TFLCM - Chapter 97

"How dare you..."

Noelier's voice surged with rage. I could feel the burning heat from our pressed bodies.

At the same time, his appearance began to change slowly. His human form vanished, and a red dragon revealed itself.

"Gasp...!"

“It’s a dragon!”

The mermaids stepped back with frightened faces.

It was the first time I had seen Noelier turn into a dragon. The dragon's wings surrounded me as if to protect me.

Grrrrrr.

The sound of seething rage was heard from her throat. It was a gaze intense enough to burn up everyone who was an eyesore.

However, if Noelier exerts force here, everything will be in vain.

I fumbled and hugged Noelier's body.

"No, Noel, please hold back. Please."

The dragon's eyes turned toward me. I could see its rough breathing gradually subsiding.

I shook my head again.

The dragon's wings were gone before I knew it. Strong arms hugged me tightly.

"...Didn't I clearly tell you that I wouldn't hesitate when I become a threat to you..."

His voice trembled violently.

A fear I had never seen before was etched on Noelier's face. The arms holding me tightened their grip.

"I guess it really is a companion."

"Then what does that make of what you said, Leader? You clearly said it was a lie."

"But isn't it strange even if it's the truth? You're the leader, the one who said we would be punished if we spoke up!"

The murmur of the mermaids grew louder. In the midst of this, Mentira, trembling and muttering something, collapsed right there.

"Father!"

Henry quickly supported Mentira.

However, as if he had taken a strong shock, he could not easily get up.

Coming to my senses again, I turned my head and looked at Aria.

Aria slowly sat up. She, too, had the face of someone who had just woken up.

"I did think something was strange."

She muttered blankly.

"I'm definitely a Siren... and a cursed red-haired one at that... so why am I seeing something, ha..."

It was a muttered remark filled with despondency, but everyone except Mentira focused on her words.

"I wanted to ask my parents, but I thought that couldn't be true. Since I have cursed red hair, I thought I was just seeing hallucinations... But in my dreams, it kept..."

Unorganized words poured out one after another.

"There was someone who kept killing me in my dreams. A blonde... siren..."

It was then that murderous intent surged in Aria's eyes.

"You!"

She pushed the servants away with great force and lunged at the fallen Mentira.

"You killed me! You! Back then, you...!"

"Hey!"

"Not only did you kill me and steal my eyes...! But you brainwashed everyone...!"

The knight mermaids tried to stop Aria. Aria, appearing half-crazed, grabbed Mentira by the collar, who had already lost consciousness and collapsed.

"Why did you do that! I'm asking why you did that!"

"Stop! He's already lost consciousness!'

"You killed me, you killed my family! You...! You...!" 

Tears choked the end of Aria's voice. It felt as though even a raging storm would be calmer than this. But it was a truth that absolutely had to be revealed. 

The brainwashing that had lasted so long vanished. Yes. 

This was the very 'truth' he had wanted to hide so desperately. 

***

Charles and I decided to move to a different location for a moment to calm Aria down.

Until then, Aria was still muttering something with a dazed look on her face. 

'I was right after all.'

Charles, being a fellow Siren, did not realize that I was a wolf. 

Only Aria had noticed my true identity. 

Just as Noelier was the reincarnation of the first leader, Aria was also the reincarnation of the first leader. 

However, the blonde Siren who had taken over the leadership position had already brainwashed the people.

If you tell the truth, you will be punished.

The red-haired siren was cursed.

That brainwashing continued for a long time.

In the end, it resulted in everyone turning a blind eye to the truth.

'And that brainwashing blinded even Aria herself...'

I quietly looked down at Aria. I could neither comfort nor empathize. It was a weight she had to bear entirely on her own.

"...I really don't know how this happened."

Charles opened his mouth in a trembling voice.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, everything has been revealed."

She paused as she bowed her head in greeting.

"But... something is strange. I certainly heard that some mermaids cunningly sell the truth. Then, haven't they opened their eyes to some extent? Why didn't anyone know that the leader was a fake? And..."

She trailed off and glanced at me.

"What kind of magic are you using? This is the first time I've seen a Siren break a mind control spell."

At her words, I quietly looked down at my hands.

When I entered Metira's body, I clearly saw a blue light.

'And you asked if the human King had betrayed us.'

Why did he think of a human King? Was there some kind of connection?

It was a time of confusion.

"Perhaps he had already lost his ability."

My thoughts naturally stopped at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. We all looked in unison toward the source of the voice.

It was the blue-haired mermaid who had snapped at me, asking how I dared to speak to the young master.

As we looked at her with wary eyes, she raised her empty hands to the sky and spoke.

"My name is Rene. My family has served the Leader for generations. Of course, that seems to have become a shameful past, though..."

She muttered in a bitter voice.

Now that everything had been revealed, it seemed unlikely that her loyalty would remain.

Charles's attitude also softened, perhaps because he shared my thoughts.

Reading his expression, she continued speaking.

"We were brainwashed like fools and closed our eyes of our own accord without even knowing who the first leader was. That has continued to this day, even after that Siren died."

She said with a self-deprecating laugh.

"No matter how strong an ability is, it is bound to degenerate. In the end, we have become so weak that we can only see the most trivial things, such as what the mermaid we met today did yesterday."

I could read the hollow, fading pride in Rene's green eyes as he spoke.

"Now I understand. Why they said 'truth'..."

Since he couldn't see the truth himself, he made everyone keep their mouths shut.

She muttered hollowly.

'Of course, since it is an ability you originally possessed, it will return someday, but...'

It would probably take a lot of time.

Because tearing down what was built on lies and setting it right again was not an easy task.

"...Excuse me."

Then, Aria muttered something in a listless voice.

As if regaining some sense, the focus returned to her light purple eyes.

"I was flustered earlier, so I couldn't tell you..."

Aria slowly parted her bloodless lips.

"...Thank you"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have lived my whole life without knowing who I was. I would have died resenting myself for being born with red hair."

She forced a smile. It was different from the smile I had seen at the mansion. Though she was extremely exhausted, it was a clear and peaceful smile.

I quietly shook my head. After all, I had a purpose in undertaking such a major undertaking.

"If you're grateful, could you do me a favor? I'd like you to use your abilities for me."

"My abilities? Is there something you want to find out?"

Aria tilted her head in puzzlement.

I silently gestured to Rene and Charles. The quick-witted fellow stepped aside.

Finally, I came face to face with the leader of the mermaids.

Hesitating and parting my lips, I asked a question that would turn my whole life upside down.

"I want to know if I am the wolf that stole the dragon's heart."

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