In the world of anime and manga, the best partners

Esdeath's face flushed slightly, as if she were longing for something, but she was too embarrassed to say it.

Upon seeing this, Heather smiled and handed a glass of "water" to Esdeath.

"what is this?"

An unprecedented fragrance wafted over, instantly capturing Esdeath's attention. She grabbed the glass of water that emitted the exotic aroma and drank it down in one gulp.

"tasty!"

"Lady Heather, what is this?"

Esdeath was puzzled. She had been in this castle for a long time, so why had she never seen anything so delicious?

"This is my own blend, a honey-infused wine from my hometown... It should taste pretty good, right?"

"It's more than just good; if you sold it on the market, you could definitely make a fortune!"

"I'm glad you like it..."

Hazel didn't elaborate on the matter, instead shifting the conversation to more important matters.

"Blue Fish, you should be able to sense that you are different from the other Golden Descendants, right?"

“Indeed, apart from Lord Caesar and you, all the other Golden Blood combined are no match for me.”

Esdeath was aware of this and had witnessed the power of the Golden Blood. She originally thought it was due to her own special talent, because she herself possessed such abilities, until Hathaway asked this question...

Since Lady Hazel has already asked this question, there must be other factors involved, right?

After all, apart from Crydela, the person Esdeath respected most was Heather, so there was no need for her to say anything unnecessary.

“That’s right, your current situation is a result of Caesar and me working together… because the power of two demigods is gathered within your body!”

Upon hearing this, Esdeath's eyes widened immediately.

Two demigods?

The fact that Crydella was a demigod had already spread throughout the world. Although most people were skeptical, Esdeath knew it was true.

Esdeath had always thought that Celydella was the only "demigod" in the world, but with Heather's words, she finally resolved the question that had been lingering in her heart for so long.

"So you... are you also a 'demigod'?"

“That’s right, Blue Fish. Just as Caesar seized power from the Law Titans, I seized power from the Ocean Titans. But the point I want to make today is not that, but my race.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Hazel placed her siren's tail on Esdeath's tail, completing the two siren's first "mating".

"Mermaid?"

"It's a siren!"

Hazel gently stroked the scales on Esdeath's tail, making Esdeath blush. Hazel also explained the previous situation to Esdeath.

"The legal power Caesar used can only transform you into a slightly stronger Golden Blood, but it's impossible for you to possess the power to become a siren. The only explanation is that you drank the seawater from my belly!"

"First, it was injected with a part of the body of the siren and the ocean demigod, and then it was transformed by the rich golden blood, only the direction of the transformation was changed to me."

Haisen raised her head and looked at the girl in front of her, who was even younger than herself, her eyes revealing an unprecedented seriousness.

"So, you've become my only kin in this world!"

In Onpharos, the ocean has long been destroyed, and Hazel is almost the last siren remaining in the world.

She had no clansmen, only herself.

But now, due to Krystal and Hathaway's unexpected actions, Hathaway has gained an extra "family member"...

If it were the real Heather, she would feel some joy, more or less. Perhaps even the emptiness that clung to her would dissipate considerably?

"Thank you so much, Esdeath!"

Hazel gently embraced the petite Esdeath with her soft body, her face displaying an indescribable tenderness.

Although she is not the real Heather, at least she can fulfill some of those past regrets, even if it's just a little bit.

"I also thank you, Lady Heather. Without you and Lord Caesar, I'm afraid I would never have reached this level in my entire life..."

"Hehe, Blue Fish, you're actually quite talented!" Heather's voice echoed in Esdeath's ears. "Caesar already discussed this with me before; you still have a lot of room for improvement, so..."

"Now I will train you until you can stand beside Caesar with me!"

PS:

I just finished the storyline today. Was my portrayal of Crydella too merciful? Should I have been more ruthless?

Kerritt & Hazel / Scarlet Eyes: Chapter 44 Failed and Died... Listen to Me!

Three months passed in the blink of an eye. Krydira had completely unified the entire north and began recruiting soldiers, making the northern border increasingly powerful.

Most people have a positive attitude towards the Northern Kingdom's agreement, since the stronger the country becomes, the better their lives will be.

But while some are happy, others are naturally sad.

The one who was most worried was Prince Numasekha of the North.

"So they really did come after all?"

Ever since he was captured by Crydela, he has never left her side... This doesn't mean he's always by Crydela's side, but rather that wherever Crydela goes, she keeps this puppet prince with her, preventing him from escaping her control.

Today, Numasekha, who had always remained deep within the palace, finally faced his ultimate fate…

Numasekhar threw the paper covered in writing on the table, then collapsed helplessly onto his throne.

As a puppet prince, Numasekha doesn't need to handle any palace affairs; he can simply sit there.

But today, with the occurrence of a certain event, Numasekha must face the reality that has unfolded.

This matter is...

The court officials submitted a petition requesting the emperor to abdicate!

Upon learning this news, Numasekha's expression was one of great pain, because he had already begun to try to break free from Caesar's control when he became a puppet.

But so much time has passed and he still has no way to do anything about it, not even to secretly cultivate his own power.

Everyone in the palace seemed to have sided with Caesar, leaving Numaseka with no chance.

Numasekha was not a coward, but a prince with lofty ideals who wanted to revive his kingdom. Even as a puppet, he had his trump card: threatening suicide!

If Krydella went too far, Numasekha would even dare to storm the streets alone and point his sword at Krydella... but things haven't come to that point yet, and Numasekha has been holding back.

If things really came to that point, Caesar probably wouldn't have assassinated the king in the street.

Even if the other party really dared, Numasek had already figured out what he should do. He only needed to reveal the whole truth before he died, letting the entire Northern Kingdom know what Krydella had done, and then add that final sentence…

"Even if I fail and die, I am still a descendant of the late prince, a prince of the Northern Kingdom!"

That solves it, doesn't it?

Although this method cannot defeat Caesar and reclaim the throne, it can at least cause him a lot of trouble and make him famous in history.

"If things really come to that point, I will absolutely not compromise..."

Numasek had already made up his mind that as long as Caesar made him do the so-called "three refusals and three concessions," he would definitely not act according to the other party's wishes, but would directly announce the other party's crimes and draw his sword to fight him.

Even in the face of death, I will never yield to the other side!

Boom boom boom!

Just as Numasek had made up his mind, a familiar knocking sound reached his ears.

"Come in."

After quickly tidying himself up, Numasekha let the other person into his study. However, upon seeing the visitor, the prince's expression immediately turned ugly.

"Sword Banner Lord..."

Even Numasekha, who was kept in the dark, had heard of the other party's great reputation, and his face showed an undisguised fear.

At their first meeting, this woman single-handedly defeated 60,000 noble soldiers, annihilating them all. She subsequently became a key figure in the army, leading them in numerous campaigns.

Almost half of the nobles in the entire Northern Kingdom were defeated by Heather, which shows how terrifying this person is... Whether it is combat ability or leading troops, he has almost reached the extreme.

Numasek pursed his lips. Although he disliked Krydella, that little dwarf, he was secretly envious that she had a subordinate like Heather, unlike himself before who had almost no one to rely on!

“Prince Seka…” Heather gave a knightly salute and went straight to the point, “What have you thought about the matter of the letter I submitted earlier?”

Although she maintained basic etiquette on the surface, Hathaway was fully aware of what she was doing...

A coup!

Numasek has been making some underhanded moves ever since he became a puppet.

Krystalla never cared much about these trivial matters, treating them merely as after-dinner entertainment, which left the other party completely helpless.

But this time, things are a little different.

Caesar no longer needed Numasekhar, the puppet prince, because after a long period of observation, Cerrudra had learned that in this northern land, the strong were always respected, and there was no such thing as "legitimate" rule.

It is already a rare act of mercy that Crydella was able to persuade her to abdicate in such a "civilized" way, instead of killing her outright.

Numaseka is not a very politically astute person, and his combat ability is only average, not up to the level of an Imperial Arms user. Especially after his martial arts were crippled, he became even less of a threat.

In other words, Numasek is no longer worthy of Krydela's attention, which is why Heather, her "subject," was sent to inquire about it.

“I agree to this matter… Krydella’s actions during this period are enough to prove that she is capable of taking over this country.”

"I feel very reassured entrusting all of this to her."

Although she verbally agreed, Numaseka already had other ideas in mind. She didn't want the other party to see through her ulterior motives, otherwise her plan would completely fail.

But who exactly is Heather?

Demigod of the Ocean!

How could Numasekha's little plan possibly escape her notice?

Moreover, even without using the power of a demigod, Hazel still sensed the abnormality in the other party.

“Prince Seka, although you agree verbally, there seems to be a fire burning in your eyes, showing no sign of yielding!”

"What if you do something that has a negative impact in front of your ministers?"

Haeserin's tone was gentle, but Numaseka detected a hint of threat and suspicion in it, and could only try to remain as before to avoid being discovered.

"How could that be? I admire Caesar wholeheartedly, and it's impossible for me to do better than him."

"..."

As the conversation ended, both sides fell silent, seemingly waiting for the other's next move.

"...I believe you!"

After a long while, the oppressive feeling emanating from Haesein gradually disappeared, and a smile appeared on her face, finally allowing Numaseka to breathe a sigh of relief.

But the other party's next words plunged Numasekha back into despair.

"But just in case, I need to take some precautions with you. I'm sure you, being so 'willing and convinced,' won't object, right?"

The power of the ocean demigod manifested itself at this moment, and some blurry colors appeared around Hazel, along with that intoxicating song.

Numasek's consciousness gradually sank into these songs, but in the final moment, he still heard a sentence left by Heseryn.

"listen to me…"

PS:

After reconsidering, since this is in the Northern Kingdom where there are few plot points, it might be better to let Kelü be "merciful".

But if you're in an empire teeming with scum, then you have no choice but to be ruthless...

Kelvin & Hazel / Scarlet Eyes: Chapter 45 By the Mandate of Heaven, May Your Life Be Long and Prosperous

"The Mandate of Heaven is not fixed; it belongs only to the virtuous. Throughout history, emperors have all followed the times and accepted the Mandate of Heaven to rule the world."

"I was originally a prince, but I did not inherit the throne. Because my father was of shallow virtue, the people suffered greatly. Although I had the will to save them, I was powerless to do so, which led to turmoil in the northern kingdom and the fragmentation of the country by various warlords."

"The time has come, and the one who has received the mandate of heaven has appeared. It is Kelvin who has accomplished great deeds that reach heaven and earth, whose merits are illustrious throughout the world. He brings peace to the people with benevolence, makes wise decisions on safety and danger, and bravely quells chaos. The whole world submits to him."

"In accordance with the will of Heaven, I will abdicate in favor of Kelvin. I hope everyone will cleanse their hearts and minds, support the new dynasty, and work together to achieve great prosperity."

"Proclamation shall be made to the whole world, so that all may hear of it."