Chapter 85
He spoke with a leisurely tone, as if haggling over a commodity.
“Something like that… isn’t possible.”
I asked in surprise before I realized it.
Changing memories too? It was hard to believe.
That level of brainwashing was nearly impossible unless one was a pure merfolk with almost no human blood.
Could his power be even stronger than I had expected?
“How do you think our ancestors came to mix with humans? It was all the result of brainwashing,” he said.
“…But the descendants of merfolk can’t use that kind of ability, can they?”
“Oh, of course I don’t do it easily. I just add a little trick to enhance the ability,” he murmured lowly, as if revealing a secret.
“If you have the trick… you can get what you want a little more easily. Like this.”
Suddenly, Siren grabbed my wrist.
Because he had maintained such a calm demeanor, and hadn’t acted threateningly, I had no chance to resist.
And the cost of that momentary lapse in caution was immense.
“…!”
In an instant, a massive wave of pressure engulfed me, as if swallowing me whole.
Something formless poured in all at once, crushing my reason.
My mind fizzled like soap bubbles, and a floating euphoria filled me.
Like sunlight sparkling over waves, his eyes glittered.
That blue light shimmered deeply and dizzyingly, as if it could swallow me whole.
My mind grew dazed.
And through that gap, I heard Siren’s voice.
Low and sweet, like the song of a whale echoing in the deep sea.
[What is it that you desire most?]
Without resistance, my lips opened first.
“Freedom…”
[That just happens to be with me. If you come to me, I can give you freedom.]
“Really?”
[Of course.]
“But…”
My racing heart shrank like a child afraid of getting scolded.
I hunched my shoulders and lowered my gaze.
[But?]
His voice asked kindly.
Its gentle resonance, as if it could grant anything, eventually coaxed out the fear I had hidden inside.
“A child born without love… will be unhappy.”
[Beautiful words. I’m starting to like you even more.]
His voice, laced with a laugh, burrowed deeper into my mind.
Not just in my ears, it seemed to pour directly into the center of my thoughts.
[Then… shall we love each other?]
At his words, a pink cloud bloomed in my heart.
Affection, care, and treasuring feelings.
These ticklish emotions floated warmly and melted like sugar.
‘Ah…’
As my consciousness hazily drifted, his sky-blue eyes drew closer.
The fresh scent of grass in his breath intensified the effect.
My heart began to beat faster.
His beautiful face right in front of me.
And my gaze stopped on one thing in particular.
[Don’t you want to kiss me?]
“My… lips…”
His moist, shining lips looked incredibly sweet.
I swallowed unconsciously.
‘Yes, kissing him will feel good.’
Before I realized it, my hands moved.
Slowly, I cupped his face.
And very gently, I began to tilt my head down.
Just as our lips were about to touch.
A strange sense of wrongness stopped me in my tracks.
Something was off.
‘These aren’t the lips I want.’
What I wanted… were fuller lips, usually tightly closed, but soft only when looking at me.
‘Denoc.’
The name pierced my mind, like a lighthouse’s light turning on amidst a storm.
A single ray of clarity pushed away that strange resonance.
Finally, a gap appeared, and I realized something was wrong.
‘This is brainwashing.’
Siren was trying to manipulate me at will.
My mind cooled, and anger began to rise.
To keep my reason, I clenched my teeth.
My nails dug into my palms, leaving red marks.
That sharp pain anchored my mind back to reality.
Gradually, the chaos began to subside.
Blinking as my vision cleared, I shoved him away, who was close by.
How dare he try something like that.
Siren flinched, surprised.
I glared at him fiercely and spoke with a mocking tone.
“Sorry, but those lips aren’t my type.”
“…?”
His eyes wavered, clearly taken aback.
“You broke free from the brainwashing? How?”
I ignored him and stood up straight.
I had no words left for someone who had ignored my will.
“Sorry, but I’m refusing your offer. You should look for another unmarried descendant.”
A pleasant conversation, I said sarcastically, and turned around.
And as I stepped forward without a hint of hesitation…
“Wait, wait!”
Urgent footsteps echoed.
He suddenly blocked my path.
Arms spread wide, eyes strained, lips pressed tightly.
I saw his anxious face for the first time.
“I… I’m truly sorry for using my power all of a sudden.”
He exhaled and spoke.
“I… acted too hastily.”
Hastily? About what?
Making a child?
“So, take such urgent matters to another woman,” I said, spitting out the words in disgust.
He ran his hand roughly through his hair and shook his head.
“You may be mistaken. Well, not entirely wrong. But I need you for another reason.”
I furrowed my brows slightly.
He doesn’t want a child with strong merfolk blood?
I glared silently, waiting.
Finally, he spoke with a sorrowful expression.
“My mother is ill.”
Unexpected words.
“Your mother?”
“The one who gave me merfolk blood.”
The queen of Elka? I thought she was from a noble family of the kingdom.
Siren shook his head and spoke softly.
“She is not my biological mother. The king met my mother when he was young… and, upon learning she was a descendant of merfolk, he took her in.”
‘That means…’
He was in the same situation as me.
Chosen and used to gain merfolk abilities.
Unconsciously, my gaze softened slightly toward him.
“So, when you say your mother is ill… how is that connected to me?”
He slumped his shoulders at my question.
And with a tired sigh, he replied.
“Her Majesty the Queen… has poisoned my mother.”
“Ah…”
Now I understood.
A non-biological queen and the prince as the king’s legitimate heir.
Siren smiled bitterly, then looked at me with earnest eyes.
“To cure the poison, we need the essence of the sea, that is, the ‘Breath of a Merfolk.’ And only female merfolk can create it.”
This was the first I had heard of it.
Even in the original story, merfolk were mentioned only briefly.
But after hearing Siren, it was somehow difficult to refuse so coldly.
“Then… how do we make it?”
If it’s something I can help with, it’s not impossible.
“Oh, you didn’t know? The Breath of a Merfolk is created through love.”
…I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
I didn’t want to trust what he was about to say.
“Precisely, it is made by receiving the love of the opposite sex.”
Then he glanced over me and said,
“I can feel energy from you too.”
“…Huh?”
What… does that even mean?
