Long, long ago, the Sea Monster Queen happened to save a mortal prince.
The two went through much together, finally breaking through the barriers of taboo to become a couple.
They fell in love.
But their love was not accepted by others.
Mortals regarded the prince as a filthy degenerate. Banished from his kingdom, he had no choice but to sail out to sea in search of his beloved.
The Sea Monster Queen's subjects also saw her actions as a betrayal of their kind. They attacked the mortal prince's ship, trying to send him to a watery grave.
In that moment of peril, the Sea Monster Queen made a wish to save her beloved:
[Let my blessing brush your face like the sea breeze, granting you fearless courage to dwell with the sea and dance with the storm.]
[Let the stars guide your voyage, and the moonlight guard your soul. The tides will bring you back to my side.]
She sang softly in the Sea Abyss, her voice filled with sorrow, yet also with hope.
[May the ocean never harm you.]
[May you never lose yourself.]
[May you never lose your way.]
[May you...]
[Love me forever.]
Splash.
Herbert's eyes snapped open, and he stared blankly ahead.
Just now, he seemed to have heard someone tell an ancient story, bearing witness to a love that no one would accept.
Then he felt as though he had fallen into a warm embrace, a pair of smooth, slippery hands slowly drawing him into the depths of the bottomless Sea Abyss.
That sweet song kept echoing in his ears, urging him to make up his mind, as though it wanted to keep him there forever.
After that, he woke up.
"..."
Herbert raised a hand to his lips, feeling as though a trace of warmth still lingered there.
What was that?
Did someone force a kiss on me in a dream again?
Uh...
Why did I say again?
When was the last time... urgh!
Herbert dry-heaved. Although he hadn't recalled the exact scene, he decided not to dwell on it any further for the sake of his mental health.
"Nenasya, what did I just see?"
Was that ancient memory made up? Did it have anything to do with Freime's iridescent scale?
["Huh? You actually woke up through your own willpower?"]
Nenasya sounded rather surprised, clicking her tongue in wonder. ["I was planning to wake you after you succumbed. Your will is stronger than I imagined!"]
["Don't worry, it isn't anything bad. It's the 'little help' I mentioned earlier!"]
["A forbidden spell that only Sea Monster royalty may cast, an epic curse-Sea Monster Queen's Longing."]
Giggling, the Evil God explained the curse's effects to her bewildered ally:
["From now on, you won't suffocate underwater, fall prey to mental manipulation, or lose your way. You will become a favorite of the water element, and all ocean creatures will feel a natural fondness for you."]
["The only tiny problem is that you'll gradually become more like a Sea Monster. Swimming membranes will grow between your fingers, and your legs will slowly turn into a fish tail..."]
["But thanks to the Purity Blessing and my blessing, you're completely immune to the curse's negative effects! Relax, you won't gradually turn into a Sea Monster, and your appearance won't change at all~"]
The Evil God had deliberately kept him in suspense, but she didn't see the panic she'd expected on her ally's face, nor the relief of fear turning to joy.
Instead, Herbert even questioned her. "Wait, that doesn't sound right."
["Hmm?"]
"Isn't this a blessing? How is it a curse?"
She loves me so much that she even wants to turn me into a merperson. How does any of that look like a curse?
Nenasya: Huh? There's something wrong with you!
The Evil God hesitated, then decided to skip that question rather than dig any deeper. Instead, she said, ["My ally, don't you understand?"]
["Love has always been the most twisted curse in this world."]
Nenasya chuckled, a hint of mockery in her voice as she said coolly:
["Because of love, a deity consorted with a mortal, becoming the spark that ignited conflict among the Gods."]
["Because of love, monsters and humans fight, plundering and slaughtering one another."]
["Because of love, members of the same race turn their blades on each other, spilling blood to win another's heart."]
["Love is the source of every calamity and every hardship in this world."]
She said:
["Love is a curse."]
As Nenasya expounded on those decidedly depraved ideas, Herbert didn't interrupt. He merely raised an eyebrow and listened quietly.
After she finished, he stayed silent for quite a while before finally shaking his head. "You might not be entirely wrong, but I still think your views are a little too extreme."
"Emotions are complicated. You can't blame everything on love."
If every sin could be blamed on love...
Then this world would be far too much of a joke.
There had to be many actions in this world that did not stem from love, yet rose above it.
["Heh, perhaps."]
The subject ended there. By tacit agreement, neither tried to argue over that point.
Though they hadn't known each other for long, they both understood that changing the other's mind would not be easy.
There was no need to say more.
["By the way, with this talent, you could try learning some water-element spells. You should be able to achieve quite a lot without much effort."]
Nenasya felt a little wistful as she spoke.
Even she hadn't expected Herbert to obtain the scale of a Legendary Sea Monster with royal blood right off the bat.
Had this talent gone to a mage, the world would effectively have gained a future archmage specializing in water.
Unfortunately, he was a Holy Knight. At most, he would learn a few water-based combat skills.
What a waste!
Herbert, however, wasn't particularly bothered.
You could never have too many skills. Who would complain about having too much talent?
Whether the talent would prove useful in the future didn't matter. He would take it first, regardless.
You never know, right?
"Wait!"
As he was musing, something suddenly occurred to Herbert, and his pupils constricted.
"If this proves that collecting monster materials really works, then that means..."
Herbert's expression shifted slightly. Recalling the agreement he'd forced upon Valentina, the corner of his mouth twitched.
"I really have to eat her hair!!?"
Seriously.
Isn't that a little too perverted?
The next day.
When Herbert entered the prison with a heavy heart, the dragon lady, oblivious to all of this, was still immersed in a lovely dream.
"..."
Watching the soundly sleeping Valentina, Herbert licked his slightly dry lips and slowly lowered himself onto one knee before the bars.
He took a deep breath, his gaze utterly resolute, and slowly extended his wicked little hand toward her-
He placed a chicken drumstick in front of her nose and waved it from side to side.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk..."
At that sound, Valentina, who had been fast asleep just a second earlier, abruptly opened her eyes.
"Mm... hmm!!?"
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