Demon continent Alsace in the year 307 in the 10 month Asmodum on the 25th day after the destruction of the empire.

A feast underwater was no different than a feast above water, except that you didn't get wet at a feast above water, not that she minded that, and basically you could get wet at a feast on land. But she had gotten used to that by now, or rather she hadn't noticed it the whole time.

But now when she was eating she noticed it because with every bite she took, a gush of seawater came with it into her mouth. Which made everything taste a little salty.

Also, the dishes were different, and in some cases, the young Nereus Ilayda had only fetched spices.

There was a lot of variety and most of the food had been preserved in oils or otherwise preserved for transport aboard ships.

The age of some of the food could even be tasted, even if it could not be seen, but it was different again with other food.

Lerna, however, did not seem to mind much as she feasted on the meals for her and for the Nereus Ilayda.

While she sat next to Lucine and among the council of elders of the Nereus Ilayda.

From somewhere benches of white coral had grown up, which again like the reefs and shipwrecks also gave her a sense that they had appeared through the manipulation of time.

It might not be a bad idea to learn from them how they do it if it is a conscious manipulation of time. It may be that it helps me with my basilisk look.

But it could also be that I'm asking too much of them with this.

It was something she could at least think about while listening to Lucine and the elders.

Izatra had come back to them in the meantime and had taken a seat next to Nereus.

She sat on the other side of Nereus, while the other elders sat on Nereus' right, followed by her and Lucine. Then, in descending order, Nereus Ilayda and aquatic creatures sat or swam at the long table, which seemed to be so long that it was lost in the horizon, and yet everyone could talk to everyone, even if they were sitting at the other end of the table.

Which can be really useful, still I would like to know how they do it and if they do it unconsciously or if they have to prepare all this first. As they say, if you don't ask, you stay stupid.

"Lucine can I ask you how you manage that everyone at the table of Nereus can talk to each other, although one of your partners in conversation sits at the other end of the table and thus sits hundreds of feet away from you."

"What do you mean?" To which an uncertain tone had crept into her voice as she looked around the table.

"Isn't that how it is with you guys?"

She asked her as she looked at her again, looking a little uncertain and incredulous.

She had to smile involuntarily when she saw Lucine like that and was reminded of how young she was, even if she was probably older than her demon self.

"That's probably something I can answer better than Lucine."

Joined her Kepa, who had risen from his place next to Nereus and now sat down next to her.

"Also, I can instruct you in other matters if you wish. As Nereus has said, you have done us a great service and we will be forever in your debt if we do not begin to pay it off to you."

She eyed him for a few moments, not that she wouldn't notice if he was trying to deceive her, yet his openness was something unfamiliar to her.

And that, after years of not realizing who Sia and Sappho really were.

Something she was still bitter about, even though it had been almost half a year.

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It seemed much longer since I had fled Lorci.

She shuddered inevitably as she was reminded again of what Sappho's father had intended for her. Anger and shame returned all at once, and she struggled to keep herself under control. Still, Kepa seemed to have picked up on some of it, and Lucine turned back to her as well.

"Sorry if I offended you."

Kepa quickly blurted out before standing up and bowing to her.

"No, no, it's alright, it wasn't you, it was just a bad memory that got the better of me. And please don't bother with the bowing."

She had never been a big fan of courtly posturing, and even here with the Nereus Ilayda she couldn't stand it when people bowed to her, even if it was out of gratitude and not out of courtly tradition or because they wanted to endear themselves to her.

But it was not only the memory of Sia and Sappho but also a much older one from another life in the true sense of the word.

I haven't thought about Father and his snake of a new wife in a long time.

"No, it's all right, please sit down again, and if you want I would be happy if you could answer my questions."

She could read in his superficial thoughts that he didn't believe her and that it was nothing, but still, he would believe her for her sake, if not for his own.

"Gladly, where was I? Ah yes, I wanted to explain to you how it is possible that at the table of Nereus everyone can talk to each other, even if they sit, as you so beautifully said, several hundred feet away from each other."

With a smile that seemed to come from the bottom of his heart, he began to explain to her how they had mastered space and time.

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He did not mind staying away from the celebration and was, therefore, grateful that Izatra had sought him out and also grateful that he could thank the demoness in his own way or rather titan.

He personally had begun to question his job as a warrior before today.

For what had he become a warrior of the Nereus Ilayda, when there was nothing to protect, but now there was again a whole swarm of newborns, all of which were as strong as they had not been for generations.

It was not that he would have simply stopped his profession in the near future, but after one or two hundred years, yes, he would have looked for something else.

But that would now be the time that the newborns would need to grow up and learn everything there was to learn.

Also, there was still the shadow and the feeling that each of the Nereus Ilayda had for a few weeks, which is why he could not have laid down his job yet. Nevertheless, he was glad that there were again newborns in his tribe of such strength.

He also secretly hoped that he would find clues as to what was lurking in their territory and did not want to be seen by them or the gods, that it was shrouding itself in shadows.

But his main task was to find the priest of Diva Eder and to come back from him if something happened so that the demoness could keep her promise to this Larrua, and it was important that she kept it.

It could not be that his tribe was in the debt of an oathbreaker.

This is why he crept through the undergrowth of the forest to get to the city of the Larrua, and it also helped that he knew Eder Priest of the Diva, even if it was only from afar.

Which was still better than the alternative, in which they would have had to send one of their teachers to the surface.

Something they didn't want to do under the circumstances.

The surface was no longer his habitat since he was reborn as a water-born, and tracking was his real specialty underwater, but he could see that people were sneaking around the city. Judging from the traces he could find.

It seems that we may be able to show our gratitude in other ways. Now first into the city and then we see further.

The outside of the city was patrolled by golems and also further inside the city was patrolled, not that this was a problem for him, yet it gave more weight to the demons' words.

So do the Larrua also sense something of the threat or do they have another problem?

By the will of Urd, he found Eder when he disappeared into a large building, into which he followed him to make himself known.

Only nothing came of it, because Eder was already waiting for him behind the door, through the crack of which he had simply floated through.

"What is one of the Nereus Ilayda doing here?"

Asked the latter in a battle-ready posture.

"I am acting as a messenger of the demoness Cali between you, Eder priest of Diva, and Cali daughter of Caleb of Sia and Sappho."

Relief spread on the face of Larrua and also only now could he see that the latter seemed exhausted and had a cramped posture, which loosened a little and also he let the fighting posture go.

"That's good, so she found you, then quickly tell her to come. I don't think it will be long now."

Before he could ask any questions, he was already pushed out the door by the Larrua and chased away with a hand gesture with which one would scare away birds.

All this left him a bit irritated, but it was clear that Eder was expecting Cali's help immediately, so he immediately set off on his way back.

No sooner had he passed through the forest and disappeared into the water than several horns sounded in the forest, startling the birds, followed by the ghastly laughter and hooting of the Mori, who were waiting for a spectacular meal.