Natsui followed Maya out of the banquet hall and deeper into the Sea Temple.
By now, the sky outside had darkened, and the candles lining the corridor were once again lit. The warm, dim candlelight illuminated the stone path at their feet as the familiar sound of swirling water reached Natsui's ears once more.
Along the way, he tried to ask about the succession ceremony, but Maya seemed hesitant, refusing to reveal any details and keeping it shrouded in mystery.
Fine...
Since Maya was unwilling to talk, Natsui didn't bother asking again. Whatever the ceremony was, he trusted that she wouldn't harm him.
In truth, Natsui had often pondered why he had experienced such a different transformation after receiving the Sea-Soul's blessing compared to others. It was a strange phenomenon that neither he nor Maya could explain.
Sometimes, he even wondered if it had something to do with his identity as a transmigrator. Other than that, he couldn't think of anything that made him different from anyone else.
And so they walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
When they finally stopped outside a room, Natsui looked up at the door and was surprised to realize it was Maya's bedroom.
Huh!?
He thought it was a succession ceremony. Why were they here? Was it going to be held in her room? Or did they just need to pick up a prop first?
Puzzled, he followed Maya inside.
Unlike the mess he had seen on his last visit, the room had been fully repaired, with no trace of the previous damage. Two maids were present, and upon seeing Natsui enter, they approached and began removing his coat before he could object.
At this point, Natsui couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. "Miss Maya," he asked, "what exactly is this succession ceremony you mentioned?"
Maya walked to the balcony and glanced at the moon before turning back to him. Seemingly done with the secrecy, she began to explain slowly. "Since the founding of the Sea Temple, the High Priestess has always been its leader, and the position has always been held by a woman. This is both a tradition and an unbreakable rule."
Natsui nodded. He remembered Shuichi mentioning this on the speedboat; the role of High Priestess had indeed always been held by women throughout history.
But why bring this up now?
Maya continued, "Compared to men, women are less likely to be swayed by money, status, beauty, or other matters. They maintain a more neutral stance without strong political leanings, which has been a great help to the temple's development and has kept us from straying. It has allowed us to maintain a transcendent status in the Whirl Islands. However, there has been one issue that has troubled us since ancient times."
Natsui chuckled. "You're all so wealthy and powerful. What could possibly trouble you?"
Maya gave him a deep look. "The matter of succession."
Succession...
Natsui's smile faded. He remained silent, patiently waiting for her to continue.
"It's shameful to admit," Maya sighed, "but for the first few centuries after the temple's founding, the position of High Priestess was passed to the most capable individual. When a suitable successor appeared, the title was passed on. But several hundred years ago, my ancestor, driven by a desire for power, held onto the position and changed the tradition, passing it down to her own descendants. This has continued to this day."
Natsui recalled Maya mentioning she had inherited the role from her own mother. It seemed her family had indeed kept a firm grip on the position.
The moonlight shone on Maya, making her appear even more sacred, as if draped in a layer of silver dust.
"As a member of this family," she said firmly, "I must eventually have a child of my own to continue both the bloodline and the position of High Priestess."
Her words were blunt, and Natsui began to understand.
"So..."
Maya took a few steps toward him, her expression serious. "So, it has always been common for the Hero of the Sea and the High Priestess to unite. In fact, many of my ancestors were Heroes of the Sea, and the bloodline born from their union becomes even more perfect."
So this was the succession ceremony.
Honestly, Natsui had never imagined this was what it would be. Then again, it suddenly made sense why Maya was not only beautiful but also possessed such a noble temperament—it was the result of generations of genetic refinement.
"Since you've already agreed to the ceremony," Maya began, "we should..."
"I'm sorry," Natsui interrupted with a wry smile, shaking his head. "I didn't know this was what the ceremony meant when I agreed so rashly. Besides, I already have a girlfriend, so this matter... please forgive me for refusing."
Maya didn't seem surprised by his refusal.
"Your girlfriend... that would be Miss Erika, correct?"
Natsui opened his mouth, wanting to say it wasn't her, but his current relationship with Erika was hardly just friendship. If he denied it, would their inseparable behavior make Maya think he was some kind of player?
Besides, he and Sabrina had never explicitly defined their relationship. Perhaps considering her his girlfriend was just his own wishful thinking.
After a moment of thought, Natsui decided against explaining. "Even if I didn't have a girlfriend, at my age, I haven't thought about having children."
Maya smiled. "You don't think getting pregnant is that simple, do you? And please, rest assured, I won't let Miss Erika know about this. I understand your goal is to challenge the various league tournaments and that you have no intention of staying here. After the child is born, I will raise them alone. They won't cause you any trouble."
"Hey," Natsui sighed, "you've got it wrong. This isn't about her knowing or not..."
Seeing his reluctance, Maya assumed it was due to his deep feelings for Erika and his unwillingness to betray her.
"You don't need to overcomplicate this," Maya advised. "You have nothing to lose. On the contrary, with this child, the Sea Temple will forever be your backer. I won't cling to you; I only wish to use your strength to continue my bloodline."
Seeing her firm attitude, Natsui was genuinely confused. "Why me?"
Maya shook her head. "It's true that a new Hero of the Sea is chosen every three years, so I have many candidates. But you are different. You won the Indigo Conference, proving your exceptional strength. You saved the Sea God without trying to capture it, proving you are not driven by profit. Moreover, you saved my life, which moved me deeply. And, of course, the main reason is... that I like you, and I don't want to miss you in this lifetime."
Her heartfelt confession was, admittedly, moving.
Natsui wasn't sure what he was feeling, but his rational mind told him he had to refuse. He absolutely could not betray Sabrina.
But in the next second, his thoughts drifted to Erika. Although nothing had happened between them, they both knew they had implicitly crossed the line of friendship. Their harmony, shared values, and easy conversation had already made them soulmates.
Seeing his silence, Maya boldly stepped forward and took his hand.
"My hero, my love... this is my final request. Please, do not refuse me."
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