Chapter 217 ·Consider It That I Owe Her a Favor

“Um…”

Lilia’s ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍throat tightened, her gaze drifting as she didn’t dare look directly into the Deep Sea Queen’s soul-piercing blue eyes.

There ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was no hiding it anymore.

This ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍mermaid kept calling her boss “that madwoman,” clearly an old acquaintance. And judging by the tone, they might’ve even fought over a man before—or wrecked each other’s homes.

If ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍she kept lying and got exposed, she’d probably end up being double-teamed by these two big shots.

“Well…” ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Lilia took a deep breath, steeled herself, and adopted a “do whatever you want with me” attitude. “I’m Hera’s personal maid.”

The air instantly froze.

Beside her, Dora had been about to pry off a piece of bone to chew on, but she paused mid-motion and blinked curiously.

The mermaid said nothing.

Her beautiful icy-blue tail lightly tapped the ground with a crisp *snap*.

Lilia flinched.

“Heh.”

A soft chuckle broke the silence.

The mermaid lazily shifted her posture, resting her cheek on one hand, examining Lilia with interest—like she was some strange deep-sea creature.

“So it is her.”

Her voice carried a hint of amusement, along with mocking certainty.

“After all these years, that obsessive clean freak actually found herself a human personal maid?”

She shook her head, a sneer curling her lips. “I thought she’d stay like that forever.”

Lilia: “……”

As much as she wanted to argue, that description was way too accurate.

“Since you’re that madwoman’s person,” the mermaid tapped her fingers lightly on the armrest, “what did she send you here for? Don’t tell me it’s for sightseeing—that might fool this dumb dragon, but not me.”

Dora, who was about to protest “I’m not dumb,” had her mouth stuffed with a magic antelope leg bone by Lilia in one swift motion.

“Uh… Her Majesty said there were abnormal fluctuations in the Black Sea and told me to come take a look,” Lilia answered honestly, conveniently omitting the “cut off whoever’s causing trouble” part.

“Take a look?”

The mermaid burst into laughter, her body trembling as waves of motion rippled across her chest.

“Little one, do you have some misunderstanding about your master?”

After laughing enough, she lazily lifted her eyelids, a cold glint flashing in her deep blue eyes.

“Based on what I know of Hera, she would never send someone just to ‘take a look’…”

“But…”

Her tone shifted as her gaze returned to Lilia, the sharpness in her aura softening slightly.

“Siren.”

“Huh?” Lilia froze.

“My name. Siren.” Siren spoke slowly. “Remember it. Don’t call me ‘that fish’ next time.”

“Yes, yes, yes! Lady Siren!” Lilia nodded frantically. At this point, she’d call her ancestor if needed.

Siren seemed quite satisfied with Lilia’s submissive attitude.

She slowly straightened her upper body, her seaweed-like deep blue hair cascading down, covering most of her form yet adding an alluring ambiguity.

“Although I hate that madwoman…”

As she spoke, she reached toward her chest.

Lilia’s eyes widened.

What the—?

What is she doing? There are kids here!

Then, a faint blue glow emerged from her chest.

Lilia instinctively held her breath.

As Siren slowly withdrew her hand, a bizarrely shaped key appeared.

It was entirely made of some transparent crystal, spiraled in form, wrapped with vein-like deep blue patterns, and radiating a warm aura.

“Here.”

With a flick of her wrist, the key traced an arc and landed perfectly in Lilia’s arms.

Lilia fumbled to catch it.

It felt warm—almost hot.

Most absurdly, it was faintly pulsing!

“This…” Lilia stared at it like it was a hot potato. “What is this?”

“The key to my treasury.”

Siren leaned back against the throne ruins, her tone lazy despite the faint fatigue from her recent evolution.

“If not for that strange energy of yours, my evolution would’ve likely failed. I’d have become a real statue.”

She glanced at Lilia, her gaze complex.

“Though you belong to Hera, I distinguish clearly between debts and grudges. You saved my life—consider this a reward.”

Lilia looked down at the key she had just caught from someone’s chest, then back at Siren’s indifferent expression, her mind struggling to process.

This was too generous.

The legendary deep-sea treasury! How many treasures must be inside? And she just gave away the key like that?

“Um… Lady Siren,” Lilia swallowed carefully, “what’s… inside?”

“Heh, greedy little thing.”

Siren chuckled, pointing downward at the pitch-black sea.

“Below are thousands of years’ worth of junk collected by the merfolk—gold, gems, magical items… I have no use for them. If you can take them, they’re all yours.”

She paused, a sly glint flashing in her deep blue eyes.

“But only if… you can escape alive from the things guarding it.”

Lilia’s hand trembled, nearly dropping the key.

I knew it.

“Food?!”

Dora’s ears perked up instantly, catching the keyword.

“There’s food down there?!”

“Leader!” Dora turned and grabbed Lilia’s shoulders, shaking her violently. “Let’s go get our ‘reward’! Now! Immediately!”

Lilia’s head lolled like a rag doll.

You want rewards? You just want to eat her!

“Alright, go.”

Siren waved her hand.

A current of water appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around Lilia and Dora and pushing them toward the blasted opening.

“Don’t disturb my rest. And…”

Just before Lilia was swept out, Siren’s faint voice drifted over.

“Tell that madwoman—this time, I owe her a favor.”

The water vanished.

Lilia landed on the frozen ground at the cliff’s edge, still clutching the warm key.

A cold wind blew past, making her shiver.

“Leader!”

Dora was already lying at the edge, half her body hanging over, peering into the pitch-black sea below, her tail wagging excitedly and smashing nearby rocks.

“How do we use it? Do we just stick it into the sea and turn it, and food jumps out?”

Lilia sighed, got up, and dusted herself off.

Since they were here, they might as well go through with it.

With this overpowered dragon as a shield, her “Time Stop” as a safety net, and this genuine key in hand…

This high-stakes gamble might actually be doable.

After all, it was the merfolk treasury!

If she could grab a few artifacts to upgrade her abilities, maybe she could finally stand a bit taller in front of Hera… maybe.

“Let’s go!”

Lilia waved her hand, stuffing the key into her pocket, a greedy gleam shining in her eyes.

“Into the sea! Treasure hunting!”

“Yay! Seafood!”

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