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yumemoryChloe: W-Wait! Instead of killing him for real, how about making it temporary?
Chloe: My magical specialty is inducing temporary death to someone. If he’s about to scream, I’ll calm him down. So no killing, okay?
Mithra: ...You will?
Chloe shuddered as Mithra stared down at him.
Mithra: Very well. When it comes down to that, please deal the blow.
Then, without bothering to wait for Chloe’s answer, Mithra grabbed his head.
Snow: Mithy, cease that!
White: Couldn’t you find another way to grab him!?
Figaro: I don’t think the grabbing was necessary in the first place.
Chloe: I-I won’t run away, so let me go…!
Akira: (...Mithra will be too much for Chloe to handle on his own…)
Akira: Um, can I go as well? I want to hear what the chief’s son has to say…
Bradley: Take me with you. It doesn’t sit right with me to have two puppies watch over Mithra.
Chloe: Thank you, Sage, Bradley!
Mithra: Let us depart. < Arsim >
[Location: Chief’s son’s room]
Man: What is it that you want to tell me...? Please let me know if you have something to say.
Man: Aah, you can’t do that, you need to stay still. If we go outside, your life will be in danger….
Mithra: Good afternoon.
Man: !?
Akira: Pardon us for the sudden intrusion. You are the chief’s son, correct…?
Man: Who are you!? And how did you…
Bradley: Sorry, we’re gonna hafta ask you to tone it down.
Mithra: If not, you’ll be half-killed by this Owen-like person.
Chloe: Hey, don’t threaten him suddenly like that!
Chloe: Sorry for that, please don’t be scared. We won’t half-kill you, we’ll just temporarily kill you!
Man: T-Temporarily kill!?
Chloe: Ah! We won’t do anything if you would just lower your voice! We just want to ask a few things.
The man was obviously wary of us, which was understandable after we suddenly appeared in his room. His eyes looked timid and nervous but he didn't look like someone who lost his mind.
The room he locked himself in didn’t look cluttered, it was surprisingly clean and tidy.
If there was something odd about the place, it’s the big bathtub located in the center of the room.
Mithra: What is this?
Chief’s son: S-Stop right there, don’t look…!
He tried to cover the bathtub behind his back, but Mithra easily shoved him aside like he was brushing away dead leaves.
Akira: This is…?
Bradley: Ooh?
What swam inside the bathtub was a huge fish.
Its body was wrapped with emerald green scales, each and every one of it sparkling in the water. The beauty was blinding.
Chloe: I’ve never seen a fish like this before…
Mithra: I advise you not to come closer. It might bare its fangs and come at you.
Chief’s son: I-It won’t do anything like that! Even when it was still in the lake, it was calm…
Akira: Huh?
The chief’s son quickly held his tongue and bit his lips in unease.
Chloe: Could that be….
Once again, we took a very good look at the creature.
It had a big size for a fish, but it’s not even half the size of a Remora. It was neither terrifying nor horrific.
But its gleaming appearance looked too mystical to be a normal fish.
Bradley: ...Didn’t the townspeople say that it’s been a while since the last time they saw the strange fish?
Akira: Could this fish be….
Chief’s son: …...
He was silent for a few moments before replying with a nod, like he finally gave up.
Chief’s son: It was the night of the attack of < the Great Calamity >. I was a little drunk and accidentally fell into the lake. My legs cramped, and I almost drowned.
Chief’s son: Just when I thought it was over for me, this fish came to save me.
He gave a downcast look at the bathtub.
Mithra: I think you just misunderstood its murderous intent.
Chief’s son: No, it really saved me!
He raised his head and denied Mithra’s words, but it only lasted for a few moments before a shadow soon fell upon his face.
Chief’s son: ...I know. I can tell by its size and the color of its scales that it’s not just a normal fish.
Chief’s son: I knew it might be a harmful creature, a terrifying monster even. I knew all that, but...
Chief’s son: For some odd reason, I didn’t feel a single ounce of fear. I even felt like it looked at me with kindness in its eyes.
His eyes blinked slowly as he looked into the bathtub, as if he was exchanging unspoken words with the fish.
Chief’s son: ...But after a while, rumors began to spread around the town.
Bradley: The rumor about the strange fish in the lake, huh.
Chief’s son: The rumor continued to spread and my fiancée eventually got wind of it. Fearing that it would ruin my marriage, my father insisted on getting rid of the fish as soon as possible.
Chief’s son: So I panicked… And tried to protect it by hiding it here in my room. Because if I didn't, then they’ll kill it, won’t they?
Chief’s son: It didn’t do anything bad. On the contrary, it even saved me. That’s why I want to protect it...
He placed his hand on the rim of the bathtub, and clasped it as if to embrace it.
Chloe: So that’s why you locked yourself up here…
Akira: (All this time I thought he locked himself up because he was scared of the strange fish…)
In truth, it was actually the opposite.
He wasn’t afraid of the danger approaching him. Rather, he was afraid of the danger that awaits the strange fish.
The fish flapped inside the bathtub, splashing water around.
Bradley: …So what’s the plan?
Bradley: Don’t tell me you’re planning to hide this thing forever.
Akira: Bradley…
