TFLCM - Chapter 79

The man, harassed by people at the casino, dragged his exhausted body back to the castle.

To be precise, it seemed like he was distracted rather than exhausted.

"Welcome, young master!"

The butler who was greeting him trembled like someone struck by lightning. He hurriedly covered his eyes and shouted.

"Y-Young Master! How can you go around outside with your face exposed like that! What if someone sees you! And on top of that, why do you look like this?"

“Uh, sorry.”

"Seriously, do you have any idea how much trouble I went through cleaning up the love letters that flew at you, Young Master, again today? They were mixed in with seaweed and dirt, so I spent a lot of time just trying to figure out if they were proposals or work-related correspondence. And you are someone who knows full well just how formidable your beauty is...!"

“Uh, sorry.”

The man brushed past the butler, offering a soulless apology.

'Why is he suddenly acting like that?'

The butler was bewildered. Normally, he was a gentleman who would have boasted, saying, "What can I do? I'm so great."

But why?

The butler hurriedly grabbed the man.

"Young master! Young master Henry!"

He called out so urgently that a whole armful of air bubbles escaped.

Only then did the man stop. The butler hurriedly checked on Henry.

"Did something happen? Now that I think about it, you look like a mess."

“Nothing happened.”

Henry shook his head nonchalantly, but his face did not reflect that.

Unfocused pupils, as if lost in thought, and a gaping mouth. Even a flushed face...

The butler, who was old enough to have incredible intuition, realized.

"Does your body feel different than usual?"

"..."

"Did your heart suddenly sink by any chance?"

"... That's right"

"You feel like you have a fever, you can't keep your gaze still, and you start stammering."

“...Are you a doctor?”

Henry looked at the butler with surprised eyes.

The butler swallowed his breath in surprise. He knew a day like this would come someday, but he never imagined it would be today. It felt as if a shiver ran through his heart.

'To think this unlucky young master has started a relationship.'

The butler, who had been deeply moved, fell silent again at a sudden thought.

'But why did you come alone?'

Leaving the bewildered butler behind, Henry entered the room. He forced his eyes shut, but only one thought filled his mind.

‘I want to see you again.’

That was all.

***

Bang!

There was a loud noise as I placed the bundle on the box. The fisherman looked at me with bewildered eyes.

I lifted my chin with a triumphant look on my face, as if to show off.

“Let’s check.”

The fisherman carefully unwrapped the bundle. 

Inside, it was filled with jewels that were expensive at a glance.

The fisherman let out a small gasp and spoke in a surprised voice.

"W-where did you get all this?"

“There is a way.”

I shrugged my shoulders instead of giving a specific answer.

"So, can we meet with this amount?"

The fisherman nodded at my question.

"Well, you certainly picked out things that mermaids would like."

"Then..."

"I'll tell you. Follow me."

I inwardly cheered and followed the fisherman. However, Miya, who had been sitting on my shoulder, fidgeted and buried her face in the nape of my neck.

"What's the matter?"

"...I have a bad feeling."

“What bad feeling?”

"I just... I feel like we shouldn't go. It feels ominous. It's a businessman's intuition. It's the kind of thing you get from experience!"

Miya peeked her head up again, looked up at me, and spoke.

"Can't we just not go? Please?"

"..."

I silently raised my hand and gently scratched the back of its neck. 

Meow.

Like paint dissolved in water, Miya swayed and melted away.

"Say that again. What did you say?"

"Th-this is a foul..."

"Yeah, yeah, it just melts in your mouth, doesn't it?"

I chuckled as I watched her ears twitching repeatedly.

'It's going smoothly.'

I hurried my steps to follow the fisherman who had already walked far away.

The place we headed to was at the edge of the harbor. At the end of a very secluded alley, we saw a shabby shop.

"Uh?"

As I followed the fisherman inside, a man with squinty eyes acknowledged me.

"What brings you here?"

"Because a customer is looking for that."

The man's eyes narrowed even more at the fisherman's words. Standing behind him, I took off my hood and greeted him.

"Hello."

"...Customer?"

I nodded and approached him.

"I came here because I wanted to meet a mermaid."

"...Do you have any supplies?"

I nodded with a determined look on my face. When I opened the pouch I had brought, dazzling jewels were revealed inside.

"Hmm..."

His eyes narrowed even further. I swallowed hard for no reason.

I went through all sorts of hell to get this, so I didn't want to hear that it couldn't be done.

I waited for the man to speak with a trembling heart.

"...It looks like it's worth quite a bit. He would like it, too."

The man nodded in agreement.

"It looks like you're looking for a really good answer, considering you went to the trouble of bringing back such a huge amount."

The man got up and started rummaging through the shelf behind him.

What he brought out was a small potion.

“What is this?”

I looked at the potion with suspicion. The memory of the terrible ordeal I suffered in the North after taking the wrong herb was still vivid.

'This isn't the South, so it wouldn't be a problem even if I turned into a wolf, but...'

As if reading my hesitant gaze, the man opened his mouth.

"You must purify your body and mind before meeting the mermaids."

"I'm clean. I washed thoroughly..."

"That won't even come close!"

He suddenly yelled loudly. Startled, Miya and I flinched.

"You have to be even cleaner when meeting mermaids! There's no way you'll make it in this state!"

"..."

I quietly stepped back. I felt like I might get caught in the crossfire if I stayed nearby.

The highly excited man began to rave about how beautiful and dazzling the mermaids were.

"You're going to meet people like that, and you say you will show them such a filthy body and mind? This is an insult to them!"

"..."

Miya and I silently exchanged glances. Seeing him praising them so fanatically, somehow...

'It smells like a tremendous fanatic.'

As if she had the same thought as me, Miya also put her paw to my ear and began to whisper in a small voice.

"He seems completely insane. He looks dangerous."

"I think so too. Guys like that are no joke once they get hooked."

"That's right. So I think we'd better go back before we get into trouble."

Miya placed the pink jelly on the sole of her foot against my cheek and tapped it gently. Then she met my eyes.

"And that tastes absolutely awful. I'm telling you, it makes you want to throw up. You know we just can't stand bad food. Our palates are quite refined. Is there really any need to force ourselves to eat something that tastes so bad? Why don't we go back and find another way? Huh?"

Miya whispered a lot of seductive words.

'But having come this far, I can't turn back...'

I was hesitating, but then a thought suddenly crossed my mind, and I frowned.

"Wait a minute, have you ever met a mermaid, too?"

"..."

Miya shut her mouth tight, as if she had never been chattering. I realized the meaning of that silence.

"Seeing you, I realize it. That you can come back unharmed."

"But I did meet them, but I don't really know them! I can't remember! I swear!"

Miya desperately made excuses.

She even waggled her front paws cutely, but I lightly ignored her and handed Miya to the fisherman.

Then, I approached the man who was still angry.

As I clapped my hands, the man's bloodshot eyes turned toward me.

"You're right. I was truly short-sighted. How can I meet them with such a filthy body and mind? I can't possibly do that."

"..."

"Oh my, come to think of it, I'm really envious. It seems like you meet the mermaids quite often."

"...Well, that’s true."

"The mermaids specifically allowed this meeting, didn't they? So you were chosen by them. That is truly amazing."

"It's not that big of a deal over something like this, cough."

At my endless flattery, the man's shoulders began to soar toward the sky.

I rubbed my palms together and approached the man.

"I would also like to enjoy that honor. Please allow me."

"Well, there's no reason it wouldn't work. They will grant my request if I beg of them."

"You are truly amazing!"

I rubbed my palms together as if rubbing flints.

The corners of the man's mouth turned up, as if he really liked my attitude.

"Ahem. Flattery like that won't do any good. You have to drink this. It's their requirement. You know that the spirits can see souls, right? If you pretend you drank it and go inside, you'll be in big trouble, so make sure you drink it. There's no other choice."

"Oh, of course. How could I possibly agree?"

I kept nodding and accepted the potion.

'...That's what I said.'

I couldn't help but be worried. If mermaids aren't just good beings, as Miya and Shiva said, there might be other dangers.

'I still have to go. This is the only way.'

I drank the potion with firm resolve. Miya let out a frightened gasp.

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