Evangeline considered this trip to the Mysticeti Tribe her honeymoon with Danton.

But she hadn’t forgotten about business, either.

Using the fish and shrimp her Beast Husband had hunted as test subjects, she watched as the Sandwurms parasitized them. Then, she began applying various potions, recording the details of each trial, and soon developed a method to control and defend against the creatures.

"You’re leaving already? Why not stay a little longer?" Coral Cetus asked, holding Evangeline’s hand, reluctant to see her go.

She knew that once Evangeline returned to the Mer Clan’s territory, she would be leaving The Deep Sea and going back to the land.

As a Tideborn Beastman, she rarely went ashore, so she had no idea when they might see each other again.

"You saw what happened at the tribal trade meet. If I don’t go back soon, the guys at home are going to raise hell." Evangeline sighed, and the thought of Caden Albright, Harold Thorne, and Lachlan made her want to palm her forehead.

Thankfully, only one of the three was hot-tempered. Caden Albright’s rational nature was a small comfort.

If Caden Albright hadn’t been there to mediate and keep the peace, she wouldn’t have dared to stay away for so long.

’At least this trip wasn’t a total loss. I got something good out of it. After all, I managed to win over Danton, didn’t I?’

With that thought, Evangeline turned to look at the slender figure beside her.

Danton’s pale blue eyes were filled with a tenderness like moonlight upon the sea. His long blue hair swayed gently behind him in the current. The unfaded scratches on his lean waist and abdomen were a testament to how intense their "research" had been over the past two days.

’If the Tideborn didn’t live in Sea Conches and slept on bamboo beds instead, one side would have probably collapsed by now.’

"Alright then..." Coral Cetus sounded dejected, her voice so low it nearly dissolved into the ocean currents.

But she also knew that Evangeline was from the Fox Clan, a Beastman of the land. Ultimately, she didn’t belong to this vast, blue deep. Besides, her Beast Husbands on the surface were still waiting for her. It would be terribly unfair to them if she were to stay here forever.

"Oh, right. I prepared these for you." As if suddenly remembering something, Coral Cetus took an iridescent bundle wrapped in Merweave Silk from Stellan. In the depths of the sea, its fine, scale-like pattern shimmered with a dark cyan light, a clear sign that Stellan himself had woven the cloth.

"When the leader heard you were leaving, he specially selected some rare Dawn Pearls and Moon Shadow Pearls for you. Look!"

Coral Cetus lifted a corner of the cloth, revealing dazzling pearls of all sizes and colors rolling within the Merweave Gossamer, each one emitting a soft, hazy glow.

"They’re beautiful," Evangeline said with a nod.

"Look at this one! I made it with my own hands!" From the bundle, Coral Cetus pulled out a delicate necklace adorned with a thumb-sized pink pearl. Swirling, coral-like patterns graced the pearl’s surface, making it exceptionally unique.

"It took me days to polish it!" Coral Cetus said excitedly, holding the necklace up to Evangeline as if presenting a precious treasure.

A gentle smile graced Evangeline’s lips. She accepted the kind gesture and put on the necklace. "You keep the Conch safe," she said softly. "If you ever need my help, send me a message through it. I’ll come."

Coral Cetus bit her lower lip sharply. Tears welled in her eyes before instantly dissolving into the surrounding seawater.

She nodded emphatically, then wrapped her arms around Evangeline in a tight hug. Her voice trembled and broke as she spoke. "You have to take care of yourself, and your cub. If the cub’s father... if he really doesn’t come back, then find him a new one. Don’t let yourself suffer."

Evangeline smiled faintly and nodded. "Alright. I will."

*

Evangeline and Danton left the Mysticeti Tribe together, but their journey back seemed to stretch on much longer than their trip there.

Her crimson fishtail and his blue one swayed gently in the currents as they weaved through a vibrant, painting-like underwater world.

The rainy season had just passed, and the seabed was in its own season of growth. The Coral Groves they passed through were filled with a multicolored sea mist, lending the waters a dreamlike quality. Schools of silver-scaled fish swirled by, resembling a river of brilliant stars.

But what captivated Evangeline most was a unique underwater forest.

Ancient sea trees grew leaves like seaweed, with glowing anemones clinging to them.

Throughout the forest, transparent jellyfish of all sizes drifted lazily between the branches like living lanterns.

Danton showed Evangeline all the beautiful sights The Deep Sea had to offer, guiding her through its most enchanting and secluded realms.

Evangeline was shameless, so of course she wasn’t going to let such perfect spots for romance go to waste.

For example, beneath a curtain woven from a cluster of jellyfish, she would intentionally loosen the sash of her Merweave Silk garment. When Danton reached out to tie it for her, she would seize the opportunity and pin him against one of the ancient sea trees.

Or, in the swirling mists of a Coral Grove, she would coax him into singing for her.

All along their route, they left behind images of their entangled silhouettes.

The day they returned to the Mer Clan’s territory, the Beast Spirit Flower on Evangeline’s forehead quietly unfurled, its petals opening a little wider.

She gently caressed her stomach, feeling the new life within her, and the corners of her lips turned up in a faint smile.

On the Beastman Continent, conception for a female wasn’t merely a matter of frequent intimacy; it was influenced by multiple factors.

Climatic cycles and the compatibility between a female’s and male’s Star Patterns were all closely related. But perhaps because of her soul’s unique nature, the laws of nature were subtly altered in her case, and her rate of conception far exceeded that of the native females.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that there were also certain... ahem... techniques... and *positions* that were particularly effective for conceiving.

The Mer Clan had taken the medicine, so the Sandwurm issue was considered resolved for the time being.

That night, Evangeline lay languidly on a soft couch woven from Merweave Silk. Her crimson fishtail, shimmering with a pearly luster, swished idly. With her eyes half-closed, she was growing drowsy. ’These are the early signs of pregnancy,’ she thought. ’I’m adapting well.’

Danton propped himself up on one arm, his long, azure hair cascading down like seaweed and shimmering like light on water.

He gazed at Evangeline’s sleeping face and raised a hand, his long fingers gently tracing the blooming Beast Spirit Flower on her forehead. At his touch, the petals seemed to come alive, shimmering with fine motes of spiritual light as they unfurled.

His hand slid slowly downward, finally resting on her still-flat abdomen. He could feel the faint yet distinct pulse of life within. Danton’s pale blue eyes filled with tenderness, a deep sense of preciousness, and an indescribable flutter of emotion.

’A tiny, new life.’

’His and her little merling.’

Danton suddenly spoke. "Eva, that Sound Transmission Conch you gave to Coral Cetus... could I have one too?"

Evangeline opened her drowsy eyes. Seeing Danton’s earnest expression, her heart softened.

"I was planning to give it to you tomorrow, before I left."

With a flick of her wrist, a storage bag appeared in her palm. It was embroidered with an azure-tailed merman sitting on a reef, singing to the moon. His long, azure hair was swept up by the sea breeze in a graceful arc.

"The Conch is inside—I put several of them in there. I also packed some medicine and food, especially Spirit Rice. You need to eat more of it; it will help you grow stronger. Keep it safe. And if anything comes up in the tribe that you can’t handle, call me. Don’t try to be a hero."

"Once the cub is born, I’ll bring them back to you for a while. I’m sure a father’s care will make them much stronger than a mother’s."

"Mmm... and..."

Evangeline went on for a while, her voice gradually growing heavy with sleep.

Danton watched her eyelids flutter closed, then tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His gaze returned to the storage bag, to the lifelike image of "himself" embroidered upon it. A faint smile rippled across his lips.

He gazed at Evangeline quietly for a long moment, then leaned down and gently pressed his cheek against her belly.

"...I’m their father,"

Danton whispered. He placed a kiss on her belly, a gesture so precious and solemn it was almost reverent.