The King and the Queen continued to evaluate me closely. The moment they saw the Starfish hovering above my head, Dante's amused expression deepened. His sharp crimson eyes narrowed slightly, and with a voice deep as the ocean floor, he finally spoke.
"Hm… a human… blessed by the Sea God?"
His tone held curiosity, but not hostility. As a 9-Star Peak layer, he had seen many things in this world. Yet in all his life, the human
race had never impressed him. Among the higher races, humans were seen as the weakest. Their highest talent barely reached the early stage of the 8-Star realm. Next in line were the demon race, considered slightly stronger, but still unimpressive.
Dante had already written me off as a likely failure.
Meanwhile, Queen Carla offered a radiant smile. Her tone was warm and energetic, far more approachable than her husband's.
"May I ask your name, Human?" she asked with gentle curiosity.
I returned her smile, responding politely, "Akashi, madam."
