Talk over Tea

-----Yui's POV

Cecelia: "I see. So there were customs like that in your old world."

I can't believe Kaede just went and did that! I mean, it's not like I hated it, but did she really have to pull a stunt like that in front of everyone? I know I was a bit forward, clinging onto Kaede like that before, but I just felt like Mell has been taking Kaede away from me lately. So when I saw Mell come down the stairs, my body just moved on it's own, but I didn't expect the build up to lead to this... Well, thankfully that supervisor and Natalie are still in the kitchen, but still! Everyone here has the same reactions. Sicily and Lillian are smirking at us, Undine and Ona are still trying to comprehend what just happened, with their mom being the most composed out of the bunch. Mell obviously is unfazed and is just all smiles as if this is all normal.

Kaede on the other hand... I was going to say something about the stunt she just pulled, but after seeing her soft, warm expression, it makes my heart tighten up, making me just want to take her and run away from here.

Undine: "I never would've thought something like this would be a thing..."

Sicily: "I think it's cute!"

Mell: "Mhmm!"

Ona: "Same!"

Undine: "Ona?"

Surprisingly, Ona seems a lot more accepting than I thought, along with her mother, leaving Undine left out.

Cecelia: "It definitely is, strange. But then again, I know our kind is also strange, so it's not like we have any say in the matter."

Yui: "Strange?"

Natalie: "Tea is done~"

Cutting into the conversation, both the supervisor and Natalie hand out tea to everyone. I find it strange that this masked person, clad in darkness is serving tea like a maid would do. Makes it seem like he's not as intimidating as he leads himself to be.

Supervisor: "Sorry to interrupt, your grace."

Cecelia: "It's fine. Come join us."

Natalie ends up sitting at one end of the table, with the supervisor on the other end next to the queen.

Lillian: "You were saying that your kind is strange?"

Cecelia: "Right. Well, us Merfolk, we do have problems when it comes to producing females. So often times, the males are too abundant that they end up, "helping" each other. It's quite common."

Weird... When I think of Merfolk, and in particular; Mermaids, I would think they were mostly female judging from all my past knowledge in my previous life. To hear that it's actually the opposite is quite surprising.

Yui: "Wait, so then isn't it really lucky that you gave birth to Undine and Ona?"

Cecelia: "It's purely based on genetics. My family has a strong bloodline of producing females, which lead to our family becoming what you would call, royalty."

So similar to the likes of Inasdale and how light users are considered royalty. So the royal class of merfolk are ones able to produce the most females? Quite strange...

Natalie: "Is that why you're the queen of Yarene?"

Cecelia: "I'm the first queen of this land, as I was the first of my kind to expand out in the land. Naturally being seen as royalty since birth, a lot of my people followed me, which is why if you come to the capital, you'll see many merfolk walking around."

Yui: "Wait, so Yarene is actually quite a new kingdom?"

Cecelia: "Correct. Like maybe 200 or 300 years old?"

Huh? Wait, if Cecelia is the first ruler of Yarene, then wouldn't that make her like centuries old? She doesn't look like she's over the age of 30. And if so, how old are Undine and Ona then? Undine looks to be around my age, but is she actually 80 years old or something?

Sicily: "I thought Merfolk only lived just a little over the life-span of humans."

Cecelia: "Yes, but due to our blood, my family outlives other merfolk."

Yui: "Then, may I ask how old you two are?"

Undine: "About your age, 20."

Ona: "18 for me."

There both older than me... Wait, but that's only including my years spent in this world! I'm technically in my 30's if I count my past life as well, so I win!

Cecelia: "I had these two quite late. The reason being is that despite us having longer lives, it also takes longer to be of age. That's not to mention how difficult it is to mate in the first place."

I'm not even going to ask any further about mermaid reproduction. I'm surprised we're even touching onto this subject, and it seems as though Undine and Ona are quite uncomfortable with this talk as well. In an attempt to change the subject, I drink the tea Natalie had given me.

Yui: "Mmm! This tea is delicious."

Almost instantly, Undine and Ona followed my actions, taking a drink themselves which made me chuckle a bit as I place down my tea.

Natalie: "Thank you."

Undine: "Mm! It's very sweet."

Ona: "Yum!"

Kaede: "..."

Ah, right. I forgot that Kaede can't really taste anything... looking at her drink it while putting on that fake smile really does pain my heart. But just then as our eyes meet once more, her face lit right back up.

Cecelia: "Ah- I almost forgot. Kaede, I'll arrange you and your mother to properly catch up."

Kaede: "T-thank you, your majesty."

Yeah no, you're not going anywhere just yet. I might just ask the supervisor nicely for me to have you for the night instead.

Fleur: "Uhm. What's this tea meant to be?"

Natalie: "Strawberry Cream Tea."

Faye: "...I can see what you mean now, Kaede."

Kaede: "Pfft. I did warn you."

Ah, right. With Fleur and Faye now vampires, they've said goodbye to these kind of things. I feel thankful that I'm still able to enjoy things such as this, but didn't Natalie say she could do something to incorporate wine? Or even blood maybe?

Undine: "Wait... You can't taste this?"

Kaede: "Sadly, no."

Ona: "That's..."

Good job garnering some sympathy from them Kaede!

Kaede: "It's fine. I do admit that my life here was dull and depressing, not being able to live normally... But after meeting Yui again, my depressive life just suddenly became full of light."

There you go again, you're making it difficult if you act all romantic like this...

Cecelia: "Yui... Is that your old name perhaps?"

Yui: "Yes, your majesty."

Cecelia: "What would you prefer then? Yui, or Ellen?"

Yui: "I think... Yui. But in formal situations I think it's best to call me Ellen."

Cecelia: "Got it."

I'm actually glad how this all turned out. Can't believe this all started with Kaede jumping me with that kiss out of nowhere. Just a pity that we can't go any further.

-----Fabian's POV

With the sounds of explosions approaching quickly to our location, we desperately try to wake Lucien back up, but to no avail.

?: "There you are."

The voice was no longer in our heads, but instead came from the smoke quite a fair distance away. and in the next instant, the smoke shot forward but I couldn't see what exactly passed through. Leon quickly managed to create a barrier which almost immediately was truck by quite a considerable amount of force. Surprisingly, the barrier held up this time, but I can see that Leon is struggling quite a lot by holding this barrier.

However, past the barrier, the first thing I noticed was long, black hair with just a few white strands which connected to a humanoid figure. It's skin was pale white with dark clothes. I couldn't see the monster that invaded the academy and destroyed Leon's barrier before, but whatever that was, it had white hair, not this black hair. I doubt Leon could manage to block that monster's attack, so does this make this being a subordinate or something?

?: "So you're the little brat that managed to escape. How fitting to find you here."

Her bright red eyes glared at Leon as he desperately held on to maintain the barrier, but judging from the cracks that are beginning to form, I don't think he can hold out much longer. In an attempt to help out Leon, I jump out from the side of the barrier landing on my side before immediately firing off two fireballs from each of my hands towards the monster. My attacks did end up missing, but at least I got her off of Leon's barrier, giving him some breathing room. As for myself-

?: "How brave, jumping out while looking like that."

I build up even more flames in my hands before unloading everything I have left onto her. But she easily manages to block my attack with some sort of barrier of her own, however I couldn't see any barrier at all, almost as if it's invisible.

Leon: "Fabian!"

?: "Sleep."

Her voice echoes in my head as I quickly start to lose consciousness. My mind drifts off into darkness, unable to hear anything except for my own heartbeat, telling me that I'm not dead, which puts me at ease somewhat.

.....

...

Somehow, I finally manage to open my eyes. I can't tell how much time had passed, but that monster from before was no longer to be seen.

Leon: "Fabian!"

Prince? Thank god you're still alive. Does that mean we won against that monster?

Lucien: "Good. Prince, be sure to heal as many of us as you can."

Leon: "Understood!"

Wait, Lucien's now awake? So he must've been the one that defeated it... I find some strength in my arms to prop me up as I begin to look around. There's definitely rubble scattered everywhere and even more houses completely blown away. Just how long was I out for?