Thump. Thump. Thump—!
The sound was loud. Rayan, who was buried in the cozy warmth, furrowed his eyebrows at the intrusive sound and crouched over his body. But instead of getting quieter, the sound got louder and louder. Then he realized that this was not an external sound, but his own heartbeat.
“… Ah.”
The hazy consciousness began to awaken little by little. It was still hazy, but the memories were engraved one by one in his head as white as a blank sheet of paper. Between the heavy breathing, the searing heat, and the pain that was worse than the moment his fins split and became legs, he must have blacked out.
“Rayan?”
As if someone who had heard Rayan’s groaning confirmed it, they carefully called his name.
“Are you awake?”
It was a familiar voice. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw Ayla’s face. The look in her eyes was one of relief and indescribable joy.
“… Ayla.”
The cracking voice sounded faint, as if it would soon die out.
“How.”
Why was Ayla looking at him so close when he’d been locked in a cell? No. It was no darker than that. The prison was clearly a place where no light shined. Rayan slowly rolled his eyes around and he soon realized that this was his bedroom.
“Why… am I…”
He was about to ask why he was here when Ayla pulled him into a tight embrace, unable to control her rising emotions. At the same time, there was a sense of incongruity again. She dug in, and it ends up looking like he’s hugging her, except this time he’s hugging her back.
“Oh, yeah. By the way, I need to show you what you look like…”
Ayla, noticing Rayan, who was still processing the information with his still hazy mind, moved her hand in a circle, belatedly recovering her emotions. A male mermaid’s face was visible in the water bubble in his hand.
The black hair, as if it had been tainted with darkness, and the slightly pale green eyes…
“…”
Surely, he resembled himself. When he inadvertently stretched out his hand, the reflection stretched too. It was only then that Rayan took a good look at the young man in the reflection.
“This…”
“Congratulations, Rayan. No, no. Should I call you my future king?”
Now that he was truly the successor of Mer, did she have to use honorifics? It’s a bit strange. Ayla couldn’t control her overflowing heart while watching Rayan who was matured.
A few days ago, she couldn’t hide her astonishment when she saw Rayan wrapped in a crystal. That was a precursor to growth. Powerful magic flowed through the crystals surrounding him, and Atisa’s airflow swayed with his breath.
At the same time, the word that Rayan should be punished went in. It was clear that even the fact that he had broken the law would eventually be buried. The already revealed power meant that. Rayan was immediately taken to the palace, and Ayla stayed by his side, waiting for him to wake up.
And this morning, the crystal broke. Rayan, as expected, had grown into a full-fledged young man. It didn’t change much from when he was young, but the curves of his features were a little more splendid and delicate.
“Ah.”
Rayan looked at his unfamiliar appearance and eventually burst into exclamations. A young man with a bewildered expression groped his cheek.
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.
… He couldn’t believe it.
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“Pr atlr, lr atlr wf?”
“la’r sbe.”
“…”
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He remembered the existence he had longed for in prison.
‘Rayan. Congratulations.’
Looking at Rayan, who grew up, Erich would surely convey sincere words of congratulations. If they put their palms together, there won’t be a big difference anymore, and maybe he could even pull him into a hug himself.
That was not all. If Erich wanted to leave, he could go with him if he wanted to. Always, maybe even until the last breath…
“…”
Rayan looked at his wrist while imagining a future with him, and jerked up as if he had been electrocuted. His body shook from the aftermat, but he did not care.
“… Erich.”
The jewel in the bracelet was cracked. He didn’t know if it worked, but it’s kind of an artifact, meant to change color or crack if something happens to the other. He remembered the whispered words as he put on the bracelet on him.
The aftermath of growth could have cracked the jewelry. The communication tool didn’t work properly either, so this might not have worked as well. However, unresolved anxiety enveloped him. He was anxious.
“You can’t.”
Ayla hardened her expression and blocked Rayan.
“Rayan. I barely managed to convince the elders. Not twice.”
“Move.”
“I said no!”
“Move. Ayla.”
He wouldn’t say any more. Rayan was calm and determined like never before.
“What if I don’t?”
“Please don’t let me confront you.”
A small whirlpool swirled under Rayan’s hand. It seemed difficult to avoid a fatal blow, such was his power. While Ayla was surprised to learn that Rayan developed his abilities as well as his growth, she had no choice but to accept it… She can’t defeat him.
“I can’t see you being unhappy.”
Still, Ayla had to stop Rayan. If her friend goes astray, shouldn’t she lead him on the right path? Even if it meant being resented.
Ayla was ready for battle. She instinctively realized that Rayan’s power was his superiority, but she thought she was better than this newly manifested child. Rayan’s face blurred for a moment at her determined attitude, but that was all. Rayan’s hand moved.
“Ayla. I’m not unhappy.”
“… Ah.”
In an instant, her body collapsed.
“I’m sorry.”
Seeing Ayla lose consciousness, Rayan made an apology that couldn’t be reached. Laying her carefully on the bed and checking that she was not seriously hurt, Rayan confirmed that she had simply lost consciousness, and he immediately left the palace.
He intended to go to Erich. Even as he vigorously waded through the water, his mind was restless. There were no eyes following Rayan.
“Simer.”
As soon as he was about to escape the barrier, a languid but intimidating voice caught Rayan’s feet. Mer was looking at him with a cold gaze.
“I will not tolerate it twice.”
“…”
“Recognize your duty and act accordingly.”
“Mer. My king.”
Rayan placed his hand on his protective barrier and called to the king.
“This is my choice.”
The barrier, which had been firm enough to not allow him to deviate, shook.
“Something like a human being, that’s your choice?”
“That child is my everything. I have broken a divine law. So banish me and never allow my presence in Atisa again.”
“…”
“Then please, be healthy… mother.”
Mer’s gaze wavered slightly. Ah. Come to think of it, it was the first time he called her mother since he was very young. Because from that point on, she was the king, not his mother.
Rayan glanced back and broke part of the barrier. The guardian mermaids who stood guard around the king were horrified. The successor, who had the solemn responsibility to protect and protect the barrier, personally damaged it himself. This was Rayan’s will. To this place, never to return.
Before Mer, who came to her senses belatedly, could subdue him, Rayan escaped through the gap. His face was terribly contorted as he clenched his trembling hand tightly.
Rayan prayed.
Please, he hoped this bracelet was damaged because it couldn’t overcome his strength. When he went up, he hoped to see Erich smile with sincere joy when he saw how he had grown up. And he could make a vow of love to him to be with him forever. He hoped this source of unknown anxiety was just his delusion.
The more he accelerated, the stronger his body which had been languid felt. Rayan was able to realize how fearless he was before he grew up, when he had no ability. Not to mention why Alle was so worried about his deviation.
It took him less than half the usual time to reach the ground. Rayan, who had risen above the surface of the water, lightly brushed his wet hair and was at a loss as to how to go see Erich. Then he realized that he was no longer the defective mermaid. He could now set foot on land without Asha’s help.
As soon as he realized that, he felt the smell of blood with his sensitive sense of smell. As he turned my head towards the smell, he saw something hidden in the darkness.
“…”
His heart sank.
“Er.. ich?”
No, it couldn’t be. It couldn’t be Erich. There’s no way he’d be here with such a disturbing smell. Rayan struggled to deny it. Even as he saw the color of his hair, which could be seen flickering in the light.
“Erich?”
He called again and again in a trembling voice, but the figure was motionless. The tips of his fingers were cold.
“It’s not, right? It’s not you, is it?”
Rayan couldn’t bear to approach and continued to talk. He couldn’t bear to. After not knowing what to do for a while, Rayan couldn’t stand the lack of response and stepped onto the land.
He barely made his way forward with his broken and staggering legs, and as soon as he confirmed his identity, he finally sat down.
“No.”
No. Rayan couldn’t control his trembling voice.
“This can’t be you.”
His radiant blond hair had lost its luster, and his clothes were splattered with dark red blood. His eyes, as blue as the sea, were covered by his eyelids, and could not be seen.
“Erich. Wake up.”
“…”
“Stop kidding around. El. Did I come too late? I’m sorry. I will be with you now. Look at this, I grew up, El.”
Rayan took his hand. His hand, which always felt hot, was cold. Blood gushed out from his side. How pale he was.
Ah. His breath caught in his throat. He was sure he was breathing, but it was faint. He gasped, unable to breathe.
Rayan was terrified.
A different sense of despair came over him compared to when he was searching for Erich in the stormy sea.
“Ah. Ah…”
A groan escaped his lips in an unintelligible form.
The reason why Rayan, who had been groaning, managed to hold on to his spirit, was because he felt a faint breath. It wouldn’t be strange if it faded at any moment, but he wasn’t dead yet. He was alive.
The joy was short-lived. He knew his soul was still bound to the ground, but he didn’t know what to do.
He sang a song, clearing his cracking voice. The voice, which did not contain the power of healing, uselessly scattered in the air.
Rayan, who was still ignorant of everything in the world, did not know how to save a lover who would be dead any moment.
“… Erich.”
Except for calling his name.
Why do you do this to me? ಥ‿ಥ
Why did this even need a dog bloody angst or whatever dramatic hell it’s going to be? Why? Just why?
My heart is drowning 🥺 . How will end this?
Thanks for the chapter 🌹
Well… at least he grew up, yay xD
Thx for the ch ٩(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )و
Nooo, necesito que esto se solucione rápido y vuelvan a ser felices.
Nãooo😭