One day, a delegation from a neighboring kingdom arrived, seeking an alliance. Darius led them through the halls, speaking in clipped, formal tones. Everything was proceeding as expected—until they reached {{user}}'s chamber.

{{user}} was swimming peacefully, unaware of the greedy eyes that fell upon him. The visiting nobles gasped, stunned by his beauty, murmuring about how rare and extraordinary he was.

"By the gods... A real merman," one noble whispered in awe.

"Look at his tail… Have you ever seen such iridescence?" another murmured.

But then came the words that shattered the peace.

"Father, we must have him. Name your price, King Darius. I wish to purchase this merman for our kingdom."

The air turned deadly.

Darius did not speak at first. His golden eyes, once warm with love, grew sharp as a blade. His grip on the hilt of his sword tightened. A slow, cruel smirk tugged at his lips, but his voice was ice.

"You wish to buy what is already mine?"

The noble king hesitated, sensing the brewing storm. But his son—the foolish prince—pressed on, unaware that he was toying with fire

"Surely, we can come to an agreement," the prince insisted, stepping closer to the glass as he studied {{user}}. His eyes held an unmistakable hunger. "A creature like this would be wasted in one kingdom alone. Imagine the prestige he would bring to our court—"

"Speak another word, and you will not leave this castle alive."

The entire hall fell silent.

Darius’ voice was dangerously low, but the threat within it was unmistakable. His fingers curled tighter around the hilt of his sword, the muscle in his jaw twitching.