Chapter 420: Dispute in the Deep Sea
Luke Shaw's Analysis
Carol Ferris was not some naive or ignorant girl. She was smart, diligent, and eager to learn. She became an executive at Ferris Aircraft Company right out of college, and over several years, she had met all kinds of people and dealt with various problems.
These experiences were invaluable life assets. Don't be fooled by her jealousy when she was with Luke Shaw; back at the company, she was a feared tigress.
Carol had a vague suspicion about Xebel's predicament, but her information was limited, so she didn't understand it as thoroughly as Luke Shaw.
"You mean Xebel is beholden to the Fisherman Kingdom?"
"Whether they're beholden is unclear, but one thing is certain: Nereus is desperate for this negotiation, and the Fisherman Kingdom is the opposite." Luke Shaw couldn't help but laugh at this point.
"Wherever there are people, there is conflict. The seabed isn't exactly peaceful!"
Carol nodded understandingly, then asked, "What does any of this have to do with Mera?"
Luke Shaw picked up the conch-device and spoke while walking.
"Mera's mother, the Queen of Xebel, died very early. Given the physical quality and scientific technology of Atlanteans, what kind of reason would cause a queen to die so soon? Congenital illness? Marital conflict? Adultery? Or... war?"
"Last night at dinner, I asked Mera where she learned English. She said the Queen of Atlantis taught her. Based on the intelligence I've gathered, among the seven sea kingdoms, Atlantis is the most powerful. Mera was sent to be raised by the Queen of Atlantis a year after her mother died. I ask you, what kind of father gives his own daughter away for someone else to raise?"
Carol's eyes widened. "Hostage?"
"Other than a hostage, I can't think of anything else. It can't possibly be that His Majesty Nereus coveted the Queen's beauty and used his daughter to test the waters!"
"Fortunately, the Queen we've never met wasn't a wicked stepmother; she educated Mera very well. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so easy for us to leave unscathed."
"Combining the above, we can draw a preliminary conclusion: Xebel's situation is dire. They urgently need new power to change their circumstances."
"Besides that, here's more intelligence: Mera has a twin sister, but the sister has a physical problem and has turned into some kind of sea monster. This means Mera is the only person qualified to inherit the Xebel throne. The situation in the neighboring Kingdom of Atlantis isn't great either; the Queen is missing, and the country is run by Prince Orm. If I were that Prince, I would use every means possible to force Mera into an engagement, thereby bringing the entire Xebel Kingdom under my command. Beauty and power—a heaven-sent, two-for-one opportunity."
Carol was astonished, staring at Luke Shaw like he was a monster.
"How do you know all this information?"
Luke Shaw sneered, a flash of bloody light in his eye.
"This is the deep sea, Atlantean territory. How could I bring you here on an adventure without being fully prepared? To be honest with you, the entire fortress is under Ava's surveillance."
"I'll tell you another little secret: I've already learned the Atlantean language, I just haven't shown it. Some things are less fun once they're spoken aloud."
Carol was speechless. The familiar Luke Shaw was back. Just as before, he held everything in his hands, arranging everything clearly for friend and foe alike, leaving no room for error.
Since he had already made preparations, she didn't need to worry needlessly.
"Wait, when did you learn the Atlantean language?"
"Last night."
The girl looked confused. Did we have time last night?
Luke Shaw chuckled. "While I was making love to you."
"..."
"Luke Shaw, you bastard, you jerk, you... you... you are the worst!"
Carol exploded in anger, like a mad tigress. Luke Shaw, seeing the danger, turned and ran, but was blocked by the Star Sapphire Queen, who had shifted into her battle form after only two steps.
Luke Shaw spinelessly raised his hands.
"I was wrong, Your Majesty. Please spare me this once! I'll never do it again."
Carol reached out and pinched the soft flesh on Luke Shaw's waist, grinding her teeth as she hissed, "Staying up half the night wasn't enough, and you were distracted? Who does that?"
"You're an ass. I'm going to beat you up. You are unbearable!"
The girl was truly angry, pinching and squeezing, causing Luke Shaw to alternate between laughing and wincing. It was quite a scene.
Mera, returning to the scene, couldn't help but look envious. She also yearned for that kind of love, but unfortunately, as the Princess of Xebel, many things were not her decision to make.
"What are you two doing?"
"Nothing."
Carol tucked her hair behind her ear, giving Luke Shaw a hard pinch on the arm before letting go. "We had a small disagreement, but it's all fine now."
Luke Shaw grimaced, wincing as he forced a smile.
"Has Your Highness prepared something fun for us?"
"You guessed it."
"Miya, bring the box over."
Mera opened the stone box, pointing to its contents with a smile.
"On the left are high-grade diving suits made from deep-sea Dragonfish skin. They can withstand the water pressure of the deep sea. On the right are breathing devices. With these two items, you can ride the seahorses and swim freely."
"Come, put them on quickly. I'll take you to experience the beauty of the seabed."
"Then we won't be polite."
Luke Shaw thanked her, grabbed Carol's arm, and started walking toward the room. Carol struggled a few times but couldn't break free. Angry, she squeezed his arm hard.
Luke Shaw's mouth just twitched. He couldn't help but mentally slap himself.
You got what you deserve for being a jerk, for not watching your mouth, for being inappropriate... Now look, I have to sleep in the study again!
After the couple left, Mera walked up to Rola.
"What were they talking about just now?"
"I'm not sure. Mr. Shaw deliberately lowered his voice, seemingly discussing something. Afterward, Ms. Ferris got very angry and pinched him a few times."
Recalling the previous scene, Rola looked puzzled. "Princess, is it necessary to keep monitoring them? With all due respect, that surface-dweller is just an ordinary human. Without his armor, any Atlantean soldier could defeat him."
Mera shook her head seriously. "Do not underestimate them, and do not treat them lightly. That is my father's order."
Rola hesitated for a few seconds, then whispered,
"I heard that the reason the Fisherman Kingdom is delaying signing the alliance is because of Prince Orm. He wants to get engaged to you. Is that true?"
Mera's body stiffened, and she snapped, "Who told you that?"
"Everyone knows, Your Highness."
Rola's face was bitter. "His Majesty seems not to oppose the marriage. If you really get engaged to Prince Orm, what will happen to Xebel? We worked so hard to establish our own kingdom. Must we go back and be ruled by them?"
Mera was silent. She had grown up with Orm, and the better she knew him, the more she wanted to escape. Orm was like his father, Orvax; beneath a seemingly calm exterior was an extremely brutal side. He was an absolute ambitionist, aiming to unite the seven sea kingdoms and then occupy the surface, restoring Atlantis's former glory.
Last year's fishing boat incident was a test, and there would be many more such tests in the future.
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