The Wizard of Fairy Tale World

Chapter 53: Sympathy for the Merfolk

Rhine and Aurora smiled as they accepted the Grand Matron’s invitation. With her concerns eased, the Grand Matron departed.

Ariel swam closer to the two and thanked them again, preparing to bid farewell and ascend to the surface world with her potion.

“If you encounter any difficulties while pursuing the prince, feel free to come to me for help,” Rhine said.

He handed Ariel a silver mirror and explained:

“I’ve imbued this mirror with magic. Speak your troubles into it, and no matter how many kingdoms lie between us, I’ll hear them.”

Since leaving the Rose Kingdom, Rhine had not heard anyone reciting his name in prayer—a limitation of his ability to sense such invocations over great distances. On this vast continent, his usual methods of communication were insufficient. Thus, he specially prepared this magical gift for Ariel.

“Thank you both. I will never forget you,” Ariel said, her gratitude overwhelming as she waved goodbye and swam toward the surface world.

Moments later, Rhine felt Ariel’s wish energy flow into his soul like a stream merging with the ocean. It was clear that above the water, the mermaid princess had now acquired human legs.

The song, reminiscent of the ebb and flow of tides, surged through his veins and fused with his soul.

It was Ariel’s mermaid song.

This gift, received as compensation for fulfilling her wish, came with two powerful effects:

1. The song’s unmatched beauty could stir the hearts of anyone who heard it, whether on land or beneath the waves.
2. It had the ability to soothe marine creatures. Upon hearing the song, sea creatures would feel drawn to Rhine and regard him as a trusted ally. He could even command them to aid him—for example, asking fish to point out swift currents or directing sea beasts to tow ships.

Of course, as a magician, Rhine didn’t need to sing the song himself. He could use magic to play it instead. A mere clap against a seashell would make it sing. Tossing a harp into the air would produce this extraordinary melody.

“This ability is equally useful for performances or sea voyages!”

“How ironic,” Rhine mused. “In the end, my ‘payment’ is the same as what the Sea Hag demanded—Ariel’s song.”

The only difference was that, as the magician fulfilling her wish, the wish energy itself paid the price on Ariel’s behalf.

Aurora’s voice brought Rhine out of his thoughts.

“By the way, Teacher, although we’ve obtained information about the Black Witch Maleficent, can we delay seeking her out? I want to witness Ariel gain the prince’s love and earn an immortal soul before we set out again.”

“Of course,” Rhine replied. “Even if we found Maleficent now, you wouldn’t be able to defeat that dragon. Besides, I have plans of my own.”

Undoubtedly, obtaining an immortal soul was Ariel’s greater wish. Rhine, too, wanted to see that wish fulfilled before departing.

He looked forward to seeing how Ariel—retaining her beautiful voice and speaking ability, freed from pain, and able to showcase her graceful dance—would fare in the story to come.

Aurora gazed at the deep, almost black waters overhead. A touch of melancholy entered her voice.

“I feel a little sorry for the merfolk.”

“What for?” Rhine asked.

“I truly hope Ariel succeeds in winning the love of that handsome prince. But even if she does and gains an immortal soul, it will only save herself. All the other merfolk in this sea will still eventually dissolve into foam, unknown and unnoticed.” Aurora sighed.

“This task is already so difficult for the most cherished of the mermaid princesses. How could it be possible for the countless ordinary merfolk?”

Having spent many years with Rhine, being raised by this teacher from beyond the world, Aurora had grown accustomed to viewing matters from novel perspectives.

Rhine smiled.

“That’s an interesting line of thought.

“You, the heir to a kingdom, grew up unaware of your identity.

“A child who played with ordinary commoners, now destined to become a queen, will inevitably think differently from one raised in a grand palace.”

“When you start to see the many behind the individual, when you consider the broader picture, you’re learning to become a great ruler. That’s one of the purposes of this journey.”

Although Rhine appeared only slightly older than the girl beside him, he always tried to act more mature in moments like this, embodying the role of a sage and mentor.

“So, what are you implying, Teacher?” Aurora asked, already suspecting the answer.

“Let’s look forward to the conclusion of this tale—Ariel’s story, and the fate of this sea kingdom.”

Rhine tilted his chin upward, his gaze piercing the heavy, dark-blue water overhead.

In just two hours, the dawn’s light would pierce through the deep sea.

The sun would shine equally upon the kingdoms of men on land and the world beneath the waves.

…

The sun rose.

Sunlight penetrated the sea, illuminating the Sea King’s palace.

To witness the dawn in the mermaid kingdom was a breathtaking sight no human could see in a lifetime.

The light, softened by the water, painted the entire sea in hues of rose. The Sea King’s palace slowly awakened in the serene beauty of morning.

As planned, the Grand Matron led Rhine and Aurora, who had finished studying the intelligence on Maleficent, into the Sea King’s palace.

When the anglerfish with its transparent belly, carrying two humans, swam through the palace gates, the scene astonished the nobles gathered inside.

“Incredible!”

“They must be the first humans in history to enter the Mermaid Kingdom!”

Even the most self-assured mermaid scholars had to admit that nothing like this had ever occurred.

“Haha, this is like a fairytale version of a submarine. I bet they’ve never seen anything like it,” Rhine thought as he peered through the translucent belly of the fish, observing the wide-eyed merfolk outside.

The most surprised of all, however, was the Sea King himself.

What shocked him wasn’t the humans’ peculiar arrival—his subordinates had already described it in detail—but the fact that his own mother was personally escorting the two guests.

Just last night, hadn’t she vehemently opposed any interaction between humans and merfolk, or between the worlds of land and sea?Nôv(el)B\\jnn