What a truly strange life.

Livia sat lost in thought by the window. Living underwater in a human body was an unbelievable reality to begin with. Perhaps she had been in a nightmare ever since the villagers reduced her family and life to black ashes.

‘…A nightmare?’

Could she really call this a nightmare? There had clearly been dazzlingly enchanting moments too….

With each blink, those dreamlike moments flashed by. Triton had been there in every moment that, though harsh, sometimes felt sweet.

He who had punished her, observed her, caressed her, stroked her….

Yet now his excessive love overwhelmed her. This too seemed laughable and foolish.

She couldn’t believe he had decided to diminish his own divinity for her sake, whom he had once dismissed as merely human.

It made no sense that he would even sacrifice this sea, which constituted his origin and everything, for her sake.

‘This is truly nonsensical. It’s something that should never happen.’

When she raised her head, she could see various creatures swimming freely in the sea.

In the distance swam a whale as big as a house, and nearby young sharks circled around Livia, playfully biting and charging at each other.

She could also see schools of small fish scattering here and there, seemingly tired of the sharks’ noisy play.

The beautiful and peaceful scenery, so different from above water, painfully pierced her vision. As she stared blankly at it, Livia impulsively drew out the golden dagger.

It seemed Echidna still lived. The mark of their contract remained on her wrist, and the fact that Livia’s life hadn’t ended also proved that.

If I die, would this dagger return to her?

…No, if I die, she will die too. So this dagger would probably disappear.

As she quietly looked down at the blade that seemed especially sharp today, Livia glanced around cautiously. Though Triton’s attendants weren’t visible, she had to be careful as someone could be watching her from anywhere.

She got down from the windowsill and sat on the terrace floor. Though there were no windows, there was a roof, so this much would be enough to avoid the sharks’ surveillance.

Having steeled her resolve, Livia gripped the dagger with both hands and aimed it at her own nape.

She tightly shut her trembling eyelids.

The blade tip, which remained razor-sharp without needing to be sharpened, pricked Livia’s white skin.

The neck was a part that hadn’t been dipped in the Styx. However, regardless of the Styx’s blessing, it seemed the blessing didn’t work against self-inflicted wounds.

‘So… if I just stab my neck with this dagger….’

One would never die from wielding the blade clumsily. It was the same when k*lling sick and old sheep. One had to find the blood vessel and cut it cleanly in one stroke. Only then could one die without feeling pain for long. That was her father’s consideration for the sheep facing death.

“You can tell by touching. You must find where it pulses strongly. That spot must be cut in one stroke.”

Probably around here.

Livia’s fingertips trembled as she felt around her nape. If she stabbed and cut this spot in one go, even she who had become more than human should die within minutes.

‘If only I die, all problems will be solved.’

So in truth, the most rational decision was for her to die by her own hand, as Echidna had said. Though agreeing with Echidna’s words frustrated her, there didn’t seem to be any other solution.

The sacrifice was too great to simply close her eyes and believe everything would be fine, as Triton said.

No matter how hungry Livia might be, she could never cut and eat the living flesh of her family.

Triton’s sacrifice was no different to Livia than eating the living flesh of family.

‘So stab it. You must stab it. Just stab it.’

She put strength into her trembling hands.

Though she just needed to plunge it in deeply, strangely her hands wouldn’t move. What puzzled her was that the more she tried to force strength into her hands, the more her insides churned.

Yet as she grit her teeth and tried to push in the blade tip, at that moment.

“…Urghk!”

Livia hurriedly dropped the dagger and retched. In an instant her internal organs twisted with nausea and she couldn’t hold back the rising sickness.

Only after emptying everything inside did Livia finally stop vomiting.

She caught her breath for a while, bent over with her hand against the wall. The golden dagger she had dropped on the floor had already disappeared.

It was so futile and absurd that she had to laugh.

Her body seemed to refuse death. She felt surprised to find her attachment to life, which she hadn’t known about, was this strong, and on the other hand, she felt disgusted with herself.

Pretending she didn’t want his sacrifice, muttering that she would willingly accept death, yet unable to put any strength into the blade before putting it down.

“Ha….”

Livia leaned her head against the wall, all strength drained from her body, and caught her breath. Every breath she exhaled felt hateful.

It seemed Livia had dozed off without realizing. Her distant consciousness hurriedly returned at the gentle touch stroking her hair.

When she opened her eyes with a start, she saw Triton who had somehow already picked her up in his arms.

“Are you feeling unwell? It looked like you vomited.”

“…No, just. I suddenly had a nauseating thought.”

“Is that so? Don’t have such thoughts anymore, Livia. There are so many beautiful and good things in the world.”

When the most beautiful man in this sea said that, it really felt like there were only beautiful and good things in this world.

It would be comfortable to just live like this, enchanted by Triton without thinking about anything. Not seeing what he doesn’t show, not going where he doesn’t allow….

Livia let out a weak laugh at these vain thoughts.

Then she suddenly realized belatedly that he was carrying her somewhere other than the bedroom.

“Where are we going?”

“I called Hecate. We need to break the spell before Echidna dies. I thought it would be better to proceed quickly without dawdling.”

At his words, Livia grabbed Triton’s arm with a pale face.

“W-what? Triton, wait! You’re going to break the spell right now? So, your tail right now…!”

“Shh, Livia. If you make such a fuss, the whole sea will notice.”

His playful tone grated even more harshly on Livia’s nerves. While she had been contemplating death, was this really such a trivial matter to Triton?

If she had known this would happen, she should have died earlier without hesitation. Belated regret washed over her.

“Let go, I don’t want this. Triton! I said I don’t want this! I don’t want it!”

Livia struggled with her whole body, trying to break free from him. But the more she struggled, the tighter Triton’s grip became as he held her.

“It will be over soon, Livia.”

“This isn’t right, Triton. Please, I’m begging you. Let’s find another way. Okay? This isn’t right. Please! If you force me to go like this, I’ll hate you forever! I’ll despise you!”

Triton hesitated for just a moment at her words, but it didn’t last long. Having already reached the underground prison, he kissed Livia’s forehead and whispered.

“It’s alright. Even your hatred for me is lovely. It’s better than you dying.”

This mad god still wouldn’t listen to her words.

Such a stubborn man!

Forced into the darkness by his hands, Livia felt her stomach churning again. The air was thick with a gloomy smell. Though this place was quite familiar to Livia, there was now a terrible stench of rot that she hadn’t noticed before. The reason was probably that thing.

“So you are the sea god’s companion.”

A goddess wearing a black hood showing only her alluring lips, and before her a huge black and red leech whose form was impossible to make out…

No, that wasn’t a leech. Someone whose form no longer remained like a leech…

‘Echidna!’

That dark red mass had to be Echidna. Livia covered her mouth as nausea rose at the sight that was beyond miserable, bordering on cruel. Though Triton patted her back to comfort her, it provided no comfort at all.

“Well then… now that all parties are gathered, shall we begin?”

At Hecate’s words, Livia urgently uncovered her mouth.

“No! I don’t want this! I haven’t agreed to this! This spell isn’t right. I, I can’t accept this. I don’t want it! Triton! You should give me time to think too! Not so suddenly like this. This isn’t right. Please, I’m begging you! Please, goddess of spells. Tell them this isn’t right.”

Livia pleaded, appearing to have a fit. With strength from an unknown source, she pushed away from Triton and hurriedly approached Hecate. Though Echidna’s wretched form was before her eyes, she paid it no mind. Right now, all that mattered to Livia was whether Triton’s tail would be cut off.

“Oh my… It seems there hasn’t been an agreement yet, Triton?”

“My companion just has such a tender heart.”

“Tender heart? D*mn it, Triton! Is this about having a tender heart right now? It’s not. Would you readily accept it if I said I would blow away half my body to save you?”

Triton’s face creased deeply at Livia’s words.

Though he glared at her with a cold expression that suggested displeasure at the mere thought, the fact that he didn’t refute suggested he didn’t disagree.

“Don’t force me to live. Because I won’t be happy at all living through your sacrifice! I don’t want it this way, Triton. Please… let’s find another way. Okay?”

Livia pleaded one last time, struggling, but Triton’s expression remained largely unchanged.

“I don’t understand why you’re being so stubborn about such a small matter.”

Rather, he sighed while rubbing the back of his neck, appearing tired of this confrontation.

“…A small matter? Fine. Then I’ll go first with that small matter. Split me in half, kill one part and save the other. The part of me that doesn’t want to be forcibly kept alive will die, and only the shameless part that wants to live will remain. Take that! Since you’re gods who can do anything, that should be possible too, right?”

“Why are you being so…”

“You’re the one being forceful. I said I don’t want it. I don’t want it. I told you I can’t accept it! That the me who would survive like that would be disgusting and hateful!”

“Livia!”

The tense confrontation continued with neither Livia nor Triton backing down an inch.

Watching Triton and Livia from a step back, Hecate heaved a low sigh before stepping between them and speaking.

“Enough. Let’s do it this way.”

Hecate spoke while creating a small hourglass in her palm.

“I’ll give you time. Seven days. Try to persuade your companion within that time, Triton. The spell seems too unstable like this.”

Joy and sorrow crossed Livia and Triton’s faces at Hecate’s words.

Livia’s face brightened with relief as she clutched her chest. Though she hadn’t won his acceptance, she had bought time.

But that alone was enough.

Watching Hecate disappear, Livia strengthened her resolve.

Either die within three days.

Or within three days, she must definitely leave Triton.