The Mermaid's Desperate Plea
The next morning after the mermaids.
"Kuuuugh...."
Ha-eun's been out cold since last night—still drunk or just refusing to get up. What's the point of a hunter who's this weak to booze? Fine, nothing for me to do here anyway. Might as well wander outside.
"Goldie-nim, are you heading out?"
"Yeah. You come too."
"Pardon?"
Terra looks flustered. She even brought her laptop—probably planning to game. As if there's time for that way out here.
"Breathe some sea air, walk the beach. Come on. Isn't this your first time seeing the ocean?"
"Well, yes, but...."
"Plus, I was gonna help you absorb that gemstone. There's a faster way than the usual. You'll struggle without me—"
"I'll get ready right away."
Man, she's such a pushover.
We step outside and stroll aimlessly along a path overlooking the sea, horns and tail out in the open. Plenty of other non-humans around besides hunters, so it should be fine.
"Oh, look over there—is that a beastkin? The one next to her is cute."
"Beastkin? That kind?"
"Sisters, maybe?"
Whispers reach us as people eye us. Beastkin, huh. There are some like us back home—draconic folk. I even passed myself off as one to an elf in Ethereal once in a pinch. Supposedly, in my old world, their ancestors mixed with dragons or something.... Beastkin and dragons hooking up? No clue how that'd even work.
Is that what they call bestiality...?
Anyway, the big difference between us polymorphed dragons and those draconic beastkin is probably the horns. Horns are vital organs for dragons, but theirs never fully developed.
"Goldie-nim?"
"Hm?"
"What are you thinking so deeply about?"
"Oh, just wondering about beastkin on Earth. Not exactly like us, but maybe some live like them."
"Beastkin?"
Terra frowns at the word. Guess she doesn't have fond memories.
"Aren't they barbaric? Bursting into lairs, clinging on, ripping off scales...."
Eek... that bad, huh? Beastkin do have a wild streak. Some with strong instincts live straight-up feral. Not important right now, though.... Might run into some later, so good to keep in mind.
Thud, thud—
"Perfect spot. Pull out the gemstone."
"Yes."
We'd found a deserted beach, wide open and people-free. I turn to Terra. Normally, you'd carry the gem for decades, slowly drawing out its power. But I wasn't about to wait that long. Better to handle it my way—fast—and put Terra to work processing more gems.
"You know what the gemstone is?"
"Um... a stone holding its owner's power?"
"Right. Absorb it, and you can use that power—like me, a gold dragon firing a heat ray breath."
But rushing the absorption means energy leakage, especially for an amateur like Terra. Who knows what could happen? Better in an open spot like this.
"Absorb the energy inside. Best way is swapping it with your mana. Easy?"
"...Yes."
"Hold it out in your hand. I'll help."
Squeeze—
I crouch and cup her small hand clutching the gem, feeling the hot pulse in the center and her rock-solid mana. Good thing earth beats fire in affinities; easier to suppress than other elements.
"Focus your mana in your hand. Slowly fuse it with the gem's energy and pull it out."
Just as Terra gathers her mana and starts extracting per my instructions—
"Urk...."
Whoosh!—
She grimaces, unable to control the bucking energy. I clamp down with my hand to minimize leaks, but she's suffering.
"Focus. Fail here, and the energy's gone."
"It's... too sharp... too hot...!"
Flames start licking around us, the ancient earth dragon's rage rebelling like it won't be tamed. Terra can't handle this alone.
So I open my mouth and utter a Dragon Word.
"...!"
The mana surging wildly in response to the Dragon Word hesitates. Seizing the moment, I grip her hand tighter, aiding control.
Click—
"Hah... hah...."
"How's that? Ever force-absorbed power before?"
The leaking energy begins fusing with Terra's mana. Not fully on her own, so some loss, but decent results.
"How... how did you do that...?"
"What do you mean? Dragon Words are power itself—speech as magic."
"But... that's...."
"You should manage earth dragon skills now. Practice, and more'll come."
"...And process more gems."
As the remaining energy absorbs into her—
"Got an audience."
"Pardon?"
Sensing eyes on us, I turn. Just the blue sea... but the mana inside feels off. Fishy mana like this isn't common.
"Drawn by the gem's energy, huh."
Thud, thud—
I approach the shore slowly.
"Fine, I'll let you peep. Come out now."
Bubbles rise from below.
Splash—
"Ah, h-hello...?"
"...What? A mermaid?"
A vaguely familiar creature surfaces.
But...
"Whew... good thing the stream's off...."
Why the hell isn't she wearing clothes?!
As the mermaid approaches the shore, I pull out a T-shirt and hand it over. Meant for Terra's dirt pile-ups, but whatever.
...Smells too fishy to wear now anyway.
"Earth has mermaids too? Wild."
"What kind of creature is that?"
"Huh? Never seen one?"
"That... thing...."
As Terra and I chat, the mermaid hesitantly speaks up.
"Th-that power just now... are you its owner?"
"Eh... could say that."
"P-please help us! Our home—!"
Wait, what the—?
"Hold up. You know who I am?"
"If you're the one with that immense power... surely! Our chief said—"
"No, listen... ugh, frustrating."
Mermaids feel like half-human, half-fish—smarts somewhere in between. They talk, but barely.
"So, you wanna hire me?"
"Hire...? Uh... yeah...?"
"...Goldie-nim, something's off."
"That's mermaids for ya. Pure and dim. Not bad folks."
"...?"
She tilts her head at my words. Didn't get it, huh.
"Where you from? Explain the problem."
"Well... I live down there, but lately these weird huge things keep... smashing homes, eating friends...!"
Her habitat's underwater, monsters invading. Got it.
"What do I get if I fix it?"
"Huh?"
"Might be no big deal for me. But what's in it for me matters. Got treasure?"
She tilts her head side to side, confused. Mermaids aren't native to Earth, so probably from another world. Could score something unique—maybe materials to kill that black dragon.
Treasure's treasure. Ha-eun's still out, so time-killer at worst.
"I-I'll ask the chief! Follow me...!"
Splash—
"Hey, wait!"
She dives. Follow her? Land-dwellers into the sea? What?!
"G-Goldie-nim?!"
I grab Terra's arm. She gets it, eyes trembling.
"N-no! I don't want to—!"
200,000 won deducted - Details: [Aquatic Breathing] skill usage fee
200,000 won deducted - Details: [Waterproof] skill usage fee
"Hiiiiaaah!"
Splash!—
I drag her under anyway.
"Uwaa, uwahhh...."
"Quit flailing. Too annoying to tow."
Fifteen minutes of speedy swimming following the mermaid, and...
"Whoa, this off Busan? No way."
We discover a mermaid village. Glittering crystals embedded everywhere. Thick scent of treasure... and that gross monster reek.
What a mix.