"Ahem, let's get back on topic."
Coughing twice to ease the awkwardness, Cerydra immediately rose from the pool, breaking free from the two adorable girls clinging to her thighs.
Esdeath's expression showed a hint of disappointment. After all, she hadn't been hugging her for very long and barely had any time to truly feel Her Majesty the Empress's body.
Fortunately, Hysilens noticed Esdeath's regret. She swam right up to her, grabbed the "Blue Fish," and dragged her into the deep end of the bathhouse... As the Siren race, breathing underwater was a given, of course!
As for Merraid and the others, after watching the two mermaids vanish into the water, they turned their gazes to Cerydra, who was walking toward the edge.
"What does your Revolutionary Army think of the Northern Empire I have created?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the earlier awkwardness dissipated without a trace, replaced by solemn expressions on the four faces.
Their attention had been diverted by other things just now, but thinking about it carefully, wasn't this judging a country right to its Emperor's face?
If they said the wrong thing, wouldn't heads roll?
Being with a monarch is like being with a tiger. No matter how benevolent a ruler was, they couldn't possibly let off someone so disrespectful.
However, the Revolutionary Army's intelligence indicated that Cerydra was not someone who could be judged by common sense. Perhaps she was seeking a different kind of answer?
Barbara and Merraid exchanged a glance. They planned to let Merraid answer. Since she was just a child, she'd have an excuse if she misspoke... But their plan was destined to fail.
"What is this?"
Just as Merraid tried to stand up from the water, she found herself completely immobilized. Something seemed to have wrapped around her ankles.
Actually, it wasn't just Merraid. Taeko and Chelsea were in the exact same situation, completely restrained.
"In the Northern Country, hot spring water is incredibly rare, so come play nicely with us!"
"Merraid, we still have a score to settle!"
The two suddenly appearing mermaids seemed to understand the situation perfectly. Hysilens embraced the two little cuties, while Esdeath sought out her old rival, Merraid, dragging them all underwater together.
Seeing this, Barbara knew she couldn't stop them, nor could she evade the question. She had no choice but to answer personally.
"I have traveled the continent, visited the West, and lived within The Empire for a long time... I can assure you, the Northern Empire is the country I yearn for the most out of all those I've seen with my own eyes."
"If I weren't an Assassin, I would certainly want to live under your rule."
This was the honest truth from the bottom of Barbara's heart. Even if Cerydra possessed mind-reading abilities, she wouldn't find any issues.
Barbara had figured it out: in the face of such an absolute powerhouse, sincerity was her greatest guarantee of safety.
"Hehe, don't be nervous. I have no intention of harming you. I just want to understand... the Revolutionary Army's attitude."
"You aren't lying. I can sense your honesty, but that isn't the answer I'm looking for. My question is... what is the Revolutionary Army's view, not yours!"
Although the Assassination Clan was ostensibly part of the Revolutionary Army, they couldn't entirely represent it, and might even be treated as abandoned pieces at a critical juncture.
As the saying goes, the only reason someone hasn't betrayed you is that the price wasn't high enough... Conversely, if the benefits were great enough, the Revolutionary Army could easily betray her too!
After living here for some time, Cerydra had fully realized that the upper echelons of most factions in this world were filthy.
You couldn't reason with them; you could only use physical force!
If looking at it from the perspective of the anime and original work, Cerydra actually felt the Revolutionary Army was decent—being the protagonist's faction, they had to be better than The Empire.
But now, Cerydra herself was a character in the play. She couldn't view the problem from a god's-eye perspective anymore.
Thus, Cerydra urgently needed to know: after making such huge waves in the North, had the Revolutionary Army's attitude toward her changed?
"..."
"They view you as a good ally... but also as an extreme threat."
The surrounding pressure grew heavier. Barbara knew she couldn't hide it anymore and could only spill the truth.
It was strange. She had been an Assassin for decades. Controlling her heartbeat and lying without changing her expression was second nature to her.
Yet, in front of Cerydra, she just couldn't do it, as if she were being influenced by something...
Moreover, she felt a lingering sense of emptiness, as if she had forgotten something.
Barbara subconsciously clutched her head, her expression somewhat dazed. Beside her, Cerydra cast her gaze into the Golden Bathhouse.
Down there, traces of a song were drifting up through the water... The two mermaids were singing joyfully, while the three girls playing in the water were likewise being filled with that same emptiness.
"Excellent. It seems I'll have to keep my guard up against the Revolutionary Army from now on."
"To be sent here at a time like this, they must be abandoned pieces, right? But that's fine. I'll find a time to take them under my wing!"
Having obtained the intel she wanted, Cerydra didn't linger. She flicked her sleeve and prepared to leave.
She muttered to herself before departing...
"Siren, huh? That's quite a nice ability!"
"Could I build a 'Mermaid Army'? A 'Flying Fish Army' would work too..."
As Her Majesty the Empress left, the pervasive, eerie sensation began to fade, and the Siren's Song gradually dissipated.
"Well done, Blue Fish. You've made tremendous progress recently! I'm proud of you!"
As a Siren, Hysilens being able to pass down most of her skills to Esdeath meant she finally had a worthy heir...
To Cerydra and Hysilens, this adorable blue-haired girl was essentially the equivalent of Aglaea from Amphoreus. Both of them were acting as older sisters, taking care of her and teaching her knowledge and skills.
If the day ever came when Cerydra and Hysilens left this world, the heir to the Northern Empire...
Would likely be none other than her!
"Es·death, what do you think you're doing?!"
As the song ended, Merraid scrambled out of the water. Anyone could see she was thoroughly disgruntled.
But Esdeath wasn't going to indulge her; after all, their relationship couldn't exactly be called good.
"I broke through your defenses in an instant, and you still dare speak to me in that tone?"
"Trading blows back and forth in a fight is perfectly normal, isn't it? I haven't lost yet!"
Hysilens took in the bickering between the two. The ocean-like girl simply offered a faint smile and started walking in the direction Cerydra had left.
"Having good friends will surely make your future path much easier... but before we leave, let us stand at the front for a while longer!"