East of Starfall Forest.
The lush green landscape came to an abrupt halt here, yet it was entirely different from the Corrupted Mountain Range in the north.
A breathtaking arc of coastline stretched between heaven and earth. Clear, azure waters merged with the sky, blue waves interlocking with silver sand in a picture-perfect scene.
This was the boundary between the Endless Sea and the continent of Aenoria.
At this moment, two figures were playfully splashing about along the long, beautiful beach.
“Haha, Shiruya, I haven't seen you in a few days and you've gotten weaker!”
A crisp, youthful voice drifted across the sea breeze. The speaking girl was wrapped in sparkles of water droplets, a blue-and-silver gradient mermaid tail swishing lightly. Her tail fin shimmered with a soft pearlescent luster, lively and bright—a mermaid, a member of the beautiful race pampered by the Endless Sea.
“Dammit, Belise, don't run!”
The girl known as Shiruya had striking, shoulder-length emerald-green short hair sprinkled with tiny droplets of water. Her slightly pointed elven ears flushed slightly pink, and her light green eyes were filled with playful exasperation.
Waves rolled through the clear shallow waters. Relying on her innate mermaid swimming abilities, Belise nimbly dodged the seawater splashed by Shiruya, her laughter light and cheerful as the ocean breeze.
Onlookers might think she was simply playing around, but the concern hidden in her eyes could not be concealed.
Belise had known all along that ever since Lilith went to the Temple of Light in Starfall Forest to pray and try to awaken the fallen Goddess of Light, Shiruya, who had always followed Lilith, had fallen into complete gloom and anxiety.
Usually a calm and strong half-elf, Shiruya now spent her time staring blankly toward Starfall Forest, her heart filled with worry and anguish. She was distracted even while eating and resting, exuding a heavy sense of exhaustion.
It broke Belise's heart. Keeping it a secret from everyone, she had snuck out and dragged the troubled Shiruya to this undisturbed shore.
She didn't understand grand notions of faith; she only knew she wanted her best friend to be happy, to temporarily put down all worries and thoroughly relax.
The sea breeze blew softly as waves gently lapped at the beach. The two chased and played on the water for a long time, splashing from the shallow sea all the way to the shoreline.
The tightly knit brow that Shiruya had worn for days finally smoothed out. The gloom in her eyes was dispelled by her friend's pure joy, revealing a long-absent, gentle smile.
Seeing Shiruya completely relaxed, Belise finally stopped playing and floated casually in the shallow water.
Shiruya looked at her with gentle eyes. Her voice was calm and filled with genuine warmth as she said softly:
“Belise, thank you.”
“Alright, alright! What are you thanking me for? That's way too distant!”
Belise swished her long, beautiful tail and swam rapidly in front of her. Tilting her head up, she reached out to gently ruffle Shiruya's fluffy green hair, speaking in a candid and affectionate tone:
“We're best friends! If you're feeling down, isn't it only natural for me to accompany you and clear your head? No brooding alone from now on, and definitely no formal politeness with me.”
The tips of Shiruya's ears flushed slightly pink from the gentle touch. Deep warmth flooded her heart. Looking at Belise's sincere expression, she nodded softly and answered:
“Mm.”
Hand in hand, the two stepped onto the fine, warm silver sand.
Shiruya pinched her fingers and silently chanted a simple Cleanse spell. A soft golden light gradually enfolded her, and in just an instant, her sea-soaked short hair and clothes became completely dry and soft.
Meanwhile, a hazy light of water shimmered around Belise. Her gorgeous, dazzling tail slowly unfurled in the soft glow, transforming into a pair of slender, fair human legs. Her fish scales faded away completely, replaced by a light, pale blue gauze dress, turning her into a charming and adorable young human girl.
The two sat side by side on the beach, gazing out at the boundless blue sea and sky. Curiosity immediately filled Belise's eyes as she gently tugged on Shiruya's sleeve, her tone brimming with anticipation:
“Shiruya, promise me! When Lilith returns, you must tell me right away!”
“I've been curious about the human world on land for so long! I want to hear Lilith tell fun stories about humans and all sorts of novel things that don't exist under the sea. I've never really been to the mainland properly!”
“Alright, I promise you.”
Shiruya's expression softened. At the mention of Lilith, a firm, gentle light glowed in her eyes—Lilith was the faith and redemption carved deep into her soul.
“Once Her Highness Lilith returns safely, I will come to the shore to find you immediately and tell you everything, down to the last detail.”
“Awesome!”
Belise's eyes lit up. She leaned closer, blinking her large eyes, and added with a cute, gluttonous tone:
“Oh, right! Don't forget to bring me delicious food from the mainland! Human sweet cakes and dried fruits are super tasty. I think about them every day under the sea and get so craving. You must bring plenty!”
Amused by her playful greedy demeanor, Shiruya let out a soft chuckle. But just as she was about to agree, sudden waves surged across the calm sea surface.
Two mermaid girls clad in light blue sea garments hurriedly bounded onto the beach. Their faces were filled with anxious yet helpless exasperation, immediately interrupting their conversation.
Nise, walking ahead, held her forehead and sighed with helpless worry:
“Your Highness, you ran away secretly again! His Majesty the King was furious and is searching everywhere for you. Rafel and I searched the ocean for three whole hours, terrified that you'd meet with danger out here. I was worried to death!”
Behind her, the younger Rafel nodded repeatedly in agreement, her small face filled with panic, her voice tinged with grievance:
“Exactly! Your Highness left the palace without saying a single word. We searched all nearby waters and were almost driven to tears. You can't do this ever again!”
“Aha... haha, Nise, Rafel!”
Belise stuck out her tongue, instantly looking a bit guilty. She scratched her cheek and cooed softly in apology:
“I'm sorry! I just hadn't gone out in so long and really wanted to cheer Shiruya up. I forgot to tell you in the moment. Sorry for making you worry! Next time I'll definitely report before leaving.”
Seeing how exhausted the two girls were, Shiruya hastily stood up, her face filled with apology as she softly blamed herself:
“It's my fault. I was playing with Belise the whole time, causing her to lose track of time and creating such a hassle for you all. I'm truly sorry.”
“Miss Shiruya, please don't say that!”
Rafel waved her hands frantically, shaking her head like a rattle, reassuring her with an earnest look:
“We all know the Princess sneaked out specifically because she was worried about your mood. It has nothing to do with you at all! It's just that the Princess is too rebellious and willful, never listening to His Majesty.”
“Indeed,” Nise agreed gently, looking at Shiruya with a warm gaze. “Miss Shiruya, you don't need to blame yourself. We've never blamed you; we were just worried about the Princess's safety.”
Seeing this, Belise hurriedly shielded Shiruya, fearing she would feel too remorseful. Instead, she reached into her seashell pouch and pulled out an exquisitely carved white seashell, shoving it into Shiruya's arms without accepting no for an answer.
The moment the shell opened, a soft, rich magical aura radiated outward. A box full of round, plump deep-sea pearls glowing with pure, gentle light lay quietly within.
Every pearl was uniform in size and translucent in hue, containing extremely potent natural mana. They were rare, top-tier magical materials, a hundred times more valuable than ordinary pearls on the market.
“Take this.”
Belise raised her head with a slightly proud tilt, though her tone was exceptionally earnest:
“I know you guys are really short on high-grade magical materials to maintain the defensive barrier. These are the finest pearls I picked myself from the deep sea. They're perfect for casting spells and reinforcing the barrier.”
“This is too precious! I can't accept it!”
Shiruya flusteredly tried to push the seashell back, her eyes filled with helplessness.
“Just take it when I tell you to!”
Belise held down her hand and pouted, her voice tinged with stubbornness:
“We're best friends, why care about value? Besides, I'm still waiting for Her Highness Lilith to return safely to tell me mainland stories and eat the delicacies you bring me! Just accept it with peace of mind!”
Beside them, Nise and Rafel exchanged a glance, making no move to stop her throughout the exchange.
To the mermaid royal family, such deep-sea pearls were virtually endless. No matter how rare, as long as the princess was happy and wished to give them to a cherished friend, they wouldn't say a single word of objection.
Looking at Belise's sincere expression, Shiruya felt warmth surging in her heart. Unable to refuse any longer, she held the warm shell tightly, her eyes moistening slightly as she said solemnly:
“Thank you, Belise. On behalf of Her Highness Lilith and everyone here, thank you.”
“I already told you, no need to thank me...”
Belise waved her hand with a touch of tsundere pride. Then, remembering something, she paused and drew a blue conch shell from behind her back:
“Here, take this too.”
“What is this?”
“This conch is called the Mermaid Shell. It's a tool we mermaids use to summon our companions. Once activated, it emits a sound that only mermaids can hear, and nearby mermaids will quickly come to assist.”
Belise instructed:
“If you encounter any danger in the future, don't hesitate. Mermaids nearby will immediately come to your aid.”
“Belise...”
Shiruya was deeply moved.
...
Seeing that dusk was approaching, faint signals calling from the undersea palace echoed over the water. Belise had no choice but to return with her two attendants.
Looking back with every few steps, she kept waving to Shiruya and repeatedly reminded her:
“Don't forget our promise! You must wait for me!”
“I won't forget. Safe travels.”
Standing on the beach, Shiruya waved to bid them farewell.
Soon, Belise transformed her tail back into mermaid form. Accompanied by Nise and Rafel, she leaped into the azure sea. The three figures gradually sank into the deep blue ocean, leaving behind gently swirling waves and a beach filled with warmth.
Holding the pearl-filled shell close to her chest, Shiruya looked toward Starfall Forest in the distance. The despondency in her emerald-green eyes had faded completely, leaving only steadfast faith and hope.
She would remain here, quietly waiting for her light, her redemption, to return safely.
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