Chapter 489: Looking for the Guilty
Chapter 489: Looking for the Guilty
After a welcoming speech from the host, the next event was a feast as promised. The entire Lorelei Clan was aware that esteemed guests had come to visit. Therefore, they work together to serve their best dishes.
It was a lively feast with many mermaids also enjoying the festivities. One thing that was a little different, everyone did not eat in a sitting position but in a standing position. Or rather, those mermaids ate while floating in the water.
Sylvia, Yuuki, and the girls looked at each other with slight doubts on their faces. They didn't know what was served on the feast table, but those dishes were colorful.
The little beasts even stayed away from the table as if their appetite was gone. They already knew that the served dishes were none other than various underwater plants.
Meanwhile, Elysia looked at the food in front of her. As said earlier, the mermaids were truly vegetarians.
'Fufu, these mermaids really are herbivores. I thought it was just a play on words. But, well... Apparently, our little pets don't like this. After all, they are more inclined towards carnivores.' Elena commented in amusement to see the little beasts seem unwilling to eat those only veggie food no matter what.
'Are these foods okay for us, Sister Elena? I am aware that brightly colored unknown foodstuffs pose a risk of being toxic to ordinary humans.' Elysia had her own worries rather than questioning other things.
'Then don't eat that colorful food, Ely. If you want, I can make some delicious food for you later.' Elena made a great offer.
'Yes, please! That will be our dinner, alright?' Elysia was excited and anticipated that.
'Hmm-mm, sure. But, we can only do that after this veggie feast.' Elena gave her confirmation. At that very moment, a brilliant idea suddenly crossed her mind.
Elysia glanced at her group. Surprisingly, none of them wanted to touch the dish, including the Glutton Goddess.
Then, she looked to the side. Dorienne was engrossed in eating something like raw four-leaf clovers.
"Hmm?" Dorienne noticed Elysia's gaze. Nevertheless, she still took her food into her mouth, then gave a sweet smile.
"Hoho, Sea God, I remember that you just had a tough day. I know that you need a lot of nutrition. Here, take this and eat it. Please don't be shy. You need to eat a lot so you don't look like a malnourished shrimp." Elena smiled kindly and used telekinesis-like magic to place a large plate of coral-like food in front of the Sea God.
Oceanid was a little surprised to get such an incredible offer. As far as he knew, the one that needed a lot of nutrition for recovery was the Goddess of Light herself, but why him?
Even so, the offer was given politely and with a smile by his savior. Therefore, he couldn't provide a rejection in any form, even if he wanted to.
"Very well. Thank you for your concern." Oceanid nodded. He then ate the food in front of him elegantly.
"Wow, we can see all that food being dissolved as soon as it enters his body. Having a slightly transparent body kind of makes me feel complicated..." Sylvia twiddled her fingers because she didn't know what to do.
"It's actually quite delicious. High-quality herbs from white coral. You carnivores might not like it, but there's nothing wrong with enjoying this meal." Oceanid invited the others to enjoy the feast. Then, he looked at the mermaids in the corners of the hall. They looked like curious children.
"Would you like to taste it, Sylvi? I heard you skipped lunch. Here, it's fine to just eat some vegetables and herbs once in a while." Elysia stretched her hand out from Nell's barrier to pick up a plate of green food and gave it to the nearby devil girl.
"Oh, thank you, Ely. You'd better eat too or you'll suffocate." Sylvia received the food and ate it shortly after.
"En." Elysia just nodded and took a small portion of green vegetable food for her.
Seeing that Elysia decided to eat the food from the mermaids, the others also followed suit. But, Ella and Evelyn didn't forget to ask the Goddess of Blessings what they could eat.
After the dinner was over, Oceanid decided to bring up the previous topic about his avatar that should be not too far from his current location. "Osharus from Lorelei Clan, tell me all the groups or clans that are within a radius of less than two hundred kilometers from this place. I wonder who dares to hide or do anything to my possessions."
"Allow me to answer your question, O Sea God, lord of the seas. Our current territory is white coral reef, let's start from the closest to the furthest--" Osharus began to explain about the clans or other groups residing near his clan's territory.
Meanwhile, Oceanid only gave the nod whenever the name of a clan or group was mentioned. He also made a visit list on a water paper using that information.
"I see, we have eight places to visit. With that being said, now is the time for us to go." Oceanid rechecked the names on the list, then he entered Nell's barrier.
"Wait, if that's possible, allow me to come with you. I can be present as an intermediary for the peaceful meeting as well as a guide. Everything might just be a misunderstanding and they can surely return your possessions. They probably just don't know about anything. Please restrain your anger, O Sea God. Please have mercy." Osharus clasped his hands in prayer with some worries in mind.
Whatever happened later, the wrath of a God was the one he didn't want to happen, especially near his territory. On the other hand, he also wanted to know what would happen to the one who secretly kept the Sea God's belongings.
"You wish for peace between me and the party who dares to hide my possessions?" Oceanid frowned, but he didn't turn to look at Osharus.
"If that turns out to be just a misunderstanding, and if that's possible, then I hope for an ocean of peace in this white coral reef area." Osharus felt a little nervous, but he worked up the courage to answer.
"Hmm, peace was never an option from the start if what might await is the one that triggers my rage. However, I am aware of your concerns. Even if the violent tsunami, storm, and minor apocalypse occurred because of my wrath, it would only hit the concerned party without harming the innocent." Oceanid glanced back to respond with a sharp glare.
"U-understood, this lowly mortal is very grateful. Praise the God of the Sea!" Osharus voiced out his words of praise.
"Praise the God of the Sea!" The other mermaids also followed their lord to voice their praises with enthusiasm.
"All right, if your presence is helpful, then you can come with us. Get on the carpet. We're leaving right now." Oceanid gave the nod after he sent his divine signal once again. His avatar was not in Lorelei Clan's territory.
"Allow me to come too! My presence always gets a positive response from any clan." Dorienne raised her hand in excitement. She wanted to go with her father because, perhaps, she could make everything and everyone averted from divine punishment.
However, she immediately received a confused look. Her words were not believed by the Sea God's group.
"Uhm, I'm not lying, really." Dorienne twiddled her fingers a little awkwardly.
Oceanid looked at Nell, Rhea, and Elena. But, he couldn't see their refusal in any form. Therefore, he only gave a wordless nod. That was enough to make the pink mermaid cheer up instantly and get on the carpet.
"Yay~ Please safeguard our territory, my brother and everyone. We will go with the Sea God's group for a while. See you later~" Dorienne waved her hand with a smile.
"All right, you need to tell me everything later, Dory." Clyde nodded and returned a wave from his little sister.
"We will be leaving for a while, the son of mine. We may return by midnight, please put our territory in a closed access situation until we return." Osharus gave his order with a stern expression.
Understanding the situation, Clyde nodded once again with seriousness on his face. "I understand, father."
"Good." Osharus then sat on the carpet with his daughter.
After that, they and the Sea God's entire group simply disappeared in front of everyone as if they had never been there, to begin with.
Of all the confused mermaids, only Clyde was not surprised at all. He knew that Sea God's group was gone in invisibility, but he didn't want to explain that to the other clan members.
Outside of the Lorelei Clan's territory, Nell's magic carpet just passed through the electro barrier as if nothing was there. Osharus and Dorienne gaped in amazement to see their territory barrier didn't have any impact or effect when it came into contact with this group.
"What we're talking about is Sea God. Our common sense seems useless here." Osharus just gave a pat to his daughter's head.
"En." Dorienne just nodded without saying much.
"I know right." Yuuki folded her arms and nodded in agreement.
"No. It wasn't me who did it, but the Goddess of Blessings." Oceanid corrected the wrong perception. It was time to divulge a bit of information out to these two lucky mermaids.
"Eh?" Osharus and Dorienne were stunned for a moment to digest what they had just heard. They looked at the Sea God, but the God in question only looked at the little fairy.
The Goddess of Blessings... Human Goddess... That little fairy was a Goddess!?
Osharus and Dorienne seemed to have the same shock in their minds.