Mermaid Trap - Chapter 1

Prologue

The wind and rain were fierce. The waves crashed violently as if they would devour everything.

In front of the sheer cliff, Vivianne was already cornered as far as she could go.

“Vivi. It’s dangerous.”

The male before her called out.

His low voice seemed both persuasive and threatening at the same time. Though his tone was calm, his gaze rippled like the turbulent waters below the cliff.

“Come here.”

“…No.”

One step.

Two steps.

With each backward step, the scent of the sea grew stronger. Behind her was nothing but a dizzying precipice.

Even knowing this, she couldn’t help but keep stepping backward because of the shadow looming before her.

“Let’s go home.”

A living trap approaches.

Carrying such sweet bait.

“Hide and seek is over. I found you, so I win.”

One step.

Two steps.

Slowly.

“So now let’s go home.”

Back then, she had willingly fallen into his trap, captivated by his beauty, not knowing it was a snare. Just being near him was enough. She didn’t know his presence would dig into her skin like thorns, crushing her heart more painfully and mercilessly with blunt teeth.

Torn to pieces, bleeding profusely. Only after being completely broken did she finally escape. Yet the trap was swinging its bait again, determined to return her to its greedy embrace.

“I’m not going, Kian.”

I’m no longer your prey, Vivianne said in a clear voice.

Thud. A stone kicked by her heel tumbled down the cliff. Vivianne stopped in her tracks. There was nowhere left for her toes to reach.

“…Please.”

Was she dreaming? She couldn’t believe it.

Standing at the edge of the cliff, his voice trembled as though he were pleading.

But this is a lie. Because he’s not someone who knows how to plead.

There was a time when she wished she could shake this ruthless male. Any way would have done. She was even willing to hurt herself, to break herself down.

What use was any of that? Remembering those times, only a smile mixed with regret and self-mockery escaped her lips.

“And I won.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than she threw herself into the sea without hesitation.

Goodbye.

Kian von Larson.

Down, down she fell, thinking of the crack that had formed in Kian’s pitch-black eyes.

Chapter 1

A dark night.

The moonlight was exceptionally white.

At the seaside where white sand stretched long, the coral sand glimmered and sparkled, bathed in the soft moonlight.

Behind a rock where waves rippled, Vivianne peeked out just her upper body, waiting for someone.

She needed to stay well hidden, but the moonlight showed no exception here either. Her dazzling platinum hair danced with the waves, sparkling brilliantly.

After waiting for a while, she glanced at the compass hanging around her neck. The needle trembled slightly while pointing toward the beach.

‘He should be here soon.’

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Ah, lovely. The fresh night air cleared her head completely.

The cool breeze caressing her cheeks felt nice. The gentle ripples tickling her tail fin were pleasant too.

The happiest wait in the world. This luxury could only be enjoyed once a month, on the night of the full moon.

Crunch, crunch.

As footsteps in the sand approached and a long shadow fell across the beach, Vivianne’s blue eyes sparkled. A familiar figure began to appear in the distance.

‘…He’s here!’

Vivianne held onto the rock while holding her breath. Thump thump. Her tail trembled involuntarily from excitement.

There are things that make you feel good just by looking at them. Like watching newly born fish playing tag between sea anemones, or the spray of water created by her sisters dancing gracefully.

Of course, the best among them was right now, the ‘perfect male’ before her eyes. Without a doubt, he was the best of the best.

“He’s so handsome.”

She couldn’t help but exclaim.

To Vivianne, the youngest princess of the underwater mermaid kingdom, the mermaid palace was a peaceful prison. It was said that Vivianne had been gravely ill in her childhood and had nearly died. The issue must have been serious, as she had no memories from before her illness.

Her father, the Mermaid King, wouldn’t let her take a single step outside the palace, claiming she was weak.

Under such careful nurturing, Vivianne grew up healthy. She was particularly fast at swimming, learned to dance without tiring, and showed exceptional skill among her sisters.

Yet strangely, her father’s overprotection continued. Each time, her father’s words remained the same.

He said she was weak, and her condition could worsen at any time.

It was frustrating. To be told she was sick when she wasn’t, and even that she would become sick. Even trying to understand it as a parental concern, she couldn’t help feeling upset.

When Vivianne envied her sisters who could roam freely, the Mermaid King confined even her sisters to the mermaid palace.

“How annoying.”

“This is all because of you, Vivi.”

That’s how she became ostracized by her sisters too. The only things she could rely on were countless books and her dedicated maid, Annabel.

As she grew up and entered her mating season, completing her coming-of-age ceremony, her father’s restrictions became even stricter.

Though the palace was stifling, there was still a breathing hole.

Once a month, on the night of the full moon, religious ceremonies are held at the deep-sea temple. On this one day when the palace’s security became lax, she could enjoy her own little escape like this.

“…Hello.”

The greeting that would never reach him shattered in the air. She knew he couldn’t hear her.

Even knowing that, whenever she saw that human, her heart would fill to bursting, and she couldn’t control the urge to do something.

“Have you been well this past month? You’re still as handsome as ever.”

Though he had eyes as black as night and hair like pitch darkness. How strange. To her eyes, he shone brighter than the moon in the sky.

“My name is Vivianne.”

Even if others might think her crazy, she wanted to tell him her name.

“You can just call me Vivi.”

If he would look at her and call her ‘Vivi’? Just imagining it made her heart feel like it would burst with joy.

Surely his voice must be as beautiful as his face. She wanted to approach him right away, talk to him, and hear his voice.

“What’s your name? I don’t know what I should… call you.”

He was too special to just call him human, and calling him male was too broad.

Just. Even if alone.

She wanted to call his name.

Your name that would make me think only of you.

For now, she had tried various names like ‘brilliant male’ or ‘perfect male’, but they seemed a bit childish. Vivianne wanted to know his real name.

She had always been curious about many things.

At first, she was curious about seeing the moon from the land. Since the waves rippled and disturbed her view. Just once. She wanted to see moonlight undistorted by waves.

That was all it was at first.

But the moment she came up to land, she found herself captivated by a male more brilliant than the moon.

Once she saw him, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Even if she couldn’t reach him.

Even if she could only look at him.

She wanted to breathe the same air under the same moonlight. She had things she wanted to tell him, even from afar.

Just once.

No, just one more time.

She wanted to meet him.

After that, Vivianne’s escapes continued monthly. There were countless reasons why she needed to meet him, and the more she met him, the more she wanted to see him.

Last night, when she knew it would rain, Vivianne was too anxious to sleep.

When it rained, Vivianne’s ‘perfect male’ wouldn’t come out for walks. Then she would have to wait another whole month. The rain that started at night continued until the afternoon.

But when evening came as the moon waxed full, the weather cleared up as if by magic, and she could see that male like this. So today was a ‘lucky day’, that’s what Vivianne thought.

The male walked leisurely along the beach. Like a naturally noble creature, he never hurried or showed impatience.

Unlike herself who couldn’t hide her expressions, he showed little emotion. Sometimes when he looked deep in thought, she wondered what he was thinking about.

And when he looked up at the full moon. His profile, from forehead to chin and down to his neckline, was perfect beyond measure.

Vivianne carefully took in every moment of his appearance, not missing a single instant. Even being confined for twenty-nine days, she could endure it thanks to this one day.

Perhaps because it was mating season. Sometimes her chest would grow hot. She wanted to run up and embrace him tightly, but she held back.

If she could kiss those beautiful lips. Tell him she liked him. That she had actually been watching him for a very long time, and ask if he would hold her too if he felt the same.

If she could say that.

…How wonderful would that be?

Her tail swayed gently just from imagining it. But ironically, this tail was what kept her from approaching him. Because the male walked on land, while she swam in the sea.

‘What would he say if he saw my tail?’

Would he say that the princess’s scales were truly fantastic as Annabel said? That her fins were very soft and sparkled alluringly? Would he say things like that?

‘No… there’s no way.’

She had no confidence. Wanting to be loved by someone of a different species. It was too greedy a wish to even dare hope for.

She was telling herself that being able to watch from afar like this was enough, when it happened.

“……!”

For the first time, their eyes met. Those unfathomably black eyes were staring right at her.

Of all times, to be caught peeping while hiding!

Her face burned with embarrassment. Startled, Vivianne fled quickly beneath the surface.

Thump, thump-thump, thump.

Her heart was beating wildly.

* * *

She didn’t even know how she managed to swim back. Her heart was still racing and pounding.

The male had definitely seen her. Remembering those sharp eyes that seemed to pierce through her made her shudder with embarrassment.

‘Did he think I was a strange female?’

I wonder if he realized I was a mermaid? Or maybe he just thought I was a human swimming.

But still. A woman hiding behind rocks and peeping in the dead of night. No matter how she thought about it, it was cowardly and creepy. Even imagining if the roles were reversed made her skin crawl.

Thinking that the perfect male might consider her that kind of female. Her heart stung with distress.

‘Right. Well. That kind of female.’

Since she lacked the courage to approach him no matter what, she had to admit it to herself. Sigh, Vivianne let out a small breath.

‘What if he stops coming for walks because he’s disgusted?’

When her thoughts reached that point, her mood became even more miserable.

‘What should I do? I don’t want to never see him again. I should have hidden better.’

It felt like she had ruined everything because of her careless behavior. Her chest felt tight, as if constricted, throughout the entire dark secret passage.

‘I don’t know. I should sleep and think about it with a clear head tomorrow.’

Though she wasn’t sure if she could sleep when she felt so upset, but still. It would be worse if she got caught and couldn’t come out again. Vivianne hurried her tail movements.

She had lied about going to bed early to sneak out. She needed to quickly return to her room and pretend she had been sleeping the whole time.

After emerging from the passage, Vivianne swam stealthily until she reached her room.

Creak-

The moment she turned the doorknob, she felt her fins stiffen and her scales stand on end.

“Vivi.”

Sure enough. A sharp voice came from inside the room.

…No way. She stopped abruptly in shock.

“At this late hour. Just where have you been?”

The Mermaid King was glaring at her with a terrifying expression.

—

T/N: This novel will release the first 70 chapters for free as it has been dropped by the previous translator, and I will start locking the chapters once we get past that point. Until then, I hope you have fun reading this story^^