Chapter 207: Can’t Disappoint

"And Thalassa?" Ereon’s voice was the one that broke the silence.

"Sleeping," Cassian replied calmly.

The general frowned and lowered his head, deep in thought.

King Oreon would be the next to question them:

"Who is she?" he asked, pointing toward Adela in her maid outfit; his expression did not reveal the irritation growing inside him.

But before she could introduce herself, Nereon’s voice interrupted:

"A maid dares to sit at the same table as us? Oreon, who are these three people? I don’t see Thalassa anywhere."

"They are Thalassa’s dear guests, what else?" Coraline’s disdainful voice was the one to explain, shrugging at the same time.

Nereon narrowed his eyes at them and muttered:

"Really?" he said doubtfully.

He began playing with the fork in front of him before raising his gaze to Cassian and speaking louder:

"Why did you come with her?"

"Why else would we come here?" he replied curtly.

The man of the sea race swallowed, hesitating while simultaneously beginning to grow irritated by the human’s attitude.

"Didn’t Thalassa tell you that we don’t receive humans very often?"

"She didn’t have to. I could tell on the first day I arrived."

"How long do you plan to stay?"

But Cassian was beginning to grow annoyed with the interrogation and questioned him in return:

"Who are you?"

Nereon let out a snort, but then began to smile suspiciously upon receiving the question.

"Perhaps Thalassa mentioned something about me..."

The black-haired, violet-eyed man raised an eyebrow.

"Really? She didn’t tell me about many people before coming here. In fact, she only mentioned one of you, and I still haven’t met him." Cassian smiled toward the Weaver goddess’s devotee at the end of the table.

"Oh? Only one of us?" His gaze shifted toward Ereon, thinking they had not yet met, so that made sense.

Then he returned his gaze to the smile that was beginning to send chills down his spine.

"Mmm." Cassian nodded. "I think his name was..." He brought a hand to his chin, pretending to think. "What was it...?" He frowned. "Oreon, Ereon... no, I’ve already met those two..."

He suddenly sat up properly from his previous relaxed and lazy posture.

"Ah! Yes! Now I remember. It wasn’t very different either." He paused for a moment, letting his gaze pass over everyone present before returning it to the man he was speaking with. "Nereon. That was the name."

The people around them began whispering among themselves. Murmurs of doubt, disdain, and curiosity echoed throughout the main dining hall.

Nereon could not maintain eye contact and lowered his gaze.

Oreon watched the exchange with curiosity, but it was Princess Lumia who voiced her protest.

"Impossible! Thalassa wouldn’t forget to mention me!"

Cassian shook his head at her.

"But she did. Or perhaps she didn’t, but she didn’t mention you enough to leave an impression on me."

Lumia pressed her lips tightly together and clenched her hands into fists, wanting to punch someone.

Zakaer simply watched the whole show with amusement.

This new friend of his really knew how to turn such a boring meal into something more entertaining. Even so, he took Lumia by the wrist to calm her down.

She let out a huff and sat down with her arms crossed.

Zakaer smiled softly at her adorable little tantrum.

Meanwhile, Nereon seemed to have recovered. He looked toward the king, who did not appear suspicious, and sighed in relief. His body relaxed, his confidence returning.

"You flatter me. I wonder why Thalassa mentioned me so much. I never thought I was such an important person to her."

Ereon, who heard those words, glared at him. He was not pleased with anything he was hearing.

Cassian let out a laugh.

"Well, are you really asking?"

"Ngh!"

The merman shifted uncomfortably, but began laughing to show that he understood the "joke."

"It seems Thalassa trusts you quite a bit."

Lumia, upon hearing Nereon’s words, immediately thought of how her tutor had introduced him in front of Mireya and rolled her eyes.

Cassian merely let out a dry:

"Mmm."

Returning the dining hall to its previous discomfort before the silence was broken once again.

The sounds of cutlery and plates being removed or replaced felt intrusive.

Nereon understood that, for now, there was no reason to break his facade, so he did not bother Cassian any further. Instead, he turned his attention toward the dragon, who did concern him, though for completely different reasons. In the end, he did not think a human could really be a problem, and he had already confirmed that the wolf woman was not one either.

Zakaer gave him a wide smile that revealed his entire row of teeth, then shifted his attention toward Cassian and poured a glass of alcohol into a nearby goblet.

He then manipulated mana, causing it to rise into the air and float toward Cassian.

The violet-eyed man raised his eyebrows and slowly caught the glass in midair, which nearly crashed against his suit.

"And this?" he questioned.

"It’s a special alcohol from my homeland. I think you’ll like it."

Cassian gently swirled the glass, making the pure white liquid circle around the inside, wetting the parts of the glass that had remained untouched. Once the alcohol settled, he brought the rim of the glass to his lips and took a sip, tasting it.

"Mmmm, not bad..." Although a crooked smile was beginning to appear on his face.

At the same time, a bottle appeared in front of him and flew through the air just like the glass, though this time toward Zakaer.

"Oh? And this?" he asked, smiling curiously.

"A specialty from where I come from."

The young dragon opened the bottle, and its aroma filled the room.

Zakaer unconsciously ran his tongue over his lips at the scent filling his nostrils, delighting him.

"It’s not the same as last time," he whispered.

Cassian heard him but did not respond, though he was partly worried that the young dragon might get drunk too quickly from the drink he had given him...

On the other hand, before Zakaer could taste the drink, King Oreon gestured toward one of the servants, who immediately received the order and went to carry it out.

This did not escape Nereon’s eyes. He raised an eyebrow, but his attention remained on the two men interacting as though they had been lifelong friends.

His fist clenched tightly beneath the table. His mind did not want to think about the implications; he wanted to believe that everything was still under his control, but...

Thalassa’s absence, her keeping quiet about his true role in the attack involving the corrosion in Hidria, the young dragon who was going to marry Lumia... Everything was beginning to add up, and nothing seemed certain anymore.

One final thought lingered before a scream seized everyone’s attention:

"We have to change the plan. I can’t disappoint Clarisse."