Chapter 61
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 61
Long ago, there were two mermaids who considered each other family.
The sister wished to analyze the limits of humanity, while the brother yearned to learn about human culture.
The younger brother, Iser, dreamed of a day when humans and mermaids could live together in harmony. It was a foolishly naive wish for an era rife with mutual fear and contempt, a fact that even Iser himself knew.
“A world where the sky and the sea become one… What a truly wonderful wish.”
Those were the words of the first human Iser had ever met.
He had long, golden hair that waved like the ocean surf and a deep blue gaze filled with wisdom. The man, who always favored white clothes, introduced himself as both a priest and a doctor.
“Just hearing you say it lifts my spirits.”
“……”
He was born with a color no mermaid could resist following with their eyes.
Mermaids revered humans in white.
“…Humans are lovely yet fickle creatures. Is it truly too much to hope for such a day?”
“I won’t say it will be easy. Humans and mermaids have far too many differences.”
He offered realistic advice.
“Even humans hate one another because they cannot understand each other. How much worse would the conflict be between your kind and mine?”
Then, he added a gentle reassurance.
“But if more people come to share your thoughts, Iser, that day will surely come.”
“……”
“Ultimately, it is a matter of perception. I believe hatred is an emotion that can be easily overcome once you understand the other.”
“…That makes me very happy to hear.”
It was a dreamlike conversation.
“I like the sun. I think it is just as magnificent as the humans who live their short lives, each harboring their own beautiful colors.”
“I was under the impression that mermaids worship the god of the sea. Yet you say you like the sun, Iser.”
“That’s true. Of course, I worship the Deep Sea God, but… the sunlight is so warm and gentle. It possesses a majesty entirely different from the deep sea.”
“I know what you mean. Taking a nap under the warm sun is a wonderful feeling.”
“That’s something difficult to do in the ocean.”
Iser yearned for the land.
“That is why I want to witness the lives of humans all the more.”
“As a Son of the Sun, I commend your courage, Iser.”
“Thank you for not rejecting the children of the deep sea.”
With the help of the human named Giovanni, the mermaid siblings disguised themselves as humans. The sister nurtured her dream of becoming a doctor, while the brother dreamed of becoming a priest.
“You worship the Deep Sea God, yet you wish to become a priest of the sun?”
“I am not an apostle of the deep sea, so I am not abandoning my duties. Besides, if I serve both gods, wouldn’t their union come all the sooner?”
“A simple yet wonderful idea. I pray the Sun will look upon your heart, accept you as family, and grant you Holy Power.”
Giovanni was the only one who did not ridicule Iser’s futile dream.
He was kind and gentle. He had a playful streak, often teasing Iser and his sister with lighthearted jokes, yet he was competent enough to stay up all night saving countless lives as both a priest and a doctor.
Though he sometimes talked nonsense and could be absurdly shameless…
“I want to be like Gio.”
“In that case, shouldn’t you study medicine harder?”
“Th-That’s not what I meant. I don’t want to see blood.”
Giovanni was a man worthy of respect.
Even in an era rife with conflict and condemnation, he alone remained serene. He was cheerful and gentle.
“There is blood that flows even amidst peace and mercy, Iser.”
“……”
In a time when everything was in upheaval, only Giovanni remained steadfast.
“Teacher, you’ll stay here forever, right?”
“I cannot do that.”
The only thing the siblings worried about was Giovanni’s lifespan.
“Since I am human, I will die much sooner than you merfolk.”
“We already know that.”
“So, I cannot promise that I will always be by your side.”
“……”
“But I promise you that everything else will remain the same. I will never change, never be swept away by the conflicts and suffering of this era.”
“…Even though you are human, can you truly keep that promise, Teacher?”
“Even when I eventually pass away, I am certain I will remain unchanged in your memories.”
Though parting with him would be deeply sorrowful, Iser found solace in that one small promise.
“Can you promise that even when your body returns to the earth, you will still be the same person you are now?”
“Rest assured, Iser. You are my admirable student. How could I ever betray your expectations?”
“Thank you for putting my foolish worries to rest. I suppose my heart grew weary from watching humans constantly leave and change.”
“I understand. As a fellow human, I too feel a certain bitterness at the way of the world.”
“I’m glad I’m not the only one. To know I’m not alone…”
He had hoped that Giovanni would not crumble or become corrupt like other humans.
But soon, Iser came to regret it.
“……”
“Run.”
Why did I make him promise such a thing?
Perhaps things would have been better if he had made a selfish choice, just like any other human.
“G-Giovanni…”
“Never come back here, do you understand? This is no longer a home, nor is it a school.”
“Gio, wait.”
“Don’t even think of saving me. You are young. There is no reason for you to suffer because of the tides of the times.”
“…Teacher…”
“Promise me.”
If only you had become selfish.
“There’s someone hiding mermaids in here! The traitor is inside!”
If only you had succumbed to the fear of a future filled with pain and death.
“Over here! Set fire to the place! Burn him along with those hideous mermaids!”
“Drag that traitor out now! How sickening, harboring mermaids…!”
“Why would you hide them? You, who have saved so many human lives!”
If you had just abandoned us, run away, or betrayed us… how much easier would it have been on my wicked heart?
“They have committed no crime deserving of your wrath. They are merely children.”
“He’s clearly gone mad, calling those monsters ‘children.’ He’s a traitor to humanity!”
“If calling me that will end this village’s nightmare, then so be it.”
“You hypocrite! Pretending to be a saint with that gentle face while raising mermaids behind our backs!”
“I pray that one day, this painful relationship will find a peaceful end.”
Giovanni remained noble to the very end.
“……”
Even when I was trapped in that cramped fishbowl, a product of human cruelty.
Even when I could no longer endure the agonizing hunger that felt like my organs were melting, and I sank my sharp fangs into rotting, festering flesh.
You were still gentle.
“……”
Why is it so cold?
*
“……”
“Are you okay?”
A human child asked him.
Only when the youthful face came into view did the mermaid realize he had woken from a nightmare.
“You looked like you were in a lot of pain.”
“…I think I had a bad dream.”
“Really? Should we tell the priest?”
“It’s not a big deal.”
He rejected the kindness with a smile.
I have no desire to receive help from a human right after having a dream like that.
Why had he suddenly dreamed of Giovanni?
Is it because I’m in the embrace of the Sun God? Or is it because of that human named Seo Gio I saw yesterday?
Rolling his pearlescent eyes, the mermaid recalled the man he had seen at the venue. Shrouded in a black cloak, the man had possessed a striking presence.
The space around him was still, as if all life had died. Mana shrank back as if walking on eggshells around an emperor, and the very air seemed to flow in a hushed, stifled manner.
The man was likely a Hunter so powerful he could hardly be called human anymore.
Of all things, his name had to be Gio…
No, perhaps it wasn’t just about the name.
“……”
It was unpleasant.
The thought of associating his noble mentor with some fickle, selfish human was disgusting.
He felt more repulsed by that than by his own current actions—disguising himself as a human to participate in his sister’s slaughter.
“……”
“Eun-ha, does your head hurt?”
“…A little.”
Don’t be kind to me.
“But you’ll feel better soon.”
Please, just act horribly.
It’s not as if I would ever show mercy to humans at this point.
No matter what, Iser hated humans.
He hated selfish humans because they reminded him of that day’s terrible nightmare. He hated altruistic humans because they dared to mimic his mentor as if they were worthy.
A mermaid’s wrath was not something that could be erased in a single lifetime.
In the end, they are just vulgar creatures who will squirm like insects in the face of pain and death.
The mere fact that they had spoken to him, a mermaid, was repulsive enough.
“……”
Yet, he smiled.
It was the greatest act of kindness this wicked mermaid could offer.
“I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”
“No, it’s not that. I’m just not used to sleeping in a strange place…”
“Then let’s sleep together.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for.”
Even though he was disgusted with himself for blindly hating an entire race and participating in the slaughter of his own sister, he could not stop.
Iser’s lips curled into a twisted smile as he looked at the human child lying comfortably beside him.
“……”
Just like my mentor.
For that reason alone.
I wish everyone would die a horrible death.
Me, and all of you.
*
The day of the main ceremony.
“Oh?”
The priests’ procession began.
“Is that what I think it is?”
“Yeah, it’s the priests’ procession.”
“They all look so young. It must be an initiation ceremony…”
“It’s about time for the Sun Cult’s initiation ceremony.”
“Wow, look how cute those kids are.”
It was 8:00 PM. Since the event was taking place around the time most office workers were heading home, a large crowd of onlookers had gathered. To properly receive a deity’s gaze, initiation ceremonies were typically held in the late afternoon or evening.
“Even though they’re young, they’re still priests. You can feel their divinity is different.”
“Just watching them makes me feel purified. Is it because it’s the Sun Cult? It feels warm, too.”
“Should we call some other people over? Who knows, maybe someone will get chosen today.”
Although the existence of gods had become more familiar since the Great Catastrophe, their divine majesty remained unchanged. People were excited by the possibility of witnessing the miracle of a young priest being embraced by a god.
Even without such hopes, the procession itself was more than enough to capture the crowd’s attention. Censers swayed and chimed like bells, and as expected of the Sun Cult, the novice priests held symbols of the sun in their hands.
“Ah, it’s so warm…”
“As expected of the Sun Cult.”
On such a freezing winter day, the gentle and majestic procession of the sun evoked a unique sense of wonder.
“…Wow…”
“……”
It was the same for Yoo Seong-un, Gio, and their group.
“I haven’t seen many initiation ceremonies, so I didn’t know what to expect, but this is quite something.”
“You haven’t seen them often?”
“Initiation ceremonies don’t happen all the time… They have to calculate the right dates and everything.”
Some of the weaker cults barely managed to hold one every ten years.
“And preparing a grand initiation ceremony like this takes a lot of capital. Cults without money or influence don’t have ceremonies this grand. They usually just pray in the temple and call it a day.”
Thus, an event like this was a fine spectacle—a very special occasion for the city’s residents.
“They’re starting to enter the temple. We’ve already reserved our seats, so let’s head inside.”
Yoo Seong-un turned to look at Gio.
“If we wait any longer, too many onlookers will crowd in, and it’ll be hard to find our seats.”
“Understood.”
“Are you doing alright with so many people around? You didn’t seem to enjoy noisy crowds last time.”
Although their last outing had ended without incident, Yoo Seong-un still knew very little about ‘Gio’s Portrait.’
He had no idea what random trigger might provoke an aggressive reaction.
The Guild Master wouldn’t care about casualties—in fact, he’d probably enjoy it and call it entertainment—but that’s all the more reason for me to be careful.
Bisabeol was only kind to his own collection; objectively, he was not a good person. Of course, Yoo Seong-un himself, who had this thought, would only feel a bitter pang of regret if people died, and nothing more.
Just then, the work spoke.
“I am a bit tired, but not enough to warrant your concern.”
“…I see. That’s a relief.”
As expected, it was a highly patient work.
Still, I should remain cautious.
As the procession gradually entered the temple and the crowd began to settle, the priest leading the way placed the incense he was holding on the altar and signaled for the novice priests to halt.
Like a choir conductor, he gestured to organize the young priests.
“…O Goddess, who illuminates the heavens and the earth with gentle light, grant your fire upon this place where your servants gather today. These young priests are like sprouts grown under your light…”
Kang Seo-dam, the priest reciting the prayer, soon brought the announcement to a close.
“Receive these small lights.”
“Receive these small lights.”
With the final words of the Sun Cult’s prayer, Kang Seo-dam bowed to the altar. He then turned and bowed once more to the novice priests, who stood in their places holding symbols of the sun.
After confirming that the novices bowed in return, Kang Seo-dam spoke.
“Though this is the Temple of the Sun, the Sun will never be forced upon you. With the help of the Sun Goddess, you will learn how to face the gods and become their servants. I pray that through today’s initiation ceremony, you will each gain another parent.”
Chime—
Ringing a silver bell, Kang Seo-dam continued.
“Before you cultivate your minds and bodies to serve your new parent, the novice priests will have time to express gratitude to their worldly relations. Until the closing ceremony begins, please take this time to greet one another.”
The initiation ceremony was divided into two parts, with a sort of recess in between for them to spend time with their families. Not all religions did this, but the Sun Cult’s ceremony did.
Thanks to their prior training, the novice priests all began moving to their designated areas.
“Mom, Mom…!”
“Oppa, I’m a priest now!”
“Doesn’t this outfit look cool?”
Some scurried off to spend time with their families, while others headed to the waiting room to rest.
“……”
He, too, was about to move and take a break.
“……?”
For some reason, a certain novice priest caught Kang Seo-dam’s eye. He was standing still, hesitating.
…Was his name Eun-ha?
He was a striking child with blue hair that somehow brought the ocean to mind. Perhaps because he desired that path, his Holy Power carried a strong, chilly aura.
I know he’s a Carnation Child, so he doesn’t have any family to talk to. Why is he just standing there?
He couldn’t afford to neglect a single priest under his charge. Kang Seo-dam looked around.
Who is he looking at?
Following the child’s gaze, he saw a black-haired novice priest being embraced by his family.
That child is…
He recalled his name was Cha Yi-sol.
“…Ah.”
The Black Cloak was also among them.
The one I met last time.
Kang Seo-dam remembered how, unlike a typical god, he had simply watched the event and quietly departed.
The initiation ceremony itself is quite long. If he showed up today as well, is he here to accept a new follower after all?
As he observed with curiosity, he noticed that Eun-ha’s gaze was fixed on the Black Cloak.
“……”
Maybe he wants to join that group.
Well, that side is exceptionally lively. It’s only natural for a Carnation Child to feel envious.
Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Cha Yi-sol dragged Eun-ha over. Being quick-witted, he was naturally introducing his partner to his family.
Kang Seo-dam watched carefully, concerned that such consideration might wound the boy’s pride, but Eun-ha didn’t seem to mind being pulled along.
“…He should be fine now.”
The Black Cloak also seemed to be a god with a deep understanding of humans, so there shouldn’t be any major issues.
Only then did Kang Seo-dam turn to take his own break.