Countless ethereal voices echoed in Rhine's ears:
"I want to gain the approval of the Sea King and the people of the Sea Kingdom, and no longer be seen as an ugly and terrifying monster."
"I want to enter human society, I want to fall in love and marry Prince Eric, I want to gain an immortal soul."
"I hope that every mermaid who falls in love with a human, like me, will not have to experience the hardships I have endured."
"I want to be with Ariel."
"I hope the Sea Kingdom and the human kingdom can coexist peacefully from now on."
"I hope my sister/granddaughter is safe and sound."
"I hope the ships of the Kingdom of Summer can always sail safely on the sea. I hope the Kingdom of Summer can gradually become prosperous, so that everyone can live a good life."
"I hope for a big harvest in fishing today, so my family won't have to go hungry anymore."
"I hope this voyage will be safe and we won't encounter a storm."
"I hope that an ordinary mermaid like me also has the chance to gain an immortal soul, just like Princess Ariel."
"…"
These voices intertwined, layer upon layer, continuously reverberating in Rhine's ears.
After the alliance between the Sea Kingdom and the Kingdom of Summer was formed, these powers of wishes finally converged, coalescing into a new harvest.
Rhine extended his right hand, forming a loose grip. Countless azure light points gathered in his hand, taking the shape of a scepter. It began to appear ethereal, then solidified into a tangible object.
"Scepter of the Sea"!
This was the concretization of many wishes concerning the sea and the Sea Kingdom.
The moment he grasped the scepter, Rhine could feel the immense magical power within it, far exceeding any previous experience.
"So that's how it is. Multiple related wishes can be combined to exchange for a grand reward."
"This is much better than getting a bunch of ordinary items or spells."
Rhine pondered, his form rapidly blurring and disappearing from the spot.
The young man's figure appeared above the sea.
He floated in the air, held aloft by the fierce winds summoned by the scepter, preventing him from falling.
The sky suddenly darkened. Black clouds covered the clear sky within seconds, and silver lightning streaked through the dark clouds. The strong wind howled. Dark waves rolled up, like small mountains, crashing down with a roar.
Rhine then pointed the scepter at the sea, and a massive vortex, several kilometers in radius, formed on the surface. If any ships had been nearby, they would have been swallowed long ago.
"It can directly command the sea itself, creating tsunamis powerful enough to submerge small island nations."
"At sea, it can directly summon terrifying storms, control gales and lightning, with destructive power sufficient to wipe out an entire aircraft carrier battle group from my previous life."
"This is simply too terrifying!"
Rhine waved the scepter again.
The fierce winds ceased, the great waves subsided, and the dark clouds dispersed.
Previously, he had no concept of the powerful magic of Black Witch Maleficent that could directly affect an entire nation. Now, he truly experienced it.
"It can also be used on land, but the efficiency isn't as exaggerated; it can only control water bodies and currents to a limited extent."
Rhine thought, his figure once again blurring and disappearing.
…
Three days after Prince Eric and Princess Ariel were married, the palace of the Kingdom of Summer suddenly became lively once again.
"Eric, your brother Prince Henry has returned to the country!"
The King said excitedly to Eric, who was intimately with Ariel by the window.
"Henry is finally back. He probably won't stay long before running off again."
Prince Eric couldn't help but turn his head and sigh.
"Eric, what kind of person is your brother? I think I've heard you mention him a few times?" Ariel asked.
When Prince Eric first proposed eloping, he had explicitly stated that he had a brother traveling abroad who could inherit the throne.
"Ah. How should I put it…" Eric looked troubled, "He's always a bit unreliable… Uh, never mind, I'm not really in a position to criticize him."
Recalling how he had planned to elope with Ariel not long ago, and now having repented and intending to seriously study to become the new king, Eric felt he wasn't much better.
"Eric, Father, I finally see you both."
An excited voice came from outside the door.
"Brother, I just returned to the country and heard you got married. Let me see what the bride looks like!"
A young man, somewhat resembling Eric in appearance, strode in, without any princely demeanor.
Upon seeing the beautiful Ariel in Eric's arms, Henry's eyes lit up:
"Wow, Brother, this is your new wife? I'm truly envious!"
After spending a long time praising Ariel's beauty, he only stopped when both Prince Eric and Ariel started to feel awkward.
Immediately after, Henry showed an expression of immense regret, looking at the King:
"Father, look, my brother is already married, but I don't even have a fiancée."
"Henry, don't think I don't know your nature. You must have hooked up with many girls during your travels." The King yawned.
"You can't say that, Father. What I need is a proper fiancée!" Prince Henry looked wronged.
He then emphasized excitedly:
"I'm serious this time, definitely not just playing around! I think it's necessary for me to search for a beautiful wife nationwide."
"Alright, alright, what do you want, Henry?" The King waved his hand helplessly.
Prince Henry lowered his head, thought seriously for a moment, and then proposed his idea:
"I have a good idea."
"We can hold a grand ball at the royal palace, subtly revealing that it's Prince Eric's brother—Prince Henry's marriage-seeking ball. All wealthy, influential, and charming young ladies from across the country can participate."
"From this ball, I will select the most beautiful, noble, and elegant young lady to be my fiancée!"
"Hahaha, maybe some mermaid from the deep sea, secretly in love with me, will transform into a human to attend this ball. That way, I'll also have a mermaid fiancée, just like my
Brother."
The King and Prince Eric exchanged glances, and both sighed.
"You're sure this time you want to find a proper fiancée, and not just play around, right? Alright, I'll agree to your wishes."
The King was already familiar with Henry's temperament and couldn't be bothered to argue with him. He felt it wasn't an excessive request, so he agreed.
"Great, praise Father!" Henry jumped up excitedly.
In another room of the palace, Rhine, who was organizing Witch Society intelligence with Aurora, heard the entire conversation.
"Alas, it seems Prince Eric's brother, Prince Henry, is indeed a bit unreliable," Aurora sighed.
"I knew it. No wonder the King previously appointed the rebellious Eric, who clearly didn't want to inherit the throne, as Crown Prince. It turns out this younger brother is even more of a 'hidden dragon and phoenix' [idiom for exceptionally talented but also problematic]," Rhine said with a shrug.
"But then again, a prince holding a grand ball to find a fiancée… why does this story sound so familiar?" Rhine couldn't help but let his thoughts wander.
It's a bit like the story of Cinderella, isn't it?