#427 Mermaid After Mermaid – Sequel

#427 Mermaid After Mermaid – Sequel

And so, the marriage was finalized. Prince Arowana and Puffer are to be officially together.

Still, it will take a little more time to prepare for the wedding, but once the ceremony is actually held, Puffer will move into the mermaid palace.

The day has come when someone is finally graduating from our farm.

I’m both sad and deeply moved...!

Puffer devoted her remaining time here to mentoring apprentices.

She has already prepared a fine replacement named Discus, but now that Angel has jumped in, she is doing her best to train her too.

“I won’t allow you to be a mere titular head if you’re going to succeed me! I’ll train you thoroughly till you’re useful enough!”

“Uwaaa! Sister-in-law is as strict as Platy!”

Angel’s cries echo throughout the farm.

Well, that’s the path she chose. She has to persevere and pull through.

“Oh, Angel... I know you’ll become a great Witch one day, my dear! Hang in there!” cries Queen Mahi, watching from afar.

Uh, what is she doing?

“Angel’s training weighed on my mind... You know how she is—the most handful out of all my children from the moment she was born. But I wonder why? It’s like it makes her even more lovable...”

Platy would’ve had a headache if she had heard this.

Fortunately, she’s busy attending to Junior.

“...You’ve always had a soft spot for Angel, haven’t you, queen?”

I’ve witnessed it, so I can tell.

It wasn’t a big deal, so I didn’t bring it up in my narrations, but the truth is that when we visited the Mermaid Kingdom before, Angel was with us—that time with Junior, and that time we attended the Martial Swimming Competition. 

As it was her home, Angel came with us.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t anything special, so I just let it pass.

But Angel was always clinging to Queen Mahi.

The only time they were apart was when the queen was confronting Puffer.

 Again, I thought it wasn’t worth mentioning, so I ignored it.

Since that time, I thought to myself how overly soft the queen is to her second daughter.

“I understand Angel is a princess and needs to be raised strictly! But I didn’t want her to hate me, so I spoiled her... I’m such a terrible parent!”

Instead, your eldest daughter disciplined her?

At least there’s some kind of balance... right?

“But now that Puffer will be part of our family, she has another dependable older sister. I’m certain Angel will grow up to be a fine lady now!”

Well...

If she doesn’t straighten up even with Platy and Puffer’s double dose of strictness, she’s probably goners.

Amidst her concern and relief about her daughter’s future... 

“Oh, Mom!”

Angel spots her mother and comes running up to her.

“Help! My sister-in-law is much stricter than I expected! She’s no better than Platy! Please say something to her!”

Without hesitation, the princess indulges her mother.

But no. Queen Mahi welcomes Puffer’s training for your own good.

I’m sure she’ll harden her heart and support Puffer’s behavior...

“You’re right. Maybe she is being a little too hard on you.”

Never mind.

Doting parents will always be doting parents.

“Hey, Puffer. Don’t you think strict education has its limits too? Can’t we have a carrot and stick, stick and carrot, carrot and carrot system here?”

The stick vanished in the last part!

But Puffer, on the other hand...

“I can’t do that, ma’am! The day is fast approaching I leave the farm! If we don’t get her at least up to the point where she can help Discus, she’ll only give everyone problems!”

“I understand. But being strict alone won’t encourage your students to follow you.”

Is this one of the war situations between in-laws where they are at odds with each other over the educational policy of their children/grandchildren?!

Why are they already fighting when Puffer hasn’t even given birth to a child yet?

“Your daughter, Platy, has also asked me to be strict as much as possible with Angel.”

“Ngh! How dare you betray me, Platy!”

No, I think Platy’s stand remains the same throughout.

She’s that older sister who’s like a demon to her younger siblings.

“More importantly, Queen Mahi...”

I decided to change the subject by force, as I felt it would be futile to continue discussing this topic.

“We are happy you could come visit, but how long can you stay? Surely, the king and queen still have some royal duties to attend to?”

Just to add, the king is still enjoying sumo wrestling, now with Prince Arowana in the mix.

 An unforeseen phantom match at the Martial Swimming Competition is now unfolding on our farm.

“Ohohoho... Worry not, my dear. I’ve already arranged a proxy.”

“A proxy?

“Zoth Syra.”

“Her?!”

Zoth Syra, the Witch of the Abyss?!

“Isn’t she a wanted criminal in the mermaid realm?!”

Are you sure you should be letting her handle government affairs?!

“Don’t worry. Zossy is very capable and can handle politics quite easily.”

“Maybe so, but...!”

“Besides, she was Puffer’s mentor. It’s not nice for her to stay a criminal when Puffer is going to be queen. She needs to be appointed to a legal position of some kind.”

“My mentor? And all because of me...?!”

The one who was most horrified to hear this was Puffer.

Although it isn’t widely discussed, Puffer admits that she’s Zoth Syra’s pupil.

I’ve never seen them interact, though.

“Oh yes! How about letting Zoth Syra be the matchmaker at Arowana and Puffer’s wedding? I’m sure Puffer will feel happy if her master sees her off!”

“HUH?!”

Puffer and I are shocked.

I mean, this world also has a matchmaking system?

“But, queen! You can’t be a matchmaker unless you’re married!”

At least, that was the case in my world. I don’t know if it’s the same here.

Zoth Syra’s single, right?

“Oh? But didn’t she have a partner of her own? Someone named Mr. Orkubo or something.”

“Who told you that, Your Majesty?!”

Not even Orkubo himself is aware of this!

Queen Mahi, who is so far away from land, got ahold of this information. Clearly not a force to be reckon with!

“Please wait! It hasn’t been confirmed yet! We don’t know how things will turn out if we look too much into it! It’s too delicate right now!”

“Is that so? I thought it’d be embarrassing for Zoth Syra if her pupil got married first, so I was thinking of letting them get married, too. If she already has a partner, what other reason is there for us to stop them?”

This is bad! I know the mermaids are a very romantic race, but their queen takes the cake!

She’s trying to get more people around her to get married!

And this, my friend, was the same person so against her son’s marriage!

Ah! Did the dam break now that she has liberated herself from opposing? 

“I’ve already approved of one other marriage. Surely, that couple will help my son and Puffer, and vice-versa.”

Huh?

Don’t tell me...

“We have returned, Queen Mahi.”

Before I knew it, Lampeye the Witch of Hellfire, is standing right beside me.

Where has she been all this time?

“My, you’re back earlier than I expected. How did everything go?”

“It went more smoothly than we had imagined. Hendra’s family welcomed me with open arms. All this was possible thanks to Your Majesty’s prior arrangement!”

“It’s all right. Hendra is good friends with Arowana. If he and you, an imperial guard, become a couple, nothing can be more reassuring for the future of Arowana’s administration.”

She supported Hendra and Lampeye’s marriage behind the scenes?!

This queen scares me! The situation moves at a bewildering pace with her every involvement!

“Oh, and, Lord Saint. It pains me to say this, but I must leave the farm to start my life anew. From now on, I will serve the Mermaid Kingdom as Hendra’s wife. I have trained my in-laws, Veiltail and Crowntail, well enough to be in charge of protecting Princess Platy in my place.”

“Make sure you brief Platy about that, too.”

In any case, congrats to you guys on your wedding!

It’s nice to see a man and a woman in love become one, no matter the circumstances!

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if anyone's wondering... chapter 120 is the prequel to this (title-wise, since a lot has happened in between)