Jilted Guilt: the Mermaid and the Hunter - Chapter 15
“Call it a curse, call it a blessing. The wish is yours to make.”
The mermaid’s powers are limited. The fact that she cannot return to the world of mermaids on her own was evidence of that. She could only use her abilities to help others.
How sweet yet cruel is the command given by Dianta to care for and love not just her own but the children of others. To have complete control, it would be good if she could command Eizentine that way.
“Nevertheless, I am quite looking forward to the curse you’ll bring. Come on, tell me, Lavinia. What evil can a wish made of pure intentions bring?” The queen laughed at the mermaid, who was trying her best to look intimidating.
“It’s fortunate for you that it’s a secret only I know, isn’t it?”
“…”
“Do you not believe me? Would you trust me if I said I have no intention of sharing you with others?”
Lavinia fell silent. The spirit of the lake had sensed the queen’s aura and was frightened away, leaving Lavinia to deal with her alone. She was surprised that the queen knew more about her than she had anticipated.
“I am willing to send you back to where you came from, Lavinia, if you will grant me my wish.”
“…”
“If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do.”
Naturally, she didn’t trust the queen’s sweet promises. Such manipulators typically seize only what they desire and are quick to abandon their false promises. The queen narrowed her eyes and made one last move.
“I’ll tell you something you don’t know. How about that? Might that pique your interest?”
“How can you be sure that I didn’t know about it?”
“Because if you did, you would have at least attempted to escape.”
Her words were straightforward. However, amidst the despair, an unexpected glimmer of hope emerged.
Was there indeed a way to escape? She longed to return to the safety of her homeland as soon as possible.
Mother, I’ve had enough regret and remorse for my foolishness and impulsive behavior, so please. Please let me go back.
She prayed countless times in the glass tank.
“Poor thing, your mother hid from you the thing you desire the most.”
“…What do you want me to do?” asked Lavinia, glancing askance.
There was no stalling now. The queen removed her amulet, and within moments her fingertips were blue. Lavinia sensed an ominous aura on her forearms as she rolled up her sleeves. It wafted up like smoke and made her sick to her stomach. This was why the spirits had hid.
“Do you wish for me to heal this?”
“I’m already severely injured. Besides, my amulet is no longer effective. In another 2 or 3 years, this gem will shatter.”
If the queen of a nation is sick, why is the king not doing everything he can to heal her? No. Lavania put herself in their situation, digging through their reasoning. This must be a secret they’ve been keeping from the king. It was a curse that made even this divine being tremble in fear.
Lavinia speculated that she might have suffered an injury while plotting some secretive scheme. Such a malicious aura couldn’t permeate a person’s body without cause. The energy concealed by the amulet was immensely colossal and dark.
“In that case?”
“Completely undo the curse upon my flesh.”
A curse is not like a wound; there is no complete recovery, unless the target of the curse disappears. While alleviating the condition might be possible, attempting a cure would expose Lavinia herself to the curse.
When Lavinia thought of cursed beings, she thought of creatures who had been crawling in the darkness since birth. These were creatures opposed to deities like Dianta and Nisephor. The stakes are too high to take the queen at her word and help her.
“…If you can show me some proof, then I’ll consider helping.”
That aside, if she were to completely heal the queen now, she was certain that the queen would discard her as soon as she served her purpose. Lavinia resolved to eliminate only the marks concealed by the amulet. As long as the object of her curse remains on the queen’s body, it was only a matter of time before the scars reappeared. To ensure her survival, Lavinia had to make it so the queen continued to need her.
Seeing the conviction in her eyes, the queen put the amulet back on.
“Fine, now it’s my turn.”
Lavinia nodded. In a tone as nonchalant as a casual greeting, the queen divulged the information Lavinia craved the most.
“If a mermaid consumes human blood, she grows legs. With those legs, you can escape.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
She had already tasted the blood of the men she had unwillingly killed. Was the queen trying to trick her, when she could plainly see that her body hadn’t changed?
Seeing the suspicion in Lavinia’s eyes, the queen chuckled. “Oh, have you tried it already? It must be the blood of the living, not the dead.”
Just as the queen had no idea of the impact her words would have on Lavinia, Lavinia had no idea of the depth of the queen’s curse.
The queen lightly flicked Lavinia’s nose with her finger—treating her like a pet.
“As long as you have those legs, the one who gave you the blood must live.”
“Will I ever return to being a mermaid?”
“If it sounds like a lie, shall we confirm it now? I can’t guarantee how long it will last, though.”
“Please do.”
The queen pulled out a sharp hairpin and pricked her finger. As a droplet of blood formed on her fingertip, she brought it to Lavinia’s lips.
Lavinia obediently accepted it and waited. For a moment, nothing happened.The queen stood still and looked down at her observantly. Just as she was about to protest that it was too little, Lavinia felt the blood rush to her lower body. At one point, she realized she wasn’t swimming but clumsily flailing with her own two legs.
