We decide to go in together, me and Mr. Gargoyle.

　I asked Sun to keep watch outside, because I didn't want May to make a fuss.



　The house was built of stone, and the furniture was firmly fixed to the ground.

　There were no chairs, but there was a desk and a kitchen-like area.



　The house was so large that even San could enter the living room, as it was the chief's house.



　The gargoyle and I made decisions by hand signs as to which way to go, and slowly made our way forward.

　We were determined to proceed slowly, as long as we could do so without being spotted by the half-mermaid.



　The building itself is a fairly large one-story house.

　Since it is underwater, there are no doors, but it is separated by a wall, allowing us to proceed while hiding.



　We looked at the buildings one by one, starting from the front, but did not encounter any mermaids or fishermen.

　However, we cannot be too careful.



　They even set up a watch for us.

　They must be here somewhere.



　Further in, the rooms are divided into left and right.

　Use the hand sign to start from the room on the right.



　In this room, coral, gold, silver, and other treasures were randomly placed.

　The chief seems to have amassed a large hoard.

　Well, I guess he does not have to worry about having his treasures stolen, since they cannot be found in such a place.



　We leave the treasures as they are and go back the way we came.

　On the other side of the village, there were mermaids tied up.

　There are only about ......10 people in total.



　Considering the number of houses, there should be more.

　Besides the mermaids, there is a shark-like fisherman inside, holding a spear and standing guard.

　Since there are two guards here as in the outside, Mr. Gargoyle and I split up and attack at once.



　I can't move well in the water, but like Mr. Gargoyle, I shoot wind magic to increase my speed.

　Luckily, I succeeded in catching the shark fisherman with one shot and moving around to his back side.

　His dorsal fin is in my way, but I can't attack him from his back side either.



　Ordinary attacks are not effective, so we take him outside and hand him over to San.

　It is more efficient to tie him up and leave him there than to hurt him.



　When we returned to Mr. Gargoyle, he was bitten by a shark-fishman, but the bite had no effect on him. Rather, some of his teeth were chipped and he was bleeding.



　While Mr. Gargoyle takes the shark-fishman outside, the mermaids are released.

　The mermaids were so beautiful it was hard to look at them.



　I remove their restraints and gag.



"Thank you. How did you ...... get here, human?"

"Sun the Leviathan and Mei the mermaid asked me to help them. Is this all you have in the house?



Yes. Yes. I think so. May was able to escape. Thank God.

I'll be waiting outside with Sun.



　When I went outside with the ten mermaids, I found May rolled around in the tentacles.

　I had forgotten to take them off.



"Is this because ...... it was too loud?"

"Yes, it was. I thought I'd let you stay in ...... safety for a while while you fight the shark fishermen."



　The mermaids chuckled.

"So, we're not all mermaids now, are we?"



"There are several times as many of them as there are of us in the village. It's like we've been taken to a village of half-mermaids. If we don't do something soon, I don't know what will happen to everyone else."



　A large tear spilled from the mermaid's eye and fell as a pearl onto the sand.



"Do mermaids' tears turn into pearls?"

"Only when the emotions of those with high magic power are heightened. I have never seen such a large pearl.



　Sun explains to me.



　A tearful mermaid picks up the pearl and hands it to me.

My name is Madeline. My name is Madeline and I will do whatever I can to help you, please help us.



"Okay. That was the plan all along. If you can help me catch some tasty seafood alive later and give me some airweed, that's all I ask. Aren't these tears important?　I can't accept them if they're important."



"For a mermaid, sending a tear is a special commitment. Please accept my tears as my resolution."



"Okay. I'll keep it for now.



"Thank you very much."

　As Sun had said, not all mermaids are crazy.

　At least Madeline seemed to be a sane one.



　The mermaids then returned to their homes, equipped with tridents, and gathered in front of the village chief's house.

　All of them were women, but they were said to be stronger than the half-mermaids in a normal fight.



"Well then, let's go to the half-mermaid village. Take care of San, will you?

I'll leave it to you.






　We headed for the half-fisherman's village with San in the lead.

　I replaced my airweed on the way, but we headed for the village almost without a break.



　The other mermaids would take care of Mei, so I released her from her restraints and left the shark mermaids tied up in the village chief's house.



　It was not far to the village of the half-fish.

　But there was a large commercial sailing boat floating on the sea at the half-fisherman's village.

　There they saw men who looked like merchants with a nasty smile on their faces.