Ch. 1: Prince of the Merfolk
The clear blue sky reflected on the transparent sea, accentuating its beauty.
Turning towards the ring I found on the beach, I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes.
OO: “…”
The surrounding area was bathed in a dazzling light.
(So bright…)
A moment later, I opened my eyes, and the one who had fallen on the sandy beach was…
??: “…Ooh…”
OO: “Are you okay!?”
I rushed to his side, and my breath caught in surprise.
Instead of legs, this prince had a tail covered in beautiful scales.
(A merman…?)
I had never seen this kind of thing outside of a picture book, so I couldn’t help but stare at him.
His long eyelashes swayed slightly, fluttering on his handsome face.
(He’s so beautiful…)
After a brief pause, eyes like porcelain snapped open.
??: “…Ah!”
Panicking, he planted his hands in the sand, and, the next moment, he dove into the sea.
OO: “Ah…… um!”
I called out, and he looked back momentarily…
??: “…… you saved me, didn’t you?”
From a slight distance away, at sea level, he peered at me with a fixed gaze.
OO: “Yes, and you are…?”
Sarasa: “My name is Sarasa. Thank you for saving me.”
That was all he said before diving into the ocean, and he instantly disappeared from view.
Ch. 2: Gazing Eyes
The merman prince who had awakened left me with those words and quickly dove into the ocean…
Once again, I went to the coast.
I stood on the smooth, white sand, gazing at the glittering, cobalt blue sea.
(Sarasa… is a merfolk prince, huh…)
I couldn’t forget his beautiful scales, hair the color of the ocean, and those clear eyes…
(I’d like to see him one more time…)
Whispering in my heart, I remembered the day we met.
———————–
??: “….. My name is Sarasa. Thank you for saving me.”
———————–
As he gazed directly at me with his large eyes, I was immediately drawn in.
OO: “Prince Sarasa…”
The name I softly whispered was swept away by the ocean breeze.
――And so a few hours passed after I had come to the beach.
(I’ll try waiting a little longer…)
A surprising amount of time had passed since I’d come to the beach but…
I just couldn’t throw away the small glimmer of hope that I would get to see him one more time, so I stared out at the sea.
(…maybe I should go.)
It felt as though a long time had passed since I came to the sea.
Alone on the beach, gazing at the waves, a forlorn feeling tugged at my heart.
(Maybe… just a little longer…)
Unable to give up on my faint hope, I gazed at the sea once more.
(I wonder why I’m so fascinated by this…)
Thinking of the day before, I wasn’t able to forget Sarasa looking at me with those frightened eyes.
Was that the reason why I wanted to know more about him, or was I just interested in learning about the merfolk as a whole?
It was an answer that I, myself, did not know, as I waited for him, alone, by the sea.
…
……
As time passed, the soft red glow of the sunset painted beautiful gradient hues in the sky.
The golden shape of the setting sun shimmering on the surface of the waves was so beautiful, and yet, somehow, I felt sad.
OO: “As I thought, of course it wouldn’t be so easy to see him again…”
All alone on the shore, my quietly murmured words were drowned out by the sound of the waves.
A cold sea breeze ruffled my hair, and I unconsciously hunched my shoulders against the chill.
(It’s gotten pretty cold…. I’ll stop for today.)
Discouraged, I let out a small sigh, stood, and turned away from the shore.
…
――As OO turned her back to the sea, Sarasa’s face emerged from the water with a splash.
Sarasa: “…you want… to see me?”
At the deserted seaside, Sarasa quietly muttered to himself.
Sarasa: “… should I have called out to her? A human… princess…”
Sarasa gazed at OO as she walked away. She became smaller and smaller the further she got from view.
However, OO left the beach without noticing him.
Ch. 3: The Second Human
I wanted to see Sarasa again no matter what, so I went to visit the seaside once more.
OO: “I wonder if I can see him today…”
Gazing out at the cobalt blue sea, I searched for signs of Sarasa.
Today the waves were calm, and the light of the sun sparkled off the sand into my eyes.
(This time I didn’t see him, but…)
Even though I waited for Sarasa by the sea for hours that day, I was unable to see him after all.
The loneliness I felt that day resurfaced, and I sighed.
(I’m sure Sarasa will appear again here, at this beach.)
With that feeling in mind, I fixed my gaze on the endless blue sea.
However…
Even as I waited, Sarasa did not appear, and only the sound of the waves could be heard on the quiet shore.
OO: “I guess… I won’t see him today, either.”
With a feeling of worry crushing my chest, I walked towards the beach…
OO: “It’s cold…… !”
The small waves splashed up and stopped against my feet, and my shoulders raised in surprise. At that time…
Sarasa: “…hey.”
(Eh…?)
Unexpectedly, I heard a voice from behind me and turned around, and the owner of that voice was looking at me from the sea.
OO: “Prince…Sarasa?”
Upon seeing the one I had so deeply wished to see, I was filled with happiness.
Sarasa: “…”
Sarasa approached the beach, looking very hesitant.
(I get to see him again…)
Sarasa placed his hands on the beach and lifted his body out of the water.
I sat down on a nearby rock, shifting my eyes to gaze in the same direction.
Sarasa: “That time… I’m sorry I disappeared so quickly.”
OO: “Oh no, I’m sorry I startled you.”
Sarasa: “…it’s fine. …”
OO: “…”
(The conversation…stopped.)
OO: “It’s fine, I’m happy I got to see you again.”
Sarasa: “Happy?”
OO: “Yes, happy.”
Sarasa: “…”
OO: “…”
(Huh… did I say something strange?)
For a short while, we gazed at each other in silence.
I almost got lost in his large eyes, but then I returned to my senses and tried to find something we could talk about…
Sarasa: “You… are Traumere’s princess, right? A human?”
Sarasa muttered.
OO: “Eh…-”
Surprised by his sudden question, I froze a little.
Sarasa: “…”
And, once again, we fell silent.
OO: “Um…-”
I had to try and continue the conversation…-
Sarasa: “You’re… the second human I’ve ever spoken to.”
OO: “The second?”
Sarasa tilted his head slightly.
Sarasa: “What’s your name?”
OO: “It’s OO.”
Sarasa: “That’s a nice name… almost as good as mine.”
(Oh, he smiled!)
As I was distracted by seeing Sarasa’s smile for the first time, he continued to ask me questions.
Sarasa: “Why… are you here, OO?”
(What should I do… if I say I’ve been waiting for him this whole time, that might be too weird.)
OO: “Um…I wanted to see you again so…”
Sarasa: “You wanted…to see me?”
OO: “Yes…”
Sarasa looked at me curiously and I reflexively felt my cheeks flush.
OO: “…I was taking a walk.”
Sarasa: “A walk?”
Upon hearing my words, Sarasa frowned.
OO: “Ah… oh, I’m sorry. That was a lie, I came here because I wanted to see you again…”
Sarasa: “You came… to see me?”
OO: “Yes…”
Sarasa gazed at me with his golden eyes, and I averted my gaze without thinking.
Sarasa: “…you’re a strange one. You don’t know me at all, but you waited all that time.”
OO: “Eh…-”
(How does he know I was waiting?)
Sarasa: “Ah, no… it’s nothing.”
Unexpectedly, Sarasa turned his face away from me.
Even such a small gesture was beautiful…
(I want to know more about him…)
The light of the sun illuminated Sarasa’s hair, making it shine beautifully like the surface of the water.
Seeing him like this, I became completely entranced.
Ch. 4: Humans and Merfolk
The sound of the waves comfortably echoed in my ears…
Sarasa and I, who had met once more, were having a light conversation on the beach.
Sarasa: “So then, OO, didn’t you come to see me just because I’m rare?”
OO: “Um… if I said yes, it would be a lie. Of course I was surprised to see a merman for the first time ever… but that isn’t everything, what can I say…”
I couldn’t find the words to express how I’d wanted to see him so badly, and I stalled.
Sarasa: “…”
Sarasa looked sad, his eyes downcast.
OO: “Prince Sarasa…?”
Sarasa: “In my kingdom, everyone thinks humans are bad. While I was growing up… that’s what I was always told.”
OO: “…why is that?”
When I asked him this, Sarasa’s expression darkened.
(I asked him something too difficult to talk about…)
As I worried about the insensitive thing I’d said, Sarasa quietly began to speak.
Sarasa: “…long ago and far away, a human and a merperson fell in love. But the human ended up betraying the merperson, and, in the end, married another human. On top of that, there are people who sell merfolk and put them on display… so, for as long as anyone can remember, the people of my kingdom have hated humans.”
OO: “…”
Hearing Sarasa’s story, I was at a loss for words.
Sarasa: “Even now, we are always targeted by humans.”
OO: “Even now…?”
Sarasa’s eyes were colored by sadness.
Sarasa: “It’s because we’re very rare. I’ve always been told never to get close to humans, because if they catch me it would be terrible.”
OO: “So that’s why…”
Learning there was such a huge barrier between humans and merfolk made me feel sad.
OO: “More than rare, I think you’re beautiful, Prince Sarasa.”
Sarasa: “I am?”
OO: “Your fins are beautiful as they move so gracefully.”
Sarasa: “I think human legs are beautiful too…”
Sarasa stared fixedly at my legs.
OO: “I guess everyone…wants things they don’t have.”
I pulled on the hem of my skirt to cover my legs, then smiled at him to conceal my embarrassment.
OO: “Your sparkling scales are so pretty.”
Sarasa: “Isn’t that just normal? I think humans’ skin is beautiful too…”
Sarasa’s handsome face moved closer to mine.
(S-so close…!)
OO: “…I suppose if you’re used to it, then you might take its beauty for granted.”
I turned my face away unconsciously, wanting to gloss over the embarrassment of my words.
Sarasa: “…but, I’m interested in humans.”
OO: “Eh…-”
Sarasa: “I often see humans on the surface of the water, but once, I met some humans riding on a boat. Why is it that, at that time, I didn’t have a bad feeling?”
Sarasa smiled and looked into my eyes.
Sarasa: “Besides that, OO, I’m interested in the power you used to save me. That’s why… even though everyone else is opposed to it… I came to see you today.”
(He’s so beautiful…)
It looked as though the glimmer of the sea was trapped, swaying, in his narrowed eyes.
Ch. 5: A Human Who Isn't Frightening
Sarasa: “In addition, OO, I’m interested in the power you used to save me.”
“That’s why… even though everyone else is opposed to it… I came to see you today.”
Sarasa’s soft smile was directed at me…
OO: “Prince Sarasa, you came to see me…?”
Sarasa: “Yes, I came to see you.”
When he said it so directly, my heart began to beat faster.
OO: “Prince Sarasa…”
Sarasa: “You don’t need to call me that after we’ve spoken like this.”
Sarasa tightened his lips into a slightly unsatisfied frown.
OO “Ah… well then, Sarasa?”
Sarasa: “That will do.”
After looking thoughtful for a while, Sarasa opened his mouth once again.
Sarasa: “My mother and older sister also hate humans. I grew up hearing scary things about humans from them. But I just don’t think all humans can be bad.”
Sarasa told me his thoughts, gently swaying his fins against the little waves as they lapped against him.
Sarasa: “There are things that are different between humans and merfolk, but there are also things that are similar. Good people and bad people, I’m certain that’s the same in both worlds. I feel like it’s sad to end up denying things like that.”
OO: “I think so too… but…”
(That is, it’s possible this is my viewpoint as a human…)
OO: “Sarasa, you’re not afraid of humans?”
Sarasa: “Hmm… to say I’m completely unafraid of humans might be a lie. Of course I’m careful when I come to the seaside. However, when I touched that human, I didn’t feel like it was strange or frightening.”
OO: “Is that the person on the ship you spoke of before?”
While tracing his memory, Sarasa began to talk about that time.
Sarasa: “That day, when I was looking up from beneath the sea, a big shape was on top of the waves. When I poked my face out of the water… I realized that large thing was a ship. I was surprised by how big it was, and then I locked eyes with a person standing atop the ship.”
OO: “So that’s what happened…”
(I wonder if that person was bad or something. It’s good they didn’t do anything to Sarasa, but…)
As I was thinking about that, I noticed Sarasa staring at me and I returned his gaze.
Sarasa: “That person was strange. They kept checking in on me. ‘Do you have any troubles, or, are you being bullied’… they were kind of annoying.”
OO: “Sounds like a kind person.”
Sarasa: “Kind? … I wonder if that may have been the case.”
While imagining that person, a smile broke out on Sarasa’s face.
And then…
Sarasa: “And when I met you, OO, I didn’t feel scared of you either.”
(Eh…-)
OO: “…that makes me happy.”
Sarasa: “Were you afraid of me?”
OO: “I didn’t think you were frightening or anything. I just wanted to see you one more time.”
Sarasa: “…I see.”
Sarasa said as much then smiled wide enough that it reached his eyes.
OO: “Thank goodness.”
Sarasa: “Eh?”
OO: “That’s why you came to see me like this, right? I’m so glad.”
Hearing my words, Sarasa smiled as though he was troubled.
Sarasa: “Hey… do you have a moment?”
As he said that, Sarasa suddenly touched my hand.
His beautiful and supple hand wrapped around mine…
Sarasa: “…it’s warm.”
(…it’s cool to the touch.)
The hand that touched me was cold, but…
My cheeks burned slightly, my face becoming warm.
~Guest translation by Kiesa~