CH 198

What awaits at the bottom of the sea.

Only Dirk and I were swimming in the sea.

“At last, even my engagement ring got ridiculous... well, it's handy, so it’s fine I guess.”

Me and Dirk were under the effect of each other’s engagement ring, making us look like mermaids. Dirk's engagement ring was a pair with mine... so I had to alter it!

Originally, the magic of my engagement ring is a magic that changes appearances by coating the body’s surface with magic power. This is a practical version.

“Being able to breathe underwater feels weird, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed.”

Looking up from the bottom of the sea, it was all sparkly and really beautiful.

“We should be using magic to avoid monsters.”

“Ah, in that case… there it is.”

I took out Elder brother-made monster repellent (for underwater use). Kuurin also seems to dislike it, so I had her board the Valkyrie as well.

“This is amazing… the monsters are…”

They are scattering with great vigor. Let's call it the Night Emperor Cockroach of the monster world. My brother later told me to stop calling it that. But it's amazing that I and the sea spirits, the Nereis, were not afraid of it.

"... By the way, what does it do to you, Kuurin?”

"It’s twisting my nose…”

It seems to be the scent. It’s apparently so stinky that it would make even baby spiders flee. Suigetsu-san, however, was happily swimming beside Kuurin. I was surprised that it seemed to be fine, or rather, that it could operate underwater. I'm not sure about the details, but Water Spiders can apparently breathe underwater. And also swim! I had no idea.

Buildings in the sea came into sight a little later. A beautiful town made out of… shells, surrounded by a bubbly barrier. It seems to be the town of the sea spirits, the Nereis. The building in the center that looked like a temple was, in fact, a castle. We will be able to find a certain existence there… if lucky.

When I heard about the Lord of the sea spirits, Nereis, I wondered if that was her... I saw it before, this town and this very audience room.

There was a beautiful woman in the huge castle that could fit the submarine Valkyrie with room to spare.

She had beautiful blue-silver hair and deep lapis lazuli eyes.

I had a bad feeling about this, though…

Gigantic!?

The beauty was gigantic. About the size of Valkyrie... or maybe even bigger than the Valkyrie! No wonder the whole castle is this huge!

The beauty looked somewhat annoyed. I did not feel discomfort in the game, but it feels so strange now. It's weird how big she is when she looks completely human-like.

“Mama!”

“Eh?”

Kuurin rubbed against the beauty.

Mama?

Mama… Mama… oh, mother, huh.

“Motheeeeer!?”

Well, Kuurin was a lost child! She said she has no home… this is certainly no home! It's a freaking castle!

“Eeeeehh!?”

“My… Little?”

The beauty gently touched Kuurin. She hugged her gently.

“Mamaa, I missed you!”

“Ahh… Little!”

The mother and child reunited excitedly. Both I and the water spirits were dumbfounded.

“... Can I return now?”

“... Erm, we are sorry for causing you such trouble. I am sure the Lord will be able to return to normal with the return of the Princess…”

“... Return to normal?”

There’s an event here that should not be happening at this time. Comforting the Water Spirit King with a song…

That woman is not the Water Spirit King I saw in the game. In other words, something happened to her… and she got replaced?

“You know, I got caught by bad humans… Mama?”

“Humans? Humans… humans kidnapped my Little? Unforgivable… unforgivable, unforgivableunforgivableunforgivable.”

“Mama? Mama!?”

“Not good, Little! Run away!”

A giant fish, Bahamut, flicked off Kuurin.

“Kuurin!”

“Unforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivable.”

She was possessed by a black magical power… the Evil!

“Lord!”

“Your Majesty, Water Spirit King! Please calm down!”

The water spirits tried to soothe her, but she wasn’t listening at all. I don’t know whether Chita can be of use underwater, but the water current got so wild I cannot even approach in the first place. Rather, isn’t that Kuurin’s father who is going round and round in the current…? He looks like dirty laundry, is he okay?

“Papa! Mama, stop!”

She didn’t seem to hear Kuurin.

“Dirk, Valkyrie! Let’s get out in the sea first! We can’t fight in the town!”

“Oneechan!?”

“I will do something about it! I promise you! Lend me your power!”

“Okay!”

I headed out to the open sea with Dirk and Valkyrie.

“What are we going to do? Oneechan.”

“Something. We should do something about that Bahamut-san who is being treated like a dirty laundry first.”

I had to loosen the movement in a part of the current to rescue Kuurin’s father. He immediately made his way over to us.

“Little… your Mama has been possessed by something bad. If your Mama, who is the Spirit King, stays like that, the water will be soon tainted with her corrupted magical power and the world will be destroyed… Little… my beloved daughter… I’m glad I could meet you for the last ti……… ouch!?”

I punched the gigantic fish on the head. Listen when people are talking. There’s not much time!

“Even though I helped you, what are you getting excited for all on your own? Please leave the hero of tragedy storyline for later. I’m going to do something about your wife, so collaborate!”

“O……… okay.”

“First of all, let’s change places. We are at disadvantage here. What’s the closest shallow water around here in which you can swim?”

“The closest one is to the west.”

“Let’s go then.”

“How are you going to lure my wife there?”

“It’s simple. I’m going to start so give it your best to help us escape.”

“Huh?”

“Oy, old hag! I got your daughter! If you want her back, you better come and get her!”

“Eh? Wha!?”

“Secret technique! Monster harassment explosives (for underwater use)!”

“Kyaa! Unforgivable! Unforigvableunforgivableunforgivable!”

Being hit by the monster harassment explosives, she got sticky natto all over her! The Spirit King snapped and chased after us!

“Ahahahaha! Swim away as fast as you can!”

“Uoooooooh!”

Kuurin and I clung to her Kuurin Papa. I conveyed my strategy to Valkyrie as we moved.

“Nuaaaaaaaaah!”

“Stop! Unforgiveableunforgiveableunforgiveable.”

I threw a few monster lures at her in the hope of stalling a little, but the monsters were escaping at speeds of baby spiders in front of the magical power generated by her anger. Super scary! We separated halfway there. Thankfully, the Spirit King did not notice us, since we were camouflaged with magic.

“Is Papa… going to be alright?”

“He’s the strongest monster of the seas, he will surely be fine.”

We rose to the surface on top of Suigetsu-san. Then I summoned the Windhawk, Hojo-kun. Furthermore, I had the Valkyrie change into the airship mode. Dirk will be aboard the airship. I got onto Hojo-kun.

Well then, the preparations are complete!

“You forever aging old lady! Your daughter is here!!”

“Unforigveableee!!”

“Hey!? What have you done, Rosarin!? She’s super pissed off!”

“I provoked her a little! To be frank, I overdid it! She’s super scary!”

“Unforgiveableee!!”

“Uwawa!?”

The Spirit King was moving towards me and Hojo-kun in a straight line. She fired several rounds of water attacks.

“W, what the hell!”

We somehow managed to dodge, but this is bad. It’s going to be our loss if the battle draws out. Besides, I need to preserve my magical power.

“Guh! Ugh!”

However, I couldn’t come up with a plan. I did not have time to think because my hands were full just from avoiding her attacks.

“Crap…”

One water arrow flew at me from a blind spot. I can’t avoid it! It’s going to hit!

“Rosarin!”

“Mama you idiooot!”

The arrow didn’t hit me. It appears that Kuurin protected me.

“Mama, do you perhaps hate me? You had me locked up, after all. Everyone said you locked me up because I was a hated child.”

“Li… ttle.”

“I ran away on my own, you know? I wanted to see the outside world. I got caught by bad humans later, but Oneechan saved me.”

“Sa… ved.”

“Oneechan named me Kuurin. She is very kind to me. Okaasan, you lied to me. No one at Oneechan’s home hates me. I made friends, too. I am not Little anymore! I, Kuurin, am Oneechan’s divine protection spirit! That’s why, I will protect Oneechaaaan!”

Kuurin emitted a light blue light and became a beautiful mermaid girl. The will to fight made her take that form, or perhaps it was her dignified armored appearance.

“Kuurin!?”

Chita, who read the question on my mind, explained.

“The reason why heresy is avoided is because every now and then, someone with extraordinary powers like Kuurin is born. Moreover, their appearances change with their mental growth.”

“Oof…”

No, this is, however, a chance! The magical power of the current Kuurin won’t lose to the Spirit King!

“Kuurin, snatch the water from around the Spirit King! Milfi, Alphage-sama, please support Kuurin with ice magic!”

“Got it!”

Kuurin removed the water around the Spirit King. The bottom of the sea was in plain sight.

“”Freezing circle!””

With their magic amplified by Valkyrie, Milfi and Alphage-sama fired their ice at the Spirit King.

“Kyaaaaa!”

The Spirit King was locked up in ice. Well, she’s of the water attribute so she won’t die.

“Dirk, Jash! Isolate the Evil!”

Dirk was standing on Valkyrie’s left-wing and Jash on the right-wing. Valkyrie approached the Spirit King as close as possible and the two jumped down.

“Leave it to me!”

“I, I will give it a go!”

Jash wasn’t prepared for this, but I believe his Revelation should have the power to control the Evil.

“A, ahhhhhhh!? Little… Little… I’m sorry for locking you up…”

Alright, looks like her consciousness returned! The two succeeded!”

“Kuurin, Papa-san! Call out to the Spirit King! Tell her to regain control of her body!”

“Okay!”

“Oh!”

And the finishing touches! What I have in my hand is Dirk’s ring I borrowed from him. The ring is packed with magical power.

“Chita, are you ready?”

“Of course.”

“Let’s go, Hojo-kun! Soar!”

“Screee!!”

Hojo-kun soared up high. And I then jumped down.

“Eat thiiis!”

I directly hit the head of the Spirit King with my right hand which became unusually large thanks to the power of Dirk’s ring.

“Ouchhh!?”

“Chita!”

“Ou!”

Chita’s and my magical powers overlapped, and wiped out the Evil.

“A, arghhhhhhhh!”

And the Evil disappeared beautifully.