The glow of the luminescent jellyfish, arranged for battle, seemed excessively romantic, sharply contrasting with the grim scene.

Triton casually crushed a leech worm wriggling persistently under his foot. Its hard shell cracked, spilling its innards.

These leech worms, each about the size of a man’s face, were revolting to behold and had an appetite greater than most carnivorous animals.

While they weren’t difficult to kill, their overwhelming numbers posed a problem. If not regularly culled, they would quickly overrun the ocean floor.

These creatures were controlled by the Titans sealed deep below, released to create an opportunity for escape.

That human woman had fallen right into the place where these leech worms’ larvae were gathered.

Triton often used this spot as an execution ground for humans who polluted the deep sea, as well as guilty fairies and nymphs.

Occasionally, some peculiar ones managed to climb that high wall and survive. If they showed such determination, he would commend their will and let them live.

Of course, while climbing the wall, the poison from the worms’ bites would spread, ensuring they wouldn’t live long. But wasn’t that a generous act?

So then.

Was the woman alive or dead?

He couldn’t sense death, so it seemed she was alive, but whether she was ‘not yet’ dead or had ‘actually’ survived was unclear.

He glanced again toward the golden castle. His gaze lingered there for a while, a hint of impatience in his demeanor.

Even though he had personally imposed a trial that could lead to death, Triton hoped the human woman hadn’t died. He found joy in seeing her endure, persist, and stubbornly return to him. Therefore, Livia had to endure the trial but not die. She had to survive and crawl back to him, no matter what.

That contradiction created a crack somewhere in Triton’s heart, though it was a faint fissure he hadn’t realized. Even if he had noticed the signs of the crack, he ignored them. After all, acknowledging it wouldn’t change anything.

“Leave the remnants to the soldiers; we’re heading back.”

At Triton’s command, the soldiers moved with perfect coordination. He watched them handle the corpse fragments before lightly stamping his foot.

The current surrounding him surged, swiftly guiding him back to the castle. With a light gesture, he washed away the traces of battle from his body and strode purposefully toward his chamber.

Although it hadn’t been particularly strenuous, he did need some rest.

He didn’t particularly like sleeping, as Morpheus often played tricks on him, but there was no more convenient way to pass dull time than sleeping.

Just as Triton was about to lie down on the thickly cushioned anemone bed, something dropped from the ceiling as if it had been waiting.

With wounded hands, she clutched a golden dagger and aimed it precisely at his heart without a moment’s hesitation.

Well, well.

Triton let out a brief laugh as he grabbed the slender wrist. His unusual eyes slowly scanned the bloodied woman straddling him.

“I didn’t expect to see you so soon….”

The woman’s appearance was as pitiful as ever, her bloodshot eyes fixed on him.

Her face, neck, and arms were covered with dozens of bite marks, as if chewed by the worms, and blood from each wound was smeared all over her body.

Her hair was disheveled, her eyes bloodshot and wild, her body bloodied from the worms’ bites.

The leech worms’ teeth carried poison. It was said to numb pain and induce hallucinations and delusions. No matter how strong one was, it would be difficult to endure with so many bites, yet she was holding on remarkably well.

Despite her condition, she had crawled her way to him. She must have come straight here as soon as she escaped the trench.

Livia’s blind sacrifice and determination were almost admirable. To achieve so much with the will of a frail human. And to think that the target of that will was himself…

A tingling sensation suddenly shot up her spine.

Livia’s hands, trapped by Triton, trembled uncontrollably. She tried with all her might to stab him, but her grip was as ineffective as that of an infant caught by a soldier, unable to move him even slightly.

“Ugh….”

A sob escaped from her clenched teeth. Tears welled up in her bloodshot eyes as she glared at him, as if she wanted to kill him.

Tears? Why? Was she in pain? Or was it from distress? Perhaps shame?

Triton couldn’t guess why the woman was crying. He simply found it curious.

She tried to swallow her tears, her face contorting, but it was a futile resistance. Triton held her bound and waited patiently. Eventually, the collected droplets fell onto his cheek and shoulder with a soft patter.

They were warm and soft. For a moment, they even felt ticklish.

The round droplets falling one by one resembled the gentle drizzle of dew at dawn. His narrowed eyes gazed into her tear-soaked green eyes.

He wondered what it would taste like if he licked them. As if responding to his fleeting curiosity, a tear from her eye fell onto his lips.

Watching her frown in embarrassment, he deliberately licked it up.

It was sweet and lukewarm.

But more than that, what struck him was a sense of ‘lack.’

The fleeting taste that barely moistened his tongue left his mouth dry and his stomach tight. Just a little more…. He wanted to drink deeply, enough to fill his mouth, not just a single drop.

Greedily, ravenously….

As Triton explored this unfamiliar sensation, he let out a brief laugh.

Thirst. It was thirst.

It was an astonishing realization. The sea was water, and water was Triton. He was born from water, grew as part of it, and naturally became its ruler.

The concept of thirst was unknown to him, a word he could perhaps live his entire life without knowing, unless he deliberately sought to understand it.

Yet here he was, feeling it from a single tear of this human woman. It was absurd.

No, discovering a new sensation was actually quite pleasing. It was intriguing and even entertaining.

So then…. If a single drop caused such thirst, would drinking more quench it?

Triton didn’t hesitate. He simply reached out. His long, beautiful hand swiftly grasped her red hair.

“Ah…!”

Her tongue trembled as she gasped. Just as tears were about to flow from her distorted eyes, Triton pulled her closer, licking the bruised corners of her eyes.

Crazy!

Livia stared at Triton with wide eyes in shock. Reflected in her trembling gaze was the face of the sea god, casually licking his lips.

She almost shouted, “What are you doing?” She was hiding the fact that her voice had returned, and she nearly gave herself away. She was so startled that her tears stopped flowing.

Triton pulled the rigid Livia closer to him. Her stiff body resisted, but to no avail.

His cool nose brushed against her neck where her hair had fallen. As goosebumps rose on her sensitized skin from pain, Triton’s low voice whispered in her ear.

“I smell fire….”

A shiver ran up Livia’s spine. She forced herself to fix her gaze on empty space, avoiding Triton’s eyes. Meeting those stormy blue eyes was dangerous, especially when there was something to hide.

“Interesting. How did you bring the smell of fire underwater?”

As he lifted her chin to meet her eyes, Livia quickly turned her head, avoiding Triton’s gaze.

In response to her blatant refusal, Triton merely chuckled.

“Even if I free your tongue, you won’t tell me?”