Chapter 186: Chapter 186: The Sea Emperor’s Marriage Proposal

Mingye shrugged helplessly and spread his hands, as if to say, "It was a sudden situation. Bai Lian and the others just happened to return. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t expect this either." His eyes held a hint of innocence.

Noah’s expression grew even darker. As he watched Su Yaoyao gently stroking Lucia’s fur, a sharp pang of indignation welled up inside him. ’She really does prefer fluffy creatures after all,’ he thought bitterly.

The thought filled him with jealousy and anger. He couldn’t stop himself from blurting out, "Yaoyao, how could you..."

Before he could finish, he spun around and strode away without a single glance back. His footsteps were quick and heavy, as if he were pouring all the frustration in his heart into every single step.

Su Yaoyao looked up just in time to see him go.

She recognized Noah’s retreating back in an instant. A wave of disappointment washed over her as she watched him go, and she couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh. ’He’s definitely still angry,’ she thought. ’It looks like this apology is going to be even more difficult than I expected.’

She turned to Mingye and said, "Mingye, I just saw Noah. It seems like he doesn’t want to see me. What should I do?"

Mingye reassured her, "Yaoyao, don’t worry. Noah is just being a little childish. I promise you, deep down, he misses you terribly."

Su Yaoyao nodded, a glimmer of hope rekindling in her eyes. "Okay," she said. "I’ll just have to find a better time to talk with him properly."

Just then, Su Yaoyao noticed the Sea Clan guards at the entrance. She was about to announce who she was when the lead guard hurried forward, his face a mask of reverence. He gave a slight bow and said:

"Your Highness, the Holy Female, the Sea Emperor received a letter from His Majesty Augustine. Knowing you would be gracing us with your presence today, he had us posted here to wait for you for quite some time." With that, he began to lead them into the palace.

The group arrived inside the palace to find it lavishly decorated with festive lanterns and colorful streamers.

The Sea Emperor had already prepared a grand banquet to give them a magnificent welcome.

As Su Yaoyao stepped into the banquet hall, her eyes were immediately drawn to the Sea Emperor on the main throne—who, to her surprise, was a woman.

The empress had a waterfall of long, purple hair. Her delicate features bore a slight resemblance to Noah’s—she was practically a female version of him, radiating an aura of innate majesty and nobility.

Su Yaoyao hastened forward and gave a slight curtsy. "I have long heard of Your Majesty the Sea Emperor’s renown," she said. "Seeing you today, I find your presence is indeed extraordinary. I hope Your Majesty will forgive the imposition."

The Sea Emperor rose with a smile and returned the gesture. "Your Highness, the Holy Female, you are too kind. Your presence is a great honor for the Sea Clan."

Only then did Su Yaoyao notice that the Empress was sitting beside the Sea Emperor—and he was a beautiful merman.

The merman Empress had a rainbow-colored tail that shimmered with a dreamlike glow under the lights, so beautiful it was breathtaking. A cascade of long, sea-blue hair spilled around him. His features were sharp and defined, and his eyes—a deep ocean blue—were both gentle and captivating.

The Sea Emperor smiled and introduced him to Su Yaoyao. "This is my Empress, the most beautiful being in the Sea Clan."

The merman Empress smiled and nodded at Su Yaoyao, who quickly returned the smile.

Next, the Sea Emperor gestured to the two princes beside her. "This is the Eldest Prince of the Sea Clan, Norman."

The Eldest Prince, Norman, bore a stronger resemblance to the Empress. He had long, wavy hair the color of the ocean, which shimmered with tiny flecks of light. Every strand seemed to pulse with the vibrant energy of the waves.

He had also inherited the Empress’s rainbow-colored tail, its muscles defined in sleek, graceful lines.

Norman bowed to Su Yaoyao, a faint blush rising to his cheeks. He hadn’t expected the Holy Female to be this beautiful.

The Sea Emperor then turned to Noah, shaking her head in resignation. "And this is the Second Prince, Noah, whom I presume Your Highness has already met."

Noah’s eyes were red-rimmed. He kept his head down, his lips in a pout, clearly sulking. He made no move to stand and greet her. A sharp pain lanced through Su Yaoyao’s heart as she looked at him, filling her with sorrow and helplessness.

The banquet began, and Su Yaoyao and her companions were seated at a long table opposite the princes.

The Sea Emperor noticed Su Yaoyao’s gaze frequently falling on her second son. The corners of her mouth lifted into a knowing smile.

’It seems the Holy Female isn’t as indifferent to him as my son claimed,’ she thought. ’There must be a misunderstanding between them.’

The Sea Emperor mused to herself, ’Perhaps I can find an opportunity for them to talk things out.’

’Still, she knew her son’s personality like the back of her hand. That boy Noah might act proud and standoffish,’ the Sea Emperor mused, ’but he’s actually head-over-heels for the Holy Female. He’s just too stubborn to admit it.’

An idea struck her. Her eyes twinkled, and a sly smile played on her lips. She narrowed her eyes, her gaze falling on Su Yaoyao with a casual air that belied a deeper purpose, and slowly began to speak.

"Your Highness, the Holy Female, my Eldest Prince has also reached marriageable age. I see that Your Highness is a woman of exceptional beauty and remarkable character. You and my Eldest Prince would be a match made in heaven. What would you say if I were to betroth him to you?"

Her words were like a stone tossed into a placid lake, instantly sending out a thousand ripples.

A flash of astonishment crossed Su Yaoyao’s face. She followed it with a polite but awkward smile, her eyes filled with bewilderment. She subconsciously tightened her grip on the hem of her robe, her mind scrambling for a way to refuse tactfully.

At the same time, the hearts of her other Beast Husbands all skipped a beat. Their gazes sharpened instantly as they looked from the Sea Emperor to Su Yaoyao in unison. A palpable tension seemed to fill the air.

Upon hearing this, Norman’s composed expression vanished, his face instantly flushing as red as a ripe apple.

Even the tips of his ears under his wavy blue hair were beet red. His eyes were wide with panic and confusion. He wanted to say something, but considering the setting, he could only open and close his mouth, ultimately failing to utter a single word.

Noah, however, looked as if he had been struck by lightning. He froze solid, then his eyes widened in disbelief as he blurted out, "Mother!"

His voice was filled with shock and urgency, as if he might charge forward at any second to stop his mother.

’How could he just watch his mother promise his older brother to the girl he loved? That would just mean another rival! A tide of panic and anger surged within him.’

Seeing her second son’s panicked and furious expression, the Sea Emperor was secretly delighted. She finally broke into a loud laugh, her hearty and unrestrained mirth echoing throughout the entire banquet hall.

After laughing for a good while, she finally stopped. Looking at Noah, she teased him deliberately, "Well then, Noah, would *you* like to be married to the Holy Female?"

Her question seemed to focus everyone’s attention on Noah. The hall fell instantly silent, all eyes waiting for his answer.

Noah’s face flushed crimson at his mother’s sudden question. He opened his mouth, his frantic gaze sweeping across the faces in the room before finally landing on Su Yaoyao. Not knowing what to say, he shot up from his seat and ran out.