Ariel's Request

Ariel took a deep breath of the icy seawater.

This was something she had planned for a long time, but when she truly faced the Sea Witch, her heart still pounded.

Her two human friends had overcome numerous obstacles to fulfill their wishes, answering three incredibly difficult questions in her opinion as a reward.

What price would she have to pay?

Ariel swam up to the Sea Hag, hesitating, wanting to voice her wish, yet feeling slightly shy.

"My silly princess, you don't need to say it. I know what you've come to ask for," the Sea Hag said.

She possessed a powerful magic—when a sea creature sincerely desired her help and stood directly before her, the Sea Hag could discern their wish simply by gazing at them for a moment.

For a Sea Witch who always granted the wishes of others, this was truly a useful magic.

Yet, for some reason, this mind-reading ability was useless on humans.

Perhaps, the Sea Hag thought, the wishes of mermaids resided only in their minds and hearts, while humans, possessing Immortal Souls, hid their wishes deep within those Immortal Souls—a place even she could notglimpse peek into.

"My beautiful princess, hahahahaha, your wish is truly foolish! You actually want to remove your fishtail, grow two human legs, and become a deformed human to go ashore, to human society! You want a handsome Prince to fall in love with you, pouring fervent thoughts and emotions upon you, thereby obtaining an Immortal Soul.

"I have never heard of such a thing, a human falling in love with a sea creature. What a ridiculous and laughable fantasy."

The Sea Hag laughed heartily after seeing the Mermaid Princess's wish.

After laughing, the Sea Witch felt a tinge of regret: it turned out that she only needed to see the Mermaid Princess's wish to naturally know how a mermaid could obtain an Immortal Soul.

There was no need to get the answer from two humans! The Sea Hag then said to the Mermaid Princess:

"Silly thing, although this is a foolish wish, I will grant it. Even if it is unlikely to have a good outcome.

"I can brew a Magic Potion for you to drink. Take this Magic Potion and swim to the beach at night, consuming it before the first ray of dawn arrives.

"Then, your tail will split in two, twisting into what humans call beautiful legs. It will be as if a sharp knife is cruelly cutting your fishtail in half, dividing it into two. It will definitely hurt!

"Because those legs are transformed from your tail, you will also retain your swimming gait, and your dance will be lighter than any dancer's!"

Ariel was overjoyed upon hearing this.

She hadn't expected that her wish could be fulfilled with just a Magic Potion.

But the Sea Hag only spoke of the benefits, causing her to worry, and she asked, "Then, what price must I pay to obtain these legs?"

The Sea Hag said:

"Where in this world is there something that only brings benefits without paying a price? The legs you transform into are, after all, not the natural legs of a human, but imitations cut out with a sharp, medicinal property. Therefore, every step you take will be like walking on the edge of a knife! If you can endure these pains, then I can help you."

Before the little Mermaid Princess could respond, Aurora spoke up for her:

"Why is there such a side effect? To have an elegant dance but be unable to naturally dance on the ground is simply like teasing someone."

The Mermaid Princess regarded them as friends, and Aurora reciprocated with the same affection.

From the bottom of her heart, she did not want Ariel to endure that unbearable pain.

Aurora glanced at Rhine, recalling her teacher's Transformation Spell, and muttered, "But I've seen Magicians transform one creature into another without any side effects. There must be a flaw in your potion!"

The Sea Hag retorted angrily:

"This is not a temporary Transformation Spell. Everything in the world has its original form, and Transformation Spells merely apply heavy makeup to them without changing their essence.

"Magicians transform one thing into another, and it looks so magical, but it's just a deceptive illusion! Before long, things will revert to their original form.

"But the potion I brew can bring lasting change!"

Rhine nodded slightly, knowing that what the Sea Hag said was true.

It was just like in the story of Cinderella, when the clock struck midnight, everything would revert to its original state.

Transformation Magic would eventually end.

—Perhaps because the time had come, or perhaps it was dispelled by some other magic-breaking contraption.

According to the "Dungeons & Dragons"-like tabletop games of his previous life, only effects with a duration of "instantaneous" were undispellable.

Ariel, fearing that the Sea Hag and her human friends would argue, quickly said to the Sea Hag:

"No problem. I can endure it!"

Her voice trembled, yet it was quite firm.

Because she remembered that handsome Prince and her ambition to obtain an Immortal Soul.

"It's not over yet. A Mermaid without an Immortal Soul who transforms into a human form violates the laws of nature and will encounter the world's Curse!" the Sea Hag said. "If you fail to win the love of that Prince and obtain an Immortal Soul, on the morning he marries another, when the first ray of dawn shines upon the earth and the sea, your heart will shatter, and you will turn into sea foam."

Aurora found this even more unacceptable, arguing for her Mermaid friend, "Why? That sounds too strange. You only gave her a Magic Potion to grow legs. Why should her life and death depend on the Prince she loves? If, I mean if, that Prince doesn't end up with Ariel, why must she die? Can't she pursue another goal, find someone else who loves her? Ariel is so beautiful; after becoming human, she's bound to attract a flood of admirers."

"There are so many handsome and beautiful humans in this world. Ariel can obtain an Immortal Soul from another person who truly loves and cares for her!"

Hearing Aurora's words, Ariel felt half warmed by the concern and half amazed by the uniqueness of Aurora's thoughts.

She had never considered such a possibility.

Not even in her wildest dreams!

"I can obtain an Immortal Soul from another human, someone other than that handsome Prince?"

These two newly acquainted human friends were giving her completely different insights and ways of thinking, each time leaving Ariel deeply shocked.