The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 77: You Are Not Her ()

Kristen walked down the halls of the Sea Palace, nodding in response to the greeting of two patrol guards that swam past him.

Kristen noticed their strange looks and smirked slightly knowing it must have been rather odd for them to see him fully dressed and prancing about on legs in the Sea Palace,

There was no one who did not know clearly just how Kristen detested to trade his tail for legs and how opposed he had been about going up to the surface as part of the emissary,

To think he was now actually walking down the halls as though he was like those species from above the surface.

The distance from the Coral guest palace back to his quarters was rather far but Kristen didn’t mind the walk at all, for some reason, he felt embarrassed by how strangely he walked on human legs and so he had decided to get more practice in.

Besides, it also gave him time to collect his thoughts before he resumed seeing to his duties as Chief Royal Guard.

Kristen was slightly surprised when his adamant uncle had summoned him a short while earlier and even restored him to his original position,

He had thought he would never be pardoned for the grave mistake he had allowed to happen while above the surface.

Even up till this very moment, Kristen could not understand it, how he out of everyone else had fallen to the possession of a Charmer Demon Spirit.

He was a Prince of the Sea! Blessed by the waves with the strength of the Sea! Other than his cousin Treyton and the Sea King, who within the Sea Kingdom could rival his strength?

So just how had a demon spirit possessed his mind in the first place? Kristen had been deeply burdened by this fact, so much so that he did not dare show his face before his soldiers.

However Kristen always recalled Lady Zariah’s words, she had said his failure did not mean he was weak or unworthy,

The stronger one was, the more burden on one’s mind and the heavier the burden on one’s mind, the more susceptible one was to the possession of a demon spirit.

Although Kristen still greatly blamed himself for it, he knew the best way of atonement was to fulfill his duties without fail, that way he could restore his honor and the trust placed in him by the Sea King.

Of course, Kristen still had to think of just how he would properly apologize to Lady Zariah for attacking her, although she had insisted it was fine and she held no grudges, Kristen just couldn’t feel quite right about it.

Kristen heaved a sigh, he felt as though Lady Zariah was heaven sent, otherwise, how could there be one of those bloodthirsty wolf shifters who was actually so merciful and compassionate?

She not only did not blame him for his actions, she had even prevented King Askel from hurting him repeatedly and had also spoken up for him to the Sea King so his position was restored,

And now, she worried over his well being and if there were any lingering traces of the charmer demon spirit,

Kristen could not understand it, he was not accustomed to being on the receiving end of such warmth.

Kristen had lost his parents early and had been raised by the Sea King, and though Kristen knew clearly that the Sea King, Prince Treyton and Princess Shariah all cherished him dearly and considered him a true part of their family,

There was still a level of distance and the barrier between master and subordinate that could never be crossed.

King Himan was burdened with affairs of the Sea Kingdom, when did he have the time to express tender feelings and care over Kristen’s trivial affairs?

Not just Kristen, but even the royal siblings knew it clearly that it was only right they maintained a formal relationship with the Sea King,

Though he was their father, his title as King came first and within the royal family, rather than warmth and tenderness, respect, honor and reverence were what mattered.

Kristen could never recall a time he had fallen sick and his uncle had doted on him or come forward to care for him personally,

The Sea King would instead dispatch the most precious healing herbs and the Sea Oracle as his way of showing his care.

And between the royal siblings who shouldered the burden as heirs to the Sea King’s throne, it was a constant effort to prove themselves worthy of their noble bloodline,

Hence they were no different than Kristen himself, shouldering great duties and the fate of the merfolk and so they did not dare waste their thoughts on other matters.

Even his cousin Treyton whom Kristen cherished the most had inherited all the Sea King’s bad habits.

Kristen chuckled quietly as he recalled his cousin Treyton had just gifted him a newly crafted sword, rather than just saying he was concerned about Kristen’s well being due to Lady Zariah bringing it up.

The large shark tooth in Kristen’s bedroom had also been gifted by Prince Treyton once when Kristen had been caught in the wild wave and had broken his tail.

Rather than saying it in words, Kristen had found his family were more accustomed to replacing emotions with material things.

However Lady Zariah was different, although Kristen could see her cold exterior, the deep concern reflected in her eyes as she examined him was her true self.

Back at the surface, when Kristen had first awakened after the demon spirit was vanquished, he had awakened to the spirit guide of Crimson Moon at his side.

Nile... Kristen recalled that was his name, when his cousins had been too distracted with news of the impending war to recall Kristen was still unconscious,

The spirit guide had remained by his side till he awakened upon Lady Zariah’s orders and he had relayed to Kristen the words from Lady Zariah.

She had said Kristen was to go to her if he ever felt strange and that she would come to check on him in person as soon as the affairs at the Royal Lycan Arena was handled,

Although Lady Zariah had been unable to hold to that word as things completely spiralled out of control between the representatives of the merfolk and the fairies...but to Kristen, it was the thought that counted.

The thought to ensure he was fine had been on Lady Zariah’s mind even with all the out of control events that had happened in the Ethereal Palace.

What shook Kristen the most was the fact that she didn’t even know him, yet she was hell bent on ensuring he was perfectly fine and free of all traces of demonic energy,

Meanwhile his family had gifted him precious sea pearls the moment he arrived the Sea Kingdom, pearls that were said to drive away evil and then no one had mentioned his demonic possession again or asked if he felt odd or was truly okay.

Kristen let loose a small smile as he pulled open the door to his quarters and stepped in, stretching as he glanced down at his legs.

He had made a point to visit Lady Zariah in this form, for whatever reason, he felt it would put her at more ease than his ten feet long tail and sharp, deadly fins. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

He had seen his true form as a battle mer intimidate even his fellow mers, he had wanted to appear like the kind of people she was used to seeing,

He had been so eager to meet her and express his gratitude since he awakened from the demonic possession, yet he had not gotten the chance until now since he had been ordered to return to the Sea Kingdom.

And so upon receiving Lady Zariah’s summon, as much as Kristen was reluctant to admit it, he wanted to appear... mild and approachable.

Although from the unfazed gaze of Lady Zariah, Kristen realized that the time he had spent digging through chests for a presentable set of clothing was all wasted,

Lady Zariah would not have cared or be intimidated by his true form, she was a warrior wolf and clearly a very strong one and unlike most people from above the surface Kristen had met,

Lady Zariah did not hold prejudices against the merfolk, instead she seemed in awe of them, it was clear in how she had enquired into his water magic and his swimming speed.

And how she had looked genuinely surprised to hear that the merfolk could actually suffer from headaches.

Kristen shook his head slightly, he had a night patrol he was already late for, however as he lifted his gaze to head over to his bedroom,

He came face to face with the very dazzling crimson eyed beauty he had just left behind in the Coral guest palace.

"Lady Zariah?" Kristen asked in bafflement, glancing over at his door and wondering how she had gotten into his quarters or even knew her way around the Sea Palace to locate his quarters.

"How did you..." Kristen began to ask before his gaze narrowed into a deadly glare.

There was only one route from the Coral Guest Palace to where he stood and he had just walked that route, Lady Zariah could not have come this way without going past him along the way.

"You are not Lady Zariah!" Kristen spat as he stretched a hand to summon his magic.