Harker blinked hard in confusion.

Then, he asked as politely as possible. "Are you... Spawning right now?"

"Is spawning what you humans call it? Then, yes." She said, holding out one giant fish roe. It was so bizarre to look at. "It's mating season for us around this time. So I have to release these eggs without any father to inseminate them."

People who are not interested in science probably do not know that fishes usually reproduce through a process called 'spawning'. It depends on the species on what the methods were. But fish roe as we know it were female ova released into the water to mix with a male fishes' semen. For carps, they usually mate and spawn once a year depending on certain factors like climate.historical

But Harker studies these things closely. More specifically how genetics were passed down for these animals. So he was all too familiar with the reproductive process.

Now he wonders if jiaoren mermaids also—

"Munch! Munch!"

Princess Jinzhu took a bite on the unfertilized egg she just laid.

Yep, his hunch was right. It was also not uncommon for fishes to eat their own eggs, especially when they were hungry.

But it was still certainly a... bizarre sight to behold.

Princess Jinzhu saw him looking, and misinterpreted it. She held out the giant fish roe.

"Do you want some? There's a lot, and they're not even good ones for breeding." She said, "Ah, but they can't pass through the hatch, they're too big to fit in—"

"Maybe some other time, then." Harker grimaced. "No need to force it if it won't fit."

He loves fish roe, but this was.... This might take a bit of getting used to. He was still not mentally prepared. He'd probably feel the same if he encountered a half–human half-bird creature that eats its own unfertilized eggs straight out of its coochie.

It's just harder to digest, pun intended.

Princess Jinzhu just shrugged, and continued eating. "Suit yourself. My father was also the same, but not my other father. Oh, my other father was my mom, by the way. When our dad died first due to those deep-sea miners, she changed to male."

That's another thing about fishes. Many species were sequential hermaphrodites and can change sex for various factors. Most of which were "protogynous", or changes from female to male when their male partner dies.

"I know that." Harker scratched his head. "It's just strange to see fish anatomy mixed with creatures that appear human, but it's also fascinating. Your sisters can turn into a king too when the time comes, right? Once you all escaped here."

"My eldest sister probably can." Princess Jinzhu said. "Though.... They have given up their eyes too early."

She looked down, sadness filling her sea-blue eyes. "They never would have thought a gentleman like you would come and save us. They were ready to die, and even now, I still feel they are."

"It's called depression. Humans have it too, and it's much easier to have when you're caged like this." Harker said, frowning. "But we are slowly setting you all free."

"We?" Princess Jinzhu tilted her head.

Harker went on to explain about his best friend Roland. What he looks like, what kind of person he was, and how much he trusts him. 'He told her about the plan in a hushed voice, and she listened while munching on fish roe.

"And you believe this plan would work completely?" Princess Jinzhu asked.

"Yes. I trust Roland, and in the human world, money can buy you almost everything. Money is the greatest power a human can have." Harker said. "Unless they become a cultivator like you said. I have yet to meet one."

"Me too. I have never been to the surface before the war with the deep-sea miners." Princess Jinzhu admitted.

Harker couldn't help but feel even more sorry for her. She probably had fought alongside her family, and saw her own parents die before her eyes. The battle he had while watching his mother perish through leukemia was different, but the impact it had on them was the same. It's very difficult to lose a loved one, especially family.

"I heard that cultivators can live for thousands of years, become immortal, or ascend to godhood." Princess Jinzhu said. "Meanwhile, no matter how we monsters cultivate, we still remain monsters. I guess that's what makes humans special, they can easily adapt and change like you do, Harker sir."

"Yeah... But godhood? I wonder if there's still any of those gods that exist. I wonder what they think of this world we have now." Harker thought. "It's very different from before."

"It is. Like how humans that live on land know about 'spawning' that we do underwater." She nodded. "Speaking of.. I have to release more again."

Harker gulped. "M-More?"

"Yeah, and it's always hard to get them out of my hole. I have to squeeze my stomach really hard." She inserted her finger inside her slit again and tried to pry it wider. "Gah.... So... Tight..."

"Oookayyy... I guess I have to go now. This feels pretty privated. I already told you about the plan and Roland is probably waiting for me—"

"Can you stay for a moment? It's really difficult to do without someone else. Usually the male jiaoren wraps himself around the female jiaoren to help her squeeze it all out." She winced. "But I have no such support. Your presence somehow calms me down though."

Harker does not really know which would be the best decision.

But the moment he saw the usually calm and collected Princess Jinzhu shedding tears due to the pressure of laying eggs, he had made his decision.

"Alright.... Maybe you should try to take a few deep and slow breaths." Harker pressed his hand on the glass. "Breathe in... Breathe out—-"

"Ahh! Ahhh! It's coming! It's coming! Ohhh~ Nggh..."

'Sweet mother of corn, help my poor virgin ears to not hear weird things. It's literally just laying eggs...' Harker thought to himself. He repeated it again and again as Princess Jinzhu continued to moan loudly and suggestively to his ear.

And eventually, all the eggs were laid. Hooray?

Princess Jinzhu breathed raggedly once she had her sweet release, fogging up the glass tank. She turned back to her usual gentle and mellow self.

"Thank you, Harker sir. I really appreciate it." She gave the best smile Harker had ever seen on anyone before.

He was a bit dazed by it, almost hypnotized. "Yeah.. No problem."

Well, at least he gets to see that precious smile again. It's still worth it.