Prince Eric continued,
"The alliance between our two nations can still proceed as planned. I am overjoyed that our kingdom can form an alliance with Enderland. However, my marriage should not be a prerequisite for this agreement."
A heavy silence fell over the grand hall.
Neither the nobles nor the King and Queen dared to speak first.
Below the throne, Ariel covered her mouth, holding her breath. Her eyes burned, her vision blurred by unshed tears.
The old witch's expression darkened instantly.
The King's eyes were filled with shock.
He had already suspected who the prince had fallen for—the signs had been too numerous. But before Eric voiced it aloud, he had convinced himself that his son's feelings for the girl he had brought home were nothing more than youthful infatuation, a fleeting passion that would fade with time. He never imagined it would become an obstacle to the marriage alliance.
"By the gods! My father disapproves of my decision—I can see it written all over his face. But why? Why must I marry a neighboring princess? Isn't Ariel a princess too?"
"That's right—Ariel comes from the kingdom beneath the sea, and our Western Asia Kingdom borders that very ocean. Technically, that makes her a 'neighboring princess' as well! But how do I explain this to my father?"
Frustration bubbled inside the prince.
He could sense the invisible barrier standing between him and the mermaid princess. A wall. He could see it now. But as a prince of today and the future king of tomorrow—he was determined to break it down.
"We will speak of this matter again after the banquet," the King said in a low voice.
For the rest of the evening, neither the King nor the envoys from Enderland mentioned the marriage proposal again. Instead, the conversation shifted to other diplomatic topics.
Prince Eric knew that his father's silence did not mean approval.
But what surprised him was the King's unexpected gentleness. Despite his bold defiance, his father had not exploded in anger. Did this mean… there was still hope?
The crimson lanterns dimmed.
The music and dancing gradually faded into silence. Servants cleared away goblets still fragrant with wine.
One by one, the guests departed.
The delegation from Enderland would remain in the Western Asia Kingdom for a few more days.
The old witch paced back and forth, muttering to herself,
"This is bad. This is bad! Prince Eric fell for that girl—that girl, the one with a voice too beautiful to be human! And he outright refused our arrangement in front of everyone!"
The other envoys shrank back, trembling. None of them dared interrupt her.
After a long silence, one envoy finally mustered the courage to report,
"I have gathered information on the singer. The palace maids say that Prince Eric found her by the seaside. He treats her extraordinarily well because she resembles the woman who saved him during the shipwreck."
The old witch's expression shifted.
"Oh? If that's the case, then this is excellent news!" she exhaled in relief, a pleased glint in her eye. "That means she's just a substitute. Once Prince Eric meets our princess in person, he will immediately change his mind!"
But then, a shadow of doubt crossed her face.
"Strange… That girl doesn't look anything like the little princess at all. Could it be that Prince Eric's memory is mistaken?"
Of course, she knew exactly who had saved Prince Eric during that stormy night.
"By the way, have you found out which guest chamber the magician from the Rose Kingdom is staying in?" she asked.
Another envoy, pale and nervous, provided the information. He had already anticipated what was going to happen next.
"Good. Now leave me be. No one is to disturb me tonight."
Once the room was empty, the old witch took out a mirror and hung it on the wall.
She began chanting.
Ripples spread across the mirror's dark surface, like waves on the ocean, until an image emerged—a man with stubble, his face rugged and imposing, radiating an air of dominance.
The King of Enderland.
"My liege, I bring you my report," the old witch said.
She recounted everything that had transpired at the banquet—how Prince Eric and Ariel had exchanged loving glances, how the prince had publicly rejected his father's arrangement.
The Enderland King listened quietly, nodding in thought.
Then, he asked,
"So, Prince Eric has fallen in love and refused his father's will? Just as the rumors say—rebellious, strong-willed, and full of personality.
"And what of our remaining plans? Will they still proceed as expected?"
His voice carried a weight of authority.
"Of course, Your Majesty. I have discovered that Prince Eric sees this girl as nothing more than a substitute. His true love is still the woman who saved him from the sea—that is, Your Majesty's youngest and most beautiful daughter, the Seventh Princess."
The old witch's lips curled into a wicked grin.
"As you know, I foresaw a great opportunity in destiny and sent the princess to study at the Forest Temple, ensuring that she would encounter the prince at the right time.
"She has no idea that the handsome young man she rescued on the shore was the prince of the Western Asia Kingdom. In her letters home, she only wrote about saving a beautiful youth who had washed up on the beach.
"But once they meet, they will both believe it to be fate.
"As I understand, Prince Eric is a hopeless romantic. He cherishes emotions and despises disappointing others.
"When he lays eyes on the very girl who has haunted his dreams, and she just so happens to be the foreign princess he is betrothed to—there is no way he will reject this so-called love.
"Prince Eric will believe it to be a dream come true. No matter how rebellious he has been, no matter how much he resists his father's rule, he will desperately want to marry her!"
The old witch laughed.
"The more he loves that singer now, the more he will love our princess!
"No, he will love her ten times more—because the singer was merely a replacement!"
Her grin widened, twisting her face into something grotesque.
"And after the wedding, I will follow the plan.
"I will provide the princess with enchanted spices and instruct her to sprinkle them on herself daily, telling her they will make her irresistible to any man.
"In truth, the scent carries a powerful magic. Over time, it will slowly warp the prince's mind—so subtly that no one will notice.
"In half a year, after spending every waking moment with the princess, Prince Eric will fall completely under my spell, becoming a puppet entirely under my control.
"He is the future ruler of the Western Asia Kingdom. And when he ascends the throne, that kingdom will belong to us."
The old witch's eyes gleamed with ambition.
"Controlling the Western Asia Kingdom—the key maritime hub—will be a vital step in His Majesty's grand vision. Soon, all of the Western Continent, and eventually the entire world, will kneel before you!"
In the mirror, the Enderland King gave a slight nod.
"Well done."
Then, the mirror's image faded into darkness.
The old witch's sycophantic expression vanished. Her eyes turned sharp and calculating.
She lifted her hands and chanted once more.
Ripples spread across the mirror again, and another figure appeared.
This time, it was a woman.
Tall, draped in a flowing black and violet robe, exuding a chilling elegance and a beauty as dark as the abyss. Her face was cold as ice, but in her eyes burned an unimaginable madness.
The Black Witch Maleficent.
The very same witch who had once cursed the Rose Kingdom.