– Whooooshhh
– CLANG!
The sound of winds along with weapons clashing against each other is the perfect theme for the current situation on the ship.
The people on the ship are trying to desperately defend against the merfolks’ attacks, while on the other hand, the merfolk were only playing with them.
They stopped trying to throw them to the sea, which was, to be honest, an absolute death as the sea monsters were still angrily attacking the ship.
– splashh!
– sploosh!
– CLASH!
The roars of the waves hitting the ship are very loud, almost deafening the people who are trying to keep their five senses sharpened to the max to not get hurt.
That one-legged knight can be seen whipping his sword to fend against the merfolk’s spears, panting and feeling his strength slowly lessening.
‘This is getting difficult…’
It was getting too difficult to even defend against those attacks. Gil decided to listen to Serein’s instructions earlier and chose defense over offense.
Despite that, he could feel his body getting drained, his brain growing tired of trying to predict the enemies’ attacks.
“Ack…!”
It was obvious as his body was now covered with wounds, thankfully there weren’t any fatal injuries, or else he wouldn’t be able to keep up.
He glanced at the mage behind him and bit his lip. He, more than anyone else, is able to realize how the mage should be at her limit.
Talented yes, excellent yes, skilled, also yes. However, she is still a living being who has limits that mustn’t be crossed.
– CLANG!
– CLANG!
“Annikin, focus on your fight!”
– Thud
“You should do the same, Arlz!”
– Thump
The teenager shouted to the knight while using his wood ability to save him from yet another sneak attack, killing that merfolk and making him fall to the ground with a thud.
And at the same time, Gil was able to reflect another attack from piercing Arlia’s heart through his back, instead making the spear attack its own holder and stabbed their neck, making them fall to the ground with a loud thump.
What an irony, each trying to save the other while forgetting themselves. Despite Serein still being in the middle of a furious battle herself, she couldn’t help but notice the great harmony between the two.
If not for the current situation, she would’ve loved to make speculation about the two and their true relationship, coupled with the secrets of their past together.
– Schwing!
The sounds of her daggers colliding with the merfolks’ weapons started to annoy her at this point, she was getting tired from those endless attacks.
‘He’s the same.’
Although rather than getting tired, that leader who has no opponent to fight against after Cevahir’s loss seemed to slowly get bored instead. The old selkie’s expression started to show how he’s growing impatient. He probably wanted them to just die or to see their fully bloodied appearance. Yet to his dismay, that wasn’t what he got.
And if anything, his boredom would definitely be bad for the group’s survival rate.
It is at that moment that Serein’s head is filled with the darkest thoughts, she finally hears a voice that makes her heart lighter.
{T-The- shhhh- f-found-}
‘Finally!’
Despite still being too fuzzy, Aiston’s message is received immediately, she kicks the merfolk she was facing before then turning to that old geezer.
“Oi old man, Stop this attack right now and you will get what you are searching for.”
“Silly girl, why should I listen to you?”
With disdain dripping from his words, the leader didn’t intend to even try to listen to the hazel-eyed girl, if anything, he was growing bored so if she had something interesting to say, maybe he would play with her a bit.
But to stop the attack and to claim she has what they’re searching for? If she truly had it, then there is no reason to play around anymore. Killing her and taking the egg back would be the best option.
“We’ll do an exchange for that egg you’re searching for. So, stop now, or else we’d stop protecting it and instead—”
“Protecting it?” The man then barks in laughter, his eyes slowly being filled with undisguised hostility instead of the usual indifference, “Why would you ‘protect’ something that you’ve stolen other than for your own gain?”
Serein was silent for a bit as if contemplating what to say next while focusing on not becoming a human skewer. After a bit of a while, she then thought of a way that would at least prevent the casualties from becoming a solid number instead of the few injuries here and there.
“Very well then. You don’t need to believe me”
The calm, almost cold tone actually took the leader by surprise. Unlike before, the desperation he had heard from this human dispersed almost completely and was replaced with some kind of majestic air of confidence that only grew with each passing moment.
It was as if this person was suddenly switched with another being, one that only shared the same appearance as the previous one.
Those pair of full black flickered in interest before then giving the female human a chance to continue her words.
“I won’t pressure you to believe me, but the fate of your precious heir is in my hand. My ward would do as I command if you were ever being reckless.”
“Heh” The man scoffed before then sneering at Serein, “What a petty threat. You talk as if you’re above that pitiful shit on the ground. What a puny human like you could even do? Do you think you have the ability to actually decide?”
This time, however, that adventurer pulled a smirk back at the old Selkie. “Ah, so you think, I’m a human?” Grinning ear to ear, she looked manic as she laughed, “Such superb acting skills I have, I succeed to fool another pathetic being. My skills are getting even better, it seems.”
‘What?’
That leader had thought that the half-blood dragon was the person behind all of this since the man has a similar history in the past. That being said, that info was only something passed on from person to person.
Given that he is not one of the Sky’s beings, he wouldn’t have a way to figure out what truly happened firsthand, in this case, he might’ve been mistaken in something…
‘This small human is their leader? not that disgraceful shit?’
This time, he accused Cevahir because that seemed to be the appropriate first reaction upon meeting that halfling in this place, but in reality, he wasn’t sure about who did it. His own King only ever told him that the missing heir was on this ship. Leaving how much he’s enjoying the entertainment provided by these struggling humans, to finish these punks was not what he was here for. His mission was to retrieve the Empress’s heir, their next-in-line supreme leader, and before everything else, that’s the aim he must prioritize.
After all, The Sea Empress’s command is beyond his King or any other royal’s words, let alone his ego. It’s almost felt more like an instinct than following an order from someone above you.
“I know that you wouldn’t believe me when I say that we’re but mere passengers of this damned ship. But if that head on top of your neck wasn’t just an empty skull, you’d be able to tell that I’m true to my last statement at the very least.”
She sounded awfully cocky that the leader is actually starting to get wary, “We all would be damned if the Empress were to get killed. But it won’t be the same about the heir. I have nothing to lose here, so don’t test my patience.”
“Hmm”
There is no way to tell if they were trying to bluff or if it was the truth, the Selkie raised his hand, signaling to his underlings to stop their attack.
He thought about it for a bit, his eyes sharpening while observing the group in front of them along with the dead bodies of his underlings.
Unlike the sea monsters who’d do what their Queen wanted brainlessly, let alone Their Empress’s order, the Selkie saw how much the casualties on their side were done by this small group.
‘They’re indeed not like these weaklings’ If this small group was put on a scale with the many other humans, the Selkie is easily convinced that these four weren’t normal, especially when counting the bodies of his men.
His men were slowly being overpowered, despite having the numbers, they were lacking in strength compared to this weird group.
His men were killed almost as many in quantity compared to the fallen human, and it was done ONLY by these four, the fallen humans couldn’t lift a candle for them.
“Fine then. We’ll spare your pitiful souls once you hand us the egg and the sky’s disgrace.”
The leader says, earning a death glare from Serein who understands immediately who the latter was referring to. However, the old Selkie wasn’t having any of it.
“If you are any smarter,” he started, using the words she uttered a minute ago, “You’d realize that I am not negotiating.” He then stated, “You know it too, despite all of your empty threats, you’re the one disadvantaged if this matter goes any longer. So, either take it or the deal is off.”
The battle might have halted, but Serein wasn’t so gullible to be blinded by this seemingly peaceful atmosphere to realize that this guy doesn’t care as much.
The worst thing that can happen to him is to be killed by the sea monsters if the Queen herself doesn’t want to bother. And despite being bound by the rules, he was not bothered much by all the deaths of his underlings.
Maybe it’s because they’re not all coming from the same race despite sharing the same living space in the sea. But whatever the reasons are, it is clear that this merfolk before her doesn’t care as long as he did not disobey Her Highness’s demand.
‘His mind was already set’
—There’s no further negotiation happening, and she’s very likely to need to decide the route now or never.
“So, which side are you on, silly girl?” The man asked smugly while looking down at her.
The pressure only gets higher when the man slowly begins to lower his hand, the only thing that’s been stopping this flaring battle.
‘Shit, what should I do??’
It felt as if the world moved in slow motion as thoughts ran a mile in her head, one after one, attacking each other and trying to eliminate any bad choice but she still felt helpless in the end.
It’s a lose-lose situation on their part. Either they fought some more and basically gambled on their survival rate or they’d lost their dying friend here to be freed from a longer fight that would most likely lead to more possible tragic deaths.
Yes, she might have considered sacrificing Gil previously, but for some reason, she’s able to think much clearer now that the fate of many lies on her sole decision.
It felt heavier than a mindless selfish thought of passing her own death flag to another person.
…This is why she abhors being in the position of leading.
“A little advice to be able to get out of any dangerous situation that you feel yourself being cornered in. If you were forced to choose, just remember—” The words that were uttered by someone from her past were echoing loudly in her head, as if urging her to remember.
“—Not making a choice is the biggest choice there.”
Serein could feel her throat getting even drier the more she remembered that speck of her past.
‘Not making any choice in time…’
It might not be considered the worst choice, as it won’t lead to the worst ending possible, but it certainly was labeled as a bad ending.
However, was it better than gambling with one of these choices? It definitely was.
She knows what she must do, but that doesn’t make it any easier for her, really.
‘What am I supposed to choose now???’
Inhaling deeply as she then make up her decision, she was about to open her mouth and deliver her final answer when—
– SCREEEEEEEE–!!!
—a blaring noise was heard from the sea.
That terrible chilling noise felt as if it was trying to rip her eardrums apart and pierce it way directly into the deepest part of her head.
However, it wasn’t that bad as it took all their attention from her now, making her breathe a sigh of relief secretly while watching the others snapping their heads to the sea–, the place that noise is coming from.
That voice… It was the Sea Monster Queen. She was calling them back.
From the looks of it, she was in fact the leader of this particular ambush. As result, all the enemies jumped immediately into the water, not hesitating for even one second as the Queen’s orders seemed to be absolute at the moment.
Meanwhile, the Selkie clicked his tongue with annoyance, despite dropping his hand, no one was there to attack according to his signal anymore.
Saved by the bell, Serein then heard from that old man who looked dissatisfied by the turn of events.
“Too bad. It seems like the fun time is over.”
With that, relief overtook her as her shoulders slumped as if the heavy burden that was plaguing there was released from her.
‘Finally…’
It seems like they survived another death wave without any death on their side.
—
Author Note: Heyya folks! Anemic Bunnicula here~! Here goes another update for the week! Hope you all would enjoy it, and I’ll see you again in the next chapter, Chao~!