Chapter 46

"I didn't know you would be aware of my every move."

"You were a talent in merpeople studies at the Academy. There aren't many people who study merpeople in depth at the Academy, are there?"

Erich invited them inside and served a hot beverage.

He and Arndt politely declined after smelling it, and only Leandros took a sip.

Erich, a commoner scholarship graduate from the Academy and a merpeople scholar, cleared his throat at the rare compliment.

"Hmm, ahem. That's true, but. What exactly does the royal palace want?"

"We'd like to hear detailed accounts since you've been in the south all this time. The atmosphere in the towns has been so tense that we couldn't freely gather information on our way here."

"Ah, yes. Everyone here is on edge too."

Erich nodded, stroking his bushy beard.

"It started small. Just a few fish floating up. This place is surrounded by the sea, isn't it? No one cared about a few fish dying."

"Then the scale increased explosively, I assume?"

"Yes. Fishing boats that went out at dawn were the first to witness it. People had various hypotheses, but when merperson corpses washed up on the beach, confusion set in."

Arndt asked.

"Is the death of merpeople a big problem?"

"You must be a native of another region. Merpeople are a type of demonic beast. Though they rarely encounter humans so many don't realize it, they definitely belong to the demonic beast category. That means they possess the same tenacious vitality as demonic beasts."

Arndt's eyes widened.

Indeed, in other regions, one couldn't hear detailed stories about merpeople.

So if Arndt was from the northeast, he would naturally know nothing about merpeople.

He asked on Arndt's behalf.

"So you thought the death of merpeople wasn't a coincidence?"

"Right. Merpeople might wash up after infighting within their species. But three merpeople have been discovered in this town alone."

As Erich spoke, Arndt immediately objected.

"From what I've heard briefly, there was no such talk. How did so many die?"

"The villages you visited might have concealed it. In the south, merpeople are ominous beings that lure and devour people, or control fish to escape from nets."

"So they couldn't openly talk about it?"

"That's right. I wouldn't have known either if this wasn't my hometown. But even I was struggling due to the lack of clues."

"Is there really no method?"

Up to this point, it was roughly similar to the last time.

Erich, lost in thought with a troubled expression.

He must have one method in mind.

As he had expected, Erich slowly opened his mouth.

"There is one. We might find clues if we meet and ask the merpeople themselves."

Arndt couldn't control his expression upon hearing this.

In his past life, Arndt had treated Erich like a madman.

Yes, there were no normal people among those who thought of meeting demonic beast species.

In the end, Arndt was right.

Swallowing a sigh, he responded to Erich.

"Putting aside whether merpeople and humans can communicate, it seems suspicious. Isn't this what you've been yearning for as a scholar?"

"Th-that's not true! I'm suggesting it because it's the best method available right now. Even as a scholar, I maintain my boundaries and human duty..."

"No, you don't need to say more."

What boundaries and human duty when his eyes were gleaming like that?

As Arndt and Leandros sent suspicious glances, Erich began to sweat profusely.

Seeing this, he closed his eyes lightly and thought.

Yes, he could have expected this.

If there was no other way, going along with it would be the best option.

What could he do when the storyline was like this?

But it seemed good to know other methods of meeting merpeople, just in case.

It might be useful later.

He frowned as if in deep contemplation, then answered.

"Alright. Let's do as you suggest, Professor."

"Your Grace, are you serious!?"

"It will be dangerous."

Leandros and Arndt immediately objected.

He shook his head at the two, indicating they shouldn't worry.

Erich, quickly perceiving that I had the leadership over the two, was nodding his head eagerly.

"You've thought well, I am a merpeople scholar, aren't I? So I will definitely make it possible for you to meet merpeople. Then we can solve the southern issue well, can't we!"

"Do you guarantee safety too?"

"Of course!"

A liar, through and through.

"Do we need to start right away?"

"No, not necessarily. Merpeople are sensitive to light, so it's better to go out at night."

"I see. Then please make the preparations. We have some matters to handle separately, so we'll come back again in the evening."

Erich, with a smile stretching from ear to ear, saw them off.

As soon as they were outside and Erich went back in, Arndt clung to his cloak.

"Your Grace, this can't be! That guy is truly insane. Did you see his eyes? His eyes were on fire. I guarantee you, no one with eyes like that is normal!"

"I know that too, you know?"

"Then why did you agree!"

As he looked helplessly at Arndt, who had thrown himself down at his feet, Leandros asked.

"What was the reason for seeking out this person? Did you know him from before?"

"No. He's someone I'm seeing for the first time."

In this life.

At his nonchalant answer, Leandros looked around the shabby house and asked again.

"Is there a reason it has to be this man?"

"No. That's not it."

There must be other methods as well.

He just hadn't found or recalled them yet.

After hesitating briefly, feeling his answer was insufficient, he added.

"Let's call it a revelation."

"A revelation?"

"Yes. It was a dream I had a while ago. It just seems like I can use it now."

He pulled up Arndt, who was rolling on the ground.

"Stop that and get up. There's something you need to do."

"Your Graaaaace..."

"Erich did mention safety with his own mouth, but it's right that we can't trust him completely."

"But you promised to do it!"

"We need to prepare too. Go to the village and see if there's a store. It's probably open, but if not, we'll have to go elsewhere."

"Do you have something you want to buy?"

Arndt looked dejected.

While dusting off the dirt on his back, he said.

"Yes. There are a few things I want to buy. You must find them by sunset, no matter what."

"What if I can't find them even if I die trying?"

"Then I'll tear your clothes to shreds and use them as substitutes."

"...I will definitely find them!"

* * *

Late that night.

They climbed up to a shore filled with protruding reefs, with the moon at their backs.

His hands were full of glittering valuables.

Arndt was holding a light to illuminate the dark path, and Erich was taking deep breaths, seemingly unable to calm down as the anticipated moment approached.

With Arndt's help, he climbed onto a reef just below which waves were splashing.

Erich, trying to remain calm, said.

"Now, your role is to..."

"I know, so you don't need to tell me."

To think he had to do this twice.

He found a place where he could sit and perched there.

Arndt and Erich, the two, stepped back so as not to interfere and extinguished the torch.

Only a faint acrid smell remained, and the surroundings instantly darkened.

The moon was shining brightly in the sky.

Moonlight. Waves. The glittering silver scales of decaying shoals of fish.

No drifting boats were visible in the distance.

The world was so quiet that it felt like it was watching this moment.

An alien sound intruded among the waves.

A clean, clear tone.

The sound, continuing unimaginably long as if calling someone, was buried in the sound of waves and then resounded again.

Looking into the distance, something appeared and disappeared on the water's surface.

Glittering scales and a tail hitting the water's surface.

A creature approaching instantly, as if one with the sea, looked up at him from beneath the surface.

A face that was still enchanting and beautiful.

Would such a form emerge if one combined the ideal beauty imagined by humans?

He slowly knelt down and extended his hand to the merperson.

Gold rings and glittering ribbons slid into the water.

The valuables disappeared even before they touched the sea.

The merperson, accepting the gift, came closer, placing arms on the reef.

[Hello. My gift?]

"I came to meet you. That's a gift."

[Happy. Want play with me?]

"How do you play?"

[Can make fun in the bottom of the sea. Everyone likes it. People on ships, they like us.]

The merperson spoke proudly.

It seemed to think, without a trace of doubt, that he would be dragged to the bottom of the sea.

He nodded.

"Playing is nice."

[Then come together? I'll take you.]

The merperson grabbed his arm firmly.

A slippery, moist sensation tightly squeezed his arm.

It was a situation where he could be dragged away with a single mistake, but he wasn't afraid at all.

"Instead, how about playing on land?"

[Land?]

His hand firmly gripped the merperson's arm.

Simultaneously, a massive shadow rose behind him and slowly loomed over.

The merperson let out a sharp scream upon seeing it, but it was already too late.

"Leandros, I think we should treat our guest from the sea with utmost hospitality."

"I'll do as ordered."

The identity of the shadow was Leandros.

If he had come alone, he might have been devoured by the merperson, but if there was a protagonist buff?

Of course he would have the upper hand.

[Lie! Liar!]

"What, you."

If it remembered the past life, it wouldn't be able to say such things.

Are you the only one who can kidnap?

He could do it too, the bastard.