Chapter 3 - The Mermaid Princess's Little Brother

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

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

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Unable to resist the longing to see Glen fully recovered, Rito waited for him in the underwater grotto for several days. Glen had visited this hidden place every night, except for special occasions. Yet, five days had passed since his birthday, and still, he hadn't come. Each time Rito returned to the merfolk castle, he would open a book on human illnesses, wondering if Glen had caught a cold or suffered a small wound that led to an infection. The mere thought tore at Rito's heart with worry.

 

"Surely, he will come tonight, won't he?" Rito whispered to himself, swimming through the iron grates of the water channel used for transporting goods. The grate didn't reach the seabed, making it easy to pass.

 

"Dolphin... Oh, thank heavens! We meet again! I couldn't come here for several days, so I was worried that I might have lost all your affection. Are you doing well?"

 

As soon as Rito surfaced, Glen's voice reached him, and the young merman was so overjoyed that he began to leap and squeal in delight. His flippers moved excitedly, expressing his happiness at seeing Glen again.

 

"You seem as lively as ever. The other day, I made a dreadful mistake and was forced to stay in bed, even though I only had a slight fever."

 

Glen, dressed in his fencing practice attire, sat on the dock's steps. Standing on the lowest step to avoid getting his boots wet, he gently stroked the dolphin's head and back. He looked a little thinner, but his hand's warmth felt familiar. His complexion had improved as well.

 

"Dolphin... will you listen to me? Once again, I feel like complaining tonight."

 

Yes, of course. Please share whatever is on your mind... Rito, unable to speak in his dolphin form, placed his flippers on the step and nodded, his head emerging from the water.

 

Smiling gratefully, Glen patted Rito's head once more.

 

"It's about marriage again. After the birthday party, my parents practically ordered me to make a decision. I must choose a bride and have a child as soon as possible. I argued that it hadn't been long since my younger brother was born, so there was no rush to produce an heir. But they wouldn't listen. Despite it being my birthday, they insisted I must marry and provide an heir, which I absolutely dread. So, I drank the strongest liquor on the ship, and it made me feel so hot..."

 

Glen sighed from time to time as he recounted the events of that evening. After getting drunk, he went up to the deck, where the weather worsened, and the ship shook, throwing him overboard. When he awoke, he was already on the shore, saved by one of his potential brides — Elsa.

 

(That beautiful girl... her name is Lady Elsa...)

 

Unaware of Rito's complicated feelings, Glen continued talking about Elsa. Although she came from provincial nobility, she was widely known as the most beautiful woman in the country, and, it seemed, she resembled the prince's mother in her youth. In other words, both the king and queen were quite fond of her. As a result, Elsa became an incredibly promising candidate for marriage, even more so than the daughters of noble families. After saving Glen, his parents pushed him toward her with even greater enthusiasm.

 

"I'm grateful to Elsa. She's undoubtedly very beautiful. But that's all. When I'm with her, I realize that I'm not in love."

 

(...Not in love?)

 

"When you're in love, you want to be near that person, don't you? But with her, it's the opposite. I keep wondering what to talk about, and in the end, I just feel exhausted... Sometimes I even want to leave as soon as possible."

 

Glen sighed heavily and continued:

 

"Why is it like this... You always have to listen to my complaints, don't you? Like any ordinary person, I have my weaknesses. If I keep everything inside, sooner or later, the frustration will explode. But I can't share this with servants or friends. Unfortunately, no one sees me as a person. I'm just an idol they call 'the prince,' and I'm expected to be perfect."

 

Oh, poor Lord Glen... Please cheer up... Rito tapped his flipper gently against the young man's boots and gazed at him with wide, round eyes. Glen laughed and thanked him, saying he always felt better when he was with the dolphin. Rito had always listened to the prince's troubles—the kind of problems that couldn't be spoken of publicly.

 

Of course, Glen also shared happy and amusing moments. His greatest joy in recent years was the birth of his younger brother. His deepest sorrow was the loss of his grandmother. His most troubling issue, however, was marriage—he felt it was too soon for him. He hadn't even fallen in love yet.

 

"Don't you think these conversations are a bit odd?" Glen said. "Elsa undoubtedly helped me, but marriage? That's a whole different matter, isn't it? Besides, I think a mermaid saved me before Elsa did."

 

(...What?!)

 

Startled by Glen's sudden confession, Rito let out a sharp squeak, frantically waving all his fins. His reaction must have been too exaggerated because the prince shot him a serious glance.

 

"Do you know something about mermaids? Perhaps it was just a dream, because I was drowning and my mind was hazy... But unlike the people of Fyun, she had pale skin and golden hair with a honeyed glow. She was probably one of those legendary mermaids. I ended up on the shore after being carried on her back. It really felt like a dream. It was hard, but at the same time, I felt safe..."

 

Not expecting to have been remembered, Rito panicked, unable to make a sound. Humans believed a mermaid's heart was a cure-all, a powerful remedy, which led to centuries of mermaids being hunted, constantly forced to flee. Some mermaids had retaliated by drowning humans, and over time, both sides came to fear one another.

 

"If she's your friend, please bring her next time. I want to thank her."

 

There was no fear in Glen's eyes—only genuine gratitude. The prince clearly remembered him as a mermaid... and fully acknowledged his existence. Rito's heart swelled with joy, so much so that he dove deep into the water, swimming swiftly around the moored boats near the canal before surfacing again. He leaped toward the high ceiling in an arc, dove back down, and repeated the motion.

 

The sound of applause echoed in the grotto. Glen stood on the steps, clapping his hands with a broad, white-toothed smile. No one knew the dignified and serious prince could laugh so freely like this. Even the potential brides staying at the palace surely had no idea.

 

(Could someone who can't make Lord Glen laugh like this ever be his bride? Someone who doesn't know his true feelings... who can't comfort him when he's weary—is that the woman who will marry him?)

 

With tears mingling in the water, Rito swam toward the steps. When he resurfaced, Glen was there, clapping again, saying, "Incredible."

 

Time spent alone with him, his gaze, his words... what indescribable happiness it was to share these moments.

 

"Dolphin... Thank you for always supporting me. I complain to you often, but deep down, I understand everything. Since I was born a prince, there are things that must take precedence over my personal feelings. I believe Elsa saving me is fate... I will marry her," Glen said with a sad smile. "I will do my best to become a good husband."

 

Though Rito had always known this day would come, it felt as if a knife had been plunged into his heart. Never before had he wished so desperately to be human. But even if he became human like his sister, he was still a man, and could never be Glen's bride. In Fyun, same-sex love was forbidden, so he couldn't even be Glen's secret lover.

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