V7.C13 The Race hidden in the ocean
As they ventured deeper into the ocean, the surroundings became darker and darker. It looked like Delphy was taking them to somewhere special.
Leo stretched his right hand, which seemingly disappeared into a void. It returned, this time holding a pair of rimless glasses.
He slipped the glasses on Myu, who was sitting comfortably on his lap. The spectacles were similar to the glasses Yue used. Both versions were enchanted with night vision, heat vision, and detect magic skills. Its frame was created with a catalyst stone to power itself from atmospheric mana.
"Papa, Myu can see now." Her eyes shone with stars as she looked at the hordes of fishes gathered around trailing behind them. Although she could swim, coming this deep was impossible without magic.
"Delphy-chan is amazing~!"
"Mm, but Master is even more amazing." Delphy's soft voice resonated within their heads. "He bestowed me with the opportunity to evolve and become the Ruler of the Sea."
Leo sheepishly scratched his cheeks with a wry smile. He just gave her a name on a whim, not knowing the consequences. All that happened was a stroke of luck. Honestly, it was all good since he obtained another loyal subordinate and a 'female' friend for his daughter.
He resumed patting Myu's head with one hand, and his other hand caressed Delphy's slippery scales. As time passed, Delphy changed direction to the front.
Leo narrowed his eyes at the unnatural light in the distance, looking closer, there were several buildings shaped like a large city.
"Delphy, is that?"
"Be patient, Master, do not spoil it for the Princess."
Myu tilted her head upward, her big green brimming with curiosity. "Papa nano, what is it?"
He pinched and pulled her fluffy cheeks, and her eyes immediately turned teary.
"Wait for it."
Myu tried to overpower the hands, stretching her cheeks but unable to do so, she began to think with her head. The thing her papa feared was...
"Pawpa, Myu will twell onee-chans that you were bwullying Myu."
Leo released her red cheeks and rubbed them while using light magic to heal her slowly. He wasn't afraid of his wives, definitely not!
"Myu, look there."
Myu looked in front. "Amazing nano, Delphy-chan? What is that beautiful city?"
"That is Meropis, the city that everyone here built for me... Even though I tried to deny it."
"Awesome!" Myu exclaimed.
Leo, on the other hand, released a sigh. "I'm sorry, Delphy. I wasn't here to even congratulate you."
"I'm also sorry, Master. I couldn't help in the battle in any way."
Shaking his head, he focused on the city in front. It looked nothing like a new city; the massive walls fortifying the city were uneven and covered with small plants. Behind the walls, several buildings of different sizes were located. It was located on the near end of the ocean, the place far away from the Melusine labyrinth.
As they neared the city, several shadows flashed from the city. A look of surprise flashed through Leo's eyes. The people approaching looked just like humans if one ignored the tail on their lower body.
"Mermaids?"
"Master, they are Merfolk. This city was completely built by their own effort."
The thing that baffled him was that there seemed to be only beautiful females, not a single male. Not that he wished to see a merman.
All of them had beautiful features and fin-like ears resembling Myu while their hair and tail varied from crimson, blue, golden, purple. While the trident in their hands was a mixture of many different metals.
"Master, that is indeed correct. Their kind breeds through a ritual and only females are born, or they can mate with other races. They are also the ancestors of the Dagon race. After knowing the cruel fate of the Dragonmen Kingdom, they hid here in the bottom of the ocean."
A mermaid mating with humans…
As if noticing his confusion, Delphy continued, "Master, their race can grow legs when they are out of water."
This is indeed a fantasy world of magic… Delphy can talk so mature, sigh before she was just like an infant, not even able to speak clearly.
"Fufu…" Her giggle resounded in his head. He shook his head and picked Myu to shift her on the shoulder.
The one in front exuded a cold and sharp aura similar to the silver trident in her hand. Her eyes were pale golden. Her jade-green hair that transitioned to a softer green on the ends was swept back with a long unique shaped tiara with diamond-shaped crystals embedded in its bottom. She was dressed in an elegant white dress that barely hid her breasts and left her belly exposed while it tightly wrapped her tail and opened up in a skirt.
"Master, she is Tifa, the matriarch of the Hezblut tribe."
"Greetings, Sea God. Is he the one?" A soft voice similar to telepathy was heard.
"Yes, he is my master," Delphy replied. "And the girl is Princess Myu."
Tifa immediately lowered her head. "Tifa Hezblut greets his majesty, the Emperor, and the beautiful Princess Myu."
Leo shook his head and deployed his territory to activate telepathy. "There is no need for formality. Since we are here on an outing, I'd be grateful if you can let us visit your country."
"Absolutely. It'll be the honor of our Herz tribe. Girls, you all can go back, I'll be escorting his majesty around the Meropis."
The mermaids swam back toward the city. Their movement looked nothing short of a dance that left Leo in awe. Maintaining the barrier, he swam toward Tifa while a familiar blue light appeared around Delphy, it shrank until it almost disappeared.
Leo observed Delphy, who transformed into a twenty-centimeter body. She cutely circled him as if expressing her joy before she revolved around Myu, who tried to catch her while giggling.
'It seems they'll get along.'
He turned his gaze to Tifa, smiling as she looked at Myu. "Tifa."
"Pardon me for my rudeness, your majesty." She bowed and apologized.
"Tifa, just call me Leo." He frowned when she was about to bow again. "It's an order."
"U-Understood... L-L-Leo-sama." Tifa, blushing for unknown reasons, began to stammer.
He released a sigh, swallowing a bit of water in the process. How can someone get stuck in telepathy?
As if she noticed him, Tifa turned around and swung her tail to dash through the water.
'How is that dress not slowing down her movement?'
He shrugged and utilized the skill on his favorite boots. This time, the wind bullets shot from the base of his shoes were more potent than before. Myu gripped his hair while swinging her legs. Her giggles created bubbles, which made him chuckle as he cut through the water and chased the mermaid who seemed to be escaping from something.
"Tifa, wait!"
He yelled through telepathy to stop. Even with all the boost, he couldn't match her natural speed.
Stopping a few hundred meters away from the gate of Meropis, Tifa turned around and lowered her head as her fin-like ears twitched, possibly from embarrassment.
"Tifa nee-chan!"
Hearing Myu's call, Tifa straightened her back and nodded.
Leo's senses were tingling for some reason.
(Ara, Leo-kun is scared?)
'...'
