The S-Classes That I Raised - Chapter 723: My Sea (3)

It began with a small earring.

The Mermaid Queen’s earring of Changrang, given as a reward for hunting the monster that sprang out due to a system error. It held no great significance. The Filial Offenders often registered items they had used before becoming Transcendents as rewards, and the earring was one of them. Because it was useful equipment for Awakened Ones with water-attribute strength, many previous owners had passed through its connection.

Han Yujin had used that connection as an excuse to demand the Mermaid Queen’s power. Even then, the Mermaid Queen—who intended to use him by means other than the Transcendent’s Cradle—had granted Park Yerim the power of a water dominator. It was only a single experience, and she had no great expectations. Park Yerim began to use water instead of ice and grew rapidly, but she thought it was Han Yujin’s influence.

Yet it was not.

…Me.

The Mermaid Queen gazed at the girl shining clearly in the storm. The girl held a cracked spear aloft and spread her torn fin wings. Through the long strands of water-swept hair, her vivid blue eyes met the Queen’s gaze with confident defiance.

Following the path of the water, she reached the King and aimed her spear.

The Mermaid Queen’s pupils trembled. An indescribable emotion filled her old, worn heart. It swelled and swelled until it burst through her entire body, crying out:

Love.

The child walking again down the path that had long ago faded and vanished. The girl who stood up by her own strength and looked beyond. She declared her admiration for the Mermaid Queen. No title was needed. Without anyone’s interference, the girl was already looking at her—pure and clear.

How could she not love that sight? An overwhelming affection poured down like torrential rain. Even a Transcendent who had lived through eons could not resist such loveliness.

…Yes. That was it.

Alone, the Queen remembered the truth she had forgotten—that she was the one who watched over countless futures as they left the nest and grew. She was the foundation upon which those free to move forward stood. And long ago, she herself had once been that child.

“Girls are usually like that.”

A gentle gaze looked down upon the ruined girl. That girl had become the Queen of all seas, having grown freely under her warm gaze.

And so had she—and now it was her turn to be watched over. But the lonely Queen had become a tyrant at some point. A Queen was the foundation for all. The system was too. What to build on it and how was not for her to decide.

I was wrong.

The mermaid named for the first dawn wave admitted it.

“I will return! Somehow!”

She bowed her head to the newly rising young wave.

Park Yerim thrust the cracked spear with all her strength. The sea followed her. The Mermaid Queen spread her arms wide. She was joyful. The water did not cease. It flowed endlessly. Even at the moment she closed her eyes and turned away, it quietly gushed forth.

Kwaaa—

The spear wrapped by the sea pierced through blue scales. Crack— the spear shaft snapped and flew upward. Park Yerim’s body couldn’t withstand the recoil and tumbled between the waves. Yet the spear’s tip remained firmly lodged.

Park Yerim blinked. The wind died down, the rain tapered to a drizzle. As the waves calmed, clear sky appeared between the clouds. The Mermaid Queen gently brushed the spear’s blade from her breast.

“Flow wherever you wish.”

Free as she desired. The bloodstained blade slipped from her chest. The scattered fragments gathered to form a smooth blue shaft. A spear imbued with the jewels of wave and sea was laid before Park Yerim.

The Mermaid Queen exhaled deeply. With her body growing heavy, she drew upon her remaining strength. Han Yujin had severed her world—and Park Yerim’s world—from the system. Yet she was not yet completely free from the Transcendents’ meddling.

Help for the beloved child. Even if perfect protection was impossible, she would be the water that formed its foundation.

“Uh, excuse me?”

Park Yerim, holding the newly formed spear, looked at the Mermaid Queen in confusion. The wound was clearly not fatal—just a scratch—yet her reaction was odd. The Mermaid Queen smiled at her and slowly closed her eyes.

“I will now sleep.”

She would exhaust all her strength and fall into slumber. Worries remained for the waning crescent moon and the worlds disappearing beneath her hands. Yet she felt certain that when she awoke from her long sleep, she would behold a dazzlingly beautiful sea.

…My little sea.

The Mermaid Queen sank into a happy dream.

She emerged from the water—but felt herself sinking ever deeper. The door closed and vanished without a trace. Vanished. Thud. The bag she had been clutching fell from her hand. It seemed Han Yuhyun was calling to her, but her ears were muffled. All voices felt distant.

She opened her mouth. She needed to speak and move, but only her breath escaped in ragged gasps. Now was not the time for this—she had to pull herself together…

“–Because, hyung!”

After Yuhyun’s shout, the expected “sir!” was missing. It echoed like an old hallucination in her mind. She still flailed as though drowning, her breath caught. At her feet, grass rustled, yet she remained submerged.

“…Now, that.”

Yuhyun’s hand touched hers, steering her back to the moment. She must focus. There was no time to waste.

“Hyungnim! Wake up!”

“It’ll be fine, Mr. Yujin!”

—Whirrr, clank.

Voices poured down. She blinked.

“Let’s go rescue her, hyung.”

Yuhyun said firmly. Of course, naturally.

“…The Mermaid Queen won’t harm Yerim.”

It was her fault.

“She even gave the Succession title…”

It was because she had left Yerim behind.

“My original purpose was me—she’ll keep her hostage just to use her.”

This was the result of her decision to stay behind. No—she should never have brought a child here. She should never have trusted the Transcendents.

“If I step in now, they’ll send her back safely, right?”

“First, sit down.”

Seong Hyunjae’s voice came. He had already returned to his usual form. Yuhyun seated her in a chair that had appeared as if by magic. Noah placed Peace into her arms; his red fur, dried by then, felt soft and fluffy.

“Don’t talk about a hostage exchange.”

Mun Hyena cut in sharply.

“Yerim is clearly young. Even if S-Rank, she needs protection, so I understand why you’re panicking, hyung. I was shocked too. But children also deserve respect.”

Hyena met her gaze. It was hard to hold such a firm look.

“If you hand over hyung and take Yerim, it all becomes pointless. A total failure. That’s why… not for hyung, but for Yerim.”

“…But.”

“Right now, the Mermaid Queen’s attitude is certain, yes?”

She nodded. The Queen had no reason to harm Yerim.

“But she’ll be anxious—she’s alone! Even as an adult it would be scary!”

“…I know. Even if her body is fine, her heart will be hurt. And we have to choose the path that causes the least harm.”

The least harm. There was no way to avoid harm entirely. Yerim chose to act. She made her choice, and she had to answer it. She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again. Demanding the Queen bring her to her and free Yerim immediately… was just the easy path for her.

“…Director Song, what is usually done in situations like this?”

“If the hostage’s safety is assured, we do not act rashly. Above all, the opponent is an Awakened—and now a Transcendent—who could inflict greater damage.”

“And what about a hostage exchange?”

“…We prioritize non-Awakened over Awakened, and lower-ranked Awakened over higher-ranked. Also, if the hostage is mid-rank or above, we look for ways to communicate with them.”

“New recruit.”

At her summons, the newcomer’s embroidered sleeve appeared in midair. Beneath her beige curls, red, round eyes gazed at her.

“Can we contact Yerim?”

[Please wait a moment.]

Stepping onto the grass, the recruit spoke. The grass she trod did not break—it was a vision, not real.

[Opening the door isn’t easy. Although part of the system was destroyed, the damage affects the whole. Right now it’s hard to approach the small water droplet without the Queen noticing.]

“Once the system normalizes, will I ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) be able to talk to Yerim?”

[She still belongs to Honey’s team. It won’t take long. It’s not fully restored—just a bit more work.]

“Please.”

The recruit nodded. She seemed to have more to say, but seeing her expression, she quietly vanished. It was that dire.

“Let’s dry you off first.”

Yuhyun conjured flame. Rin came over to her.

“To save Park Yerim, hyung has to take care of yourself too.”

“Doryeonnim is right. Hyung needs to be okay.”

“Ah, shall I find something to eat?”

Mari, hiding timidly, raised her hand.

“Something warm. Being warm inside lifts your spirits. There’s fire—you can grill, heat, or boil.”

“…Thank you.”

She couldn’t say she was fine. She didn’t want to cause worry, but it was hard. As a Hunter, she had considered Yerim getting hurt. But facing it was more shocking than she imagined—especially since it stemmed from her own actions.

“Remember this: Han Yujin is the victim here.”

Seong Hyunjae said.

“When there is a clear perpetrator, victims need not feel guilt.”

“…Even if I could have stopped it?”

“Try erasing the perpetrator. What would have happened?”

“…Nothing. We would all still be here.”

If the Mermaid Queen hadn’t appeared, Yerim would never have been taken.

“You might think you need to be more cautious in the future, but that’s all.”

“It’s not… easy.”

Still, she couldn’t stop thinking how she could have done better. She tried to steady herself, but anxiety remained. No matter how strong she seemed, she was still a child. She must have been terrified. Being apart was no protection. She wished someone could be by Yerim’s side. Though there was no one, she hoped.

[Honey!]

The recruit’s urgent voice rang out. She shot up from the chair.

“Connected?!”

[Well, Senior Tree!]

Softly, vines sprouted in midair. Blue and red leaves intertwined to form a rectangular doorway. Then the space opened and connected.

“Ahjussi!”

Yerim. She appeared in the wide expanse of sea and splashed through the water to leap into her arms.

“I’m back!”

She couldn’t glance away from Yerim’s beaming face. Yerim tilted her head and stretched out her arms. She couldn’t speak—only held her tight.

“Uh, Ahjussi…”

Her throat so tight she couldn’t even cry. She wanted to say “welcome back” or “are you okay,” but couldn’t. Yerim’s embrace steadied her trembling body.

“You worried… a lot, right?”

Yerim’s voice trembled too.

“I thought I’d be fine…”

“…Yerim.”

“But I was scared…”

“…Ahjussi was scared too. Really.”

They clung and sobbed. Tears came, but her shaking body calmed. Yerim formed a drop of water and urged her to wash her face. As always.

“What on earth happened?”

Regaining her composure, she asked. Before Yerim, the newcomer spoke.

[Senior Tree brought her here!]

[It was at Waterdroplet’s request.]

The vine-doorway dissolved, revealing a small tree-doll adorned with leaves.

[She asked me to take her to the recruit. And, if possible, to help you once.]

Waterdroplet? The Mermaid Queen? Suddenly? Yerim shrugged and brightened.

“The title—I received it.”

“What?”

“Not me, but this one.”

“Ah, hello!”

Water gathered on Yerim’s palm, taking the form of a tiny mermaid spirit that bowed.

“I’m Coral, Yerim’s water spirit!”

A water spirit, that is.

“Oh, hello. You’ve awakened. But the title…”

“Yes, I received the Succession title instead of Yerim! Since I’m Yerim’s spirit, even if I receive it I’m not bound to the Mermaid Queen.”

“So Coral passed the dominator’s power to me as the Queen’s successor! My power is equal to the Queen’s, so we fought on even footing, but the experience difference was enormous.”

“I was scared…”

“I still got in one good thrust though! The spear broke, but the Queen fixed it.”

…Though not entirely clear, so.

“Equal power to the Mermaid Queen?”

“Not now.”

…Because the Queen, the one who draws out that power, is asleep. Thanks to the Succession title, I’m stronger and grow faster than other young spirits, though.”

The spirit shyly puffed out her chest. The Queen asleep? Uh…

“What the heck is that?!”

Irin breathed fire atop her shoulder.

“I’m the First Spirit, Rin! I should be the strongest in this world!”

Spinning around, she began whining at Yuhyun.

“Yuhyun! I want to swallow that! I’ll endure the heat and eat it! If Rin eats it, she’ll get stronger than that!”

The first fragment of flame. It was so hot even the Fire Spirit couldn’t bear it—would it burn her? She patted Rin, but Rin puffed with indignation.

“Shut up.”

Coral muttered from behind Yerim’s shoulder.

“If Ahjussi’s not here, it’s quiet, right?”

“What? Rin will be able to speak on her own soon too!”

“Yerim, the Fire Spirit is always noisy. Violent.”

Hm, she couldn’t deny that. Rin could be much too much. Yerim laughed and teased Coral with a fingertip.

“But get along nicely. With everyone else too.”

“Okay, Yerim. But I like you best.”

“I like you best too, Coral.”

Watching them, she found herself glancing at Irin. Yerim and Coral were truly affectionate.

“…Yuhyun, you treat Rin well too.”

“I am helping.”

“Rin, Yuhyun likes you too, I’m sure.”

“No way.” Rin declared flatly.

“Yuhyun only likes hyung! Right, Yuhyun?”

“Right.”

“So that’s why I like Yuhyun! If Yuhyun liked me, I’d hate it! It’d be lukewarm! Hyung never gets it!”

The Fire Spirit stomped back to Yuhyun. Well, if she’s happy…

“Anyway, I don’t know the details, but the Mermaid Queen freed Yerim and fell asleep, right?”

“Yes. But why?”

[Honey! Senior Waterdroplet has enveloped Honey’s world with her power!]

“What? What did she do?!”

[She’s protecting it! Uh, the situation’s complicated. The bet is won by the Filial Addict, so they should give her Honey’s world fragment—but the system connection… I don’t know how, but it’s severed so they can’t take it. And among the representatives, the King of Devourers has… disappeared, and Waterdroplet is asleep…]

In short, it’s a mess.

[I don’t know how this happened, but for now!]

[I’ve called a meeting.]

The tree spoke.

[I can buy about a day’s time. But we need to find a solution before then. Waterdroplet has wrapped Honey’s world in a wave, but it’s not perfect. Strengthen the defense using that wave. If we hold out a month or so, all traces of the system connection will vanish.]

[Senior Tree, you’re helping us?]

[At Waterdroplet’s request. I owe her, and this is my repayment. But only for now.]

The tree-doll cocked its head.

[I don’t know why Waterdroplet suddenly changed her mind, but it’s not my affair. I’ll help protect Honey’s world, then return to my place.]

[Thank you so much!]

[Recruit, you.]

The tree looked at the recruit, whose ears drooped long.

[…I don’t know. But I want to help Honey.]

[Good. I’ll buy time, you organize.]

[…Yes!]

The tree-doll turned into countless blossoms and scattered away. The recruit looked to them.

[First, stabilize the system and find a way. I’ll slow time, so you can rest a day or two.]

The small dome ceiling disappeared, revealing the vast sky. The meadow stretched on endlessly and their familiar home came into view. Myeong-woo and young Chaos approached them.

At once, her breath eased. They could rest. Though why the Queen did what she did, and how things would turn, was unclear—and yet, just a moment of peace.

“Hyung!”

Like a switch, her consciousness went dark.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by readnovel.co