Chapter 114
Nina shoved Lex away and immediately looked down into her arms.
Sure enough—the egg she had been holding was cracking.
She quickly placed the egg gently on the bed and turned to glare at Lex.
“What are you doing here p>
Lex’s handsome face flushed crimson. For once, the usually composed merman king looked completely at a loss.
He certainly couldn’t admit that he had come to steal a cub—only to forget his purpose because she had kissed him senseless.
He bit his lip faintly. Her lingering fragrance still clung there. He stood stiffly in place, unsure how to answer.
At that very moment, the illusion shattered.
Odian woke just in time to see Lex being pushed away by Nina. His gaze turned razor-sharp.
“You damned fish! You dare use such despicable tricks to take advantage of Nina? I’ll kill you p>
He lunged forward. The room was too small—and Nina and the cubs were inside—so neither dared use their powers. They fought with their fists alone.
Outside, the mermen who had come to warn Lex froze in shock at Odian’s words.
Wasn’t His Majesty here to steal the young prince? How did this turn into him taking liberties with the queen?
Was it… a moment of weakness? Or had His Majesty found an excuse?
Regardless, they had to save him before he was beaten to death. They rushed inside and immediately began pleading with Nina.
“Your Majesty’s Queen, please spare him! He only acted so because he likes you too much p>
“Yes, Your Majesty’s Queen! His Majesty truly admires you—day and night, he longs for you. He simply couldn’t restrain himself p>
“Please forgive His Majesty p>
Nina frowned deeply.
They called her “queen.” So this male was the merman king?
Now that she thought about it, he had indeed referred to himself as “this king” before.
The seas were vast, and she remembered that there were multiple merfolk clans. She had no idea which one he ruled.
She glanced at the egg on the bed, now visibly cracking further, then at the two males grappling nearby.
After a soft sigh, she said, “Odian, stop. The cub is about to hatch p>
The cub came first. She had no energy to deal with the merman right now.
Odian withdrew, though he shot Lex a murderous look.
This wasn’t over.
Lex, hearing his subordinates’ dramatic confessions, felt his private thoughts laid bare. Embarrassment crept up his neck.
Why hadn’t he pushed her away immediately?
Why had he… sunk into it?
Did he truly… His thoughts tangled into chaos.
He stole a guilty glance at the egg in Nina’s arms. No matter what, she could never find out he had originally come to steal it.
The mermen sighed in relief. Fortunately, the queen was magnanimous.
Kith and the others, having heard the commotion, hurried in as well. When they saw Lex inside the room, their brows furrowed.
That fish again?
They had briefly fallen into some kind of dreamlike state earlier—it had to be his doing.
“Nina, are you alright?” Kith asked.
“I’m fine,” she replied. “A cub is hatching p>
Their expressions immediately brightened, and Lex was forgotten for the moment.
Everyone held their breath. The egg cracked quickly—faster than the others had—and unlike the previous hatchings, this shell split cleanly down the middle.
Ridan and the others crowded in, filling the room.
All eyes fixed on the egg.
What would it be?
Kith’s breathing grew faintly heavier. Would it be his little white tiger?
Finch twisted the hem of his clothes. Perhaps his little fox?
Aviel clenched his fists. Surely another dragon.
Only Lex stood with forced composure. This one had to be his merman cub.
The mermen, seeing his calm expression, felt a surge of hope.
It must be their little prince.
The crack widened—
Then with a sharp snap, the shell split apart.
A streak of black appeared in the center.
Black?
Everyone froze.
Nina blinked.
Black?
She looked around the room. Did any of these species have black hatchlings?
Kith and Finch exchanged glances. Their clans occasionally had rare black variants—but certainly not bald ones.
Aviel frowned.
A mutation?
Lex’s eyes widened.
Why would his merman cub be black p>
The shell separated further. The tiny hatchling wriggled beneath the remaining fragment, spinning in circles anxiously.
Waaah… Mother, where are you? Why can’t I see you?
Linny zipped forward and flipped the shell piece off his head.
At last, the little one was revealed.
He had sleek, obsidian-black scales with a faint violet sheen, like polished jade. His round little head held a pair of wide, bright eyes filled with innocence and confusion. His tiny mouth opened slightly, a pink forked tongue flicking out.
His body was slightly chubby, with a long, slender tail… And small wings sprouted from his back.
He looked utterly adorably clueless.
The little one blinked in the light, glancing around timidly in search of Nina.
When he found her, he flapped his wings clumsily and wobbled toward her before tumbling into her arms.
“Mother… little snake is scared p>
Everyone was stunned.
A teng snake.
Another new species?
Kith and the others stared at Nina in disbelief. She truly was miraculous.
Still, after everything they had already experienced, they accepted it quickly enough.
Lex stood frozen. Where was his merman cub?
He had clearly sensed it earlier. Had these cubs somehow interfered with his perception?
What terrifyingly gifted little beings.
The mermen were equally dumbfounded.
Where was their young prince?
Nina gently stroked the little snake.
“It’s alright. Mother’s here p>
Feeling her touch, the little snake relaxed and nuzzled her affectionately.
After thinking for a moment, Nina smiled.
“How about I name you Mochi? And since you follow your brothers’ nicknames, we’ll call you Momo p>
The little snake beamed.
I love the name Mother chose!
The other cubs crowded around to celebrate Momo’s hatching. Soon, the room filled with laughter and cheerful chaos.
Momo adapted quickly and began exploring, no longer clinging exclusively to Nina.
Warm smiles spread unconsciously across the males’ faces.
Ridan and the others soon slipped out happily to prepare a grand feast.
They had to celebrate properly.
The mermen, though disappointed, were genuinely happy for Nina and the newborn cub.
As for preparing milk for Momo, that duty naturally fell to Odian.
However, Momo seemed slightly afraid of him and refused to snuggle close, preferring to drink milk from Nina’s arms.
Perhaps because Momo’s arrival had put Nina in such high spirits, she ultimately allowed Lex and the mermen to leave without further confrontation.
Lex cast her a complicated look before turning away.
Once outside, he sternly instructed his subordinates never to reveal that he had come to steal the egg.
They nodded vigorously, swearing absolute silence.
Lex gazed toward the distant direction of Sea-Blue City.
Should he still return?
The next morning dawned bright and clear.
When Nina woke, she found all the cubs already up, playing together.
The moment they saw her stir, they ran over eagerly to cuddle against her.