readease Chapter 307: Are you sure?
Chapter 307: Are you sure?
Momo immediately darted backward, his tiny face filled with caution. It was obvious he wanted nothing to do with Idir.
He had not forgotten being taken away by him before.
Guilt flickered across Idir’s face.
"Momo, what happened before was Father’s fault." His voice was unusually gentle. "Father is now your mother’s mate. I won’t do something like that again."
He lowered his head slightly.
"Father apologizes to you. Can you forgive Father this once?"
He knew very well that the previous incident had frightened the little one badly.
Momo stared at Idir in silence.
Even if the big bad snake had become Mother’s mate now... he still had not forgiven him.
Just then, Nina stepped outside and happened to hear their conversation.
She walked over, and Momo immediately flew into her arms.
Nina gently stroked him, soothing him softly before sighing toward Idir.
"You’ll have to make it up to Momo properly from now on. Wait until he’s willing to forgive you."
It seemed winning Momo over would still take some time.
"Alright." Idir nodded obediently before taking out a durian and kneeling on it without complaint.
Nina lifted Momo in front of her face.
"Does Momo want to come to the kitchen with Mother? Let’s go see what delicious things Father Mino made today."
She knew best that Momo loved food the most.
Momo’s eyes instantly lit up. "Yes! I want to go with Mother. Can you ask Papa Mino to make pudding for me later? And little cakes too."
Then he glanced at the durian beneath Idir’s knees.
"I want durian-flavored ones."
Nina tapped his little head lightly. "Alright. Mother will ask Father Mino to make them for you. Let’s go steal some snacks first."
Momo’s eyes curved happily as he coiled around Nina’s wrist.
"Mother, let’s hurry!"
The other babies immediately crowded around them. "Mother, we want some too!"
Linny was the first to dart over. "Mother, I want fish soup!"
Shushu tugged at Nina’s skirt. "Mother, I want lamb skewers and durian egg tarts!"
Sunny chimed in eagerly, "Mother, I want meatballs!"
Soon, the rest of the babies were all shouting their own requests as well.
Nina laughed helplessly. She had only wanted to comfort Momo and sneak a few snacks along the way.
Scooping all the babies into her arms, she looked toward Idir.
"Hurry and finish kneeling on the first durian so you can cook something delicious for the babies."
Idir’s lips curved upward faintly, his eyes overflowing with tenderness.
"Alright. I’ll make something for you very soon."
Nina carried the babies toward the kitchen. Watching their retreating figures, happiness rippled through Idir’s eyes.
For the first time in his life, kneeling on a durian actually felt... blissful.
***
That day, Mino and Kith prepared an enormous spread of delicious food for the babies, leaving every one of them thoroughly satisfied.
By evening, Lex and Lani finally returned.
They had also brought back a beastman whose aura was frighteningly powerful, and had summoned Dian back as well.
Lani appeared weighed down with worry.
Dian’s lips were slightly puffed in displeasure, clearly unhappy.
Lex kept his lashes lowered, brows faintly furrowed.
As for the unfamiliar beastman, his face remained completely expressionless.
Noticing their strange expressions, Nina asked with concern, "Father, did something happen?"
Lani hesitated briefly before speaking. "Nina... something unexpected happened within the Abyss of Darkness. It will likely close much sooner than expected."
He paused. "We... repaired Dian’s merfolk pearl ahead of time. We want you to fuse with it tonight, then depart for the Abyss tomorrow."
In the end, he still chose not to tell Nina the truth yet.
He was afraid she would refuse, and if she did, things would become even more difficult afterward.
Lex’s fists tightened silently.
Dian pressed his lips together, the corners of his mouth drooping faintly.
Nina looked surprised.
She had not expected Dian’s merfolk pearl to recover so quickly. She had assumed it would still take another two or three days at least.
Still, leaving earlier was not necessarily a bad thing.
She nodded without objection.
"That’s fine. We’ve already prepared almost everything anyway. We can leave whenever."
All of the preparations had already been completed by the beastmen long ago. Nina had fully absorbed the sea crystal stones as well—they had only been waiting for Dian’s merfolk pearl.
"In that case, I’ll help the two of you fuse the pearl tonight," Lani said.
Nina blinked in confusion.
Did fusing a merfolk pearl require another beastman’s assistance? Dian had never mentioned that before.
Since she did not fully understand the process, she chose not to ask further.
Instead, she turned toward Dian.
"Then... does that mean Dian and I will become mates tonight?"
Lani’s gaze flickered slightly.
"Nina, you shouldn’t mate tonight. Fuse with the pearl first. We leave for the Abyss of Darkness tomorrow, so you need to preserve your strength. Once you return, the two of you can complete the mating ceremony."
Guilt and worry surged through Dian’s eyes.
He desperately hoped Nina would not become angry after learning the truth. He never wanted to deceive her.
At first, he had been unwilling too—but his father’s words made sense. The method was improper, yes, but it was ultimately for Nina’s sake.
What frightened him most was the thought of Nina getting angry and refusing to mate with him afterward.
He had finally gotten this chance.
The more he thought about it, the more afraid he became.
He stepped forward instinctively, as though he wanted to confess everything to Nina. But Lani immediately grabbed his arm and shot him a stern warning look.
In the end, Dian swallowed the words back down.
Lowering his head, he looked visibly dejected.
Nina thought Lani’s reasoning made sense, but she still felt Dian’s opinion mattered most.
The whole arrangement gave her the strange feeling of "boarding the carriage before buying the ticket."
Her gaze softened as it landed on Dian.
"Dian, what do you think? Are you really willing to postpone mating and fuse the merfolk pearl first?"
A faint crease appeared between her brows.
Why did he seem so unhappy? Hadn’t he been looking forward to mating with her?
Dian lifted his head, conflict flashing through his eyes.
"I... I’m willing to do that," he said hesitantly. "Father is right."
"Are you sure?" Nina asked gently.
After a brief pause, she said thoughtfully, "Actually, mating tonight wouldn’t affect much."
As long as they exercised some restraint, it should not matter too much. She simply did not know whether it would affect Dian specifically.
Lani secretly tugged at Dian again.
Dian sighed silently inside and forced his emotions back under control.
Looking at Nina, he said softly, "Nina... I truly am willing. Let’s do as Father says."
The thing he minded was never the delay itself. He would have given Nina his merfolk pearl even without mating.
Lani quietly released a breath of relief.
Nina studied Dian carefully. Seeing that he no longer appeared reluctant, she finally nodded.
"Alright then. Once we return, I promise I’ll mate with you."
Dian nodded obediently. "Mhm. I trust you, Nina."
He only hoped that after learning the truth... she would still choose him.
And if... If Nina regretted it afterward... He felt he would truly cry himself to death.
Dian pouted miserably to himself. It was all his stupid father’s and stupid brother’s fault.
But at the same time, he genuinely wanted to help Nina obtain the sacred artifact. This method was safer.
Nina squeezed his hand and sighed softly. "Then maybe we really should just mate tonight instead?"
She truly could not understand him. He kept saying he was fine, but he still looked wronged somehow.
Dian instantly hid his pitiful expression and shook his head quickly.
"N-No need. We’ll mate after you come back safely."
Because right now... he still could not mate with her.
Nina laughed helplessly. "Alright then. As long as you’re truly okay with it."
Then her gaze shifted toward the unfamiliar beastman Lani had brought back.
"Father... who is this?"
She could sense immediately that this beastman was extraordinarily powerful.