The Fairy Hunter Tao Yao heard the words spoken by Forget-Me-Not.
Her eyes widened slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed across her face.
She instinctively asked, "Fairy? Here?"
Forget-Me-Not nodded, her expression becoming serious.
She said softly:
"Yes, Mama Tao Yao. There is a fairy who controls the powers of the sea, and she is about to awaken in this sea kingdom."
Her voice became low, imbued with a sense of warning:
"If left unchecked, the consequences will be unimaginable. The power of this sea fairy is extraordinary. The authority she wields can obliterate the entire sea kingdom in an instant."
A flicker of concern passed through Forget-Me-Not's eyes as she continued:
"Once the sea fairy awakens, the entire ocean will become turbulent. At that time, giant waves will sweep through the whole kingdom, swallowing towns and villages."
"The creatures in the sea will also be affected, becoming frantic and aggressive. Fishermen going out to catch fish will turn into a nightmare, and maritime trade will be completely paralyzed."
She seemed to recall some painful memory, her voice trembling slightly:
"Even more terrifying is that the sea fairy can control the ocean. If she decides to manipulate the giant waves and drain all the moisture from the living beings, the entire country will turn into a dead desert. No one can survive in such an environment."
Forget-Me-Not's description made Tao Yao furrow her brows.
She could sense the immense and dreadful power of this sea fairy.
Tao Yao fell silent for a moment, then asked, "How do you know all this?"
Forget-Me-Not revealed a mysterious smile and replied:
"Mama Tao Yao, this is the mutual attraction among fairies."
"Though I don't fully understand the principle, since the birth of fairies, we have been able to sense each other's presence, especially when a powerful fairy is about to awaken."
Her tone turned serious:
"For fairies, we can devour each other's authority."
"This mutual devouring evolution leads to inevitable encounters among fairies."
"And rather than letting malevolent fairies devour one another, making them even more troublesome."
A flicker of determination flashed in Forget-Me-Not's eyes: "So, my idea is to personally hunt down this sea fairy and prevent her authority from falling into the hands of other evil fairies."
At this point, Forget-Me-Not paused, then turned to look at Tao Yao, her face breaking into a radiant smile:
"However, since Mama Tao Yao is here, we can act together! And having you by my side makes me feel more confident."
Tao Yao listened to Forget-Me-Not's words, her face revealing a slightly speechless yet somewhat frustrated expression.
She couldn't help but ask, "So... you also don't know where the sea fairy is?"
Tao Yao pondered for a moment, slowly clarifying her thoughts. She understood that Forget-Me-Not had come here with a purpose: to find and eradicate the sea fairy who was about to awaken.
But the current situation was that Forget-Me-Not also didn't know the exact location of the sea fairy.
This undoubtedly increased the difficulty of finding the fairy.
Forget-Me-Not, hearing Tao Yao's question, wore a somewhat shy smile.
Her eyes curved in a crescent shape, making her appear particularly adorable.
"Hehe, just as expected of Mama Tao Yao, you instantly pinpointed the key issue."
She said cheerfully:
"Indeed, I still don't know the exact location of the sea fairy. However, I have a plan!"
She excitedly clapped her hands and continued:
"I originally intended to visit the Mermaid Queen of the sea kingdom to see if I could obtain some clues from her. After all, as a ruler, she should know her kingdom very well."
Forget-Me-Not's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she eagerly invited Tao Yao:
"Now that I've encountered you, Mama Tao Yao, how about we go meet the queen together? With your wisdom, we can quickly find the source of the sea fairy, and perhaps we might even find her before she awakens!"
After hearing Forget-Me-Not's words, Tao Yao showed a complex expression.
She frowned slightly, her gaze lingering on Forget-Me-Not for a moment.
This Forget-Me-Not standing in front of her seemed somewhat different from the Little Forget-Me-Not she had imagined in the old tales.
That familiar yet strange feeling stirred a subtle emotion within Tao Yao.
Noticing Tao Yao's delay in response, Forget-Me-Not's enthusiasm grew even more.
She leapt up and gracefully sat beside Tao Yao, unhesitatingly taking her hand.
"Mama Tao Yao, what are you hesitating about?"
Forget-Me-Not tilted her head, blinking her big eyes as she asked, "Don't you want to go with me?"
Her voice carried a hint of a pout,
"Come on, come on... with you by my side, I feel especially safe. Plus, we can discuss strategies to deal with the sea fairy together!"
Forget-Me-Not's fervor seemed to surpass Tao Yao's expectations.
She gently squeezed Forget-Me-Not's hand, suddenly understanding the source of this peculiarity.
The real Forget-Me-Not before her.
It seemed she had already emerged from the shadow of losing her biological mother.
She was no longer that timid little girl.
But instead had become even more enthusiastic, lively, and adorable.
Though unsure of what she had experienced.
Thinking of this child's past, Tao Yao couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.
She sighed softly, her eyes revealing a gentle and indulgent expression.
"Alright, alright,"
Tao Yao said softly, her tone filled with a sense of helplessness yet full of affection, "Since you want to go so much, then let's go together. But we must be careful, understand?"
Forget-Me-Not, upon hearing Tao Yao's reply, immediately broke into a brilliant smile.
She excitedly nodded, "Mm-mm, I understand! With you, Mama Tao Yao, we will definitely succeed!"
The two left the teahouse, walking side by side along the streets of the sea kingdom.
The streets were bustling with activity, various creatures weaving in and out.
Humans, mermaids, and even some peculiar races that Tao Yao had never seen before coexisted harmoniously here.
Little mermaids joyfully frolicked in the water, emitting peals of laughter like silver bells.
Some humans with gills were trading with mermaids, exchanging their unique goods.
Booths along the streets were filled with colorful sea products and pearl jewelry, attracting the eyes of passing pedestrians.
Forget-Me-Not looked at this scene and couldn't help but exclaim:
"Mama Tao Yao, this place is really interesting."
"Compared to our time, today's civilization is much more colorful."
Tao Yao nodded, also captivated by the prosperous scene.
Forget-Me-Not continued:
"Besides humans, there are so many different races living harmoniously on the same land. Although they face the threat of Disaster Beasts, they are much happier than we were back then."
A hint of emotion tinged her tone, "They haven't yet experienced the era when fairies were everywhere. If possible, I truly hope they never have to go through such times."
Tao Yao gently squeezed Forget-Me-Not's hand, "Yes, peace is wonderful. We must do our best to protect such peace."
The two continued walking, with Forget-Me-Not occasionally pointing out interesting things.
"Mama Tao Yao, look over there!"
"That's a sea serpent-human; they can swim in the water and run fast on land too!"
"And over there..."
Tao Yao was also infected by Forget-Me-Not's enthusiasm, nodding in response from time to time.
Before they knew it, Forget-Me-Not stopped in her tracks.
She pointed excitedly at a magnificent building ahead and said, "Mama Tao Yao, look! The building up ahead is where the Mermaid Queen resides."
Turning her head, her eyes sparkled with excitement, "Just thinking about sneaking in with you, Mama Tao Yao, makes me so thrilled!"
Upon hearing this, Tao Yao couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, "Sneaking in?"
Forget-Me-Not blinked, revealing a mischievous smile, "Of course! I don't have an invitation. Do you want to walk in openly, Mama Tao Yao?"
Watching Forget-Me-Not's spirited demeanor, Tao Yao could only nod helplessly.
"Alright."
The two began to take action.
For the two fairies, even the most strictly guarded core areas of the sea kingdom posed no challenge.
They easily avoided patrolling guards, silently slipping through halls and courtyards like two shadows.
Tao Yao noticed that Forget-Me-Not's movements were light and agile, clearly having rich experience in this regard.
She couldn't help but marvel at how much this little one had grown without her knowledge.
Finally, they arrived before a grand door. A voice came from inside, impatient:
"I get it! I'll get these matters handled today, so tell those ministers and Sister Coral to stop hounding me! If they keep pestering me like this, I swear I won't take the throne anymore!!"
Tao Yao and Forget-Me-Not exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of astonishment in each other's eyes.
This voice certainly didn't sound like that of a ruler of a nation.
Suddenly, the palace door swung open.
A beautiful mermaid swam out; she had long, flowing blue hair, and the scales on her tail shimmered with a pearl-like luster in the sunlight.
Tao Yao and Forget-Me-Not quickly hid behind the nearby pillars. They held their breath, watching the mermaid swim through the corridor, disappearing around a corner.
Once they confirmed that the mermaid had gone far away, Forget-Me-Not quietly peeked her head out.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she whispered to Tao Yao, "Looks like this is the right place; the Mermaid Queen is inside!"
After confirming the target, Forget-Me-Not excitedly told Tao Yao, "Mama Tao Yao, we found the right place! The Mermaid Queen is just inside!"
Her eyes shone with eager anticipation, as if she could hardly wait to investigate further.
Without waiting for Tao Yao to respond, Forget-Me-Not suddenly reached out and boldly pushed open the grand door.
This action stunned Tao Yao, leaving her completely unprepared for such boldness from the current Little Forget-Me-Not.
She instinctively wanted to stop her, but it was already too late.
Tao Yao looked at Forget-Me-Not's actions in shock, feeling both astonished and helpless.
She never expected that the formerly timid little girl would now be so decisive.
However, on second thought, such a change was not unreasonable.
Since Forget-Me-Not had now declared herself a fairy, there was no need to worry too much.
After all, in this world.
Aside from fairies, there were few things that could truly harm a fairy.
The door slowly opened, revealing a beautiful mermaid girl.
She had soft purple long hair that sparkled like the most precious amethyst in the sea.
Her tail was covered with delicate purple scales.
Tao Yao and Forget-Me-Not quietly entered the grand hall.
The surrounding decorations were resplendent, with various precious gems and pearls embedded in the walls, and enormous crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the entire grand hall.
The Mermaid Queen seemed not to have noticed the sudden appearance of the two uninvited guests.
She was intently gazing at a mountain of documents in front of her, her brow furrowed, clearly in a rather bad mood.
"Sister Coral just worries too much,"
the Mermaid Queen muttered to herself, "I clearly said I would handle it, yet she still pushes everything onto me. Really, doesn't she know how exhausting it is to be a ruler?"
Just then, a voice suddenly interrupted the Mermaid Queen's complaints.
"Excuse me, are you the queen of the sea kingdom?"
Forget-Me-Not asked politely.
The Mermaid Queen abruptly looked up, surprised to see the two strangers standing before her. Her expression shifted from confusion to shock, then finally turned into caution.
"You... who are you? How did you get in here?!"
The Mermaid Queen exclaimed, her voice tinged with obvious panic.
Tao Yao and Forget-Me-Not exchanged glances, each seeing a hint of helplessness in the other's eyes.
Clearly, their sudden appearance had frightened this young queen greatly.
After a moment, it seemed the Mermaid Queen finally regained her composure.
She opened her mouth, about to call for the guards, but saw Forget-Me-Not suddenly raise her finger.
A crystalline snowflake appeared out of nowhere at Forget-Me-Not's fingertips, emanating a faint chill.
The next second, the Mermaid Queen was astonished to find her mouth covered by a thin layer of frost, preventing her from making any sound.
The Mermaid Queen's eyes widened in disbelief as she watched everything unfolding before her.
She tried to struggle, but found herself trapped in place by an invisible force, unable to move.
Forget-Me-Not sighed lightly and said to the Mermaid Queen, "Please don't be afraid, we mean no harm. We are just here to talk about a few matters with you."
A hint of confusion flickered in the Mermaid Queen's eyes, quickly replaced by fear.
She seemed to want to say something, but her frozen lips rendered her unable to voice it.
Seeing this, Tao Yao gently patted Forget-Me-Not's shoulder and said, "Little Forget-Me-Not, you might scare her like this. Release the confinement first, so we can talk properly."
Upon hearing Tao Yao's words,
Forget-Me-Not said to the mermaid girl:
"As long as you don't scream, I'll let you go."
With the mermaid girl nodding, Forget-Me-Not lightly waved her hand.
The Mermaid Queen felt the bindings disappear, and the frost on her mouth melted away.
She took a deep breath, watching the two uninvited guests warily.
"Who are you two? Why did you break in here?"
The Mermaid Queen asked, her voice still trembling slightly.
Tao Yao stepped forward, speaking softly, "Please forgive our impolite intrusion."
After hearing Tao Yao's words, the Mermaid Queen snorted coldly, a hint of disdain crossing her eyes.
"Hmph, impolite? Do you two even know where this is? Just for barging in here alone, this queen could have you sentenced to..."
At this point, the Mermaid Queen suddenly paused, as if contemplating something.
She extended her slender fingers and began to count earnestly.
"Um... one, two, three... yes, at least three years to start! I'll make you eat three years of prison food!!"
Her tone carried a hint of pride, as if she could already imagine the two uninvited guests locked up in jail.
However, her expression suddenly softened again, carrying a hint of threat as she said, "If you know what's good for you, you better leave quickly; I might still pretend I didn't see you."
This speech and action formed a stark contrast with her identity as a ruler, yet revealed a unique charm.
Tao Yao looked at the Mermaid Queen before her, feeling a wave of frustration.
She pondered how such an unstable character could possibly be the ruler of an oceanic kingdom.
Could such a person really handle the affairs of the state?
But on second thought, Tao Yao felt somewhat relieved.
After all, this entire game world was set in a two-dimensional style, so it wasn't surprising to encounter a character with such a stark contrast.
In many two-dimensional works, similar "contrast" characters were commonplace and often very popular.
Tao Yao could even foresee that when the game's main storyline progressed to this point, this character would be incredibly well-received.
With a strikingly beautiful face, along with her unique mermaid attributes and this kind of contrasting personality setting...
For some players, it would definitely be quite impactful.
However, these were not what Tao Yao should be concerned about.
She gently shook her head, dismissing these thoughts.
The most important thing now was how to persuade this young queen.
Tao Yao took a deep breath and said, "We sneaked in here for a reason. To be honest, there is a fairy about to awaken in your kingdom."
She paused for a moment, observing the Mermaid Queen's reaction, then continued:
"I believe you understand what it means when a fairy awakens for your kingdom, right? As the queen, I'm sure you wouldn't want your kingdom to face the threat of a fairy, would you?"
Upon hearing this, the Mermaid Queen froze for a moment, then her expression abruptly changed.
Her countenance shifted from confusion to vigilance, and her tone turned cold.
"Fairy?"
She repeated, her tone filled with doubt, "Do you know what you are talking about? How could there be a fairy in the Sea Kingdom? And who are you? Sneaking around and acting all mysterious, I think you are the fairies here!"
"..."
Tao Yao and Forget-Me-Not exchanged glances, momentarily unsure how to respond.
Although the Mermaid Queen had hit the nail on the head, they indeed were fairies.
But at this moment, it was impossible to admit that.
Tao Yao was about to speak when Forget-Me-Not's ears suddenly perked up.
Her expression turned alert as she whispered to Tao Yao, "Mom, someone is coming!"
Just as the words left her mouth, the Mermaid Queen immediately seized the opportunity and shouted:
"Someone! We have an assassin!!"
Forget-Me-Not reacted swiftly, wanting to cover the Mermaid Queen's mouth, but it was already too late. The person outside responded even more quickly, her ears seeming unusually sensitive.
The moment the Mermaid Queen's words finished, the door outside suddenly swung open.
A red-haired woman strode in quickly.
Her hair was like the most vibrant coral, shining with a peculiar luster.
It was not an ordinary red, but a unique shade somewhere between deep red and pink, seemingly changing with the light.
This color reminded one of the rarest red corals under the sea, both magnificent and mysterious.
Coral cast a vigilant glance at the unexpectedly appearing Tao Yao and Forget-Me-Not.
She asked, "What are you doing in my queen's room?"
Upon hearing this, Forget-Me-Not immediately assumed a defensive posture.
Cold air spread around her, snowflakes swirling at her side, as if ready to strike at any moment.
Seeing this, Tao Yao quickly reached out to stop her.
"Alright, Little Forget-Me-Not, we are not here to fight..."
Just then, the Mermaid Queen also spoke up urgently, "Sister Coral, they said they are here to find a fairy."
Coral frowned slightly at this.
"Looking for a fairy?"
She scrutinized Tao Yao and Forget-Me-Not carefully, then asked:
"There are only two types of people in this world who actively seek out fairies: either fairy apostles who take fairies as their faith, or fairy hunters who hunt fairies. Which one do you belong to?"
Upon hearing Coral's question, Tao Yao's heart tightened.
As a fairy apostle, she knew too well that this identity was unwelcome in many places.
Especially in this unfamiliar sea kingdom, recklessly admitting her identity could lead to unnecessary trouble.
As she pondered how to answer, Forget-Me-Not unexpectedly spoke up.
"I am Forget-Me-Not, a Fairy Hunter; you should have heard of my name."
Forget-Me-Not's voice was crisp and firm, "And this next to me is my mother... Taozi!"
Hearing Forget-Me-Not's words, Tao Yao couldn't help but feel a bit strange.
Although Forget-Me-Not was well-meaning.
She had instinctively helped Tao Yao hide her identity, avoiding a potentially awkward situation.
But whether it was intentional or accidental,
Tao Yao felt that Forget-Me-Not's choice of a false name was a bit too casual...
Upon hearing this response, Coral's brow relaxed slightly.
Her gaze flickered back and forth between Tao Yao and Forget-Me-Not, seemingly confirming the veracity of their claims.
"The Sea Kingdom welcomes fairy hunters who stand against fairies and fight for salvation."
Coral slowly said, her tone carrying a hint of approval.
But then, her expression turned serious again.
"On the contrary, if you are fairy apostles... then I will personally take you to feed Little Treasure!"
Coral's voice carried a chill.