Looking at the thin veil above her head, Oak suddenly recalled his earlier discussion with Robin about a Mermaid's anatomy.
In other words, beneath the scales under that veil was the equivalent of a human's...
Curiously, he looked up. Through the gaps in the veil, he could see the scales beneath it, but like the rest of her scales, they were tightly arranged. He could see nothing but scales.
This only further piqued Oak's curiosity. He jumped up and reached out to brush over the scales beneath the veil, wanting to see whether this place really was as Robin had said—whether it was...
Caught off guard, Shirahoshi never expected him to do something like that. He touched the spot directly, his hand resting on that section of scales through the veil. It felt no different from the rest of her scales. Through the veil, there was a softness like skin, but...
Shirahoshi suddenly stiffened all over. An unnatural flush rapidly spread across her face, and Oak saw her body tremble involuntarily several times, much like a human woman at certain times.
"Lord Oak—"
Shirahoshi let out a sharp, embarrassed cry. Oak had never heard her raise her voice so loudly before, and he froze in place.
"W-What are you doing?!"
"How... how could you touch there?!"
There was even a hint of tears in Shirahoshi's voice as she trembled harder.
"H-Hurry up and take your hand away!"
Her intense reaction instantly made Oak understand. Shirahoshi really was like Robin had said; beneath those scales were the equivalents of certain human physiological structures.
And... she reacted this strongly even through the scales?
Oak noticed that the scales he was touching through the veil had become moist and slick, like the mucus secreted by fish.
Oak did not know whether Shirahoshi was