Baby System: I'm the Beast World's Only Hope!-Chapter 211: Episode : Another Merman.

Roxy’s jaw dropped.

Breathing water in human form? Switching at will? That meant she wouldn’t be helpless if she turned back. She could have her legs and survive the ocean.

And an item to knock out Nerissa?

That wasn’t just a reward. That was just the thing she needed for her escape plan.

Roxy looked at the flashing "ACCEPT" button.

A slow, determined smile spread across her face, terrifying a passing school of guppies.

Roxy hadn’t even noticed that Nimue was yapping about something until she snapped back to reality.

"Besides," Nimue added, grabbing Roxy’s arm and steering her firmly toward the spiraling towers of blue coral to the left. "To build influence, you must first know your own court. You know the Generals, but do you know where they sleep? Do you know who braids their fins?"

They braid fins?

Roxy let herself be towed. "I assume you’re going to tell me."

"We are going to the Noble Quarter!" Nimue beamed, she loved showing people around. "I will show you where Vespera and Thalassa live. It will give you... perspective."

The Noble Quarter was a vertical neighborhood of hollowed-out, glowing coral spires. It looked like a high-end apartment complex designed by a drunk architect who loved spirals.

Roxy began to wonder if this was also the same thing as the fox clan.

Did a human long time ago visit the merpeople and instilled the knowledge of building a home for themselves?

Roxy couldn’t make baseless assumptions unless she researched deeply, and she was not ready for that.

She only agreed to do this because she had to go home before she becomes Jonah In the body of a whale.

"This is Vespera’s den," Nimue announced, pointing to a jagged, red-coral cave entrance guarded by two electric eels who looked very bored.

They swam inside.

The walls were bare rock, decorated only with mounted weapons: tridents, nets, harpoons, and what looked suspiciously like the skull of a small shark. The "bed" was a slab of flat stone with a single, thin layer of moss.

"Cozy," Roxy commented, tapping a spear. "What I definitely expect from Vespera."

"Vespera is of the Warrior Caste," Nimue explained. "Females of the Red Fin own their caves. They do not allow softness. If a male wants to enter, he must defeat her in combat first."

"And if he wins?"

"Then he is allowed to sleep on the floor," Nimue shrugged. "For one night."

Roxy blinked. "Rough dating."

Perhaps I can try that for Caspian, if I didn’t have a mission to fulfill.

They moved on to Thalassa’s residence, which was three spires over and completely different. It was lined with soft, pink sponges. Mirrors made of polished silver covered every surface. Piles of pearls and gold coins were scattered casually on the floor like loose change.

"Thalassa is of the Pearl Caste," Nimue whispered, touching a silk curtain. "They control the trade. Females hold the wealth. They hold the property."

Roxy floated in the center of the room, looking at the opulence. A realization clicked in her brain.

"Nimue," Roxy asked. "Where do the men live?"

She realized she hadn’t seen any "bachelor pads." The King had his wing, and the soldiers had barracks, but where did the regular guys live?

"Oh, the males?" Nimue waved a hand vaguely toward the open water. "They are... migratory."

"Migratory?"

"In the Spires, property belongs to the Lineage of the Womb," Nimue recited, sounding like she was quoting a textbook. "The females hold the territory. The males... they roam. They hunt. They patrol. If they are worthy, a female invites them in. If they are very worthy, like a High General, they might be granted a permanent suite. But mostly? They earn their keep."

Roxy digested this. It was a complete reversal of the Beast World surface, where the Kings hoarded the castles and the females were protected treasures kept inside. Here, the women were the landlords, and the men were tenants fighting for a lease.

"So Caspian..." Roxy started.

"Caspian is the King," Nimue corrected instantly. "The Palace is his. But... technically? It belongs to the Matriarch. Until yesterday, he was just... the very esteemed guest of Mother."

Roxy snorted. "So my husband was living in his mom’s basement."

"It’s a very nice basement! Whatever that is" Nimue defended.

They swam out of the residential towers and into a wide, bustling plaza. This was the social hub of the Upper Tier. Young nobles were preening their scales, bartering for jewelry, and showing off their swimming speeds.

Roxy was busy scanning the crowd, looking for potential "Influence" targets for her quest, when a shadow fell over them.

"Well, well," a smooth, oily voice purred from above. "The currents whispered of a new jewel in the Spires, but words did not do justice to the shine."

Roxy looked up.

Hovering a few feet above them was a merman.

And god, he knew he was good-looking.

He had scales the color of yellowish gold. His hair was a mane of black, floating perfectly in the water. His chest was sculpted, and adorned with a single, massive sapphire shell pendant.

He descended slowly, spiraling down like a hawk circling a rabbit.

He stopped directly in front of Roxy, blocking her path. He flashed a smile that was all white teeth and practiced charm.

"Your Majesty," he crooned, executing a bow that was just shallow enough to be insolent. "I am Lysander. Of the Gilded Fin."

He reached out and took Roxy’s hand before she could offer it. He brought it to his lips, but instead of kissing it, he brushed his cheek against her knuckles, a gesture that felt far too intimate.

Caspian would have lost his shit if he had seen that.

"Welcome to the tank, Little Thing," he whispered, his eyes dancing with amusement. "You look... delicious. Like a dessert wrapped in silk."

Roxy pulled her hand back, wiping it discreetly on her hip wrap with a disgusted look on her face. "And you look like you spent three hours polishing your tail this morning."

Lysander laughed, a rich, bubbling sound that made several nearby mermaids turn and swoon.

"Four hours," he corrected with a wink. "Perfection requires discipline."

He drifted closer, invading her personal space. He completely, utterly ignored Nimue, who was floating just two feet to Roxy’s left.

He didn’t look at her. He didn’t acknowledge her presence. It was as if the Princess of the Spires didn’t exist.

"So," Lysander murmured, looking Roxy up and down with hungry eyes. "You are the one who tamed the King. Tell me, is he as boring in the bed as he is in the council room? He always was a bit... stiff."

Roxy stiffened. "Watch your mouth. That’s your King."

Bold of you to assume I willl give you a graphic detail of my bed activities.

"He is a King," Lysander shrugged, examining his fingernails. "But I am the fun. If you ever tire of the heavy crown, Your Majesty... my grotto is open. I know tricks that Caspian is too noble to even dream of."

He gave her a look that was pure, undiluted smut.

"The males of the Gilded Fin serve the females," Lysander purred. "We exist to please. And I would very much like to please you."

Roxy felt a wave of repulsion. He was handsome, yes. In a slimy, used-car-salesman kind of way. But the arrogance was suffocating.

"I’m married, Lysander," Roxy said coldly. "Happily. To a man who killed a Kraken. What have you killed lately? Time?"

Lysander’s smile didn’t falter, but his eyes hardened slightly. "Sharp. I like that. The soft ones are boring."

He flicked his golden tail, creating a wash of current that ruffled Roxy’s hair.

"Think about it," he said, drifting backward. "The offer stands. Every Queen needs a... hobby."

He turned to leave, and as he did, his tail slapped right across Nimue’s face, not hard enough to hurt, but dismissive enough to be a deliberate insult.

He didn’t apologize. He didn’t look back. He just swam away, surrounded by a group of giggling admirers.

Roxy watched him go, her eyes narrowing.

"What a jerk," she muttered.

[System Analysis: Lysander of the Gilded Fin.]

[Role: Noble Charmer / Social Climber.]

[Traits: Narcissist, Opportunist, Manipulator.]

Roxy turned to Nimue. "Hey, Nimue, are you okay? That guy was a total—"

She stopped.

Nimue wasn’t bubbly. She wasn’t smiling.

The Princess was floating perfectly still, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. Her head was bowed, her hair obscuring her face.

But Roxy could see her shoulders trembling.

A single tear bubble escaped from Nimue’s eye and floated upward, catching the light.

"Nimue?" Roxy touched her arm, her voice softening as she realized something was wrong. "Do you know him?"

Nimue didn’t answer. She just stared at the empty water where Lysander had vanished, her expression a heartbreaking mix of longing and shattered pride.

The System pinged, offering a piece of information that made Roxy’s blood boil.

[System Fact:]

[Lysander is not a stranger.]

[Three cycles ago, he courted Princess Nimue. He used her status to gain entry to the Noble Quarter, lived in her grotto for a season, and spent her fortune on his own grooming.]

Roxy read the next line, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms.

[When her fortune ran low, he left her for a wealthy widow of the Pearl Caste. He told the court that Nimue was "too clingy" and "lacked the elegance of a true highborn."]

[He is the reason Nimue believes she is annoying.]