Chapter 44

Chapter 44 – ...Seriously, What Do I Do?

Let’s look at the situation.

Above my head, the night’s cloak fluttered, covering the blue sky.

Below my feet, silky white sand tickled my toes.

When I lifted my head and looked ahead, the dark blue sea rippled with waves, bidding farewell to the fading sunset.

The sweet sea breeze, coolly wiping the sweat from my nape, would turn any stone into a poet lost in reverie.

“Grrr!”

“Hm...!”

However, if you take a step closer.

You would realize why the great British author said that life is a comedy from afar, and a comedy up close.

Either way, it was equally funny.

The sea before my eyes was a swamp that could swallow me at any moment.

And on either side of me were beautiful girls with considerable strength and background, clinging to me and growling at each other.

“Hey, girls?”

If I were to try and somehow sort out this situation...

“You, stay, put.”

“Don’t say anything to my baby!”

“Whose baby are you talking about?!”

“My sister said so to me. You have to cherish and protect the one you love like a baby!”

“What?!”

I’d think about what kind of relationship teachings they get under the sea later.

After being swept away by the waves earlier, it had been like this continuously.

Fortunately, since it was still hot early summer night breeze, it was good to dry off and enjoy the sea breeze.

But the cold sweat from the pressure of the sea king and the mountain god surrounding me showed no signs of drying my clothes.

“So... you grew up together on Passos Island?”

“That’s right.”

“Yeah! An inseparable bond! Do you know how much Dia likes me?!”

What should I say?

Neri was like a Chihuahua whining in fear of losing her bone, while Atalanta was the Doberman contemplating how to eat that bone.

No matter how hard the Chihuahua clung to the bone and squealed, to the Doberman, both the bone and the Chihuahua were just bite-sized snacks.

However, the Chihuahua, holding onto the bone the Doberman had laid claim to, was so defiant that it seemed to be getting on the Doberman’s nerves.

‘Still, that Chihuahua is not just any ordinary Chihuahua...’

If things went wrong, it could bite hard, and if by any chance the Chihuahua flipped out while crying, the whole area could be turned upside down.

Rumor had it that Neri was the youngest among her hundred or so sisters, and both her father and mother adored her, not to mention her countless sisters.

There were even instances where bullies who messed with Neri got swept away by the tide and came back out of their minds.

The infamous incident in Passos where a foolish back-alley boss and his gang plotted something against a nymph and were all found drowned was well-known.

‘I must mediate between them somehow then...!’

Otherwise, one of them might end up causing a huge incident...!

“Neri? Is that your name?”

“Nesneria! Don’t call me by that name! I never gave you permission to call me that!”

“Huh? Wait, then Dia is...?”

“Dianes is Dia! Don’t call him that either! Dia never gave you permission!”

Despite being a nymph who had undergone the coming-of-age ceremony, Neri, who looked exceptionally young, seemed even more childlike with her innocent words and actions.

Because of that, I too ended up pampering Neri, who clung to me incessantly, and Atalanta, who was initially wary of her sudden appearance, gradually lost her fierceness as she saw Neri’s childlike persistence.

“Ugh... What am I even doing with a kid...?”

She was on guard, thinking someone might snatch away her chosen bone, but it turned out her opponent was just a tiny Chihuahua, making the Doberman sigh and back off.

“So, tell me in detail, what exactly happened?”

“What do you mean, tell you?! Dianes and I were planning to live together on Passos Island all along! But then some weird half-man, half-horse took him away!”

“Half-man, half-horse? You don’t mean Master Chiron, do you?!”

“So... Do you remember the giant tuna that Lord Poseidon sent as pocket money?”

“Oh, that time?”

Sure... Yes, after I trained with the Crazy Wind Spear Technique for the third time by the sea. For some reason, Neri was holding a giant tuna that was at least three times her size.

It was too big for the two of us to eat right there, and we had to consider the opinion within the temple.

So, Neri and I took it and donated it to the temple.

Thanks to that, the orphans ate their fill of the giant tuna that even fishermen found hard to catch.

“But?”

“At that time! Efaros old... ahem, the High Priest said...”

‘Dianes, Poseidon is blessing you and Nesneria. Cherish your bond.’

“That’s what he said!”

So, you are my fiancée?!!

Neri declared confidently, hugging my arm tightly.

“...Huh?”

“Um....”

Atalanta’s grip on my arm loosened.

As expected, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at Neri’s innocent misunderstanding.

“Got it?”

“Ugh... Still...”

“What? What do you get?”

Understanding my words, Atalanta let out a deep sigh, half in frustration and half in complexity.

It would be absurd to think that she got jealous and fought with Neri, who looked and acted like a 10-year-old child.

“Sigh... Anyway, Neri, it’s nice to see you again.”

Even though a series of major incidents occurred right after we met again, meeting Neri again was still a very joyful event for me.

“Hehe... Really?”

“Yes, then shall I introduce you again? This is Atalanta, a senior from the Forest of Heroes and my guide for today.”

“...What are you doing?”

“Just go along with it for a bit.”

I’m trying to prevent you from being dragged into the ocean right now.

Atalanta frowned as I suddenly tried to introduce them to each other nonchalantly.

Whether we come to a mutual agreement, or end up in a nice boat scenario, we must avoid this place right now.

A hundred percent, a hundred older sisters would be watching over the youngest’s love affair with their eyes lit up.

“Hoo-hoo! I am Nesneria. Sister of a Thousand Waves, and Singer of the Sea. Nice to meet you. Atalanta.”

Nesneria, who put her hands on her waist and proudly puffed out her chest, was just like a child.

I found that cute, so I gently patted her head.

Atalanta, however, just sighed with a strangely disheartened face.

“...I am Atalanta, leader of the hunting party of Chariclo in the Forest of Heroes. It is an honor to meet the Sister of a Thousand Waves.”

Nevertheless, the other party was a sea spirit born of a god and goddess couple.

Atalanta bowed her head politely and greeted Neri.

“Yes, Atalanta. Now you understand whose Dia is, right?”

“...Are you talking about the childish prank of unilaterally announcing an engagement without the other party’s consent?”

“What?!”

...Of course, Atalanta didn’t just let it slide quietly.

But at least the wildfire had been reduced to a small flame, so that’s a relief.

....But seriously, what should I do now?