Seven Cubs, Seven Fathers, Zero Days Off

Chapter 229: Chapter 227: Their Royal Family’s Little Princess

The two of them watched as the clans below spoke about the matter with conviction, their passions inflamed. Their own expressions, however, remained largely unchanged as they simply exchanged a glance.

Then, the Mermaid King spoke:

”Alright, today’s sea council ends here. You are all dismissed.”

”Recently, a report came from the envoy of the land. It states that unidentified Mutated Beasts have appeared, attacking towns and causing countless casualties. Although we of the Sea Clan do not live on land, we must still take precautions. This is to prevent any of our people from coming to harm should they venture ashore.”

”Pass this order down. Every clan must diligently patrol the coastlines. If anything unusual is discovered, report it at once.”

The assembly below listened, realizing they had to let the matter drop. They answered in unison before withdrawing from the great hall.

Once everyone was gone, the Mermaid King, sitting on his throne, asked with a helpless sigh:

”Is there any news of Cang Yue?”

The Queen shook her head:

”No. The people we sent out last found him at Wilderness Mountain, within the K Empire’s territory.”

The Mermaid King frowned:

”Wilderness Mountain... why would he go to such a desolate and barren place? That region has always been a place of exile for the criminals of the Land Beast Clan. It’s bitterly cold and harsh...”

The Mermaid King suddenly paused as he said this.

His expression hardened as he seemed to recall something:

”A place of exile?”

He mulled it over. ”What was it that the letter from the land envoy said a few months ago?”

The Queen, of course, knew what he was thinking:

”It said the Duchess was stripped of her noble title and exiled to the barbaric land.”

The Mermaid King shot to his feet, his voice rising:

”Could Cang Yue have gone to Wilderness Mountain to find that Duchess? That child... honestly, what is he thinking?”

He paced back and forth.

”The engagement is off, so it’s off. He didn’t actually go to settle scores with some ugly female, did he? Does our Mermaid Clan have so little dignity? Honestly...”

”Who said I wanted to break the engagement?”

The words had barely left his mouth when a familiar voice interrupted him.

And with it, a figure cloaked in blue materialized in the great hall.

The Queen and the Mermaid King focused their gazes and saw:

”Cang Yue?”

”Cang Yue, you’re back! Where have you been?”

They were both astonished. They hadn’t expected Lan Cangyue to return the very moment they were speaking his name.

But then, the Mermaid King recalled what his son had just said:

”What did you just say? You’re not breaking the engagement?”

Lan Cangyue looked travel-worn:

”That’s right.”

The Mermaid King’s eyes widened. ”If you’re not breaking the engagement, what are you planning? Don’t tell me you want to make that ugly female your Female Master?”

”And another thing, where did you run off to all this time without a word? This is utter nonsense! Leaving the sea area without even telling your Father King and Mother Queen?”

The Mermaid King was gearing up to give him a proper scolding.

But then—

”Father, where is this? Xi Xi doesn’t feel good.”

A soft, sweet, child-like voice suddenly piped up.

At the same time, a tiny figure lifted her little head. She blinked a pair of large, aqua-blue eyes, surveying her surroundings in a daze, as if she had just woken up.

Lan Cangyue immediately looked down at the child in his arms, his voice gentle and filled with aching tenderness:

”Xi Xi’s awake. There, there, Father is here.”

”You’ll feel better soon. Father has brought you home.”

The Mermaid King and the Queen’s eyes widened in shock as they both stared at the bundle in Lan Cangyue’s arms.

Only then did they see clearly: he was holding a small child. Her shimmering, pink-and-blue fishtail was so beautiful it left them speechless...

And that head of signature curly blue hair... a symbol of their Mermaid Royal Family...

Especially her tender, adorable little face, making her look like a tiny Elf carved from pink jade...

In utter disbelief, the two of them rushed down from the dais to Lan Cangyue’s side...

The Queen looked at the little one in his arms:

”Cang Yue...? This... this child is...?”

Her voice was laced with excitement.

The Mermaid King was even more stunned, gaping at the Little Qi in his arms.

Lan Cangyue made no attempt to hide the truth:

”She’s mine. She’s my daughter with Shen Yue.”

The Mermaid King’s voice nearly broke. ”What??”

’Shen Yue? Why does that name sound so familiar?’

’Isn’t that the ugly female from the Duke Mansion?’

The Queen nearly lost her footing:

”Yours? You, you... she, she...”

The Queen was too shocked to speak, pointing from him to the Little Qi in his arms.

’Her precious son was gone for three months and came back with a daughter??’

’And with that ugly female who was not only cast aside but also exiled??’

’This is... too... too insane.’

’And it’s all... so... so fast...’

The Mermaid King supported the Queen, his own face alternating between pale and ashen.

He looked as if his jaw was about to hit the floor:

”You’re saying this is your daughter with that ugly female from the Duke Mansion??”

Little Qi, nestled in Lan Cangyue’s arms, heard this. Though the little girl was groggy with sickness, she still defended Shen Yue:

”That’s not true! My female mother isn’t an ugly female. My female mother is the most beautiful female in the whole world.”

Her voice was high-pitched and child-like, tinged with a frail weakness from her illness...

Lan Cangyue’s heart ached hearing this.

He couldn’t be bothered to explain to the Mermaid King and Queen, because Little Qi’s temperature was climbing:

”Father King, Mother Queen, don’t ask about this now. Xi Xi is sick. Please, help me see what’s wrong. Is it because she was on land for too long and isn’t adapted to it?”

Upon hearing this, the Queen also sensed something was wrong with Xi Xi. Her expression changed at once:

”The child is sick? Quick, let me see.”

Little Qi snuggled into Lan Cangyue’s embrace, her eyes brimming with tears and a hint of hurt.

Seeing the Queen’s outstretched hand, she shrank back into Lan Cangyue’s arms in fear:

”Father, no, Xi Xi’s scared...”

The Queen’s hand froze in mid-air.

Her heart melted at the sight of the little one’s fearful, pitiful expression.

She didn’t dare move, terrified of frightening the child further.

Lan Cangyue gently held Little Qi and comforted her:

”Don’t be afraid, Xi Xi. This is Father’s female mother and Father King. They won’t hurt you. They’ll love and protect you, just like Father does.”

Upon hearing this, Xi Xi slowly revealed her little face, her big aqua-blue eyes blinking like an Elf from beneath the sea.

”But they said my female mother is an ugly female...”

The Queen and the Mermaid King watched, their hearts completely softening.

This was their own granddaughter.

She was their Undersea Royal Family’s most noble and unique little princess.

The first Mermaid Princess to be born in nearly a hundred years.

The Mermaid King was so overjoyed he could have jumped for joy.

He deliberately softened his voice and said with utmost care:

”Alright, alright, we won’t say it. Xi Xi’s female mother is the most beautiful female in the world.”

”Your name is Xi Xi, right? I’m your Grandpa. Don’t be afraid, Xi Xi, Grandpa won’t hurt you.”

The Queen also said softly:

”There, there, Xi Xi, don’t be afraid. I’m your Grandma. Grandma won’t say it anymore either!”

”Grandma will love Xi Xi too. This is your home, Xi Xi. You’re home now, so don’t be scared, okay...”

Only then did Little Qi’s expression relax.

She seemed less timid around the two of them now...

Seeing this, the Queen reached out her hand again:

”Come, let Grandma see if Xi Xi is sick. Grandma has a way to make Xi Xi feel better, okay, sweetie.”

This time, the Queen successfully took Xi Xi into her arms.

But the moment she held her, she was alarmed:

”Why is she so hot?”

Hearing this, the Mermaid King at her side worriedly reached out and placed his hand on Xi Xi’s forehead.

Immediately, his expression turned grave:

”This temperature isn’t right.”

”Our Sea Clan bodies can’t possibly endure such a high temperature.”

Lan Cangyue instantly grew tense. He looked at his parents:

”Father King, Mother Queen, what’s wrong with Xi Xi? Can you tell what it is?”

The Queen and the Mermaid King exchanged a look.

They both looked unsettled.

The Mermaid King thought for a moment:

”Don’t panic just yet.”

With that, he shouted to the guards at the door:

”Go, summon the Sea Witch!”

The soldier at the door heard the command. ”Yes, Your Majesty.”

When the Sea Witch arrived, Lan Cangyue, the Mermaid King, and the Queen were standing in a bedchamber in the Royal Palace.

Xi Xi had already fallen unconscious again and was now lying on a water bed.

Lan Cangyue looked at the Mermaid King with a shocked expression:

”Father King, are you saying... that the Sea God’s prophecy is being fulfilled through Xi Xi?”

”But isn’t that just a legend? How could it possibly be real?”