A high-pitched ringing sound pierced through the buzzing in her ears. Within this strange noise, an unfamiliar voice reached her.

[…Come to the sea.]

Vivianne suddenly opened her eyes and walked out the door.

* * *

When she regained her senses, she was stumbling along the inner part of a secluded beach. Unlike the walking path with its wide expanse of white sand, this area was filled with dark rocky outcroppings. Perhaps because of this, the sound of waves breaking against the rocks seemed sharper and more distinct.

Darkness surrounded her. Vivianne abruptly stopped walking and looked up at the night sky. Neither moon nor stars were visible; the sky was either heavily clouded or simply filled with pitch-black darkness.

How did this happen? This was her first time sleepwalking outside. She had been drawn here by some powerful force, almost entranced, yet she couldn’t understand why. A chilly breeze brushed against her cheeks, the sea wind heavy with moisture.

I should return to my room, she thought. Vivianne looked down at her attire. Having left unconsciously, she wore only a thin negligee without even a shawl.

What if someone saw her like this? It would be disastrous if Kian discovered she had ventured out so defenseless again.

Just as she gathered her wits and turned to leave, a familiar voice called from the distance.

“Princess!”

When she turned her head, someone was watching her from behind the rocks. If she wasn’t mistaken, it was the face she had longed for. Vivianne rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

“…Annabel? Is that really you?”

She had thought they would never meet again. She couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality.

“Is it truly you, Annabel?”

Even if it were a dream, she didn’t mind. She had missed Annabel so much that she would have been happy to see her even in dreams.

“Yes, it’s me, Princess.”

“Annabel!”

It wasn’t a dream. Meeting Annabel again—she felt tears welling up from the joy of reunion.

* * *

Small ripples tickled her toes as they lapped against the shore. Vivianne sat perched on a rock with her neatly removed shoes beside her. She with her feet dangling in the water, Annabel in the water below—they used to be inseparable before she gained legs, but now they were forced to remain apart. The situation felt strangely disorienting.

“Annabel, what happened to your hair? The short style is cute, but you look so different I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Annabel’s hair had once been red and lusciously radiant, like the sun itself. It had been considered one of the most beautiful among merfolk, always inspiring envy. For some reason, that gorgeous long hair was gone, replaced by a short cut that made her look somewhat empty and awkward.

“I could say the same about you, Princess. Without your tail, you’re hardly recognizable.”

Annabel teased Vivianne with an embarrassed smile.

“Is this how you walk on land?” she asked, gesturing toward Vivianne’s legs.

“Yes.”

“They’re white and pretty. Not as magnificent as your luscious tail was, of course.”

She kept touching Vivianne’s small white feet, seemingly still unable to believe they had replaced her tail.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Don’t you remember? You told me you had fallen for an unknown male at the Southern Coral Beach.”

That’s right. The memory returned to her—how she had confided in Annabel about Kian, begging her to keep it secret.

“Of course. You remember everything about me, don’t you?”

“Naturally. Taking care of you is my duty, after all.”

Annabel looked at Vivianne with a heartfelt smile.

“How is everyone doing?”

“How could we be doing well when you disappeared?”

“Was His Majesty very angry?”

“…Not really.”

Despite her denial, Annabel’s expression darkened slightly.

“Well, he did say he would never see you again and would pretend he didn’t have a daughter… but you know what His Majesty is like. He only speaks that way because he misses you terribly. I’m certain of it.”

Even while adjusting to her life on land, Vivianne had often thought about her father. Though he had imprisoned her and tried to force her into marriage, he was still her blood relative who had always worried about her. A sense of unavoidable guilt lingered in one corner of her heart.

“Have you met him? That male you liked?”

“Yes. We’ve already mated many times.”

“Goodness!”

Annabel covered her mouth in shock.

“You’ve mated with that tiny body? Really?”

“Shh! Annabel! Someone might hear you.”

“Who would hear? There’s nobody around.”

Though Annabel was just being supportive, talking so loudly about mating was incredibly embarrassing. Vivianne’s face turned bright red.

“It feels like just yesterday you were a little one. My goodness, when did our little princess grow up so much?”

“I’m hardly little anymore. I’ve already passed adulthood.”

Annabel clasped her hands together, seemingly moved.

“I knew it. No matter how arrogant humans are, he’s still male. With a princess as beautiful as you, he couldn’t help falling in love at first sight.”

She was such a devoted supporter. Her behavior reminded Vivianne of Matilda, who always complimented her appearance.

The fact that Annabel reminded her of Matilda suggested that life at Larson had become more familiar than her previous life in the Mermaid Palace. Her former existence now felt distant and hazy.

“Didn’t it hurt when you mated?”

“Sometimes it’s overwhelming, but I’m fine.”

“Have you conceived offspring yet?”

“Not yet. But we’re mating regularly, so it will happen eventually.”

If only she hadn’t eaten the chocolate. It would have been better to meet Annabel while carrying a child. The thought filled her with a dull ache.

“Um, Princess?”

“Yes?”

“So you’re living happily with that male?”

It was a natural question about her wellbeing. Vivianne forced her lips into a smile.

“Yes, I’m doing well.”

No, that was a lie. She had been lying to Annabel, to Matilda, and to Kian, pretending everything was fine while wounds festered inside her. Looking back, Vivianne realized that her first lie had been because of Kian. It started when she lied about going to bed early on full moon nights so she could come ashore.

After Kian found her, she pretended to have lost her memory, claiming she only remembered her name. She comforted herself by thinking that she was deceiving both herself and Kian to find happiness, that when the red moon appeared, this small deception would become perfect truth.

She endured, believing that if she approached him with honest emotions, Kian would eventually love her. Yet contradictorily, she had never been honest from the beginning.

Of course, she still couldn’t be honest now.

“You’re lying. You’re not really okay.”

“…”

“Your emotions have always shown clearly on your face, Princess. I’ve taken care of you since you were little. You might fool others, but not me.”

She had thought she’d improved since coming ashore. She had deceived both Matilda and Kian. Could she not hide from Annabel? Nevertheless, she needed to be fine now. Vivianne shook her head.

“I’m just still… adjusting. I’ll be okay eventually.”

“Princess.”

“Yes?”

“Even with temporary legs, you’re not human—you’re a mermaid. Please never forget that.”

Sadly, Vivianne agreed with Annabel’s words. Though she had a human body, she never quite fit in with them.

“If it’s too difficult, don’t force yourself to endure. Come back to the sea. Don’t worry about the contract. I met the deep-sea witch.”

Annabel seemed to know everything about the witch already. How did she find out? Vivianne’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You met the witch?”

“Yes. Here, take this first.”

Vivianne somewhat dazedly accepted the pouch Annabel handed her. Inside was a small dagger.

“I confronted the witch and demanded to know how to nullify the contract. It was an unfair agreement that exploited your innocent, desperate heart. We reached a compromise—I offered my hair.”

“…Annabel.”

Though Annabel spoke casually, Vivianne knew it wasn’t a light-hearted decision. To think she had sacrificed her beautiful, radiant hair solely for her sake—guilt weighed heavily on Vivianne’s chest.

“You must have worried so much about me.”

Tears streamed down, blurring her vision.

“But still, why did you cut off something so beautiful?”

“Why are you crying, Princess?”

“I’m so sorry. Because of me… because you were so worried about me, you gave up something precious.”

“Princess…”

As Vivianne apologized through her sobs, Annabel seemed at a loss, distressed by her princess’s anguish.

“My hair can grow back. What does it matter if it’s short? Nothing is more important to me than you.”

Annabel took the dagger from Vivianne’s hand and unsheathed it. Despite the moonless night, the well-forged blade gleamed with a blue light.

“Stab this into that male’s heart. The contract will be nullified, and you can return to the sea as a mermaid again.”