Gern's cold, pragmatic words struck Queen Otohime's heart like a sledgehammer.
Her face paled, pain and inner turmoil flickering in her blue eyes as her slender fingers clutched the hem of her clothes.
Abandoning her dream of bringing her people into the sunlight to live peacefully alongside humans would hurt her more than death.
"But... Admiral Gern, if we don't even try, then what hope..." Otohime made one last attempt.
"Otohime!" Neptune suddenly raised his voice, cutting her off.
His enormous hand clasped his wife's firmly yet gently, and he looked at her with stern, worried eyes.
"Enough! This discussion ends here!"
He could not let his wife go on. Gern had made his position abundantly clear. Continuing would not only be pointless, but might even anger their actual protector, with disastrous consequences for Fish-Man Island.
Neptune knew full well that when dealing with someone like Gern, ideals and sentiment had to give way to reality and interests.
"You're tired. Go back and rest." Neptune's tone brooked no argument, and he signaled the attendants by the door with a glance.
Two mermaid attendants immediately stepped forward and respectfully asked Queen Otohime to leave.
Otohime looked at her husband's resolute eyes, then at Gern's expressionless face, and finally bit her lip.
With tears shimmering in her eyes, she left the banquet hall dejectedly, supported by the attendants.
Only after Otohime had disappeared from sight did Neptune let out a long breath, as though an immense weight had lifted from his shoulders.
His expression gradually changed, the worry and tension giving way once more to the composure and shrewdness befitting a king.
Then he waved all the attendants away and had the banquet hall's doors shut.
Now only he and Gern remained inside.
Neptune straightened in his seat and looked candidly at