Chapter 498 Welcome To The Merland! (1)
Earlier in the morning…
Little Han and the rest all boarded in a mysterious bubble created by the mermaids.
"Huaaaa!"
"Wow!"
The children exclaimed in amazement the moment the bubble they were in began to be submerged in the water.
Eli was also intrigued by the mysterious bubble they were in. Supposedly, bubbles tend to float on the surface and not submerge deeper, however, it seemed like the water\'s surface resistance and the bubble\'s buoyancy did not affect their vessel at all.
"This is purely made of mana specifically from the merfolk." Kayden saw the curiosity in Eli\'s expression and started to explain.
"This bubble will not act like the normal bubbles we commonly observe when placed with a liquid or any body of water. It would be easier to say that this \'bubble\' was a sea creature who did not have any rejection on the place underwater." Kayden continued.
"Mommi!! Mommi!! Look! Pwetty mermaids!!!" Little Han\'s excited voice was heard as his crystal blue eyes beamed upon looking at the stunning appearance of the merfolk.
"Aren\'t they beautiful, my love?" Eli was immediately affected by Little Han\'s energy as she responded to his enthusiasm.
"Yesh! Vewy beautiful~" It was not only Little Han who answered but the rest of the kids who happened to be in the same bubble as Eli and Little Han.
The mermaids heard Little Han\'s praises and were very pleased. Their chuckles were bizarrely heard underwater as they hovered around the bubble which had already started moving at a fast speed.
"Little Prince, your taste is very good!!! You could clearly see our beauty and charm~~" The mermaids and even the merfolk looked at Little Han and the children happily.
"You children are not badly looking too! Hmmm~ you\'d better stay with us more so that you can grow more charming and beautiful in the future!"
"That\'s right! We are awesome and cool!"
Eli\'s brows could not help but twitch upon seeing the reaction of the merfolks.
Their demeanor was undoubtedly the same as Zale! The guardian who is obsessed with being \'cool\' and \'awesome\' seemed to have thought his subjects to become the same as well!
\'Sigh, did the other guardians know of this? Guardian Zale seemed to have led an entire race astray…\' Eli could not stop feeling helpless.
Nevertheless, the merfolks were really unbeatable under the sea when they used their powers.
Eli knew that they were traveling in the ocean where it could take them more than a month when they traveled through the ship even when it was a modernized ship.
But then their speed was like that of a bullet train! More bizarrely, the underwater current was not even disturbed by such fast movement.
"Amazing…" Eli could not help but comment in awe, especially when the situation inside the bubble is so comfortable and not even causing the kid\'s motion sickness.
"The merfolks get their powers in the water, and so it is like they are breathing air when they use their mana. If this spell is performed above the surface, they would inevitably be exhausted.
Besides, the escorts that we have are the top protectors of the Merking, their speed could not compare to the merfolks who are usually contracted for transportation." Calderon helped Eli understand what was happening around them.
"That\'s right lady-aunt! If it was a normal carrier, it may take us around three days to reach halfway to the ocean. But since we are escorted by the strongest force of the Merland we can reach there before the sun sets!" Elifas also chimed in.
During the time of the journey, he started to open up with Eli as her mother often told him about her. Moreover, Eli also gave him and Calderon extra attention due to her and Azayn\'s friendship.
While Azayn and the rest of the Silver Dew Elves ensure that the village is secured, she opted for Elifas to join the Forgeworn in traveling back to the Greenwave. Besides, she, Koethar, the Chief, and several warriors chose to stay to guard the land should there be untoward incidents happened.
"I see. It is an incredible experience for me to witness this." Eli smiled as she observed the surroundings.
"Mommi, where are the fishes?"
Little Han scratched his head because as he looked around all he could see were the deep blue hue of the underwater and the mermaids and mermen guarding them against all directions.
"Oh… maybe we can see them later on when we slow down. Our vehicle is too fast for us to see what\'s going on around us." Eli patiently answered the child\'s question.
"Is that twue fairway auntie?"
"Is that true??"
The children around them also asked dependently. Eli could only helplessly smile and explain it to them slowly. It warmed her heart to see them this curious, they were really like the adorable children from kindergarten.
As they entertained themselves, they did not notice that an entire day had passed. They only noticed everything changed when the deep blue color of the underwater slowly turned lighter and lighter.
"Wow~~~ Mommi look!!! Mommi! Look!!! Castle!" Little Han was the first one to notice something mysterious ahead.
When everyone looked at where his chubby fingers were pointing and they were in awe!
Up ahead was a bright underwater city filled with the gentle lights of something like luminous pearls. It was such a sight to behold when there was such a magical place in the midst of a seemingly unending ocean.
The center of attraction is the massive castle that towered over the city. And as they craned their heads to see the beautiful place, the nearby surroundings also became clearer to them as well.
The fishes and sea creatures that were peacefully lingering in the surroundings are now swimming in their direction!
This made the children who were initially already sleepy become lively once again as they marveled at the colorful and bizarre creatures in front of them.
Eli was also equally amazed, she felt like she was in the biggest ocean park in modern life!
"We are about to enter the territory… everyone ensures to escort our guests properly." Wade who was leading the group commanded his comrades who then responded in affirmation.
Soon the bubble slowly descended to the ocean floor but it did not burst yet even when they officially entered the merland gates. Instead, the \'bubble\' changed.
The top half of the bubble disappeared leaving the passengers inside exposed in the merland air. When they entered the territory, Eli noticed that the place seemed to have been protected by a giant bubble, and now that they were inside it, she then understood what was going on.
The Merland was actually a place with air that humans like them could breathe in!
"Our dearest guests, welcome to the Merland. We will escort you straight to the palace where His Majesty King and Queen are waiting." Wade looked at the group and respectfully announced.
Eli and the rest of the elders cast a grateful glance toward Wade and the escort as they obediently stayed in the bubble which now turned into bubble carriages.
They continued their journey, still riding and wandering on the main streets of the Merland.
They realize that it was not only them who use bubbles to go through the land but most of the merfolks also use the bubbles as a mode of transportation, especially for goods.
Another bizarre thing is that the fishes and other sea creatures could safely pass through the giant bubble barrier protecting the aired land; as they passed through, they were covered by a thin layer of water. This allowed them to safely go to and fro the land without jeopardizing their life.
Little Han and the children\'s lively voices rang excitedly once again as they saw an entirely new world.
In response, the citizens of the merland were also equally curious about their group. Eli could especially feel the merfolk\'s interest directed towards her and Little Han.
However, she remained calm and collected, for she knew that Zale had made an order to protect them and she did not have to appear distant to these allies.
They quickly arrived at the palace where an array of the land\'s officials and aides waited for them.
"Welcome to the Merland Palace, our distinguished guests!" They all greeted each other.
"Welcome! Welcome… I am relieved to finally see you arrive here safe and sound." After the greetings were done by an official, a soft motherly voice rang in the center of the crowd.
There emerged a stunning woman with queenly features that did not lose against Queen Lucia and Queen Tehila\'s beauty.
Even as the age where already reflected in some parts of her face, her aura and bearing were still enough for everyone to hold their breaths in awe.
"Your Majesty Queen Marina!" The servants around, including Wade and his colleagues all bowed and saluted.
"Greetings, Your Majesty! How honored we are to be personally welcomed by your highness!" Grandma Brygid and Tyce led the Forgeworns to greet her respectfully - the Queen of the Merfolks, Marina!