Meruem had only been born a little over a month ago. During this time, he had either been killing people or continually learning and understanding the world.
Unlike the completely cold-blooded royal guards, who only knew how to protect the Ant King, Meruem exhibited emotions that were more akin to those of humans.
Especially when a blind girl, who left a deep impression on him, appeared, and it completely opened a new world for him.
In modern terms, she could be considered his white moonlight.
For such a person, Meruem's decision to kill her seemed unlikely in Lan's eyes.
Whether Meruem's intention to kill the blind girl was driven by a desire to escape or overcome his emotions or whether he stubbornly wanted to prove to himself that he was unaffected, his thoughts were clear.
However, suppressing emotions was not easy for any living being.
Otherwise, the aura that the Ant King possessed, which had once been at its peak, now felt less prominent.
As Meruem approached the blind girl's room, his fists clenched tightly.
However, the closer he got, the more conflicted he became.
Standing before the door, he began to admonish himself: "This is just a distraction before the real selection process. Tomorrow is the day of the selection, and the blind girl's existence will lose its significance."
"Kill her! Do it now!"
When he reached the door, he no longer used his tail. Instead, he placed both hands on the door and forcefully pushed it open.
Screech!!
The cry of an eagle echoed throughout the room.
"Uh?!"
In an instant, Meruem's pupils shrank. Before him, the eagle that had been startled away by his aura earlier was now attacking the kneeling blind girl with its sharp talons.
At that moment, the blind girl, Komugi, was desperately using her arms to block the attacks but still ended up with deep cuts all over her body.
Without hesitation, Meruem swung his tail, striking the eagle.
Bang!!
Blood flew everywhere.
The target of his attack was not the blind girl whom he had originally planned to kill, but the eagle that was attacking her. His actions inadvertently saved her, completely deviating from his original plan.
However, Meruem didn't seem to care about that. He quickly walked over to Komugi.
"Why aren't you calling for help?!"
He shouted, both angry and anxious.
Meruem grabbed her hand. "Look at you; you're covered in wounds!"
"Dammit, how did it end up like this..."
Meruem's eyes were filled with frustration that Komugi hadn't cried for help, and surprisingly, there was also a hint of concern and tenderness.
"How can a creature be so fragile?"
The wounds on her arms, crisscrossed and dripping with blood, made Meruem's pupils tremble.
"Because... It's morning now."
Komugi, now safe, weakly replied: "So I thought I shouldn't trouble the supreme leader..."
"I don't think you're a trouble at all!!"
Meruem said firmly, staring intently at the blind girl. "Because to me, you're a very important guest!!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Meruem himself was stunned.
"What am I saying?!"
A wave of confusion washed over him. "Wasn't I supposed to take her life...?"
Before he could reflect further, Komugi started crying uncontrollably after hearing his words.
"Why are you crying...?"
"I still did not do anything..."
"Sorry, because..."
Komugi wept loudly, unable to control herself: "No one has ever been this kind to me before! Wahhh..."
Her crying became louder, her emotions spilling over uncontrollably.
Meruem's pupils reflected her tear-streaked face, and he couldn't help but wonder, what is this creature?
What exactly does he do with her...?
Meruem was completely lost in confusion. This was a feeling he had never experienced before.
In that moment, standing in front of this crying, snot-faced blind girl, all his power and desires disappeared.
"Is this...?"
Meanwhile, Ging was staring at the scene, wide-eyed, even abandoning his favorite fruit.
"Is this like 'the CEO falling in love with me' kind of novel plot?"
He muttered, somewhat baffled. "I remember reading about these types of stories when I was studying female psychology... Stories, TV shows, and movies... I always thought it was just something that happened in fiction. But now..."
Ging marveled at how such a scenario was unfolding before him in real life, shocking him as a straight man.
In contrast, Lan didn't mention such things, though he had expected something like this.
However, witnessing it firsthand still left him feeling a bit emotional.
"By the way, we should thank that eagle."
"If it hadn't attacked Komugi, it wouldn't have triggered Meruem's emotions so quickly. Otherwise, even if Ant King had been confused and entered Komugi's room if nothing had happened, he would have still prepared to kill her."
"Even if he hesitated or regretted it afterward, it would have been too late."
"It was only through the eagle's attack that the emotions buried deep inside Ant King were brought to the surface."
"Everything turned out so perfectly."
"At this point, it has become an art."