Who is Nereus?
He is the leader of the Xebel kingdom, a qualified king.
He had known for a long time that if he wanted to unite the entire underwater world, the kingdom of Atlantis was an unavoidable hurdle.
Not for any other reason, but simply because the name Atlantis represented the legitimacy of underwater royalty.
Whether it was his Xebel or other kingdoms, they were all just a part of Atlantis in ancient times.
It was precisely because he understood this that he cultivated good relations with two successive Atlantean kings, even going so far as to offer his daughter to King Orm in marriage.
His original intention was to use his daughter's connection to gain more resources from Atlantis to strengthen Xebel, but unexpectedly, Orm died suddenly and mysteriously.
His plan was thus thwarted.
However, precisely because of this, Nereus came up with an even more ingenious method.
He would put his own daughter on the Atlantean throne, making her the Queen of Atlantis.
The notion that Mera had a marriage contract with Orm, and was "already an Atlantean," had long been deeply ingrained in the hearts of every Atlantean.
They were familiar with and quite at ease with Mera, who often wandered around when the former Queen Atlanna was still alive.
With such public support, Nereus could fully mold Mera into a persona of "deep affection," making her a "nominal" queen, a queen who would "automatically abdicate and relinquish power" once revenge was achieved.
"Nereus, thank you for your kind offer, but I still think this matter is somewhat inappropriate."
Inside the Atlantean palace, Vulko, the kingdom's second-in-command, continued to feign ignorance, subtly refusing.
He had considered many people, but he never expected that the first to challenge the leaderless Atlantis after Orm's death would be King Nereus of Xebel, who had always deferred to Orm.
"I know, I'm just giving you a suggestion." Nereus regained his benevolent expression, and after a few more perfunctory remarks, he led Mera, whose mouth he had silently shut, away from Atlantis and back to Xebel.
"Father!"
"Why?!"
"Orm is dead, why do you still want me to be his fiancée? And to become the Queen of Atlantis?"
Back in the palace, Mera, finally able to speak, blocked her father's path.
"It's precisely because Orm is dead that you have the opportunity to become the Queen of Atlantis, understand?"
"What? No, no, I refuse."
"I—"
"You have no right to refuse this, Mera."
Nereus sighed, speaking the cruelest words in the gentlest tone.
"Listen, Mera. Unifying the ocean and restoring Atlantis's former glory has been the lifelong dream of every King of Xebel, do you understand?"
"Now we have our chance. Orm is dead, and you are Orm's only fiancée. The people of Atlantis accept you, they're familiar with you, do you understand?"
Nereus's finger traced his daughter's cheek, but his gentle and benevolent face felt incredibly alien to Mera.
"This is our opportunity, Mera."
"So, you must become the Queen of Atlantis, do you know that?"
"No, I don't understand."
"The throne of Atlantis should belong to Queen Atlanna's eldest son, Arthur Curry, not me."
"You make me feel like a stranger, Father." Mera slowly retreated, looking at the man she had lived with day and night, shaking her head.
Her eyes were filled with disappointment.
"Atlanna's eldest son?"
"Mera, you need to realize something."
"Atlanna is no longer the Queen of Atlantis. She is a disgraced wretch, a wretch who violated her marriage vows and consorted with a human man, a wretch who was imprisoned in the Trench for punishment!"
"That bastard she bore with a human doesn't deserve to ascend to the throne, understand?"
"You are my daughter, Orm's fiancée."
"You, should fulfill your marriage contract. No matter what happens, understand?"
The gentleness on Nereus's face gradually ripped apart, revealing an ambition that terrified Mera to her core.
She had never seen her father like this.
"Starting today, you cannot step out of this room until your coronation begins."
After a final glance at his daughter, Nereus turned and left her room.
Mera instinctively tried to climb out the window she used for escapes in the past, but when she opened it, she found three squads of guards staring at her.
"How could this be...?"
Mera, her heart in turmoil, searched all her former escape routes, and all of them were guarded by large contingents, without exception.
Nereus's meaning was already clear:
In the past, if you ran away, you ran away; it was fine to have some fun before marriage. But not now. Stay put and prepare to be crowned queen.
"What do I do...?"
Mera closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to force herself to calm down.
Her father Nereus's attitude was already very clear; he was following the same path as Orm.
Once he used her status and name to gain control of Atlantis, he would inevitably declare war on the surface world.
"That's right, Lothar! Lothar!"
After forcing herself to calm down, Mera suddenly remembered something, the conch she had given Lothar before returning yesterday.
"Lothar! Lothar, are you there?"
"Lothar, please get me out!"
"Lothar..."
...
London, England.
Lothar, dressed in a loose black tracksuit, walked along the Thames River, observing the bustling crowd with a furrowed brow.
"Woz?"
"It's probably because too much time has passed, causing the building recorded in the data as containing clues to the Mother Box to disappear."
Woz, inside the wristband's space, compared and analyzed the data it had retrieved with the Thames River in front of them.
It was also having a bit of a headache.
The existence of the Mother Box was too mysterious.
The only clue had been cut off.
"Lothar? Is that really you?"
A call pulled Lothar out of his conversation with Woz.
Diana, wearing a black leather jacket over a white shirt, blue skinny jeans, and high-heeled ankle boots, came into view.
"Diana?"
"Are you touring the famous historical sites of this world, Lothar?" Diana asked with a smile, having heard Bruce's analysis and believing this man might be a distant relative she'd never known.
"Move." Lothar pushed aside Diana, who was blocking his way, but Diana grabbed his wrist in return.
"We need to talk. Would you like a drink, Lothar?"
"Move, or I don't mind throwing you in." Lothar's face was etched with indifference.
Why are all women so annoying?
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