“Don’t talk crazy. Get away from me! If you touch me, I won’t let it slide!”

“Huuuh! Wh-what do you mean you won’t let it slide? H-huh?”

The Satyr immediately lunged at Audike.

“Move, get away!”

Audike screamed and tensed her whole body. Sea nymphs had the ability to release an electric current in moments of crisis. While it might be a deadly attack for humans, to a half-human, half-beast like the Satyr, it was merely a tingle.

“T-t-tickles!”

The Satyr shook his hand, which had been knocked back by the current, and shivered with delight. Then, a sticky liquid began to trickle down from the tip of his er*ect g*nitalia.

It was horrific—so horrific that it made one want to vomit.

The grinning Satyr suddenly grabbed Audike’s wrist.

“Ahhh, let go of this!”

As Audike released another current in a fit, the Satyr shuddered. However, the grip on her wrist didn’t weaken; it only grew stronger. His filthy breathing became even more ragged.

Audike felt so frustrated and wronged that she was on the verge of tears but had to face reality.

This wasn’t going to work. She was going to be overpowered. At this point, it was better to die than to suffer. Clenching her teeth, she prayed to the virgin goddess to help her die quickly and mercifully. But at that moment,

Thud!

With a groan, the Satyr’s body slid to the ground. At the same time, red bloodstains bloomed like a mirage above the beast’s head. Audike’s eyes widened as she looked beyond the crimson haze.

“……!”

There stood a human woman holding a giant clam shell, as big as a small rock.

***

“…Thank you for helping me.”

In response to Audike’s gratitude, Livia smiled and lifted the corners of her mouth as if to say it was nothing. She mouthed words silently to Audike. Audike, tilting her head, closely observed the shape of her lips.

“You can’t speak? Why?”

Livia mouthed again.

“Triton, no, Lord Triton took it away?”

As Livia nodded, Audike looked puzzled.

“Why? Is there any reason to take the voice of a woman he likes?”

It sounded strange. Had she misheard ‘trying to kill’ as something else? If he wanted to kill someone, he could just do it, so why bother cutting out a tongue?

‘…To torture?’

Thinking that way, it made some sense. Livia, who had found her own reasoning, looked at Audike, who was scratching her chin with a complicated expression.

The small gills under her chin were now calmly hidden, as the shock seemed to have subsided. Unless she was startled, one wouldn’t even know the gills were there.

Fortunately, it seemed she hadn’t been hurt, as Livia had arrived not too late. Livia glanced at Audike with relief and then looked coldly at the half-human, half-beast sprawled on the ground.

Though he had been knocked out by a blow to the back of the head, he wasn’t dead. His twitching toes and the grotesque thing hanging limp between them were visible.

Seeing that made her even angrier. It reminded her of someone who couldn’t control their instincts and did bad things among the sheep.

Phedum!

Grinding her teeth, Livia lifted her foot and stomped hard on the wriggling thing like an eel, crushing it.

“Ugh, ack…!”

The half-human, half-beast creature, who had been trembling in shock, fainted with his eyes rolled back. Froth formed at his mouth and then quickly vanished.

Whether he lived or died didn’t matter. When she turned her head swiftly, she saw Audike, wide-eyed, coming into view. Her gills had slightly lifted again, indicating she was a bit startled.

“You… you… are more than you seem…”

Livia gave Audike an awkward smile to reassure her. Audike, who had been looking at her, touched her forehead and shook her head.

An awkward silence lingered for a moment. As Audike and Livia watched each other cautiously, their eyes met at the same time.

Audike was the first to burst into laughter. What started as a small chuckle gradually grew louder until it became a clear, refreshing laugh that filled the air. Her laughter was so infectious that even the corners of Livia’s mouth began to twitch involuntarily.

Eventually, Livia couldn’t hold back her laughter either. Although she covered her mouth with the back of her hand to stifle the sound, it had been a long time since she had laughed like that.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so freely. Someone once said that laughter has the power to overcome despair, and it seemed true. The heavy burden on her heart suddenly became bearable. At that moment, it didn’t matter that they were underwater or that she was facing a nymph. They just looked at each other, laughed, and laughed again.

“I’ve never heard the sound of balls bursting before!”

Audike stammered as she laughed, clutching her stomach. It took a while for both of them to finally stop laughing. Once the laughter subsided, an unusual silence settled over them.

After hesitating for a while, Audike took a deep breath as if she were about to say something difficult and then spoke quickly.

“Again, thank you for saving me. But you did deceive me once. As a nymph who values trust greatly, I have no intention of being friends with someone who has deceived me. So, it’s best if we don’t get involved any further.”

…Friends.

Livia, who had never considered such a thought, looked visibly surprised. Of course, it would be nice to be friends, but as Audike said, their relationship was too ambiguous, and the situation was not appropriate.

“No matter what face you make, my mind won’t change.”

Audike said coldly, interpreting Livia’s expression in some way. However, the way she glanced at Livia, as if checking her reaction, was far from stern.

Livia nodded to show she understood. It seemed like they should go their separate ways now, but despite her firm words, Audike didn’t move at all.

When Livia looked at her as if asking why she wasn’t leaving, Audike suddenly realized and hurriedly stood up.

Goodbye.

Livia stood there, waving at Audike. But after walking a few steps with determination, Audike stopped and turned around.

“But why aren’t you going?”

Well… Livia didn’t really have anywhere to go. She had no fixed place to sleep. She usually rested in inconspicuous spots or was knocked out by Triton. Otherwise, she would hide somewhere to ambush him.

So today, she was planning to rest here and then look for a place called the ‘library’ when the sun rose. Of course, Triton had told her to stay in his chamber, but Livia had no reason to be there. After all, it was her enemy’s bed; why would she stay there?

“…Are you lost? Do you not know where Lord Triton’s chamber is?”

Perhaps misunderstanding her silence, Audike said something strange.

“Oh dear… That won’t do. I’ll take you there.”

Before Livia could react, Audike grabbed her wrist and pulled her along.

***

Audike was so strong that Livia found herself being dragged to the main palace in no time. Realizing she might actually be taken to the chamber, Livia planted her feet firmly in the corridor of the main palace.

“Okay. You know how to get there from here, right?”

Livia hadn’t intended to deceive Audike this time, but it seemed she had unintentionally caused a misunderstanding.

Despite her efforts to move her lips, Audike wasn’t looking at her, so her words didn’t get across. Livia had no choice but to nod quickly and push Audike’s back.

As she had felt before, this nymph seemed to be very kind-hearted and gentle. Livia forcefully sent her off, even as Audike kept trying to look back.

Finally, Audike’s figure completely disappeared from view. Only then could Livia leave the main palace. She didn’t know how much time had passed, but the music that had been playing in the distance had almost faded away. It was time to find a place to rest.

Where should she go? Perhaps the underground entrance where she had hidden before was the best option? As she turned her head, looking for a place to go, a splash of water erupted from beneath her feet.

“……!”

In an instant, her body was lifted into the air.

***

“You seem to lack determination toward your goal.”

She was thrown back onto the rocking bed.

And it wasn’t an empty bed either; it was the bed where Triton was reclining. The smooth yet firm texture of his skin was felt beneath her cheek. As she quickly sat up, startled, those were the words she heard.

…What did he mean by determination toward her goal?

Frowning at the unexpected words, Livia looked at him, and his hand touched her cheek. She flinched involuntarily but didn’t pull away. His cool fingers brushed the tired skin beneath her eyes.

“If you truly desire something, you must keep your eyes on the goal, Livia.”