Chapter 108

Anyway.

“Just what exactly are those fish-human things swimming around over there?”

“Ah, those kids? Well… a bunch of stuff happened.”

Thetis smiled faintly as she spoke.

“My main body may be resting here, but my influence extends through all the seas connected to me.”

“Hmm. I see.”

Unlike kids like Ifrit or Sagarmatha who have limited physical forms, Thetis and Sylphid could control nearly everything as long as they were connected to their main bodies.

As long as they’re linked, almost every ocean moves at Thetis’ command.

“Every so often, members of other races would fall into the sea. Lizardmen and beastmen usually swam out fine on their own though.”

Lizardmen and beastmen…

“You mean the Lizardmen and Beastmen, right? They’re good swimmers.”

Especially Lizardmen, who can swim using just their tails without even needing their hands and feet.

Plus, their lung capacity is incredible—they can hold their breath for tens of minutes easily.

Man, if it weren’t for temperature limitations, Lizardmen probably would’ve conquered the world by now.

“There were Lizardmen and Beastmen indeed. Anyway, while most humans who swam well managed to escape, some got stuck deep in the ocean.”

Hmm. The danger of the sea—drowning’s a real risk.

“So whenever I could, I’d rescue them, nurse them back to health underwater, then send them home once they recovered.”

“Hmm. That was very kind of you.”

At my praise, Thetis scratched her head sheepishly.

“Anyway, when I was caring for them, I set up little spaces for them underwater. Some of the fish grew curious watching the humans.”

“Huh. And then?”

“Well… eventually, the fish started gradually transforming into human-like shapes.”

Human-like fish.

“Like those fish-people over there?”

“It’s a bit different. Back then, it was more like… fish with arms and legs.”

Fish with arms and legs…

“That sounds….”

“Yes. I thought the same thing.”

What is that? Feels like something out of a horror manga. Fish with arms and legs? Terrifying…

“The humans freaked out when they saw it, so I gave them a bit of a scolding. After that, they started changing their appearance again.”

“So that’s how they became those fish-people with human torsos?”

“Exactly. There were several trial-and-error phases, but eventually we settled on this form.”

Several trials and errors, huh. Hmm. I don’t think I want to know the details.

“These rescued humans don’t seem to mind their appearance, and neither do the fish-people themselves. Though their intelligence is somewhat lacking compared to humans, they’re still smarter than regular fish, so they’re useful for various tasks.”

“Hmm. I see.”

Fortunately, there don’t seem to be any fish-human hybrids here.

“Well, thanks to this, some humans even decided to stay underwater and form families with the fish-people. But land-dwellers aren’t meant to live underwater for too long.”

Hmm. So there were some fish-human hybrids after all.

“Anyway, that’s how these kids came to be. It wasn’t really as big a deal as you might think, right?”

“Well, despite that… I did get a glimpse of humanity’s boundless potential.”

Who would’ve thought fish could transform like this? Humans… they’re truly terrifying.

I wonder if someday someone will try turning lizards—or Lizardmen—into something similar. The possibilities of humanity…

“Grrr…”

Hmm? A voice and the sound of a door opening from the cabin. Did the Hero finally wake up from their deep slumber?

Ah, maybe it’s because Thetis calmed the sea waves, easing the Hero’s seasickness a bit.

“Phew. Finally feeling a bit better… Oh? Who’s this?”

“Oh, you’re awake? This is… hmm. The God of the Sea.”

“God of the Sea sounds so formal. Just call me Thetis.”

Thetis said this, then hugged me from behind. Soft! Such softness and fluffiness I lack entirely.

N-not that I’m jealous or anything!

“Nice to meet you. I’m the Hero favored by the Goddess of Life. Thetis rules over all the seas.”

“Ah, nice to meet you. I’m the Hero.”

The Hero couldn’t look directly at Thetis’ beautiful face.

Well, she is gorgeous! And one of the kindest beings around!

“So… since our main goal here is done, let’s start preparing to head back.”

“Oh, already? Can’t you stay a bit longer?”

“I’m quite busy.”

Meaning the Hero. I could fly to the other side of the world instantly if I wanted.

“How about staying one more night? I’ll catch you some fresh seafood!”

Hmm. Fresh seafood. The fish we caught and ate on the way here were pretty tasty.

Properly scaled, sliced into sashimi, dipped in spicy soy sauce… Mmm. Yum.

“In that case… let’s stay one night and then leave. We should also check on the Hero’s condition.”

“I just wanna go ASAP!”

“Sounds like the Hero agrees.”

Unfortunately, the Hero had no choice in the matter.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The fresh sashimi Thetis provided was absolutely delicious.

When Thetis gestured, fish jumped onto the boat as if begging to be eaten.

If this were a fishing boat, it would’ve been fully loaded in no time. Unfortunately, aside from me, the Hero, and the Guardian Deity of Beasts, there were no other passengers, so most of the fish were sent back to the sea.

We grilled and sliced a few of them though!

Using purified salt from seawater and magical flames, the grilled fish was outstanding. Direct-from-the-mountains grilled fish—it couldn’t possibly be bad.

And Thetis, getting into the mood, also fished up clams and abalone from the depths, which the Mermaids eagerly brought over as well.

Thanks to this, we feasted on an abundance of seafood.

Mmm. The clam grill was especially good. When grilled on a metal grate over fire, it impressed even Thetis, who requested to learn the fire magic despite her poor affinity with flames. Using sheer magical power, she managed to conjure fire anyway.

So, between me, the Hero, Thetis, and the bonus guest—the Guardian Deity of Beasts—we four beings enjoyed a seafood feast.

Just as we were celebrating,

“KYAA!”

“Run away!”

“It’s a Sea Serpent! The Sea Serpent has appeared!”

The Mermaids began panicking.

A Sea Serpent, huh. Hmm…

“Hero. Draw your sword.”

“Huh?”

“One good meal means paying the bill, doesn’t it?”

At my words, the Hero hesitantly picked up their sword.

“But Thetis is here, why should I—”

“Tsk tsk. Sometimes you need to know how to fight underwater. Besides, just because a god is present doesn’t mean you can shirk responsibilities. Did I raise you to be like that?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Come on, both of you. Stop arguing. I’ll cast a water-breathing spell on you two. Go ahead and fight. And with me nearby, you won’t lose, right?”

The Hero sighed softly, then reluctantly nodded.

“Fighting after eating is a first for me…”

“Yeah. Even dog-beastmen wouldn’t disturb a meal, normally.”

At my words, the Hero sighed again before jumping into the sea.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Mermaids are a mysterious race that has existed for ages.

A half-human, half-fish species.

Sometimes seen helping humans, sometimes classified as monsters for luring them into the sea.

Their legend dates back centuries, but the earliest recorded mention was in an unnamed Hero’s adventure tale.

“In the distant sea where the God of the Sea resides, many Mermaids lived.

They were as innocent as children, full of curiosity but occasionally frustratingly foolish.

They praised the great flow as their deity, and the God of the Sea protected them from the many dangers of the sea.”

From this record, Mermaids can be considered subjects of Thetis, the goddess of the sea and protector of sailors. Hurting them would invoke the wrath of the sea.

But foolish humans, swayed by superstition, hunted Mermaids believing:

“Eating Mermaid flesh grants eternal life.”

— From “On Mermaids.”