"Three years? Of course, no problem!" When it comes to research topics, Norton is always so confident.

Although Roland appreciated Norton's progress on the restoration, the loud noise and unpleasant coal smoke from the Steam Tank still made him hesitant.

Norton happily asked Roland, "The Steam Tank doesn't have a name yet. Do you have any good ideas?"

"Let's call it... Water Tank," Roland said calmly.

"Water Tank? Boss, even though I'm not good at naming, your naming skill is obviously worse."

Despite Norton's frantic complaints, he couldn't change Roland's firm decision to name the first Steam Tank as Water Tank.

Given the current level of technology, getting it to the battlefield within three years is quite a feat.

In the history of another world, there indeed were ironclad steam tanks, but in the face of efficient internal combustion engines, steam tanks were a joke and were quickly phased out.

The cumbersome and inefficient steam engine made the Steam Tank synonymous with clumsiness.

However, regardless, this thing is a crusher against infantry. So Roland had Norton emphasize anti-infantry and anti-trench in their research direction.

If this thing can be mass-produced, lining up to be shot would turn into lining up to die, and trench warfare would become the biggest joke.

If you use a Steam Tank to carry elite Knights and Mages, the war situation would change.

To defeat Sofia, you must have a special skill.

If there could be a fortress-like, super-heavy Steam Tank with excellent cold resistance to protect Sif, it could prevent beheading on the battlefield and turn the confrontation between the sides into a battle between armies.

That is Roland's ultimate goal.

As for how big this fortress tank would be, that would depend on the load-bearing capacity limit of the plain ground.

This era doesn't have cement roads, and asphalt, a byproduct of fossil fuels, doesn't exist either. In the city, there are some cobblestone roads, and outside the city, having well-paved hardened coal slag roads is considered excellent road conditions.

The biggest enemy of the Steam Tank is not guns and landmines, but broken roads.

Thinking of Goderian's painful past experiences in muddy fields, Roland also felt a bit of a headache.

Fortunately, his requirements for the Steam Tank aren't high. Keeping Sif safe would count as a victory. If it could also smash through enemy lines in the process, that would be perfect.

Roland quickly ended the debate in the research field and turned to the main topic.

"Norton, are you really going to let Munina return to the sea?"

Norton avoided Roland's gaze, lightly coughed, and said, "Munina is just going to see friends, and she will come back sooner or later."

Roland certainly didn't believe that nonsense, "Does a fish return to land after going back to the sea?"

Norton sighed helplessly, mumbling, "Munina is pitiful. She's like a fish out of water here, feeling uncomfortable every day. Even though Nana can accompany her, she ultimately belongs to the sea as a creature."

"I'm sorry, boss, I shouldn't be willful. If you disagree, I'll go get her back right away. She's very obedient and won't mess around."

Seeing Norton's timid appearance, Roland couldn't say much.

Having Munina or not wasn't important, having Norton work without concerns was crucial.

He patted Norton's shoulder, smiling, and said, "Since she's your adopted daughter, do whatever you want, but let it not happen again."

Norton quickly assured Roland that there wouldn't be a next time.

He knew that when Roland said 'let it not happen again,' he wasn't just referring to letting Munina leave but also adopting other races.

After seeing Roland off, Norton wiped the sweat from his forehead vigorously, sighing helplessly.

Munina, this is all I can do. Will you keep your promise?

...

The end of the canal.

Munina, who emerged from swimming all the way, stood by the sea, gazing at the sky with dim moonlight, her expression grave.

She couldn't help but look back at the lighthouse near the canal mouth.

This is the bustling Golden Waterway, with countless ships passing through daily. A normal person swimming could easily be spotted, but this was no challenge for Munina.

After all, at her core, she is still a fish.

Although Sirens can use skin to aid breathing, with living habits more akin to amphibians, their home is the tumultuous ocean.

The ocean is dangerous.

Even for Sirens, there are plenty of natural enemies, like giant sharks with terrifying teeth up to tens of meters long, and all kinds of bizarre large octopi.

These are the enemies of the Sirens.

But these are not the predators that kill the most Sirens.

Just like humanity's natural enemy is humanity, the Siren's natural enemy is the Siren.

The Graham Clan in the Undersea World is just an ordinary clan, not even ranking among the top.

Their territory is very close to humans, with relatively harsh living conditions; clan members are often captured or even killed by humans.

Just like her.

She didn't deceive adoptive father Norton, she really was going back to take a look.

She knew very well that her semi-mechanized body could no longer integrate into the clan. In the eyes of her clan, she is an undeniable monster.

No one would support a monster like her leading the clan, even if she were to become the only remaining daughter of the father, it would be impossible.

After her father passes away, the clan will only re-select a new leader.

But she doesn't feel sorry for her father.

The familial bond between her and her father was long gone. Since her sister's talent surpassed hers, the father treated her with extreme indifference.

She didn't expect her father to be overly doting, but having no basic familial love was still a bit disheartening.

She indeed went to find the daughter of the Grim Clan's leader, but it just so happened that this lady Uranie was the wife of a Wise Man within the clan.

She wasn't lying.

Waving her tail, Munina swam faster and faster in the sea, not feeling tired at all.

With the help of adoptive father Norton, she reclaimed the two Lifebound Scales her sister had stolen and took two additional scales that originally belonged to her sister.

Her talent now is rare throughout the history of the entire Sea Demon Race.

If she wants to reclaim everything that belongs to her, is there a chance...?

Munina looked down at the mechanical parts on her body and shook her head with a smile.

She has no chance after all, for she is not a pure Sea Demon, having even lost the ability to bear offspring with male sirens.

How can a monster lead a clan?

Through Norton adoptive father's modifications, Munina's swimming speed and endurance have far exceeded what they were before. Coupled with the suppressed determination in her heart to make a name for herself, her strength has greatly improved.

Even her father, the clan leader, is not her match.

Within the Siren race, ordinary females have less combat power than males, but those who reach the summit are all females.

Munina, who has already skillfully mastered the Second Movement of Chaos, can easily handle the clan leader father whose strength hasn't improved for a long time.

That's her confidence in returning home.

She wants to talk to her father about the possibility of defecting to humans.

If her father refuses, she wouldn't bear to commit patricide. From then on, they'd just be strangers.

She didn't discuss these things with Roland earlier in the day, as she wanted to see Roland's tolerance.

If Roland could tolerate her little rebellion, he could certainly tolerate the clan.

If Roland cannot accept the clan, she will return by herself.

Roland's generosity moved her somewhat.

She decided to bring her clan ashore.

The wetlands and lake groups near the Great Lake are enough to accommodate tens of thousands of clan members, far exceeding the maximum population of the clan.

Living together with humans, they can share the achievements of human civilization, without having to mix their days in the cold seabed and lone islands.

After swimming hundreds of miles, Munina felt a bit hungry. She nimbly caught a small fish passing by, stuffed it into her mouth, and the intense fishy smell made her wrinkle her brow.

She had been used to eating cooked fish and shrimp during this time, and eating raw fish really felt a bit uncomfortable.

The first thing to suffer upon returning to the clan would be her stomach.

She sighed, released the half-bitten small fish, and watching it struggling in futility, she silently apologized to the little fish.

"Sorry little fish, but you're just too fishy."

If the little fish could understand the thoughts of the Miss Siren, it would surely be enraged to curse.

If you're not going to eat, don't hurt me!

Luckily, a passing giant whale gave the poor little fish a quick end.

With a wide open mouth, the whale swallowed everything, the half bit-off small fish and the little fish and shrimp surrounding it were sucked into the belly, quickly becoming the giant whale's dinner.

In the dim sea bottom, Munina finally returned to the homeland she had left for several months.

Looking at the ruinous remnants of the abandoned underwater city and the clan members inhabiting there, she sighed lightly, shaking her tail, she drilled her way in.

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