Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Chapter 6 - Air Bubbles
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Aria wasn't afraid of the rifle because she had never encountered such a weapon before.
I quickly aimed and fired at the water.
Ratatat-
Aria, sensing the unfamiliar and potentially dangerous technology, dove beneath the surface.
But the bullets, though deadly in the air, lost their power in the water.
The resistance was too great, and they quickly sank to the bottom, useless pieces of metal.
A few grazed Aria’s skin.
But it was obvious that such superficial wounds wouldn't kill her.
A well-aimed shot would be different, but
I couldn't bring myself to aim at her face.
“Wow.”
Aria resurfaced, her gentle smile still in place.
“Impressive, Juho.”
She clapped, as if humoring me, and I aimed the rifle at her again.
“…Next time, I won’t miss.”
I couldn't do it. I could kill her, I knew it, but the certainty of it made me hesitate.
This was different from killing the grotesquely disfigured Vergo.
Aria had genuinely loved me,
Cared for me.
And she was beautiful, her features flawless.
Unlike the grotesque creatures I had encountered, her face was… pure.
“Can you do it?”
Aria asked,
Her head tilted, her words a challenge.
“I don’t think you can.”
She was confident I wouldn't shoot. She knew my limitations.
And now I understood why the other mermaids had remained hidden.
They had been waiting, observing, hidden beneath the surface.
They hadn't trusted me, but
Now, with Aria having confirmed my gentle nature, my weakness, they emerged.
I had to change my tactics. I had to provoke them, make them lose their composure.
“Shut up! Who are you to judge me? Do you even know me? You talk like we’ve known each other for years.”
I lashed out, my words cruel and cutting.
Humans were skilled liars. We could easily weaponize words.
Aria’s eyebrows twitched. A good sign.
“I hate you! I hate this place! I don’t want to rot here with you fish-people!”
Having found an effective method, I pressed my advantage.
Aria’s lips tightened into a thin line, her eyes fixed on me. Her intense gaze made me nervous.
“Come at me! You think I can’t shoot? You’re wrong. I’ll show you what I can do to you fish-”
“Hyagh-!”
But it wasn't Aria who attacked,
But the other mermaids, who had been waiting for an opportunity.
They reached out from the water, their hands grabbing me, pulling me off balance.
I stumbled, and the cold water engulfed me.
Splash-
I was underwater.
I fired the rifle, trying to fight back,
But the bullets were ineffective against the mermaids, who moved freely in their element.
I was drowning. Humans couldn't survive without oxygen. A few minutes at most.
I fired blindly for the first 30 seconds,
Then began to struggle, gasping for air.
The oxygen deprivation made my head spin, my survival instincts screaming at me to surface,
But the mermaids held my legs, preventing my escape.
***
“Cough, gasp…”
They dragged me to the surface a few minutes later.
My body was limp, my strength gone. I must have looked pathetic, gasping for air like a beached fish.
“Aria, what should we do with him?”
The other mermaids looked at Aria, just like they had looked to the elder mermaid before.
The elder was nowhere to be seen. There were only four of them now, instead of six.
Aria seemed to be the leader now. The other three awaited her command.
I didn't understand why.
“Should we take a leg?”
“I’ll take the weapon.”
Aria ignored their questions, her beautiful eyes fixed on me. She seemed to be deep in thought.
“No. There’s no need for that.”
She was still kind.
“Our Juho cherishes his legs. That’s why he doesn’t want to come back. So, let’s leave them intact.”
Aria, despite her anger, still smiled, gently stroking my cheek.
“But we’ll keep him in the water. Until he becomes a mermaid.”
…And yet,
Her words were chilling.
“I’m the only one who truly understands you, aren’t I? Juho?”
An angel with a demon’s heart.
***
Air bubbles rose from my mouth, breaking the surface.
So close. If I could just move a little, I could breathe.
But I was trapped.
One mermaid held my upper body, while another held my legs underwater.
I struggled, but I couldn't reach the surface. The mermaids’ punishment was merciless.
Aria stood before me. I saw her through the distorting lens of the rising air bubbles.
She was smiling. Air bubbles escaped her lips. She was taunting me.
She released small bubbles of air, just out of my reach.
I stretched my lips, my body convulsing, trying to catch them,
But I couldn't. The suffocating feeling, the terror of drowning, filled me, and I could only pray for Aria’s mercy.
Aria kept me on the brink of death.
Gurgle-
When my eyes rolled back, and my body began to tremble, she finally granted me a small breath.
But only through her lips. I had to endure this for several minutes before she allowed me to surface.
The sound of her exhaled breath, entering my lungs, filled me with a euphoric relief, bringing tears to my eyes.
I savored the small amount of oxygen, my body instinctively clinging to life.
“Gasp- mmm-”
Aria repeated this several times, then simply stared at me.
I saw love in her eyes. But also hurt and betrayal.
“Mmm… gasp…”
I regretted my earlier decision. If they had taken my legs, I could have relied on Alraune’s healing abilities…
I hadn't anticipated this form of torture.
A woman in love,
Was capable of far greater cruelty than I had imagined.
“Gasp- cough-”
I looked at her, my eyes pleading for another breath. I was going to die-
Even though I knew Isaac and Jenny were waiting for me,
My mind and body, overwhelmed by this new, unfamiliar form of torture, trembled uncontrollably.
“…”
Aria finally chuckled and signaled to the other mermaids.
They released me.
Splash-
“Cough-! Gasp-! Sob, heeek… cough…!”
Free from their grasp, I scrambled towards the shore, like a desperate animal.
“Gasp- pant- sob-”
I gulped down the air, my breathing ragged and uneven. Aria approached me from behind, her arms wrapping around me, her voice soft in my ear.
“Now, let’s go back.”
“N-no! No…! W-wait!”
I tried to ignore the soft, warm feeling of her body against mine,
My mind racing, trying to assess the situation.
“You don’t want to? Then swear. Swear you’ll never leave again. Swear you love me, love us, more than anything.”
It wasn't time yet.
Aria had sent another mermaid to the center of the lake, to keep watch.
I wanted to beg for mercy,
But the mermaids were still calm, still in control.
“Pant, pant…”
I glanced at the opening in the ceiling,
And steeled my resolve.
…Isaac, Jenny,
I’m counting on you.
“Can you switch places with another mermaid…? There are others who are prettier than you… my type is more… the one with the blue hair you sent to the-”
Before I could finish,
Aria’s arm tightened around my neck, and she pulled me underwater.
Splash-
The surface was undisturbed.
Only,
Faint ripples remained.