Chapter 14 - The Mermaid Princess's Little Brother

Translator's Note:

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Two weeks had passed since Rito had been cast into the dungeon carved into a sea cave. He continued to deny the theft of the brooch, yet remained silent regarding the forged letter of recommendation. As the sun set each day and the tide came in, seawater would rise, lapping at his chest.

 

From the cell beside his, separated by cold stone, the cries of a grown man echoed: "Please, have mercy!" His sobs were loud and pitiful: "I just want to sleep!"

 

It was a torturous ordeal, to spend days in water, stripped bare, with both hands and feet bound to the rock. For Rito, belonging to a race that would wither and die if not submerged in water for a while, it was, in a twisted way, almost a relief. Yet even he had moments when the pain was so great, he wished to weep. He had spent two weeks with his arms suspended above him, snatching only brief moments of sleep standing upright. At first, he had resolved to endure, but in recent days, all his strength had gone into simply clinging to his sanity.

 

His limbs no longer felt like his own. Looking upward, he could barely recognize his thin arms. Yes, those were his hands… he acknowledged their existence, though they seemed disconnected from his body. He tried to wiggle his fingers, but they only trembled for a moment before falling still.

 

(If I endure this water torture much longer, they'll surely discover I'm not human...)

 

Merfolk do not suffer harm from water, and so, no matter how long Rito remained submerged, his skin did not swell, and the cold waters of morning and night did not freeze him. Since his sentencing, he had not been given food, yet as long as he remained in the watery prison, he could live indefinitely.

 

Please, kill me and let me become sea foam... The torment had grown so unbearable that this thought crossed his mind many times. Though his body remained unharmed, his heart was ravaged by suffering, and he despised himself for even fleetingly giving in to the desire for death. It was unbearable.

 

(Lord Glen... Have you finished your wedding preparations? Do you now suspect me to be a thief, a spy, a murderer? Are you angry because you think I betrayed you? Or... have you already forgotten about me?)

 

Rito longed for the prince's happiness, wishing that Glen would be free of the troubles caused by a mere page. Yet, at the same time, he feared the very thing he desired—he did not want to be forgotten. More than anything, he wished to see the prince one last time, to explain himself, even if it meant his heart would stop the moment he spoke. He wanted to confess: "I am that dolphin. I love you, and I wished to be by your side so desperately that I asked a witch to craft that letter of recommendation." Even if Glen's disappointment would be vast, the young merman believed that, upon hearing the truth, the prince might grieve for him once he was gone.

 

How selfish I am... Rito thought bitterly. Knowing it would be easier for Lord Glen if I disappeared like a villain, I selfishly wish for an ending where I am remembered fondly, hoping to cast off his doubts and leave behind a good memory.

 

As the cold seawater crept higher up his chest, Rito pondered the nature of love. True love, he realized, was not about seeking justification for oneself. It was the willingness to sacrifice, unnoticed and unheralded, for the happiness of the one you cherished.

 

(My limbs have withered... If I lose a little more weight, perhaps I can slip out of these shackles. I may not have a fishtail anymore, but I will try to swim to the open sea... I'll die a fugitive and a criminal, and ultimately, I will turn into sea foam...)

 

Rito closed his weary eyes, thinking of his sixth sister, who had wished only for her beloved's happiness, vanishing into the waves without causing harm to his bride. Others had called her foolish, but she had lived a life of true love.

 

— ...

 

Suddenly, a voice—human and unmistakably real—pierced through the darkness where Rito had resigned himself to such a grim fate. Someone was shouting, and the clatter of metal and hurried footsteps echoed through the dungeon.

 

"Rito-o! Rito, where are you?! Rito!"

 

Was this an illusion? The crashing waves against the rocks made it easy to imagine the voice of his beloved. Though he was overjoyed to hear Glen's voice, it hurt just as much, and Rito wished for the illusion to end. The hope it stirred within him only dragged him back into selfish desires.

 

(Lord Glen still believes in me and has come to save me... Please, let him say that I could never be a thief or a spy... and take me from this place...)

 

Perhaps his heart had already weakened considerably, for him to dream of such things.

 

But then the door to the dungeon flew open, and there stood Glen. From the ledge above Rito's head, the prince leaped into the water. Shouting his name, Glen cut through the waves with desperation.

 

It must be an illusion. It could not be real. No matter how much Rito told himself this, the tears would not stop. Each tear that touched the seawater turned into pearls, but Glen, unaware of this magic, hurriedly wrapped his arms around Rito's cold body.

 

"Rito... forgive me... I abandoned you, I... If I had paid more attention to you, this never would have happened!"

 

The prince, too, was crying. His tears and his touch were warm, making Rito want to believe it was all real. This was not a dream; the moment he had desperately longed for over these two harrowing weeks had finally come true. The noble, majestic prince was really here, inside a prison full of criminals, unbothered by the salty water soaking his fine silk garments. With tears in his eyes, Glen begged for forgiveness and shouted for the jailer to free Rito. "Bring the keys! Quickly!" His voice, echoing with fury, left no room for argument.

 

"Lord Glen..." Rito whispered, his voice trembling.

 

This was no illusion. Glen was truly here. With the key in hand, the prince dove under the water, ignoring the jailer's protests, and tried to unlock the shackles. It was dark, and he had to work by feel, fumbling with the lock, unable to free Rito on his first attempt. The first prince of the kingdom submerged himself fully, not resurfacing for breath for a while, causing both the jailer and Rito to fear for his life. Yet through it all, Rito could feel Glen's hands moving against his legs and ankles. When the heavy shackles finally fell away, Rito cried tears of joy.

 

"Now... your arms..." Glen gasped, his breath labored from the effort, but his hands still reached above Rito's head to release him. As he worked his hands, Glen glanced down at the merman, saying softly, "I love you." He knew others were watching, yet he spoke the words aloud without hesitation.

 

"I love you. I believe in you in everything."

 

"Lord... Glen..." Rito whispered.

 

"I don't care what I lose," the prince continued, his voice unwavering. "As long as I don't lose you, I'll be happy."

 

The moment the final shackle fell away, Rito pulled Glen into a kiss. He knew that such words and actions might endanger the prince's standing, but he was so happy—so overwhelmingly happy—that he could not help but embrace his beloved with his trembling arms. In the glimmering water, the merman reached for Glen's back, holding him close.

 

(I love you...)

 

Their kiss was fervent, with words of love repeated again and again. Rito couldn't speak, for his lips were sealed by Glen's, but he poured all his strength into the embrace.

 

(I will never let you go, never again... If Glen claimed he was happiest with Rito by his side, then Rito could not imagine any other happiness. The difference in their status no longer mattered.)

 

Let others say it was a sin, a disgrace, or a misfortune—Rito would follow Glen into the future the prince had chosen. He would show him that this choice was no mistake, and together, they would seek the greatest happiness they could find.

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