Chapter 234

Chapter 234 - Mermaid's Fury (2)

"There was an incident where the Piranian family carried out dam construction and blocked the waterway. By all appearances, that seems to be the cause of this situation."

Marcus frowned. Anyway, they're guys who are of no help in life.

"You just left that alone?"

"Then what could I do? It's not like I can interfere with what they do within their own territory. Interference in domestic affairs isn't easy even if it was His Majesty, not me."

Just in case, the main unit was waiting far away from the lake. Only a small number of guards were mobilized for the operation. Marcus volunteered feeling responsible as a Lord, but Eugene pushed him away.

"Please hold it in. We don't know what kind of wicked secret arts those guys might use. Leave the first encounter to the experts in this field. Because they are sick and tired of dealing with all sorts of bizarre things."

The Pierce siblings agreed to observe from a slightly distanced place.

For this operation, mercenaries who had constantly followed the army since Bonyard were mobilized.

- Mermaids especially like human men.

Because he remembered the advice of Octo, who had roamed the sea as a smuggler for decades.

After Dwarves and Dark Elves became the main force, human mercenaries worked as Eugene's bodyguards and right-hand men in non-combat situations.

Most of the territory residents are humans. Having Dark Elves or Dwarves standing in a row behind Eugene during negotiations with local guilds or powerful families wasn't a very good picture.

Because it could give the feeling of being ruled by another race, which has more of a sense of distance than heathens. As expected, it was better to handle humans with fellow humans.

"Excellency. Are you sure we really don't have to block our ears?"

"Since sailing began, the sailors who drowned to a mermaid's song would number in the thousands alone."

The mercenaries watched the peacefully rippling lake with anxiety.

"According to Octo, no matter how much you block your ears, it's useless."

"Uh..."

The advice of someone who survived as a smuggler for decades has authority. But lives are on the line here too.

"Isn't that because they couldn't block it properly? Any earplugs sailors could get their hands on would just be inadequate items."

"It's not that kind of problem. They say it's only certain if it's a person who's deaf by birth."

The hypothesis Eugene set up based on Octo's story is that the brain itself must be different from a normal person's.

If one is congenitally deaf, changes occur in the brain and the auditory cortex degenerates. His speculation was whether this was what granted resistance to a mermaid's song.

Just like poison must react with a specific system of the body to work. If that system itself was largely dismantled, it's natural that there's no effect.

"Homi will easily shatter the mermaid's tricks. If push comes to shove, I'll safely throw all of you to the back."

Fighting is the next best plan. In a situation where they're trying to resolve it through negotiation, they couldn't block their ears either.

"What about Excellency?"

"I'm fine."

Eugene grinned.

"Because I was perfectly fine with things far worse than that."

It was a conviction close to sheer stubbornness, but because of the person saying it, that confidence garnered trust.

The lake is of a fairly large scale. It was enough to ruin a single village with salty wind. Eugene's party stood at the location the powder soap survivor had reported.

"Release the bait."

"Yes."

The previously prepared pig's blood poured out, and a net containing flesh and entrails was fixed to the riverside.

"Can they be lured with merely something like this? As expected, using my secret reagent is..."

Eugene stopped Marbas from taking out a potion.

"Mermaids, like other sea creatures, like land meat. They say they go crazy over the smell of fat among them."

"If it's that, there is certainly nothing as appropriate as a pig."

"Please put away the expensive reagent. Let's try with something cheap first for now."

Afterwards was a time of waiting. Chattering during operations is strictly prohibited, but it was allowed this time. Because the voices of human males were also excellent bait that lured mermaids.

The subordinate mercenaries each brought up a rumor they had heard regarding mermaids one by one.

"I heard a rumor that eating mermaid flesh grants eternal youth and immortality. Could it be true?"

"If that were true, mermaids would already be extinct."

"True."

"In the past, there was a theatrical troupe that performed with a mermaid captured alive in the city of Gord."

"They caught a real mermaid?"

"Of course it was fake. They used a woman with a plausibly decorated fish lower body attached. Even so, I heard they raked in a massive amount of money. The end wasn't very good, though. Whether their guts grew too big, they got caught while performing at a noble's banquet."

"Uwaa..."

A noble's banquet is an event where the family's face is on the line. If they got caught using a fake there, the people in charge wouldn't have died an easy death.

Every time a decent story came out, as Eugene awarded one silver coin as a tip, the mercenaries got even more excited and showed off their gift of gab.

By the time Eugene's wallet was half empty and the mercenaries' canteens had also gotten quite light, an anomaly occurred.

"It's the smell of a spirit."

Marbas reacted first. When it came to the smell of existences belonging to other worlds, he surpassed the nose of any beast.

The chattering ceased abruptly and stillness visited. The mercenaries who had been talking comfortably scanned the lake with full discipline and sharp gazes.

From there, an unfamiliar sound was being heard.

Chalbak!

The sound of a broad and large fin splashing water.

A humming close to a nasal sound.

Eugene, scanning his subordinates, discovered their minds were already being bewitched.

"O'Connell. Smoke."

There wasn't any reaction to Eugene's call. A sleepy-looking smiling expression, as if anchors were hitched to both corners of their eyes. Their armor-clad bodies swayed this way and that, making clattering sounds.

Marbas focused his mind while chanting a prayer text to resist the charm. Summoners can also use the skills of priests partially.

Lastly, Homi was waiting for Eugene's order without budging.

"Start."

From her pursed red lips, a husky humming rang out faintly. Then, the movements of the swaying mercenaries stopped exactly.

"???"

"W-What the..."

Explanations are not needed. Since the experience they ate all this while didn't go anywhere, everyone noticed what had happened.

Chalsak chalsak!

Peok peok!

The loyal mercenaries tried to regain their senses by slapping their own cheeks and throwing punches at their muzzles. Seeing some take out daggers trying to stab their thighs, Eugene stopped them.

"Good, Homi. Maintain it exactly at this level now."

The snow leopard lady who stretched out both arms like an opera singer sings with a gentle and soft tone.

She could blow away the mermaid's magic at once with a much stronger roar, but she didn't do so. Because Eugene's objective is to negotiate with the mermaid, not chase them out.

[Ha~hoo~ha! hoooaaa~...]

Anger gradually steeped into the song of the mermaid who hadn't revealed themselves yet. They seemed to have felt a sense of rivalry towards Homi who dared to oppose their beautiful voice.

A humming even more coquettish and alluring was presented to the mercenaries. However, matching that, Homi also put a stronger aura into her song.

The mercenaries caught between that tug-of-war enjoyed a luxury they hadn't even thought of.

"Ooh!"

"Soft."

It was definitely merely humming without a single word of lyrics. However for some reason, they got the feeling of their arms being pulled by beautiful women while sandwiched between them. They felt like they had become the protagonist of the world.

Cheolpeok.

Finally, the mermaid revealed themselves onto the land.

"There!"

Where the surprised mercenary pointed, there was a mermaid who had pulled their upper body onto a rock by the river.

"A-As expected, it's just like the rumors."

The mermaid possessed the upper body of a beautiful woman befitting the voice.

The lower body visible below the belly button has parts similar to a goldfish. Fins reminiscent of silk fabrics fluttered. Even though they were wet with water, the hair didn't stick to the scalp and overflowed with vitality like fresh seaweed.

A beauty who suits a wet appearance better than anyone. This is the impression of the mercenaries who saw the mermaid. But exactly just up to there.

"They aren't as cute as Sir Homi."

"Has this guy gone crazy? Where are you directing those disrespectful words..."

The idol of the battlefield, Homi.

Valda, who makes one forget any other word besides the single expression 'that beautiful person'.

The essence of a femme fatale, Cassandra.

The tribal ladies they face every day in Moving Castle.

The mercenaries were already in a state of being too accustomed to beautiful appearances.

The lukewarmness of the humans who weren't swayed at all by either the song or the appearance. Unable to endure it at last, the mermaids attempted communication.

Unlike the sweet humming, Eugene felt something like much harder sound waves touching his skin. Then, the mermaids' intent was understood as is. As if permeating into the brain.

[Rude intruders.]

[What is your identity?]

[Why have you come to our territory?]

As expected of a race living underwater, it seems they communicate through sound waves rather than spoken language. Just like dolphins.

What's interesting is that several shot sound waves simultaneously and they mixed, but naturally fused into one sentence. There was no such thing as becoming a hodgepodge from a din like humans.

"I am Eugene. I am the one who will converse with you as the representative of the land."

He omitted grandiose titles or noble surnames. As always, Eugene selected simple sentences matching the opponent's level.

"This here is Homi."

Even before Eugene introduced her, the mermaids had been glaring at Homi with flaming eyes. It seems they felt quite hurt in their pride getting a decision loss in a song battle, which is their pride.

"The reason I came here is because I have a request for you. Please stop attacking people."

[We refuse. We have lived enjoying this water since primeval times.]

"Right. You who settled here first are the masters of the river."

[...?]

The mermaids were bewildered at Eugene's attitude of acknowledging it immediately. Because it was the exact opposite reaction an average human leader shows in this kind of situation.

- What nonsense?! This entire area is the territory of the great Piranian family! Get lost when I speak nicely!

Whether the noble himself came or a proxy of the noble came, they were prone to only thrusting their sovereignty forward. There was absolutely no compromise on that.

"Were you the ones who kidnapped the humans who set up camp right next door?"

[It is what we did.]

The mermaids docilely agreed. Since the opponent defeated them with song, it seems they considered them qualified to converse.

"Why is that? If you were annoyed at it being noisy, I will take strict measures."

[Being noisy is not a problem. It cannot be heard underwater anyway.]

"Then what is the problem?"

[The lake is getting smaller. The cozy water is strangling our necks since some point in time. The young ones' throats hurt so they cannot even sing.]

Sure enough, as expected. The decrease in water volume of the salt lake and the increase in salinity concentration was the cause of the mermaids' fury.

"I respect your suffering. I will do whatever I can to help. In the name of the leader, restricting people's access to the river, or moving your clan to a wider body of water. Whatever it is."

Eugene pointed at the salt mine.

"What we want is only one thing. Just not being hostile to us."

The mermaids recognized the power filled in Eugene's voice, but did not respond docilely.

[Humans are liars. You cannot be trusted.]

"Do not treat this monarch's words lightly. Because it is the best opportunity destiny has sent down to you."

However, as Marbas stepped forward, the mermaids also softened. The words of a summoner communicating with spirits instilled trust in the mermaids bound to water spirits.

Taking this opening, Eugene asked.

"This lake is not small, but there was no precedent of mermaids being discovered all this while. Just what exactly happened?"

[We originally lived in a much wider place.]

The mermaid pointed north. It is the Arp River, the largest river in Barcia that also connects to the western sea.

[But while we were staying in this lake, the water stream got blocked and we became isolated here.]

"Leaving that wide place be, why did you hole yourselves up here?"

[...]

"Please speak honestly. It is to help you."

The hesitating mermaid couldn't resist as Marbas urged them.

It was identical to hot-blooded men becoming fools in front of beautiful young ladies. The mermaids became weak-hearted in front of the summoner exuding a thick scent of spirits.

[Each of us has a preferred location during every breeding season. Beneath this lake is a deep underground cave.]

'Is it a kind of salmon-like thing?'

Eugene nodded his head with an intrigued face. It was also fascinating that such a hidden place existed beneath a village lake that seemed like nothing much.

The whole truth of the story was simple. The mermaids returned to their hometown during breeding season to spawn and raise their young, but got isolated due to the Piranian's civil engineering projects.

However, the lake was wide, there were many fishes, and there were no private houses nearby, so they say they just settled down.

But as the inflow of water decreased due to the dam, the situation rapidly worsened. In the midst of that, as humans conducted construction nearby, the furious mermaids went on the offensive.

"If you want, I will return you to the Arp River you came from."

[Really?!]

"It is an easy task for us."

The number of mermaids was around twenty. The dry land between this lake and the Arp River can be traversed in a few tens of minutes. If they just prepared several water tanks and carriages to hold river water, resolving it in a single day was also possible.

'It's a good thing I brought Sir Marbas.'

The mermaids looked at Eugene full of vigilance and suspicion like wild animals, but every time, thanks to Marbas's mediation, they were somehow able to accomplish the negotiation.

"I have no thoughts of threatening you. But if you do not respond to my proposal, the only future awaiting is ruin. Because the lake will continue to decrease and decrease further in the future."

[...]

The fact that the mermaids didn't have much of a choice to begin with also played a big role.

Of course, getting to that point would generously take 100 years. Considering the extraction of the salt mine being blocked and the embittered mermaids rampaging in the meantime, it was better to migrate them now.

[Young monarch. We thank you for your grace.]

"What happened to the humans you attacked? You didn't kill all of them, did you?"

[That is not it. As we said, there are several caves beneath this lake. Among them, there is a place water does not fill, and we locked them in there.]

Having intelligence and being able to converse means they also understand the concept of hostages. The mermaids didn't kill everyone just in case.

"By any chance, among them, was the Piranian family... I mean, were there also specifically well-armed warriors?"

A bright complexion circulated on Eugene's face. Because he thought that if done well, he could extort ransom money for the knights and nobles.

[A picture of a human wrapped in thorns. Those hanging that have all died.]

"..."

[That was a justified revenge!]

When Eugene showed a disappointed look, the mermaids hurriedly defended themselves wondering if there was a misunderstanding. They perhaps misunderstood them as Eugene's acquaintances.

"Well, that's possible."

[???]

After a few more stories went back and forth, the mermaids hid their figures from the riverside. Soon after, prisoners with skinny and dazed faces floated up bobbing.

The deal was established.

* * *

"To accomplish a negotiation with a mermaid. It's truly unbelievable."

Marcus, who was watching from afar, had a nervous heart even just when the mermaid revealed themselves.

"It probably isn't something without precedent either, though. Aren't there quite a few stories of forming a connection with a mermaid and gaining help?"

"Those are instances that only appear in sailors' stories. It would be the first time in history a noble like the Count formally concluded a negotiation."

"Anyway, it will be safe from now on."

Maria has an appearance of being truly touched. Not being a knight, she was someone who placed even greater value on diplomatic resolutions.

- We have no thoughts of demanding you get along well with all land-dwellers. Just please don't be hostile to us.

Eugene showed the Piranian family's flag before parting.

- We already know that crest! The bastards who cut off the river stream! Bastards who won't be satisfying even if we chew and eat them!

- Right, right. Everything bad is these bastards.

The leader of the mermaids embraced the Mayer family's flag.

- All rivers and seas go round and round connecting as one. If you keep the promise and send us to the wide water, we will inform every fellow kin we encounter of this grace.

It's not a bad deal.

The place the Arp River reaches is the North Sea between Britannia and Barcia. That place also borders the southern sea Eugene rules.

When a ship belonging to the Mayer family is shipwrecked, asking for rescue, receiving guidance to golden fishing grounds that change every year, or getting information on pirates and Vikings committing pillaging.

In return, Eugene could also provide items obtainable only on land to the mermaids.

It was just that forming a relationship was close to impossible, but if they somehow opened a transaction once, infinite profits could be obtained.

* * *

"Thanks to the Old Man, things were solved easily."

Marbas let out a hearty laugh at Eugene massaging his shoulders.

"At most I just added a few words and stood as a guarantor."

"That guarantee was worth a thousand gold. Because communicating in language doesn't mean you can communicate in words."

The heartwarming atmosphere was suddenly buried by a commotion coming from the north.

Dozens of heavily armed knights were running their horses in the direction Eugene was. The flag of a man being squeezed by a rose thorn vine fluttered. It's the Piranian family's army.

"It's an ambush!"

"Prepare for battle!"

The guards scolded loudly and quickly formed a formation. Everyone clearly had a tense look.

Because Eugene's main unit was currently located at a fairly distant place. Looking only at numbers, both sides were equal, but the Piranian side was entirely cavalry and the number of knights was incomparable.

"Are they trying to attack us?"

"It would be hard to do that in a situation where they received the King's mediation not long ago..."

Marcus made a flustered expression at Eugene's question.

The knights getting closer and closer were firmly blocking their ears with various materials.

It seems they came to pressure the mermaids to find the missing knights, discovered the Pierce siblings, and harbored wicked thoughts.

"A person driven into a corner is capable of doing anything. Especially if it's here, it's also good to shift the blame to the mermaids."

If the siblings suddenly disappear, the Pierce family's territory falls into a state of panic. Thinking of the profits obtainable there, it was fully worth taking the risk of receiving the King's glare.

Eugene, mounting Might, grabbed the Predator lance bestowed by the King in his hand.

He had just prepared the longest weapon thinking about fighting the mermaids in the water if push came to shove.

"C-Crazy bastard!"

"Monster!"

The Piranian family's knights flinched for a moment at the giant lance that seemed it would pierce the sky, the monster military horse, and the appearance of the tournament champion riding on it.

However, trusting in the competitive spirit befitting knights and their numbers, they ran their horses in a charging state. It was a clear intent to attack.

Jjiing-!

And a mermaid's bizarre shriek strongly struck the flank of the charging knights.

It's not the sweet tone that was playing tug-of-war with Homi a while ago. It was an intense sound wave enough to give the skin of the person hit full goosebumps.

Jjiiing-!

One more sound wave covered the knights.

That sound wave, thoroughly aiming only at the Piranian family, was intense enough for Eugene's party to confirm with the naked eye. Because the water surface was seen trembling in one direction.

"Uwaaaaah!"

"Kyaaaak!"

The charging Barcia knights changed direction just like that. Towards the middle of the lake where more than 10 mermaids were singing in a chorus with their upper bodies revealed.

Among them was also a young mermaid looking around 10 years old. Unfitting for their youthful appearance, they reached out their arms restricting the knights with a face filled with hatred and seduced them.

Cheombeong-cheombeong.

Kkoreureuk.

The knights were submerged underwater one by one.

"Heuhahahahahahaha!"

There wasn't a single scream drenched in pain or terror. Until the last moment, everyone laughed happily and hid their appearances.

Hihihihing!

The only ones surviving were the military horses. Since they weren't in a state of blood calming, they abandoned their drowning masters and struggled to escape to the riverside.

"As expected, doing good deeds brings blessings."

Nodding his head, Eugene instructed the mercenaries in a mounted state.

"Everyone go collect those military horses. Just in case, definitely take our flag."

"Ye-Yes!"

Peolleok!

The heavy cavalry departing for the riverside tightly gripped Mayer's flag more than any other time. Like a priest holding a holy relic amid a horde of undead.