What is happening here?
The little mermaid peeked out from behind a massive rock, her cerulean eyes blinking in surprise as they fixated on the young man in the distance, who was turning his back to her… and the fish in his hands.
Two modest-sized fish were skewered on a slender branch, slowly rotating over the fire with the man's movements.
Lu had always possessed keen hearing, and now, as she listened to the crackling flames nearby, accompanied by the sizzling of the fish, the tantalizing aroma wafting from the grilled meat made her swallow hard.
She knew of fire; she had read about it in books. It was described as a marvelous phenomenon resulting from combustion, something both radiant and searing, yet incompatible with water—something she had never encountered in the depths of the sea.
So, this is what fish cooked over a fire smells like?
Just the scent alone seemed to promise exquisite flavor…
The little mermaid pressed her lips together, her beautiful eyes entirely fixated on the two grilled fish, completely oblivious to the young man's fleeting glance in her direction.
Before long, the young man had finished grilling the fish, yet he appeared disinclined to eat, casually placing the two fish on a rock before rising to depart.
Lu watched in confusion as he walked into the depths of the forest, biting her lip.
Why is he leaving?
Is he not going to eat the fish? I want to eat!
The little mermaid hesitated, her shimmering azure tail glistening in the sunlight. Noticing that the young man showed no intention of returning, she cautiously peeked out from behind the rock, inching closer to the beach that seemed unchanged from before.
She had not yet had the chance to change out of the dress she chose last night, and she still wore the splendid sea-blue gown, its hem gently rippling in the water, accentuating her exposed fair skin.
However, with just a fish tail, she could not venture onto the sandy shore.
Lu glanced around hesitantly, observing the absence of any other figures, then turned to sit in the shallow water, casting a reluctant glance at her tail before swaying it idly in the water.
In that moment, her tail transformed into two long, slender legs.
Lu, somewhat awkwardly, supported herself with her hands on the soft sand and struggled to stand up from the shallow water, her eyes widening in astonishment at the novel sensation beneath her feet.
Not far away, several princes concealed themselves:
The fifth prince wore a complex expression. "She has actually transformed into human form."
Although mermaids possessed the ability to turn their tails into legs, for those accustomed to life with a tail, it was not an easy feat.
Thus, he found it difficult to comprehend why his little princess would go to such lengths for a human.
He was not inclined to believe that there was nothing more to it!
"Do you think she has taken a liking to that human?" The fourth prince glanced at the fifth prince.
"Otherwise, what could it be?" The fifth prince frowned.
The eldest prince silently observed the blue-haired girl, who was cautiously taking her first steps, his brow furrowing. "...What she is truly enamored with is those two skewers of grilled fish."
The fifth prince was momentarily taken aback, exclaiming, "What nonsense is this?"
Yet, as the eldest prince had anticipated, once the little mermaid grew accustomed to walking, she joyfully made her way to the shore, bouncing across the golden sand toward the still-burning fire.
Her previously graceful silhouette now appeared quite lively.
The fifth prince: ...
The fourth prince, however, understood, stating, "After all, there is no such thing as fire in the depths of the sea; ordinary fish and shrimp are consumed raw, so it is not surprising that Lu would be intrigued by this."
Meanwhile, the girl crouched beside the fire, gazing at the two skewers of grilled fish, yet she seemed to hesitate, her small face scrunching up as if she were grappling with a dilemma.
The human had yet to return.
"...We could also return; there are still many matters to attend to."
After observing for a while, the princes unanimously concluded that their little princess would likely encounter no trouble, and thus they had no intention of continuing their surveillance. They turned and swam away, tails swaying as they ventured into the deep sea.
On the other side, Lu wrinkled her nose, her eyes fixed intently on the grilled fish. She longed to eat, yet she reminded herself that it was someone else's meal, so she held her breath, puffing out her cheeks to suppress the impulse to reach out.
Why hasn't that human returned yet?
The fish, enveloped in fragrant white smoke, is almost out of steam!
At this moment, the mermaid princess had completely forgotten that she had come out in search of a prince; her thoughts were solely consumed by the grilled fish before her. In fact, she felt a twinge of irritation at the absent owner of the fish.
When he returns, just wait and see... she would insist he grill ten or eight more!
Thus, when Sebastian returned, carrying a small wild rabbit along with two live fish, Lu had already been sitting beside the fire, her eyes straining from staring.
This fire was not only hot but also made her legs quite uncomfortable.
How she longed to immerse herself back in the cool, refreshing sea!
The little mermaid pouted, feeling a touch aggrieved.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow upon seeing the two fish, still intact on the stone; he had expected to find only two fish skeletons upon his return.
At the sound of his voice, Lu turned her head and was startled to see the young man with his upper body exposed, her eyes widening in surprise, leaving her momentarily frozen.
What... what should she do?
Should she mention that she was rescued by dolphins or that she had drifted here on her own?
Rather than explaining, perhaps she should apologize first for having knocked him out for no reason?
The little mermaid felt an overwhelming sense of anxiety, instinctively overlooking the young man's attire, her mind swirling with questions as she struggled to find the right words.
However, Sebastian merely glanced at her with indifference before leisurely settling on the other side of the fire, picking up a sharpened stone he had prepared earlier to begin processing the live fish in his hands.
He seemed entirely unfazed by Lu's presence.
Lu blinked in disbelief, taken aback that this human did not ask her a single question.
Is it really this casual?
After a moment of hesitation, the little mermaid cautiously edged closer to the young man.
When she paused and noticed he showed no reaction, she lowered her head, curiously observing as he skillfully scaled and gutted the fish.
Nodding silently to herself, she thought, yes, this method is quite similar to how mermaids prepare their meals.
However, mermaids dip their fish in various sauces, and those with means often shape them into different forms, having never eaten anything cooked before.
In no time, Sebastian had finished preparing the two fish and tossed them aside, moving on to the rabbit with practiced ease.
Lu glanced curiously at the fluffy dead rabbit, her hands itching to touch it, though she hesitated.
...She had a feeling she knew what it would feel like.
She had hardly touched anything furry, and the creatures of the sea were never this fluffy.
Lu watched intently as the young man stood up, taking the two fish and the rabbit to rinse them in the shallow water before returning to begin threading them onto sticks, seemingly preparing to grill them. Unable to contain herself any longer, she finally opened her mouth, her gaze shifting to the young man's handsome face. First, she was momentarily stunned, wanting to look away, but then her eyes were drawn to his sturdy chest, freezing her in place.
Then, slowly, she tilted her head back, her ears flushing as she quietly asked, "Do you... not eat fish?"
Ah, she had been so focused on the fish; it was true that her prince was exceptionally handsome!
Once the little mermaid regained her composure, she felt a mix of joy and shyness as she pointed at the two fish resting on the stone, her gaze sincere yet slightly embarrassed, a glimmer of light dancing in her blue eyes, making them particularly radiant.
Sebastian glanced at the suddenly cheerful girl, "...Those were meant for you."
He had noticed her hiding behind the rock, staring intently at the two fish, which prompted him to catch two more on his way back.
However, he was taken aback to find her patiently waiting for his return.
As for her earlier gaze... tolerating the clingy sensation of wet clothing wrapped around her waist was already his limit.
Just a quick look wouldn't cost him anything.
"For me?" Lu was momentarily stunned, tilting her head to glance at the two fish again.
So... is this a token of affection?
The little mermaid could not help but look back at the serious young man with his phoenix-like eyes, feeling conflicted.
If it is a token of affection... how am I supposed to eat it?!
Moreover, this fish will spoil, right?!