Rise of the Eromancer

Chapter 314 Replacement

"How… is she speaking my language?"

Olga completely forgot she wasn't wearing anything under the blanket and dropped it on the floor due to her shock. After all, she truly was not expecting to actually hear or understand the nymph in front of her — but here she was, staring eye-to-eye with the nymph.

"I'm special," Margryth softly chuckled as she flicked her bright, glowing pink hair to the side, "Although not as special as the man beside you — I've only learned the humans' languages due to having lived for so long."

"But… creatures of the Underworld can never learn our language," Olga tried her best not to stutter as she finally realized that she subconsciously let go of the blanket and completely picking it up before continuing with her words, "The Amerkans have even been trying with the cenleons that Rhys brought with him — but for some reason, we truly can't understand each other even with deep learning."

"Blah, blah, blah…" Margryth started walking around before moving toward the bed, leaping toward it and just casually sitting on it, "...I was born here in the Surface, Sweetie."

"You… were born here?"

"Yeah, a couple thousand years ago or something," Margryth shrugged, "And before you ask me some nonsensical questions — no. I already said I'm special, I'm not like that child there or any other nymphs; I won't wither away from lack of sleep."

"That's…" Olga then turned to look at Rhys, who had been staying quiet for a while now as he was just staring at Margryth.

"If it is alright with you, Human with the Blood of Hermes — I wish to speak alone with Rhys Wilder," Margryth said while swinging her legs on the bed, "We have something to discuss that requires utmost… confidentiality; that's the word you soldiers use, right? Confidential. I know, I know the two of you have limited time or something like that…

…but I promise I will be quick."

"Rhys?" Olga once again turned to look at Rhys, who only nodded in response. Olga then just quickly used her abilities to get dressed as fast as possible, "Just call me when you need me, okay?"

"Thank you, Olga," Rhys nodded. And as soon as Olga stepped out of the room, he let out a short but very deep sigh as he looked at Margryth, "For you to just show yourself like this out of nowhere…

…I'm assuming this is of great importance, Ma'am?"

"Ma'am…?" Margryth placed her hand on her chest; gasping heavily as she seemed deeply affected by Rhys's words, "I know I said I'm old, but I don't really appreciate people actually making me feel old."

"...Right," Rhys could really only squint his eyes as he stared at Margryth, who was still casually just swinging her legs like some sort of child. Rhys had already figured Margryth to be slightly different from the rest of the nymphs, but to think she was this… quirky,

"What did you want to talk to me about, Ma'am?"

"Woah, woah — can't we just take it slow?" Margryth covered her mouth and giggled, "Let's get to know each other first. After all, you might not actually be the person I'm supposed to talk to. You get me?"

"Ma'am, you're the one who approached me," Rhys sighed.

"True," Margryth shrugged, "You are the Descendant of Eros, right?"

"...I think so," Rhys nodded.

"And from the smell of you, you've already met the lovely spider lady," Margryth's nose started fidgeting, "Most likely not a coincidence at all as she's one of the beings who hold a grudge against them the most. Typical, typical Arachnea. Is she still running around with clothes nowadays?"

"...Yes," Rhys squinted her eyes.

"I'm just messing with you, pft," Margryth softly chuckled, "We're actually quite updated with each other, I'm friends with her on social media."

"Social… media?"

"Yeah, duh. The internet," Margryth rolled her eyes, "Get with the times, old man."

"..." Rhys blinked a couple of times as he truly could not believe how eccentric Margryth was. There was almost… a mischievous tone whenever she spoke.

"In fact, I just messaged her before meeting you," Margryth shrugged before standing up on the bed, "I told her I'll be meeting with you—wait, you know what? Maybe I should add you to our group chat or something."

"Huh…"

"...Are you slow?" Margryth raised an eyebrow as she looked at Rhys from head to toe, "It's a good thing you are one heck of a specimen, Child. Although, I guess that's already a given since you're Eros's descendant…

…the Hero of Prophecy."

"...This again," Rhys could really only close his eyes before very gently removing the sleeping Aengela from his utility belt and laying her down on the bed, "I've already told you, I'm not the Hero of Prophecy."

"But you are — can't do anything about that."

"I'm not."

"Don't be stubborn, I hate that," Margryth placed her hands on her waist while shaking her head, "Why do you think that young one there is sticking with you? In fact, why do you think Calypse even listened to you, or any other nymph?"

"Y—"

"Because they have all been told of the Hero of Prophecy," the tone of Margryth's voice slightly turned cold as she looked Rhys in the eyes; the friendliness it once had, completely gone, "And they know that you are the Hero of Prophecy — if you weren't they wouldn't even give you any time of the day…

…I wouldn't even be here."

"I'm not someone important," Rhys shook his head, "W—"

"Pft!" And Margryth did not even let him say his next words as she just suddenly burst out into a fit of laughter as the friendliness in her voice returned, "Who said you were important, Rhys Wilder? You're not. What made you think that? Did Arachnea tell you that?"

"..."

"You're just the same as the rest of us…

…you're a cog on the wheel, a big cog sure. You're a pawn, Rhys Wilder. Always have, always will… like me."

"Then why keep bothering me?" Rhys sighed.

"Because the clock won't turn without all of us moving," Margryth waved her hand, "You're here, just do what you're meant to do so that all of us can move on with our lives."

"No."

"Stop being so stubborn, you ape," Margryth's voice once again turned cold as her words started to echo throughout the entire room, "See… this is the problem — no one has really put you in your place since your mother died like a balloon…

…Pop."

***

"We're under attack!"

And almost immediately after Margryth uttered her last word, the ship that Rhys was on bounced into the surface of the water as a large hole opened up on the hull — specifically where Rhys's quarters were placed.

Everyone started running in panic as they wondered where the sudden attack came from — but they did not need to search for long as they saw Rhys suddenly standing on the deck. And although it was hard to see at first, there was a nymph floating a few meters away from him.

"Why so aggressive, Descendant of Eros?" Margryth tilted her head to the side as she smiled at Rhys, "We were only talking — like civilized, friendly people."

"You don't seem very friendly," Rhys glared at Margryth.

"Honey, you're the one who just suddenly attacked me," Margryth grinned, "And trust me — this is not a fight you can win."

Margryth then just stretched her arms to the side. And as she did so, the endless ocean around them… started to lift up and just moved closer to them and… almost completely covered the entire horizon like a colossal world-ending tidal wave.

"You can't win, both physically and… well, spiritually. What would you tell the people? Will you be making another story to cover for yourself? Sadly, that only works when there's a language barrier — I can also easily just say that you attacked me, and tell them that it was you who let the Verdant Python roam free on the people of Nihon."

"Why are you doing this?" Rhys breathed out.

"First, let me apologize," Margryth then let out a long and very deep sigh as she lowered her arms — and as she did so, the water started to calm down and lower too, "That was distasteful of me to say. It's a bad habit of mine, striking where it hurts. As for why I'm doing this, well…

…isn't it obvious?"

And as soon as she said that, Rhys's eyes instantly turned wide. How could he not… when several floating empty Hearts suddenly popped up above Margryth's head?

"The Verdant Python is going to be bombed and nuked soon — it's going to die a very slow and painful death since it can survive the blast, but not the after," Margryth closed her eyes as her voice turned meek and somber, "My baby is going to die…

…and I need a replacement from you, Descendant of Eros."

"Nuke?" Rhys squinted his eyes, "No one's going to bomb the Verdant Python, it's just not beneficial and the dangers would be—"

"Oh, he will," Margryth shrugged, "He will bomb the Verdant Python."

"...He?"