The road to the king’s hall, surrounded by guardian mermaids, was a long distance. He could feel Ayla’s sidelong glance, but Rayan couldn’t even look at her.
How could Mer have known? No. It didn’t matter. There was no such thing as a perfect secret anyway, and two years was a really long time to deceive the king.
He felt despair. Not now. It can’t be happening now. Just a few more years. Until Erich left to take his place. He just needed to hold on until then.
“Rayan.”
Ayla muffled her voice and called to him. One of the guardian mermaids glanced at Ayla, but she didn’t take her eyes off Rayan even as she was watched.
“Don’t worry. It’s just a misunderstanding, isn’t it?”
Ayla wasn’t sure if she was trying to calm him or herself.
Rayan was silent instead of answering. The arched white door opened. Right before entering, Rayan straightened his back even more. Instead of sighing, he swallowed and entered slowly.
The elders stood on either side, and on the throne in the center was the king holding a trident in one hand, looking at the side with a cool face. Her hair, down to her waist, fluttered in waves. She lowered her indifferent gaze only long after Rayan arrived.
“Is it true?”
“…”
“Have you violated the sacred law and revealed your identity to humans?”
Rayan didn’t say anything. Silence was the poet. Suddenly, he could hear Ayla sighing.
“The war of hundreds of years ago is a very dull and bloody history. Our ancestors were robbed and lost by being deceived by cunning humans. The law is built on the accumulation of losses.”
“… No.”
“…”
“He is not cunning, King. No, not all humans are cunning and greedy.”
Rayan clasped his fists and raised his voice. His eyes met the king directly. Like a few days ago. Like when he declared to her that he was not worthless.
“King. Great Mer. Please listen… He, Erich, although he can be mean at times, never did anything bad to me. He didn’t covet my flesh like rumors have it, nor did he demand that I sing to him.”
He dared to speak in defense of humans before the king. The elders who were watching groaned in distress. He did not hesitate to say that since he had broken the law, he should be severely punished as an example.
He wished everyone knew of Erich’s existence, but not like this. It shouldn’t have been found out like this. The saliva that was swallowed at the back of his throat felt particularly bitter.
“Poor thing. You have been deceived by a cunning and greedy human.”
“Mer!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Vlcmf sbe jvwlaafv atf mtjgufr sbegrfio, lr atfgf jcsatlcu wbgf ab vlrmerr?”
Zfg gbrf ogbw atf atgbcf. C mbiv, wfcjmlcu jegj fcnfibqfv atf tjii. Snfc atf fivfgr ktb milmxfv atflg abcuefr bg mglalmlhfv Ejsjc xfqa atflg wbeatr rtea jcv reywlaafv ab atf xlcu’r kgjat.
“Uea tlw lc pjli.”
Ktf xlcu’r pevuwfca kjr fzagfwfis yglfo.
“Please expel me like those mermaids who fell in love with humans and ascended to the surface.”
Even adult mermaids couldn’t survive out there without Atisa’s protection. Not to mention a premature mermaid without any abilities. Even when he knew that being expelled would only lead to death, Rayan did not hesitate at all. But Mer didn’t even raise an eyebrow.
“Think about your sins in a place where no light shines.”
She only once again confirmed her will. Mer waved her hand lightly, and an invisible rope bound him. As Rayan staggered and lost his balance, his guardian mermaids came and supported him.
“I love him.”
“…”
“Mer, please…”
Rayan twisted his body around to free himself from his bondage and begged her for him to be banished once again, but the echo did not reach the king.
“Then you won’t be able to come out until you die.”
At the end of the cruel words, the king mercilessly turned around.
* * *
Even in Atisa, where the light never fades, there was a dark place like a shadow. The prison, surrounded by ice walls, was dingy. As Rayan was pushed inside, a solid barrier blocked him. The intangible aura that bound him had long since been released since he entered prison.
Rayan sat down in a corner seat. He did not protest needlessly. He knew he couldn’t break it with his power anyway, and he shouldn’t drain his energy that way. He had to think of something, even if it wasn’t much, if he was to survive this horrible situation.
“… Rayan.”
Rayan raised his head. Ayla could be seen on the other side of the barrier.
“What the hell is this?”
She stopped talking and let out a sigh. She seemed just as confused by the situation as Rayan.
“Weren’t you just wandering around Atisa? Were you going outside? To see humans? Were you curious about those things?”
“…”
“Did Alle know?”
It was like she was angry.
“Right. There’s no way he wouldn’t know. He’s always stuck with you, how would he not know. No wonder he has been overprotective of you lately. Getting anxious when you couldn’t be seen, and telling me to take care of you when he went back to his clan. Instead of stopping you. Is he insane?”
“Don’t say that.”
“I’m saying that you wouldn’t have been in this situation if Alle had stopped you, no, if Yuri hadn’t been fooling around!”
“Ayla.”
“… I shouldn’t have left those two alone.”
As if to represent Ayla’s anger, a small whirlpool formed in her hand.
“Ayla. You know it. It was all my stubbornness.”
“No. It’s their fault. If it had been me, I wouldn’t have let you develop such curiosity and eventually go outside. I wouldn’t even let you meet a human.”
“And I would have withered quietly.”
Rayan was able to hold on thanks to Yuri showing him the surface world and Alle taking him outside. If he hadn’t had that pleasure, he might have walked the same path as other mermaids who failed to mature while suffering under the shackles of Mer.
“So don’t blame them. Alle tried very hard to stop me… Yuri didn’t even know I met a human.”
“You fool. Now is the time for you to cover up for someone else?”
“…”
“You may not be able to get out of here forever. You won’t be able to do anything you like.”
Ayla’s face contorted with sadness.
“I said something mean, but you are worried.”
“You’re talking nonsense again.”
She got angry quickly. She was on a roller coaster of emotions right now, with clear ups and downs. She looked like she wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him vigorously if this barrier didn’t stand between them.
“Go beg the king and say that you were wrong.”
“…”
“Tell me you’ll never go out and meet a human again. Shall I tell Mer that you told me that? Maybe Mer will have mercy… Still, you are Mer’s son.”
“Mer’s shame.”
As Rayan corrected, Ayla called his name like a sigh.
“And I can’t do that.”
“Why are you so stubborn? We need to get out of here. Hm?”
“Tell her to banish me according to the law.”
Even if he escaped this prison with a promise that he would never go out again, it would become an oath that binds him to Atisa. So he couldn’t make such a promise.
“Rayan, please!”
Rayan didn’t want to listen to Ayla’s persuasion any more.
“I love Erich… Even if I get out of here, if I can’t see him, what’s the difference between being in here and being outside?”
Rayan’s will was firm. Knowing that on rare occasions when he was stubborn, Ayla really wanted to slap him in the back of the head, even once.
It had happened before she’d had a chance to mull it over and shake it off.. Within a day, strange rumors circulated. That Rayan was meeting a human.
Rayan was originally very curious, and since he followed Alle and Yuri around outside, they thought it was just a rumor. However, he did not deny Mer’s accusations and did not return from the palace. Apparently, he had defended a human and even said he loved him.
Even as her stomach sank, her heart was restless.
If Rayan doesn’t give up his stubbornness, he wouldn’t be able to leave this place until he really died. He couldn’t lie on a bed of clams and roll over, rubbing his cheeks, or leaning over a large clam in the plaza and listening to the music, swaying his tail.
“… Fine. Okay. Alright.”
Ayla decided to take a step back. Even if she kept arguing now, Rayan would pretend not to hear it, and she couldn’t stay here long anyway.
She’d better get out of here and call the damned Alle. Rayan followed Alle’s words well and relied on him. To the point where he felt depressed even if he pushed him away with his hand. Maybe he would even pretend to listen to him.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“…”
“You can answer that much. Rayan.”
“I’m fine.”
His body was still hot when they brushed skin earlier. The heat hadn’t gone down. Without being able to blow energy through the barrier, her worries did not diminish.
She heard a voice calling her from outside. It meant they couldn’t turn a blind eye any longer. If she ignored that and didn’t leave, it would be difficult to get back in. Ayla touched the barrier with her palm, then withdrew. As she exited, the door closed. The prison was shrouded in darkness.
All right, now how is Rayan going to get out of there? I don’t think Mer will release him under normal circumstances. Maybe someone or something will help him escape?
Thanks for the chapter 🌹
So, just a speculation, but I think this fever he’s been having is a sign that he’s about to mature into an adult mermaid (merman? Does the term really matter..?)
Yeah I also think he’s gonna mature and break out himself or they’ll release him cause of that or smth
Ashaaaaaaa~~~ my big ass evil friend~ lend me some of your sharks ~~
»She lowered his indifferent gaze only long after Rayan arrived.« her indifferent gaze
»Even the elders who clicked their tongue or..« tongues
».. and begged him to be banished once again..« begged her
How did they find out suddenly? Does it have anything to do with Asha maybe? (Was that his name? I’m so bad with names lol)
Thx for the ch ٩( >ヮ<)۶
Yo preocupada por Asha y el Emperador, y quién realmente fue el primero en separarlos fue Mer. 😭😭