Jilted Guilt: the Mermaid and the Hunter - Chapter 1
Do mythical mermaids in generations past really seduce and devour sailors?
The seed of chaos conceived by the Mother of Storms.
Bluntly put—
“Man-eating fish.”
Lavinia lowered her head between her crossed arms. His tone was icy cold, and she found herself grateful to be able to mask the fear on her face.
Wet hair clung to her eyelids, but the light that enveloped the room filled her body with warmth.
A place so ethereal cannot be owned by ordinary humans. A woman who seemed accustomed to the situation used a well-crafted scepter to poke and prod Lavinia’ body as if counting rib bones.
“Viscount Linton humbly offers this fish to Your Majesty.”
“Oh? There aren’t many genuine goods like this left intact.”
“Yes, I guarantee it!”
She could see them stiffly responding to the merchant’s nervous muttering. Lavinia’s tail curled impatiently. Here she was, at the center of the land it seems, the palace of the humans.
The scepter ran across the stiff body that had been confined to the glass tank for so long, then across her smooth cheeks and up to her forehead.
The elegantly dressed woman pressed the tip of her scepter to Lavinia’s forehead once more, as if stamping it with a seal.
“Indeed. Not a single scratch.”
“It falls short of Tiernan’s boundless glory, but……it’s our small token of respect.”
“Is that so?”
Who would have thought she would be face to face with the crowned Queen of Tiernan? With her parched skin and her consciousness fading, Lavinia found it difficult to open her eyes.
The queen interrupted the merchant’s ramblings, keeping a watchful eye on Lavinia’s condition. She pressed her scepter lazily against both cheeks, turning Lavinia’s head from side to side, then poked her under the chin, forcing her to hold her head upright.
“For all things precious must rightfully be returned—”
“What is this for?”
“Well…Isn’t it beautiful to look at?”
“Ornamental, then?”
The merchants, who had been smiling coyly, stopped talking at the sound of the queen’s stern and sharp voice.
It had long been rumored that the queen was tired of extravagance. With hair piled high, it was hard to make out her expression through the veil that hid her face, but the venomous glint in her eyes was unmistakable.
The Viscount, seeing the merchants not knowing what to say, stepped forward.
“Yes, how wonderful would it be to build an underwater garden and release them in it?”
“A rare fish, indeed, that has not lost a single scale.”
Her sarcasm and anger gone, the queen withdrew her scepter from the mermaid.
“Moreover, Your Majesty, you have already shown favor to me concerning your birthday.”
Linton took a step closer to the queen after pushing the merchants aside. He looked at the mermaid and spoke to the queen. He recounted the story of the Earl who had been caught eavesdropping on the queen’s plan to present a beautiful show in the desert for the King. The Earl was said to have had his wrists slit — not as outrageous as rumor had it, but his silence didn’t bode well either.
“By the king?”
When the queen asked, Linton began racking his brain for a way to clean up the mess he had just made for himself. But his careless tongue moved faster than his brain.
“Well, you see… Your Majesty…”
“Your Majesty would probably wish to keep that secret as well, wouldn’t he?”
“Yes, yes…!”
The queen glanced at this foolish man who was desperately trying to make a living somehow. It was clear he didn’t even know how to package a lie properly.
“Then I will ask no more questions. But I’ll make sure this genuine article is delivered to the King.”
She has had enough fun toying with Linton, so she decided it was time to stop this fruitless endeavor.
“Then, at the banquet, make sure to confirm the Viscount’s sincerity. You may go.”
“Yes… I am deeply grateful for your understanding. It is an honor that you have spared your precious time.”
The Viscount slipped away, not daring to raise his head.
Wouldn’t the maids who attend to her know best what it takes to satisfy the demanding queen? He quickened his stride, thinking about the amount of money to slip into the servants’ pockets.
The uncovered tank reeked of dirty water, but the mermaid inside was as beautiful as a single lotus flower rising proudly, untainted by the muddy water.
The queen, shedding her contemplative attitude, grasped her scepter with a stern expression and jabbed it into Lavinia’s back.
As the mermaid sobbed and whimpered, the queen examined the pained expression once again with the end of her scepter. The trembling, lost eyes had nowhere to focus. The queen smiled curiously.
