Chapter 2
Victuar treated me more kindly than anyone else when I first arrived at the ducal residence.
However, as I failed to awaken my power quickly, his attitude toward me gradually changed as I grew older.
Victor began to reveal his true nature right after my powers finally awakened.
“I’m sure you don’t want this to break. It would be wise to listen to me. I have no use for anything worthless that doesn’t benefit my family.”
He threatened me while holding up the Mermaid’s Tear.
It was a promise made with the Sea God—and the symbol of guardianship.
If it shattered, my power would disappear, and my life would end.
More than that, no one knew what consequences would follow if a token granted by a god were broken.
As time passed, Duke Victor demanded more and more unjust things from me.
The symbol of the promise tightened around my neck like a noose.
“Ariel, can’t you do even this properly? If you don’t want to die, do exactly as I say!”
He shouted in rage, gripping the Mermaid’s Pearl tightly in his hand.
The bead looked as though it might shatter at any moment. My body trembled.
I was terrified. Truly afraid.
Every time I refused his demands, Victor became more forceful.
At first, he locked me in a small room and starved me.
Eventually, he did not hesitate to use violence to get what he wanted.
With a leash wrapped tightly around my neck, I barely survived each day.
My body grew thinner with time, bruises appearing one by one.
Cracks slowly spread across the Mermaid’s Tear as well.
Victor’s greed had no end.
In the end, he coveted a position that was never his—pushing aside the emperor and trying to place his own son on the throne.
Just thinking about it made my body shake.
‘He’s a terrible person. I’ll never forgive him.’
Because of this, Thierry—the son of Duke Elpheus, who was meant to become emperor—was killed.
And all responsibility was placed on me, a mere ten-year-old child.
“Please, Your Grace, spare me! I only protected the Victuar family. I did everything you told me to do! I just—ah!”
“If all the people’s hatred is directed at you, ruling becomes much easier for me. There’s nothing left for you to protect now, so there’s no reason for you to exist anymore. Don’t you agree?”
Victor crushed the Mermaid’s Tear beneath his foot right in front of me.
At that moment, my eyes met someone standing behind him—someone familiar.
‘Why… why is he here…?’
Crack.
The already-fractured pearl split cleanly in half.
All strength drained from my body.
People hurled accusations at me as I hung there, slowly dying.
“You witch! The Sea God mocks humanity!”
“She endangered our empire! Kill her! Make sure war never comes to this land again!”
After Victuar became emperor, the empire fell into chaos.
The people needed someone to blame—and that someone was me.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”
I cried as I apologized.
Those were the only words I could offer.
I never wanted to hurt anyone.
But I couldn’t refuse.
I was scared. I wanted to live. I didn’t want to die.
The pain carved into my body every night, the fear that I might die at any moment—it all trapped me.
I couldn’t abandon my duty, so I did what I had to do.
“I never wanted this. I didn’t want to hurt anyone! Please believe me… I just wanted to live!”
But no one listened.
Except for one person.
“Child, I know this isn’t your fault. What crime could a ten-year-old possibly have committed?”
Duke Elpheus—who must have been suffering the most—did not curse me or blame me.
He fought Victor to the very end… and finally fell to his knees.
“It’s my fault for failing to find you. Do not burden yourself with guilt.”
…Failed to find me?
Only then did I notice his eyes—so similar in color to my own hair.
Something slipped from his weakening hand.
A pearl, split in two, rolled across the floor.
‘W-Why do you have that…?’
Along the fractured surface of the pearl, a strange light shimmered, as if waves were rippling within it.
The Mermaid’s Tear.
A medium that carried the Sea God’s voice—and the heirloom meant for the family chosen for guardianship.
The Mermaid’s Tear that Victor had shattered before me was somehow in his hands.
“This was never meant to be discarded… I don’t know how it ended up with him. I’m sorry. I failed to protect you.”
‘Ah… ah…’
The moment I saw it, I understood.
He was the one meant to receive the god’s gift.
The true owner of the Mermaid’s Tear was not Victuar—but Duke Elpheus.
Because of my forced choices, I met the cruelest possible death.
Under the sunlight, I hung and slowly dried out—before the Sea God’s eyes.
“Ariel… Ariel…!”
My father’s scream echoed in my ears.
‘I couldn’t protect them. I ruined everything. I…’
I failed those I was meant to protect. That guilt crushed me.
The Sea God was stronger than anyone, my creator—yet he could not help me.
The gods were forbidden from interfering in human affairs unless humans first betrayed them.
Only after my death could the god punish humanity accordingly.
That was the law among gods.
The Sea God’s wrath, which wiped out all life on the continent, was possible only because humans had first killed me—their guardian and divine gift.
The Sea God raged.
Relentless rain poured down as if to swallow everything.
My vision blurred.
In my fading sight, I saw the land sinking beneath the water.
After my death, the world ended like that.
I stopped recalling my past life and shook my head hard.
So I can’t be stupid again!
When I opened my eyes, I was in the sea once more.
And to avoid repeating my mistakes, I immediately went to find Duke Elpheus.
Honestly, I was afraid Victor would find me first—that’s why I rushed.
The problem was… I rushed too much.
How could I forget about awakening my powers?!
Am I really that stupid …?
* * *
I dragged my feet down the corridor.
My short legs moved nonstop, yet I couldn’t even reach halfway.
“Just like before… I’m useless again.”
If I’d had power, maybe I wouldn’t have been driven away.
I stared at my small hands, fidgeting.
“I’ll be abandoned again. Victor will find me. What do I do?”
Useless Ariel.
This time, I wanted to protect Duke Elpheus and Thierry.
I bonked my head lightly.
If I can’t be helpful, it’s no different from before.
“I’m useless…”
Isn’t there a way to grow up faster?
I wish I could suddenly grow tall in one day.
Humans grow older every year.
In my past life, I awakened at seven years old.
That meant I still had three birthdays to go.
…That’s too far away.
“I can’t see what lies ahead. It’s all dark.”
Thump.
“Oof.”
I bumped into something solid blocking my way and fell back onto my bottom.
“Ah—s-sorry! I must have gotten in the way. Useless Ariel will move right away!”
I stretched out both hands and pressed them against the floor, pushing myself up.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I-I’m fine. I’m not someone who deserves concern—or usefulness. Thank you for worrying.”
“Useless? Don’t say such things. Every child in this world is precious simply for existing!”
Startled by the loud voice, I looked up.
A man in uniform was looking down at me.
When I flinched, he bent down to meet my gaze.
‘Precious…?’
I tilted my head at the unfamiliar word.
I had never heard it before.
Useful. Valuable. Helpful.
Those were the words I heard most often in my previous life.
