Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Chapter 6 - Bait
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A stillness hung over the mermaids’ lake.
As I walked along its shores, a sense of calm washed over me, as if I were dissolving into the water.
A forest of green leaves,
A blue pool of silence.
“Kyagh-”
Jenny’s roar shattered the tranquility.
Even within the stillness, she sensed danger.
Like a taut rubber band,
She was tense, wary of the unseen presence beneath the surface.
“This must be the place. She’s definitely agitated.”
Isaac observed Jenny’s behavior, his voice low. As he said, Jenny was extremely reluctant to approach the water.
I understood her apprehension.
Any creature, regardless of its abilities, was at a disadvantage underwater.
Movement was slower, scents were masked, and breathing became impossible.
Jenny’s instincts screamed at her to be wary.
“Shh. Jenny, stop it. You’ll be discovered.”
I tried to soothe her, reminding her of our plan.
“It’s my turn now. You wait for your signal.”
I would be the bait,
And Jenny would retrieve Amy’s body.
“Isaac, let’s go. There’s an opening nearby.”
I led Isaac to the opening above the mermaids' cave, the same one I had used to escape, and instructed him to wait there.
“Juho, are you… sure about this?”
He looked at me, his face etched with worry.
He was concerned about me acting as bait, but I wouldn't back down.
“Of course.”
I was afraid.
But I knew I was the only one who could create an opening.
I couldn't fire a rifle underwater,
And Jenny’s strength wouldn't be as effective in the water.
Even if we threatened the mermaids with weapons and claws, they could simply take Amy’s body and retreat to the depths of the lake.
So, I had to be careful.
I had to trick them, to lure them out.
“…Let’s begin.”
The plan was simple.
First, I would show myself, creating a distraction, and buy as much time as possible. They wouldn’t kill me. They would probably just take another leg.
Second, Jenny would retrieve Amy’s body while they were distracted. The mermaids were acutely aware of movement in the water, so Jenny would have to time her approach carefully.
Isaac would be the one to determine the timing.
He would observe the mermaids from the opening above, waiting for the opportune moment, then signal Jenny.
Third, Isaac would help me return to the surface. He could lower a vine from the opening.
If the mermaids resisted, Isaac could fire his rifle into the cave.
Plan finalized.
Commencing operation.
“Aria!”
I shouted, approaching the water’s edge. I stomped my feet, making my presence known.
Ripples spread across the surface. The cool water against my skin felt good.
“Just come out…! I’ll shoot! You think I’m afraid of you?!”
I feigned anger, making my performance as convincing as possible. A believable lie always contained a kernel of truth.
I washed away the dried blood and the stench of death that clung to me. The cool water cleansed my skin, a welcome relief.
It felt good. I had been deprived of even these small comforts, a stark reminder of my desperate situation.
“Sigh… yes…”
This was it.
I felt refreshed. I even submerged myself briefly, letting the water wash over me.
But even as I bathed, I remained alert.
The mermaids were watching me, I knew it. Even though they were hidden.
Lurking beneath the surface, waiting for an opportunity. Waiting for me to lower my guard.
“Just try it. I won’t forgive you. I have a weapon now! Don’t underestimate me!”
I knew,
That Aria would appear soon.
She wouldn't be able to resist.
But what worried me was the chilling expression I had seen on her face during our last encounter.
I couldn't forget it.
It haunted my dreams.
***
Juho…
Setting aside the thoughts and emotions of the child [I] cherish,
Let us turn our attention to another [human].
When observing events unfolding in the universe, it is sometimes necessary to shift perspectives.
This is essential. A being with its own thoughts and feelings cannot offer an objective account.
All statements are subjective. This is not a negative phenomenon. The workings of a sentient mind are often beautiful.
"..."
Isaac, Juho's companion, his pillar of support.
Isaac seemed to be a creature capable of maintaining his composure even while grappling with complex thoughts and emotions.
While he was filled with a premonition of his wife’s death, he didn't let these negative emotions dictate his actions.
"Come out… quickly…"
Isaac fidgeted with his rifle, his gaze fixed on Juho.
He respected Juho. Even though he was older, more experienced, he admired the young man's courage.
The [Juho] Isaac remembered was a smart, quiet boy, the opposite of himself.
Sheltered and privileged,
An academic, a scholar.
A model student, perhaps that was the best way to describe him.
"Sigh…"
Isaac took a deep breath, his gaze still fixed on Juho.
He wondered where the young man's courage came from, his small, frail body seemingly brimming with a strength that belied his age and experience.
It was an interesting dynamic. Juho relied on Isaac, looked up to him, while Isaac respected and admired Juho.
A strong bond seemed to have formed between them.
Two humans, having endured extreme circumstances, had found solace and strength in each other's company.
But perhaps this too was simply a survival mechanism, their minds, driven by a primal instinct, seeking to increase their chances of survival by forging a strong alliance.
"Kyaa-"
This heartwarming thought was interrupted by,
A grotesque monster, born from the lowest, filthiest depths.
It was wary, its senses sharp.
It turned its head, scanning its surroundings. Isaac tried to restrain it.
"Stay still…!"
But controlling the creature with his human strength was impossible.
It thrashed its tail, expressing its displeasure. But it didn't reach us.
The creature's heightened vigilance wasn't the main concern.
We had to watch Juho. The water was already up to his thighs.
He was deliberately drawing the mermaids' attention. And it worked.
"Gasp!"
Splash-
An arm shot out from the water, grabbing Juho by his shoulder, pulling him beneath the surface.
Isaac, preoccupied with restraining Jenny, didn't see it.
"Stop interfering…! Damn it, if you’re really on Juho’s side, you shouldn't be hindering him…!"
He pointed towards the lake, admonishing the creature,
But there was nothing there.
"Shouldn’t be…"
"Kyagh…"
Isaac realized something was wrong.
While the word [mermaid] didn't evoke a strong sense of fear within him,
He was now on high alert.
"…Get ready. I’ll give you the signal."
He had to understand that they were formidable opponents.
The creatures on this planet were powerful.
A few human weapons wouldn't be enough.
He had to overcome the fundamental differences between species,
To bridge the gap.
***
A flash of light,
A sudden shift in perspective,
"Cough- gasp, cough-”
Before I could understand what had happened,
I was thrown onto the ground above the mermaids’ cave, like a discarded sack of potatoes.
The familiar surroundings seemed even more ominous now, filled with the suffocating stench of death.
“Grunt…!”
I raised the waterlogged rifle, aiming it at the blue surface of the lake.
“Come out! Show yourselves! What, are you scared? Is this all you’ve got?”
A flash of green hair emerged from the water.
Aria.
She peered at me, only her eyes and forehead visible above the surface.
“Well, well. Look who it is. But you made a mistake. Do you know what this is? You think I came here alone?”
Aria showed no reaction. Her large, beautiful eyes didn’t even blink.
She simply stared at me.
A deep, dark gaze, as if trying to draw me in.
An unsettling intensity that didn’t suit her beautiful, jewel-like eyes.
Aria seemed oblivious to her own beauty, her gaze fixed on me.
“…You’re going to die. Just so you know. This rifle… can kill you.”
Her head, tilted slightly to the side, seemed to read my every thought, every worry.
“Juho.”
Her voice, as melodious as ever, reached me after what seemed like an eternity.
“Don’t say things like that. You sound weak.”
Aria smiled gently, her words sharp and cold.