Chapter 44: Chapter 39: Mermaid

“...... You are?”

“I’m Mirena of the mermaid tribe.”

“......!”

Seriously!? A mermaid she says!!

When I appraise her in a rush―――

＝＝＝＝＝

＝＝＝＝＝

Whoa~ it’s true. Her race is Mermaid.

This woman is without a doubt a mermaid. Only her upper body is visible, so I can only see an ordinary human woman.

As expected, diving under the sea to confirm would be rude, but does this woman has a tailfin as expected?

It’s a mermaid! I want to confirm right away, but patience. Patience......

“Why do you know about me?”

“I was informed about you by Water God’s retainer-sama.”

Haa? From Water God’s retainer-sama?

First, I confirmed how does the mermaid woman know about me, but an unexpected answer has come back.

...... Just what is going on?

“Come again, the Water God’s retainer-sama has......”

“I have been advised that you would be able to solve a problem we are facing. Takumi-sama, could I request your assistance, please?”

What’s with that...... just what did the Water God’s retainer-sama say to these people?

In addition to that, Mirena-sam must have been informed beforehand that we will come here.

“Umm...... assistance you say......”

“For the details, we have to go to our village. Could we move there first?”

Mirena-san asks while deeply bowing her head.

If you ask me like that, there’s no way I could reject, but......

“No, no, wait a moment. Your village is definitely under the sea, right? Even if we can swim, we won’t be able to go there.”

Because we won’t be able to breathe.

Rather, in the first place, can I swim? In the past...... of course, I could swim!

Well, I know the method of swimming itself so if it’s the present body I feel like I could do it. My motor nerves have exceptionally improved after all.

Regarding Allen and Elena, I think that they would immediately master swimming if shown. We are talking about those two after all......

But, even if they were able to swim, as expected it would not be possible for them to breathe underwater. No...... I have a feeling that they would be able to stay underwater for quite a lot of time because of an outrageous lung capacity......

But even that would not allow us to stay underwater for a longer period of time.

“I am prepared in regard of that.”

“.........?”

“...... Please wait for a moment.”

When I was lost in my thoughts, Mirena-san takes something out and presents it to me.

U~n...... what’s that?

Silver... I wonder? I can see a looped string-like thing sitting in Mirena-san’s palm, but...... I don’t know what that is.

Because we are at the water’s edge and Mirena-san in the sea, there’s a subtle distance between us.

When I tilt my head, Mirena-san lets the thing in her hand float on the sea’s surface. It gets jolted by the waves and slowly drifts to us little by little.

It didn’t feel like the waves were natural, was it manipulated by Water magic?

When I pick up the floating thing, it was a bracelet. With an engraved thin curious pattern. It feels hard on touch, but it’s not a mineral? What is it?

I thought it was silver, but it looks iridescent because of the reflections. A mysterious color.

I couldn’t figure anything out just by looking so I appraise it straight away.

＝＝＝＝＝

Mermaid Bracelet

A bracelet made with the scales of a mermaid.

A magic tool that allows breathing under water.

In addition, it wraps the entire body in a thin film, preventing clothes from getting wet.

＝＝＝＝＝

Oo, a fantastic magic tool has appeared.

Certainly, with something like this, there won’t be any problems with breathing.

I had a feeling it’s not made from minerals like iron or gold, but the material was actually scales of a mermaid! Indeed, I didn’t expect that.

The mysterious color is related to mermaid scales. It’s convincing then.

“We will certainly be all right with this.”

“Then!?”

A delightful expression floats on Mirena-san’s face.

“I would like to see the Mermaid village, so I don’t mind going, but...... I may not be able to resolve your problem, you know?”

“That does not matter! Please come by all means!”

I’m not sure I can help because I didn’t hear the details.

Should I have asked first? But, she told she would explain in detail in the village so......

But, the Water God’s retainer-sama gave a seal of approval, so it’s probably not something too difficult. And even if I’m not successful, looking at Mirena-san’s reaction, I won’t get blamed either.

Following in itself is an introduction to the Water God’s retainer-sama. A person(?) who is worried about Allen and Elena. They wouldn’t let the twins approach something dangerous. There shouldn’t be any problem.

“Then, I will borrow this bracelet.”

“No, I offer that to you. Please think of it as a fee for going to the village. Of course, if you have problem with that, we will prepare a different remuneration in the village.”

“No, no, this is something precious, right!?”

“There are people engaged in magic tools in the village, so quite a number of them exist. To begin with, this magic tool is necessary in order to enter the village, so please accept it without reservation.”

I thought it’s a valuable magic tool, but this bracelet apparently isn’t that valuable to the mermaids.

Because the material is the scales of mermaids, they probably don’t lack materials to make it......

Well, that. If she says to take it, I will take it.

I retrieve Joule and others who were guarding around the sandy beach to my shadow and put on the bracelets on Allen’s and Elena’s arms. Then, I put one on myself, hold the two’s hands and enter the sea.

When the depth of water reached my shin, I tried raising my leg from the water.

Oo, it really didn’t get wet. This is incredible!

My clothes and boots are totally dry. I’m deeply moved by the performance of this magic tool.

It allows breathing underwater, but there are no problems yet, so it’s possible to use it on the surface too? If I put it on a rainy day, I won’t get wet?

It looks like this magic tool can be used for something it wasn’t originally made for. I obtained something good~

When we reached a certain depth, I timidly tried to dive in a while holding Allen’s and Elena’s hands.

“!”

Oh my~ how exciting~

Even though I know that I can breathe without problems, I can’t help it but be nervous about the first breath, right?

“Is everything all right?”

“Y, yes. Everything’s fine.”

Breathing aside, talking underwater is also a strange feeling.

However, it’s so amusing!

My heart is throbbing experiencing something I never did before.

Allen and Elena also seem to be enjoying themselves underwater.

Breathing is alright, the next one would be swimming.....

“Ah~ ... Allen, Elena... are you okay?”

“”Fun~””n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I see......”

Yep, there doesn’t seem to be a problem.

When I release their hands, the two are normally swimming.

I knew. This development is exactly as I imagined!

Still, isn’t this too fast!? They are already... smoothly swimming, you know!!

Ah~ Since the two are alright, I will try to swim too.

I position my body horizontally, extend my arms and flap with my legs.

Breaststroke? Crawl? I somehow know the form, but I never have done it before, though!

From time to time, I move my hands to paddle the water and move forward.

Oo, is this okay? I am swimming properly...... I think.

Umm...... like this? Then, like this...... oo? I am swimming?!

I tried breaststroke for a trial, I was able to do it. I wasn’t able to do it in the slightest in the past...... I’m a bit happy.

Ah! Right, the mermaid!

I was too absorbed in trying to swim so I did not check the thing about Mirena-san.

When I look at Mirena-san again, it was the same as the illustrations that appear in fantasy novels and manga, the upper body of a woman in a bikini and the lower body of a fish.

The scales of the lower part of the body went from light red to dark red, it gets darker as you go from the waist to the tailfin, a beautiful gradation.

“Ah~... I have kept you waiting. Everything’s fine now.”

Crap. While observing in a trance, my eyes matched Mirena-san’s.

Mirena-san was quietly watching over us while we were learning to swim...... she’s smiling for some reason......

I approached Mirena-san and told her that everything is fine now and we can move.

“I understand. Then, let’s depart.”

“Ah, yes. Allen, Elena. Let’s go~”

“”Ye~s””

We start swimming after Mirena-san who is guiding us to her village.