Chapter 79

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’.

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