Eating rice cooked in vegetable broth made from various vegetables from the garden and a plump grilled fish, Jio spoke.
"An urban legend?"
"Kururuk."
"It's not bad."
Honey expressed something akin to concern about Jio acquiring the urban legend of 'The Black Cape', but Jio was fine with it.
Part of it was his easygoing nature, but that wasn't the only reason.
"If people consider me an urban legend, the worry of being attacked will also lessen a bit."
This was the reason Jio had tolerated The Collectors' not-so-subtle maneuvering.
"I realized after returning to Earth a few times, no matter how much Earth was upended and the environment was reorganized globally, a haunted portrait is still a rare existence. I'm not kidding, it wouldn't be strange to be dragged to a lab and tortured for real."
He was thinking of himself as 'a slightly unusual case of an Awakener'.
Unlike ordinary Hunters who encountered the Source through the System, he was directly combined with the Source, so it couldn't be said to be entirely wrong, but the problem was that the people of the world would not see it that way.
"I felt that in the 31 years I haven't seen it, the Republic of Korea has become even closer to hell. A boneless, skinless chicken like me wouldn't last a day before falling into the abyss."
"Kuruk?"
"Yes, I'm not a chicken, but that's not dad's point. The problem is that a weak portrait like me would quickly be dragged to a laboratory full of mad scientists and experimented on."
In that sense, the 'Black Cape urban legend' was not a bad thing.
"At least I won't look like a pushover. And it leaves a lot of room for imagination."
Not only did the Black Cape persona seem to have far greater combat power than his main body, Jio, but the name itself had a certain panache.
Nicknames like this had something that fulfilled a man's fantasy.
"Above all, if it's called an urban legend, it has a strong feeling of being like smoke that can't be grasped… something that can be observed but not researched. I don't know how it is in a harsh world like today's, but wouldn't the probability of being attacked by every dog and cow decrease a little?"
"Ku, kuruk…."
"Mr. Yu Seong-un is really something else. To recognize my weakness and suggest such a path, he's truly an all-rounder type of person. A human model I should learn from. I should get closer to him by giving him meals and snacks. And one day, I will kidnap him."
Saying things that would make Yu Seong-un faint if he heard them, Jio nonchalantly flaked off the meat of the fish, which crumbled fluffily despite not being a freshly baked castella, gave it to Dana, and continued.
"So, the emergence of an urban legend about the Black Cape is actually a welcome development. You could call it a bluff for survival."
He hadn't introduced himself to the Hunters he met in the 'Nation of the Deep Sea' as 'I am a portrait' for no reason.
"At first, I couldn't bring myself to introduce myself by my real name, so I substituted it with 'portrait', and the effect was good."
"Kuruu…."
"To survive in this eccentric world, I too will have to lend a hand to this urban legend."
"Kkuk?"
"I think I need to think a little more about how I'll lend a hand…."
An urban legend befitting the reputation of a haunted portrait would be nice.
"Aren't haunted portraits usually hung up in schools?"
"…? Ku…?"
"Right, you probably don't know much about Earth's culture. Or maybe it's because I was a teacher that I can only think of schools."
"Ku, kukuku."
"Ah, do you have some advice to give?"
The teddy bear nodded its head.
In the world he was originally from, public education was not widespread, so there were few school-related urban legends, but there were a few stories related to mansions.
"A mansion…."
Jio listened with deep impression and nodded his head.
"Certainly, subjects like a portrait hanging in an abandoned mansion are popular as urban legends. I understand what you're saying."
"Kuuu."
"Yes, every piece of information like this will one day rebirth me as a great urban legend. The currently known 'Black Cape' has many shortcomings to be called an urban legend but…."
Jio nodded.
"If we don't give up and keep trying like this, we will one day become a great urban legend and instill fear in people."
"Ku…?"
"That's how we make a living too, Father. People these days are so scary that without at least this much of a bluff, you can't easily survive in their midst."
It didn't seem like something the harmless portrait Jio should say, but anyway, the sun god let it pass, saying he understood.
He knew that even though Jio spoke like that, he was not the type to actually harm humans.
In any case, Jio resolved to solidify his concept as an urban legend.
"It was a relief that the first person I met was Guild Master Bisabeol."
Just watching his machine-gun-like mouth talk was so draining that he was still refusing to converse with him, but Bisabeol was a good person.
The very fact that he treated Jio, a haunted portrait, as a person with a personality proved his noble character.
"...."
"What's wrong, Honey."
"Kkung."
Honey thought, 'Isn't that a matter of taste rather than character?', but did not bother to say it out loud. It knew that while Bisabeol was not a harmless human, he was a human devoted to works of art.
If nothing else, Bisabeol became extremely harmless, at least to his own collection.
That much was true.
"Kururu, kkukkung."
"You wanted some fish too. Should I flake it for you?"
"Kurururururu."
"You cute thing."
Tearing off a thick piece of steaming meat, Jio spoke.
"Anyway, I plan to proceed with the plan I mentioned soon. I'm tired of wandering around the 'Nation of the Deep Sea' with no harvest and cultivating a clumsy urban legend."
"Meeoow."
"Can you eat the bones too? Here. Eat carefully."
Giving the fish bones to Dana, Jio continued.
"Is there anyone who would like to accompany me?"
"Kururuk."
"As expected, it's only you, Honey. You know dad loves you a lot, right?"
"Kkuk."
Honey, too, had no intention of letting the soft and moist-hearted Jio out into the world alone.
"Honey…!"
"Kururu."
Moved by the warm heart of the son he had hatched with his own hands, Jio covered his mouth to show the depth of his emotion and the sun god decided to eat fish in silence.
Dana was already uninterested.
As I keep saying, they were a very close-knit family.
***
And Jio was not the only one planning something for their meeting.
Very coincidentally, the merfolk had also completed their own preparations.
"Hey, flower pig."
"What do you want?"
"Where's the youngest?"
"Not in the vegetable patch?"
"Can't see him."
"Has he lost his mind?"
Cha Isold had been kidnapped.
"No, he hasn't even fully rested…."
Normally, a prospective priest who had completed the initiation ceremony was supposed to enter the dormitory temple, but due to the recent 'Temple of the Deep Sea' incident, they were given a brief period of rest.
In other words, he was kidnapped while at home.
"Is resting important right now?"
"You're right."
This news was immediately relayed to Yu Seong-un, who was in The Collectors guild's office.
"Huh? Kidnapped?"
"Yes."
"Why…? By whom? Where, how…?"
"We're not sure about the motive either…."
The eldest son of the Cha family, Cha Eun-hyeok, said as he offered Bungeoppang as a bribe.
"There was seawater sprinkled on the vegetable patch."
"If you put it like that, anyone would know the culprit is a merman. No, but what's with this Bungeoppang."
"I knew it, right?"
"You don't have to give me any more Bungeoppang. Stop giving it to me, it's overflowing."
"Please give some to Mr. Jio too."
"Uh…."
"I received and reviewed the official notice with Cha Ara."
Cha Eun-hyeok continued with a gaunt face.
"Mr. Seo Jio has a 1:1 rule, I hear. I heard that if he receives kindness from a human, he responds with kindness, and if he receives rudeness, he responds with rudeness."
"…So…."
Yu Seong-un asked seriously.
"You're going to offer Bungeoppang and ask him to save your brother?"
"…I thought the probability of Isold returning alive would be higher than offering nothing… Even if Mr. Seo Jio doesn't actually step up, I thought doing this would put my mind at ease."
"This is almost like offering a sacrifice before a divine statue. And with Bungeoppang, at that."
"I have nothing to say to that."
"No, Jio really likes Bungeoppang. It's just that he sometimes gives some pretty terrifying things as gifts in return…."
In this day and age where faith has become popularized, there were many people who visited temples and offered small sacrifices.
Even if they didn't receive anything substantial in return, doing so made them feel better.
"It's awkward for me to say this, but Jio can't be called a proper god. He's just something with the characteristics of a god. Unlike traditional gods who might show mercy for their followers' affairs, there's a high probability he won't meet your expectations."
"I don't mind. I also brought this as a gift."
"I'll deliver it for now, but…."
Yes, Jio had a rule.
'Can he be hired with Bungeoppang?'
Judging from his reaction once before, Yu Seong-un knew that Jio was bound by his own rules.
Even when he made and shared food, he had tried to find a 'price' from Yu Seong-un.
Cha Eun-hyeok said.
"It doesn't matter if it's not the help of Mr. Seo Jio, of the Black Cape. But if the seawater we found is really a trace of the merfolk belonging to the 'Nation of the Deep Sea'…."
"Right."
"Isn't this an interesting story from the perspective of a large guild like The Collectors?"
With his characteristically stoic face, Cha Eun-hyeok desperately tried to persuade Yu Seong-un.
"Until now, monsters from the 'Nation of the Deep Sea' have never come out of the entrance. It could be a sign of some sort, and I believe we can find out more information through this. So…."
"Calm down, Mr. Cha Eun-hyeok."
Yu Seong-un soothed the young man.
"Even if you didn't say that, I was planning to go rescue Mr. Cha Isold. The 'Nation of the Deep Sea' is a dungeon I have a lot of connections with, and the Black Cape also seems to be very interested in it… I was planning to visit soon."
"...."
"I'll just think of it as going a little earlier."
"…Thank you."
"Alright, then…."
His words trailing off, Yu Seong-un looked back at the pale-faced Cha Ara.
"Will Hunter Cha Ara be going as well?"
"…Me, I… can I go too? I'm just an F-Class…."
"I can take you if you just sign a contract stating that you're prepared to die."
"…It's shameless of me, but I ask for your favor."
Unless one intended to use them as a meat shield, taking an F-Class Hunter into a B-Class or higher dungeon was a great burden on the other Hunters.
They would effectively become manpower dedicated to protecting the F-Class Hunter.
So this was Yu Seong-un's consideration.
Cha Ara knew she wouldn't be of much use even if she went, but she nonetheless asked to accompany them.
"I'm sorry."
"I understand how you feel when family is involved. You don't have to be sorry."
Fortunately, The Collectors guild had a high degree of freedom for its affiliated Hunters, so no one would say anything even if Yu Seong-un was away for a while.
It just meant that the number of days Yu Seong-un had to work overtime increased and for the sake of Jio and the peace of the Earth, Yu Seong-un endured it.
"I want to go too, but that would be presumptuous of me, right??"
"What are you talking about when your physical abilities are at an F-Class level? Stay here."
"What a shame."
Only Bisabeol complained for a different reason, but the support itself was generous.
"...."
"…? Why is Priest Kang Seo-dam here?"
"The Guild Master of The Collectors requested assistance from our temple."
"They're providing better support than I thought."
"Even if it wasn't a request, I would have to step up. Brother Cha Isold is my student, for whom I am responsible."
Kang Seo-dam said with a tired face.
"Even if he isn't officially taking classes yet because of the accident, that fact remains unchanged."
"Wow, you're so reliable."
"More than that…."
Kang Seo-dam looked at 'Seo Jio' who was gathered in front of the port.
"…Was Hunter Seo Jio… coming with us as well?"
"I have a connection with student Cha Isold. Didn't many people receive a lot of mental help thanks to the energetic student Cha Isold in the 'Temple of the Deep Sea'? This is a repayment for him lessening my burden as a doctor and a follower."
"Aha…."
"And student Cha Isold's guardians also gave me Bungeoppang."
"Bungeoppang."
Kang Seo-dam had also received an official notice about 'The Black Cape' from The Collectors guild.
He knew that his rule was, in simple terms, '1:1', and thanks to that, he could quickly understand Jio's participation this time with the word 'repayment'.
But he was also worried.
'Could this part be exploited by humans?'
It was nicely called 1:1, but if things went wrong, a large number of humans could end up forcing a price upon 'The Black Cape'.
'If he gets angry because of that… then….'
Worrying about a future disaster, Kang Seo-dam nodded his head.
"I understand. Thank you for accompanying us."
"There's no need for thanks. I'm just doing what I can."
"I see. Where is that yellow bird I saw last time?"
"It is here."
Just like in the 'Temple of the Deep Sea' before, Honey peeked its face out from the hood of Jio, who was wearing a black cape.
Honey stared intently at Kang Seo-dam, from whom the energy of the sun was strongly felt.
"...."
"...."
"...?"
Around the time Kang Seo-dam was about to show his puzzlement, Yu Seong-un, who had noticed something was amiss, stopped Honey.
"No, Honey, that's not for eating."
"…Does it eat?"
Jio shook his head.
"It does not eat."
"But just now Mr. Yu Seong-un…."
"The meals I make would be more delicious, so why would it bother to eat an unseasoned person."
"...."
"Honey is a gourmet and doesn't eat just anything."
Kuruu.
A sound of affirmation was heard from inside the hood.
"…I see."
He wasn't exactly reassured.
'It was looking at me with very sparkly eyes.'
Kang Seo-dam only got more goosebumps recalling Honey's greedy gaze.
"...."
"Shall we go then."
"…Yes."
And so, with the A-Class Yu Seong-un in the lead, the Cha Isold rescue team of Kang Seo-dam, Cha Ara, and Seo Jio was formed.
In truth, it's not like this portrait needed anyone's help….
'…Helping with Jio's social life….'
Yu Seong-un thought it was a bit funny.
"...."
That was sarcasm.
-x-X-x-
There was a reason Yu Seong-un was always stuck to Jio's side.
'If I lose focus for a moment, he starts spouting absurd words and deeds.'
It would have been better if he were a mimic-type monster clumsy at imitating humans.
Because no matter what it did, you could tell it was a monster.
But 'Jio's Portrait' was strangely proficient at imitating a human.
'That's what makes him confuse people even more.'
While his head was certain he wasn't human, his heart was convinced he was, and that sense of disparity created a feeling of eeriness.
It was a different sort of fear from what one felt from monsters or the children of the Source.
'It's truly what you'd call an urban legend.'
Yu Seong-un's role was to help such a Jio blend in well among humans.
"Whoops."
Splash.
Yu Seong-un stepped onto a floor with a soft texture.
"It's kind of like jelly, this."
"It certainly is."
Kang Seo-dam, who entered the dungeon right after, also nodded.
"It seems like a slime with low viscosity, but for something like that, it supports weight well."
"And yet when you scoop it up with your hands, it's just seawater."
Shaking the water from his hands, Yu Seong-un looked at Jio and Cha Ara who had entered with them.
"Oh, you're in?"
"Yes, y-yes… yes."
"Don't be too nervous. There are three A-Class Hunters here, do you really think we can't protect one Hunter Cha Ara?"
"Three…."
"It's three, right."
"Ah… r-right."
As if she knew how to read the room, Cha Ara quickly took Yu Seong-un's cue.
The way she kept glancing at Jio as he looked around the dungeon suggested she probably even remembered the rule, 'You must not point out that he isn't human in front of Jio.'
'Well, Hunter Cha Ara received the official notice too.'
The notice repeatedly advised things like, 'Do not question Jio's identity.' It seemed Cha Ara also judged that there was no need to get on Jio's bad side.
'By the way….'
If his guess was correct, this dungeon should be like a hometown to 'Giovanni'.
"…Jio, are you okay?"
"I am fine."
"I'm worried since it's your first time formally entering a dungeon."
"I was a little nervous, but I'm not as shaky as I thought I would be."
The platinum-blond Jio, who had thrown back his black hood, wore his characteristic gentle smile.
"The scent of the sea feels quite pleasant."
"Come to think of it, you liked the sea."
Having said that, Yu Seong-un looked down.
"...."
An entire nation, completely submerged in the sea, was visible.
"…Getting down there is going to be a chore. Jio, can you swim?"
"To be honest with you, I cannot!"
"Why is he so proud about it?"
As its name was 'Nation of the Deep Sea', the Hunters who visited this place were fundamentally a group of people who could swim.
In the first place, it was rare for a Hunter to be unable to swim.
"I didn't think of this…."
With a troubled face, Yu Seong-un looked back at the other two.
"What about Hunter Cha Ara or Priest Kang Seo-dam?"
"Huh? Ah, I can, but… since I'm F-Class…."
"I can do it without difficulty."
"Oh my."
Yu Seong-un looked at Jio again.
"Then it looks like either I or Priest Kang Seo-dam will have to help Jio, is that okay?"
"No?"
"Oh…?"
"There are plenty of ways to go without swimming."
"How come there are plenty??"
"I learned a good skill from the elder in my house."
"...."
No, wait a minute.
"…The elder in your house?"
"Yes."
"Th-that elder is that thing, right. That…."
"I will escort you comfortably."
"What on earth??"
Without answering Yu Seong-un's question, Jio placed his hands on the floor.
At that moment.
"...."
—Ruuuuuumble!!
"...."
"There."
With a loud noise, a path was created into the sea.
"Now we can just walk."
"...."
"Let's walk."
The Hunters, including Yu Seong-un, stared with dumbfounded faces at the tunnel that had formed in the sea.
"Uh…."
In the space that was hollowed out like a long straw, there were even stairs kindly created.
The path continued to a considerable depth, and with a Hunter's good eyesight, they could confirm that it reached all the way to the 'Temple of the Deep Sea'.
Yu Seong-un, who prided himself on being the human who received Jio's greatest affection, asked.
"What did you do to this?"
"Seawater is also water, so if you heat it up, wouldn't it evaporate?"
"So you evaporated it?"
"Yes, convenient, isn't it?"
"Because you didn't want to swim?"
"It's not that I don't want to, I can't. It's not a matter of my preference."
"So you changed the dungeon…."
He changed the form of the sea because he couldn't swim.
Yu Seong-un looked back at Kang Seo-dam, the child of the sun.
"...."
"I cannot do that."
"I thought so."
Please, Jio.
'What kind of Hunter in the world remodels a dungeon because they don't want to swim.'
In the first place, being able to remodel a dungeon was already beyond the realm of a Hunter.
That Hunter had no reason to come to the dungeon.
The existence of the dungeon and the significance of the Hunter's visit disappear.
'This is like the Republic of Korea's representative tycoon, Guild Master Bisabeol, making his part-timers collect waste paper to earn five thousand won for his own pocket money.'
If this was the case, then why did the identity of 'Seo Jio' even exist?
Did he really have no intention of imitating a human?
Was it a warning not to pull any pathetic tricks?
Yu Seong-un fell into a deep quagmire.
'The fortunate thing is that Priest Kang Seo-dam and Hunter Cha Ara are trying their absolute best to look away and pretend they don't see….'
After confirming the cooperative intent of the two, who seemed to vow silence on everything that happened today, he looked at Jio again.
"Jio, everyone here is trustworthy, so I'll speak frankly."
"Please speak comfortably."
"This is a bit beyond the realm of what's humanly possible."
"But I am an ordinary human…."
"Ah, I know, I know. We all know that very well, so you don't have to worry about that. It's just…."
Yu Seong-un took a deep breath.
"Other people might be scared of you or misunderstand, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't show your abilities too much in front of people other than us. Did you understand what I said?"
"I understand, thank you for your consideration."
"Right…."
Cha Ara looked at Yu Seong-un, who was desperately and calmly persuading him, with a pitiful expression and even to Yu Seong-un himself, his own situation felt a bit pathetic.
'A mere human body is giving social skills training to a being of the Source whose identity I don't even know.'
Outside of The Collectors' building, 'Seo Jio's' stature was lowered to a human level, so it was manageable to this extent, but no, in fact, even now it was so overwhelming that it felt like his whole body would explode.
'It's a good thing Jio thinks of himself as human….'
You could say the plan to separate 'Seo Jio' and 'The Black Cape' was a success, in its own way. It wasn't a bad situation.
'The pressure is definitely less than when we're inside the company building, so yes, this much is.'
In a pinch, he could just compare him to S-Class Hunters.
At that level, they were close to human disasters.
The problem was that Jio wasn't even human, and this was a part Yu Seong-un had to work on.
"Normally, Hunters can't just change someone else's dungeon like this."
"I see, that must be inconvenient."
"…Right…."
"You all have me, so you don't have to worry."
And Jio had no thoughts about it at all.
Just because he changed the dungeon a little didn't mean he did something unethical.
No one died, no one was hurt, and no one's feelings were hurt.
Jio's ultimate positive mindset did not bow before the mere limits of humanity.
Limits are meant to be overcome.
Giovanni overcame his own limitation of not being able to swim with the power of the sun.
He prided himself on this remarkable growth.
"Let's go now."
If this solidifies my concept even more, it's a welcome development.
'Tada.'
Anyway, what's good is good.
***
Giovanni died.
"...."
If you were to ask if he had been in his right mind since then, he had not.
The farewell Iseur had been preparing was a little warmer.
Wrinkles would form on the aged Jio's hands and around his eyes, his back that was straight like a divine statue would bend, and his firm body would become endlessly thin.
Jio was supposed to die while watching countless people thank him for his life.
His breath would slowly fade, his eyelids that were always kindly curved would close and his heart that beat, albeit slowly, would quietly sink….
"…Where was the teacher's corpse?"
"It's probably in your stomach."
"...."
"And, it's in the sea."
Nothing had come to pass.
"…How old was the teacher?"
"He lived a little over 30 years after being born."
"How long of a life is that?"
"Humans, if well-cared for in a good environment, live past 100."
"What if they are not cared for in an ordinary environment?"
"Unless they were continuously abused, normally it would be around 80 years old."
"The teacher did not even get to enjoy half of my lifespan."
He was too young.
"It was only 30 years."
"Yes, it was only 30 years."
"I thought it was longer than that."
It was devastating.
"Like 100 years, or 200 years. To say that all of that happened in just 30 years is too overwhelming… so much happened…."
Giovanni saved people his entire life.
"Why did no one defend the teacher? He saved so many lives. He saved dying breaths and cursed lives. The people who were saved by the teacher… didn't they say thank you then? They even shed tears of joy at his touch."
His sister affirmed it.
"That's right, Jio was a very kind person. He saved many humans and merfolk."
"But when he died, no one remained by his side."
He was not a person who should have died like that.
"The teacher should have closed his eyes in a warmer bed, with a slightly older body, surrounded by very many people. Shouldn't he have? He was a person who lived so devotedly for others. Such a human should be warmer, under the sunlight…."
"It seems the death you imagined only exists in fairy tales."
"…It didn't have to be a fairy tale…. What I said was a situation that could be realized at any time, not necessarily in a fairy tale. That is, at most… only that much. I didn't wish for a miracle. I didn't wish for a human to live as long as a merman, nor did I try to bring the dead back to life."
What was so great about that?
"Humans die anyway. No matter how good the environment they grow up in, no matter how well they are cared for, their lifespan is so short that they die quickly. If he lived shedding blood and sweat without rest in such a short life, shouldn't he have enjoyed at least that much of a benefit?"
"So, did you receive such a benefit?"
"...."
No.
"…No…."
He respected the teacher, the person named Giovanni.
Jio was a priest and a doctor.
Iseur learned the virtues of a priest from him and Aria learned the skills of a doctor from him.
As it was something they learned from Jio, both of them had treated humans with great hospitality as well.
"It was not so. In the end, just…."
But not a single human knew how to be grateful.
"…In the end, they are a race that would cast aside even the kindness of Jio, who was one of their own, in a single moment."
"Humans are so fickle. They are different from merfolk in many ways."
Merfolk live for over a thousand years.
Perhaps because they were born to live that long, merfolk were indifferent to stimuli, not sensitive to emotions, and did not change easily.
And for that reason, when a merman receives a single stimulus, an emotion, a change, they cherish it for a very long time.
"…Ah…."
Iseur already knew that 'it' would be Giovanni.
"Please, why… why, this… this shouldn't be…."
"...."
"This shouldn't be happening, Aria…."
That's why he had wished for him to meet a very sweet and gentle death.
"Why on earth do I have to carry this memory for a lifetime…?"
He knew that every moment of that short life of the person who resembled the sunlight, the person who was as fluffy as a warm blanket, would ultimately be what he had to cherish.
So he was relieved.
Because he believed that at least someone as wonderful and great as Giovanni was a human worthy of being cherished by a merman.
"Aria, I ate him."
A merman ate a human.
"You ask why? Because I was hungry, the vulgar humans locked me and him in a small water tank…! Jio couldn't die! Giovanni was rotting in pain and cold, and I was hungry! I ate him!!"
Watching that, the children of the sun sneered.
"That in the end, a merman is just a merman even if it imitates a human, a monster that eats people…!!"
"...."
"…Are we monsters?"
His one and only sister answered.
"Everyone is a monster."
"...."
"Only, except for the teacher… Everyone was a monster."
"…I see."
Jio was human.
That was certain.
"…I miss the teacher…."
"Me too."
For a very long time, Iseur could not open his mouth.
He felt that if he opened this mouth, the Giovanni he had swallowed would flow out.
His innards that he had chewed and swallowed would escape, his eyes would shed tears, and his mouth would scream or pour out resentment towards the merfolk.
And now, what Iseur, who finally opened his mouth, held onto was, in the end, Giovanni, time and again.
"Sister."
"…To be honest, I think I hate you."
"I think this is the first time I've seen you hate someone, sister."
"I don't even know if this feeling is certain."
"I will accept it gladly. Because even that is a change the teacher created."
"I will cover the sun with the sea."
Her words were grandiose, but Iseur knew that it would soon be realized.
"When the whole world is covered by the sea, Jio can also remain in the sea forever."
"...."
"And merfolk too… are a part of the sea in the end, aren't they. Just like the paintings of mermaids that person always drew…."
"...."
"…You know."
Aria was wearing a pure white gown.
"…I don't know what I want either, Iseur…."
It was Giovanni's.
"...."
"...."
A long time passed after that.
A very, very long time….
***
"Did you have another nightmare?"
"...."
Round, black pupils.
"…Priest Cha Isold."
"I'm not a priest yet."
"I am not human."
"Why not?"
"…I wonder…."
Why wasn't he?
"What would it have been like if I were human."
We had a future.
"…I have such delusions."
"You're human now, though."
"I am a merman, as I told you when I brought you here."
"But you're human?"
"...."
"What's the difference between a human and a merman? I don't really know."
"That is…."
There were countless differences, but perhaps because it was the day he met the teacher, his mouth wouldn't open.
"…You have a point."
What on earth was the difference?
How big of a difference could it be?
-x-X-x-
For the record, Cha Isold, who had been kidnapped.
"Eun-ha's eyes are cool."
Had no thoughts whatsoever.
It wasn't for nothing that he and Jio got along so well.
"They're all sparkly."
"Ha…."
"Like a dragon!"
"It would be a reptile, in the end."
"No, it's much cooler!"
"Dragons are also a type of reptile."
"Gasp, really??"
Cha Isold asked with a serious face.
"Then Eun-ha, do you also hibernate when it gets cold…?"
"I do not. If you want to get technical, I am a fish."
"There's no fish."
"What does that mean…?"
"You're not a fish?"
"Ah…."
It seemed he meant that it was difficult to find the characteristics of a 'mermaid' in Iseur's appearance.
"…Then did my eyes look like a human's?"
"Isn't that a mermaid? That, the leg… leg… fish leg…."
"...."
"You don't have a leg."
"…I do…."
Human children really are full of questions.
"I can explain that part."
"Ah, sister."
"Is it hard taking care of the child?"
"I cannot say that it isn't."
The current Iseur was not the 'Eun-ha' that Cha Isold remembered.
Iseur, now in the distinct form of an adult, should have been different from what Cha Isold knew, yet he was overwhelmed by the overly friendly words and actions.
Even though he was being treated gently, it was still a kidnapping situation, yet he was quite brave.
As Iseur subtly stepped back, his sister, Aria, approached.
"Hello, little gentleman."
"Pretty!"
"Thank you for the compliment."
With a courteous smile, Aria greeted him with a grace that would not have been out of place in high society.
"In Earth's fairy tales, mermaids may have had the fins of a fish for legs, but not all mermaids are like that. The mermaids of the planet we used to live on all had different characteristics as mermaids for each individual."
"…Your words are difficult!"
"It means there are mermaids who have mermaid tails, and mermaids who do not. In Eun-ha's case, he was born without a tail."
Having said that, Aria called her brother as if asking him to show an example.
"Iseur."
"...."
Iseur, with a hint of fatigue over his characteristic smile, lifted the hair by his ear.
"Here, can you see Eun-ha's ear?"
"Oh… it's different."
"Unlike a human's ear, there is a distinct ear fin unique to mermaids."
She continued speaking like a teacher.
"Besides this, there are webs that you can see when he spreads his fingers, and there are scales all over his body. And though he's hiding it now, he has a separate tail that allows him to swim more proficiently."
"Then what about you, sister?"
"I have the mermaid tail that you are familiar with, little gentleman. However, it is inconvenient to move in a place without water like this with the fins of a fish, so I have currently split my tail into two to create legs that allow for bipedal locomotion."
"Wow…."
"It's an ability that any mermaid from my planet can show. Unlike what humans think, mermaids have evolved to be able to live on land as well."
"That's amazing…!"
Cha Isold was simply thrilled.
It wasn't that he wasn't nervous in an unfamiliar environment, but Eun-ha didn't seem to have any intention of harming him, did he?
He was not unaware of the fact that this was a kidnapping, but he had a firm belief that his brother and sister would come to find him anyway.
Rather than being scared, Cha Isold was as excited as if he had come to an amusement park.
"But…."
Such a sight of Cha Isold certainly came across as special to Aria as well.
"It seems you are not afraid of mermaids, little gentleman?"
"…? Should I not be?"
"I understand that humans on Earth tremble in fear when they meet a mermaid in person."
Since the event called the 'Great Catastrophe' on Earth, 'mermaids' have been witnessed dozens, hundreds of times.
Naturally, as they were also monsters, they had attacked humans, so most Earthlings feared mermaids.
"Moreover, you have been kidnapped by us, little gentleman."
"Uh… I know."
"And yet, could I hear the reason why you can smile like this?"
"You didn't hit me…?"
"Oh."
Aria tilted her head.
"I could hit you, you know?"
"…Are you going to hit me? Then I'm going to run away."
"Oh dear, you poor thing. It would be a little difficult to run away now."
"You're not going to hit me, right?"
"There is nothing more foolish than abusing a precious hostage. But even if we don't cause you pain and suffering, little gentleman, how can you trust that."
"If you say you won't, then you won't, right…?"
"...."
Aria, who was at a loss for words for a moment, looked back at her brother.
"A formidable opponent."
"He is."
"Indeed, a human worthy of Jio's affection."
"I thought he was just fond of him because he's a child."
"That could be it, he was a person who held the young and weak in his arms."
Aria lifted her head.
"They should be here soon."
The sound of the sea being churned could be heard.
"...."
"For the reaction to be this good, it's quite fast, no matter how much Jio cherishes the child."
"…It must mean that their side was also preparing."
"To think we weren't the only ones mentally preparing, I won't feel wronged whatever the outcome."
"It must mean we weren't the only ones who cared."
Iseur suddenly thought that it had been a long time since the word 'heart' had come out of Aria's mouth.
Iseur, who was observing his sister with a smile on his lips, soon extended his hand to Cha Isold.
He was not a mermaid who was afraid to extend his hand to a human.
With Giovanni as his teacher, he could become an ideal priest anytime.
"Shall we go, Priest Cha Isold."
"I'm telling you, we're not priests yet…."
"I am."
He just detested it.
"Are my hands not cold?"
"They're too cold, can I put a hot pack on them?"
"…You may not, my skin will dry out."
"Then don't you get poor circulation?"
"Mermaids, whose body temperature is naturally lower than humans, do not have such things."
It took some time, but in the end, the preparations to welcome Jio were complete.
And, there was no intention to fight.
"...."
"Did you have another nightmare?"
"I did not."
I wish that were true.
***
"Welcome!"
Jio died, and even when he came back to life, he was still Jio.
"Are any of our mermaid friends who have received the full grace of the sea here?"
"My goodness, who might this be."
Walking down the entrance stairs of the temple, Aria laughed elegantly.
Her magnificent mermaid dress rippled like waves on the stairs.
"Isn't it the new sun god, Mr. Black Cape, who trespassed without the homeowner's permission?"
"What do you mean, Black Cape, I am Seo Jio right now. Please be careful not to make a mistake later."
"Alright, Jio."
"Actually, it's Giovanni."
"…That could be."
Aria, who replied with a smile, looked back at the bewildered humans.
"By the looks of it, you all seem to have flocked here to save a human child."
"…Are you related to Mr. Eun-ha, Miss mermaid?"
"That's right, I am Iseur's older sister and the true master of this dungeon, Aria."
"Oh…."
Yu Seong-un looked at Jio.
"I think I'll have to propose raising the dungeon's grade when we get back."
"Why is that? I understand it's already quite high…."
"There are two dungeon masters. A case like this is not common."
Yu Seong-un, who let out a sigh while maintaining a smiling face, looked at Aria again.
"The fact that the true master of the dungeon has come out in person so nonchalantly, probably means you have no intention of fighting us, right? May I take it that way?"
"It's nice that we can communicate well."
Aria's eyes crinkled into a smile. She was a monster who knew how to be quite coy.
"I am sorry for bringing your brother without permission, Hunter Cha Ara."
"Uh…."
"He was only used as a device to call you all here, and not a single scratch was left on him, so please go check on your brother without worry."
"Uh, u-uh… uh…."
"It seems the weak Hunter is too scared to go alone. Would the other two gentlemen over there accompany her? That would be polite to the lady, wouldn't it?"
Yu Seong-un shrugged.
"I'm no gentleman."
His job was to take care of the being of the Source and supervise the gallery's artworks.
Yu Seong-un looked back at Kang Seo-dam and Cha Ara.
"I will stay with Jio, so it would be best for you, Priest, and Hunter Cha Ara to secure Mr. Cha Isold first. Since I don't see the merman Iseur, there's a high probability they're together."
"The probability of combat seems low."
"Mr. Cha Isold was likely bait to lure Jio. It's not an emotionally hostile situation, so her words about Mr. Cha Isold being safe are probably true. How about we move before we get on the merfolks' bad side."
"That certainly seems to be the case."
Kang Seo-dam led the thoroughly frightened Cha Ara into the temple.
Behind them, Aria kindly guided them.
"He will be with my brother in the last room of the corridor."
"…Thank you for letting us know."
As soon as the two Hunters were out of sight, Aria laid her eyes on Jio.
"...."
Her lips, red as if painted with blood, opened heavily.
"You look so much like him."
"Does it not occur to you that I am him?"
"What do you think, Mr. Seo Jio?"
"Actually, I might not be."
"Saying it like that makes it seem more like you are the Jio I know."
Aria's eyes crinkled.
"That person always left possibilities open."
"Did he?"
"Even his own death."
"I am ashamed."
"...."
Aria, who was looking down at Jio and Yu Seong-un from the stairs, turned her body.
"Come in, gentlemen."
"...."
"Enjoy the mermaid's invitation to your heart's content."
Yu Seong-un muttered under his breath.
"…If I weren't with you, Jio, that would have probably sounded like a line to start a battle."
That was how much Aria's voice contained something bizarre and eerie.
Because despite her gentle smile, the hatred and contempt towards humans were so very vivid.
***
Aria guided Jio and Yu Seong-un to the banquet hall.
"Wow, it's a seafood party."
Yu Seong-un was dumbfounded.
"Is it okay for a mermaid to do this?"
"Humans are so narrow-minded. Do humans not eat a single land creature just because they are human?"
"Please also consider the feelings of a human being served a seafood banquet prepared by a mermaid in the deep sea, it's scary. I can't help but imagine what message this table, with not a single piece of meat from a land animal, is trying to convey."
"It's not like I served a human on the table, so what's the problem?"
"This is really scary…."
Aria's tone had at some point become casual.
'Is it because this is a space she can call her home, or….'
Yu Seong-un glanced at Jio.
'…Is she just comfortable at a meal with this guy.'
It could be both.
Jio paid no mind to what the two were chattering about and went to find his own seat.
He looked quite familiar with the place, and Yu Seong-un looked around the banquet hall, which felt extravagant and splendid for a temple.
"There are a lot of things here for a temple."
"That is because the Solar Cult here did not take modesty as a virtue."
"Uh… huh?"
Yu Seong-un looked at Jio again.
"Do you also know what this place is?"
"It was the place where I received my education, so I have no choice but to know."
"If you say education…."
"I learned many things as a priest. You can think of it as a training school for young priests."
"Aha."
It seemed the way priests were raised was similar in any world.
Yu Seong-un, who confirmed Aria was staring intently at him at Jio's explanation, suppressed a sigh and sat down in the seat next to Jio.
Aria, as if it were natural, sat opposite Jio, not at the head of the table.
"…? You should be the master of this seat, why are you not sitting at the head of the table?"
"The master of that seat was not me, but the Pope."
Aria's eyes curved into circles.
"I ate him."
Jio looked at Aria in surprise.
"Did you not get a stomachache?"
"No… wait a minute, Jio, is that what's important right now?"
"Considering how much saturated fat was packed in that man's belly…."
"I'm asking if that's what's important right now."
Could this really be all he had to say when a monster said it ate a person.
It seemed Aria had a similar thought.
"You don't seem very sorry about it."
"After the trouble that man put me through, do you expect me to speak kindly?"
"For someone with such a noble face, you act quite caustically."
As her lips curved into a smirk, her blue hair fluttered along with them.
"As expected, you must be my teacher."
"I might be, or I might not be."
"If you cannot define it yourself, shall I say it for you?"
Aria smiled.
"Teacher."
"...."
"The merfolks' human teacher. The incarnation of a saint, Priest Giovanni. Savior and betrayer of humanity."
"I've become quite grandiose without my knowledge."
Jio smiled back.
Yu Seong-un suddenly realized that the smiles of Giovanni, Aria and Iseur were remarkably similar.
Although they were smiling faces, they felt heavier with gravity than with joy….
Even in the meantime, Jio continued.
"Now what are you going to call me, Aria?"
"Anything is fine."
Snap—!
As the mermaid snapped her fingers, the temple filled with seawater.
"...."
He wasn't suffocating.
"Welcome back to your sea."
Her hair, which resembled the deep sea, scattered like coral.
The mermaid's dress, resembling a lazy wave, moved like a fin.
Her pearl-colored eyes sparkled chillingly and the tiara on her head emitted a mysterious light.
The seafood in the banquet hall, now completely submerged in seawater, lifted their already dead heads and gaped their mouths, welcoming the guest and intruder.
"…Yes, right…."
The incarnation of the sea was in that place.
"...."
"Jio."
The eyes that could never be human captured the saint who was the most human in the world.
"Let's have a conversation."
"I would like that."
"If I don't like it, I will eat all the humans."
For thousands of years, the mermaid princess had been enraged.
"You as well."
Solely towards 'humans'.
-x-X-x-
Jio looked at the mermaid princess who had grown into a strong and beautiful form.
"...."
Her hair, with the strange hue of the deep sea, her eyes, like the pearls of legend, and even her dress, which resembled the waves, all symbolized the sea… yet the large, white doctor's gown worn over it all was uniquely conspicuous.
Back then, we often played such pranks.
It was a simple prank.
"...."
"…Yes, I am human too."
Therefore, Giovanni could be certain.
"Let's talk."
In the end, this confrontation was one the human was bound to win.
An Ending for the Mermaid Princess (0/1)
He was certain of it.
***
Aria did not resent Giovanni.
He was the only human in Aria's mind.
The most truthful among all those humans, and at the same time, as good and kind as someone out of a fairy tale.
The rare and precious deserve to be loved.
"I respect you, Giovanni."
But too much time had passed.
"Weren't there too many things to hide behind the thin word of respect?"
"From my perspective, it's a case of my young mermaids going around causing trouble by the time I came to my senses."
"They are no longer young, unfortunately."
Aria loved Giovanni, but she hated humanity.
She detested and despised them.
"There was so much I learned from you. Human emotions, human life, human judgment…."
"The human biological structure was also something I taught you."
"That was a great help. Even after you died."
"Do you resent me?"
"It would be closer to love and obsession. That would be a little different from resentment."
"That is the kind of creature a mermaid is."
"Aren't we a foolish race that lives an entire lifetime on a single memory?"
For such a mermaid, the existence of Giovanni was too cruel.
"After your death, I encountered countless humans. Some were sacrificial, some were selfish, some drove even their own children to ruin, and some gave their lives for a stranger they didn't even know the face of."
"That diversity is precisely what shows the potential of humanity."
"I agree as well. That is why I could not give up on this life. Believing that it would end one day, I have analyzed, researched, and studied countless humans."
"It must have been a very long time."
"I wished for this day to come for quite a long time. Continuing to vent my anger without meaning, sinking the suns of all those numerous dimensions…."
"I understand."
"And I feel that my end has come to me now."
It was an ending named Giovanni.
"The fairy tale of the mermaid princess on Earth ends with the mermaid turning into foam and disappearing. Is the ending you draw, Giovanni, the same as this?"
"How to imagine it is the freedom of every child. Even if the mermaid in the fairy tale becomes foam and is forgotten by all, in some child's mind, she is living a happy daily life with the prince."
"I'm sorry, but there are no children here anymore. The only ones left here are a princess stained with bright red blood to see the limits of humanity and a faithful subordinate who follows her."
"In that case, what is the ending that the mermaid princess desires?"
"Human suffering. Human despair. Human extermination, I suppose. I didn't expect to meet you on this Earth while trying to sink even one more sun… but for now."
"Have you eaten humans, princess?"
"The seas of all dimensions have already eaten countless humans. Even at this very moment, the sea is taking the lives of greedy humans, and it is likely eating innocent humans as well."
Giovanni's noble face was visible.
It was the face of the saint who was called the savior of humanity and the son of the one true god.
"As you said, is the sea not a cruel existence to humans?"
"But it is beautiful. Just as I, who cannot even swim, built a house by the sea and lived half my life there."
"Do you still consider the sea and mermaids to be the same existence?"
"Do you want to hear that you are beautiful?"
"I can't say no. I wanted to show you how I've grown, my teacher."
But this is probably not the form you wished for.
"How do you feel, seeing the mermaid you raised with your own hands grow up like this?"
"...."
Mourning filled his blue eyes.
"…It is sad."
"Yes."
"I am happy to see you again, and I feel pity."
"And why is that?"
"Because you are a mermaid."
For whom was that mourning?
"And I am human."
"…Giovanni, you always used to speak of the differences and limits between humans and mermaids."
With a smile that seemed like it would sing fairy tales for a lifetime, Giovanni always spoke of the wretchedness of reality.
"From here on is the main point."
Aria looked at the white-haired Hunter sitting in his seat with a tense face, then looked again at Giovanni, who still wore a serene smile.
"I…."
It was a smile she had tried to create her whole life but failed.
A smile her younger brother had imitated, but it ended at imitation.
A smile she tried to have once more but couldn't even attempt to make….
So, in the end, it was a smile she had given up on.
"…For thousands of years, I have tirelessly studied humans and tried to discover their limits. But I must confess my own lack of capability; it could not be defined as a clear goal. It was merely that I wandered, not knowing what to do."
Giovanni spoke.
"And it is the teacher's role to show the path that must be taken."
"Giovanni, I am standing at a crossroads. You must help me."
What will you choose?
"This foolish, stubborn mermaid can spend the rest of her undying life simply hating, despising, and detesting humans, or… yes, like the fairy tale here on Earth, she can disappear into seafoam."
The death of humans, or the death of a mermaid.
"Now, teacher."
"...."
"What should I do?"
Aria respected the human named Giovanni. She loves his name.
She feels a sense of mystery in the fact that he is human and worships his endless wisdom and gushing kindness.
If there was a human who could draw the sunlight into the sea, it was Giovanni.
"You wanted the land and the sea to become one."
Aria placed the sea in the sky and devoured the sun.
"Even if our choices were the same, the result would surely have been different. Is that not so?"
Giovanni would have created a warm fairy tale that smelled of sunlight, not this cold, fishy reality.
But Giovanni was betrayed by humans and eaten by a mermaid.
Aria looked at that good face that held warmth.
"...."
"Now, give me an end."
That's why you became the sun, isn't it?
***
Watching the unfolding situation, Yu Seong-un desperately held his breath.
'…This is taking a strange turn.'
From the time Mr. Cha Isold was first kidnapped to the point where this group came to the 'Nation of the Deep Sea', he had thought there would be a big battle.
After all, when a Hunter enters a dungeon, it's only natural for a battle to occur.
But this mermaid named Aria seemed to genuinely want to talk.
This meeting was created solely for a battle of words.
'And… she's forcing a choice between humans and mermaids on Jio.'
He could feel her sincerity.
'What is she planning to do if Jio chooses humans…? Is she going to torment humans out of spite? Or is she really going to die?'
Depending on what 'path' Jio shows her from now on, Aria would either torment humans for the rest of her life or die right here.
'It's the way of all monsters, but….'
Aria's hatred for humans also seemed incredibly strong.
'It sounds like she's planning to put an end to her past life of researching and studying humans. Well, thousands of years have passed, so it is about time for a conclusion, but does it make sense to pass that choice to Jio? This isn't just anything, it's deciding the fate of humans and mermaids.'
What a selfish mindset.
"...."
Yu Seong-un looked back at Jio.
"...."
"...."
He was still smiling, looking at the mermaid named Aria.
'…I'm starting to get curious about what choice he'll make for me.'
For one, it was true that the being known as 'Jio's Portrait' was extremely favorable towards humans.
But, as he had worried when they first came to the 'Temple of the Deep Sea', Giovanni, who had a deep connection with these merfolk, could also choose them.
'And he's not even in a state that can be called human right now. Even if he chooses the mermaids who have become monsters over humans here, it could be defined as monsters siding with their own kind… so I don't know what choice Jio will make.'
Besides, that choice was also more rational.
Objectively speaking, there was far less loss.
'If he chooses humans, his close mermaid friend Aria dies immediately, whereas even if he chooses the mermaids, it's not like he can suddenly kill all humans in every dimension. If Jio chooses the mermaids right now, it's objectively more advantageous for him to stay by their side and advocate for humans a little while spending time together.'
Aria had acted as if she would eat even Jio if she became displeased, saying 'you are a human in the end, after all,' but… with Jio's stature, he wouldn't be taken down so easily.
By that logic, the few humans in this dungeon might die, but the majority of humans and his dear merfolk would live, wouldn't they? Knowing the not-always-good and shameless side of Giovanni made him even more worried.
"...."
Still, this wasn't a situation he could step into, so Yu Seong-un kept his mouth shut.
'…In the end, it's Jio's choice to make.'
It was when he was waiting, giving it time.
"Hoo…."
Jio laughed.
"To be honest, I thought it was a little funny."
"…What was it?"
"They say family members resemble each other, I guess that was the case for us too."
Unlike the dark-haired, blunt Jio, the brightly colored Giovanni looked natural even with a light, somewhat mischievous smile.
The mermaid named Aria was chillingly expressionless, but she seemed to have her eyes stolen by that smile.
"...."
As if she was forced to recall a moment she had longed for….
Jio curved his lips as if embarrassed, as if perplexed, yet as if it were amusing.
"I also pondered. I managed to find a way to come to the 'Nation of the Deep Sea' without taking a submersible, but no matter how much I wandered around and waited here, I couldn't find a single strand of your or Iseur's hair."
It seemed this portrait had been visiting the 'Nation of the Deep Sea' all this time to meet the merfolk.
"Were you perhaps avoiding me?"
"I can't say no, I was so scared I'd receive divine punishment from the new sun god."
"The sun god…."
"Surely you weren't planning to hide it. Not while holding such scorching divinity."
"I was saddled with it unexpectedly, but to be honest, I don't know what I'm supposed to do either."
"Is it not to kill me? It's strange that there's something even you don't know."
"Because I am human too."
"...."
"We always hit our limits."
Jio gave his characteristic proper smile.
"So just as you all kidnapped brother Cha Isold to summon me, I too devised a method to call my dear mermaid friends together. Because I wanted to have a conversation without you running away."
"And what method did you devise?"
"It's a much more humble plan compared to what you prepared. Shabby, should I say. I am very embarrassed that I couldn't show you something grand for a teacher…."
—Kra-jee-jee-jee-jee-jeek…!!!
"Here."
With a ferocious roar that didn't match the blindingly brilliant light, spears of light were created.
He spread both his hands.
"...."
"Look."
In total, there were more than 10 of them.
And the blades of the spears, holding the heat of the sun, were pointed towards Jio.
"This is how humans have a conversation."
"...."
The seawater in the temple had at some point dried up, leaving only a terrible heat, like a desert.
"…Human conversation, what does that mean?"
"The good cannot always be rewarded."
"…I know that too."
"Then you should have known better."
Jio continued, as if teaching.
"There is no guarantee that kindness will be returned with kindness, nor can a notorious villain always be punished to soothe the aching hearts of the victims. The world is not a fairy tale, and reality's endings are made as the moments overlap."
"...."
"It is because humans are always changing. They can grow and regress. It is a foolish thing to expect all the endings of this fickle creature that cannot stay still for a moment to always be constant. A clever person like you would surely know this well."
The banquet hall was engulfed in a heat so intense it was hard to breathe.
"But that is why humans have created numerous rules. They learn how to face each other, they learn how to talk."
"...."
"And they have decided to hold accountable a fearsome murderer whose number of victims cannot even be fathomed."
"…Are you saying you will hold me accountable for my sins now? To me, who is not even human, citing human rules…."
"Aria."
The face that resembled the sunlight was warm.
"Humans are diverse. They have no limits, and you are the same. You said that which cannot stay still for a moment and changes is precisely what a human is."
"...."
"Were you not like that? Did you not change at all? It's just that because you grew and regressed, you were under the illusion that you were the same as thousands of years ago…."
"…I."
"We can talk."
That voice was firm.
"If you receive your due punishment, that is."
Like a teacher teaching a young student.
"…What on earth is this punishment? I can't understand."
"We use pretty cheap methods to get what we want. Shall I be the one to ask this time?"
"I'm not sure. I don't understand."
"Just as I have no reason to stop your hatred towards humans, Aria."
The teacher who had guided his student asked.
"Is there any reason I shouldn't take 'Giovanni' away from you?"
"...."
Jio chose the humans.
And according to his words, since there was no difference between humans and mermaids, he had in effect given up nothing and chosen nothing.
At the greedy adult's cheap declaration, the mermaid's face crumbled.
"Whether to choose the humans, including you and me."
"…Ah…."
"Or to choose the mermaid's rage, is your choice."
And what was revealed then was not the sea, but that of an unripe student.
-x-X-x-