Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Mermaid Princess in Peril
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A cave reeking of moss. The round shape nestled inside the bubbling water trembled.
"I can't wait any longer, sis."
"No! I'm not going."
At Levinia's cry, the merman of collateral royal blood scratched his fin-like ear and sighed.
"It's a good thing I came. If it had been big bro, he'd have dragged you out by force. Come out on your own while I'm politely asking, sis."
No matter how strong the power she held innately, she was still a half-baked one who couldn't perform the proper adult ritual even after all these years and couldn't use it right.
Levinia's form shook at his words.
"You... you're the ones who ruined my coming-of-age ritual. You traitors..."
"What are you talking about? The one who crashed the ritual back then was just some clueless human kid, wasn't it? If it bothered you that much, why didn't you rip that kid to shreds right there?"
Then at least you'd have vented some frustration. It all went wrong because humans got involved.
A chuckling voice echoed deeply through the cave.
"Ten years. No, if you all just help me, I can redo the ritual in less than five. Then I can become stronger than anyone and lead the merfolk to glory... Why betray me? Why!"
The merman clicked his tongue with an annoyed look at Levinia's words.
"That's why, that's exactly why. If you become queen, we'll just end up as your cannon fodder, right? I'm tired of this back-and-forth. Come out now so we can tidy up your form before the wedding... Or should I just drag you out?"
"No! Get lost!"
Ripples spread across the cave's pooled water, and the water mana itself surged like waves to push the merman away.
"...Anyway, impressive."
With a splash, the merman summoned his own mana to cancel it out with equal water mana and took a step deeper into the cave.
"If only you had awakened a power other than healing and purification first, sis."
One step, then another.
Each time he advanced, Levinia's huddled form retreated backward.
"Humans wouldn't have dared target you for marriage."
Wonder what would happen if you married. They'd probably experiment to see if that legend of immortality is true or not.
Or depending on the form, you might get showered with love. After all, it's a family with some pull in these seas.
The voice droned muffled into Levinia's ears as she huddled underwater, sounding like something from a nightmare, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Look at that? Trying to get the jump on us."
How could a single voice ooze such arrogance?
Even a dragon wouldn't look down on someone like vermin and dispense mercy with that tone.
The merman reaching deep into the cave ground his teeth and whipped his head around.
"Who's there? A human? How did a human get in here?"
You're just begging to die.
At those words, the arrogant intruder let out a laugh.
* * *
The ship pitched and rolled.
The furniture seemed fixed to the floor from the start, rolling or toppling nowhere.
Even the drawers had locks, staying shut no matter the angle.
Only the tea and cookies on the table might roll.
But Kane held them down with mana—even tilted over 45 degrees, the cookies didn't budge.
"Turn the wheel left! Push to starboard! Hey, focus! Balance with the spirits and steer properly!"
For the first time, the massive ship shook violently. If you didn't know you were at sea, you'd think it was an earthquake from how the hull vibrated.
"Captain! This route takes us right through the massive whirlpool! Too dangerous. The barrier won't hold!"
"We got crates of magistones for support—it'll hold! Burn 'em. Burn 'em all! Shove 'em nonstop into the engine! Punch through the whirlpool's pressure!"
Kwarung!
Everyone screamed over the whirlpool's roar and the ship's vibrations. Trapped in the cabin with Kane, staring out the window, I swatted the arm grabbing my nape.
"Let go, man."
"You'll get flung out."
Still, grabbing my nape? Though there was nowhere else to grab.
I accepted reality and meekly pulled rope from subspace.
"Doesn't seem like we'll wreck."
"Most never get a chance to face a dragon's breath."
...Saying it like that makes me sound like bad-luck magnet.
Not entirely wrong, though. Some predicaments like the cyclops I sought out, but others like the chaser or lepid hit out of nowhere.
'Who knows how many meetings happened without me knowing.'
Lost in that thought, I swear I heard a gull cry outside for a moment.
"The hull's twisting!"
"All engine power to the barrier, not propulsion!"
Outside, they battled furiously, but inside was peaceful.
Pulling slack ropes, unfurling sails, changing course—it all needed brute strength.
So Luna and Zero, Leaf and Rachel helped out there.
Why's the strongest one stuck with me?
His golden eyes glared murderously at my look asking if he wasn't going out.
"Want me to toss you in a cage and go?"
"Pour me another cup."
Even half-reclined as the ship tilted, Kane stood steadily on the slanted floor. Despite the cabin listing the other way, he poured tea without spilling a drop.
Of course. I felt wronged, though.
It wasn't really about me smashing through the window from a sudden wreck or whirlpool shock—that Kane was glued to me for some other reason entirely.
Sure, I'd thought about using shock therapy once or twice, but not now.
So that glare felt unfair, but I ignored it and sipped tea while the ship briefly righted.
Plus, among nearby dungeons, there was one we absolutely had to avoid...
'Sea Witch's Grace.'
Depending on your units, it could be a honey pot.
For our main party? No dungeon more vicious.
'Better than a sea serpent nest, even.'
Monster nests you could smash with raw power, but Sea Witch's Grace was different.
Mental fortitude dungeon, so units with traits like Meditation, Focus, Iron Will, Steadfast—basically upgrade fodder.
Our party, full of weak spots?
'Only Kane to hope for.'
Even in-game, his Indomitable let him clear despite mental debuffs by pumping stats...
Kane was tough, sure, but mostly physically. Internally? Unstable.
Standing on that instability, clawing his way up—that's what was impressive.
If Kane was that risky, the rest were worse.
No intention of heading there, but the ship, shaking like seasickness central, gradually stabilized.
"We're out! We broke free!"
"Ah, thought we were goners..."
"Whoa, my legs are jelly—look at 'em shaking. Trying to hold steady and it's hilarious."
Ellis's crew flopped across the deck.
"Good work, you lot!"
"Oooh!"
Ellis thrust a hand up, and they raised arms or feet from the ground, cheering.
Luna and Rachel burst out laughing at the sight. Zero patted Ellis, Leaf scanned around then sprawled starfish on the deck, staring at the sky.
I reeled in the rope and nodded at Kane.
"Let 'em rest. We go ahead."
"If it's an order."
"Won't if it's a request?"
"Who knows."
He quipped back at my words. Kane's grown a lot.
I chuckled and stepped out of the cabin.
"Rest up. I'll scout first."
"Ah, bring coconuts back!"
"Not fish, meat please, young master."
―Any fruit but apples, please.
"Then safe travels, Lord Adelian."
I waved off their quips and let Kane hoist me like luggage.
Then Kane dashed across the sea, each step like bounding on thin trampoline.
Islands rushed toward me with every stride.
'This is waterskiing. Wakeboarding?'
Admiring the genre-breaking thought for a sec, Kane halted on the water.
'Dead calm!'
"Someone's there."
Maybe the ocean surface? Pretty close to the island, Kane muttered and veered toward its side.
"Someone, not monster. Merfolk?"
"Seems so. Not many. Mana echoes off a narrow space, hard to pinpoint, but I estimate two."
In the original, Levi showed up already forced into marriage with a human noble by the merfolk.
Elegant, beautiful lady. But her smile lifeless, like a painting.
Later joining, low water mana made her kid-sized and grumpy sometimes; full moon or mana-rich spots brought the lady form, and she'd sing.
Her Innocent Saga illustration was peak elegance.
But with non-main party—especially humans—hatred simmered.
Here to save her before that.
"Two, huh."
Kane stopped on sands like powdered pearl and coral. I scanned around, feet planted.
"That way?"
"Yeah."
Cave mouth narrow enough to pass by. I tapped Aegis to circle once, then entered.
"Once married, wonder what'll happen. Experiment to test that immortality legend?"
Voice sleazy just hearing it.
Classic collateral royal.
Traitors.
"Or depending on form, you'll get tons of love. Decent clout in these seas, after all."
Looks like he came to drag Levi to the wedding by force.
In the dark cave depths, a pooled water held a huddled round shape, and before it a male merfolk blustered smugly.
Spouting total trash for our healer's mental state.
"Look at that? Trying to get the jump on us."
I didn't hide my irritation, smirking arrogantly as I spoke.
Thanks to Kane's mana veil around us, the merman finally noticed and spun in shock.
"Who's there? A human? How did a human get in here? You're just begging to die!"
"That's your story."
You're the one begging to die.
Daring to mess with our healer.
I watched Aegis block water arrows shot my way and murmured low.
"Kane. Grab that bastard."