Yet she had been born able to catch the ripples of other people's thoughts, and that listening could even become an invisible influence, quietly turning the most stubborn souls through her words.
A Celestial Dragon who had once ended up here had shed all his arrogance as she spoke, clarity returning to his eyes.
Had this ability fallen into the hands of a villain, it would have been enough to unleash a silent storm.
"I heard him."
Her voice was soft, yet it halted the argument. "That guest has no intention of fighting."
The ox-horn staff in the Left Minister's hand paused.
The Catfish-Man civil official adjusted his monocle, his tail shifting uneasily beneath his robes. "But the prophecy has already echoed throughout the palace... The shadow of destruction hangs over the island.
"He is, after all, one of those seven recognized by the world. How can we act rashly?"
The Right Minister's seahorse body tensed.
The Crescent Moon Trident in his hands rose slightly, its blades reflecting a cold gleam. "Precisely why we should use the strength of our entire army to keep him here forever while he is deep beneath the sea! Are we supposed to sit and wait for disaster to come true?"
Neptune did not immediately answer from his throne.
He remembered meeting Otohime many years ago, when she had been working tirelessly for peace between the two races.
He also remembered Fortune Teller Shyarly's unsettling whispers-words that always sounded a warning before a crisis, yet never rang out in peaceful years.
Now another prophecy had arrived, and the hall was filled with the helplessness and anxiety of having the ending revealed in advance.
"Darling."
Neptune finally spoke. "What else did you hear?"
Otohime took a few steps closer, her robes brushing the polished floor. "There