The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 721: My Sea (1)

She was sinking. Or maybe she was floating up. Everywhere was water. Dimly glowing blue water filled every direction. She couldn’t tell where the sunlight was coming in from, or where the darkness lurked. Because there was only water, it felt like there was nothing at all.

Park Yerim was either sinking, or rising, or just being carried along.

“…Hey!”

She blinked slowly, then suddenly yelled. The water wobbled a little, but that was it. Her voice, amplified by an item, spilled out and was soon swallowed deep. Park Yerim stretched her arms and legs out, trying to stand upright. But she couldn’t tell if she was standing, lying down, or flipped upside down like a handstand.

It didn’t feel very good.

‘…I wasn’t planning on being left alone.’

Unlike before, the Mermaid Queen’s water had been slow. It had looked like she could block it if she summoned her own waves. If she made wave crash against wave to buy time, then used teleportation, she might be able to just barely escape.

But she failed.

‘Everyone else got out, so it was pretty much a success, right?’

Park Yerim nodded to herself. She just hadn’t expected to get caught like this. The thought that she might not be able to run away at all hadn’t never crossed her mind, but it hadn’t felt real. Maybe… but no way.

It had felt like it would work out this time too. It always had.

“What were you even thinking, Yeyo!”

Park Yerim shouted again. The water gulped down her voice in great mouthfuls. It was water she’d awakened to and grown completely familiar with through the Mermaid Queen’s power, but right now it felt strange. There was nothing but water. Endlessly just water, and water, and more water. No surface, no bottom. Goosebumps prickled over her skin. A strange kind of fear crept in, and she hurried to shake it off.

“At least send a message or something!”

Grumbling, Park Yerim swam a little in some direction she couldn’t get a feel for. Other than her own voice, there was nothing to hear, and there was basically nothing to see either. She bit her lip without thinking. Just as she was starting to get a little anxious—

– I have no intention of harming you.

The resonant voice rode the waves to her. A huge shape wavered like a shadow seen beneath the surface. The entire space shuddered at once as the presence of the master of the water seeped into every part of it.

Park Yerim’s jaw clenched again. She forced her eyes wide, determined not to show weakness.

– Little droplet.

“My name is Park Yerim.”

A dark shadow rippled beneath her feet. It felt impossibly far away and at the same time like it might brush her toes. At the same time, a presence like storm clouds filling the sky spread above her head. It flowed slowly from all directions. Park Yerim sucked in short, quick breaths one after another. It felt like she’d fallen into water with no skills at all. Every time she breathed, it felt like bubbles of air were leaving her lungs one by one, never to return.

Without thinking, she clapped both hands over her nose and mouth. Her heart pounded.

– You cannot leave the water without my permission.

The voice of the water continued.

– This is my domain, so none of the things you put your faith in can come rescue you.

There would be no rescue. From outside, they wouldn’t even be able to find this place. Not Han Yujin, not an S–rank Hunter, not even a Transcendent.

– So accept it.

The position as the Mermaid Queen’s successor. A gentle wave brushed Park Yerim’s cheek. Her shoulders trembled slightly.

“…I said I didn’t want to.”

Her voice came out muffled against her palms, but it was firm.

“First you said to leave Mister behind, and now it’s me? What are you even doing?”

– Because he is necessary. Han Yujin possesses an ability we need.

“If you need him, shouldn’t you explain it and convince him with words? We can talk, we can understand things too!”

– But you are weak. We cannot share secrets with those who cannot protect themselves. Please understand my position that I cannot speak until he is completely under my protection.

“…Why would we understand that? That’s not asking for understanding, that’s just forcing it on us!”

The shapes seeping through all sides gathered along the currents. Slowly they formed the figure of a mermaid, wavering like a waterlogged painting. Park Yerim stared straight at it.

– I can see how it might feel unfair. But little droplet, you failed.

Park Yerim’s eyes twisted. The lips hidden under her hand twitched.

– Han Yujin will try every method to save you, and in the end he will offer himself up.

Park Yerim had gotten Han Yujin out. But because she was caught, Han Yujin would walk into the Mermaid Queen’s hands on his own. Her breathing grew ragged again. She tried not to picture it, but the scene came to mind far too easily.

“…Mister will find a way.”

– He could not, and chose to stay. In the end, both he and you lacked the strength.

“But–!”

– There is a time when everyone is young and weak. So there is no need to be ashamed.

A hand reached out toward Park Yerim. The mirage–like form glittered with distinct scales.

– Accept my protection.

The tone was gentle yet overwhelmingly strong.

– As the master of the water, I will envelop you. You will never need to be afraid or frightened again.

“…I’ve never been scared.”

– You will always be able to stand proud.

As the Mermaid Queen’s successor, you will walk a path of promised glory. One day, all of this water will sway under your hand.

Even as she felt her breath grow even shorter, Park Yerim shook her head. She forced her eyes open wide in stubbornness.

“I still don’t want it!”

The Mermaid Queen did not force her. Instead, she quietly withdrew her hand. Park Yerim’s whole body gave a short shiver as the hand drew away. The urge to grab it even now surged up, and she ground her teeth.

– I can easily crush you at any time. But I am offering this from a pure goodwill I have never shown before.

The Mermaid Queen’s form grew hazy. Her voice spread out wide like an echo in the mountains.

– Remember that I cherish and consider you, and think it over slowly. Time flows extremely slowly here, so you will have more than enough to change your mind.

The water heaved in a great swell.

– If you wish to escape, accept my power and call my name.

The Mermaid Queen’s presence vanished completely. Once again there was nothing, only water. Left all alone, Park Yerim blinked.

“…Wait, I–!”

Her voice was swallowed up by the water, hollow and futile. Park Yerim raised her mana sensing to the limit. But it was still only water. The Mermaid Queen wasn’t even watching her. She had left so completely that Yerim couldn’t feel even the faintest trace.

She was alone.

The emptiness was overwhelming. Park Yerim took a deep breath and started to move. She had no idea which way was up or down, but she headed in what she decided was the direction of the surface.

‘…What if this is actually down?’

What if she just kept sinking forever like this. The moment she thought that, the way she was going suddenly felt especially dark. Flustered, she changed direction. But it wasn’t long before she had the same thought again.

What if I’m heading for the bottom right now. What if I’m just falling on my own.

There was no path. There was no back to follow ahead of her. She was completely alone.

“…I still have to get out.”

If she couldn’t escape, everything she’d done would end up for nothing. No, it could end up even worse.

You failed. The Mermaid Queen’s voice circled through her head. Unable to find any path, Park Yerim just kept moving at random.

‘Mister might have had some kind of plan.’

He always did. With stats endlessly low compared to S–rankers, even after getting caught over and over and going up against Transcendents, he found a way through. He might have this time too. No—he would have. He would have escaped somehow, not wandering around like she was, but carving out a path.

“…Hey! Mermaid Queen!”

She shouted. The water stayed calm. It filled everything in a nearly motionless stillness. Park Yerim stopped. No matter how far she went, nothing changed. Even if she thrashed her arms and legs as hard as she could, it was all just the same blue water. She started to doubt whether she was moving at all. Maybe she was just floating there, blankly, pointlessly flailing.

“I–it’s fine.”

She muttered under her breath. Her voice reached nowhere. There was nothing she could do. Nothing except sit there blankly and wait.

“…It’s fine.”

They’ll come to save me. The people around Park Yerim would never give up on her. That much she was sure of. So it was supposed to be fine.

“…It’s not fine.”

Her body shook. Her heart pounded.

“…I’m scared.”

She was scared. Being left alone, unable to do anything, terrified her. Even if she struggled with everything she had, nothing around her would change. She felt so small. The feeling that she could do anything at all was losing strength, leaving her just as powerless as when she was little, before her awakening.

– …I’m sorry!

“…?!”

A small voice reached her. Startled, Park Yerim jerked her head up and looked around.

– I was scared too!

“…Huh? Uh, who are you?”

– I was so, so scared I couldn’t come out!

She sensed a faint light. It was at the end of the pendant chain around her neck. A clear stone like a drop of water—the spirit egg—was wrapped in a misty blue glow. Park Yerim cupped the water spirit’s egg in both hands.

“Is that you?”

– I’m a coward!

The voice quavered. The blue light shook hard.

– There were… too many scary things around you, Yerim…

“Around me?”

– Yeah. Especially those Transcendents way stronger than me! Actually, I’d already woken up…

The water spirit said, embarrassed.

– I’d been conscious for a while. I ended up around your neck, and I was going to say hi in a really cool way…

Then I ran into Chatterbox. The water spirit had held its breath as small as it could.

– You were all confident, Yerim, but I got scared. And I thought, okay, at least one Transcendent is gone now, but then another one!

You were dragged right into their space. The egg trembled faintly.

– When you met the Mermaid Queen, I absolutely didn’t want to get noticed. I could’ve been born then, but I was scared. Her power that wanted to swallow pieces of the world, that was so scary. And the big wolf was really scary too.

The voice hiccuped with little sobs.

– But the scariest thing of all was realizing I’m a coward.

“…What’s so wrong with being a coward.”

– You’re always confident, Yerim. You stand up without being scared. You didn’t back down even in front of Transcendents way stronger than you. But me… I was so terrified I couldn’t even talk, I just curled up and hid in my egg… I’m so, so ashamed and embarrassed…

The light was too bright. The water was too clear. The spirit hadn’t been able to jump into all of that.

– I thought you’d hate a coward like me…

“No!”

Park Yerim shook her head quickly.

“Why would I hate you! And I get scared too.”

She said it with a smile, but strangely, tears leaked out.

“I’ve been scared lots of times. I was really scared just now. Honestly, I’ve been scared this whole time.”

Tears beaded and mixed into the water. They were tears that felt like laughter.

“But I was scared of looking weak too.”

– You’re strong, Yerim!

“Yeah, but. I’m still scared. Even if I get way stronger than I am now, there’ll still be things that scare me.”

The spirit egg sparkled. It shone with a stronger, clearer light.

– It felt like you’d be fine without me.

“No, that’s not true.”

– But since you’re scared too, I couldn’t keep hiding anymore.

This was a Transcendent’s domain. Even Park Yerim was bound tight and unable to move. It was scarier than ever before. But more than that fear—

– I wanted to stay with you.

The water spirit loved Park Yerim. From the moment it first gained awareness, it had admired her. Watching her in silence, it had nurtured its affection. Park Yerim broke into a wide smile.

“Thanks.”

– …I’m sorry I’m so late.

“No, and you’re strong. You’re not a coward.”

– But I…

“You’re talking to me like this, even though I’m scared right now too. How is that being a coward.”

– …I’m still scared though.

“That’s okay! I’m scared too! I’m so scared I feel like bawling my eyes out!”

Saying that, Park Yerim cried. This time she really did bawl.

“I’m scared Mister will get hurt because of me, hic! That I butted in for nothing and ruined everything…!”

She sobbed loudly, wailing. What would happen if she really never got out of here. If something happened to Mister, and she ended up all alone again. If she kept refusing the Mermaid Queen’s offer and the queen really got angry enough to try to kill her, then what.

The water spirit cried with her. It bawled, saying it was sorry. She sniffled back, asking what it had to be sorry for, telling it it was okay. After crying like that, little bits of laughter started to leak out again.

“I think I can stand it if I’m not alone. It’s okay, Mister will help. You’ve been watching Mister too, right? You can trust him.”

Park Yerim rubbed at the corners of her eyes with her fingers as she spoke.

“It’s embarrassing that I jumped in saying I’d take care of it and ended up like this. But it’s still okay. Even if I make a huge mistake and really mess everything up, Mister will still be on my side. And I’m the same.”

Her damp eyes looked down at the spirit egg with tenderness.

“Even if you get scared and hide, even if you run away alone, I’ll still like you. I’ll still take your side.”

Just like what Park Yerim had received, she was giving back. The spirit egg soaked up the light to the brim. It sparkled like it was laughing.

– I’ll take over.

“Huh? Take over what?”

– Being the Mermaid Queen’s successor.

Park Yerim’s eyes went round.

“The Title? You?”

– Yeah! I’m your spirit, so I can inherit the power of a Title you haven’t fully accepted yet.

“But then you’ll…”

– It’s okay.

The egg turned clear as water. It broke apart into droplets, then gathered again in front of Park Yerim’s eyes. A tiny figure let out a little laugh.

– Before I’m the Mermaid Queen’s successor, I’m your spirit. So it’s okay. I won’t be bound to her.

The Mermaid Queen’s jewel that had hung together with the spirit egg melted into the spirit. The blue droplet opened its eyes, reaching out both hands. It looked at Park Yerim with immeasurable affection.

– My sea.

Successor to the Mermaid Queen, and the water spirit’s one and only sea.