章 28: TEAR LIMB FROM LIMB

GYPSY still remembered Xavier Lagun's tragic back story.

The strong merman actually didn't get caught. He allowed himself to be caught by Count Eugenio Woolsey in order to find Maris Lagun– his pregnant little sister. The poor mermaid was caught by the old man when she was waiting for her human lover by the shore that, unfortunately, was owned by Count Woolsey.

Then the old man gifted the mermaid to his pervert son.

Ethan Woolsey was captivated by Maris Lagun's beauty. But that foolish pervert hated "broken and imperfect dolls." So, when he found out that Maris Lagun was already pregnant, he lost interest in her.

However, Ethan Woolsey kept Maris Lagun a captive because her tears were precious. Instead of pearls or gemstones, the Laguns would cry precious Mana stones.

But Maris Lagun died during childbirth.

Ethan Woolsey, who lost his mind after losing his biggest source of income, thought about raising Maris Lagun's children. He even got excited with the thought of raising his personal "slave-mermaids."

But you could tell the gender of the merfolks based on the color of the eggs. The eggs that Maris Lagun had were violet– and that meant she gave birth to mermen.

Ethan Woolsey, that pervert who was only interested in beautiful women, was so enraged that he was about to break the eggs and kill the mermen inside. But Count Eugenio Woolsey told his foolish son that according to legends, eating mermaid eggs could grant the consumer the ability to turn their tears into Mana stones.

Of course, the weak-minded Ethan Woolsey believed his father so he ate the eggs.

Count Eugenio Woolsey didn't lie, though.

It was true that eating mermaid eggs could grant the consumer the ability to cry Mana stones.

But only people with even a drop of merfolk blood in them could do it.

Since Ethan Woolsey was pure human (actually, a piece of trash that looked like a human), he ate Maris Lagun's mermaid eggs for nothing.

However…

[The Mana Cores of the unborn mermen remain in Ethan Woolsey's stomach.]

***

"WAKE UP, FEMALE!"

Gypsy gasped when she felt someone shaking her hard enough for her to feel like throwing up.

When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a pair of glowing ocean blue eyes.

Slowly, her senses came back to her.

She was still in the lake house, and she fainted a while ago after hearing Xavier Lagun's heartbreaking cry.

[Ah, Yvo!]

She immediately looked around to search for the young master.

There, she found Yvo lying on the floor– unconscious. Prince Cyrus and Pierce Willard were also in the same position.

"Yvo…" Gypsy whispered worriedly. "Your Royal Highness… Sir Willard…"

Her thoughts were distracted when Xavier Lagun grabbed her by the collar and pulled her until she was standing on her feet.

She was unstable because there was no strength in her legs.

The only reason her feet touched the floor was the whip-like water wrapped around her waist. It must be Xavier Lagun's ability.

"You," Xavier Lagun said, almost growling. "How did you know that the bastard ate my sister's children?"

She was reminded of Ethan, so her gaze automatically looked for the pervert.

And there he was…

She covered her mouth with her hands when the sight that greeted her almost made her throw up.

Ethan Woolsey's stomach…

… it was open.

And his insides were sprawled out on the floor.

Moreover, Ethan Woolsey's body was dismembered.

His head… arms… legs…

Blergh!

The horrible sight made Gypsy faint.

***

<"CHILD, are you awake?">

Gypsy was already awake, but she felt like she was still dreaming.

After all, when she opened her eyes, the first thing that greeted her was a pufferfish inside a floating transparent bubble.

And it was talking to her in a voice that sounded like it belonged to a man.

[This is really a fantasy world.]

<"Xavier, the human child is awake.">

She got up when she heard Xavier Lagun's name.

Then she looked around to look for Yvo and their companions. But much to her shock, she found herself sitting on the cold ground…

… in the middle of a cave.

[Where…]

"You're finally awake."

She turned to the owner of the voice.

Her eyes met a pair of glowing ocean blue eyes.

[There he is.]

Xavier Lagun was sitting in front of the small fire that he probably made. The merman was facing her, and he was looking at her as if he was observing him.

She stared back at him because she was curious.

The merman was already wearing a linen shirt. She noticed that his exposed skin was clear now. There wasn't a single scale on sight.

"What are you looking at, female?"

"My name is Gypsy Woolsey," Gypsy said weakly. But at least, she didn't avert her eyes. She was still doing a good job keeping a brave act, right? "I'm not 'female.' It sounds lame, too."

The merman glared at her.

This time, she lowered her gaze.

[Okay, I'm getting scared now.]

"My master told me you came from another world."

She gasped softly, then she raised her head. "Are you talking about your Spirit Guardian?"

Xavier raised an eyebrow at her, then he turned to the floating pufferfish beside her. "Master, she knows a lot."

Huh???

[His master is the pufferfish. Then…]

She turned to the floating fish. "Y-You're the S-Spirit Guardian…?"

<"You may call me 'Kahi,'"> the pufferfish said. <"I'm the Spirit Guardian of the Sea.">

A Spirit… finally!

"Lord Kahi," she said politely. Then, even though every inch of her body ached, she knelt properly in front of the pufferfish. After that, she clasped her hands together and put them over her chest as if she was praying. But she was actually begging. "Please let me introduce myself again. My name is Baek Si-a, and I came from another world. To be precise, I came from a country called Korea–"

"Korea?"

She turned to Xavier Lagun who interrupted her.

"Did you just say 'Korea?'"

She knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "Yes. Why?"

Xavier's face suddenly lit up. "Then do you know a Korean woman called Kim Jooda?"

"Just because I'm Korean doesn't mean I know every Korean…" Gypsy's eyes went wide, then she gasped. "Hey, I actually know who Kim Jooda is."

***

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