[Vol. 7] Chapter 59: A Journey Across the Seas
As Violet led her little companion down the stairs and stepped outside the guesthouse, she was immediately met with a bustling scene. The area was already teeming with people, their voices merging into a lively symphony of movement.
The guesthouse where Violet and the Merchant Guild were staying was situated near the heart of Palut Island, right by the central lake. It was the island’s most prosperous and accessible hub, making it the ideal place for travelers. The inner sea connecting the archipelago allowed merfolk from other islands to quickly cross the central lake and arrive at this very spot.
Following the events of the Ghost Sea battle, Palut Island had gone through significant changes. Its previous ruler, Sea Priestess Silisa, had betrayed them and was ultimately slain by Hongyan with a single, decisive strike.
Meanwhile, Alex, who had been in charge of the island’s defenses, was still recovering from severe injuries. With its leadership in turmoil, Palut Island was now temporarily under the control of the royal palace until a new, more suitable ruler could be appointed.
Of course, Queen Anies had not publicly revealed Silisa’s betrayal. Instead, the official statement was that Silisa had fallen in battle as a hero. The few surviving royal merfolk guards who had witnessed the truth had been sworn to secrecy, ensuring that the matter remained strictly confidential.
There were simply too many hidden truths behind this affair. To maintain stability and prepare for the upcoming large-scale operation, this was the most appropriate course of action.
After all, the real crisis was just beginning. The queen’s next move wasn’t just about one island. It was about the survival of millions across the entire Emerald Sea. This was also why she sought Violet's alliance with the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild, hoping to secure external support for the merfolk’s cause.
It wouldn’t be long before the merfolk launched a large-scale migration, relocating over a third of their population to distant seas.
This plan had been in the works for years, ever since the Pirate King had approached Anies and Willipol to discuss the future. Unlike Willipol, who had been more radical, the queen leaned toward Rashid’s stance, favoring a more stable, long-term solution.
Now that the Ghost War had ended, the Ghost Ship had been destroyed, and one of the more extreme factions in the Emerald Sea had been eliminated, the time had finally come to put this plan into motion.
The reason for all of this was clear. To ensure that, when the Evil God fully awakens, the merfolk would not be trapped and annihilated along with the Emerald Sea.
Now that the Ghost Ship had been obliterated, that particular extreme option had been taken off the table. As the leader of the merfolk, Queen Anies had no choice but to think ahead, ensuring that her people had a path to survival.
Originally, the migration had been scheduled for a few months later, once the Great Whirlpool’s activity weakened and the Emerald Sea’s exit temporarily opened. However, everything changed when Xiao Guang unleashed her blazing dragon breath, completely annihilating all traces of the Evil God’s tendrils within a span of hundreds of kilometers. Not only that, but she had also purified the affected waters, temporarily restoring them to their natural state.
This not only opened a pathway for Violet and her group to reach the outside world, but it also provided an unexpected migration route for the creatures of the Emerald Sea.
Although the temporary collapse of the Ghost Sea caused all the islands within its range to gradually sink back into the ocean, making it impossible to investigate the whereabouts of the "Eastern Sea Pearl", it no longer mattered.
Migration was a massive undertaking, one that involved countless logistical challenges. Moreover, the outer seas were already inhabited, making it impossible to accommodate the sudden influx of tens of millions of people from the Emerald Sea. After careful consideration, Queen Anies finally settled on relocating one-third of the population.
Thanks to Violet's investigations, the queen, Rashid, and Nitila gradually came to realize that the Evil God's motives and methods for creating this [miniature world] were far more complex than they had initially believed. There was even a chance that its awakening might not necessarily result in the complete destruction of the Emerald Sea. This revelation was good news, it meant there was still hope.
However, if the worst-case scenario did come to pass, then this one-third of the population would become the last spark of hope, ensuring that the heritage of the sea-dwelling races would not be completely wiped out.
Of course, this migration would take months, if not years, to complete. Violet herself would not be directly involved in this long process. At most, she would have Ming Lan arrange for the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild to provide some assistance and keep a close eye on the situation, informing her of any major developments. That was already the most she could do.
There were countless conflicts and disasters in this world, and many races had already faced extinction. No single person, no matter how powerful, could save everyone.
As she walked through the bustling crowds of merfolk and merchants, Violet quickly spotted Queen Anies in the distance, chatting and laughing with Ming Lan. The queen and the two princesses of the Mingjiao Tribe seemed to be getting along quite well. It looked like Le Qiaoqiao had delivered Violet’s message properly.
Taking the initiative, Violet gently took Xiao Guang's hand and approached them. The queen noticed them immediately, her gaze shifting toward them as they drew near.
"Miss Violet, you're finally here... Oh? And the lady dragon is with you as well. Greetings, Your Grace."
Queen Anies was the first to greet them, waving with a warm smile. However, the moment her eyes landed on the golden-haired young girl at Violet's side, her expression immediately turned serious. Without drawing the attention of the nearby merfolk or her royal guards, she subtly bowed her head in a quiet gesture of respect.
Seeing their mother bow, Nitila and another princess, Valda, quickly followed suit, looking a bit stiff as they bowed slightly.
"Greetings, Young Dragon Lord..."
Naturally, they were paying their respects to Xiao Guang.
Previously, the little dragon girl had channeled her power through Violet as an anchor, using overwhelming force to seize the Divinity embedded within the Ghost Ship. That single strike, which pierced through the deep sea, along with the dragon’s radiant form, had been witnessed firsthand by Anies and her group, who had arrived just in time to see it all unfold.
It had left a huge impression on them. So much so that they now regarded the light dragon that descended from the heavens as a divine being.
Of course, Violet couldn't exactly explain the truth, that the Ghost Ship had already been consumed by the Evil God before Xiao Guang even got involved. In reality, her so-called "miraculous arrival" was nothing more than her waking up hungry mid-nap, catching the scent of something delicious, and rushing over to snatch it for herself.
Given the circumstances at the time, combined with the events that followed, it was no surprise that to the merfolk, that radiant dragon descending from the sky, stirring the ocean with its divine light, was nothing short of a miracle. A savior who had vanquished a powerful enemy, granted them protection, and paved the way forward.
At the very least, this new "god" was far more tangible than the Sea Goddess Vier, who only existed in legends, and far less ominous than the Ghost Ship.
This was just how ordinary beings reacted to the unknown. Reality might be completely different from what they believed, but as long as something unexplainable happened at the right time and place, those in desperation would eagerly embrace it as divine intervention, bestowing upon it the title of "god" and even worshipping it with deep gratitude and devotion.
Queen Anies was smart and pragmatic, she likely didn’t truly believe in such things. But given the current state of the merfolk, having a "god" worth believing in could only help stabilize the Emerald Sea. She had no reason to oppose it.
Of course, none of them knew that Xiao Guang was actually the light dragon herself.
However, after Violet returned from that battle, bringing with her a golden-haired young girl with dragon horns, a small tail, and an aura far stronger than her childish appearance suggested, it was only natural that people would start making connections.
Even if this girl wasn't the dragon’s true form, she could very well be its offspring, an earthly incarnation, or at the very least, a divine messenger...
Violet figured that was exactly what Anies and the others were thinking.