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[TLD] Chapter 395: Working Hard to Become Better
Oct 5
"Because, Rosse-Nii is a very rational person."
Scarlett said matter-of-factly, her burning gaze fixed intently in the not-too-distant direction.
Today Rosse unusually wasn't lying on a beach chair resting; he was sparring one-on-one with Gion.
One held the Konpira, the other held the famed blade Shusui.
It looked like an ordinary spar, but if you got even a little closer you'd feel a piercing prickling on your skin.
According to Rosse, this was to stimulate Gion's Conqueror's Haki so she could master Conqueror's Coating faster.
Anyway Scarlett didn't understand those things, she only thought Gion was amazing, but Rosse was even more amazing.
"Being rational is true, but precisely because he's rational, you should take more action, otherwise others will get there before you."
Nia muttered, glancing at Olvia sitting not far away and at Black Maria standing beside the sparring ground, ready at any moment to step forward and tend to things.
"I won't."
Scarlett shook her head with a smile, "I used to simply admire Rosse-Nii, but after a few days of contact, I can now understand what Sister Otohime meant."
"What did I say?"
Otohime looked a little puzzled, she'd said a lot to Scarlett and didn't know which line Scarlett meant.
Because she could sense Scarlett's pure heart, from the first time Scarlett came to the Fishman Kingdom the two became friends, and after talking more they became close friends.
"It was that line: admiration is the feeling farthest from understanding."
Scarlett propped her chin on her hand and quietly looked toward Rosse, "Before I started meeting Sister Otohime, I think I only admired an invincible hero. Someone who stirs the world, omnipotent, the object of many women's affection. I was like the princesses in those hero tales, and he was that great hero."
"That line, actually he said it to me, but in a different context: he told me to keep my feet on the ground."
Otohime nodded gently; she roughly understood Scarlett's feelings.
The reason she didn't mind Scarlett was mainly because her relationship with Rosse was different from others'.
Maybe there was love in it, but more so gratitude and a soul-level resonance.
Rosse was one of the few who understood her, and the only one willing to help her.
That meant more to her than any romance.
For that reason... Otohime stroked her slightly rounded belly; those sapphire-blue eyes shimmered with maternal tenderness.
She very much wanted to unite with him and continue their bloodline.
That future child would surely be outstanding, and would become a true bridge between merfolk and humans.
Nia didn't feel as much as Otohime. After hearing Scarlett's description, she couldn't help but ask, "And now? How do you see him and yourself now?"
"Now?"
Scarlett smiled faintly, "Now that I've interacted with him, I know he's not that hero."
"Huh?"
Nia froze, 'Not a hero anymore, then why are you smiling so happily? Shouldn't the fantasy be shattered?'
"What hero spends his days with arms around everyone and lazily lying on a beach chair?", Scarlett rolled her eyes and pointed to the not-far spot.
The spar had ended; Rosse was sitting on a beach chair with Olvia and Hiyori in his arms.
Because Hiyori was young, the scene still looked quite warm.
But both Otohime and Nia knew what Scarlett was alluding to.
"Pfft...", Nia couldn't help but laugh, teasingly glancing at Otohime, whose face had gone red.
What Scarlett hinted at was much more explosive than the present scene.
Just two hours ago, Rosse had one-armed Otohime and with the other arm pulled Gion aside for a whisper, Otohime had only just returned.
"You!", Otohime couldn't help glaring at Scarlett and gave the top of her little head a smack.
Luckily after eating the Mythical Zoan her body was far stronger; otherwise that smack could've broken bones.
"Hehe! I didn't say he had a problem, I just think he gets along really well with Sister Otohime and Sister Gion."
Scarlett stuck out her tongue, hugged her head, and shrank back into the chair's backrest, afraid Otohime would hit her again.
"Aren't you jealous?", Nia raised an eyebrow.
She thought Scarlett was abnormal,.what kind of lovesick girl behaves like this? Maybe she'd already turned dark.
"I'm not jealous. You all are people who can help Rosse-Nii. Why would I be jealous? I'm happier than anything," Scarlett beamed.
"You really are strange."
Nia couldn't help but mock, where do people like that even exist? If she were Otohime, she'd find a way to chase Scarlett away; a girl like that was terrifying.
"There's nothing wrong. Rosse-Nii wants people who can be useful to him. I take Sister Otohime and the others as models and try to become someone as useful as they are."
Scarlett's eyes burned as she looked toward Rosse.
"I used to admire the heroic him, but that admiration carried lovely fantasies that weren't real."
"The real Rosse-Nii has his own joys and sorrows; he's not as glamorous as I imagined, but he's not as evil as rumors say. Yet no one can deny one thing: he stands at the summit of the world. He's the most noble person in this world."
At this, Nia glanced at Scarlett, "That's a fair assessment, so you just admire strength, huh."
Her appraisal of Rosse was similar: a man who doesn't hide his desires yet stands at the top of the world.
In her heart she actually had some feelings for Rosse too.
Beyond saving them sisters before, being near Rosse felt very safe.
Their prior experience on Fishman Island made her keenly aware that without strength or background, the sisters would end in tragedy.
And clearly, Otohime herself lacked strength and backing; what protected them wasn't the Fishman Kingdom but the shelter Rosse provided.
"What's wrong with admiring strength? If you're going to have someone in your heart, why can't it be the strongest and most handsome one?", Scarlett said matter-of-factly.
"Others may be the strongest and most handsome, but why would he pick you?", Nia sneered and appraised Scarlett from head to toe.
In terms of beauty and figure, Scarlett, just barely blossomed, was at most on par with the sisters.
But they were triplet sisters and a special merfolk race, they had huge bonuses compared to humans.
Even so, none of them stood a chance with Rosse; Scarlett was purely delusional.
And even Nia could see that Rosse's interest in Scarlett wasn't that kind: the way he looked at Scarlett was about the same as he looked at Nia, lacking the kind of feeling he had for Otohime and Gion.
"I know!", Faced with Nia's doubt, Scarlett was unusually frank, "If not now, then work hard to become better. I'm still young; I have plenty of time to earn his recognition."
Saying this, Scarlett clenched her fist, her face full of confidence.
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