Chapter 144: Past

Mira explained, “Swimming together with a mermaid increases your speed, we’re already very far from the coast.”

“Then how do we get back?”

“When it’s time to return, we will escort you back,” the old turtle said with confidence.

Ethan looked up, a majestic palace materialized before them.

“Wow…” It was a palace built from coral and reef rock, sunlight filtered down through the seawater and illuminated the palace, rendering it a magnificent, colorful spectacle, Ethan, Zharok, Pearl, and Liora stared, utterly transfixed.

“A long time ago,” Mira said proudly, “our very first Mermaid Queen fell in love with a Sea Dragon.”

“Oh?” It seemed she was about to explain why the palace bore that name.

Mira swayed her tail and swam forward, pointing to a massive boulder behind the palace. “At that time, our merfolk race was persecuted by other races, humans, beastmen, elves, dwarves — even others joined in, they all coveted us.”

“Why?”

“Because someone spread a rumor that eating mermaid meat grants immortality, the dwarves built fishing boats, humans and elves hunted us from those boats, other races soon joined the slaughter.”

“That was a long time ago,” one of the old turtles added bitterly.

“Those bastards even threatened our Turtle Tribe — said if we didn’t help them catch mermaids, they’d roast us and eat us.”

“Lord Sea Dragon couldn’t bear to see our race brutally slaughtered, so he stepped forward to protect us.”

“And then?”

“During the battles, he and our first Mermaid Queen fell in love, they became husband and wife, fought side by side, and forced the other races to sign a peace treaty.”

“And that settled it?”

“They signed the treaty in the name of the World Tree, anyone who violated it would suffer the World Tree’s punishment — that’s why the other races never dared attack us again.”

Ethan glanced at Liora. ‘The World Tree has that kind of power?’

Liora caught his look and shook her head, she didn’t know either.

It seemed they would only find out the answer after the World Tree grew up.

Ethan patted Liora’s head and then said to Mira: “So to express gratitude for Lord Sea Dragon’s protection, you built this palace and named it the Dragon Palace after him, and to commemorate him, you changed the Queen’s title to Dragon King.”

“That’s right, that massive boulder is Lord Sea Dragon’s incarnation, after the first Queen passed away, he was so heartbroken that he chose to fall into a deep slumber, later, his body was covered in massive amounts of coral and reef rock, becoming what it is today — forever guarding our race.”

“That is truly magical.”

“Long-lived races all encounter this problem, that is why they are unwilling to form deep emotional bonds with short-lived races.” Ethan thought of the giant dragon, she frequently came to the cabin to eat affogatos and other desserts, perhaps he was causing trouble for her?

“It’s fine, meow~”

“Is it?”

“How about you teach her how to make an affogato, meow?”

“Good idea.”

“We are about to enter the Dragon Palace, are you ready?”

“Is there anything we need to prepare for?”

“Well, the curse on Her Majesty might make you feel a bit uncomfortable.” Mira’s expression turned grave.

Pearl glanced at the old turtles and noticed they also seemed unwilling to enter the Dragon Palace.

‘Could it be…’

Pearl thought of the incidents they had encountered in the Northern Region, the mine in the Fox Beastmen’s territory, that cursed cave near the cliff, both had given it the creeps, could the Mermaid Queen’s curse be related to those things?

“Urgh…” As they approached the Dragon Palace, the old turtles carrying them let out groans of pain, they seemed unable to get any closer and could only stop where they were.

Ethan smiled ruefully, it seemed they would have to walk the rest of the way. “Are you guys alright?”

“A bit uncomfortable, but we can manage, meow~”

“I’m fine too.”

“Liora, what about you?”

“I’m fine.” She flashed a Liora made a V-sign to show she was doing well.

Seeing their determined expressions, Mira was moved. “If you can’t hold on, tell me.”

She reminded them once more, then took Ethan’s hand and walked toward the Dragon Palace.

Arriving at the main gates of the Dragon Palace, they saw several mermaid guards standing in strict formation, weapons in hand.

“Who are they?!”

“They brought the liver of a Blood Rabbit!”

“What?!” Hearing Blood Rabbit’s liver, the mermaid guards’ eyes instantly widened, they looked at Ethan in sheer and utter disbelief.

He opened the box and showed them the blood-red chunk of meat.

The guards lowered their weapons, excitement flooding their faces. “Please, come in!”

They seemed barely able to contain themselves.

Led by the mermaid guards, Ethan and his group passed through a long corridor and arrived before a large door.

“We can only escort you this far, lady Mira, we leave the rest to you.”

“Rest assured.”

“Lady Mira?” Seeing the guards acting so respectfully toward Mira, both Ethan and Zharok felt very curious.

“It seems your status is quite extraordinary.”

Mira scratched her cheek in embarrassment. “My mother is the Mermaid Queen.”

“So you’re a princess, should we be using honorifics with you, then?”

“No need, you are benefactors who have come to save my mother; there is no need to be so formal with me.”

“Then I thank you, can we go in now?”

“Yes, but you’d best prepare yourselves mentally.” Mira said this and pushed open the heavy doors.

Inside lay a stone bed, upon it rested a mermaid woman, thin as a skeleton, her breathing was faint, barely there, she looked as if she could die at any moment.

Seeing her in such pain, Ethan couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow.

“Ethan, I sense the power of Chaos on her, meow~”

“Yeah, I sense it too, what exactly is going on?” The power of Chaos emanating from the Mermaid Queen was even stronger than that of the monsters Ethan had encountered in the northern temple.

Ethan opened the box, took out the Blood Rabbit’s liver, and asked, “What do we do?”

“Just have her eat it, give it to me.” Mira took the Blood Rabbit’s liver and walked to the Queen’s side, she looked at her mother with heartache, then crushed a human-shaped herb into juice and smeared it over the Blood Rabbit’s liver before bringing it to the Queen’s lips.

“Gack…!!” After swallowing it, the Queen began coughing violently, she struggled to sit up, retching continuously, finally, she vomited out a cloud of white mist.

“…Looks like we’re in for a fight.” Zharok’s voice went cold.

Ethan tightened his grip on the Holy Sword.

The ball of white mist churned continuously, eventually transforming into a monster.

“It’s a Minion of Chaos, meow~” Pearl exclaimed, the monster looked exactly like the Minion of Chaos Ethan had encountered in the northern mine, six arms, three heads, six eyes.

Mira and the other mermaids were dumbfounded by the sight before them.

The Minion of Chaos spread its arms and let out an ear-splitting roar.

“ROAR!!!”

“Ahhh!!!” The mermaids covered their ears and screamed in agony.