Chapter 7
‘This sea is all yours.’
.
.
“We could go by diving, but there’s a high possibility of mermaids lying in ambush, so we should climb the mountain.”
“Geographically, there’s a risk of the mountain collapsing if it suffers an impact. Since there’s a village below, let’s depart with as few people as possible.”
After listening to Anschel, who had emerged from the cave, two subordinates offered their opinions in turn. Their names were Van and Noel—Van was a Black man with black hair, and Noel was a white man with golden hair.
The two had excellent detection abilities and were tasked with searching for land mines or mermaids hiding in the sea at the frontlines.
Since the operation didn’t require many personnel, Harriet, the temporary captain of the unit, would climb the mountain to chase the mermaids while Angela would wait here. Normally, she would have stopped Harriet, saying, “Wouldn’t it be better for the captain with the bad leg to stay behind?” But reading the atmosphere, Angela could only keep her mouth shut and nod in agreement.
Listening to the meeting content, Harriet knelt down, tightly tied his combat boots, and raised his head. Beside him, Angela glanced at Ender with a subtle and complex expression, then looked down at the cane she had received from Harriet.
Harriet briefly fixed his gaze on his cane that Angela was holding. Though he didn’t know exactly, the cane was said to be very expensive.
The red gemstone embedded in the cane was said to be a diamond. Harriet had thought it was a ‘ruby’ since it was red. The borders of the cane were inlaid with pure gold, and the frame was made of expensive wood.
It was given to Harriet by his sponsor when he entered the academy, but that sponsorship was completely cut off after Harriet went into battle just once. Therefore, it was now an object of luxury to Harriet.
“Please take good care of it, Angela.”
“Yes. Be careful, Captain.”
Harriet sighed as he heard Angela’s worried response. Putting on his military cap and getting up, he began limping, and Ender approached him from the side.
“Senior, shall I support you?”
“Hmm, if I get tired once we’re there.”
“Understood.”
Anschel glanced back as he gathered his rifle. He was worried about whether Harriet, visibly limping even from a distance, could climb this rugged mountain well.
A person who received the full respect of Lieutenant Colonel Ender McGuire, the ‘very’ one who was revered as a hero and had kindled the hope of peace in a seemingly endless war. At first, Anschel was dubious, but he could certainly tell from Ender’s behavior.
He had expected someone extraordinary, but the result was utterly disappointing. The man he had conversed with was weaker and more lethargic than expected. Curious about his ability, Anschel had searched through military data yesterday but found nothing.
His ability was unspecified, and his other capabilities were significantly below average. Perhaps that’s why he was relegated to this countryside, Anschel thought. Frankly, Anschel was somewhat disappointed upon seeing Harriet.
He wondered if Ender was attracted to his appearance, but that wasn’t it either. The white hair and colorless faded eyes were peculiar, but it was hard to find anything else exceptional about him.
A faint person. That was Anschel’s current impression of Harriet.
Honestly, it was hard to believe he was from the same academy as Ender. The National Academy that Ender graduated from was a place where elite groups that were hard to even imagine gathered. A place coveted by those at the top. Even Anschel, who was considered a promising talent, couldn’t gain admission there.
Anschel spread out a map to identify the location of the lake while continuing to observe Harriet. With a blank expression, he seemed like someone with a strong sense of his own pace as he talked calmly with Ender.
What exactly about that person attracted our Lieutenant Colonel so intensely?
Honestly, the reason Ender came here was also strange. It was Ender who drove the southern mermaids here, and he voluntarily took on the cleanup task himself.
The number of escaped mermaids was approximately five or six. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was a number that Anschel and his subordinates could handle. Of course, it would be easier with Ender there, but Ender’s direct involvement in such matters was even more strange.
Nevertheless, Anschel vaguely sensed that Ender had business here, and he also realized that Harriet was at the center of it. But he didn’t show it. Despite everything, life was more important than curiosity.
Anschel sighed as he unlocked his gun. In reality, guns were useless against underwater mermaids, but it was better than nothing. In the unlikely event, guns would be more effective against mermaids wandering on land.
The thought of mermaids wandering around in forms indistinguishable from humans honestly made him feel uneasy.
Sea creatures are most beautiful when they live in the sea.
Unexpectedly, Harriet followed the four well. Although he walked uncomfortably, limping, he didn’t slow down or fall behind.
Walking ahead and stopping, Van placed his hand on the ground and closed his eyes.
“The lake will be visible soon.”
At those words, Anschel stopped his thoughts and quietly picked up his gun, leading the way with Noel.
Harriet, who was walking to the lake over the mountain for the first time, realized that the lake was unexpectedly far away. His breathing was becoming labored, and his throat was parched. Harriet regulated his breathing as he watched them maintain their vigilance.
“Huff…”
The lake was huge and calm. Seeing the lake without a single ripple, Anschel, who realized it was deeper and wider than expected, called Noel. Noel put his hand into the lake and closed his eyes.
“There are too many holes, making it difficult to search.”
He meant that the cliffs surrounding the lake were interfering. But they couldn’t just dive into this deep and wide lake. Mermaids that had come to land were weak, but they were strongest in water.
And the southern mermaids that had fled here were all as venomous as they could be. It was clear that they would be driven mad by their continued defeats and the humiliation of fleeing to land.
“But it seems certain that mermaids have fled here.”
Noel murmured with his hand still in the lake.
They couldn’t spread poison in the lake as it was also used as drinking water by the villagers. There would be purifiers in between, but powerful poison capable of killing mermaids wouldn’t be purified by just that.
With today’s developed media, they had to be careful with their actions even in this rural village. Especially if it was related to Ender McGuire.
Anschel muttered that he should call for a few more reinforcements and took out his radio. It would be faster to contact them by mobile phone, but this matter was confidential, and there was a risk of wiretapping, so its use had to be minimized.
“I’ll call Mac.”
If they at least set fire to this lake to turn it into boiling water, the mermaids would surely jump out.
Anschel connected the radio, making a cruel soliloquy. During all this, the lake remained calm, and the scenery was beautiful. Harriet just swallowed his saliva beside them.
Ender, sitting on a rock, beckoned to Harriet.
“Senior, come over here.”
“Hmm?”
“There’s a frog over there.”
Following Ender’s gaze, there was indeed a frog that had jumped out.
“Shall I catch it for you?”
Did he remember Harriet holding a caught frog and examining it with interest here and there in the past? Ender asked. Noticing the playfulness in his words, Harriet shook his head with a troubled smile.
It seemed like they had had this conversation before. Back then, Ender was really small and cute.
“Senior, can you run?”
“Hmm?”
Harriet raised his head at the sudden question. Ender, who had been throwing pebbles into the lake, asked again.
“Can you run now?”
“No.”
Harriet shook his head. Sorry, but he couldn’t run. Then Ender approached and embraced Harriet.
“Then, excuse me.”
“!!!”
“Anschel.”
Ender lifted Harriet up. And he ran toward a place as far away from the lake as possible. Anschel, turning pale, shouted at Noel who had his hand in the lake.
“Take your hand out, Noel!!”
“What? Ahhh!”
It happened in an instant. Noel’s hand was gradually being sucked into the lake as if being pulled by something. As Van sprang up to grab Noel’s body, an eerie sound was heard.
Eventually, Noel’s body completely sank below the lake.
“Noel!”
Van shouted, trying to follow, but Anschel stopped him.
Seeing Noel descending into the lake, Anschel hurriedly cast a protective barrier around Noel. At the same time, something like a sharp trident tried to pierce Noel’s body but failed. If he had been just a little late, Noel would have been torn apart by the mermaid in the lake.
“Mermaid.”
Blue hair was visible from inside the lake. A beautiful mermaid with blue eyes was glaring at Ender from beneath the lake.
“Senior, didn’t I tell you?”
“…”
“That I’d fulfill your wish.”
With a smile that seemed mocking, or rather sneering, Ender extended his hand and wiggled his fingers. Soon, explosions began from inside the lake. It was Ender’s ultimate weapon, which allowed him to freely manipulate air.
With that ability to compress and explode air underwater, Ender had massacred countless mermaids.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
