Baby System: I'm the Beast World's Only Hope!-Chapter 210: Episode : Being a Hypocrite to Live
Queen Nerissa’s question was a challenge. Her black eyes, wide and unblinking, bored into Roxy’s soul, searching for weakness, for treason, for the slightest hint that Roxy deemed the throne unworthy.
The entire court held its breath. The generals gripped their tridents. Even the bubbles stopped rising.
Roxy’s heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird.
Think, Roxy. Think fast.
If she told the truth—"I don’t want your job because I’m planning to steal your grandson and flee to the surface"—she would be executed on the spot.
If she said she was unworthy, Nerissa might see it as weakness and eat her. If she said she was lazy, Nerissa would see it as an insult to the lineage.
She needed an answer that fed the Matriarch’s ego while keeping the crown firmly on Nerissa’s head.
She needed to play the role of the devoted, wide-eyed student who was simply too awestruck by Nerissa’s greatness to take over.
Roxy slowly lowered her hands from her hips. She clasped them in front of her chest, softening her posture. She let her eyes widen, channeling the innocence of a fawn.
"Your Majesty," Roxy began, her voice trembling just the right amount. "It is not that I reject the honor. To rule the Spires is the greatest destiny in the ocean."
She paused, looking around the grand throne room, letting her gaze linger on the ancient carvings of sea monsters and conquests.
"But I am... new," Roxy continued, swimming a little closer, placing herself in a position of submission lower than the Queen. "I have legs—I mean tail, where you have tentacles. I do not know the currents of the Deep politics. I do not know how to negotiate with the officials or how to balance the Mana Tides."
She looked up at Nerissa, infusing her expression with pure, unfiltered admiration.
"If I were to take the trident now, I would fail. And I would bring shame to Caspian. I would bring shame to you."
Roxy bowed her head deeply.
"You are the Legend of the Abyss, Mother Nerissa. You held the ocean together for four hundred cycles. How can I, a simple traveler, step into your shadow without first learning how to cast one?"
She looked up again, biting her lip.
"I do not wish to rule instead of you. I wish to learn from you. I want your guidance. I want to know the Spires as you do, so that one day... far in the future... I might be half the Queen you are."
I would never be the Queen you are.
Caspian watched her, his jaw slightly slack. He knew she was lying. He knew she just wanted to avoid being the leader. But he had to admit, it was a masterpiece of a lie.
Nerissa stared at Roxy. Her tentacles twitched. Her expression was unreadable.
Then, slowly, the terrifying predator softened.
A deep, rumbling sound emerged from Nerissa’s chest.
"Oh," Nerissa sighed, her voice thick with emotion. "She is perfect."
Before Roxy could react, a massive tentacle shot out and wrapped around her waist.
"Ack!" Roxy squeaked.
Nerissa yanked her forward, pulling Roxy into a bone-crushing embrace. The Queen’s skin was cold and rubbery, but the hug was suffocatingly warm.
"Did you hear her?" Nerissa bellowed to the court, squeezing Roxy until her ribs creaked. "She is not greedy! She is wise! She knows the value of mentorship! She respects the Old Ways!"
Nerissa released her, holding Roxy at arm’s length to beam at her with maternal pride.
"You are right, Little Pearl. You are raw. You need polishing. And who better to polish you than the Matriarch herself?"
Nerissa puffed up her chest, looking ten feet taller.
"I will not step down," Nerissa declared, reclaiming her throne. "Not yet. I will teach you. We will be... partners."
Roxy sighed, that worked.
"Partners," Roxy echoed weakly, forcing a smile. "Yay."
"And because you have shown such wisdom," Nerissa announced, her mood swinging instantly to festive generosity, "I shall give you the treasures of the East Vault! I want you to have the Emerald Necklace of the Siren! And... oh, bring the Chest of infinite Pearls!"
She waved a dismissive hand at the servants, who scrambled to obey.
"Nimue!" Nerissa barked.
"Yes, Mother!" Nimue popped up from behind a pillar, looking relieved that nobody had been eaten.
"Take your sister," Nerissa commanded. "Show her the Spires. Show her the glory of her new kingdom. Let the people see their Queen!"
"With pleasure!" Nimue squealed.
She swam over and grabbed Roxy’s arm. "Come on! Before she changes her mind and decides to teach you how to gut a shark right now!"
"Go!" Nerissa urged, waving them away like a benevolent mother. "Enjoy your youth! I have a war council to attend!"
Roxy didn’t need to be told twice. She let Nimue drag her away, offering one last, stiff bow to the Matriarch and a quick, desperate glance at Caspian.
Caspian offered her a small, impressed nod, his golden eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and apology. Well played, his look said.
As soon as the heavy doors of the Throne Room closed behind them, Roxy slumped.
"Oh my god," she whispered, exhaling a massive stream of bubbles. "I thought I was going to die. I thought she was going to turn me into sushi."
"You were amazing!" Nimue cheered, towing Roxy through the wide, coral-lined corridors of the palace. "You played the ’Humble Student’ card! Mother loves being the teacher. She will lecture you for hours, but at least she won’t execute you!"
"Great," Roxy muttered.
"Now, behold!" Nimue announced, spinning them around a corner.
They emerged from the palace interior onto one of the massive, open-air balconies that overlooked the city.
The view was beautiful. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
The Spires were a vertical metropolis built into the side of an underwater volcano. Bridges made of glowing blue glass connected the towering rock formations. Schools of fish, millions of them, moved like living rivers through the streets.
Merfolk swam everywhere. Merchants pulled sleds piled high with glowing crystals. Soldiers patrolled on the backs of armored seahorses. Children played tag in the updrafts of the thermal vents.
It was vibrant. It was alive. It was undeniably beautiful.
It reminded her of earth.
"This is the Upper Tier," Nimue explained, acting as the tour guide. "Where the Nobles live. Down there is the Artisan District. And way down there..."
She pointed to the dark, foggy bottom of the volcano base.
"...is the Industrial Zone. The Forge. The Prisons. And the Royal Vault."
Roxy’s ears perked up.
"The Royal Vault?" she asked, trying to sound casual. "Is that where... the treasures are?"
"And the ancient relics," Nimue nodded. "It is heavily guarded. Only the King, the Matriarch, and the High Priestess can enter. It has the Gate of Tides inside."
Bingo, Roxy thought as her ears perked up. The Gate.
"Sounds... boring," Roxy lied. "Let’s go look at the Crystal Gardens."
"Yes!" Nimue beamed. "The flowers sing when you touch them!"
She dragged Roxy off the balcony, plunging them into the bustling traffic of the city. As they moved the system popped up in front of her again.
[NEW QUEST AVAILABLE]
[Quest: The Queen’s Authority]
[Description: You have secured the title of Queen, but you do not yet possess the Authority of one. The Gate of Tides is not just a door; it is a sentient magical construct. Even with the Royal Key (The Heir), the Gate will resist a user it does not respect.]
[Objective: Raise your "Influence" in the Spires to Level 20.]
[Current Influence: Level 1 (The Stranger Bride).]
[Required Actions: Win the favor of the Common Folk, The Military, and The Magic Council.]
[Time Limit: Before the Heir is born.]
Roxy groaned internally. More work. Great.
Then, she looked at the reward line.
[Reward for Completion:]
[1. Passive Skill: "Aquatic Adaptation - Mastery"]
[Effect: You will retain the ability to breathe underwater and withstand deep-sea pressure even when in Human Form. You can switch between Mermaid and Human forms at will without System Cost.]
[2. Item: "The Siren’s Lullaby"]
[Effect: A consumable item that puts any Entity (up to Level 90) to sleep for 1 hour. Works on Mothers-in-law.]
