Livia was startled for a moment. Her heart stung unnecessarily at hearing that babies remember their surroundings from birth.

However, besides that part, she had nothing else in common with sirens. All sirens were said to be excellent musicians, while Livia was so tone-deaf she couldn’t even sing.

Being an orphan, she didn’t know who her parents were, but without any webbed fingers or gills, there were too many differences to compare herself to sirens based on just one memory. So there was absolutely no reason for her to feel confused.

“Myamya! Mamma!”

The baby siren called Doris, who had been playing with a shell in her hand for a while, took out the shellfish meat and struggled to put it in Livia’s mouth.

Though the intention was sweet, Livia couldn’t eat raw clams or fish.

When she pushed what was meant for her mouth back into the baby’s mouth instead, the baby ate it well with a “nom nom.” The way she played with a bright smile was so innocent, unlike a baby who had lost its parents.

‘I had been wondering about this… Seems like they’re doing well.’

That was a relief.

This small life that had lost its parents so tragically to human selfishness…

When Triton first placed this baby in her arms, she had been so confused she just held it blankly. Yet even then, the baby had opened its eyes and remembered her appearance – it made her feel strange.

Doris, who had been munching on the shellfish meat, hummed a song while splashing water. Though there were only sounds without words as they were unable to speak yet, the baby’s voice resonated smoothly, like it was riding a melody. They say sirens can enchant people with their voices, and already the child’s voice touched Livia’s heartstrings.

“It seems Doris wants to play with you, Livia. The child looks very excited.”

“Is that so…”

“If you don’t mind, could you play with them until sunset? This is the first time we’ve seen Doris sing. We were worried because their voice hadn’t developed, but seeing this now, it seems they’re growing well enough.”

Livia couldn’t bring herself to refuse the nymphs’ request.

Hadn’t she too once been abandoned and desperately needed someone’s care? After being abandoned again and again, she had come this far for the family that finally took her hand.

Though it was when she was too young to know anything, Livia knew well enough how much that deprivation affected one’s life.

“Myamya, together, together…!”

“…Alright. Let’s go, let’s.”

Splash-!

The baby grabbed Livia’s hand and went into the water.

Livia spent time swimming underwater with the baby and playing hide-and-seek. The baby wasn’t even afraid of the huge sharks, even playing with them too.

Father used to say all babies in the world are beautiful, and the same was true for sirens. Even with a fish tail, webbed fingers, and gills, a baby was just a baby.

Meeting those small hands holding her tightly and those eyes looking straight at her, it felt as if the worries that had been weighing so heavily on Livia became lighter, if only for a moment.

After playing in the water for a while, Livia climbed up on a rock to dry off and take a short rest. Then Doris, who was lying beside her and rolling around together, started humming a song.

When Livia, who had been keeping time with her feet, unconsciously tried to imitate and sing along with the same tune, the baby’s eyes went round and said tearfully:

“Myamya. Can’t, sing…”

…Is it shocking enough to cry about?

As Livia, whose ears had turned red, pressed her lips shut, the baby suddenly sat up and hugged her tightly. The maple leaf-like small hands patted Livia’s shoulders.

“It’s okay, it’s okay…”

Though the pronunciation was imprecise, she could understand it was meant to be words of comfort. As she sat there blankly, not knowing how to react, the baby’s cool body temperature hugged Livia even tighter.

“It’s okay!”

Perhaps thinking Livia couldn’t understand? The child put strength into their small tongue and spoke in a louder, clearer voice.

‘They only look about two years old…’

Even though sirens were said to grow faster than human babies, it was amazing that they could speak so clearly already.

However, on the other hand, thinking about this smart child experiencing that tragedy made her heart heavy. The one who needed comforting with “it’s okay” wasn’t the grown adult like herself, but this small baby.

“Thank you, I’m okay. And you’ll be okay too, Doris.”

Livia hugged the small siren back tightly. Age, gender, length of life lived… Two beings with nothing in common smiled at each other.

The warm red sunset embraced the small woman and child like wings.

***

“You go ahead first. I’m going to sleep here tonight.”

Night had fallen before they knew it. The nymphs took Doris back to the rocky island, while Livia remained on the island.

When the sharks urged her to return, Livia stood firmly on the sand and refused. The black shark showed its displeasure by writhing its whole body, then flicked its tail hard to splash water on Livia.

“Ah, cold! Sympho!”

Grrr!

When Livia shouted, the shark spat out bubbles as if it was trying to talk back.

The shark in the water and the human outside faced off for a while, but this was clearly a disadvantageous fight for one side. Unless Livia entered the water herself, the shark that couldn’t come out couldn’t take her away.

Time passed idly.

The white shark that had been calmly observing the situation nudged the black shark to back off.

The black shark twisted its whole body and made a fuss as if throwing a tantrum, but that didn’t last long. The sharks swam in circles where Livia could see them, drawing a large circle.

‘Is that meant to say they understand? Are they going to leave?’

As she watched quietly, the two sharks slowly rode the current down toward the sea. Just as she was feeling relieved thinking they had given up and were returning, the black shark cut across the current, charged forward, and leaped high in front of Livia.

“…!”

As she looked up startled, a wave of water crashed down with a splash, completely soaking Livia.

“You…!”

Just as she was about to shout angrily at looking like a completely drenched mouse, the black shark swam away swiftly and disappeared.

“That, that ill-tempered fish…!”

Though she wanted to yell something, it was futile with no one there. After huffing and puffing in place for a while, Livia wrung out the water from her clothes and looked around.

She hadn’t noticed while in the water, but after coming out, her body kept getting chilly. Looking around for shelter from the wind, she saw a wide shadow in the rock crevice right next to the waterfall connected to the river upstream.

Hurrying to take shelter there for the night, Livia immediately called forth Mumu. When she rubbed Persephone’s seal, the hell hound that had grown much larger than Livia appeared with a “woof-.”

“Mumu!”

At Livia’s call, all three heads rushed to lick her. The fluffy fur clung warmly to her cold skin.

“I missed you too. Sorry I couldn’t call you out often. Being underwater all the time…”

Though Mumu shook their head as if it was fine, she felt concerned about calling out a fire-using beast underwater.

Last time, she had seen firsthand how much Mumu struggled when fighting off the leech-worms, which made her feel even worse.

Making Livia’s worries seem unnecessary, Mumu, who had already recovered their health, clung to her acting spoiled.

Livia gathered dry branches and had Mumu breathe on them to make a small campfire.

Originally, making a fire was a very time-consuming and difficult task, but with Mumu it was done in an instant.

“Thank you, Mumu.”

Woof! Woof woof! Woof!

When all three barked at once, birds sleeping in the forest beyond the gorge were startled and flew up fluttering their wings.

Livia brought her finger to her lips in a gesture to be quiet to calm Mumu, then lay down leaning against the large dog’s body.

The touching body temperature was especially warm and the night was leisurely. Though the night’s stillness approached as if caressing Livia’s heart, strangely it didn’t feel very reassuring.

The majestic sound of falling waterfall, the crackling of burning firewood, the warm warmth of the puppy guarding her side…

Though it was a comfortable and peaceful time, somehow it felt awkward and uncomfortable. Even while blankly staring at the campfire, her gaze would occasionally go to the roughly flowing water.

Though not as wide and deep as the sea, that stream clearly heading toward the sea seemed to be tempting Livia.

Water droplets jumping up small as if calling her to come, the waterfall sound as if whispering her name… All of it seemed to be calling Livia to come quickly.

“…Hot.”

Livia, who had been rubbing her nape, felt her body getting hot as if wondering when she had felt cold. Moreover, the thirst that made her throat feel scratchy had been making her uncomfortable for a while now.

‘Water… I want to drink water.’

Once she recognized the thirst, her body burned with immediate desire to drink water. Could it be an aftereffect of staying only in water? But even when she had stopped by the village before, she had been out all day and had been fine then…

As Livia lost herself in the waterfall sound beating her ears, she finally got up and approached the riverside. Instead of submerging herself, she scooped up a little water with her hands and brought it to her mouth.

Gulp.

The few drops going down her throat were tantalizing. She wanted to drink more deeply than this.

Getting completely soaked… yes, going right into the water and drinking as much as she wanted. As if pouring it fully into her lungs.

Whine-

Mumu, who had followed Livia without her noticing, worriedly tugged at the hem of her clothes with their teeth. Livia smiled softly and patted each of the three heads in turn.

“Your body temperature must have been too warm. I’m just a bit hot, that’s all. I’ll just dip in briefly and come back.”

After reassuring Mumu, she slowly entered the water. Though she felt a chill as soon as her heated body touched it, it didn’t last long.

When the water reached her chest, far from being cold, she instantly felt better with a thrilling freshness from head to toe. Though she poured water over her shoulders and chest, it wasn’t enough.

‘Completely… I want to get completely soaked.’

Livia walked further into deeper water. Though the river water captured by darkness should have been frightening, strangely she felt nothing. She just wanted to get wet from head to toe soon…

Her neck submerged, her chin submerged, and finally her head completely submerged.

Mumu’s barking “woof” grew distantly far away.

Then, like someone who hadn’t known they were having trouble breathing, her nose cleared and her chest rose and fell busily.

Livia swam hard with arms and legs stretched out in the black water. Just as she thought she should drink a bit more water and get out…

Shiver-

Suddenly bubbles began swirling around Livia’s feet, and cold water chains wrapped around her ankles.

‘…!’

At the edge of her startled, hastily distorted gaze, a shadow of silver hair flashed coldly as if sharpened by moonlight.