Free Web Novel"Was this the thing that gave you the guidance of fate?"
After learning Melody's character, Loren continued to press.
"W-what thing?"
Though she said that, Melody instinctively covered the pendant at her chest with her hand.
That item was clearly a secret Melody couldn't reveal, but her reaction already gave Loren the answer.
Her panic made it highly likely Loren had guessed correctly.
"Is that pendant related to the Perpetual Observer?"
Melody's pupils trembled when she heard that, an undeniable sign confirming to Loren that his suspicion was true.
"How do you kno—no, I don't know who the Perpetual Observer is, I don't know them at all…"
Loren ignored Melody's protest and kept asking,
"Did this come from the Dawn Princess?"
After so much questioning, Melody finally understood the situation. She covered her face and closed her eyes so Loren couldn't read her expression.
But by doing that, the Inverted Cross Pendant was exposed to Loren, within reach of his hand.
"I'll take that pendant."
"No!"
Loren's sudden bluff made Melody clamp down on the pendant again.
She felt toyed with from the start, so she fought back:
"Are you Mara's enemy?"
"Yes."
Unlike Melody, Loren didn't blush or show signs of lying; no one could tell when he lied, especially now with a controlled corpse between them.
Melody quickly realized that and tried to probe Loren in return, but she couldn't get anything out of him.
"You don't need to imitate my interrogation. I can tell you directly things I don't mind revealing, except for certain things I prefer to keep—like my true identity."
Loren had no intention of revealing himself to the merfolk. They were not as trustworthy as the witches.
"Where is Mara now?"
At the mention of Mara, a fierce hatred rose in Melody. Mara had slaughtered so many of her kin; revenge was a burning need.
"She's dead. She was killed during the attack on the God of Bountiful Harvest's territory. Most of the merfolk corpses he controlled were destroyed, but I managed to obtain some."
"Dead?"
Melody froze. Her burning rage had nowhere to go and had to be swallowed.
Her expression instantly sank, tears blending into the seawater—underwater she couldn't even cry properly.
An enemy's death wasn't necessarily good news, especially when you had the ability and intention to exact vengeance; the anger that should have burned outward now consumed herself.
"Yeah, she died miserably. She kept screaming until she was almost chopped to pieces."
Loren thought well of Melody and offered a casual consolation.
Hearing Loren's words, Melody let out a short laugh and felt a little better, though her spirits remained low.
She adjusted quickly and was soon able to converse normally with Loren—an uncommon ability, one Loren himself couldn't replicate so fast.
"Actually, I resent you for desecrating merfolk corpses, but you are a good person. Before I revealed my strength, you already tried to rescue me from the pirates. I noticed that.
"And if I'm not mistaken, Mara was killed by you, right? You killed Mara, avenged us, you did the merfolk a favor. The merfolk you control will rest peacefully when they learn…"
Melody was surprisingly perceptive, which raised Loren's opinion of her.
If anything needed doing, he would be willing to help her.
"How did you figure that out? Fate's guidance?"
Loren hadn't told anyone he killed Mara—this matter had stirred up a lot of attention, and many credited Master Mentor with yet another rescue.
Even though the merfolk lived secluded lives, news of the event could have leaked through pirates.
"Maybe."
She had picked up a trick or two from her brief contact with Loren.
"…"
"To thank you for killing Mara, the merfolk will give you some gifts."
"Oh? Could you take me to your settlement?"
Loren was genuinely curious. Now that he had this enhanced merfolk corpse, visiting the Deep Sea might not be impossible.
"Sorry, we can't agree to that. No outsiders are allowed into the merfolk settlement. There are Protective Wards; no outsider can enter…"
"…"
As soon as she said that, Loren began to consider how he could get in.
He knew Mara had been inside before, but he didn't know whether the merfolk corpse he controlled could enter. Breaking the wards was impractical—especially ones that had been maintained for tens of thousands of years; dismantling them would be extremely difficult.
"The creators of the wards considered many possibilities. Only genuine merfolk can enter. Whether a controlled merfolk or an undead merfolk, none can pass."
"All right."
Loren's idea was immediately shot down, but he wasn't discouraged—he had other plans.
"We can arrange a meeting place. I'll deliver the gifts there."
"Fine. Do you know the Angler?"
"Yes."
Melody nodded. The Angler usually resided in the Deep Sea, so merfolk living there would naturally know of it.
"I will go kill the Angler after some time. We'll meet then."
Loren planned to send his true body; assessing the Angler's abilities required him to see it for himself.
He also intended to meet Melody in person. Now that she already knew Loren had killed Mara, discovering his identity shouldn't be difficult.
Instead of letting her slowly investigate, Loren decided direct honesty would be simpler.
"All right. Let's part here, see you next time."
After saying that, Melody offered a salute and swam into the Deep Sea without further words. Her figure soon vanished from Loren's sight.
Loren estimated that Nami could still catch up—Melody's speed was considerably faster than an average merfolk.
Moreover, Melody's identity was likely not simple. Both her pendant and her sword were unusual.
"Could she be the Merfolk Princess?"
Loren considered the possibility. Leadership among the merfolk might be determined by merit and public recognition rather than bloodline—similar to how the Dawn Princess earned her title.
Power brings responsibility. If Melody were a princess, that would explain why she felt duty-bound to protect others and investigate when her people were harmed.
Her decision to embark on such a dangerous journey alone suggested she was resolute, and Loren admired that.
It was a pity Loren had not known her earlier. The merfolk princess he remembered was someone else, which suggested Melody could possibly be dead.
