Shrimp! Shrimp!

Her Highness the Queen had been hugged so enthusiastically by her son that her bones fractured.

The mermaid ladies hurriedly called for a doctor.

Fortunately, Fish-Man Island's residents had all heard of how frail Queen Otohime was. Otherwise, Bright truly feared that someone would immediately report to the guards that there had been an assassination attempt on the queen.

Watching Shark Star carry his mother back toward Ryugu Palace, Bright's gaze turned somewhat wistful.

"Don't worry, Shark Star, Mother is fine!"

"Mother, don't move around. You'll make your injuries worse."

"I told you I'll be fine. If you don't believe me, look—wah!"

"Didn't I tell you not to move?"

Bright's eyes were dark and distant.

Neptune, what kind of married life are you even living?

"She may be frail, but she's such an interesting person, isn't she? Queen Otohime."

The mermaid ladies excitedly discussed Her Highness the Queen.

"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. She's kind and gentle, not arrogant at all despite being royalty."

"Of course. Before Lady Otohime married King Neptune, she was just an ordinary mermaid like us."

"No, Otohime had been extraordinary for a long time already," Bright said casually as he withdrew his gaze.

Even before he had been born, Otohime had already begun giving her speeches. Back then, she had only been a teenager.

When she herself was still a child, she had already begun worrying about the other children up on the surface.

"That's why we could never become someone like Queen Otohime."

The mermaid ladies giggled, utterly unconcerned. "Why not work hard and see if you can become the bureau chief's wife instead?"

Bright's mouth twitched.

As everyone knew, Fish-Man Island currently had only one bureau-level department.

"Mhm, Bright is so impressive now. He even took a prince as his subordinate, and the queen came to personally ask him for help! It would be wonderful if I could marry him."

"Alright, clean up. It's time to get off work."

Shyarly closed the book in her hands.

"Ah, Shyarly's angry."

The mermaid ladies were as they always were.

Once all the mermaids had left, only Bright and Shyarly remained in the shop.

Shyarly made Bright a cup of coffee.

"Is this really alright?" Her slender right hand supported her cheek. Her beautiful face flickered between light and shadow beneath the swaying lamplight, lending her an even more mysterious allure.

Bright picked up the coffee and took a sip. "It's not exactly good, but it's not exactly bad either. At the very least, there's one benefit: it can make our relationship with Ryugu Palace closer."

Neptune was a good man.

Bright was certain of that.

But what about the future?

Would they still remain this close in the future?

Bright couldn't guarantee it.

Shark Star's presence could at least add a buffer between the two sides.

"So Bright has become quite good at thinking too."

The corners of Shyarly's lips rose slightly as she spoke with some feeling.

"Don't make the old me sound like an idiot," Bright protested.

Shyarly interlaced her fingers and rested her chin atop them, smiling. "Because back then, whenever something happened, all you ever said was, 'Shyarly, what should we do next?' or 'Shyarly, hurry and come up with an idea.' It was always Shyarly this, Shyarly that. You were really annoying."

Bright couldn't help but laugh.

When they were children, although he often tagged along with his older brothers, their age gap was too great. More often than not, he actually played with Shyarly.

Whenever they ran into trouble, the two of them solved it together. Shyarly used her brain, while Bright used his fists.

Even when she was very young, the young prophetess had already possessed a sharp mind.

"Because it's Shyarly," Bright said. "Shyarly, whom I can always trust and always rely on."

Shyarly's cheeks visibly reddened.

"Idiot."

She pretended nothing had happened. "It's getting late. Are you staying here tonight?"

"Please allow me to," Bright said solemnly. "I've been far too busy these past two days. I can't be bothered going back."

"Busy?"

"Mm, training, catching sea beasts, and finding that violent Sea King that always wandered nearby. We had to drive it away before it caused trouble," Bright said casually.

"A Sea King?"

The corners of Shyarly's lips curled up as she said meaningfully, "You might get an unexpected gain."

"Huh?"

In the end, Bright still failed to get Shyarly to reveal what sort of future she had seen.

The next day, after breakfast, Bright headed straight for the training ground.

By the time he arrived, the warriors had already begun training in full swing.

Even the newcomer had arrived.

"Good morning, Brother Bright!"

Shark Star, who had come early, solemnly greeted Bright.

"Morning," Bright replied. "Your mother is all right now?"

"She's fine now."

Shark Star said, "Mother's recovery ability is very strong."

Bright didn't know what to say.

He could only raise a hand and pat Shark Star on the shoulder.

"Bright, what's the deal with this kid?"

Brother Arlong strode over angrily. "You let him join us?"

"That's right."

Bright nodded. "Starting today, Shark Star is a member of our Immigration Bureau. Let him follow you, Brother Arlong."

Arlong was very displeased. He had never had much of a favorable impression of Ryugu Palace.

But Bright had already spoken, so there was nothing he could say. Since that day, he had known that he could not change Bright's decisions.

"You'd better behave yourself, brat!"

Arlong could only say coldly to Shark Star, "Don't let me catch you pulling any tricks!"

"Yes!"

Shark Star did not know Arlong well. He merely thought Arlong disliked connections, so he immediately decided that he had to perform well. He puffed out his chest and answered loudly and solemnly.

Bright nodded lightly.

He had said Shark Star would be treated like an ordinary soldier.

But in practice, that would not do.

His identity was simply too sensitive.

For now, he would let Shark Star follow him in catching sea beasts.

After his basic training was over, he could join Arlong in the later intensive training. Then they would see whether they could make the kid stronger.

As Neptune's son, he should have some talent, shouldn't he?

The morning training proceeded as usual.

Watching the warriors train fervently on the field, Shark Star felt somewhat envious. Unable to resist, he asked Arlong, who was resting with his eyes closed, "Brother Arlong, are we just going to watch from the side?"

"If you're bored, sort these out."

Arlong casually tossed him a stack of papers.

Shark Star took them and saw that they were financial records.

Arlong was not actually idle every day.

Since he was in charge of the finances, he had to produce results.

Bright truly did not trust greedy Arlong very much. If there had been anyone else available and if he had not wanted to see Arlong drifting outside the group, he would never have handed this job over to him.

Although Arlong was put in charge of the work, Bright conducted routine inspections every day.

He gave Arlong no opportunity to embezzle anything.

Although there were not many financial dealings in the bureau right now, with the biggest expense being payments to the fish-men searching for sea beasts, Arlong, who had little education, was still thoroughly fed up with it. He had already begun to hate the job he had originally looked forward to.

"I understand!"

Shark Star, however, was delighted. He had been entrusted with such an important task right from the start. Brother Arlong really was only cold on the surface.

As a member of the royal family, Shark Star had received an education far superior to Arlong's. He handled the simple task of organizing the records with ease.

Arlong watched and nodded to himself. Bright really did have a good eye.

Now he could slack off openly.

Shark Star worked on organizing the records for half the morning before Arlong suddenly interrupted him.

"Kid, stop for now. It's time to leave."

"Setting out?"

Shark Star looked up, somewhat bewildered.

Arlong grinned. "We're going to catch a sea beast."

"Really?"

Shark Star instantly grew excited. This was far more interesting than sorting through documents here. "Brother Arlong, what should I prepare?"

"Prepare?"

Arlong sneered. "Prepare to be scared out of your wits!"

Shark Star soon understood what Arlong meant.

He stared, dumbfounded, at the scene unfolding in the water ahead.

A gigantic sea beast was tumbling through the water, repeatedly smashed against the seabed.

Because a man had seized its body and was flinging the sea beast back and forth with his unrivaled strength.

"See that, kid? That's Bright's strength!"

Arlong laughed heartily, looking immensely proud.

Shark Star paid no attention to Arlong's attitude. He was already completely overwhelmed by shock.

"That's incredible! Brother Bright! With that kind of strength, he can definitely protect Fish-Man Island, right?!"

The youth clenched his fists tightly.

There was no mistake. This man was the one who could change Fish-Man Island!

"Hm? What's that?"

Suddenly, the fish-man who had found the sea beast this time looked up, staring curiously at the water above. He saw a black shadow falling.

"Hm?"

Bright sensed it as well. Something enormous was approaching. He casually tossed the sea beast in his hand aside and looked up.

Screech!!

The seawater was ripped apart as a massive hammer came crashing down.

Electricity flickered over Bright's body as he shifted to one side.

The enormous hammer struck the seafloor, blasting the seabed apart. Spider web-like cracks spread for hundreds of meters.

"Well, well, well. I was just thinking of looking for you, and you delivered yourself right to me?"

Bright looked up at the enormous creature descending from above.

"Roar!!"

The giant beast roared. The vortex created by its descent alone blew away the dust on the seafloor.

Four massive claws, a huge tail hammer that was gradually retracting, and a ferocious lizard-like head.

It crushed down toward Bright.