Chapter 108
Well, that’s that.
“So, how on earth did those swimming fish-people come about?”
“Oh, those kids? Well… let’s just say a lot of things happened.”
Thetis said with a small smile.
“Though my main body is really just chilling here, my influence stretches to all the seas connected to it.”
“Ah, I see.”
Unlike kids like Ifrit or Sagarmatha with their limited forms, both Thetis and Sylphid could handle pretty much anything connected to their main bodies.
As long as they’re connected, the vast oceans could pretty much move like Thetis’ own limbs.
“You know, sometimes other races fall into the sea. Well, the lizardmen and beastmen swim pretty well and manage to get out on their own.”
Lizardmen and beastmen…
“You mean the lizardmen and the beastfolk, right? Those guys are great swimmers.”
Especially the lizardmen, who can swim just using their tails without even utilizing their limbs properly.
Plus, their lung capacity is phenomenal—they can hold their breath for ages!
Honestly, if it weren’t for the whole temperature restriction, lizardmen might have taken over the world by now.
“I see, so that’s what they’re called. Anyway, the humans who could swim well managed to escape the sea, but occasionally some would fall in deep.”
Ah, the dangers of the sea. One wrong move and you’re toast.
“So, I tried to rescue any humans I could, kept them safe in the water until they regained their strength, and then sent them back home later.”
“Wow, that was kind of you.”
At my compliment, Thetis bashfully scratched her head.
“Anyway, while I was looking after those humans, some of the fish started getting curious about them.”
“Hmm… and then?”
“Afterward… the fish began slowly transforming, becoming more human-like.”
Humans turning into fish, huh?
“Like those fish-people?”
“Kind of, but different. Back then, they weren’t quite humanoid; they were just fish with limbs popping out.”
Fish with limbs…
“That sounds a bit… unsettling.”
“Yeah, I thought so too.”
What is this? I feel like I’ve seen something like that in one of those horror comics. Fish with limbs? Sounds terrifying.
“The humans who saw that freaked out, so I had to give them a proper scolding. After that, the transformations continued.”
“And that’s how the half-human, half-fish creatures were born?”
“Exactly. There were quite a few trial and error moments, but that’s how it turned out.”
Trial and error, huh? Yeah, I’m not too keen on hearing more about that.
“The humans rescued from the sea didn’t mind their appearance, and it seems the kids liked their forms, so they’re living like that now. Their intelligence is kind of lacking compared to humans, but they’re still smarter than regular fish, making them good for various tasks.”
“Got it.”
Thankfully, it seems there weren’t any fish-human hybrids lying around.
“Well, there were some humans who wanted to live with those kids in the sea instead of going back, but it’s generally not great for land-dwellers to stay underwater for too long.”
Ah, so I guess there really are fish-people after all.
“In any case, that’s how those kids came to be. Not as impressive as you might have pictured, right?”
“Not impressive? I just caught a glimpse of the limitless potential of humans.”
Who would’ve thought fish could become something like that? Humans… are terrifying in ways I didn’t expect.
Who knows, maybe one day a human will figure out how to become a lizard… The possibilities are endless…
“Ugh…”
Hmm? I hear the sound of a door opening from the cabin along with the hero’s voice. Did our hero finally wake from their deep slumber?
Oh, it might be thanks to Thetis calming the seas and making the hero’s seasickness a little better.
“Phew, I’m finally feeling a bit better… Huh? Who are you?”
“Ah, awakened, have you? This is… well, the goddess of the sea.”
“Skip the formal stuff; just call me Thetis.”
With that, Thetis hugged me from behind. Oh. Well then. That’s quite soft—something I definitely don’t have!
But, I’m not jealous or anything!
“It’s nice to meet you, Hero blessed by the Goddess of Life. I am Thetis, the ruler of all seas.”
“Ah, y-yes, it’s a pleasure. I am the Hero.”
The hero seemed unable to make eye contact with Thetis’ stunning beauty.
I mean, she is a looker! She’s also the sweetest of the bunch!
“Well then… since we’ve achieved the main goal of coming here, I guess it’s time to start preparing to head back.”
“Oh, already? Can’t you stay a little longer?”
“I’m quite busy, you see.”
Not me, the hero is the one busy. I could flutter off to the other side of the world in a heartbeat if I wanted.
“Then at least stay for one more night. I’ll gather you heaps of fresh seafood!”
Hmm, fresh seafood does sound tempting. The fish I caught on the way here were quite tasty.
Carefully descaled, sliced into sashimi, dipped generously in spicy sauce… Mmm, tasty.
“Then… I guess I’ll stay one more night. I should check on the Hero’s condition a bit more anyway.”
“I’d rather just leave as soon as possible!”
“It sounds like the Hero is inclined towards that decision too.”
Unfortunately for the hero, they had no say in the matter.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The fresh sashimi that Thetis provided was absolutely delectable.
With a little wave of her hand, the fish jumped onto the boat as if begging to be eaten.
If this were a fishing boat, we would’ve hit the jackpot, but unfortunately, besides me, the hero, and the Beast God, there were no other passengers. Most of the fish got tossed back.
But we did grill and munch on some of them!
The grilled fish cooked over clean salt extracted from the seawater using magical flames was nothing short of amazing. Fresh from the ocean—how could it possibly taste bad?
Plus, an excited Thetis also dug up clams, abalone, and other goodies from the deep, and the thrilled merfolk brought us more treats.
Thanks to that, our bellies were loaded with a mountain of seafood.
Ah, grilled clams were simply delightful. Thetis was so surprised by how good they turned out when grilled that she even asked me to teach her the fire magic—though her compatibility with fire is abysmal. But with sheer magical force, we managed to get a fire going.
So, it was me, the hero, Thetis, and even the Beast God enjoying a grand seafood feast when suddenly…
“Kyaa!”
“Run for your lives!”
“A sea serpent! A sea serpent has appeared!”
Loud shouts erupted among the merfolk.
A sea serpent, huh…
“Hero, grab your sword.”
“Huh?”
“We’ve had a big meal, so we ought to pay for it, right?”
At my words, the hero hesitated but eventually picked up the sword.
“But the Goddess of the Sea is right here; why should I be the one…”
“Now, now, sometimes you have to know how to fight in the sea too. Besides, just because a god is nearby doesn’t mean you can slough off all the work onto them. Did I raise you to be like that?”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“Come now you two, no fighting. I’ll cast a spell that lets you breathe underwater. Give it a shot. And with me around, there’s no way you can lose, right?”
The hero sighed slightly and then nodded reluctantly.
“Fighting right after a meal is a first for me…”
“Hmm. Normally, even guard dogs won’t mess with you while eating, but I guess the hero is different.”
At my remark, the hero sighed again and leaped into the sea.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Merfolk are a race shrouded in mystery for a long time.
With an upper body like a human and a lower body like a fish, they are a unique subrace.
Sometimes they assist humans, and other times they’re classified as creatures luring humans into the depths.
The legends of mermaids have been recorded for ages, with the earliest account found in the adventures of an unnamed hero.
[In the distant sea, where the Sea God resides, there lived many merfolk.
They were as innocent as children, curious beings, but sometimes stunningly naïve.
They praised the Sea God as the grand flow of the ocean, and the Sea God cared for them, shielding them from the numerous dangers lurking below the waves.]
Based on this account, we can infer that merfolk are the followers of Thetis, the goddess of the sea and protector of sailors, and harming them would bring forth the wrath of the sea.
However, foolish humans, swept up by a superstition, attempted to hunt the merfolk.
[The superstition claimed that eating mermaid flesh would grant eternal youth and life.]
– On Mermaids.
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