Chapter 20 - The Mermaid Princess's Little Brother

Translator's Note:

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"Prince... Prince Glen, how long do you intend to pretend you are still human?" Amid a swirl of colorful fish, he heard the voice of a young maiden.

 

The voice had an odd quality, as though it was resonating inside his very mind. Though it was melodious, the old-fashioned manner of speaking felt out of place and made the moment strangely comical.

 

"...Who's there?" Glen, momentarily forgetting that it was impossible to speak underwater, was shocked to hear words leaving his lips. He could talk, just as he did on land.

 

"W-what... How... my voice..."

 

Though he was submerged in the sea, no bubbles escaped his open mouth. As he pondered this, he realized that even though he had been swimming for hours and was utterly spent, he had no trouble breathing. Even now, he was able to take deep, calming breaths.

 

"How is this possible? I can breathe underwater…"

 

"In the six months since you consumed the heart of the merman prince, your body has changed. You're no longer fully human."

 

"Merman prince?"

 

"You took in the heart of Prince Rito, did you not? Your body has transformed. You now possess the same form as a merman. You should be able to reach my home without much effort."

 

At the mention of Prince Rito, Glen instantly understood. Despite Rito's role as a servant, he had always carried himself with a certain grace. He had been kind and magnanimous, never arrogant, and yet there had always been a mysterious glow about him.

 

"You… you're a mermaid, too, aren't you? Speaking to me from the ocean's depths?"

 

"Indeed, there was a time I was known by that name. Now, they call me a witch… though I have never done evil. I was the one who gave Prince Rito his legs, just as he wished. I also prepared the letter from the Grand Duchess of the North. It is thanks to me that you were able to fall in love."

 

"You made Rito human?! If that's true, I wish to thank you from the depths of my heart."

 

Glen, gradually becoming accustomed to speaking underwater, sank further, descending toward the voice of the witch. Though the voice echoed in his mind, he somehow knew she dwelled at the bottom of the sea. His body sank naturally, and, letting go of his initial resistance, he found himself once again able to move his legs.

 

Eventually, the light from the surface faded, and darkness swallowed him. Whether it was because of the ocean's depth or the setting of the sun, the cold, creeping blackness became unsettling. But fortunately, the darkness did not last long.

 

The prince, who was supposed to have drowned, was captivated by the strange phenomenon below. In the ocean's depths, he saw a soft blue glow, as though the sky and earth had traded places.

 

Upon closer inspection, he realized the shimmer came from the sand. The seabed, bathed in a faint blue light, was so beautiful that he could not tear his eyes away.

 

"What is this? It's as if the sky and moon have descended beneath the sea…"

 

The ocean floor, adorned with coral and pearls, looked like something from a dream. Yet the area surrounding the witch's abode stirred an ominous feeling. Her lair itself was daunting, even from a distance, with enormous oysters and skeletons looming in sight. Strange sea creatures writhed, their tentacles grotesque and eerie.

 

Glen, by now quite at ease with swimming like a merman, moved toward the witch's dwelling, even without a tail to aid him. His legs propelled him forward, and despite the horror that lurked there, his gratitude outweighed his fear. Given the witch's extraordinary power—a power that even the merman prince had relied upon—Glen felt a glimmer of hope. Surely, she would know how to bring Rito back to life.

 

"I am Glen Christian Ander, prince of the kingdom of Fyun. Please forgive my appearance, visiting you in such a state."

 

The young prince dove beneath an arch of whale bones, reflecting on how strange it was to meet a lady while dressed in nothing but his undergarments, unshaven and disheveled. He had been surprised earlier by the strange tentacles, but it seemed that if he swam directly down the center, they could not reach him. The ground beneath the tentacles was littered with human bones, so navigating the witch's abode required courage and skill. Glen, confident in his swimming ability, managed to dodge the thousands of writhing limbs and at last entered the cave.

 

In the dim glow of jellyfish trapped in nets, he was greeted by a beautiful woman, her appearance a stark contrast to the sweet voice that had beckoned him.

 

"So you have come... Prince Glen. Though you remain half-human, the other half of you has become a merman. Quite an impressive swim you made."

 

"Many thanks... Forgive me for my appearance."

 

The prince felt his feet touch the floor of the chamber, littered with skeletons, and realized he was indeed standing at the bottom of the sea. He could stand upright, breathe effortlessly, and not a single bubble escaped his mouth unless he willed it so. The water didn't sting his eyes or throat, though his undergarments and hair occasionally swayed in the currents, reminding him of the ocean's ever-present grasp.

 

"I know what you desire. You seek to bring back Prince Rito, who turned into foam, yes? Fortunately, you are not the only one with such hopes. I have been given many gifts in his name…"

 

The witch, beautiful yet partially decayed, was a creature whose mermaid's tail had long since hardened. It was easy to see that only the tail was hers, while the upper part of her body and even her voice had been taken from someone else. In the back of the chamber, where she pointed, Glen could see long strands of light hair, eerily similar to Rito's. It would take several lifetimes for multiple people to grow locks of such length. Among them shimmered countless jewels, pearls the size of fists, and piles of gold coins—no doubt treasures gathered from sunken ships.

 

"Rito's father and sisters gave me these offerings. They wished, by any means, to bring him back."

 

"Rito... he is greatly loved here, isn't he?"

 

"Indeed, that boy is a rare creature—one of dolphin blood. Wise and kind, the son of a king, his father's pride. His majesty was furious when I granted Rito legs, but once the boy perished, the tide turned. The king himself bowed before me, asking for a miracle."

 

Upon hearing of Rito's dolphin blood and the finality of his death, Glen's heart nearly shattered. He fully understood the anguish of Rito's father and sisters.

 

"It doesn't matter who you are. I too am one who loves Rito and wishes for his return."

 

"I am aware. I can sense the desires of those who dwell in these waters. I know all that you thought as you swam here."

 

The witch smiled, a faint, eerie curve to her lips, and dipped her hand into a jar filled with a thick, red liquid. Oddly, even at the ocean's depths, the liquid in the jar remained undisturbed by the water. From the crimson substance, which resembled blood, emerged a golden hilt and sheath. The witch drew forth a dagger with a large sapphire embedded in the handle.

 

At the sight of the gemstone, Glen immediately thought of Rito's eye.

 

"Ah, you noticed right away? Yes, this sapphire is the same color as that child's eyes."

 

With her decaying hand, the witch offered him the dagger. Glen took it without hesitation, tracing his fingers over the expertly crafted sheath. The deep blue, edged with hints of violet, evoked memories of the sea and sky just before sunset—at the threshold between day and night. It was undoubtedly the color of Rito's eyes, but the prince felt something even deeper. In that moment, he sensed Rito's presence beside him.

 

"Rito's aura…"

 

"You feel it, don't you? The power of love is immense. The left eye of Prince Rito is embedded in the hilt of this dagger. That boy... he gave up his left eye to gain legs and meet you."

 

"And... that's why he wore the patch…"

 

"This stone will serve as the hope for those wishing to restore Prince Rito's life. A merman is a powerful being, capable of living two or even three hundred years... as long as their living core remains intact, there is a great chance for regeneration. If you wish to bring him back, you must endow this stone with a special power."

 

Clutching the dagger to his chest, Glen felt Rito's presence even more strongly. The witch had spoken of the sapphire being Rito's eye, and though it was unsettling, it didn't disturb him. It only served as proof of her honesty, and Glen's heart believed her words entirely, guided by his intuition.

 

"The stone must absorb the blood from the heart of the most beautiful person in the land. As you can see, my face and body are rotting away. Bring me a young, fresh body."

 

"The most beautiful person in the land…"

 

"This dagger is cursed. When my wish is fulfilled, a miracle will occur... and your beloved merman prince will return to your arms, healthy and whole."

 

"Rito… will be in my arms again. Rito…"

 

Clinging to the witch's promise, Glen made up his mind. He was prepared to sacrifice anyone. Such were his thoughts at that moment. He was willing to become as cruel as necessary, if it meant he could hold his beloved once more.

 

To cut out the heart of the woman who loved him, to let her body sink to the depths of the ocean—Glen was ready. For the sake of his love, he would even walk into hell on his own feet.

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