaving that message was the whole reason for that picture book.'

That was not mentioned explicitly in any part of the picture book Cecile had at home.

The story was probably told slightly differently inside the Prostia family and amongst the people.

"Yes. There's a special place inside the treasury where only members of the Prostia family can enter."

(It won't die no matter what? Does that mean no one has fulfilled the requirements to defeat it then? Or is it just so strong no one can defeat it?)

There were enemies impossible to defeat in the games he played in his past life too.

Sometimes they were scripted defeats, or the enemies could not be defeated with a young character.

Other enemies were ridiculously strong, and could only be defeated after acquiring a special orb to weaken them.

Either it was too strong to be defeated, or some requirement had to be met to defeat it.

If not even Aqua, one of the Four Great Gods could defeat it, then it had to be more powerful than a Demon General.

While Allen thought about all that, Princess Rapsonile continued talking.

The Prostia family existed to be the spear and shield protecting the mermen from the Sea Monster. The Sea Monster not even Aqua could defeat had a chance of breaking the seal to run wild. The Prostia Family would borrow Aqua's power and continuously keep the seal intact.

'And the last fight happened 300 years ago.'

The picture book also served to commemorate the service of the Prostia family.

"Yes. It's said that the seal was not fully broken though, so the Sea Monster was in a drowsy state."

(And so Makris borrowed Aqua's power and put the Sea Monster to sleep again.)

The Sea Monster was supposedly beneath the enormous crystal flower.

The crystal flower was around 100 kilometers wide, keeping monsters at bay, and it kept the Sea Monster that could not be defeated sealed inside.

'So he gave up his life as prince and turned into the Sacred Fish to protect Diadora.'

"Yes. I heard that part of the story was factual. Makris wanted to protect his beloved Diadora, so he went to the Water Altar and made a deal with Aqua."

Makris wanted to protect her, even if it meant giving up his life as a merman.

Maybe he could have taken Diadora and ran away somewhere safe.

But Makris chose to protect her, and the rest of the people of Patlanta instead.

Facing an immortal foe, he chose to make a pact with Aqua, becoming her Servant, and turning into the Sacred Fish and fighting the Sea Monster.

Makris gave everything he had, restraining the Sea Monster, and then Aqua made the giant crystal flower bloom there to seal the monster away.

The crystal flower grew so large that it lifted Patlanta from the seabed.

And that way, the Sea Monster was sealed underneath the city.

Apparently Aqua told everyone that that had only been possible thanks to Makris afterwards.

The Prostia family, tasked with keeping the Sea Monster sealed, were unable to relocate the capital away from there.

The crystal flower sealing the Sea Monster also served as a deterrent for other monsters.

The mermen rejoiced in safety, and their civilization prospered for three centuries more.

"The Songstress Contest also serves to remind everyone of something. Makris is still here, watching over us."

The girls were listening to the story with starry eyes, but Princess Rapsonile was not quite done yet.

"He's still protecting mermen then?"

Cecile was still a bit unsure of how the Songstress Contest helped mermen.

"The Songstress Contest always happens when the crystal flower's seal is the weakest."

According to her story, the crystal flower was there to keep the Sea Monster dormant.

Every year there was a moment when that seal was the weakest, when the crystal flower produced seeds.

The crystal flower and its seeds were indispensable for mermen.

The crystal flower was deeply tied to Prostia's prosperity.

The crystal seeds could be used to add effects to items, but also to create charms that warded off monsters from cities.

Because of that, Aqua would make the crystal flower produce next to 10'000 seeds once a year, but that also meant the crystal flower would become weak.

To stop the Sea Monster from trying anything during that time, the Sacred Fish Makris would also visit Patlanta once a year.

He had been doing that for three centuries, always ready to fight the Sea Monster.

All to protect Diadora's descendants, and the lives of mermen.

(Everyone looks so fascinated now. At least we'll meet Makris soon enough.)

Everyone there was impressed by Makris' benevolence.

But that was quickly interrupted by noise downstairs.

There was the clinking sound of armor, getting close to the room.

Knock knock

"Sorry to intrude, Princess, but His Imperial Majesty Ignomas is here!!"

Ignomas and his knights had come to visit the villa.

The girls had been so enthralled by the story that they became nervous.

"Ohh, I see you're getting along nicely."

Ignomas looked at Princess Rapsonile who was sitting with Princess Carmin, and the girls with Shea, all looking like a cohesive group.

Shea, Cecile, and Sophie stood up and went in front of Princess Rapsonile and Carmin, protecting them.

Ignomas had absolute confidence in his Spear King Talent.

He looked at them without a care in the world.

"Stop that, Cecile."

"Don't even try, Sophie."

Annoyed that he ruined such a good moment and her favorite story, Cecile slowly gathered magic in her hand.

Sophie tried to stop her, since that could easily ruin their entire plan of sneaking into the villa.

"So, what do you want!"

While Cecile and Sophie argued with each other, Princess Rapsonile raised her voice at the uninvited guest.

"Don't get so riled up now, I have good news, my empress."

"Who are you calling yours!"

"Calm down Rapsonile, I've just decided I'm going to announce that you've officially become my wife during the Songstress Contest."

"I…I'll never accept that!!"

Shea also became more wary as the discussion went on.

There were many eyes focusing on the yearly Songstress Contest, and Ignomas was planning on using that event to announce Rapsonile as the new empress.

"Feel free to refuse, but I'm sure you already know how that will end."

If she refused, the Prostia family would cease to exist.

"Are you threatening me?!"

"I'm just telling you to think it through. Hahaha!"

Ignomas laughed loudly as he turned around and walked away, saying "I just remembered something funny."

But he did not elaborate on what it was.

Slowly, the highly anticipated day of the Songstress Contest grew near.