Chapter 83: Merfolk Fairy Tales (VII)

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Chapter 83: Merfolk Fairy Tales (VII)

The courtyard where the spider lilies bloomed had become even more enchanting. Their red petals seemed almost alive, as though fresh blood flowed through them. Standing beside the workbench, Miao Lichen held a transparent crystal vial. Within it, a scarlet glow churned restlessly, like a living thing struggling to break free. Pressing his lips together, he rested the vial in his palm. An invisible stream of power flowed into it, gradually calming the agitated red energy. As he did, the spider lilies surrounding him began to wither. It was as though the workbench standing at the center of the sea of flowers had been built solely for this moment.

Red lines slowly spread across the smooth white surface of the workbench, carving themselves into it one by one. The stark contrast between white and blood-red made the sight all the more cruel. The spider lilies faded from brilliant bloom to withered decay before finally crumbling into ash, scattering on the wind until not a trace of red remained. Every drop of their sap had become the pigment filling the engraved lines on the workbench, and those lines existed for the sake of a single potion.

Leaning against the bed, Lin glanced absentmindedly out the window. Perhaps because he had grown accustomed to seeing that same red color associated with the wizard every time he looked outside, the empty courtyard left him with an inexplicable sense of loss, as though something important had vanished. His gaze softened the moment it settled on the solitary figure standing beside the workbench, though he either failed to notice the change or deliberately ignored it. Almost unconsciously, his hand came to rest over his abdomen, a protective gesture instinctive to anyone carrying a child. Unfortunately, no one noticed.

Rising slowly, he leaned against the window. With the birth drawing near, and carrying the forbidden offspring born of both wizard and merfolk blood, his body had become exceptionally weak. If he could sit, he would never stand. If he could lie down, he would never sit. Ever since returning from that outing, he had scarcely left the bed, yet today he found himself wanting to get up.

From where he stood, he had a perfect view of Miao Lichen’s profile. That exquisite face was captivating from every angle, and fascination gradually filled Lin’s eyes. As a prince, he had seen countless beauties, both men and women, yet Miao Lichen was undoubtedly the most beautiful person he had ever encountered. His beauty transcended gender itself. It was simply that few people possessed the leisure to admire the beauty of a wizard.

The thought filled him with an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. His gaze slowly traveled over Miao Lichen from head to toe several times. They said a man was most attractive when he was fully focused, and the saying was indeed true. Those eyes that usually revealed so little were now filled entirely with concentration. If they had been fixed upon another person instead of the vial, no one could have resisted such a gaze. They would have been utterly lost in that illusion of tenderness. At that moment, Lin found himself genuinely envying the crystal vial. It held the wizard’s complete attention, while he himself could do nothing but watch his back.

Jealous? Instinctively, Lin tried to curl his lips into a scoff. It had always been others who envied him, the Prince of the Western Sea. Who could possibly make him feel jealousy? Yet a trace of bitterness surfaced at the corners of his lips. He really was… a little jealous. The wizard’s gentleness was simply too perfect, too considerate, and he had begun to lose himself in it. They were both creatures who belonged to the darkness. Miao Lichen’s body was cool to the touch, utterly devoid of warmth, yet being close to him always felt strangely comforting. Perhaps it was because his own body burned too hot, and he had grown accustomed to the balance created when their temperatures met.

Subconsciously, Lin refused to examine those feelings any further. He feared that if he dug any deeper, something would shatter, and the convictions he had always clung to would lose their meaning. He had always walked his own path with unwavering determination. He needed no one to influence him, nor would he ever change because of anyone. The warmth that had briefly appeared in his eyes faded, replaced once more by cold indifference. The smile on his lips became openly mocking, and his entire demeanor carried a chill that kept others at a distance.

∇ Capture Target Lin Favorability: 80.

A crisp, crystalline sound rang out beside his ear, and Lin instinctively looked up. The wizard’s barrier seemed to have been struck by a tremendous force as it began to shatter, breaking apart into countless tiny crystalline fragments. Yet before a single shard could fall to the ground, they were drawn away by an invisible force, surging toward where Miao Lichen stood—or more precisely, toward the workbench before him.

The red patterns engraved across the workbench grew brighter and brighter before the surface itself cracked apart, leaving behind only a single thread of scarlet energy. A faint smile curved Miao Lichen’s lips as he watched that crimson thread slowly flow into the vial, becoming a bottle of scarlet liquid. His lips, usually full of color, had turned pale and were beginning to crack.

Ignoring the ruin that the courtyard had become, Miao Lichen turned and walked back into the house. His footsteps retained their usual measured rhythm, every movement carrying the grace of a noble. Yet anyone paying close attention could see the faint unsteadiness beneath that composure.

Lin watched him approach step by step. His fingers unconsciously tightened, conflict flickering in his eyes, but in the end he never took a single step forward. His brows trembled faintly as the cold detachment surrounding him quietly faded away. His gaze lingered on Miao Lichen’s cracked lips, and, for some unknown reason, he unconsciously ran his tongue across his own. As a merfolk, his entire body carried the cool freshness of water, even his lips retaining a faint, refreshing chill. It constantly reminded him of the difference between himself and the wizard. They belonged to two different worlds, and their destinies were never meant to intertwine.

He forced himself to look away from Miao Lichen. Without the crimson spider lilies, the empty courtyard appeared unusually bleak. A vast stretch of blankness lay before him, as though a veil of mist had descended, obscuring the path ahead. Perhaps… he was simply overthinking it.

His path had always been clear. From the day he was born, he had known he was a Prince of the Western Sea. Later, he had become its Crown Prince, and one day he would become the sole ruler of the Western Sea Dragon Palace. Nothing could ever alter that. He would never allow anyone to interfere with the course of his life. Every decision he had made since birth had been for that single goal, and every decision he made in the future would be the same. As for what would come after he achieved it… he had never considered that. Nor did he believe he had the right to.

For some reason, an inexplicable emptiness settled in his heart. By the time he came back to himself, Miao Lichen was already standing before him. Lowering his gaze, he saw the crystal vial resting in the wizard’s pale palm. The liquid inside was a vivid red, so red it resembled fresh blood, and he almost imagined he could smell it. Looking closer, he realized the liquid wasn’t uniform at all. Countless crimson strands intertwined within the vial, reminding him irresistibly of flowing blood.

Lin took the crystal vial of red liquid from Miao Lichen’s hand, his fingers brushing the wizard’s pale skin. The icy chill of that fleeting touch made him instinctively want to recoil. Miao Lichen’s body had always been cool, but never like this. This coldness was deathly, as though it belonged to someone no longer alive.

“Drink it. Once you do, the child will be born.” At the mention of the child, a trace of gentleness flickered through Miao Lichen’s eyes. His gaze rested on the red liquid in Lin’s hand with profound intensity. If he had to describe it, it was not tenderness but resolve, a resolve that held not the slightest trace of hesitation or attachment.

Lin pressed the hand holding the red vial against his chest. The unease in his heart continued to grow, as though he were about to lose something immeasurably precious. Ever since conceiving this child, he had become less and less like himself. He had grown hesitant, sentimental, and far too easily swayed by emotion. Though he had never read such books himself, he had often heard that pregnant women experienced unstable emotions. He was a merman, yet he too carried a child. Perhaps that explained it. Then… once this child was born, everything would return to normal.

No… to be more precise, once this child offered up all of its power to him and died… Everything would return to the path he had chosen. He would no longer find his eyes drawn to Miao Lichen again and again. He would no longer soften his heart because of him, nor allow himself to waver because of him.

Pulling the stopper from the crystal vial, Lin let it fall to the floor. Although the stopper had originally been one with the crystal bottle, it bore not a trace of red. It struck the ground with a crisp, ringing sound.

Watching Lin drink the contents, Miao Lichen lifted him into his arms and laid him gently upon the bed. Yet his movements were far less effortless than the countless times he had done so before. Leaning against the wall, the trace of caution and concern in his eyes gradually faded as he fixed his gaze upon Lin’s abdomen, watching the unborn child absorb Lin’s strength and the power contained within the potion. He could also see that the child’s absorbed energy was being siphoned away by another force, flowing back and forth in an endless cycle. That cycle would continue until the child was born.

A dazzling light erupted from the bed, forcing everyone to squint. Only after a long while did the radiance finally fade. Lin, lying upon the bed, showed none of the weakness one would expect after giving birth. Instead, he appeared full of vitality. Beside him, a little merchild with a crimson tail happily swished it back and forth before eagerly throwing himself toward Miao Lichen.

∇ Capture Target Lin Favorability: 90.

Miao Lichen opened his arms, allowing the little one to dive happily into his embrace. He dressed the child in a tiny red outfit that fit as though it had been custom-made. As expected… anything produced by the system was guaranteed quality. Raising his head to glance at Lin, he spoke in a perfectly even tone. “You’ve obtained what you wanted, and I’ve accomplished my objective. This was a transaction from the beginning. Now that it’s over, you’re free to leave.” Wizard Chen had always liked making deals, so long as they were, in his view, fair exchanges.

Miao Lichen also liked making deals, but he was always the only one who truly benefited. What he demanded from others was affection, yet he had no intention of giving his own heart in return.

Lin’s hand instinctively tightened at those words before slowly relaxing. It had indeed been a transaction, and one he himself had initiated. What differed from his expectations was that the person he believed he had deceived had been an honest trader all along. Now that their transaction had ended, there seemed to be nothing left between them except… this child. But what did this child truly represent? Hadn’t he originally wanted a wizard with overwhelming power? Why had it become… a red-tailed merchild capable of using magic instead?

He had never truly understood Miao Lichen, while the other man had seen through every one of his thoughts with perfect clarity. In this transaction, the one who believed himself the victor had actually been the one at a disadvantage.

Lin watched as Miao Lichen carried the newborn child farther and farther away until both disappeared from sight, yet he made no move to follow. He had no reason to chase after them, nor should he. The only thing he had ever truly wanted was the throne of the Western Sea Dragon Palace. A trace of red suddenly appeared at the corner of his lips, and he casually wiped it away. Perhaps his newly acquired power had increased too suddenly, making it difficult to control…

Yet it happened the moment the wizard walked away.

Sometimes, the body was more honest than the heart.

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