Ch. 174
“…Huh?”
“That’s it! That’s why you’ve been acting weird lately! Caught you, you little punk!”
My deduction was flawless.
He must’ve seen me as a child — the same way I still remembered him from back then — and therefore was seeing ‘me’ as that same little girl.
Still that tiny, helpless child!
That’s why he was so desperate to protect me!
“How dare you!”
“What kind of absurd misunderstanding…”
“Then what is it! Why do you keep looking at me like that lately?”
“Have I… been acting strange?”
“Yes!”
To think he’d dare treat ‘me’ like a little sister!
Sure, I was younger than him, and yes, I did technically have older brothers — but that was beside the point!
For some reason, the thought of Ash seeing me that way was unbearably irritating.
“Tell me the truth! You think I’m just some kid, don’t you!”
“I don’t.”
“…You don’t?”
“You have quite the imagination…”
What? My brilliant deduction was wrong? Impossible!
Ash shook his head firmly, and beside him, Rai also shook his head in perfect sync — though likely for different reasons.
[Ah, how embarrassing…]
[What do you mean embarrassing! You’re not denying it either, are you!]
[Of course! Ash doesn’t see Master as a little sister at all!]
[Oh? Then what?]
[He sees you as ‘Master’! His owner! Just like me!]
Hmm. That did make some sense.
I stroked my chin, recalling how I’d been ordering Ash around quite a bit lately.
Had I perhaps awakened the dormant servant instincts of the imperial prince?
That explained why he’d been following me everywhere, unable to take his eyes off me — it wasn’t obsession, it was duty!
He couldn’t help it; his loyal nature compelled him to serve.
“Yes, yes, I see now.”
“Geenie? What are you suddenly agreeing with yourself about…?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“This feels ominous.”
Indeed, my power of command clearly extended beyond spirits — it worked on humans too.
Truly, I was a captivating mistress, born to be obeyed!
Everyone just ‘longed’ to serve me.
[I can hear everything you’re thinking, you know? Master, your self-admiration is excessive.]
[Hey! Ever heard of privacy?]
[Strong emotions are loud, okay! Your overconfidence practically burns to listen to!]
There’s a saying — too much is as bad as too little.
This invasion of privacy was entirely Rai’s fault. He was a special kind of spirit, one that didn’t need to return to the Spirit Realm, which meant he could always feel everything I did.
Most spirits didn’t cling so tightly or pry this much into my thoughts.
[Master! I found it all!]
“There you are! My cute, sweet, capable, considerate, and hopefully soon-to-be Spirit-Realm-returning precious Undine!”
[I don’t know what you’re up to again, but just like you said — I picked up ‘everything!’]
Everything?
[There was too much stuff floating in the sea, so I brought anything that looked similar!]
Splash!
Undine dumped a bundle of seawater at my feet, spilling out a mountain of soaked junk.
Dozens of wet, shiny, coin-sized items rolled across the deck — and some were actual corroded coins.
Who knew the ocean was this polluted? I almost felt bad for it.
Crouching down, I began rummaging through the mysterious pile.
“This one’s an earring, that’s a broken bottle… no idea what this is… definitely not it… what’s this one?”
Mixed among the mess were colorful seashells, big fish scales, even strands of seaweed.
It was the girl who spotted it first — her eyes sharp as a hawk’s as she grabbed something from the pile.
“This is it! My brooch!”
It looked rather plain to me — I’d seen far more dazzling treasures — but I knew value wasn’t measured by price.
“That’s it? Good for you.”
“Thank you! You too, and that blue fairy!”
“Her name’s Undine.”
“Can Undine be my friend?”
Ah, such innocence.
She wanted to befriend a spirit. Adorable.
Looking into her bright, hopeful eyes, I nodded… kindly.
“No.”
“Ah… no?”
“There’s an unbridgeable wall between your worlds, dear. A barrier greater than species.”
“…Barrier?”
“And Undine may look young, but she’s almost forty—”
“Geenie.”
Ash tapped my shoulder gently, clearly telling me to stop teasing the kid.
Then he picked up one of the fish scales from the pile and placed it in my hand.
“You should keep this.”
“Why? It smells fishy.”
“It’s a mermaid’s scale.”
“This is?”
“Yes. I’ve seen one before.”
I had sensed water energy from it, but assumed it was just from the sea — or Undine.
I held the scale up and examined it.
It shimmered like mother-of-pearl, roughly the size of a child’s palm, glowing with hues of blue and green.
“Didn’t know. It’s my first time seeing one.”
When I turned it toward the sunlight, its shifting colors made me imagine how beautiful it must look underwater.
“They say carrying it prevents seasickness.”
“That’s impressive.”
“Naval officers often keep them. They’re quite valuable.”
The scale was firm yet flexible, perfect for making jewelry.
“I’ve never been on ships much. Think it’d help with warp sickness too?”
“I doubt it. It’s said mermaids never get seasick, even in storms — so it probably only works against the motion of water, not space. Hardly all-powerful.”
“Figures. It’s not like I can test it anyway.”
Warping was, for me, equivalent to gambling with my life.
Maybe when God made me, He poured in too much beauty, talent, and spirit mastery — then panicked and tossed in “warp sickness” as balance.
Anyway, the scale seemed perfect for a pendant, so I slipped it safely into my pocket.
“You’re lucky, Geenie. Finding a mermaid’s scale in the middle of the sea — or rather, catching one.”
“Yeah. Though sometimes I can’t tell if I’m lucky or cursed.”
“It’s luck. See? Good deeds come back to you.”
“Hmph.”
My loud scoff made him flinch, but he still smiled faintly.
Still, no amount of moral reward was going to change my nature.
Everyone has an instinct, Ash — and mine is pure, radiant self-interest.
The most important thing in the world is ‘me!’ That’s the truth!
“Lill! What are you doing over there!”
“Brother! Mom!”
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
Two people ran across the deck calling the girl’s name — clearly her mother and brother.
“…Hey! Didn’t she say that was her mother’s keepsake?”
“Hmm? It’s Mom’s ‘mother’s’ keepsake. If I’d lost it, Mom would’ve been furious. She’d have smacked me for sure!”
What the— so those tears were out of ‘fear’ of being scolded?!
I thought she’d been crying from heartbreak!
“Um… and you are?”
The mother, clutching her daughter, looked up at me warily.
Right, ‘we’re’ the suspicious ones now? You’re the one who lost track of your kid!
“Mom! This lady found my brooch! I dropped it in the sea!”
“Lill! I told you to be careful!”
“I wanted to show it near where the mermaids come out…”
“Good grief, you can’t see mermaids through a necklace! That’s it — give it back to me.”
“Lill, you idiot! Do you know how worried we were?”
Turns out, the kid had been lost — and didn’t even realize it.
Ash watched with a guilty expression while they scolded her, and I just watched them bicker blandly.
“I’m not a baby anymore!”
“Yeah, right! You always make trouble!”
“You don’t know anything!”
It reminded me suddenly of my own brothers.
They used to panic and search for me whenever I wandered off — which was often.
I apparently had a habit of toddling into strange places the moment I could walk.
And every time, it was my brothers who found me. I’d vanish again, and they’d cry again.
Even now, they were probably still looking for me.
I hoped word of my survival spread quickly — faster than it took to find a dragon.
Maybe I should send a letter to Drike just to speed it up.
After three seconds of sibling sympathy, hunger took over my thoughts.
“My daughter owes you our thanks. Truly, thank you both.”
“Let’s go, Lill! Your father’s been searching for you too!”
“We’ll go now. Thank you, miss!”
So much for a tragic backstory — they were just a normal, happy family.
After they left, I crossed my arms and looked at Ash, feeling strangely tricked.
“What was that again? ‘It’s her mother’s keepsake, so we have to find it,’ was it?”
“…”
“You have a mouth. Use it.”
“That doesn’t change the fact we did a good deed.”
“Oh really? You dared make me do something nice?”
He didn’t resist even as I grabbed his cheeks and stretched them.
He stayed still, obedient as a well-trained dog. His skin was taut, not soft, with just enough bounce to make it satisfying to squish.
“You little… aren’t you going to apologize?”
“Apowogize?”
“Yes! You might not know what for, but do it anyway!”
“I’m sowwy…”
[Master, your personality’s really showing right now…]
If I had to name his crime, it was this — daring to tempt me toward the path of virtue.