#831 The Emperor Dragon Couple Visits - Mermaid First Half

I’m Ardheg, the Geyser Dragon.

How did this all happen?

One day, my wife Bloody Mary, whom I had happily married, suddenly had a meltdown, blazing with fury…

She stormed into the residence of Lord Saint, a long-time friend, causing a huge uproar, and then, to make matters worse, started spouting some incomprehensible stuff.

We’re going to visit couples around the world, she said...?!

I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

The only thing I vaguely understood was that Sis Bloody Mary was somehow dissatisfied with our married life.

But what was she dissatisfied with?

I had always treasured and respected her, the same as before our marriage.

Absolutely no change,

not even a tiny bit...!

What was she unhappy about?

Yet, I couldn’t just leave Sis Mary rampaging alone. As I left the farm, Lord Saint warned me, “Never take your eyes off her! Absolutely! I’m not joking!!!” So, I had no choice but to follow her.

“You’re coming with me, too, Ardheg! After all, you have the most to learn from other couples!!!”

“Uh...!”

She told me this while we were both in our dragon forms, flying.

What am I supposed to learn? I thought I was doing quite a respectable job as the Emperor Dragon.

Even if she says, “Learn from other couples,” how exactly am I supposed to do that?

Surely, we can’t just land in every town we see and indiscriminately accost passersby with questions.

Causing undue disturbances in people’s lives is the mark of a bad dragon.

That’s when I had an idea.

“Sis, how about we visit someone we know? We have other acquaintances like Lord Saint.”

After all, I aim to be a “people-friendly Geyser Dragon.” Hence, I have quite a few acquaintances among mankind.

Among them, there’s someone I know even better than Lord Saint, and he’s also married.

He’ll surely have some insights that will please Sis Mary.

Why not start by visiting him?

“What are you talking about? We’re already on our way there, you know?”

“Whaaaaaat?!”

“As the wife of the Geyser Dragon, shouldn’t I be aware of my husband’s social circle? I figured that after the saint, this would be our next stop, so I took the initiative.”

Scary.

She’s completely read her husband’s mind. Do human wives normally do this, too? If so, that’s terrifying.

Lord Saint’s wife probably does the same... But to find out if that’s anything special, we need to visit more couples.

Thus, we hurried to our next destination.

From here, we need to dive into the sea. It’s always a hassle getting soaked every time we visit our friend.

* * *

Our visit took us to the Mermaid Kingdom.

There, the ruler, known as Lord Arowana, is a close, battle-hardened friend of mine.

“Ah, Lord Ardheg! Welcome!!!”

“I’m sorry for not visiting sooner! Hahahaha!!!”

It’s been a while since I met my friend.

In human form, we pat each other on the shoulders, rejoicing in our reunion.

I had once joined forces with Lord Arowana to challenge my father, the previous Geyser Dragon.

Without his help, I wouldn’t have defeated my father and wouldn’t be who I am today.

Lord Arowana is among my closest human friends.

In hindsight, he should have been the first person we visited instead of Lord Saint...!

After a brief celebration, we got down to business.

“Ah, so you’ve come to my castle to ask about an ideal married life?”

That’s right.

You’ve been married for years now, after all.

You must have tasted both the sweet and the sour aspects of married life. Could you please share your experiences with us, especially for Sis Mary?

We can’t return until she’s satisfied.

“If it’s a request from my ally, Lord Ardheg, I have no reason to refuse! ...However, I wonder if my story will truly satisfy you?”

He suddenly sounded unsure of himself.

“...Because you see, I’ve been bestowed the title of a Mermaid King, leading a life quite apart from the common folk. In other words, my situation is exceptional. There are always exceptions to the rule; encountering such an exception right from the start could hinder understanding. Will my experiences truly help you and your wife...?!”

“What are you talking about?! Bring it on!!!” Sis Mary interrupts eagerly. “My husband Ardheg is the Emperor Dragon! As the supreme ruler atop all dragons, the mundane life of ordinary civilian couples is irrelevant to us! At the very least, it should be someone from human royalty! In that sense, starting with the saint, who is as common as he comes, first, was a total misjudgment!”

Please don’t subtly insult Lord Saint like that, Sis.

So, Lord Arowana... Could you please entertain my sister until she loses interest?

I think we’ll leave when she’s had enough…!

“Hmm, so I just need to talk about my married life? Puffer is the ultimate, perfect wife; I’ll have you know!!!”

Something’s starting.

A human-style boasting contest about spouses?

Lord Arowana’s wife, Lady Puffer, is an acquaintance of mine, too.

Among mankind, she’s known as a rather powerful sorceress, skilled in handling magic-infused potions. 

And among the merfolk, she’s been called the Witch of the Freezing Cold.

“First and foremost, being the Mermaid King, my wife inevitably had to become the Mermaid Queen. It’s a fundamental part of the ‘kingdom’ system created by our ancestors.”

“That’s right, and that’s exactly why I married Emperor Dragon Ardheg and became the Empress Dragon!”

“In truth...I had my doubts about Puffer becoming the Mermaid Queen at first... There’s no denying that she’s a wonderful woman. However, her sharp talents as a witch and her rebellious spirit made me wonder if these traits fit a queen who should be fair and just to all citizens...”

Hmm, interesting.

Hmmm?

“It’s tricky being the consort to a ruler; no matter how much love between the two, if you can’t fulfill your duties as king or queen, the marital relationship just won’t work. I had my fair share of worries before we got married...!”

Lord Arowana had such concerns?

I attended their wedding, but all I saw was someone blissfully happy before and after the ceremony. 

Little did I know he was battling inner anxieties. Mankind truly is a complex being.

“However, I soon realized all my worries were for naught after we got married! Puffer is no fool, given she’s a witch! She’s intelligent! Wisdom is an essential trait for a queen, especially when she may have to act as the king’s representative. Having an intelligent and socially perceptive queen brings an incredible sense of security!!!”

And there he goes, proudly boasting about his wife...!

I’ve never seen Lord Arowana’s eyes sparkle like this before.

“Even her rebellious spirit, which I was most worried about, she groomed marvelously! As the Mermaid Queen, Puffer honors her status, adheres to protocol, and pays homage to history. It’s hard to believe she was once a ferocious criminal in prison. I was so moved when she recited the names of all the Mermaid Kings from the first to the current that I almost cried! Yet, she hasn’t completely shed her rebellious streak. She won’t hesitate to use her potions to blast away my foes if necessary! In fact, her wildness seems to be quite stimulating for the sheltered maidservants in the Mermaid Palace, so much so that she now has her own faction. She’s even known to distribute borderline-legal potions as little pranks to keep her maids happy. This kind of nuanced mastery of people’s hearts isn’t something a sheltered noblewoman could pull off! Thanks to her, the Mermaid Palace remains as stable as it was under my mother’s management. Those who thought they could exploit the change in leadership are now bitterly disappointed. Despite being so perfect, Puffer also managed to flawlessly conceive an heir in our first year of marriage! We had a prince! Not that it matters to me as a father – I’d be equally happy with a child of any gender. But those rotten souls who love to criticize queens for not bearing a prince... Puffer silenced them before they even had a chance to speak! And now that we’re expecting a second child, they have even less room to talk. At this rate, I almost feel sorry for any villains trying to stir trouble during my reign! Hahahahahaha!!!”

Wow, just wow...!

Incredible, Lord Arowana speaks so much when talking about his beloved wife, and his words just keep flowing without end!

Is this also a testament to his love for her? Does this mean that human husbands need to be able to praise their wives boundlessly?

“Ardheg!”

“Yes?!”

Predictably, here comes a request from Sis Mary!

“Your turn to talk about me!”

“Sis Mary is very beautiful!”

“Just one sentence?!”

Sorry, Sis Mary! For being such an inept husband!

“Don’t worry, Lord Ardheg is naturally reserved. His reluctance is part of his charm.”

“I-Is that so?”

“And yet, you’re blushing just from a single line of ‘beautiful,’ aren’t you?”

Lord Arowana jumps in with a timely save. A true friend.

“A man who’s too smooth with words can be frivolous and untrustworthy. Silence, speaking through actions... that’s the real charm of a man. Talking as much as I do can be...!”

“...Enough!!!”

Lord Arowana got blown away mid-sentence?!

A sudden burst of ice formed!

“Don’t I always tell you not to publicly boast about me?! Whenever you go on like that, I get teased by people saying, ‘Her Majesty must be so specially loved by His Majesty, how envious!’ I feel like my face is on fire!!!”

That was an ice potion thrown by Lady Puffer, the Mermaid Queen.

Long time no see, Lady Puffer.