That fragment wasn’t from the Demon King that came out of Cheon Danaa’s body.
The vengefulness that Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess held after losing her sister and cursing her kin was immensely large, enough to create a new fragment of the Demon King. Despite defeating Cheon Danaa, who she believed was the source of all evil that caused her to lose her sister and turned the Deep Sea Palace into this sorry state, she felt an overwhelming void, and that hatred remained.
Thus, the directionless hatred created a new fragment of the Demon King. The newly born malicious entity sweetly whispered to the Mermaid Princess, its host.
Who is it?
What is it?
No, such questions were unnecessary.
As soon as Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess heard the unidentified voice that seemed to be automatically input in her head, a vague fear arose within her, recognizing it as a colossal entity of evil. Despite the lack of exchanges, she understood its true nature.
It was a fragment.
A fragment of malice and hatred, capable of granting an infinite amount of power.
The fragment of the Demon King, having found a new host, whispered to the Mermaid Princess.
*[I know what you desire.]
[I know what you hate.]*
The fragment whispered to her.
[Don’t you despise humans?]
[Isn’t it ultimately humans that cursed your sister, your kin, and this sea?]
“…….That’s right.”
The temptation was delightful.
The dark malice burrowed into the body of the mermaid like a parasite clinging to its host. It was a perfect match between the already cursed and vengeful Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess and the fragment of the Demon King that consumed desire.
Even though Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess hadn’t expressed her ‘consent’ to the Demon King, the fragment began to merge with her body.
She hated her kin.
She hated herself.
She hated humans.
She hated them so much.
The long-held feelings triggered her vengefulness and hatred like an electric current. She imagined that the future displayed by the fragment was far more beautiful than she could ever conceive on her own.
[I will help you.]
[Let’s kill all the humans as you desire.]
[And I will help you find your sanctuary.]
[If you wish to die, I will bring your peace.]
The temptation was incredibly sweet.
It was as if the Mermaid Princess despised everything…
Humans, kin, and even her sister who left her behind, albeit faintly, but that feeling was now vaguely diluted, forgotten, or she realized it was something she shouldn’t hate.
The kin were simply deceived. Her sister had always done her best and was kind, and she knew not all humans ruined her sea like Cheon Danaa.
There were kind humans among them. Even external beings like the saint of the dead, Shia, who came to help her.
The mermaids had been tricked by Cheon Danaa and tore her sister apart, but they had already paid for their sins.
Seeing the suffering mermaids didn’t provide any relief. No matter how much hatred and malice she bore, the sister stayed a sister.
But she…
I… hate myself so much…
She could never forgive herself.
As the thought reached that point, the fragment of the Demon King sensed the Mermaid Princess’s intense self-hatred and self-loathing, and began to urge her further.
Yes, that’s it.
Give in to your hatred and your desires.
The fragment unleashed its malice, trying to fuse with the new host who resonated perfectly with it, while Shia silently observed the scene.
“……….”
The fragment, which hadn’t even found its host nearby, could be crushed at any moment.
Yet, Shia remained still.
She knew how tempting the desires and hatred offered by the fragment could be.
The sister mermaid hadn’t even been able to properly live yet. The other kin, reduced to imbeciles, remained unchanged, and the doors of the closed Deep Sea Palace stayed shut.
Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess’s situation was tragic and sorrowful, but the karma and sins were still unsettled.
In that circumstance, would Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess still want to remain as her sister’s mermaid?
Or would she succumb to the voice of the fragment and unleash her hatred?
What will you do, Mermaid Princess?
The eyes of the mermaid princess, now merged with the fragment, opened.
Those eyes were directed at Shia, and the overflowing malice flowed down from her dark eyes.
It seemed like a lamentation.
“What do you think I will choose, Isia?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
Shia shrugged.
Her slightly relaxed smile was filled with confidence and power, assuring that she could definitely stop the fragment before her, but more importantly, it was about the Mermaid Princess’s choice.
Would she continue to harbor hatred?
Or would she keep holding onto the hand that Shia extended?
Of course, Shia understood that this choice was not easy.
She didn’t believe her beliefs or will would resonate with everyone.
Right now, she stood precariously on a thin line.
Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess stood at the crossroads of whether to succumb to the fragment or not. The moment she expresses her ‘consent’ to the fragment, she would be reborn as another body of the Demon King.
“This is the last chance…”
If the Feast Ceremony turns out to be the curse she needed.
Yet, if it was the fragment imbued with immense power, it could be done.
She could resurrect her lost sister and distribute the curse not to this sea but to the wicked humans!
“This is my last chance to undo everything! The fragment has promised to lift the curse of this sea! It said it would revive my sister’s body! And if I want… if I want, it would ensure the humans feel the hatred and pain I felt…..! Just by creating a place for my demise, I can return everything to how it was!”
As the vast power and malice within the fragment began to cloud her judgment, she found herself increasingly tempted.
Yet, Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess still grasped tightly, teetering on the edge of choice.
“Would my sister want this?”
“I know, I know! I understand that it’s wrong! But, it’s so sweet…! It’s offering to bring my sister back, and that’s enough for me to want to succumb to the fragment…”
“Really? But your sister didn’t wish to be revived.”
“…Then what did she want? She brought the saint of the dead to this cursed Deep Sea Palace, did she not hope for her own revival? You should know that by fusing with her for a moment! But I know! A long-dead person cannot be brought back to life!”
So it should be okay…
It should work, with the power of the fragment, she could bring her sister back and reverse the curse on her kin. No external beings or humans could invade this sea ever again!
This is my last chance to undo the curse I created…!
“Before loving and comforting everyone unconditionally, you must learn to love yourself first.”
Thus, Shia tested her sister.
Of course, deep down, she thought, ‘This is heresy!’ and that she could crush the fragment along with it, but…
How could she lay a hand on a poor sister who lost her sibling?
[Hello, sister.]
“…!”
Her sister had never truly disappeared.
In this deeply cursed sea, maintaining an ethereal existence was even hard. The hopes and desires worn down by time could barely sustain life, yet the longing of her sister lingered within Shia.
Of course, even if she lingered, she couldn’t maintain her existence and was somehow clinging to the Jellyfish Hat Shia wore.
[It’s been a long time.]
“Sis…?”
[In truth, it’s almost over. I left behind proof of my existence hoping for more conversations with you, but… it seems I’m in a precarious state.]
Although it was Shia’s voice that spoke, the younger mermaid realized it was her sister speaking through Shia.
She couldn’t not know.
She couldn’t forget.
Yet, like her sister said, she felt her own existence slowly fading.
[Actually, I was always by your side. Unfortunately, no matter how much I screamed, I couldn’t reach you.]
“…….”
[But ironically… perhaps you are the only one who is crying and regretting while casting curses.]
However, that silly and troublesome younger sister was still her sister.
[No matter what you do, your sister will always stand by your side.]
“….If I succumb to the fragment and drag the curse of this sea to the land of humans and the earth too?”
[Then, I would be angry, of course… but I will still be on your side.]
Shia, who brought her face to the Deep Sea Palace, wished for her poor younger sister to escape from the shadow and hatred that stemmed from her.
[But are you really going to do this?]
“………”
[Not yet. You loved your sister.]
The fragment of the Demon King, born from hatred, dug deeper into those who couldn’t love or offer love.
Hatred and desire were both nourishment and prey for the fragment, yet it was the cruel heart lacking love and passion that allowed it to burrow in.
Even if consumed by desires, if one could love, they would not be a suitable host for the fragment.
In that sense, the Mermaid Princess would not disappoint Shia’s expectations.
Even if precarious and indecisive, she still hadn’t given in.
“……..I do.”
[Did you not cast any curses without hesitation? Did you not regret cursing humans, kin, and the sea?]
No, that’s not it.
You’re not one to cast curses; you’re a child who knows how to love.
You’ve long regretted your hatred and regretted again.
Following your sister’s footsteps, you didn’t abandon the other wounded kin and mermaids.
[No! If you truly succumbed to the fragment and hated yourself to the point of being able to endure it… If you were incapable of forgiveness, you wouldn’t have asked me.]
You hate everything because you hate yourself, and being unable to love means you cannot love yourself.
However, you asked me.
Though you seemed like you would submit to the fragment immediately, in my eyes, it looked like a plea for salvation yearning to be grasped.
[Ah, hah…]
Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess’s lips trembled.
[I hope you don’t endure the pain I felt.]
[I hope you experience the joy and happiness I did.]
[I want you to recognize that you are a valuable child, regardless of what you do.]
[No matter how we transform, you are eternally my dear sister.]
“……….”
Ascending or descending, nothing mattered in comparison to her sister.
[So dear sister, my naive princess.]
“Ah, sis…!”
Sister.
Sister…
Yes, it sounded just like back then.
You called me sister while I was climbing into the sky and becoming a dragon.
No matter how much I gained wisdom and intelligence, you remained the clueless sister searching for her sister.
I’m sorry.
“Sis… sis…”
[There was so much I wanted to say. So much I wanted to give. I wanted to love you more and be by your side for longer. I wanted to be a better sister.]
[But now, you must walk your own path.]
[Do what you want to do, become what you want to be, follow what you want to follow, crave what you want to crave… Let your heart guide you.]
[If the path is lonely, make friends. If it brings joy and happiness, someday tell this sister about it.]
The sister she felt from Shia slowly began to fade away.
Even while calling for her sister, she watched as the ethereal image of her sister slowly faded white from Shia’s body, shedding black tears.
There was much hatred.
Much time.
Many events occurred, and there were many regrets.
Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess could not find any more words.
Her heart fluttered painfully amidst the anguish and sorrow, and yet it felt like something was blooming within her, like a flower about to bloom.
Crack!
“Kuhuh!”
Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess pulled the fragment that had lodged in her heart out with her own hands.
It hurt.
Yet, she did not regret it.
The fragment, which hadn’t gained the host’s ‘consent,’ screamed, and overwhelming malice and power overflowed wildly, but the mermaid princess did not regret it.
She had ripped her heart out, so it was natural to perish.
Sister.
Thank you.
Thank you.
To the outsider… no, to the saint of the dead, Shia.
Even if this is the last time, let’s meet again someday…
“No way. No wayyy~”
“I prefer happy endings~”
With a smile, Shia gently stroked the cheek of the sinking mermaid sister, seeming happier than ever.
You cleared that away with your own hands.
This is your choice.
There are many conditions for miracles.
But there was one that was the most important.
To forgive oneself. To not hate oneself. To stand up on one’s own.
Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess.
Or rather, the sister of that imugi.
You have forgiven yourself.
[Dramatic – Baptism of Repentance]
Although you can’t use miracles for a day, it’s a miracle I can deliver to you.
So, as a saint, I will grant you a happy ending.
No, this isn’t an ending, it’s a new beginning.
“If it’s been hard until now, let’s be happy from now on.”
