Chapter 2 - The Mermaid Princess's Little Brother

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well. I had so much fun working on this book, and now that I'm finished, I'm left wanting more, so I have decided to pick up another of Sensei's books revisiting famous fairytales, mainly these.

I have already acquired Snow White's Son and plan to start with this one if there is no objection. You are very welcome to suggest the one you prefer for me to translate out of these, and I'd be more than grateful if you could provide me with the raws for the book.

On another note, while translating this book, I kept wondering if the correct translation of the merman's name was Rito or Lito, since Japanese people don't really differentiate between both sounds. Or if there was any European-style name that would be a better fit. I would really like to hear your thoughts on this in the comments.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

After the party aboard the ship ended, the bustle faded as if it had never existed. The lights were turned off, and the people on the ship fell asleep.

 

By this time, Glen was surely in bed as well. Rito wondered whether he had removed his beautiful, heavy attire, adorned with rubies and diamonds, and whether he was sleeping alone.

 

Rito sincerely hoped that there wasn't a naked woman beside him. Though the merman could never be his bride or lover, he still longed for a few more sweet days by his side.

 

(Somewhere in the distance, I see thunder rumbling... black clouds are approaching!)

 

The wind picked up, and Rito felt the sea stirring. Soon the waves should rise. Yet no one seemed to notice, and the sailors did not appear on deck.

 

They were close to the shore, so perhaps the approaching storm didn't seem like a serious threat. But if it hit and the ship was carried out to open sea, it would spell disaster, yet the deck remained silent.

 

— Ah...

 

"Hurry, sail to the shore..." Rito thought, hoping to convey this message as he spotted a figure reflected in his eyes. The moonlight, not yet hidden by the clouds, outlined a tall silhouette.

 

It was Prince Glen. He was still dressed in his ceremonial attire, adorned with heavy jewelry, and holding a bottle of drink in his hand. Normally steady and graceful, he was so intoxicated that it was obvious even from afar. The ship rocked slightly, and the young man stood unsteadily by the railing.

 

Wiping his flushed face with one hand, the prince pressed his lips directly to the neck of the bottle. The buttons on his collar were undone, revealing the movement of his throat as he drank greedily.

 

(My lord Glen, what's happened? Did something go wrong at tonight's celebration? You once told me you didn't care much for drinking...)

 

Rito wondered whether he should transform into a dolphin immediately, his tail flicking indecisively. If he turned into a dolphin and called out, Glen would surely notice him. One of the reasons the prince was drinking might have been their inability to meet at the underwater grotto that night, Rito shyly thought.

 

Glen often said that he could act as a proper prince only because Rito was there to listen to his troubles and complaints. Afterward, he would say "thank you" and pat him on the back in gratitude. If Glen weren't out at sea, he would likely have come to the grotto as usual to share his burdens, rather than drown them in drink.

 

(They've been urging him to marry, inviting princess candidates to the palace. But he still doesn't wish to wed, and there's no woman he fancies. He's shared his true feelings with me, the ones he can't reveal to others... He thought I was just an ordinary dolphin...)

 

Just as he lowered the bottle from his lips after taking another swig, Glen leaned one hand against the edge of the railing. At that very moment, a strong wind blew, carrying black clouds across the sky in its wake. The moon disappeared suddenly.

 

Glen finally noticed the change in the weather. He turned to face the wind, looking surprised. Though it was spoken very quietly, Rito heard the prince mutter, "This is bad." The waves gradually grew larger, and the sea currents became unpredictable. Just as Glen was about to return inside, the ship gave a violent jolt.

 

Perhaps due to the sudden movement and his unfamiliarity with being so drunk, the prince's tall figure was thrown overboard into the sea.

 

It all happened in an instant. Glen's scream was lost as the towering waves engulfed his body. Without a trace or splash, he disappeared beneath the water's surface. Rain began to pour from the sky, and the sailors, now scrambling onto the deck, hastily adjusted the sails. The once-calm ship was now consumed by chaos.

 

(What should I do... No one noticed that Lord Glen has fallen...)

 

Before Rito could even finish his thought process, he was already swimming against the waves toward the prince. The thunder in the sky was louder than the noise on deck, and lightning flashed in the distance. The white sails on the three masts seemed to glow in the stormy night.

 

Though Glen was a good swimmer, the weight of his jewelry and formal attire was pulling him down. The chaotic waves dragged him further away, and he swallowed seawater again and again. Coupled with the drunk state he wasn't used to, it was impossible for him to stay afloat. And the water, in the depths of winter, was freezing.

 

(No one is noticing... No! If this continues, he'll die!)

 

Rito hesitated, unsure whether to transform into a dolphin or remain a merman. In the end, he decided that having two arms was better for saving a person, so he dove deep, staying in his mermaid form. He searched through the stormy waters for the prince. It wasn't long before he found that Glen, while his heavy boots were dragging him down. Even the strongest swimmer would drown under such circumstances.

 

(Lord Glen!..)

 

As the ship returned to shore, the prince, left behind, quietly sank deeper into the ocean. Just before Glen lost consciousness, Rito finally reached him, battling the treacherous waves that even merfolk were wary of. The prince's body, which Rito touched for the first time, was so large that he had to rely on the buoyancy of the water to support him.

 

"Lord Glen, Lord Glen! Please, hold on!"

 

The young merman, having risen to the surface, swiftly dragged the unconscious prince along with him. Glen was still breathing, but without immediate help, he could perish. With his face emerging from the water, Rito tirelessly worked his tail.

 

The ship had safely docked at the shore, and the aristocrats, soaked to the bone, hurriedly ascended the steps to the palace in their nightclothes and robes, so drenched that it was hard to tell men from women. No one even realized the prince had fallen overboard.

 

(He's freezing... I need to find a place where someone will notice him immediately... Right, that sandy beach!)

 

Without hesitation, Rito headed toward a white sandy shore near the harbor. He felt Glen, who clung to his shoulders, begin to react. The prince coughed up seawater, and the heartbeat Rito sensed against his back grew stronger.

 

Dragging the prince onto the beach, Rito laid him on his back and shook his shoulders to confirm he was still breathing.

 

"Ugh... uh..."

 

(Yes, Lord Glen... keep breathing... that's it...)

 

The prince groaned in pain, but thankfully, it seemed his life was no longer in danger. Rito gently stroked his chest, leaning over him to shield his face from the rain, gazing at the prince's blue-tinged lips. Glen was breathing on his own, so there was no need for mouth-to-mouth. And since merfolk were cold-blooded creatures, warming him by his own body heat wouldn't help. Though he knew he should leave Glen in human hands, Rito couldn't bring himself to abandon him.

 

(I can't believe the day has come where I can touch his skin... It's truly beautiful...)

 

Rito, who had only ever seen dead humans before, was awestruck by the prince's appearance, which seemed like the embodiment of youth and vitality. Even though his face was pale and his lips were blue, blood still flowed through his body. He was undoubtedly alive, and the heartbeat felt beneath Rito's hand was proof of that.

 

The young merman felt an overwhelming relief that the flame of life within Glen hadn't been extinguished by the sea. In the worst-case scenario, despite being a sea creature, he would have no choice but to despise every drop of water and wither under the sun.

 

"My prince..."

 

Longing to touch Glen, Rito splayed his fingers and began rubbing the prince's cheeks. Through the friction, the cold skin slowly regained warmth.

 

However, Glen's eyes couldn't remain closed for long. His eyelids fluttered, and a faint groan escaped his lips. Rito, who had briefly thought about kissing him before he awoke, realized this wasn't possible anymore and fled at once. Glen couldn't see him in his merman form. Moreover, after hovering so close to death, interrupting his breathing for such a selfish reason would have been unforgivable.

 

The young merman slipped away from the white sandy beach, back into the sea, and hid in the shadow of a rock. The storm clouds had started to disperse, but the rain was still falling. Glen, lying on his back, raised his hands to his face, trying to shield himself from the downpour. Occasionally, a fit of coughing wracked his body.

 

"Someone, anyone, notice him soon..." Rito, having shifted into dolphin form, wanted to cry out loudly to draw attention. But just as he prepared to do so, he heard the sound of many voices approaching from the shore.

 

Upon returning to the palace, guests and servants had likely noticed Glen's absence. An older man was shouting in anguish, "How could you leave His Highness on the ship?!" while younger men rushed ahead. They headed toward the ship, but they wouldn't find the prince there.

 

"Oh no! Look... His Highness Glen is on the beach!"

 

Rito was about to cry out again to draw attention to the prince, but he heard the exclamation of a young woman. He thought everything would be fine now... and, feeling a wave of relief, he let out a soft dolphin squeak. However, no one paid attention to the dolphin or the girl as she ran alone across the beach.

 

Though dressed in a drenched robe, it was clear the girl was very beautiful. She had bronzed skin and long black hair, much like the other people of this land.

 

"Your Highness! Are you alright?! How did you end up here?!"

 

The girl was clearly panicked, but she supported Glen, helping him to his feet. The prince had regained consciousness, though his lips were still blue, and he slowly removed his heavy, soaked jacket. He thanked the girl, assuring her he was alright.

 

There was no longer any reason to worry... Rito felt relief again as he watched the two figures in the pouring rain from his hiding spot. On one hand, he was happy that everything had ended well, but on the other, he couldn't help but feel envious of the girl who helped Glen walk back toward the palace. Even a fragile woman could assist him now, as long as he could stay on his feet.

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