Chapter 151 – Uninvited Guests

Chapter 151 – Uninvited Guests

After about five minutes, Lianne succeeds in rescuing Alyssa from the claws of her unconsciousness and the captain rejoins us again. In the meanwhile, I have resummoned my diving suit to hide my junk since there’s just no reason to keep flapping the beast around. We have things to do and such sights might be a little too distracting.

I explain the situation in more detail so that Alyssa and her aides get a full grasp of it. We host a brief meeting to discuss our next steps and pretty much everyone agrees that it won’t really be a problem to make a little detour, at least not supply-wise. She has stocked more food and other provisions than necessary just in case things go south, already taught by life many times that being stingy can end badly.

Naturally, Lianne is all for helping the Mermaids and her cheerful nature overpowers everyone else on the crew so we don’t see any real opposition to the new agenda. I don’t think the women would even have anything against it considering the fact that they will get to spend more time with her sister-in-arms... and perhaps my dick.

Confirming that we are in complete agreement, I jump over the ship’s side and confront the fish-tailed girls once more. They are extremely happy to hear that we will accompany them on their journey to their new home, especially the three scout ladies I have first interacted with. But, the matron isn’t that far behind them.

We talk some more about the directions and the general location of their new dwelling and I return to the crew above the water to relay all the necessary information. Alyssa takes her officers to the captain’s cabin so that they can chart a proper course with the help of their skilled navigator. I introduce the four Mermaids to my companions and the sailor women while we wait for them to get back to us.

Cornelia doesn’t spare me the snarky comments about the naked humanoid halves of all the pretty girls besides the matriarch and I can only roll my eyes at her in response. We both know that she’s just being a tease though so it’s all good. And, it isn’t exactly wrong to say that swimming amongst tens of bare-chested beauties of various dazzling skin shades isn’t a decently stimulating and breathtaking sight. Their fair breasts move and wave so enchantingly in the chilly seawater.

When Alyssa and her friends rejoin us, we speak all together for a little while and decide not to waste any more time here. Fei’s song might lure some unwanted guests our way if we are to believe the Mermaid that has just advanced into a Diva. She is now constantly by the matron’s side, seemingly receiving an unimaginable amount of pointers, hints, tips, but also knowledge which has been restricted to her before.

But, if things develop as I expect them to, Cir might need to repeat those lessons quite a few times more very soon.

Nevertheless, the ship’s crew spreads out and finds their respective positions in a flash. To keep live contact between the people above the water and the people below its surface, Safi suggests that I swim with the Mermaids, which should also give me the chance to react quickly in case something unexpected happens. Meru volunteers to keep me company and the two of us plunge into the sea after bidding a temporary farewell to the other women. for new novels

The Mermaids are happy to have us and we finally resume our journey.

As much as it saddens me, my current favourite trio of Fei, Yun, and Nel has to swim ahead since their role hasn’t changed in the slightest. Fei might have become a Diva but she is still a valuable scout and part of the forward party so the matron sends her out too, pausing her teachings for now. Just in case, I request Meru to go with them and she agrees, promising to protect my new friends to her utmost abilities.

The four girls zoom ahead while I stay with Cir and watch her brief speech to gather her people and instruct them on what to do. Everyone follows their leader’s words obediently and we are ready in a blink. I notify Alyssa through the bond and both our groups get moving again at the same time, pretty much.

Needless to say, it’s my very first time swimming in an entire convoy of any underwater creatures, not to mention Mermaids. The movement of the main unit is so mesmerising that I catch myself looking behind and around constantly, admiring the beautiful ladies of all sizes, colours—and personalities, of course—travelling in a tight and decently trained formation.

All those big fins create lots of noise and waves like a large ship’s turbine. Thankfully, our less modern ship is able to keep up, maybe thanks to Cir’s efforts to keep the pace more or less comfortable. I bet they could swim even faster if only they needed to. It’s just less efficient for long distances and in such a large group.

As we traverse the cold seas, Cir keeps me by her side and we talk about Mermaids, Sirens, Sahuagins, and their aquatic culture in general. It’s mostly to pass time but also for me to find out as much about the unknown environment I have suddenly found myself in. She is quite surprised to see me so interested in the tales and traditions of her people, almost as much as at me being able to casually keep up with her for hours.

From what I learn from her, in the past, the Mermaids were still a nomadic community which split between groups but there existed a Queen amongst them at first. It was during the age when they received support from their Primordial guardian. The ancient Diva from that time had the honour to be that person’s wife or mate, however one likes to call it.

While everyone naturally followed that hierarchical order back then, they still kept to their tribes mostly. There were fancy, regular gatherings and meetings now and then, where the leaders had to gather, of course. The Queen liked to watch over all her kin, receiving updates from various ends of their underwater world.

Things unfortunately didn’t stay the same for too long after the Primordial left. As expected, Cir doesn’t really have that many legends and tales about the reason behind his disappearance. It does seem that most if not all Primordials ended up being gone somewhat mysteriously. It’s hard to understand that phenomenon without more context but from what I have already gathered about them, most of those individuals were pretty nice towards others so it’s possible that they just had no other choice than to leave.

In any case, the Queen felt responsible for finding their patron and departed on a grand journey to find any clues, never returning back to the place which was considered the capital city of Mermaids. The other people in high positions didn’t dare to select her successor since that would be stepping into the territory of the Primordial and everything just faded away with time.

The tribes had no more reason to gather regularly so the Mermaids spread out, living on. They remembered to teach the next generations about the importance of that Primordial and the duties of the Divas whenever another showed up in their communities. The number of the evolved individuals quickly dropped as there was no person to influence their advances anymore so it’s been left completely to the inner talent of the aquatic women.

From Cir's words, it looks like some of the most devoted Divas are still respectfully watching over their records and past history in the place she called the Sacred Temple. It’s where she has to send Fei one day to get proper education for her. Easy to guess, that temple is located in the abandoned capital city.

It seriously gives me Atlantis vibes no matter from what angle I look at it.

As I ask for more details about that interesting underwater structure, the matron shares only some scraps with me while smiling proudly, saying that it will be better to experience it on my own. She assures me that as a Primordial, I will have access to literally the entire capital and all the assets hidden or stored in it.

While it sounds incredible, I can already feel how much trouble that will bring. There’s a high chance that I’ll end up being revered as the second coming of their guardian or something and the highest priestesses will do everything to return things to the state from the ancient past.

But, I certainly am more than very eager to visit that otherworldly Atlantis so we will have to deal with that at one point. It would be nice to establish warm relations with the Mermaids and Divas. Having access to the aquatic wanderers who are spread all around the realm is definitely a huge benefit. It doesn’t look like they are straight-up loathing Humans so I might even use their help in mending the relationships between the inhabitants of Naharren.

First, though, I have to reach and secure a safe home for Cir’s tribe as promised. And deal with an invasion of Sahuagins right after that. And perhaps ask around a little bit to see if the Abyssals haven’t been causing too much trouble around too. It’s not like we can fully exclude the possibility of those monsters having some aquatic variations even if I didn’t see any during my short visit to Umbra’s sealed realm. All we know, they might be stacking an unimaginable force in some crack or trench right under our noses.

And that’s how the first day of our travels goes. Since we aren’t being chased or anything but just relocating, there’s no need to rush ahead without rest. Cir and our brave scouts know that well and they find a good spot to stop for the night. At least according to Fei and her friends since I can’t really understand what’s better about this bunch of water from that bunch of water a few metres farther. We don’t even dive much deeper to reach the seabed. But, Meru confirms that this location is good so I can only believe my fierce and smart mate.

I’m quite interested to see what the Mermaids are going to do so I stay with them for a bit longer before returning to the ship and observe the women from the side, trying my best not to intrude on their privacy or some other, secret rituals or traditions. Thankfully, my presence doesn’t seem to bother them and they continue with their lives as if I’m part of their tribe, perhaps due to all that Primordial thing or such.

The women share a meal after gathering together, which mostly consists of the fish some of them have caught not that long ago and also various underwater flora they have on themselves all the time. Some of the women carry bags and pouches filled with food for their trip and Cir makes sure that things are distributed properly. And, no surprise there, they have no issues with eating the fish raw.

Since I don’t really have anything in my storage ring that can be taken out underwater without completely ruining the taste, I leave treating them to some delicacies of the land dwellers for a bit later.

Seeing me just watching the Mermaids snacking on their provisions, Meru brings me a fish too, aiming to share it between us. I give it a small try and learn that by using the ability I borrowed from her, my body must have gotten adapted not just to water but to underwater life in general. The raw fish is much better than I expected and I have no issues consuming the unusual meal with my lovely mate.

After the Mermaids are done, they spend some time socialising so I jump back to the ship to do the same amongst the crew and my other wives. Unfortunately, it seems that even though I can normally eat raw fish, I’m not magically spared from the consequences of that action which affects others. Namely, my breath stinks so bad Cornelia jumps away when we get closer for a small kiss, barely holding back from puking.

We share some good laughs after that and I make sure to get rid of all the evidence from my marine meal. It might not bother me due to whatever has happened to my body through Meru’s ability, but the women other than her aren’t immune to my fishy charm. I will have to be much more careful in the future.

I accompany them to the mess hall and join everyone for a late-night dinner, sharing with the crew what I have learned about our new friends. Alyssa and a bunch of other girls still can’t believe that we stumbled on not just one but two Divas. Though, technically it was one until I made the second myself.

They all consume the tales and news eagerly no matter what and in turn, share some of their own legends and information on the Mermaids and Divas. And also about Sirens, of course. It’s a slight surprise to some crew members that Sirens and Mermaids are pretty much the same thing but named differently by the people of the land.

When it gets really late, I jump back into the water for a moment to fully satiate my curiosity for the day. And, the view that welcomes me certainly achieves just that.

If someone asked me how Mermaids sleep, I would most likely answer with something in the likes of them finding a nice niche at the bottom of the ocean or the sea and snuggling into it. Maybe finding a cavern, reef, or something else that can serve as a temporary safe spot to rest in or around.

But, while I’m not sure if any of that is actually incorrect, the truth is much different and much more adorable.

The women form pairs and move quite close to the surface of the water, sticking near the ship as if hiding in its shadow. It doesn’t provide as much of it as during the day, but the moonlight does create a dark spot underneath the vessel and I have to strain my eyes to spot the Mermaids hiding in the darkness.

After finding a spot for themselves, the two girls swim closer and embrace each other from the front. They enter a soft but firm hug by locking their hands behind each other’s waists and pushing their bodies together. Their tails entwine a little bit too and they rest their foreheads on each other’s shoulders, closing their eyes as they go to sleep.

That creates an incredibly sweet image of two Mermaids hanging in the water like in the middle of the air, floating there while also slightly spinning in case of some pairs, and napping peacefully while relying on their friend to stay in the same spot. It’s mesmerising with just one pair but with an entire tribe doing it, it becomes something else entirely.

If not for the fact that my loving girls are waiting for me up there on the ship below which the Mermaids are sleeping so soundly, I would have definitely joined one of them to try this interesting technique. I bet Fei or Cir wouldn’t mind teaching me all about it and it does look so interesting. And calm.

That’s a thought for another time, though.

Sharing a peaceful night with my wives and two beautiful Slimes, I wake up well-rested and ready to continue our journey. Not that I need this much sleep for obvious reasons but a relaxing time with the people I care about always makes me even more energetic than spending the same time napping alone.

They all nod and we jump into the water.

I take the plunge first with Meru by my side and we watch over the descent of the rest of the party. Safi and Emi join us next, getting rid of their maid uniforms for now and leaving only their collars with spatial storage gems on their jelly bodies. I try my best not to focus on their lady bits and welcome the two beauties with a smile. They use their elastic structure to propel themselves around with relative ease. It’s a quite funny and somewhat sexy sight seeing their curves expand and shrink in turns.

Neira and Cornelia soon jump in too and I quickly swim closer to them to check on my beloved wives. They open their eyes instantly and while Cornelia panics just a little bit while trying to find her balance, Neira seems to be doing pretty well, getting the hang of the fins at her feet and the small half-mask providing her with oxygen.

I approach Cornelia and get a hold of her. She chuckles at me shyly and a trace of rosiness covers her fair cheeks.

“Sorry. I’m still getting used to this water creature thing,” she apologises awkwardly.

“No worries. You’ll get there.” I smile at her and we wait a moment for everyone to get comfortable.

While Neira runs both fins and the mask, Cornelia doesn’t have to use the latter thanks to my skill which lets me copy and swap an ability between my Partners.

After everyone gets comfy and we make some practice movements, we head back to the Mermaids as a group. Cir and the others stare at us curiously, especially at Cornelia, who appears slightly different from how they remember her, most likely, including the fact that she can casually exist underwater.

“Alright. I will lead the expedition since I’m pretty sure that I’m the most durable out of us,” I begin the briefing. “I’d like Meru to close our group and watch everyone’s backs. The formation in the middle isn’t that strict but try not to swim too far away from everyone.”

No one raises any objections and I bring out a few flashlights and lanterns from my spatial ring. Courtesy of our master artificer, of course. Sirgia has created some prototypes on the side, though prototypes is a strong word considering that a glowing gem on a stick or inside a glass box isn’t that unheard of. She just utilised some of the modern casing designs Shino shared with her.

With all of us carrying a light source in hand, I move into the black cave after Fei finds the exact entrance. Its opening is positioned at a very weird angle and hidden between two deep obsidian ridges so it would have taken me a lot of time to locate it by myself. But, the same can be said about any potential intruders.

We swim into a wide but irregular passage. I guess it’s something like ten metres in diameter at the widest points we pass. It snakes around like a mad serpent, though, and we have to take so many turns that it’s easy to lose count. Add a pitch-black darkness illuminated only by our tools to the mix and that’s a prime recipe for an underwater horror movie.

A few minutes into our spooky journey, we find a dead end. But, it turns out that it was the correct way as Yun points out a giant hole in what looks like a man-made wall from the outside. It’s still made of dark stone but it’s slightly lighter, at least, and consists of neat bricks which are more noticeable. It’s definitely part of the mentioned temple.

“Master, in case there really are any traps inside, I think it will be wise for the two of us to accompany you at the front,” Safi speaks up before we delve further.

“Emi agrees! Safi and Emi can easily avoid almost everything while also protecting Master! Even if Emi’s body gets damaged, Emi is going to be all fine as long as the core is safe!” the green beauty adds cheerfully.

“Fine. You do speak some truth. And I’m sure that you will be able to take a peek into the tiniest crevices with your slime.” I nod and they smile at me happily.

We keep the base formation more or less intact and slowly make our way into the breach. I quickly note that the edges of the hole look quite jagged and damaged by something other than time or water currents. Nothing else comes to mind, though, considering the fact that even we had some trouble getting past the two ridges creating a tight fissure. Perhaps someone used quite destructive magic on either side of the wall.

Carefully shining some light inside the spacious corridor extending past the forcefully made entrance, we swim inside while being wary of our surroundings. The first thing we can notice is the evidence of some race or species truly living or using this place in the past. The bricks have been obvious but there are much more decorations on this side, resembling an actual temple or something similar.

We decide to stick together and choose one of the two available directions. Cornelia uses her Ice Magic to mark the hallway so that we don’t get lost exploring this unknown, abandoned complex. It doesn’t look that habitable at the first sight but if we can figure something out to bring more light to this place, it should warm up nicely. Maybe there’s some illumination system here and we just need to discover it.

Nevertheless, we carefully continue ahead while checking out all the rooms and chambers on our way. Safi and Emi usually enter them first, followed by me, and the three of us examine the interiors before the others join us. We don’t stumble on any traps just like the Mermaids said but my lovely Slimes still check every nook and cranny just to be completely safe. They are even more invaluable to this operation than I initially thought.

“This place really could work,” Cir comments after we swim into a bigger area, looking like a hub of some sort, with many paths leading out. “If only we can take care of the darkness.”

“I think Glowstone should do the job decently well,” Fei replies while looking around. “There are many spots all over the walls, ceiling, and the supporting pillars where we could hang them.”

“I’m pretty sure we saw a deposit not that far from here during our journey. We should be able to mine it without much issue,” Nel adds.

“We will need a lot for a place this vast,” Yun comments. “It might take us more than a day to fully explore this temple or whatever it is. If we don’t want to risk any surprises, we have to verify that there aren’t any other exits like that scary hole.”

~I was keeping an eye on the presence of any currents and I don’t think I noticed any,~ Neira lets me know mentally since her mouth is quite busy so I relay her words.

“Maybe we should split now? We must have covered more than half of this structure for sure. If we didn’t stumble on any traps so far, I’m fairly certain that there just aren’t any,” Fei suggests.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Cornelia quickly shoots her down. “We might be located in an unimportant part of this complex. It’s not like we have a map to know where we are exactly and what else is around.”

“It seems at least somewhat important to me.” Safi’s voice reaches us from the side and we all turn to find the sapphire-skinned lady.

She floats in the water quite a distance away from us, right next to another wall on the other end of this massive chamber. We swim up to her to take a peek at what she has discovered and realise that it isn’t really part of the wall but a giant double gate with an intricate design on each wing. The patterns depict some aquatic race and unrecognisable symbols.

The gate is slightly open towards us, just enough for one person to almost squeeze through. Naturally, we don’t risk anyone’s safety by sending them into the unknown and everyone just gazes into the gap while prodding the insides with their light sources. I focus on the sigils carved into the two wings.

“Are you able to figure out what this is with your overpowered Linguist?” Cornelia asks, stopping by my side.

“Well, I’m trying my best, but it isn’t coming that easy. This might have been a food storage or warehouse if I’m not mistaken...” I answer and furrow my brows after noticing something.

Slightly above us, the gate wears marks closely resembling those we have seen all over the edges of the hole that we used to get in here. Jagged, chipped bits are torn off mysteriously by some weird spell in an attempt to open the massive, stone double doors. It’s much clearer in this case from which side the break-in was attempted. It’s like someone used that spell to scratch or carve their way into opening this storage. Or perhaps to... bite?

“Ah fuck.” A shudder of realisation passes through my body and my face jerks towards the girls below me. “Stop shining light into the gap this instant!”

My sudden shout causes some frowns as they all look up at me and I feel an unexpected death grip on my wrist that almost makes me jump out of my skin. Glancing to the side, I find Cornelia’s face as white as a sheet with her eyes open wide to their limits. Following her gaze, I shiver once more, finding a feral vertical pupil on top of a dirty gold iris staring right back at us while one of the flashlight beams shines straight into it.

I flinch when a confusing shape lunges forward and I drag Cornelia aside while waving frantically at the others. “Get away from the gate! Now!”

Nobody questions the order and they all swim to the sides as I prepare myself for the impact, taking out my draconic hilt and filling it with mana. Whatever I’ve seen in there was massive and there is no doubt that it can smash right through these doors without an issue.

But, after a few long seconds, nothing happens and I grow increasingly confused. Then, a scene right out of a horror movie plays out in front of our eyes.

A scary-looking creature literally squeezes itself through the slightly open gap in the gate, bringing its dark grey body outside. Multiple tentacles of the same shade slither over the edges of the two doors in the process, trying to help the monster pass the obstacle. We watch as more of its humongous body pushes through the crack like some squishy stress relief ball until it fully plops itself into our chamber.

“What the fuck is this?!” Cornelia cries out next to me in pure shock.

“A Lusca,” I answer, staring right at the creature in the form of a giant, ferocious shark with numerous tentacles coming out of its back end instead of a fin. “It’s basically a shark with the qualities of an octopus. Kind of explains the chipped bite marks around the edges of the breach and how it squeezed itself into the passage to get here in the first place.”

“What do we do now?” She turns to me.

“What else? We fuck it up before it fucks us up. I don’t think it’s going to kindly escort us back to the front door of its home after we have woken it up from its peaceful nap.” I shrug and she pales even further. “It’s time to party.”