“Besides Lili, we also raise other rare breeds. We have many that look like cute animals.”
Siena kindly answered their questions, seeming proud.
Keeping rare breeds as pets was trendy, but due to the severe shortage of supply, only great families could afford to bring them in.
“Lady Floria, since your family is from the magic school faction, you must know a lot about rare breeds, right?”
Siena, recovering her pride from the pouring interest, turned her gaze to me. I replied as if it was nothing special.
“Because they are ones I see commonly.”
There probably isn’t anyone who has seen as many rare breeds as I have. Moreover, since I myself am a half-blood, what would be the point of saying it.
I just stated the fact, but the ladies clapped as if surprised.
“To think that rare breeds worth the price of a mansion are common. As expected of the Bennon Ducal family.”
“By the way, don’t you hold tea parties, Lady Floria? I really want to be invited once.”
In an instant, all attention focused on me. No one had ever been invited to the Bennon family’s castle. The nobles always wondered about that place shrouded in secrets.
I could feel that Siena’s face crumpled from the attention turning to me, even without seeing it. She tried to compose her expression and said.
“Actually, the reason I invited you like this today is because I have a personal favor to ask.”
Finally, the main point. I feigned curiosity and asked puzzledly.
“To me?”
“Yes, and there’s something left to show to the gathered ladies.”
She slyly averted her eyes and smiled. She said it was a personal favor. It looked like someone dying to show off something.
“But in return, you must keep what you see today a secret.”
“Of course, Lady Siena.”
The ladies chimed in at Siena’s secretive attitude. All had eyes full of curiosity. To say that in front of twelve loose-lipped women. It was no different from begging them to spread it.
“Then, let’s move to another place for a moment. Just among us.”
Seeing her even separating the maids, it seemed there really was something. Including me, everyone stood up and followed Siena.
“Actually, I have a special rare breed that I brought in, but it’s such a rare species that I’m having trouble handling it.”
Siena came up to talk while walking side by side with me. Normally, this would be the time to pick a fight, but it was obvious she really wanted to show off.
“I see.”
Whether or not, I just wanted to find out what it was and return to the castle. At my flat reply, Siena’s brows furrowed slightly. But soon it changed to an arrogant expression. As if saying ‘You’ll be surprised when you see this too.’
Siena guided us deeper into the greenhouse. I heightened my senses to the subtly changing atmosphere.
‘Humid… salt smell?’
The humid air clung to my skin. What pricked the tip of my nose was definitely a salty smell. It felt like we had come near the seaside.
Splash―!
“……?”
It was when we came out around a huge palm tree. I blinked in surprise at the waves crossing the air. The other ladies were the same. The huge lake was filled with seawater and sparkled. And crossing the blue ripples was clearly a man. But his lower body sparkled with iridescent scales.
Siena lifted her chin, seeming satisfied with that reaction.
“It’s something I obtained with difficulty from the East. It’s a mermaid called Orca.”
Indeed, it was worth her being arrogant in front of me, the daughter of Duke Bennon. A mermaid. Even my father couldn’t obtain this.
It was then. A resonance echoed in my head.
[It’s not Orca.]
I flinched back in surprise. The ladies were still chattering, and the other women were focused on her words. Did I hear wrong? As if to prove otherwise, another resonance flooded my head.
[My name is Asylid. I’m a mermaid of the sea.]
Amid the rippling spray, a blue smile spread. Blue high ponytail hair, bead-like eyes shimmering emerald. The mermaid with snow-white skin leisurely exposed only his upper body above the water.
“Oh my, a mermaid. I didn’t know they actually existed!”
“Amazing. Lady Siena!”
Admiring voices burst out from everywhere. Siena enjoyed the praise to the fullest, curling up the corners of her mouth.
“It seems Orca is in a good mood today. Usually, he doesn’t show his appearance well.”
And then she began to boast about her mermaid.
Her father, Duke Edbel, oversaw the empire’s diplomacy. Thanks to that, it was customary to go through the Edbel Ducal family for trade.
“It’s something a merchant from Luga offered to our family. Father gave it to me as a gift.”
As such, bribes under the guise of gifts never stopped coming to the Ducal family.
The Luga Merchant Guild was the ones whose ship ran aground in the Great Atlantic recently. Rumors were rife that they saved their lives by meeting Duke Edbel’s ship, and through that connection, were appointed as the imperial supply guild.
‘Of course.’
A connection between a small merchant guild and a Duke. I thought there must be something, but to think it was a ‘mermaid.’
Mermaids were a race protected by the sea. Even armed ships often ran aground in the whirlpools created by mermaids. Thanks to that, their territory was the only one safe from humans.
[Are you listening? Don’t pretend not to know.]
Since I didn’t react, the mermaid continued to send sounds. When our eyes met, a refreshing eye smile reached me. According to legends, mermaids have the ability to transmit their thoughts to others.
“Oh, Orca is smiling!”
The ladies were entranced by the mermaid’s smile. From the reaction, it seemed he was transmitting thoughts only to me.
[I don’t like that name. Mermaids have names decided from birth.]
Asylid furrowed his brows looking at the lady calling him Orca. His tail covered in iridescent scales slapped the water surface, splashing droplets.
“…Indeed.”
I pretended not to hear Asylid’s words and chimed in with the ladies. If I responded, I would surely be treated strangely by the others.
“Lady Floria, have you seen a mermaid before?”
Siena was extremely smug. It looked just like a child saying ‘Your family doesn’t have something like this, right?’ I simply matched her mood.
“No, this is the first time.”
It was true. Father said he had seen them a few times, but he couldn’t capture and bring one.
“Ah, you don’t know anything about mermaids at all?”
She dragged her voice as if genuinely pitying. Muttering that even a top magic Ducal family doesn’t know something.
“Is there some problem?”
I tilted my head slightly and asked.
Being a lady from a magic family isn’t something just anyone can do. One must have knowledge of magic and rare breeds that exceeds the standard level, and take regular exams at the magic tower.
“And he doesn’t eat fish either.”
“…Ah.”
Fish for a mermaid. I barely suppressed my laughter with a cough. Siena, unaware of my reaction, covered her mouth with her fan and said.
“You have to see it closer to understand.”
Her actively urging was extremely suspicious. The most basic principle of scholarship was aesthetic appreciation. When seeing something rare, one should be so captivated that they can’t pull away. Siena believed without doubt that I would be the same.
“Alright, let’s take a look.”
Of course, I was the type to despise that mad mindset. But on the surface, I couldn’t shake off Siena’s temptation. For the sake of carrying out Rikael’s orders as well.
[Yes, come on.]
Asylid smiled as if welcoming me. As I walked slowly, the lake drew closer. The tip of his tail was rising and falling above the water surface. Rather than thinking of it as a fish’s lower body, it shimmered like silk or satin.
“…You’re injured.”
The pale tail tip was torn. His dry cheeks and pale eye rims told me he wasn’t normal.
[It wasn’t humans who injured me. When I came to, I was here.]
I could understand how the Luga Merchant Guild had captured Asylid. They had coincidentally captured an injured mermaid. It would have been luck for them, a nightmare for Asylid.
“He’s injured and not eating his feed, and he’s getting thinner and thinner, so I’m really worried.”
Before I knew it, Siena had come up beside me. Her mindset was like that of a child. The psychology of wanting to possess something without knowing what a mermaid eats or being able to treat its wounds. It was the fastest way to ruin a living being.
“Mermaids don’t eat fish.”
I sighed pointedly and passed by her. A sharp gaze followed, but I lightly ignored it. I had no desire to help Siena. I was merely concerned about Asylid having his freedom taken and dying away.
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