CH 86

“Not sure. I don’t think I’ve seen him around the castle. Isn’t he working?”

“If he is, then is he at the temporary temple?”

“I don’t know about his plans for the day either. We can only guess since there’s no other place he’d go to.”

Sante lied casually.

It’s not that he thought he’s in the temple, it’s that he really had gone to the temple.

But right now, Ophelia had to focus on something else.

Lightly snapping his fingers, Sante clapped his palms together once and then spread them back out.

Then, the ocean currents in front of where they were standing looked as if they were pushed out, then they gathered once again to create a low column of water.

To be more exact, it looked like a small platform.

As Ophelia stared wondrously at it, Sante gestured for her to stand on top of it.

“Weren’t we supposed to meet them at sunset though?”

“They’re watching you now. Maybe you can’t feel them.”

The ocean was the mermaids’ domain, and that included the grains of sand on the beach.

“When I told you that mermaids are like spirits, I didn’t say that for no reason. A powerful mermaid is like a god when they’re at sea.”

Everywhere the water touched—from the barnacles and seaweed attached to the reefs, the clams and hermit crabs residing at the seabed, the small fishes swimming around—were all the mermaids’ eyes and ears, hands and feet.

“The rendezvous point is at the sunset place, but I promised them I’ll take you to the waters that the mermaids chose themselves.”

“Then why did you ask to meet me here?”

“Because the mermaids wanted to see whether I’ll keep my promise or not.”

As she heard his answer, Ophelia felt a little overwhelmed.

They’re truly a vigilant species. Of course, this was all so that they could keep their youngest sister safe, so Ophelia couldn’t blame them.

“Then it would have been a big problem if I had brought company.”

She thought about bringing Ian, but that would have just been quite awkward.

‘Ian’s been quiet lately…’

Had he changed his mind? Glancing back for a moment as though to look if Ian was there, she took a step forward.

When she took a step over the water, it gently pushed up and supported her weight.

She thought she would stagger forward, but the foothold was much more stable than she had expected.

“Magic is amazing. Can all sirens do this?”

“No, this is the work of a mermaid. All I did was send a light wave as a signal.”

“So then… If the mermaid changes her mind, there’s a possibility that I’ll fall into the ocean?”

“Exactly that, yes.”

Sante smirked, applauding her deduction skills.

Then, as she stood on the platform, it slowly began to move away.

The problem here was that Sante, who she naturally thought would follow, remained still.

“Sante? Am I going alone?”

“The mermaids only allowed one individual.”

“Oh my goodness! You didn’t tell me anything about this!”

Ophelia shouted to express the betrayal she felt, but in response, Sante only waved one hand as he said sorry.

“I hope you can come back safely, Ophelia.”

“Sante!”

Why didn’t he give her time to prepare herself for this!

After Ophelia let out that shout, she was left alone to the open sea, then quickly disappeared from the horizon.

The current did not move very fast, but because Ophelia had entered the mermaids’ invisible barrier, she disappeared in an instant.

Sante’s gaze lingered for a moment, but he soon turned and flew elsewhere.

He had only one destination.

The magic tower.

He’s going to find out who exactly had sent that letter.

* * *

‘I’ve gone through all sorts of things in my life.’

Ophelia sighed inwardly and thought that there really were many things one saw after living long enough.

It’s been a while since she had stepped on the water foothold.

She was quite literally in the middle of the open sea right now.

The sun had already set and the waters had turned so dark that it looked like ink had stained the ocean completely. If the magic spell on the platform keeping her afloat were to suddenly disappear, then it seemed like she’d be one with the fishes in no time.

It could be a frightening situation for anyone else, but Ophelia adjusted soon enough.

She had already died once. She attempted to jump to her death, and she had flown across the sky, too. What else was there for her to be afraid of?

‘Rather, it’s familiar.’

It was admittedly strange to say that the completely black waters gave off a familiar feeling to her, but perhaps to paraphrase…

If she were to surrender her body here, it felt as though she’d be able to die comfortably regardless.

Instead of feeling like some kind of disaster was about to devour her whole, it felt like she was sitting in a tub that was kept at just the right temperature for a leisurely bath.

Was it because she once swallowed a mermaid scale?

By the time Ophelia stopped trying to think too hard about it, the foothold stopped moving.

Where she was now, it looked like the stars that filled the sky were close to her head, so she thought that perhaps she had been brought down south.

And here, it wasn’t Ariel who appeared, but the other six of the seven mermaid princesses.

“I heard that the siren is supposed to bring us a human being.”

“Is she human?”

“I can’t feel anything, but why should this human meet our youngest sister?”

The words they uttered were sharp, yet curiously saccharine.

The mermaids had a unique quality to their voices that made them so beautiful and melodious, and each word they spoke sounded almost like a song.

‘I heard it first when I was talking to Ariel, but it really is fascinating.’

She was not even afraid of the mermaids.

Was it because she had seen them often in her dreams?

When Ophelia smiled unknowingly, the expression of the mermaid in front of her suddenly became sharp.

“Is this situation funny to you right now, human?”

“Rather than funny, I feel that I’m being given a more cordial welcome than I expected.”

“…Cordial?”

“I’m here to see just Ariel, but even though she’s not here, I can’t help but feel welcomed because all of you are here instead.”

Ophelia spoke calmly. At this, the eldest mermaid princess’ eyes had a cutting look, and among all the others, she had the strictest expression. Before Ophelia knew it, she had cut through the currents and came close to her.

“I don’t believe anyone from your species, human. I can’t let you meet Ariel until I find out who exactly you are.”

“I understand how you feel. However, I also want you to know that there’s no one other than me who can persuade Ariel right now.”

Ophelia said this as the eldest mermaid princess scanned her up and down.

“But you don’t look like you can use magic, and it seems like your physical abilities are the same as any ordinary human’s.”

“How on earth are you going to persuade Ariel?”

“I’m telling you now. Depending on what you answer next, you just might lose your footing.”

The mermaids shot threats right then.

But Ophelia remained calm.

Showing an unphased countenance, a voice reminiscent of a midnight forest flowed out.

“Simple. Can you bring out some light please?”

So that they could see what kind of person she was.

Heading Ophelia’s request, the fourth mermaid princess waved her hand and summoned a light source.

Their surroundings brightened in an instant, and so the veil of darkness around Ophelia was finally taken off.

The ring could be seen on her finger as well. But she soon removed this, released the spell that was being suppressed within her.

At that moment, all the mermaids gasped in unison.

Because as the light illuminated Ophelia, they saw such a close resemblance to the youngest sister who they loved dearly.

“Older sis, I can feel our youngest’s magic from that human!”

“But she’s definitely a human being…”

“I heard Ariel gave her heart to a human being. Is it her?”

The mermaids’ speculation snowballed into many ways. After deliberately letting the mermaids be confused for a moment, Ophelia then later opened her lips to speak.

“Now, will you believe that I’m connected to Ariel?”

Even if they still couldn’t believe it, there’s no other choice.

By the time their confusion had settled down, Ophelia had a feeling that she’d be able to return without dying.

And the reason was simple.

Because the mermaids loved their younger sister far too much.

“I am the only one who can save her.”

Trust me.