I heard a commotion between the Duke and a woman, the reflected voices too faint and garbled to understand any words. While the woman was adamant on something, the Duke's voice sounded placating.
"What's going on," I asked the [Bishop]. "The Duke seems to be arguing with some woman."
Father Rhubarb nodded. "I hear nothing but that must be the Queen. She's the only female on this fleet that could talk back to him. Shall we go and see what is going on? It won't do to make the queen distressed right after she delivered twins."
I needed to make sure people kept quiet and respected me. From what I knew, they relied too much on {Appraise} to make their decisions. They used whatever information the ability gave them, and made assumptions based on what they couldn't glimpse based on the people they've seen so far. I decided to let my HP and Energy values exposed, masking the unique resource as MP.
"If you would be so kind as to lead us, father. I would like to pay the Queen Dowager my respects."
He paused for a moment at my denomination for the Queen and glanced at Kendel for a moment. "Indeed. It would be good for you two to meet. Come, you might even get a glimpse of the twin princes."
We made our way to the stairs. Before we went down, I gently held the [Bishop]'s shoulder. "If she accepts, I have a blessing for the princes. Something to aid them in this world."
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Sitting on the bed, Queen Shallot was in severe distress. Not only she'd given birth to healthy and big twins during their pursuit when it sounded as the world was unraveling minutes ago, but her uncle managed to cross the only person they couldn't cross in the entire world. She was tired, she was afraid, she was angry, she was bleeding like she hadn't bled in the last few months.
And yet she summoned enough composure to entertain the guest standing next to the bed in front of her.
> [God-Slayer Truesilver Heroine Princess]
>
> Level 168 Dolphin-Mermaid
>
> HP 33.439.560
>
> MP 69.253.899
>
> Status Information Blocked. Impossible to Pierce.
She wouldn't dare call the mermaid princess a monster even in her thoughts. Her HP pool was higher even than the [Juggernaut], the kingdom's strongest warrior. The irony wasn't lost on her. The black warrior was focused on defense. That alone would be enough cause for worry, but the MP pool knocked all concerns aside. She had more MP than four [Archmages] put together.
The resource pools were troublesome by themselves, but the titles made her want to cry. Only two deities have died in the recorded history of Yznarian. Bundeus, greater god of Sun and Humans, and Nurha-Boenir, the intermediate god of Monsters. The former died more than a century ago, which meant she'd killed the latter.
Their continent was no stranger to tales of [Heroes]. Given that Virturia, a nation rumored to host several diabolists had its nobility all but erased from existence also a decade ago and started to openly fight and hunt demon cultists after they changed the nation's name, she could safely assume the esteemed [Princess] was the linchpin of such transformations.
Bottom line, they were little mice begging for a breadcrumb from the Lord's table. Later on, she would hear a retelling of the combat that killed her husband and would collapse out of relief for making the right choice.
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"Queen Dowager Shallot, it is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Princess Arista of Atlantis, the mermaid Kingdom you are currently visiting."
Visiting, the word lingered in Shallot's mind for a while. Not as prisoners, but as guests.
"I'm sorry to come to you at such a delicate moment," the mermaid continued, "But I believe in striking while the iron is hot, as a dwarven friend liked to say. I heard everything from father Rhubarb and I assure you I'll do my utmost to make you feel comfortable here during your stay, so long you behave."
Shallot saw as the mermaid briefly shot her uncle a sideways glance. She heard her uncle shouting from the deck, the Duke'd always been a loudmouth. But did the idiot think for a single moment he could pull one of his diplomatic tricks over her?
"We are at your mercy, Your Highness. What you require of us shall be done without question, and I deeply apologize for my uncle's behavior. Please forgive this foolish Duke, he only had our safety in mind and meant no offense."
She heard her uncle grinding his teeth. She had to play him as the fool he was, for the man eschewed picking [Appraise] as one of his two professions in favor of a more martial-oriented one, [Officer]. Truly, he could rely on his subordinates to appraise for him but that left him blind to the reality of the visitor before them.
"I'll have none of that," the mermaid snapped, making the laboring Queen flinch. "Such subservience is unbefitting of a Queen. You fought bravely for the safety of your people and your children, and for that, you have my admiration and respect," she added with a mellow voice. "But if you feel you owe me something, please grant me the honor of being your children [Godmother]."
Shallot wasn't at the top of her game and the sudden praise disarmed the last of her defenses. A veritable torrent of emotions overflowed and took over her rational mind. The [Queen] broke down in tears.
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Throwing protocol and station out the window, I climbed on the bed and hugged the Queen. I heard the moment the Duke blew a gasket but I didn't care. I heard some people mistaking my gesture for an attack and Kendel raised his armored hand to stop them. Resting the Queen... no, the woman, the frightened mother's head on my shoulder, I rubbed her back.
"It is okay, Shallot. You are among friends. There's not a single person in this room that doesn't wish you the best in life."
I poured my {Spiritual Healing} to soothe her wounds and heart and then remembered the prize from my fight with the God of Holes Alphabetically Placed First. Pandora assumed her {Gifted Divinity} aspect and hovered next to us. The presence of the [Spark of Creation] would soothe everyone's grief and enhance their mental and physical recovery. I hastened her womb's recovery and staunched the bleeding.
Father Rhubarb was the only one that understood the only nature of the yellow-gold opaque orb and gasped.
Several minutes later, the Queen calmed down. She raised her head and met my eyes, "Thank you, Your High--"
I tutted her. "Arista," I whispered.
"Thank you, Arista. I accept your offer of protection. I'll leave my children in your care," she said, clearly mistaking my intentions. I didn't wish to make the two young princes hostages.
I gently flicked her forehead. "Silly mother. I'm not separating your children from you, ever. Whoever attempts such things will meet my anger. I can assure you nobody makes me angry and... nevermind, you got it."
She released the breath she was holding once I got threatening. "I do. Believe me, I do."
"I'm just going to give your children a blessing. Tell me, what do you think they will become once they grow? What would you wish me to gift them?"
The mother opened up her heart to me, "I want them to be free. I want them to live without fear. I want them to be happy."
"So shall it be," I smiled and winked at her. I nudged her away and the queen released me from her hug. "Do they already have names?"
"Your Majesty, I cannot agree--" The Duke started to complain.
"Uncle Mangetout!" Shallot commanded, "You are to stay silent in the presence of Her Highness Arista. This is an {order}!"
Yay. I loved a well-placed {Royal Order}.
She held my hand, "They are called Fennel and Aubergine, Arista. Darcy, bring them over," she ordered the maid.
The maid - and by her physical prowess probably the young princes' milkmaid - brought the two wraps of sunshine to the bed.
"Aww, they're so cute!" I gushed.
"Princess Arista," she continued solemnly, raising the first one. "This is Fennel, fourth prince of Kohlrabi."
"Prince Fennel," I curtsied briefly, "It is an honor to meet you. I'm Arista and I'll be your {Fairy Godmother}. To you I gift the {Lion's Heart} Perk, so you and your companions shall never despair under adversity. I grant you also the {Slippery Body & MInd} Perk, so your freedom shall never be restrained for too long."
The Queen showed me the most perfect BSOD [1] face one could ever make.
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[1]: Blue Screen of Death, the moniker for the Windows' fatal error screen. Not to be confused with BDSM.